As someone heavily interested in the Cult of Love and Terror, An Audience with Charles Manson was a certainly eye-catching show. Advertised as an interview with Charles Manson’s British namesake, his show’s strength existed in Kevin Short’s commitment to the character of a lost and disillusioned British Charles Manson that is unable to separate himself from the infamous killer. Yet, I felt like this strong performance did not have the appropriate strength to make up for this show’s occasional lack of direction.
In the spirit of not sounding too harsh, Kevin Short’s impressive vocals and moves are what really stand out. It is clear that one is watching a performer who has been on stage before, behind a plethora of costumes, with a multitude of different song tracks playing. I also felt that the visual cues were a pleasant companion to the storytelling as well as an invited addition of humour.
Yet – and perhaps my biggest criticism of the show – was the blatant use of AI in said visual aid. In a performance that is unique in its premise and delivery, the unabashed use of AI-generated images only served to disengage me.
Still, this does not mean that the show lacked artistic creativity. Featuring original songs from Kevin Short and his band, the use of Manson’s cult as well as his delusional ideas of a race war to present current political commentary felt poignant. The story that the show sets out to tell is also an original. How does one deal with the legacy of someone with your same name? And to what extent do these figures that have shaped culture become inescapable?
Manson’s prevalance–even in the fact that one is drawn into An Audience with Charles Manson because of his image on the poster–in the collective mind is one definitely delved with in this show. Touching on some of the cultural context of Manson’s cult following as well as (some of) the crimes committed by and for him, I did feel like this show lacked a more structured sequence of events. Maybe this could have been solved by following a more clear chronology without so many divergences. Still, Kevin Short remains the most memorable and entertaining part of the show, and is certainly an engaging performer.
An Audience With Charles Manson has now finished its run at Fringe 2026.
Photo credits to An Audience with Charles Manson Press Team.
