Edinburgh Fringe 2026
Man or Bear
Katie Hurley and Sarah Hehir in association with Croydonites
Genre: Drama, Feminist Theatre
Venue: Summerhall
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
A tightly packed hour deftly interweaving humour, tears, terror, and pathos, it’s perhaps one of the more somber shows featuring at this year’s Fringe, but certainly not one to be missed.
Review
If you aren’t chronically online or ‘down with the kids’ these days, you might be excused from missing the context behind the title of ‘Man or Bear,’ one of the many spectacular offerings over at the Summerhall circuit this Fringe. A viral TikTok debate that first surfaced in 2024, the question is simple. Would you rather be in the woods with a random man, or a random bear? When asked, most women unsurprisingly opted for the bear, an answer that becomes more obvious the more you consider it.
The epidemic of male violence against women is likewise the theme of this play, a fragmented, kitchen sink-esque drama following a brief moment in the lives of three women – Paige, a single mother fleeing from a coersive ex, her teenage daughter Angel, and church-going Connie, their gracious landlord who offers them a place to stay. All three face troubles of their own, and all three must navigate the enveloping snares of guilt, shame, and gender based violence.
The three actors take to the stage like three fates weaving a triptych of a sober reality, a set-up beautifully directed by Ursula Martinez. Katie Hurley as Paige shines as the single mum struggling to stay afloat amidst the chaos of a rushed getaway. She gives incredible nuance to the role, and you can almost see her life disintegrating before her as she’s torn between her old life and the new one. Her performance is a testament to abuse victims everywhere. Amaia Naima Aguinaga as Angel conveys a fierce passion, with a simmering anger bubbling just underneath the shimmering veneer of social niceties. Her rage is impressive to behold, and her enthusiastic dance breaks are contagious. Lesley Ewen as Connie is likewise a star, slipping seamlessly from forgiving widow exploring her sexuality to chilling calculation when she slips into an alternative role as the voice of Sam. Her portrayal of faith, queerness, and solidarity is a perfect cocktail of hope in these uncertain times, and her multi-layered approach gives heart to the story.
A tightly packed hour deftly interweaving humour, tears, terror, and pathos, it’s perhaps one of the more somber shows featuring at this year’s Fringe, but certainly not one to be missed. And judging by some of the more visceral reactions from the audience as they spilled out from the theatre, it’s perhaps a reminder of why these topics are more urgent than ever before.
