Written by Sarah for Theatre and Tonic

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for our thoughts to be shared. All opinons are our own

Acid’s Reign at the Pleasance Theatre is everything it promises to be: camp, queer, and outrageously funny. But below the surface of latex bodysuits and sky-high wigs is a dazzlingly human and poignant tale of friendship, loyalty, and the price of fame.

The musical follows drag queen, Alex ‘Acid’, who, after getting arrested on a drunken night out, gets mistaken for a climate change activist by fellow drag queen, Ria ‘Realistic’. The two then launch their own cabaret act, “Acid’s Reign”, alongside others (Dinah Mite, Micky Steele, and Olive Branch), combining drag with climate change centred political activism.

From the moment you walk into the theatre, you know you’re in for a good time. Much like in the fictional Acid Reign cabaret show, the audience is set on tables around the stage. As expected, there are some moments of audience participation, but it never feels forced or overdone. The comedy and dialogue by Evie Fehilly and Luke Howarth is snappy, and you can’t help but laugh at the references to ‘cancel culture’ and ‘Labubus’.

The set is designed by ‘Good Teeth Theatre’, and is effectively a collection of flats, decorated with a collage of political protest posters. These also double as the wings from which the performers enter and exit from. Another triumph of the show has got to be the costume design by Harry Whitfield, which just gets more outrageous as the show goes on.

The storytelling is smooth and feels tonally well-balanced. The music, written by Gabriel Chernick, gives every performer a chance to shine. Lots of contemporary musicals fall into the trap of ‘too many same-y ballads’, but Acid’s Reign avoids that entirely. Ash Weir as Olive brings us an incredibly fast patter-style song in the second half of the show, with diction that Sondheim would be proud of. There are 11 o’clock belters, show-stopping tap choreography, TikTok parodies… A personal highlight was the gorgeous number at the end of the show, sung by Victoria Scone, where Alex struggles with how to reach out to an old friend, which I can only describe as something akin to ‘Dear Bill’ from Operation Mincemeat.

Without spoiling anything, the musical wraps up in the same way it began, in a satisfying closing scene which makes you wish it wasn’t ending. Acid’s Reign makes you root for every character up to the final minute of the show.

Acid’s Reign is the perfect night out. They really do make the climate hot again.

Running until the 11th July at the Pleasance Theatre, and then from the 5th-31st August at the Edinburgh Fringe.

★★★★

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