When I heard Kristen Schaal was coming to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, after her run at Netflix’s Comedy Festival in LA, I knew I couldn’t miss her show.
By all reports, the comedian well known for her turns on Flight of the Concords, What We Do In The Shadows and of course Bob’s Burgers, had created an absurdist show perfect for the Fringe. And that was all I needed to know to book my ticket. I didn’t read anything more about it, and for that I am grateful. Because this unhinged show was weirder than I could have possibly imagined, and delighted me in ways I will struggle to articulate in the words that follow.
So, if there is ever a chance you will see this show, do yourself a favour and stop reading this review. Know that if you’re a fan of Schaal, and love absurdist theatre, then this is a show for you. For the rest of you – and it’s hard to know when or where this show will be performed next, or if it will every be screened for wider consumption – please read on.
Directed by Frank Smith, Schaal stars in The Legend of Crystal Shell as the titular character, a playful take on her own name, in a play she wrote herself. Crystal has been living in a refrigerator, from where she first meets her audience, hiding away from a judging public. Now in her late 40s, after the passing of her mother, she’s ready to debut herself to the world. Or in this case, the Edinburgh Fringe. And on the night of the eclipse, no less – as she mentioned with excitement.
Her youthful enthusiasm and naivety gives Kimmy Schmidt, sheltered from the realities of the world for her life. Scared of what people would think, or do, when they saw her.
So for her debut, she’s here to share her theme song, and a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. A show she rather poignantly relates to, because like its own protagonist, she is cursed to live life in part as an animal. In this case, she’s half horse, with a shrunken back half of a horse extending out the back of her otherwise human presenting body. This is all revealed (to laughter from the audience) as she walks out of the fridge, partly covered by her Swan Lake dress, as she talks about how her now deceased (and rather terrible) mother had sex with a horse.
The show co-stars John Roberts as her father Shimmer, a horse, who shows up eventually – but with ulterior motives. Roberts plays her mother Linda on Bob’s Burgers, so this whole production is a treat for fans of the show. And their interplay is as naturally hilarious as you’d expect. The two play off each other well, fitting in moments of improv along with the well written piece, much to the audience’s delight.
The music by Big Black Delta was well placed, adding atmosphere where needed, and laughs where appropriate.
While the story is mostly self-contained to the stage, the fourth wall never exists. She is here to make her Fringe debut, and the audience is very much a part of it all. Amidst some audience participation, a few people even got to walk away with some poetry hidden in her outfit. It makes sense at the time.
The mastery of this show, and the performance of its lead, is just how easily Schaal holds the audience in the palm of her hands. Or hooves? We hook in and find ourselves on a journey that’s not just funny, but also rather sad – and given we’re all part of the show, no one is shy to pronounce their “awwws” when the time is right. You can’t help but care about her journey, even in the ridiculousness of it all.
The Legend of Crystal Shell is what Fringe theatre is all about. A tight 60 minutes of absurdity, a whole lot of laughs and well considered characters that you’ll be thinking about long after you leave the theatre. You’ll also be thinking about smelly hands, crapping out rainbows and that everyone is beautiful in their own way. And also some Dad’s really do suck. Even when they’re a horse.
If you have the chance to see this show, don’t pass up the opportunity.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
The Legend of Crystal Shell has concluded its brief sold out run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. For more details, head HERE.
The author attended the production at his own expense on 12th August 2026.
