Dune! The Musical – Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Dune! The Musical continues at Speakeasy at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Voodoo Rooms until 24 August 2025.

Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩

Dune! The Musical is a one-man, one guitar, musical storytelling marvel.

Musician, actor, comedian and storyteller Dan Collins is the ultimate bard. He achieves the impossible by adapting the 800-page classic novel Dune  and seamlessly squeezing it into a one-hour musical show.

Armed with just a guitar and some seriously impressive storytelling, Collins takes the audience on an epic, high-speed journey through Dune.

For those who are not familiar with the complex story, it can, at times, be difficult to follow. Though written and performed with clarity, key points and characters can still be missed. But even if you do lose your way in the dunes, the songs are brilliant and Collins’ performance is inspiring.

For those already fans of Dune, Collins’ feat is doubly impressive, capturing not just the story, but the essence of the novel itself. Now in its third year at the Fringe, and with well placed in-jokes, the show has gained its own cult following.

Collins is a mesmerising performer. Beautifully articulate in song and word, he fills the space with energy and warmth.

Characterisations are masterful, becoming less exaggerated as the audience grows accustomed to them. However with so many characters to identify, this can still be confusing and the show might benefit from such exaggerations being sustained throughout.

The original musical compositions are varied, clever and performed with technical brilliance. Song styles are chosen to reflect the characters; Paul’s intricate guitar pieces contrast the powerful, and frankly scary, heavy metal ‘March of Harkonnen’ very effectively, giving this villain the status and differentiation required.

Multi-skilled, energetic and witty, Collins is a storyteller not to be missed, making Dune! The Musical worth seeking out for fans and newbies alike.

This free, non-ticketed show fills up fast so arrive early to secure seats.

Molly Glenn