Conspiracy and Connection: The Shocking Truth About Flat Earth Review | Ellen Leslie

Image credit: Tyler Whiting

★★★★

It’s ironic that a show titled The Shocking Truth About Flat Earth is performed in Pleasance’s Queen Dome, but it sets us up nicely for what’s to come in this high-energy musical developed by Wolverhampton Grand Theatre.

Following the death of her mum, Sharon Hargreaves (Emma Norman) stumbles into the flat Earth community accidentally, but soon becomes engrossed in their theories. Under the guise of seeing Adele, she persuades her best friend Debs (Emma Thornett) to come with her to Vegas to attend the annual flat earth conference. Here, she meets the eccentric presenter Doug Earth (Michael Joseph) who mistakes her for flat-earth influencer Angela. Swept up in the attention and adoration from the flat-earth community, Angela finds herself joining YouTubers Bobby (Tom Dickerson) and Brodie (Leonie Wall) in a quest to Antarctica to photograph the ice wall that flat-earthers believe surrounds Earth.

It’s packed with all sorts of comedy, from punchy one-liners to dark jokes and crude humour that has the audience in stitches. Dickerson in particular delivers these lines with a brazenness that contrasts with the childlike naivety of his character. But it’s not all jokes: there is real talent on show. From the moment she steps on stage, Wall commands attention. Her dancing is particularly strong, and she slips effortlessly between her various roles. Norman’s vocals are also a highlight, especially when she sings in her lower range.

Writers Alex Moneypenny and Adam Tuffrey and have created a classic feel-good musical that explores connection and emphasises the power of friendship. There are some poignant moments but these are often swept aside by the comedic elements. One of Sharon’s big songs where she begins to believe she can work through her grief with the help of her friends, for example, features frequent interjections from prominent flat earth figure Sam Rowbotham defending his dubious past. While it is funny, his link to the song is tenuous at best, and it does completely detract from her emotions.

If you like witty, fun musicals with just the right amount of Fringe craziness, then The Shocking Truth About Flat Earth has to be on your radar. Be prepared though: the catchy songs are almost guaranteed to be stuck in your head afterwards, and you may get some strange looks from “Spheredos” if you sing “the Earth is flippity flat” out loud.

The Shocking Truth About Flat Earth will be performed at Pleasance – Queen Dome from 7-30 August (not 18) as part of Edinburgh Fringe.

By Ellen Leslie