Hole! Review – My Pick of the Fringe and the Filthiest Fun in Edinburgh

★★★★★

Picture this: two cultists, one urgent prophecy, and the bizarre ultimatum that Earth must self plug with wooden buttplugs (no lube, obviously) to avoid being torn into the abyss anus first. In just under an hour, you will encounter the Cincinnati Daddies, embrace the absurd joy of “sky-f***ing,” and experience a Fringe show so gleefully unhinged it practically redefines theatrical irreverence, with bottom line stakes you will not find anywhere else at the festival.

This raunchy romp blends sharp satire with heartfelt humanity, tackling religion, homophobia, sexual awakening, lube etiquette, and the bedrock of love and chosen family, all thrown into one gloriously filthy collision. It is immersive, unconventional, and impossible not to smile through, with no cracks in the pacing, a true backdoor into theatrical brilliance.

In the tradition of comedy greats like Flo and Joan, Flight of the Conchords, and The Pajama Men, Hole! thrives on the simplicity of its set up with one performer at the piano and one crafting foley, proving it needs nothing more to keep an audience in stitches. From the boundlessly inventive duo behind American Sing Song, Jake Brasch and Nadja Milena, this is a masterclass in doing a lot with very little. Picture hair molded into a literal “hole,” Jake commanding a piano, and Nadja conjuring soundscapes from cups, household items, the hum of a vibrator, and even various buttplugs repurposed as instruments, perfectly timed to hit you right in the cheeks and a ridiculous nod to the story’s mission of plugging your butts before they get sucked into oblivion.

If you hunger for something wild, beautifully bizarre, and undeniably entertaining, Hole! is my pick of the Fringe. I have already booked to see it again, because one visit to the Hole! is never enough.

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Venue: Belly Button at Underbelly, Cowgate

Dates: 31 July – 25 August 2025

Time: 8:20pm

Tickets: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/hole