EDINBURGH 2026: Review: THE JOLLY FISHERMAN, Underbelly George Square
The Jolly Fisherman
John Dinneen’s The Jolly Fisherman is a quietly devastating exploration of how boyhood companionability dissolves under the weight of shifting community identities. Centered on the evolving bond between Alan and Amir in East London, the narrative confronts the audience with an uncomfortable mirror: how easily casual, everyday closeness turns brittle when local landmarks and cultural boundaries shift, leaving two friends stranded on opposite sides of a divided nation.
The brilliance of the writing lies in its acute understanding of adolescent socialization. In their youth, their friendship thrives in a state of naive innocence, for Alan, boyhood is almost entirely color-blind, warmly bringing Amir into his familiar world without a second thought. Yet for Amir, growing up in an environment that is not inherently his means constantly navigating the subtle friction between belonging and identity. Even amidst shared jokes and routine, he remains quietly on the outside, absorbing microaggressions while striving to keep his true self intact.
Under Layla Madanat’s fluid, instinctual direction, the staging captures this delicate balance with immense restraint, avoiding heavy-handed plot mechanics or cheap moralizing. The heart of the piece rests on the exceptional onstage dynamic between Alex Hill and Jonny Khan. Alex Hill endows Alan with an anxious vulnerability, capturing the raw grief of watching a familiar world dissolve. Opposite him, Jonny Khan portrays Amir with quiet dignity, balancing affection with a refusal to assimilate entirely. Their physical chemistry and deadpan restraint map decades of shared history, and ultimate distance, with haunting authenticity.
By prioritizing psychological truth over tidy resolutions, The Jolly Fisherman stands out as a deeply moving, essential highlight of this year’s festival program.
The Jolly Fisherman plays at Underbelly, George Square (Buttercup) until August 31.
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