Review: EDINBURGH 2024: SWAMPLESQUE, Assembly Hall

Have you ever seen someone in a gingerbread costume give the drag performance of their life? No? Well, you should definitely consider seeing it sometime. Swamplesque, the Australian “ogre-inspired burlesque and drag parody,” arrived at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year in the iconic Assembly Hall.

Of course, as this is a parody of Shrek, I would highly recommend it to those who are fans of the movie and/or the musical, as it will take your enjoyment of the show to the next level. There is even an entire segment dedicated to the infamous “Shrek Is Love, Shrek Is Life” YouTube video that had me in stitches, having been scarred by that video many years ago. It was lovely to hear audience members saying the lines from the film in a Rocky Horror-esque way, supporting the performers while still contributing a little bit to the show. 

The range of performance styles and costumes is truly incredible, from Lord Farquaad layers of clothing for some spectacular reveals to the Three Little Pigs dressed in inflatable pig costumes. The performer portraying Fiona was the only one to sing live, showing off her fantastic vocals along with some great dance moves. Every single performer goes all out and is clearly passionate about their craft, whether they are performing a strip routine or are dressed in a gimp costume, whipping a gingerbread man. The absolute highlight for me was the performance given by Dragon, whose drag queen persona of being completely done with everything nearly steals the show!

Along with the songs you would expect from a Shrek parody like “All Star” by Smash Mount and “Hallelujah” from Leonard Cohen, there are other songs brought in for characters, including Gingy sexily stripping down his buttons to “Buttons” by The Pussycat Dolls. I also thoroughly enjoyed the roller-skating performance given by the Magic Mirror as he lip-synched along to Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror,” sparkling like a disco ball as he skated around the stage to rounds of applause.

Ultimately, Swamplesque is one of the best (and funniest!) burlesque shows I have been to, let alone at the Fringe! The passion and talent of the cast and creatives shine through and ensure that everyone has a swamp-tastic time.

Swamplesque ran until 25 August at Assembly Hall - Main Hall.

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