TikTok darling Henry Rowley makes his Edinburgh Fringe debut this year with his show Henry Rowley: Just Literally. Unlike nearly every other TikTok star showing this year, Henry Rowley is not really doing stand up comedy. Just Literally is, in essence, the TikTok sketches that made Rowley famous strung together with a very thin through line about touring the inside of his brain.
Rowley is obviously very comfortable on stage, and his confidence helps the audience take him seriously. Even when he is styled like every single Harry Styles ripoff from every Wattpad original movie (I’m looking at you Hardin Scott). There were very charming moments, his recollection of an interview he did with Tatler in particular was a good bit, and a very strong opener.
There are a few sketches whining about how awful men are and how hard it must be for a woman trying to date. And, to Rowley’s credit, he is a good enough actor that I was squirming in my seat, especially as he was showing off his kissing skills on an invisible woman. Some of the sketches are miles more successful than others; the ones that work are hilarious, and the ones that don’t work really don’t work.
If you like Rowley’s TikToks, odds are you’ll like this show; at the very least you’ll be able to point and say, “Mintyyyy” when Rowley pulls out a very familiar pair of plastic sunglasses. If you’re not interested in seeing TikTok Live!, then this show might not be for you.
Henry Rowley is on at 19:30 in Pleasance Courtyard Beside, until 25 August (not 12).
And if you want to see the TikTok sensation in action, get tickets ahead of time. Nearly every show is selling out ahead of time. Buy tickets here.
Images by Matt Crockett provided to The Student for press use.
