Hudson Hughes review: A sharply written and surprising horror-comedy
Edinburgh Fringe
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Edinburgh Fringe 〰️
by Zoe Paskett
The hilarity of Hudson Hughes’ debut solo show is outdone only by the genius of the animatronic creations that join him on stage. This is a show that has left nothing out, a full-scale one person production, brimming with all the surprises, twists and turns you’d want from a horror-comedy. And a few catchy tunes for good measure.
Having been gradually relegated through every level of the BBC, Rev. Derek Gritt’s TV programme is now online only. He bears the humiliation through gritted teeth, while awaiting the upcoming Bishop of the Internet election with certainty that he’s got it in the bag. Haunted by the spectre of his Gen Z political opponent and a crippling vaping addiction, Rev. Gritt attempts to put on a show worthy of his former glory years, and give his biggest fan, Jane, the funeral of her dreams.
At Your Service is 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. As he leads the parish (audience) through a totally normal religious service, the horrors of his life and the secrets of the village gradually let Hudson unravel more and more layers. It all speaks to an incredibly well-developed character, and one that I would be delighted to see more off down the line.
Underneath Rev. Gritt’s contempt for the village parishioners, Hudson conducts the audience expertly, all while navigating a complex multi-media set up that is a genuinely impressive feat of engineering. If you’ve seen any of his ‘confronting my neighbour’ videos with Aidan Pittman and Anand Sankar (both of whom have been involved with making this show), you’ll already know that he has a knack for writing simmering middle-aged outrage. And it’s the sharpness of the writing that makes a fun and silly show into something brilliant.
Get your tickets, hide your vapes, and don’t ask any questions about Jane.
Hudson Hughes: At Your Service is at Underbelly Cowgate, Iron Belly, 23:10 (not 17th). Tickets here
