EDINBURGH 2023: Review: MOSES STORM: PERFECT CULT, Pleasance Courtyard Beneath

Have you ever watched a Netflix documentary about a cult, listened to the stories of how this group fell apart, and wondered what it was like to be in one of those cults? Well, wonder no more. Moses Storm: Perfect Cult presents a unique opportunity to audience members - For one night only, you and everyone else in the room will create a cult. You will figure out its name and its purpose, led by Moses Storm, who was raised in a doomsday cult in the United States of America.

The concept might sound silly at first and indeed, it does feel a bit silly sitting in a small basement room with dozens of strangers, all wearing white gowns and unsure as to what they’ve got themselves into. Storm begins the show wearing a creepy mask but quickly pulls it off, revealing a charming comedian who is here to tell us about his experience in a cult to basically show what not to do to make the “perfect cult” (The cult Storm was in started and ended with three families).

The structure of the show was quite simple; the audience would listen to Storm talk about his backstory using a PowerPoint-like presentation on the screen, there would be some form of audience interaction with a bit of improv reacting to a range of situations, and then we would choose another aspect of our cult.

Storm has a quick wit and is great with audience interaction, which at my show included a group of drunk people in the front row. He even pulled the shoes off one man in the front whose feet were a bit too close for his liking! There were times when he would get distracted by the audience, which led to a few awkward moments that left me wondering what was going to happen next.

Throughout the show, I was unsure of how I felt. At times I was laughing my head off at a joke, other times I was sympathising with Storm as he talked about his cult upbringing, and sometimes I was just surprised at where the audience was taking the show. But then, towards the end of the show, something happened that completely changed my outlook on the show. When talking about his past and what made him angry, Storm began to choke up and the show took on an incredibly serious tone that had not existed before. Yes, we had been talking about a serious subject, but it had been done in a more joking manner with a lighter tone. Watching Storm grow emotional over what he has experienced completely changed how I had been viewing the show for the past forty-five minutes.

While I have difficulty figuring out how many stars to give a show in the past, one has never left me as confused (and, to be quite honest, stressed) over how to rate it. Perfect Cult truly felt like Storm was giving a piece of his soul to the audience, regardless of how many jokes and gags were thrown in throughout. Even now, days after seeing the show, I struggle with how to even categorise the show. But, when trying to organise my thoughts, I realised that the show deserves recognition for how powerful it is while still managing to be funny. 

Storm is a strong comic, but he truly shines at his most emotional. Only a truly good show leaves you thinking about it days later. Even now, I found myself getting a little choked up looking back on Storm's complete honesty to a crowd of strangers.

Ultimately, Moses Storm: Perfect Cult does not simply depend on the performance of Storm - It depends on the entire audience, who will truly determine whether a perfect cult will be made in the Pleasance Courtyard. But it also depends on Storm and his ability to both crack jokes about his past and speak truthfully about how his upbringing has made him an outsider. I look forward to donning a white gown and returning to attempt to create the Perfect Cult.

Moses Storm: Perfect Cult runs at the Pleasance Courtyard in Beneath at 22:00 from 7 to 27 August (no performance on 16 August). 

Photo Credit: Morgan Demeter

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