EDINBURGH 2026: Review: Cricket and the Freebugs, Assembly St Andrew Square
A 1972-infused, high-energy bug band musical that charms audiences of all ages at Assembly St Andrew Square.
Imagine A Bug’s Life crossed with the high-stakes band trajectory of the movie Bohemian Rhapsody. Set in 1972, Cricket & The Freebugs follows Cricket Hayfield, a wide-eyed small-town insect with a trumpet and big-city dreams. After getting rejected on "Off-Off-Bugway" by cutthroat producer Caterpillar Carlisle, Cricket retreats to a dung heap jam session, gathering a ragtag squad to prove that mixed-species bands can conquer the music industry.
The narrative follows a classic rock-and-roll rise, fall, and reunion arc. It’s a cute, high-energy story that works brilliantly for kids and adults alike. The script lands its insect puns with cheeky charm, welcoming "lady and gentlebugs" and leaning into punny character traits, from an antsy drummer to Beatles-inspired beetles. Naturally, you cannot produce a bug-centric music show without paying homage to Liverpool’s most famous quartet, and the nods land effortlessly.
Visually, the staging makes clever use of minimal space, featuring impressive physical ensemble work for a standout spider sequence. The costume and makeup designs hit the sweet spot - playful and instantly recognizable without tipping into creepy territory.
The live instrumentation drives the piece with relentless momentum. Packed with heart and witty observational humor, this gig-theatre gem proves equally irresistible whether you are five or fifty. If they release a full cast album, I'll be listening to it on repeat. It is a triumphant festival highlight that thoroughly deserves a packed house every single day.
Cricket and the Freebugs plays at Assembly St Andrew Square every day until August 24.
Get Broadway News on WhatsApp
Receive the latest updates, breaking news, and exclusive coverage from Broadway directly in WhatsApp.
Love Theater in Ireland? Join The Community!
Whether you've got past experience writing about theater or just starting, the BroadwayWorld Community offers a unique opportunity to become a champion for your local arts community, helping raise awareness of local offerings and adding another local voice to the conversation at a time arts coverage is shrinking in the press across the continent. Join us and become a pivotal part of the movement that celebrates and promotes the arts in the digital age.
Learn More
|
Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage Bord Gais Energy Theatre (3/02-3/13) |
|
|
Mná na hÉireann Ambassador Theatre (10/14-10/16) |
|
Cana Talks: Optimal Horizons Opium (10/08-10/08) |
|
Cats Bord Gais Energy Theatre (3/16-3/20) |
|
|
Give My Head Peace Vicar Street (4/04-4/04) |
|
Twelve Angry Men Bord Gais Energy Theatre (2/09-2/13) |
|
Heathers the Musical Bord Gais Energy Theatre (11/17-11/21) |
|
Two MR PS In a Podcast: Live - Let That Be a Lesson Ambassador Theatre (2/27-2/27) |
|
A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams The Everyman (8/20-8/22) |
|
|
Murder Trial Tonight V - Death in the Family 3Olympia Theatre (3/08-3/08) |
Reader Reviews
To post a comment, you must register and login.