EDINBURGH 2023: Review: CAROLINE RHEA: I IDENTIFY AS A WITCH, Gilded Balloon

It’s been nine years since Caroline Rhea’s last appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and she’s back for four nights only with I Identify As A Witch.

One quick look at the demographic of her audience and Rhea decides to scale back on the menopause chat, declaring us to be a definite “Sabrina crowd”. Having performed at the festival a few times and having spent childhood summers with family in Islay, she’s got the Scottish accent nailed and does some excellent reenactments of interactions she’s had here. 

It’s quite a casual hour that covers her dating life, parenting a teenager and a lot of audience chitchat. Rhea is undeniably charming and nobody seems to mind, even when she’s poking fun. At this particular performance, she set her sights on a gentleman that she sees as marriage material. This could have gone horribly wrong for someone else but it was taken in good humour. 

Rhea remarks that often when fans stop her for a photo, they then have to excuse themselves as she engages them in conversation for just a little too long. The show doesn’t seem to follow a set structure and is more like anecdotes that pop into her head and she needs a reminder about running over time. 

It’s ever so slightly chaotic but I Identify As A Witch is a brilliant and consistently hilarious hour in the company of a very charismatic host.

To post a comment, you must register and login.