A Review of Police Cops: The Original, Fringe 2025

Police Cops are back!!! This is their 10-year anniversary and they do not disappoint!

Explosive nostalgia

For its 10th anniversary, Police Cops: The Original returns to the Fringe in all its unfiltered, high-energy glory. This isn’t a reinvention, just an enhancement of the years work. It’s the chance to see the original award-winning comedy.

Every ridiculous set piece, every gloriously daft character, every perfectly over-the-top cop movie cliché is here, firing on all cylinders. The result is an hour that feels like a time capsule of pure, unrelenting fun, where the jokes hit hard, the action never lets up, and the audience is in on every beat of the madness.

From the moment the lights hit, the pace is furious. You’re swept into a whirlwind of moustaches, retro cop outfits, and the kind of cartoonish danger where every punchline lands as hard as the fake punches.

Energy & physical comedy 

This is physical theatre with an action-movie metabolism. Every tumble, roll, and exaggerated shoot-out is executed with precision timing, and the cast hurl themselves into each scene with unstoppable energy and perfect timing.

The choreography isn’t just impressive, it’s integral to the humour, with bodies flying, costumes flipping, and sight gags unfolding mid-cartwheel. 

Comedy & writing 

The writing strikes that sweet spot between smart and silly. On one level, it’s a perfect parody of every cop cliché ever put to VHS: the rookie with a tragic past, the grizzled veteran, the villain with just a bit too much flair.

On another, it’s slyly self-aware, constantly breaking the fourth wall to wink at the audience, weaving in absurd one-liners, ridiculous plot twists, and moments of sheer comic escalation where you can’t quite believe how far they’re willing to push a joke.

Cast 

Ten years on, the performers have turned this show into a well-oiled machine without losing a drop of the anarchic energy that made it special in the first place. The staging is bold but never cluttered, and even the transitions are just as comical as the rest of the show.

There’s a clear friendship between the cast, who are not just trying to make the audience laugh but each other too, letting the audience peek behind the scenes through constant fourth-wall breaks. It’s a victory lap that somehow still feels like it’s running at full sprint.

Overall

Police Cops: The Original is a masterclass in how to bring a Fringe favourite back without playing it safe. It’s funnier, faster, and bigger than ever, a high-kick, high-energy blast of pure entertainment. Easily one of the best shows to grace the fringe!