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What to watch at Fringe! A review of Judas Exclusive.

When I went to Edinburgh Fringe, I knew I wanted a mix of shows; I wanted comedy, drag, theatre and whatever other weird and wonderful things I could find, and "Judas Exclusive" was one of them. Written by Will McDowell, this is a funny and bizarre show which sees Judas appear on a talk show mere days after the crucifixion of Jesus.

The show imagines Judas Iscariot appearing on television for the first time since the incident, on a late-night talk show called Simona Tonight. The stage is full of garish, over the top furniture, there are audience cue cards and even costume changes, bringing the feel of a real-life late-night talk show.

This really is high concept satire. Judas, played by Nicholas Alexander, comes across as complex, frustrated and compelling; he's an opportunist, but one who claims to have had good intentions at heart. Peter the Disciple is played by Will McDowell, who comes across as, for the use of the phrase, "holier than thou", someone who seems to be perfect and provides the ultimate source of annoyance for Judas. The interactions between the pair vary from moving to hilarious to outright ridiculous as they balance emotion with hilarity.

For me, the real stand out performance comes from Beth Mullen, who plays talk show host Simona herself. As the broadcast progresses, she becomes increasingly more drunk, leading to some truly awkward and funny moments, and she clearly cares more about ratings than the truth.

There are frequent costume changes and behind – the – scenes moments to keep you invested in the story, but it does more than I expected it to. Not only does it explore the biblical betrayal but also themes that are relevant today, such as "cancel culture", the decline of television (and arts as a whole), fame, redemption and betrayal.

Was this the best thing I saw at Fringe? No. It was camp, funny and unexpected, but occasionally the pacing was slightly off, and the melodrama of the performance wasn't exactly to my tastes. That being said, it was still an entertaining and unusual watch, and one that I'd recommend giving a go if you enjoy high concept satire.

You can watch "Judas Exclusive" at 7.20pm at ZOO Southside until the 28^th of August.

Written by Tam Page