Edinburgh Fringe 2025

Samantha Dunne: Strangers I Know

Samantha Dunne

Genre: Solo Performance, Solo Play, Solo Show

Venue: Greenside at George Street

Festival: Edinburgh Fringe

Low Down

Review

Billed as a one woman wake, Strangers I Know sits in the tradition of work that has often appeared at Edfringe in the past under the banner of Death on the Fringe. Death can, at times, be life affirming, and this piece takes that idea and turns it towards autobiography. A coffin lies on stage and the space is arranged to resemble a funeral reception. We meet the deceased, though in this case it is a funeral for the performer’s past selves. The style veers towards stand up comedy, yet always returns to the central device of a funeral.

The performance offers plenty of deft comical sideswipes at the world of being an actor. There is witty observation and dark humour throughout, though at times it feels as if the script could loosen its grip and allow more spontaneity. More inventive direction would enliven the piece further and highlight its strongest material.  This requires clearer physical choreography. Sometimes the performer moves while speaking and then arrives somewhere on stage to a pause than lends a stiltedness to the narrative. When we speak from a still space, or speak whilst moving, this needs to be more intentional and clearer for the audience, especially in a venue where lighting choices are limited. The device of a funeral, though central, still needs to be integrated more fully into the structure of the narrative rather than left as an occasional return point.

Important topics are raised. These include body shaming and the lived experience of cerebral palsy. The use of autobiography is supported by projected photo visuals, which ground the piece in personal truth. The audience responded warmly to many of the one liners and anecdotes. The performer is a skilled comedy voice, able to land sharp observations and throwaway remarks with precision. Yet the overall arc of the narrative still requires more clarity.

There are moments that ask for more depth, particularly those moments of pain and realisation. These could give the performance greater texture and balance against the humour. The show is strongest when it situates itself firmly within the funeral setting, allowing the satire, the confession, and the laughter to all play against that backdrop. The witty one liners stand out, but the script, though intelligent, still feels as if it needs a more detailed transposition into solo theatrical storytelling.

Some technical elements distracted. The recorded words did not always join together seamlessly and the host figure on stage required better spotlighting. The choice of costume also created a few practical difficulties. Tighter spoken choreography would improve the rhythm and pace.

What emerges is a eulogy to a troubled life, shaped by lessons learned in hindsight and opportunities either missed or under-invested in. It is also a search for passion and purpose. The show does not flinch from its own flaws, but in doing so it invites the audience into a deeply personal journey that still has space to grow into a more fully realised performance.

I enjoyed the skills of this solo performer and particularly leaned in during the touching moments and sharp elements of comedy. With a better lit venue and more grounding in that neat funeral wake conceit the show would lift higher. As it is I enjoyed this 15 minutes in the company of a capable, charismatic endearing comic story raconteur. It is the very darkness of death that creates the opportunity here for dark comedy and this is successfully realised here. A very good show at the Fringe.

Published August 18, 2025 by Paul Levy