So, you’ve just watched Christopher Nolan’s 2026 film The Odyssey, and you’ve noticed one key piece of the Greek legend missing: what truly happened inside the Trojan horse? Don’t worry Nolan, as Fishing4Chips have got your back!
The performance company returns with Burning Down The Horse, after their previous two sell-out runs at Edinburgh Fringe. Set in the dark confines of the infamous wooden horse, the crew of five invite us on their venture toward the inner walls of Troy.
Led by Odysseus (Freddie Walker), the king of Ithaca finds him and his mission slowly overturned by his crew made up of Greek heroes (Lottie Lemos, William Huke, Sam Stafford, Sean Wareing). The protesting soldiers, who would rather not die in the battle of Troy, stage an operation to escape the bolted horse. We, as the remaining 110 soldiers squeezed into the belly of the horse, are inexplicably toiled into this plan and need to assist the heroes’ escape in order to live to see another day.
With lighthearted audience interaction to really exemplify how “we are the remaining elite left in Greece,” it almost felt unnecessary in some parts as the selected audience members contributed nothing to the fictional tale besides standing on stage and stating their name. Despite this, this show is definitely one to stay attentive to, as the audience consistently have to either: stand in respect of Odysseus’ entry into the room, or stand to form your diplomatic vote of the heroes’ escape.
Burning Down the Horse remains the epitome of silliness, filled with Greek mythology dad-jokes including mentions of absences in attendance from Achilles due to his heel and Oedipus (and his “complex”) due to it being Mother’s day. While the storyline may have fallen slightly flat by its halfway point, the interchangeability between comedic and dramatic acting was incredibly strong – it being a true testament to the cast’s performance skills.
Make sure to “hold your horses” as you head into this odyssey parody, because you’re truly in for
a wild ride full of hilarious twists and turns!
Burning Down the Horse is running until 30th August at Friesian at Underbelly, Bristo Square.
Buy tickets here.
Image Via Lidia Crisafulli
