EDINBURGH 2023: Review: WE MUST DO THIS MORE, Royal Scot's Club
Mhairi McColl brings her solo show back to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Six years after debuting at the PBH Free Fringe, We Must Do This More returns to the Edinburgh Fringe, this time playing at the Royal Scot’s Club. The show is an autobiographical piece that explores the highs and lows of female friendship over a year in the life of one Mhairi McColl.
Highlights included a flip chart presentation on the mathematics of online dating and a peek into what it’s really like working at a particularly pungent high street establishment. McColl certainly has an amusing and insightful outlook on life from her teens, twenties and thirties, and the songs are sincere with a sprinkle of mischief - although the occasional cramming of syllables could be ironed out slightly. The various vignettes are nicely bookended with varied and amusing jingle recordings, taking us through the year.
At the top of the show, after a hilarious reenactment of dancing along to Runrig’s “Loch Lomond” at a Hogmanay Party, a friend of McColl's confides in her regarding a big life event that has occurred.
While McColl gives a moving opening number exploring the guilt that comes with not checking in with a loved one sooner, we never hear much more about it. The anonymity is understandable given the show is based on real events, however, it slightly reduces the impact of the ending when we return to another Christmas, with no further reference to that moment.
The production values for the show were very impressive, with a Pinterest-perfect living room with cosy touches and fairy lights galore. Initially, it seemed a little too much for a solo show but McColl utilised much of the space on stage and the myriad of props in tow.
By the end of the piece, you felt like you'd enjoyed an evening with McColl in her lovely home. A particularly elegant aspect of the show’s design was the switching on and switching off of the various lights on stage to open and close the show.
There was clearly a lot of love in the room for McColl at this performance and her pride in the work is evident. A charming look at what life looks like behind a curated façade on social media, We Must Do This More celebrates friendship, navigating your twenties and thirties, and embracing the ordinary – and the show will resonate with many.
We Must Do This More was at the Royal Scots Club – The Princess Royal Suite until 19 August
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