Edinburgh Fringe 2026
Our Seventh String
Paperfolk Theatre
Genre: Musical Stories, Musical Theatre, Theatre
Venue: Venue 45 at theSpace @ Venue 45
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
After seven years, a Melbourne share house welcomes the unexpected return of old friends, flames and foes, reuniting for one final song. As past and present collide, buried tensions resurface and the ties that once bound them begin to unravel. Featuring a live original folk score performed by actor-musicians, this new Australian musical explores memory, art and what it means to create. Paperfolk Theatre presents the UK debut of Our Seventh String, following its sold-out Melbourne run.
Review
You don’t expect to discover something genuinely special because a stranger on a train recommended it. Yet that’s exactly how I found myself in Venue 45 at theSpace watching Paperfolk Theatre’s UK debut of Our Seventh String, and I’m grateful that chance encounter happened. This is a show that matters; one that excels in every way that counts.
Seven years have passed for the share house residents of this Australian musical, and when old friends return, what begins as a reunion quietly becomes something far more complicated. The relationships between these characters are the heart of everything, and Paperfolk Theatre trusts its cast with those relationships completely. You watch genuine affection, real frustration, the ache of a friendship that’s been lost. The writing could have spelled all of this out, but instead it lets you see it unfold at the hands of the cast. That’s what makes it work.
What’s exceptional here is how the seven actor-musicians move between being characters and being the voice of the story itself. The live folk score is a mix of classical and contemporary, and it doesn’t interrupt the narrative. Instead, it becomes part of how the story breathes. The audience felt it too; there was real engagement in the room, a sense that something authentic was happening in front of them. These performers aren’t just acting; they’re singing, they’re playing, and they’re doing all of it with a level of skill that speaks to serious training and real artistry. This cast will go far. The quality of both their acting and their vocals is superb. You believe them when they’re grieving, when they’re laughing, when they’re trying to hold onto something that’s already slipping away.
The production design reinforces everything beautifully. The space has been used with real intelligence; the set feels like a house that’s been packed up and ready to move on, which is exactly what the script asks for. It’s the visual embodiment of goodbye and hello happening at the same time. The direction is assured and subtle; nothing feels over-explained or visually unnecessary. In a round theatre, where sightlines matter and intimacy is everything, this production absolutely lands. The space works for the story, and the story fills the space.
The only technical note worth mentioning: the piano players need to strengthen vocal projection in their singing range to match the acoustic requirements of the venue. It’s not a flaw; it’s a performance development area that would make an already strong contribution even clearer. Beyond that, the acoustic approach is exactly right. This show has the versatility to work anywhere; in a bigger venue, with amplification or the kind of projection these performers are capable of, it would translate beautifully. You can absolutely see this on a much larger stage; a West End production of Our Seventh String wouldn’t feel out of place.
Here’s what strikes you most: fifty minutes in, the audience wanted more. Not because the show dragged or left you hanging, but because you were genuinely invested in these characters and their story. That’s the mark of something working at its best. The emotional core is earned throughout, and the moments that matter land with real weight.
What Paperfolk Theatre has created is rare. It’s work that breaks new ground, excels in concept, direction, and performance, and trusts both its audience and its cast in ways that feel increasingly uncommon. These seven performers have a genuine connection with each other and with the room, and that authenticity carries everything. This is theatre that doesn’t need to shout to be heard. To that stranger on the train who offered the recommendation; you embody what the Fringe is about. Thank you for the suggestion.
Our Seventh String is essential viewing. It’s the kind of show that stays with you after you leave, the kind that reminds you why live theatre matters. This is a must watch.
