EDINBURGH 2026: Review: WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THAT GUY?, Pleasance Dome
A slick literary heist comedy that balances sharp character work with frustrating sightline hurdles.
Failing author Bee Leigh (Maggie Moriarty) needs a hit, and reclusive 1990s Hollywood icon Guy Wesley hasn’t been seen in eighteen years. Alongside her brother Drew (Robert Merriam) and his wife Julia (Ellie Jay Cooper), Bee fabricates a multi-million-dollar autobiography deal that spirals into a madcap literary heist. Written and directed by Caleb Barron, Whatever Happened to That Guy? brings high-energy multi-rolling and Hollywood satire to the Pleasance Dome.
The trio’s performance energy is undeniably sharp. Rapid character transitions are managed with swift agility, using simple props like sunglasses to signal crisp character shifts. Maggie Moriarty, Robert Merriam, and Ellie Jay Cooper show impressive deadpan restraint, pivoting easily between conspiratorial bickering and high-stakes media appearances.
Where the production stumbles is in its story mechanics and staging design. The abrupt leap into outright fraud feels unearned and rushed, lacking the logical intermediary steps to ground such extreme choices. When a heavy grooming subplot is introduced via a former co-star, the script touches on a vital moral question about story ownership, only to abandon it without real fallout or character reflection.
Most frustrating, however, was the sightline barrier created by the physical blocking. With much of the action staged with characters sitting down, major portions of the performance were completely cut off for the front rows. My friend, who is a bit shorter than myself, described a good portion of the show as effectively an "audiobook." Simple directorial tweaks, like utilizing taller stools or having the actors stand more frequently, would immediately ensure the visual storytelling remains accessible to every audience member paying full ticket price.
Despite these script shortcuts and sightline hurdles, the cast’s rhythmic responsiveness keeps the caper moving at a lively clip.
Whatever Happened to That Guy? plays at Pleasance Dome (Ace Dome) until August 31.
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