Mothman: A Romance Musical - Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2026

Mothman: A Romance Musical is the kind of Fringe show that throws itself headfirst into sci-fi madness and refuses to look back. It is 1943 and the Nazis are winning. Luckily, America has one last trick up its sleeve: a super soldier. Unfortunately, a moth has snuck into the machine. It mutates. It becomes a... moth... man!? Written and performed by Alex Franklin and Nikola McMurtrie, alongside Alex Prescot and Hudson Hughes, the result is exactly as unhinged as that premise suggests.

What makes Mothman work is its complete commitment to the absurdity of its own world. Human-moth romance, psychotic killer clowns and even a bonus appearance from Armie Hammer are thrown into the mix, alongside countless twists and endings that make The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King look positively restrained. Yet the audience is more than happy to keep going, because every time you think the story has reached its conclusion, there is another ridiculous turn waiting around the corner.

There is something wonderfully reminiscent of classic improv comedy in the writing, particularly the instinct of "and then what?" The show continually takes an idea that should already be enough and asks what could possibly happen next. That sense of discovery extends into the performance too, with the cast embracing improvised moments that a sell-out audience eagerly laps up. It gives the production a wonderfully unpredictable energy.

The songs themselves may not linger in the memory for long, but that almost feels beside the point. The real appeal is in the characters, the chemistry between the performers and the wonderfully rough-around-the-edges nature of the production. Everyone seems completely in their element, and that infectious enthusiasm carries the audience with them.
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Lee Hutchison

4/5

Runs at Underbelly Cowgate until August 30th