Fringe review: Swamplesque 2
A glittering spectacle that blends sharp comedy, dazzling design and meticulous staging. ★★★★★
Swamplesque 2 is the kind of show that knows exactly what it is and polishes that identity until it gleams. From the moment the curtain rises, the production lands with the confidence of a company that understands burlesque as both spectacle and storytelling. Every beat, every entrance, every cheeky reveal feels deliberate. Nothing is accidental: every choice has a purpose and the result feels slick, playful, and impeccably crafted.
The production values are stunning. Costumes shimmer with detail and personality, each piece perfectly matched to the swampy fairy-tale chaos unfolding onstage. The designers clearly had a field day and the audience gets to enjoy every outrageous, glitter-drenched second of it. The lighting also deserves praise: so thoughtful that it almost becomes another character, shaping the mood and amplifying every wink and flourish.
And then there’s the humour. The show leans into its green-tinted inspiration with glee, delivering a parade of Shrek-flavoured jokes that land beautifully with great energy: in fact, the performers really ogre-achieve on expectations (sorry) while another gag proves they know how to donkey around without losing precision.
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But what lifts Swamplesque 2 above the pack is its razor-sharp cohesion. This isn’t a loose parade of burlesque turns stitched together for convenience; it’s a fully realised theatrical machine. Comedy, choreography, staging, lighting and design move in lockstep, each element feeding the next. The result is a show that feels deliberate, confident and sculpted: when every creative choice has purpose, the whole swamp sparkles. This has all the hallmarks of a runaway Fringe hit. In fact, don’t be surprised when tickets vanish faster than the onions at an ogre’s dinner.
Swamplesque 2 is playing at The Moa at Gluttony from February 20 – March 22
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