★★★★
Of the 3’600+ shows on at the Edinburgh Fringe, a good chunk of them are autobiographical one-person shows. There’s no problem with that, but it does mean it requires a lot of imagination to create something that stands out. This is where Hunter King has knocked it out of the park. Rather than a single spotlight on a drab looking chair, we are invited onto the ranch! King resplendent as a moustachioed milk-maid from Bolton bursting into Disnified song is surely one of the most captivating ways to bring an audience into your world.
King is an excellent performer; funny and camp, complimented with intelligent detail in the writing. His allegorical setting of a cow-ranch to tell the story of a trans awakening is inspired. His longing to become a cowboy, arguing with his parents and running away to ‘the big city’, was shown through this heightened lens.
As the show is still in development, there are moments where we can see the joins, certain moments feel like they are still being worked out, almost like ‘missing scenes’ from an old black and white movie. Usually that’s a criticism, but with a show this good, with so much potential, it’s actually exciting to see what Hunter will put in these gaps!
I felt King understood that he had quite the heavy responsibility in bringing a trans story to the fringe, his finale explains that we are living in dangerous times, with one of the most vulnerable groups in society being persecuted.
It’s incredible that the show is so light-hearted and fun, trans joy is a revolutionary act after all.
A Northern Tr*nny Hootenanny is on at temple at C ARTS | C venues | C aquila until August 24th
