EDINBURGH 2023: Review: THE LAST SHOW BEFORE WE DIE, Roundabout @Summerhall

With rolling around on the floor, confetti, a paddling pool, and a toothbrush, The Last Show Before We Die is one of the most bizarre shows of this year’s festival. At the same time however, it’s one of the most moving. 

At its core, this is a show about endings. Last Show is formed around interviews with people from palliative care nurses to the cast’s grandparents about their experiences of all the endings we experience, from death to running out of toilet paper. Out of these interviews, a lip-sync-cabaret-performance-art-clowning-spectacular is born. It shouldn’t work but it does - these heartbreaking audios merged with crazy movement sequences create something really special. 

This is the third show from duo The Hotter Project, made up of Mary Higgins and Ell Potter, but is it their last? Described as “the messiest break-up you’ve ever seen: live” Last Show is about one true, life-altering decision.

The show does take some getting used to - the first ten minutes or so consist of the pair rolling around on the floor among scattered confetti, wrapped in sparse outfits made out of nude tights. It’s quite the sensory overload, immediately absurd in a venue usually home to ‘serious’ plays.

But as the first few sequences unfold, these moments of weight and meaning begin to creep in amongst the comedy. We hear voices speak about being separated from your children and about leaving your home country, and suddenly it’s impossible to ignore the poignancy.

Amongst these separate narratives, we gradually get more of a window into Higgins and Potter’s relationship. Their familiarity with each other and in-sync performance makes it very easy to warm to them, not only as individuals but also as a unit. A sequence where they stop and listen to a recording of Higgins’ now deceased grandfather speaking about goodbyes is particularly memorable, tear-jerking among the chaos. 

As the frenzy builds and the show reaches its climax, it's clear that a decision has to be made. Overlapping dialogue leads the pair from a casual chat, embedded with the lilting patterns of housemate codependency, into conflict. Last Show revolves around the kinds of relationships - platonic, romantic, or otherwise - that we know we'll never find again, and whether they can last forever.

As a show about endings, you would expect this to have a great one - and it doesn’t disappoint. Looking around the Roundabout dome, I saw audience members from all walks of life wiping away tears, holding their loved ones’ hands. Higgins and Potter really stick the landing, making us feel like part of the experience through creativity, honesty, and love.

The Hotter Project’s wacky use of form is unlike anything else - the movement sequences are almost hypnotic to watch, with great work from director Sammy Glover and choreographer Ted Rogers. The unique theatre space is really used to its full potential, transformed into a room of possibility. 

This is a show to see with your best friend, your housemate, your partner - your person. Go along with an open mind, an open heart, and a pack of tissues. 

The Last Show Before We Die runs at Roundabout @ Summerhall until 27 August

Photo Credit: Felix Mosse

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