Fringe review: THE LAST SHOW BEFORE WE DIE, Hotter Project/Ellie Keel Productions - Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Photo credit: Felix Mosse

Ell and Mary have been dead for three years, but now you can witness their rebirth as they come back to life to ask one question: how do you know when it's the end?

Created, written and performed by Mary Higgins and Ell Potter, The Last Show Before We Die is inspired by zombies, heartbreak and the humble cockroach. It's about the big things in life, those decisions that we make or are made for us that change the course of our future; sometimes for good, sometimes not.

It's also a very physical piece of theatre. Some parts are exhausting to watch, some hard to process, some funny, some sad, but all equally relevant and important for us to talk about.

Directed by Sammy Glover with sound by Tom Foskett-Barnes and lighting by David Doyle, the whole piece has an eclectic feel to it. Choreography by Ted Rogers is abstract and intense, capturing the feelings of the topic.

Inevitably, everything has to come to an end, but what drives us to make that decision? We need to remember that the end is not always a bad thing. It can be good to end something, so that we can move on and progress our lives on to something better.

The Last Show Before We Die reminds us of this; reminds us of the laughter in this question and the need to release ourselves from our ties.

Inspirational, refreshing and provocative.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Rachel Louise Martin

The Last Show Before We Die plays at Roundabout at Summerhall at 9.40pm until 27 August.