EDINBURGH 2025: Review: MARGOLYES AND DICKENS: MORE BEST BITS, EICC

After her hit sold-out show at last year’s Fringe, national treasure Miriam Margolyes returns with a brand new piece. At 84 years young, Margolyes knows she doesn't have to prove herself to anyone. Sporting a beautifully vibrant gown, she commands the stage with a charming combination of crude remarks, cheeky innuendos, and brilliantly timed one-liners.

The show interlaces her own life stories with her lifelong love of Victorian author Charles Dickens. Between outrageous anecdotes, she slips into dramatic readings of Dickens’s work, showcasing her captivating versatility. Her multi-role performances - from Fagin the pickpocket leader to Widow Corney and Bumble’s hilariously awkward courting scene - are a reminder of why she was such a successful voice actor.

The Dickens excerpts were impressive, but it was Margolyes’ personal anecdotes that truly stole the show - the audience were both roaring with laughter and hanging on her every word. I found myself wishing there had been even more of them.

The evening ends with an open Q&A, where no subject is off limits. She answers every question with warmth, wit, and utter candour. A natural storyteller who comes across humble and down to earth, Margolyes is a joy to watch. An absolute delight, and a show I would highly recommend.

Margolyes and Dickens: More Best Bits is at the EICC until 24 August

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