Follow Me
★★★★☆ Weirdly plausible
theSpace on the Mile (Venue 39): Sun 9 – Sat 29 Aug 2026
Review by Hugh Simpson.
The Dog Ate My Theatre and New Celts’ Follow Me at theSpace on the Mile is a breathless and often ludicrous romp whose sheer brass neck, and roots in contemporary unreality, win out in the end.
Ian Dunn’s play starts off as a humorous examination of a world lived online 24/7, in which connections are purely virtual and identity is a shifting thing.
Mhairi Cameron, Erin O’Callaghan and Jamie MacDonald. Pic Iain Davie.
Four megafans all harbour delusions about singing star Angel, whose world tour is ending in Glasgow, and they are delighted when a competition victory means they can actually meet her. The play then takes a handbrake turn into a bizarre thriller whose ending does not stand up to even the most cursory of examinations.
However, it all has such pace, humour and admirable chutzpah that it pretty much comes off, helped by Gabriel Spreckelsen Brown’s direction, careering headlong without ever crashing or running out of breath. References to social media sociopathy, childhood trauma and a certain singer who dreamed a dream on a talent show are thrown into the narrative; characterisations are undoubtedly on the broad side but the whole thing certainly works.
humour and presence
This is aided in no small way by some committed, expansive but thoroughly credible performances. Mhairi Cameron is beautifully deluded as Valerie, who believes she has a sisterly connection with Angel. Lucy Riding is thoroughly sympathetic as the nervous Ruthie, who maintains that Angel is relatable to people as ordinary as she maintains she is.
Jack and Campbell, meanwhile, have different designs on Angel. Campbell (Cameron Broadley) thinks he is her soulmate, while Jack (Jamie MacDonald) has altogether earthier desires. Both are played with humour and presence.
Erin O’Callaghan and Giulia Fornari. Pic Iain Davie.
Erin O’Callaghan has the difficult task of portraying someone who is both a megastar and not terribly likeable in person, and carries both off with some aplomb. Giulia Fornari plays the mysterious Mia (or is it Louise?) with expert timing.
There’s so much going on that the production can afford the odd misstep, notably a false-name gag that was pretty silly in Angel Heart forty years ago and is downright ridiculous now.
attention to detail
The sheer energy compensates, as does the attention to detail. Design touches like the tour T-shirts and programmes, and Angel’s signature, aren’t necessary but add so much; Lewis Linning’s sound and Adrian Woodside’s music design add as much to the play’s off-kilter world as the carefully thought-out references to times and places.
For reckless energy and peculiarly believable performances, this takes some beating.
Running time: One hour 10 minutes (no interval).
theSpace on the Mile (Space 3), 80 High St, EH1 1TH. (Venue 39).
Sunday 9 – Saturday 29 August 2026.
Daily (odd dates only): 4.35pm.
Tickets and details: Book here at EdFringe.com.
Tickets direct from venue: Book here.
Instagram: @thedogatemytheatrecompany
Linktree: @tdamtc.
Giulia Fornari and Lucy Riding. Pic Iain Davie.
ENDS
