Edinburgh Fringe 2026
Build A Fort
Not Cricket Productions
Genre: Immersive, Interactive, Theatre
Venue: The Speakeasy at The Royal Scots Club
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
When was the last time you built a fort? Wholesome, cosy, and gently energising, Build A Fort left me feeling calmer, happier, and ready for the day ahead. This is such a fun, welcoming show. And a very good excuse to build a fort.
Review
When was the last time you built a fort? A real one: like the kind with the couch cushions in the living room or with a sheet and pillows piled up to a tower on your bedroom floor? If you can’t remember, the Camp Counsellors at Not Cricket Productions’ Build A Fort are here to offer possibly the cosiest way to start your day at the Fringe.
This wonderfully playful and interactive show does exactly what it promises: we build a fort!
As we waited for the doors to officially open, we were given pencils and a little form with questions such as our favourite camping snack. The tone was immediately set for a show that feels more like being welcomed into a strange, happy, summer camp than sitting down to watch a performance.
Inside the Speakeasy, the chairs and tables had been pushed back, leaving an open space to be filled. The stage was filled with items waiting to be transformed such as giant bags of fabric and cushions, wooden boxes, a clothes rack, ropes, and pegs. It seemed we had everything you could possibly need to build a fort and more. Counsellor Kate welcomed us before leading us through a stretching warm-up to help us reach optimal fort-building capacity. A freestyle dance session followed and by this point the room was already full of laughter and enthusiastic for some teamwork.
You don’t need to arrive with a group to enjoy this interactive experience. Everyone has a role, whether you’re throwing yourself into the construction or taking part in the quieter activity of decorating paper flags in the colouring corner. Families and adults alike were getting involved, with plenty of opportunity to choose your own level of participation. Counsellor Tamar, the resident dog, was also on hand to provide important emotional support.
A lovely touch was enjoying a hot drink and snack. Counsellor Sophie had taken our orders at the start of building and there were a range of biscuit treats to choose from when we broke for snack time. As we leant against our cushions underneath the fairy lights and sheets, a cup of tea and biscuits in each hand, we were treated even further to a story time.
Counsellor Louise sat inside the fort with us and a small stack of books and read us The Princess In The Suit of Leather by Angela Carter. I’m told the story can change day by day, adding another lovely unpredictability to the experience. This is the kind of show you can return and experience differently each time.
Eventually, it was time to leave our fort. We took a moment to admire our handiwork and were told it was the best one they had seen. Looking at our pointed roof, I have to admit, I think they might have been right.
Wholesome, cosy, and gently energising, Build A Fort left me feeling calmer, happier, and ready for the day ahead. This is such a fun, welcoming show. And a very good excuse to build a fort.
