Meat Boy, tagline: “we’ll meat again”, is a new play by Beth Crossley, Ginny Davis and Erin Cooke. It follows Fred (played by Austin Keane) and his grudge against a Year 7 music teacher in a wholesome and quintessentially British murder.
We meet Fred slowly gasping down a sausage roll whilst “MEAT BOY MEAT BOY MEAT BOY” is chanted. This is only the beginning.
There is a brilliant mix of physical comedy and great timing from each of the 4 actors. The narrators (Jen Finlay and Phoebe Sanders) keep the story flowing brilliantly so there is not a single dull moment, as well as Mr. P Noot (Rory O-Dwyer) flouncing in to steal the show and terrorise poor Fred. O’Dwyer also provides us with homemade signs bringing us through each “act”, which are just excuses for a good meat pun that are very much appreciated.
The show is remarkably fast paced and takes full advantage of the intimate venue to stare awkwardly into the audience as we stare, laughing, back. By the end of the show, we understand both Meat and Boy, we are all Meat Boy, and we are of course played out to ‘We’ll meat again’ by Vera Lynn. If you are walking down The Royal Mile there is simply no excuse to not go a see such a charming, pun-filled, and uplifting performance.
Meat Boy is running at theSpace on the Mile on August 14-19. Tickets available here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/meat-boy
Image courtsey of LS6 Theatre, provided to The Student as press material.