It’s often the case that musicals can feel a little saccharine and twee, but No More Bull is a welcome and rousing exception. It takes the grim and gruesome Greek myth of the Minotaur and King Minos and sets it to an upbeat, generally optimistic score that creates a fantastic sense of juxtaposition.
A tribute of young people from Athens is sent to Crete as a blood sacrifice every year, destined to be fed to the half-man, half-bull monster that roams the dark labyrinth beneath the palace. Yet, this story of tragedy is anything but tragic, turning a mirror on the source material to reveal a feminist take on an ancient horror.
Toxic Masculinity and the Minotaur
In No More Bull, the male characters are almost universally awful. King Minos is a tyrant obsessed with power and control. Theseus, the supposed hero, is blinded by hubris and arrogance. They are all walking, talking examples of toxic masculinity in its most unappealing forms. It’s hard to find anyone to root for in this gallery of Greek villains.
The one exception to the horrible men is the Minotaur itself. This is a show that asks us to sympathise with the mass-murdering, monstrous Minotaur. In stark contrast to the male humans, the female characters are far better, but they are often undermined by their moments of weakness, which allow the toxic men to step up and take control. The story centres on Princess Ariadne, as she navigates her world and legacy, unravelling the lies that have built her kingdom and challenging the myths that created her world.
The Staging and the Sound
The music in No More Bull is fantastic, and the singing is excellent. I must admit that I struggled to hear some of the lyrics from just a few rows back, and I feel this would be an even better performance with amplified microphones. The staging, constrained by a very small stage, uses four canvas backdrops to suggest scenery and silhouette art to great effect. The show makes a virtue of necessity. My favourite moment was the famous thread that leads Theseus through the labyrinth, which was represented by a modern, light-up LED rope. It provided a stark and wonderful contrast to the simple canvas sets, and the juxtaposition of ancient mythology and modern technology really worked.
Overall
No More Bull isn’t my favourite play of the Fringe, but it was exactly what was needed on a Monday morning. The Fleming Theatre is comfortable, and the show is both entertaining and thought-provoking. If you need a show to wake you up and get your brain going, you can’t go far wrong with this one.
Review: No More Bull, Fringe 2025
Summary
No More Bull is a rousing musical that reimagines the Minotaur myth with a feminist take. The upbeat music and excellent singing contrast sharply with the grim story, which exposes the toxic masculinity of the male characters. Clever staging, including a modern LED rope for Ariadne’s thread, makes for a thought-provoking show, despite minor sound issues.
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