HOT MESS - Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh (19/08/25)

Experimental romcom between earth and the human race steals our hearts

There have been a great deal of musicals that take basic premises and completely reimagine them, we’ve seen how successful shows like West Side Story, Into The Woods and Hamilton have managed to take pre-existing stories, and flip them completely on their heads with new and original approaches. I don’t think, however, there has ever been a piece of theatre that has reimagined the relationship between planet earth and humanity as a fractured romantic relationship; and this is exactly what Jack Godfrey and Ellie Cootes have done with their new musical “Hot Mess”.

The bare bones of it are remarkably simple, we know the long and complicated history of the hold humanity has on the planet we all call home, from early man and their discovery of fire, to the more accelerated technological advances made over the past 150 years or so, and the more recent awareness and assumed responsibility of making sure we protect the earth’s climate from irreparable damage. All of this and more is compounded into a one hour, one act long love story between the personification of both the earth and humanity.

Danielle Steers and Tobias Turley (credit: Mark Senior)

Like with many of the best musicals out there, it is one that on paper that would raise many a collective eyebrow, but such is the strength of Ellie Cootes’ book and lyrics, as well as the performances from both performers on stage, that we come to full engross ourselves in their relationship, and the juxtaposition between the impact on the planet by he human race, and the very real, believable romantic relationship that plays out before our eyes, is extremely clever in its writing and execution. The score by Godfrey, as like with previous shows, has a prominent and definitive musical personality, clearly most influenced by electronic music, and this works marvellously well in this context.

Portraying the earth and her long term other half “Hugh Manity” (a particularly cute pun I rather admire) respectively are west end favourites Danielle Steers and Tobias Turley, a pair whom have infinitely compelling chemistry together, both in terms of their acting performances and their equally powerful vocals. Steers in particular has a phenomenal, rich alto voice that easily fills an auditorium, and her lower notes are absolutely to die for. On top of this, her embodiment of the personification of earth as the perpetual hopeless romantic draws us in and knocks our socks off.

Danielle Steers and Tobias Turley (credit: Mark Senior)

Turley has endless charm and swagger as a manifestation of humanity, and relishes in his role as the toxic love interest to earth. He presents initially as shy, almost unsure of himself, but as we go on and evolve, he grows into his role, perfectly encapsulating the gradual stranglehold human beings have manifested over this celestial body we all share. Perhaps the most inspired decision is treating the moon landing as a sort of extraterrestrial love affair, as the moon briefly appears in an answering machine message from humanity.

Shows like Hot Mess are exactly what the Edinburgh Fringe is all about, combining excellent, clever writing, innovative design and superb performances, for a beautifully bizarre and achingly original new musical. Godfrey and Cootes have given us one of the highlights of the whole festival, and hopefully this can a long and prosperous relationship.

★★★★★

"Hot Mess" plays in Edinburgh until the 25th of August, followed by a run at Southwark Playhouse from October (book)

{PR/Gifted ticket}