Tweedy’s Massive Solo Show
★★★★☆ Delightful
Underbelly George Square (Venue 300): Thurs 6 – Sun 30 Aug 2026
Review by Hugh Simpson
Tweedy’s Massive Solo Show at the Udderbelly for the full run of the Fringe is wonderful entertainment for all ages.
As the title suggests, it’s an hour-long, entirely solo show conceived and performed by the great Scottish clown Tweedy, long resident in the Midlands of England and a star attraction of Giffords Circus.
Tweedy’s Massive Solo Show. Pic: Patrick Baldwin.
Anyone who has a fear of silent white-faced clowns should be aware that Tweedy is relatively chatty, and aside from some eyeliner and a red quiff doesn’t go in for a lot of make-up. The outfit is traditionally baggy, however.
The traditional skills are very much in evidence, and honed to an almost ridiculous degree. Some of the stunts are low-key (dragging a ‘pet’ iron along the stage, for example) but there are also some decidedly big-ticket moments. There’s a routine with a large step-ladder that would be very worrying were it not so beautifully handled.
What impresses – along with the technical skill which marks Tweedy out as an absolute expert at slapstick, pratfalls and sleight-of-hand – is the precision that goes into creating the onstage persona. He’s clever enough to realise that there has to be the possibility of things going wrong, and that not everything should be seen to work first time.
careful characterisation
It’s a very careful characterisation, which makes the audience care about the results all the more. It’s not all friendly, as there is the obligatory sharpness in some of the wonderfully-judged audience interaction, as well as some remarks that will be familiar to lovers of pantomime (for example, telling a young volunteer to ‘stand there, over that trapdoor’).
There are some apparently simple but brilliantly conceived and executed routines, such as a shoe that keeps disappearing and turning up unexpectedly. There’s also plenty to keep kids entertained, such as a puppet monkey pooing out a Union Jack.
While an hour is probably about as long as this show could be sustained, it keeps its momentum beautifully. This is a beautiful example of an artform that goes back centuries.
This is recommended to everyone, even if you think you don’t like clowns. You should certainly go if you like the idea of a man trying to throw his hat on top of a pole balanced on his chin so that he can play a tiny concertina. And if that doesn’t appeal, then quite frankly, what is wrong with you
Running time: One hour (no interval).
Underbelly George Square (Udderbelly), EH8 9LX (Venue 300).
Thursday 6 – Sunday 30 August 2026.
Daily (not 17, 24): 10.15am.
Tickets and details: Book here at EdFringe.com.
Tickets direct from venue: Book here.
Tweedy website: tweedyclown.com
Instagram: @tweedyclown
Linktree: @tweedy_clown.
ENDS
