The Real Kyle McCarren
Rating: ★★★★★
Venue: Forth at Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh

Welcome to Upstate Wherever, USA. Way back in the year two-thousand-who-cares, Kyle and Andy were more than friends, dammit – they were bandmates! But the real Kyle McCarren was a complicated dude. Well, an asshole. Worst of all, he's dead – and he won't let Andy forget it. Sometimes the easiest way to tell people about a buddy of yours is to write a show. In this musical-meets-live concert séance that's equal parts Bo Burnham and Tick, Tick... Boom!, you're invited to meet the legend himself.

Dear Evan Hansen, move over! The UK has found its new ‘oh that's so sad and emotional but kind of not because he was a dick oh but look at the sweet love interest ah I'm glad I have so many characters to interact with and learn about but I'm not sure if I should be enjoying this or crying’ musical.

That ramble was the best I could do to viscerally describe the experience of watching this show. A full band, a talented cast, and a writer with more heart and passion that I have seen anywhere else in Edinburgh this year - you genuinely couldn't ask for more. If Jason Robert Brown and Jonathan Larson ever collaborated, this would be the result (and I cannot think of a higher compliment).

I was so invested in the plot throughout, even though the stakes aren't apparent from the start. I wanted to know more because I was honestly excited about the way the story was presented, not because I was waiting for some big twist or jazzy ending. There was no set, props, or costume changes. It was a blank canvas for pure artistry to paint, and the final picture takes pride of place in my 2026 Fringe gallery.

With the best live music accompaniment I saw at this year's festival, I am determined to see a fuller version of this production, if not a full West End transfer as soon as possible. In saying that, this run does not feel too short or incomplete at all, which is a tricky thing to achieve at the fringe when you're hoping to extend the show in its future iterations.

You can book tickets to The Real Kyle McCarren here.

Review by Katie