This summer, fairy tales are getting a courtroom twist as The Uncrackable Case heads to the Edinburgh Fringe. A satirical musical from Front Room Productions and Lawrence Batley Theatre, the show reimagines nursery rhymes through the lens of true crime, media spin, and influencer culture. We caught up with writer Jamie Walsh and performer Riana Duce to talk about eggs, egos, and Edinburgh.
“It started as a silly idea,” says Jamie Walsh, writer and co-creator of the show. “Olivia [Race, director and co-creator] and I were working at Oldham Coliseum when it lost its Arts Council funding. In that not-very-fun time, we wanted to make something joyful. A Humpty Dumpty musical felt ridiculous enough to work.”
That ridiculous idea has grown into a full-blown musical comedy, complete with a courtroom drama, a cast of rebranded fairy tale icons, and a plot that sees Jill (of Jack and Jill fame) on trial for eggicide. “It’s a fever dream of misremembered nursery rhymes,” Jamie explains. “We’re playing with tropes from true crime and courtroom dramas, but also tackling serious themes—mob mentality, media onslaught, gender dynamics—all through the most absurd filter.”
Riana Duce plays Red, formerly Little Red Riding Hood, now a fierce prosecution lawyer with a personal vendetta. “She’s very smart, very headstrong, and probably goes a bit too far,” Riana says. “She’s got a chip on her shoulder and a very fraught past with B.B. Wolf, who’s now on the defence. It’s a joy to play someone so brilliant at their job—especially when I could never be a lawyer myself!”
The cast is a mix of familiar collaborators and new faces. “We’ve worked together before—Claire O’Connor and Alice Barber are job-sharing the role of Jill, and we know each other really well,” Riana says. “Then we’ve got brilliant new additions like Purvi Parmar and Emily Spowage. Honestly, I don’t know how we’ll make a play—we’re all having too much fun.”
That sense of fun is central to the show’s appeal. “We’re hoping that joy translates to audiences,” Jamie says. “We’ve had sharings with community groups and industry peers, but this will be the first time we get real audience reactions. It’s scary, but exciting.”
Musically, the show is as eclectic as its plot. “We’ve got traditional musical theatre numbers, an 80s power ballad, sexy chicken jazz, and a conspiracy theory stomper,” Jamie laughs. “Claire and Bay, our co-composers, have done an amazing job.”
For Riana, the music is a highlight. “Every day since rehearsals, I’ve had a different song stuck in my head. It’s not just one earworm—it’s all of them.”
So, what would they say to someone on the Royal Mile deciding whether to see the show? “It’ll be unforgettable,” Jamie says. “You’ll come out thinking, ‘Did that just happen?’ It’s fun, high-energy, and full of characters you know—but not like this.”
The Uncrackable Case runs from 30th July to 25th August 2025 (not 11th) at Pleasance Courtyard (Pleasance Two). Tickets are on sale here.
