Edinburgh Fringe 2026
Viggo Venn: Only One
Impatient Productions
Genre: Clown, Mime, Physical Theatre
Venue: Ace Dome at Pleasance Dome
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Viggo Venn shows up in a brand new avatar after his highly successful hi-vis Russian-doll act at Britain’s Got Talent, and this time, he’s a mime looking for love. He goes back in time with the form, but his charm keeps evolving.
Review
In his new clown act, Venn is searching for a life partner. He uses the universal form of mime to tell this archetypal story. He moves like a cartoon that ran out of the television. He’s precise, energetic and very joyous to watch. His presence is so wonderful that it could make you wish that he picks you to play and dance with. He’s also a natural at creating games! He creates games with the audience and slowly trains them to do things that will help him go ahead in the show. The audience is with him throughout.
At one point he leaves the room from the back, making us look at the exit and thinking that he’ll walk in again, but it turns out that he’s already managed to reach the stage before our gaze could reach there. There’s an old-world charm about Venn, that we don’t often see in clowning these days. There’s something comforting about placing yourself in the hands of a skilful performer who loves a happy ending. It’s a show that doesn’t demand much from you and leaves you with a lot of lightness.
Many might be expecting a wild-haired, high-vis wearing Viggo Venn that keeps pushing the boundaries with his silliness. We instead get a slick-haired, tuxedo-wearing, vintage-style Viggo Venn. He seems to not want one of those to be his entire identity. He seems to be exploring other sides of himself and his craft. He seems to want to share those parts of him with us. His success at Britain’s Got Talent might be the biggest platform a clown has had in recent times, and like any great clown, he knows when to leave.
Venn’s Only One might not be as groundbreaking as his BGT act was, but it’s still a wonderful show. He seems to be in a liminal space between what the audience expects and what he really wants to create. This undefined time of following Venn’s work can leave you anywhere on the spectrum between disappointed and awe. But that’s the journey of following any artist that’s engaging in honest explorations. Where this journey leads, no one knows – but this opens up an entire spectrum for Venn to dive into.
What I enjoy the most about Venn’s Only One is his innocence and playfulness. Beneath all the skill, trickery and storytelling, there’s a child-like Venn who really wants to just play more. Your laughter can brighten his day and he shares that sunshine with you. His innocence is precious to remind us that there’s often a way of looking at life that’s simpler. A very grounding show amidst all the whacky and unhinged clowning at this year’s Fringe.
