The Fit Prince (who gets switched on in the square in the frosty castle the night before (insert public holiday here) ****
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Yesterday I finished my visit to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with the penultimate performance of “The Fit Prince” by Awkward Productions and Kings Head Theatre. It was a high camp note to end on – a madcap fairytale/pantomime with jokes, puppets, songs, and constant audience participation.
With the use of audience members as characters in the play and the addition of digital actors appearing on TV screens on either side of the stage, this two-man show feels much grander than it actually is.
Linus Karp and his life partner Joseph Martin, the authors of the piece, are also the leading actors. They are a couple in real life and made a splash by getting married on stage during the Fringe. (Definitely a thing this year. See my review of “Jeezus”)
Linus, who portrays the camp Prince Elian, in a blond wig and a variety of fetching outfits, is Swedish. He is hilarious while mocking his country, renamed Swedonia for the story. Swedish cultural clichés abound and are used to great comedic effect. He has even more fun with his Swedish accent, ad-libbing and interacting with the audience.
Joseph, as his love interest, Aaron Butcher, a humble baker from New York is the energetic fall guy, out of his depth in a land of free love and saunas.
The story is simple. After the death of his father the king, Prince Elian must marry before the Midsommer holiday, or by law, he will forfeit the throne and the monarchy will end in Swedonia. He can marry a woman or a man. Same sex marriages have been legal in Swedonia since the Middle Ages.
He dislikes all of his suitors and will only marry for love. The future looks bleak, but the arrival of Aaron Butcher at the Palace, to make the wedding cake, changes everything.
This is a youthful show, and pure escapist entertainment, with no greater message than democracy is good and love conquers all. The chaotic audience participation adds to its silliness and I guarantee you will laugh from beginning to end!
The Fit Prince will be playing at The Kings Head Theatre, London, in December 2025 and January 2026. Perfect for the holidays!
| Queerguru Contributing Editor Robert Malcolm is a trained architect and interior designer who relocated from London to his home town of Edinburgh in 2019. Under the pen name of Bobby Burns he had his first novel, a gay erotic thriller called Bone Island published by Homofactus Press in 2011. |
