Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Living. Dying. Dead
Playing Dead Theatre
Genre: Improvised Theatre
Venue: Paradise Green
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
A thought-provoking and highly recommended show that offers a rare and rewarding experience in long-form improv, blending humour, heartbreak, and the complexities of human relationships.
Review
Living. Dying. Dead is an improvised theatre show that boldly tackles the taboo subjects of death, dying, and bereavement. After touring improv festivals across Europe, it makes its Edinburgh Fringe debut as a full-length production. With a cast of seven, this long-form improvisation offers a fresh narrative each day, all centred around the same devastating premise: a character learns that treatment has failed, and palliative care is now the only option. From there, the show explores the responses of the character and their family, flashing back to reveal their story before the illness, culminating in a poignant bedside scene as they pass away.
While the structure remains consistent, the improvised nature ensures that no two performances are the same. The blend of drama and humour allows for a deep exploration of relationships right up to the moment of death, embracing the notion that even in our final days, there are happy memories to cherish and stories to tell.
The narrative unfolds over the last few months of the character’s life, framed by moving recollections shared during the funeral. It serves as a powerful reminder of our mortality and how easy it is to avoid confronting the inevitable until it’s too late. The show touches on the modern realities of dying—announcing bad news on Facebook, awkward social media interactions, and the lingering question of what happens to our digital presence after we’re gone.
The cast is polished, working smoothly together, excellent performances and some delightful twists as someone brings in a new perspective. The conversations, particularly those around social media, are often excruciatingly real, highlighting the awkwardness that comes with navigating death in the digital age. With just three chairs, no other set or props, and simple yet effective lighting shifts to suggest different locations or highlight a speaker, the minimalist approach serves the production well.
I found the pacing occasionally lagged. While the subject matter naturally invites a slower tempo, a bit more variety in speed would help maintain engagement throughout the performance. After all, time at the end of life can feel both agonizingly slow and shockingly fast. At the same time every show is different so this may not be common to every show.
Despite this minor point, Living. Dying. Dead. is a thought-provoking and highly recommended show that offers a rare and rewarding experience in long-form improv, blending humour, heartbreak, and the complexities of human relationships.
