HOLD ON TO YOUR BUTTS - Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh (20/08/25)

It goes without saying that there are a LOT of shows performing at the Edinburgh Fringe, and for many of them, budget constraints often lead to many of them having to get creative and imaginative with how they stage their shows. I don't believe, however, that there are many shows that purposefully adopt that low-budget ethic as a central part of their production's humour palate, and this is exactly the whole schtick with arguably the best known work of comedy troupe Recent Cutbacks, known for their silly brand of "humor, nostalgia, and lo-fi spectacle."

For those who are not familiar with the work of Recent Cutbacks, comprised of two performers Nick Abeel and Kyle Schaefer, as well as director Kristin McCarthy Parker, they take well-known films, tv series and more, and parody them in a deliberately "cut price" manner, with lush scenic design, artwork and CGI substituted for cardboard, string, sunglasses, and a table full of simple household items used for sound effects.

The cast of Hold On To Your Butts

"Hold On To Your Butts" is the group's acclaimed parody of the 1993 Stephen Spielberg blockbuster Jurassic Park, and whilst those who have seen the classic film are at a distinct advantage over those who are unfamiliar with it, there is still plenty to love for anyone attending; and it is clearly a winning formula, as since first premiering in New York over 10 years ago, it has since been performed all around the UK, including a sell-out run at last year's Fringe, as well as in the west end.

The biggest part of the appeal for the show is the unbridled confidence and conviction with which it is performed by Abeel and Schaefer, alongside foley artist Kelly Robinson at a table to the side. Even the opening credits and film studio animations are accounted for in the opening, and this minor detail, that in the film only last for a few seconds, is what immediately gets the audience on their side, laughing uproariously, and strapped in for what is to come.

The cast of Hold On To Your Butts

Even discounting the discount-rate manner with which the story is told, one has to admire the stamina and consistency of the three performers, as they are fully committed to the bit, with Abeel and Schaefer portraying a plethora of characters between just the two of them, using simple props such as sunglasses, a child's backpack and traffic cones to depict humans and dinosaurs alike. Even the more dramatic, frightening scenes are played for laughs, which is surprisingly effective, and always brilliantly funny.

Fans and first timers alike will take great pleasure in the deliciously daft comedy stylings of Recent Cutbacks, as not only do they poke fun at both the film and of themselves, but they manage to tell a surprisingly accurate, albeit abridged, version of the original story, creating something fabulously stupid, yet borderline genius in equal measure.

★★★★☆

"Hold On To Your Butts" runs until the 25th of August at the Fringe, and also performs weekly at the Arts Theatre in London

{PR/Gifted ticket}