KINDER
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
★★½
“it could become a sharp, funny and moving piece of political drag theatre”
Ryan Stewart’s KINDER arrives at the Edinburgh Fringe with a concept that is both timely and important. The censorship of LGBTQ+ issues from young people is a growing concern, and placing that conversation inside the heightened, unpredictable world of drag is a brilliant starting point. The idea of a drag-clown accidentally booked for a children’s story hour is ripe for chaos, comedy and political bite. At times, the show offers glimpses of this potential, but this does unfortunately feel like it’s still in work-in-progress stage, rather than having completed its final draft.
Goody Prostate is a fun creation, and when Stewart lands on a line like “being someone’s disappointment hurts”, the show finds genuine poignancy. A tighter structure could allow moments like this to shine more brightly. At present, the piece moves between themes of memory, family, queerness and censorship without always making the connections between them clear. Establishing early on exactly who Goody is speaking to, and by extension who the audience is meant to be within the world of the show, could give the performance a much stronger sense of direction.
The historical material, including the section on Nazi book burnings, is powerful in intention but currently feels more like a statement of facts than genuine emotional exploration from the character. There is an opportunity here to explore these ideas through character, humour, or imagery so that they live and breathe on stage rather than simply being told to us. Similarly, the lip-sync sequences are enjoyable but feel disconnected from the narrative. If they were more clearly motivated by the story, they could become real highlights rather than pleasant diversions.
Stewart brings energy to the performance, but in a one-person drag show consistent stage presence and audience command are essential. I think finding more moments to get the audience on side, and to establish that crucial rapport, would really help the rest of the show. A stronger commitment to the framing device could also help the show build towards a more satisfying conclusion, rather than drifting away from its opening premise in favour of tangential thoughts.
KINDER has an important voice and an urgent message. With a clearer structure, more focused storytelling and a stronger connection between performer and audience, it could become a sharp, funny and moving piece of political drag theatre. The building blocks are already there; they just need to be shaped into something that gives this story the impact it deserves.
KINDER
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Reviewed on 9th August 2025 at Big Belly at Underbelly, Cowgate
by Joseph Dunitz
Photography by Ejay Freeman
