Review: Women of Rock, Fringe 2025

Night Owl Productions has a well-earned reputation at the Fringe for its musical documentaries. There are two distinct styles in their back catalogue: the deep-dive documentary that uses the big screen to narrate a story, and the concert-style show where the performer is front and centre.

Women of Rock, starring the formidable Reine Beau, is triumphantly the latter, a roaring celebration of the genre’s trailblazing sisters.

A Voice to Shake the Foundations

For most of the show’s 50-minute runtime, Reine Beau is a powerhouse, singing her lungs out, commanding the stage, and bringing us along for the ride. Her passion for the material is infectious, and her voice is more than a match for the iconic tracks she performs. This is a show that lives and dies by its central performance, and Beau ensures it soars.

The setlist is a journey through rock and roll history, and for many, it will be an education. I thought I knew who the first female rock star was. I’d have put money on Janis Joplin. I’d have been wrong. The show makes a compelling case for Sister Rosetta Tharpe, whom Joplin herself cited as an influence. It’s a fantastic, vital piece of music history. While the performance is full of celebratory energy, I did wish Beau would unleash a little more of the anger at the injustice these women faced – an injustice that still pervades a music industry where only two women have ever made Rolling Stone’s top 100 guitarists list.

Stories of Fire and Resilience

While this show isn’t a multimedia documentary, it makes brilliant, sparing use of the screen. Before each song, a quote from the rock goddess in question appears, a snippet of the personality that illuminates the character and charisma of the woman behind the music. It’s a simple but wonderfully effective touch.

These stories of defiance feel incredibly relevant. We hear how 23 record labels rejected Joan Jett before she gave up and founded her own, eventually using it to launch other female artists. In an era where many are searching for identity and models of resilience, the tales of these women who overcame near-total opposition to carve out their success are more potent than ever. I honestly believe there should be an hour and 20-minute documentary on this topic. The material is that rich.

Overall

For a late show on the first proper Friday of the Fringe, the venue was almost packed – and it really should have been full (I blame Oasis). This is a show with fire in its belly and a catalogue of anthems that shaped music forever. I could have easily stayed for another eight songs. If you’re a fan of Night Owl Productions, you won’t be disappointed. If you love rock and roll, or even think you might, give this one a go.