Edinburgh Fringe
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Edinburgh Fringe 〰️
by Zoe Paskett
Welcome to the 2026 Academy Awards, hosted by a Famous Gay Guy and a bisexual nepo-baby, as god intended. Duo Chuck’n’Jeck’s Fringe debut 123movies.com is a whirlwind of sketches tied together under the umbrella of the most nonsensical and most fun awards ceremony you’ve ever watched (and more evidence to my theory that queer people should be the only ones allowed to host awards).
Through a series of live and filmed sketches, Charlie Lacy and Jess Rinder have created something chaotically original, and in their own naturally funny brand of humour, but it’s one that never feels insular or exclusionary. It is tightly structured and varied across the hour, with carefully chosen repeated segments, and some interactivity even the most shy audience member would enjoy.
The Oscars is a winning formula that allows them to jam a great deal of content into a short space of time: we jump between the red carpet, behind-the-scenes VTs and the categories themselves and, true to reality, there are ad breaks for things like betterhelp, all of which showcase their witty writing. A live sketch documentary about two straight people trying to find a time to go to the pub around all of their other straight people commitments was a particular highlight.
With classic Zillennial self-awareness, everything they say is dripping in irony, but held up lightly with a smile and a cheeky wink. It’s a hyperspeed eulogy to our attention spans for people who are on their phones more than they want to be, but also quite enjoy what they’re looking at sometimes (that is you included probably, I’m afraid)!
Will everyone soon be calling them the new face of Gen Z sketch comedy? Only time will tell. But you heard it here first.
123movies.com is at Gilded Balloon Patter House, Bothie, 22:40 (not 19th). Tickets here
“Her conversational and lively storytelling style as she tells us about her life knocks up against perceptive envelope-pushing political material. The combination of the two is potent – she holds nothing back”
“Duo Chuck’n’Jeck’s Fringe debut 123movies.com is a whirlwind of sketches tied together under the umbrella of the most nonsensical and most fun awards ceremony you’ve ever watched”
“This is the sort of show that I long for at the Fringe: something queer and weird and extravagant that has an audience hooting and hollering and going out into the night feeling like they’ve just experienced something rare.”
“An absolute hoot. Hudson characterises this fading shine of light entertainment celebrity with aplomb, his frantic desperation to cling onto relevance butting up against the temptations and modernisations of a world that he is ill-equipped to deal with. “
“The social realm is a tricky beast, filled with grey areas and traps that can catch anyone out if they are unprepared. Luckily, Paulette has devised a code of etiquette for handling every social situation you might come up against.”
“This is one of those totally unique late night Fringe shows that will see you leave wondering, did that just happen? Did I and a whole bunker of people just spank each other silly on command? The answer is yes. Willingly, in fact.”
“Character comedian Han Whyte’s drag persona welcomes us to the launch of his new book and a relaunch of his previous works now adapted to be more feminist – at least in his eyes.”
“A show that unpacks this odd existence with equal measures of absurdity and tenderness, emphatically queer, both extremely funny and bittersweet.”
“God’s Favourite is an intense and inspired hour, bound by a combination of zippy writing and a faith in the show’s journey, which the audience shares in wholeheartedly.”
“This debut clown show is more than skin deep, as Maya mines her former life as a telenovela actress to investigate the pressures of remaining youthful, hyper-feminine and emotionally palatable. “
“Sexy baby, harangued ex-wife to a deadbeat genius, male growth plot device… How far have we come really?”
“Her characters provide a showcase for her wide-ranging comedic abilities and allow plenty of space to play”
“The immediate standing ovation that met Mothman’s curtain call came as no surprise. This is the type of show you’ll leave feeling like you need to see it again.”
“She’s dynamic and natural on stage, a simultaneously high-powered and relaxed stand-up.”
