EDINBURGH 2026: Review: GARETH WAUGH: IS PEPSI OK?, Monkey Barrel 2
Gareth Waugh: Is Pepsi OK? runs at Edfringe until 30 August
Edinburgh local Gareth Waugh returns to the Fringe with his new stand-up show, Is Pepsi OK?
Before Waugh took to the stage, the first slides of his PowerPoint stated that everything in his show was a true story, some names had been changed and redacted, and that he could possibly be sued for the story he was about to tell—making the audience more intrigued for what was to come.
Introducing himself as a support act, having opened for the likes of Kevin Bridges and John Bishop, Waugh delved into some previous gigs he’s taken on, from performing on cruise ships to appearing before the PDC World Darts Championship. He explained that, as a comedian, his income can be unpredictable, so he often takes these opportunities for the money.
What followed made the show feel like a true crime podcast rather than a stand-up show, except this time, it was the victim that was telling the story.
Waugh recounted how he was scammed out of money for a podcast he’d done which was seemingly connected to Coca Cola, but it later turned out that he was lied to by someone he considered to be a friend. The story was full of twists and turns, gradually revealing more about how the situation unfolded.
The creative use of the PowerPoint added another layer to the storytelling, with Waugh using the screen to bring his evidence forward to the audience. Email threads, video calls, bank statements and text messages appeared throughout the show, making the audience feel more engaged as if they were part of the invesigation themsevles. It was an inventive way of presenting what otherwise could've been a straightforward anecdote.
With carefully developed storytelling, plenty of laughs and a story that increasingly becomes more unbelievable as it unfolds, Is Pepsi OK? proves that sometimes the funniest comedy comes from the most unexpected situations. Waugh takes a real-life scam and turns it into a compelling and chaotic hour of stand-up.
Gareth Waugh: Is Pepsi OK? runs at Monkey Barrel 2 until 30 August.
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