Review: Big Naked Variety Show, Fringe 2026

Last night I made my way to Hoots @ Hilton on Bread Street for the Big Naked Variety Show, fully expecting to a) see naked people and b) be entertained. Both of these things happened! Which is always a good start for a review.

Vibe

It’s safe to say the show had attracted quite a crowd, as it was pretty much a completely full room. Apparently this shouldn’t be a surprise, as it does sell out. MC and very capable host Paul Savage welcomes us fully clothed and tells us the rules we need to know before we start – mainly that we can’t tell his mum about it! He promises this is not the actual show and it hasn’t started yet.

It’s clear that this is not Savage’s first rodeo. We’re then promised we’ll see circus, magic, comedy and “the best thing ever” – and they’ll all be naked. He also gets naked. The audience member next to me had previously had doubts about whether we’ll actually see real, naked people, so this definitely cleared things up for them!

The show itself

Savage starts the show off with some crowd work, and we’re treated to a bit more insight into his reasons for starting shows (this and the Big Naked Comedy Show) that have this almost surreal nudity element. He poses for life drawing, which I find interesting, as I’m usually one of the art students doing the drawing bit. He also tells us the acts may seem a bit awkward at times, when the reality can hit them that they’re actually performing in a packed room whilst naked. I can see why!

Savage then introduces Claire Million to the stage – with hula hoops! Quite a few hula hoops, and even more energy to go with it. Million’s act is a strong start to the variety aspect of the show, gaining plenty of oohs and whoops and applause from the audience. It must take a lot of concentration to keep so many hoops going whilst naked – I can barely do it with one whilst fully clothed!

Next up is magician Chris Cook, whose show Heist – How to Steal a Masterpiece has already been reviewed by Girdy. It got 4.3 stars. However, being a magician when you’re naked is a lot more difficult than when you have your own slickly-rehearsed and perfectly planned show – there’s nowhere to hide. I was a bit underwhelmed by most of Cook’s tricks (the wrong angle sometimes gave me a view that ruined the mechanisms), but it was overall still very entertaining, and there were a couple of moments where I did wonder ‘how the hell did he do THAT?!’. The main one was a trick that involved pen marks being magically transferred from his hand to the hand of an audience member.

Alessio Carducci cheats a little with his comedy act – as he takes to the stage wearing socks and a hat! I do bear in mind Savage had previously said this makes you feel more naked, so, I guess I’ll allow it. Carducci is funny, despite the conditions. I learned who he’d rather f*** – his mum or his dad. It’s not a question I’d ever asked myself about my parents, but his explanation as to which one he’d choose did warrant the most laughs of his slot.

Finally, we got to learn what “the best thing ever” was, and it came in the form of contortionist Krystal Amber! Her slot is a combination of shock, humour and freakiness, with plenty of added bananas and some audience participation (I was very grateful not to be included in the last part). I won’t spoil it for you, but it’s definitely the second freakiest thing I’ve seen this Fringe so far.

Overall

We got exactly what the show says on the tin – naked variety! There was comedy, magic, circus and a bit of shock factor – plus all the nakedness! If you like nudity in a show, then buy a ticket and feast your eyes (you will get jokingly called a perv, but that’s par for the course).

Overall, I found Big Naked Variety Show highly entertaining, and an hour well spent. I’d also consider coming along to Big Naked Comedy Show now I know it exists, because why not?