EDINBURGH 2023: Review: JOSH WELLER: AGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, Pleasance Courtyard

What do you do when you achieve your dream and then in less than a year, lose everything you’d worked for? That’s what Josh Weller takes a look at in his Fringe show, Josh Weller: Age Against the Machine.

The show revolves around the main narrative of a 23-year-old Josh getting a record contract with Universal, a moment that he believed to be his dream come true. Of course, based on the show’s description, we know that Weller isn’t going to succeed, but you can’t help but root for his past self as he faces the challenges presented by the music industry.

Weller tells the story in chronological order, with each “section” of the story being split up by short musical interludes, imitating songs from different decades that would have upset the previous generation. I particularly loved his impression of 80s singers, snorting cocaine. The songs are a great way for Weller to show off his musical talents while still being funny, as sometimes the songs that can’t be longer than 10 seconds, but still get plenty of laughs. It’s clear that Weller has a passion for music that he hasn’t given up and still loves to share with others, which is a delight for the audience.

I love how Weller used a magnetic board to display important moments in his story, including several different versions of Phil Collins’s album, Face Value, photographs of Weller at different ages, and even a record of his own (of which he still has hundreds). It really gave the story more of an impact to have a visual of Weller at the time (and it is quite amusing to see just how much hairspray someone can use for just one hairstyle!).

As well as being funny, Age Against the Machine also makes you reflect on your own life and your dreams. I found myself wondering what the me 14 years in the future would think of the current me, whether I was chasing the right dreams or making a terrible mistake. It takes a great comedian to get you to think without making things too serious and Weller does this with ease through his story and songs. 

Ultimately, Josh Weller: Age Against the Machine is a smart and fun musical comedy that shows that while Weller’s first shot at musical fame may not have gone as well as he had hoped, he is certainly making his mark in the world of comedy and does not have to leave his music behind. I look forward to more musical comedy from Weller in the future!

Josh Weller: Age Against the Machine runs at Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance Below at 19:10 on 27 August

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