Basic Bald B*tch - Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2026

​Basic Bald B*tch takes something as seemingly superficial as hair and uses it to explore identity, femininity, sexuality, trauma and the ways we try to disguise ourselves. Written and performed by Emily Glaze, this one-woman show moves between comedy, drag, music and more difficult material with an impressive sense of control.

Glaze enters in a matching grey hoodie and sweatpants, creating an immediate sense of someone who is imprisioned. There is something deliberately drab about Amy's appearance, as if her star has been dulled and the show gradually asks what might be underneath it. As her story unfolds, hair becomes less about appearance and more about control, self-image and the expectations placed on our bodies.

The show's use of camp is particularly effective. Lip-syncing, glitter, fake eyebrows and drag give Amy ways to take ownership of her story, allowing the comedy to sit alongside the more serious exploration of alopecia and assault rather than simply providing relief from it. 

Glaze is engaging throughout, carrying the show largely through her ability to switch between characters, performance styles and emotional registers. The simple staging puts the focus firmly on her, while the writing gives her plenty to work with. There is a lot going on in Basic Bald B*tch, but at its centre is a thoughtful question about how we construct and conceal our identities, and what happens when the things we use to protect ourselves are taken away. Funny, uncomfortable and ultimately quite moving, it is a show that has more underneath the surface than its title and outfit might suggest.

Lee Hutchison 

Runs until August 30th at Underbelly, Cowgate