one4review | On 15, Aug 2026

It’s great to hear so many Scottish accents on a stage, and even more delightful that they’re sharing this perfectly formed wee gem of a story. It is in fact (spoiler) two stories, the bogle’s, and the musicians’, though that’s not entirely clear until the end. The bogle’s indignation at the infringement into his schemes is perfect, gives an extra dimension to the tale, and makes it feel, perhaps paradoxically, more human.

It wouldn’t be a proper story about musicians if it didn’t have music, and this one has several excellent – performance, music and writing – pieces. All the singers are very good, and the songs fit in well with the narrative. It’s a lighthearted tale, though there’s tension and peril, as befits any good story, and our main characters are as authentic as you would want them, flaws and all (which is pivotal, so don’t take against Hanna too much!).

Other characters – the bogle, the stagehands, the festival directors – are less mimetic but no less human, and the stagehands in particular provide brilliant comic relief. The staging is spare but sufficient, the writing and the acting are seamless, and everything comes together to produce a show that is very worth seeing. Scotch Bonnet are a relatively young company, but they’ve started out with incredible quality. If you miss this run, keep an eye out for whatever they do next.

Reviewed by Laura
The Speakeasy at The Royal Scots Club
Until 19th