FEMPATHS: TRANSISTOR RADIO HOUR
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
★★★★
“a creatively powerful audio-driven show with a timely message to share”
“If you met your ex today, what would you say?” Fempath’s cellist (Carolina Lopez Del-Nero) opens the conversation as we take our seats, waving a bedazzled poster and offering colourful pens for us to write out our venting. We then meet the group’s talented wind player, Sarah Buchanon, before being introduced to their brilliant lead vocalist and storyteller- Mari Moriarity who stumbles, fashionably late, applying make-up. For the next hour, this sparkling and sincere radio-show-cabaret-trio takes us on a journey of heartbreak, trauma, and most importantly, a path towards hope for queer futures.
Littered with inflatable chickens, tinfoil, a blow-up radio, and a large cotton goat head, Libby Paloma’s design sets the scene for the variety of what is to come. Fempaths: Transistor Radio Hour presents a magical burst of song and light comedy, inventively and emotively sharing stories Moriarty’s autobiographical experiences as a transfeminine person, as well as other people’s trans testimonies. Cycling from heartbreaking to very comedic in mere moments, the cabaret is comprised mostly of original compositions which feature camp punchlines, and powerfully setting verbatim words, taken from a letter written by a trans child, as well as poetry by Marsha P. Johnson.
With Moriarty’s vocal agility and confidence shining throughout each song “of trans rights and wrongs”, the power of blending music and verbatim archives reaches its full potential. As a Moriarity sings the words of a young transgender boy, Ari Bowman, “I hope you understand what being trans means.”, her vocal and piano swells into a talented crescendo, underscored by Del-Nero and Buchanon’s gorgeous cello and wind accompaniment.
The musicians switch out one silly costume for another as they move through a range of earnest and compelling music, as well as the odd “witch b*tch” tarot reading or interactive trashing of the room’s exes. The musical ensemble works well to support the theatricality of the show. One of the few critiques I have of the performance is the integration of all the performers. It would be great to see further comedic utilization of the cabaret’s cellist and wind-player for comedic moments, aside from scattered visual gags. Both supporting musicians created exciting and hilarious energy when interacting with the audience pre-show, that it is a shame their crowd-work skills don’t come back around.
The piece is a touchingly miscellaneous whirlwind. One second, we are welling up at odes to lost friends, and the next, we are listening to a Kim Petras homage, bursting with range-filled, trilling, and electrifying vocals. Playfulness makes for showing a relaxed and accessible space for heavy themes to be explored, also offering a reasonable and non-judgmental content warning at the beginning. This cabaret tows the line of sensitivity with care for the audience with impactful calls-to-action very well. “What good is sitting” is a particularly engaging highlight, where Moriarty’s musical talent is in full force, as her lyrics make a personal and poignant point about actions speaking louder than words.
As well as its visual sparkle, the show is entirely audio-descriptive, experimenting with the dimensions of its audio world with great triumph from start to finish. Moriarty plays between reacting to her voice over, and cutting in live with a microphone, interfacing past and present hopes, fears, and expectations all in one space. Most notably, one song’s blending of live singing and older pre-recorded music written by Moriarity at a time they did not think they would perform live ever again, makes for not a dry eye in the house. As a spotlight pierces the lead performer’s face, her rich vocals and bold emotional delivery are all we can transfix ourselves on.
Fempaths: Transistor Radio Hour is a creatively powerful audio-driven show with a timely message to share. Blending well-crafted music with trans histories and futures and skirting defiantly between silly and profound; this show is well worth tuning in for.
FEMPATHS: TRANSISTOR RADIO HOUR
Dexter at Underbelly at Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Reviewed on 24th August 2026
by Molly Knox
