Walking the streets of Edinburgh this week for my second ever time at the Fringe, it’s hard to escape the presence of Australians. I hear the accent in just about every audience, and there seems to be a comedian or a production on just about every stage. With the world’s second largest Fringe Festival in Adelaide serving as the home for a preceding run for so many of the productions here – Australian or not – our two countries feel inextricably linked. The philanthropic organisation House of Oz‘s growing presence in Edinburgh has only added to this, representing a program of eight shows at this year’s event.
With some 4,000 productions on ground, it may be a drop in the bucket for what I’m told is the biggest Edinburgh Fringe ever. But nonetheless, these shows are making a big splash. Amongst the most talked about is FUCCBOIS: Live In Concert, written by and starring the ARIA-award winning comedian Bridie Connell. She was born in New Zealand, but is now based in Sydney, so like Russell Crowe before her, we’re going to claim her as our own.
The concept of FUCCBOIS is pretty straight forward. A quartet of “fuck boys” hilariously named Brandon (played by Connell), Brendan (played by Vidya Makan), Other Brendan (Clara Harrison) and Tyler (Megan Walshe) are the world’s biggest boy band. And they’re embarking on a farewell tour, with tonight’s show being their last ever, in front of an audience of 90,000 people.
Large laminated banners are scattered through the theatre (with a real capacity just under 200), to add to the audience experience, as real world boy band music helps get the almost sold out crowd in the mood.
As the name of the band and the show suggests, the underlining theme of this boy band parody is a hilarious take on toxic dating culture. The songs that make up the majority of the performance are filled with lyrical genius, only made better that they’re a cast of Drag Kings. “Enough red flags to make me a matador”? Just give Connell the Pulitzer already.
It’s not all musical, however. The interplay between the characters is well executed between the songs, and the accompanying videos that allow for set and costume changes are brilliant. Great lighting and sound helps keep up the illusion of it all, and their Tour Manager Micaela (played brilliantly by Blazey Best) sits as the unsung hero of the show. And that’s because the TM is the unsung hero of just about any tour, sitting on the sidelines making sure that everything goes to plan. Which, naturally, this group of FUCCBOIS are trying to derail at every opportunity. All these dynamics are well executed, and the cast are brilliant. And the songs are genuinely good, too.
I laughed until it hurt, and enjoyed every minute of the very tight 60 minutes. It’s perfect for a Fringe Festival, and by its end you feel that they have pulled just about everything out of the concept they could have. The only thing I would have liked to have seen explored a bit more was Brandon’s inner monologue. But after the show was first performed in Sydney in 2024, and then enjoyed a run at the Adelaide Fringe earlier this year, it feels like things have very much been considered and smoothed out at just about every beat.
Not to be missed.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
FUCCBOIS: Live in Concert continues at the Edinburgh Fringe until 31st August 2026. Get your tickets HERE.
You can read our interview with Bridie Connell from the Adelaide Fringe HERE.
The reviewer attended on 11th August 2026 as a guest.
Photos by Cameron Grant.
