EDINBURGH 2026: Review: ROOM 1219, TheSpace @ Surgeons' Hall

Hotel St. Francis, San Francisco, September 1921. Room 1219. Only two people know what really happened in that room: silent movie star Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle and aspiring actress Virginia Rappe. Unfortunately, by the time the press got their hands on it, though, one of them was dead, and the story had been spun six ways from Sunday. 

Still debated to this day, the death of Virginia Rappe was truly the first media sensation to hit Hollywood. Naturally, it was only a matter of time before the tale was put on stage at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Presented as a one-man show, we follow Roscoe as he awaits the jury’s decision in his third and final trial. Telling his side of the story, the actor takes us through his life, from his early years as a performer all the way up to now. It’s a charming tale, one full of laughs, heartbreak, and even one or two dance numbers along the way. 

Playing the man himself is Dougie Arbuckle, a distant relative of the late star. With charisma to spare, the leading man effortlessly captures the mass appeal of the Hollywood legend, bringing tonnes of heart and a slightly darker edge to the role. 

Now, of course, your enjoyment of the show really depends on which version of events you believe. After all, several rumours about both Rappe and Arbuckle have since been discredited; there is no proven right or wrong answer to what happened in that room. That said, considering ‘Fatty’ was acquitted, continued acting and directing up until his death, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, to call him “Hollywood’s first fall guy” feels a little disingenuous. After all, there isn’t a Fringe show about the life of Virginia Rappe. Maybe it wasn’t the legacy of Roscoe Arbuckle that was destroyed in that hotel room. 

In a lot of ways, Arbuckle’s performance grants the narrative much more nuance than the script itself. Not to say that James Beyer’s writing is below par. Quite the opposite. In fact, Beyer has penned a captivating look at the life and times of one of Hollywood’s earliest movie stars. With that in mind, though, it can feel a little biased at times. While many others in the story are painted as villains with a history of proven behaviour, ‘Fatty’ remains innocent, having never done any wrong whatsoever. 

Ultimately, the story of Room 1219 is a fascinating one. For those unfamiliar with the story, this show is sure to be an interesting look at the early days of cinema, warts and all, and for those who believe Arbuckle was innocent, this show will likely be a Fringe favourite. If you’re looking for a bit of a deeper look into the trial that shook Hollywood, though, then you may leave this play feeling a little underserved. 

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