With over four million YouTube subscribers and a reputation for dreaming up daft challenges, Max Fosh hardly needs an introduction. His online persona is built on finding loopholes, exploiting them, and bringing his audience along for the ride. The question for his sold-out, one-night-only Fringe show (17 August) at Underbelly’s McEwan Hall was whether that same formula could succeed on stage.
The answer is: yes — mostly. Fosh didn’t attempt to reinvent himself or push into radically new territory. Instead, Loophole delivered exactly what his fans expect: silliness, audience participation, and a charming, self-deprecating wit. At its heart, this show was Fosh staying true to the brand that has carried him through 72 performances across 13 countries on his Loophole tour.
From the outset, the audience was made part of the act. Before the performance began, each person was asked to complete an online form filled with silly questions. These responses became fodder for Fosh’s quick-fire humour throughout the evening, giving the impression of a show that was half-prepared, half-improvised. His ability to riff off strangers’ ideas shows his natural comic instincts and easy-going stage presence.
Threaded through the evening was the theme of “silliness”, a label Fosh wears proudly. At one point, he reminded the crowd that, unlike many of his Harrow classmates working in banks, he has made a career out of being “silly”. The show leaned into that persona: light, playful, and never taking itself too seriously.
The finale was perhaps the most satisfying moment. The audience discovered that, in filling out their pre-show questionnaires, they had unknowingly agreed to a set of “Terms and Conditions” granting Fosh control over their lives and finances. To escape, the crowd had to work together to find a loophole. It was a clever twist that tied the whole show neatly back to its premise.
And yet, for all its charm, Loophole stopped short of being extraordinary. It was entertaining, certainly, and Fosh is as likeable in person as he is online, but the show offered no great surprises. It wasn’t radical, it wasn’t new—but maybe that’s the point. Max Fosh knows his niche, and he knows what his fans love about him. At McEwan Hall, he gave them exactly that.
Image by Indigo Productions, provided to The Student as press.
