Dune! The Musical
★★★★★ Professional Troubadour
PBH’s Free Fringe @ Voodoo Rooms (Venue 68b): Sat 8 – Sun 30 Aug 2026
Review by Ed Boulter-Comer
Dune! The Musical is a masterclass in storytelling as Dan Collins crams an awesome amount of Frank Herbert’s expansive space opera into an hour.
The Ballroom at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Voodoo Rooms, an upgrade from his previous performances in the downstairs Speakeasy, shimmers to the sound of his 12 string guitar. But the real eye-opener is the polish and depth of his vocal performance and how he uses it to push the narrative forward.
Dan Collins in Dune! The Musical. Pics. Phil Warren.
Yes, there are plenty of jokes for the Dune obsessives but there is no need to have read a single book or seen a film adaptation prior to settling in. What is wanted is good old-fashioned, troubadour saga telling and Collins delivers this in spades.
His is a folk-driven score, with songs like the haunting Mercy, and Mine! where he shows off remarkable control of his high singing belt. Collins paints as much with the timbre of the music as he does with his lyrics. The anthemic Bless the Maker and his Water, should by rights win a standing ovation but Collins is already moving on, advancing further into the plot.
exceptional
Taking on the persona of Gurney Halleck, a military minstrel, he dips in and out of characters and voices and, while his spoken performances can be quirky and comic, his singing is never less than exceptional, even when he has a brief foray into thrash metal.
During spoken sections his guitar is ever present, dropping in clever sound effects and mood music. The overall impression is one of an artist in complete control of the room.
Debuting at the Fringe in 2023, Collins has had time to polish this performance. That work has paid off. Lyrically clever, fast-paced and beautifully, beautifully sung. Dune! The Musical is as professional as it gets.
Running time: One hour (no interval).
PBH’s Free Fringe @ Voodoo Rooms (Ballroom), West Register Street EH2 2AA (Venue 68b).
Saturday 8 – Sunday 30 August 2026.
Daily: 1.25pm.
Tickets and details: Book here at EdFringe.com.
Tickets direct from venue: Book here.
Instagram: @dunethemusical
Facebook: @dunethemusical
TikTok: @dunethemusical
Linktree: @dunethemusical.
Dan Collins performs Dune! The Musical. Pics. Phil Warren.
ENDS
