Lots and Not Lots – Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Lots and Not Lots continues at Summerhall – Main Hall, Edinburgh until 21 August 2022.

Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩

This physical musical theatre piece was created by award-winning composer and performance artist Greg Sinclair for the National Theatre of Scotland’s Futureproof festival in 2018, where it was performed by a larger group of young people in a different production.

Reimagined for this year’s Fringe, this intriguing show is still performed by a talented group of young people and explores how they see themselves in a rapidly changing and dangerous world. The soundscape created by Sinclair uses all sorts of props, including ping pong balls and plastic tubes to make the sounds. There is a recorder band (don’t let that out you off!), vocal manipulations and chanting and joy-infused line dancing.

There are striking visual images too – small torch beams explore the performers’ limbs like a forensic examination. A powerful and moving monologue confirms the big questions the young cast is exploring.

The committed and energetic performers have mainly come from Edinburgh’s Lyra Young Artists programme.

Lots and Not Lots is a fascinating, strange, engrossing piece of musical theatre delivered with enthusiasm and skill by the young cast.

Keith Paterson