Birdy grabbed herself a quick pick-me-up caramel latte on her way to Pleasance to watch the latest show from her Fringe faves, Awkward Productions – and she wasn’t disappointed!
I was excited to catch up with Fringe faves Awkward Productions to see what they’d been up to since last Fringe, and exactly what The Fit Prince (who gets switched on the square in the frosty castle the night before (insert public holiday here)) was all about.
It’s probably the Awkward Prods show – consisting of the lovely Linus Karp and Joseph Martin – I’d looked into the least before actually seeing, but from previous experiences I went in with high expectations.
Vibe
When you first get into the show, the vibe is instantly set by a royal funeral, taking place in a castle based in the great European country of Swedonia (which we later find has a fabulous national anthem, by the way).
In Swedonia land, we find out the king has died and his successor, the prince, must marry within two weeks or else the crown will be lost to the family FOREVER! What a bombshell. Whatever will the prince do next? Well, we’re about to find out…
The show itself
The Fit Prince is a really funny, original show and fantoosh new camp adventure with themes of LGBTQIA+, anti-facism, anti-monarchy and pro-Scottish orphanage-running ladies.
That’s right, this diva on the right is known as Gerta McMurder, and she’s absolutely lovely and DOING HER BEST!!!
Prince Elian is played by Karp, whilst Martin embraces the role of NYC baker Aaron Butcher who, in fairytale-like fashion, gets invited to Swedonia for bake a cake for the Prince’s upcoming nuptials.
We get to watch the pair having a meet cute where they accidentally switch phones, go on an excursion outside the castle to a sauna and an orphanage, and watch as a doppelganger coup threatens to destroy everyone’s chance of happiness!
A big highlight is Swedonian band BAAB, with pure hit bangers such as Movement King and Dunkirk. If you’re a fan of previous shows, you may also notice little recognisable Easter eggs for things that have come before (the deer going by was a particularly nice touch).
There’s also quite a good helping of audience participation in this show – with audience members playing parts such as the dead king, the priest, and horses the pair use to go out on their ride – which just adds to its overall charm. The doppelganger part was a real standout!
Overall
Camp, funny, fabulous and with all of the trademark extras that make an Awkward Prods show so magically entertaining (including an all-star cast playing various video parts), The Fit Prince is going straight to the top of my recommendations for this Fringe!
At the end of the show, Karp and Martin announced they’re getting officially married on Saturday 16th August, and you can be there if you buy a ticket for £12!
Sadly I’m going to miss it (as I already had a show booked), but because I’ve now seen this show (which involves a wedding with the pair), I feel like I won’t be missing out that much – and will just tell myself I was already there.
I do wish them both a wonderful day when it comes, and many more years of being such an awesome creative force of a couple. Thanks for never disappointing, Awkward Prods!
Review: The Fit Prince (who gets switched on the square in the frosty castle the night before (insert public holiday here))
Summary
A brand new original show from Awkward Productions – how did we get so lucky?! A fabulously fun queer fairytale that will no doubt have you coming back for more, from seasoned Fringe favourites.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!
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