EDINBURGH 2025: Review: AN ADEQUATE ABRIDGEMENT OF BOARDING SCHOOL LIFE AS A HOMO, Underbelly

Imagine Fleabag meets Normal People, only it’s gay! Well, great news, that pretty much sums up An Adequate Abridgement of Boarding School Life as a Homo, the wonderful play from Ned Blackburn.

Meet Johnny (portrayed by the show’s creator), an 18-year-old at an all-boys boarding school. An outsider in almost every aspect, Johnny’s school days consist of Britney Spears, Waiting for Godot, and shagging the school’s star rugby player, Harry.

The production starts out fairly light, introducing us to the school with hilarious anecdotes about Johnny’s attempts to play sports, accidentally playing one of Miss Spears’ hits in the middle of chapel, and navigating the peak of gay romanticism - Grindr. However, as we dive deeper into the reality of boarding school life, things only get darker and darker.

Expertly crafted, the production edges into this darker territory without ever losing its sense of humour, balancing the difference in tones in such a marvellous way that one can’t help but watch in awe. Much of this comes down to the incredible chemistry between Blackburn and his fellow leading man, Harvey Weed, who impresses with his gluttony of characters and accent work throughout the show.

Every moment between the two actors is electric. Whether it be their love scenes or the show’s breathtaking climax, the two come across more like professional dancers, performing every scene with impeccable timing and precision. 

It is the partnership between the entire cast and crew, however, that makes An Adequate Abridgement of Boarding School Life as a Homo what it is. In particular, directors Meg Bowron & Josh Stainer must be commended for their excellent work here, bringing everyone together to choreograph this beautiful dance. The careers of everyone involved in this production are bright, but, selfishly, one cannot help but want to see more of this partnership, which has brought them all together.

Reminiscent of the tagline of the second season of Fleabag - ‘This is a love story’ - Homo’s tagline reads ‘this is not a gay tragedy.’ The similarities don’t end there. Much like Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fringe success, one can easily see An Adequate Abridgement of Boarding School Life as a Homo only growing from here. Whether that comes true or not, much like Fleabag, this is undoubtedly one of the best shows you will ever see at the Fringe. 

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