Platformed
★★★☆☆ Thought-provoking
The Out of the Blue Drill Hall: Wed 12th – Fri 14th Aug 2026
Review by Flora Henderson
Platformed, part of the Characters of Edinburgh Festival by Leith-based company Active Inquiry at the Out of the Blue Drillhall, asks who Edinburgh’s real heroes are.
The audience is included in the action from the get-go as the space is naturally lit and the performance staged in the round. Most of the cast are in the space from the beginning, albeit covered by sheets, which, paired with the set dressing, effectively transports the audience to the play’s location: an Edinburgh warehouse full of un-mounted statues.
Platformed pre-set. Pic Gavin Crichton.
Before the action begins, voiceovers introduce the play’s main theme by answering the question of what Edinburgh or Leith would be like if it were embodied in a character, with many different voices expressing a range of opinions. This effectively gets the audience thinking before they are immersed in the narrative.
The story, devised by the cast and written by Duncan Kidd, starts with YouTubers Lex (Lucy Hale) and Cammo (David Nicol) attempting a heist of the warehouse as part of their content creation. Hale is energetic and engaging, and the pair form a dynamic duo.
storage
The large ensemble of ‘sculptures’ is then revealed, introducing some of Edinburgh’s key historical figures, whose statues have been taken down and put into storage for a number of reasons.
The statues revealed. Pic Gavin Crichton.
Included are Sherlock Holmes (Ady Wilkinson), Alexander Graham Bell (Paul Dobie), Eduardo Paolozzi (Bill Nicol), Dora Noyce (Sandi Thomson), Monkey Mary (Hayley Griffin), Cowboy Joe (Catie Lovers), John Innes Crawford (Paul Hughes), Wilhelmina Rhutherford (Sue Washington), Mary Moriarty (Gemma McCaster), David Hume (Michael Shaw), and William Burke (Amy McVicar).
Controlling the proceedings is The Great Lafayette (Joseph Travers), who uses his skills of enchantment to determine when the statues are able to talk. Duncan Kidd’s sound cues help to highlight when this magic is being deployed, but the rules of the theatrical world are slightly unclear.
inconsistent
When Lex and Cammo re-enter the space, it is not entirely obvious to what extent they can see or hear the moving monuments, and the relationship between reality and the fantastical is inconsistent. This is perhaps something that director Gavin Crichton could have focused on during the rehearsal process, as securing the cast’s understanding is paramount in aiding that of the audience.
The cast of Platformed. Pic Gavin Crichton.
When the guard (Frank Banaghan) brings in the statue of Grace Cadell (Judit Hajdu), a space on a plinth is freed up, leaving the rest of the decommissioned figures to fight to be re-instated. Whilst this debate certainly provides food for thought, bringing interesting facts about Edinburgh’s past and those who helped shape it to light, it lacks structure, and the facts and political sentiments aren’t integrated into the dialogue very smoothly.
As the tension rises, the ensemble fails to recognise the stakes, being generally slow to pick up on cues, and lines that should be overlapping are broken up by stilted pauses. The ‘twist’ at the end makes little sense and the story’s conclusion feels rushed.
cyclical structure
That being said, the play’s cyclical structure, with the return of the voiceovers, leaves the audience with much to reflect on as they leave the space. The cast and crew have clearly worked hard on the piece and feel strongly about the subject matter, something which therefore transfers to the audience as they are left to ponder Edinburgh’s colourful history.
Running time: One hour (no interval).
Out of the Blue Drill Hall (Main Hall), 36 Dalmeny Street EH6 8RG (Venue 195).
Wed 12 – Fri 14 August 2026.
Daily 6.30pm.
Tickets and details: Book here at EdFringe.com.
Active Inquiry website: www.activeinquiry.co.uk
Instagram: @active_inquiry_
Facebook: @activeinquiry1
Mary Moriarty (Gemma McCaster) with Cowboy Joe (Catie Lovers). Pic Gavin Crichton.
ENDS
