Horrorshow: A Nostalgic Celebration of the Naughties Festival Scene and Teenage Friendship (Fringe review) 3 stars ***

With a title like Horrorshow and promotional imagery of an overflowing bin, it’s as though Nottingham-based theatre company Chronic Insanity are asking for trouble. In reality, there is little trashy or scary about this inoffensive piece of coming-of-age gig theatre, written by Doug Deans.

Beneath the contrasting aesthetic, Horrorshow is a tender story of hearty teenage friendship and youthful naivety supported by original songs that offer a generous dose of 00s indie nostalgia. It follows lifelong friends and bandmates Dan (played by Deans, also on guitar) and Ollie (Joe Matty, also on keys) as they embark on one last adventure, hoping to escape the tedium of rural life on the Isle of Wight. 

That sense of youthful escapism is heightened by the backdrop of a music festival descending on their town. The story-building has a scruffy yet appealing authenticity, making it easy to imagine you’ve been dropped into the festival field with these characters for the weekend. Matty’s performance is particularly strong, with a Russell Tovey-esque quality that brings a likeable and convincing awkwardness to the character. There’s a natural chemistry between the cast with their banterous humour largely hitting the mark.

Much of that humour comes from Director Joe Strickland, who completes the live band on drums and percussion while also voicing the additional characters. He is particularly memorable as an overly chummy barman, running through seemingly endless drink options in a patter song reminiscent of Tom Lehrer’s ‘The Elements’. It’s a wonderfully silly moment, but an unfortunately rare instance of the music working to its full effect in the space.

The Anatomy Lecture Theatre at Summerhall works against a production reliant on amplified instruments. The sound struggles to carry, nothing has successfully been adapted for this notoriously difficult space, which rewards restraint and control – a challenge for a show centered on a chaotic weekend at a loud music festival.

A better-suited venue could give the live music the festival-sized energy it demands. But far from the horrorshow its title suggests, Chronic Insanity have created a warm and quietly affecting piece of gig theatre. Its celebration of indie sleaze and muddy knees should strike a chord, particularly with any music-loving millennial. 

Horrorshow runs until 31st August at the Anatomy Lecture Theatre, Summerhall