Hame. Teeth. CLUB. at Underbelly, Cowgate Review
Brought to the Fringe by Sláinte! Theatre and Iona Bremner Productions, Hame. Teeth. CLUB. tells the story of teenage party girl Morgan as she navigates friendship, identity and relationships. Morgan spends every weekend at Dalkeith Miners Club, until a sexual assault on a night out brings her life to a halt. As she comes to terms with the impact of the assault, this production encourages audiences to reflect on ever-relevant conversations surrounding consent and complicity.
The play has spark and energy from the moment the lights come up. Morgan (Rhiannon Lucy Bird) enters through the audience and begins her story with a warmth and charm that immediately engages her audience. The number of characters she inhabits and the ease with which she switches between them is impressive, although I wonder whether these could be even sharper, particularly when inhabiting the toxicity displayed by some of her male peers. One of Bird’s strongest moments is a flashback to the fateful night-out, which showcases skilled movement and brings a complex world to life. Her portrayal of Morgan is bound to move the audience: she has such a joyful energy that makes the juxtaposed moments of hurt and confusion truly feel heartbreaking.
Kari Hall’s writing is fast-paced, clever and raw. With dialogue both in Scots and English, their use of language is delightfully, unapologetically Scottish and working class at a festival where both of those qualities are increasingly a rarity. The one-woman play format works perfectly for this storyline, giving Hall’s protagonist the control over her narrative that survivors of sexual assault so often lack. The use of comedy is also clever, contrasting Morgan’s light-hearted teenage personality with the play’s more serious moments.
Hame. Teeth. CLUB. is nostalgic for adolescence, and the damage of having to grow up too fast. The play doesn’t attempt a storybook ending, but provides an honest portrayal of a young woman rebuilding her life. Coming of age stories aren’t unusual, but the personality and heart of Morgan’s story make this play a wonderful watch.
Hame. Teeth. CLUB. plays at Underbelly Cowgate until 30 August.
★★★★
Written by Madeleine for Theatre and Tonic, August 2026.
