Just over a year ago, I was lucky enough to attend an industry workshop presentation of a new musical by Emma Lively and Tyler Beattie at Sadler’s Wells. Often, these developmental showcases can take years to reach a stage, if they ever do at all. But with Bliss, I had a feeling we’d be seeing it again sooner rather than later.
Sure enough, armed with significant industry backing from producers behind Cabaret and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Bliss arrives at the Edinburgh Fringe with considerable fanfare and one of the festival’s most ambitious productions.
The story follows four princesses who, following the death of their mother, are kept hidden away in their castle by their overprotective father, the King. While his intentions are rooted in care rather than cruelty, the sisters long to experience the world beyond the castle walls. When an unexpected opportunity presents itself, they escape into an enchanted kingdom where fairy tale dreams quickly collide with reality.
At the centre of the story is Piper, played with warmth and conviction by Akshara Gunda. A gifted young astronomer, Piper finds herself manipulated by the enigmatic Fairy Godfather Glimmermore (Tom Bennett) and lured into a mysterious lagoon that transforms her from an intelligent, ambitious young woman into the supposedly perfect future bride for Prince Devin. Jordan Calloway is delightfully entertaining as the conceited prince, delivering one of the production’s standout comic performances.
The feminist themes at the heart of Bliss are hardly subtle, but they rarely need to be. This is a musical about female empowerment, self-determination, and rejecting the roles society chooses for us. What makes it work is its sincerity. The audience is firmly encouraged to root for these young women as they challenge expectations, and judging by the reaction in the Pleasance Grand, they do so enthusiastically.
Musically, the show is packed with infectious pop-rock number. Lively and Beattie’s score is consistently engaging, while Sheryl Kaller’s direction keeps the pace brisk throughout the show’s condensed eighty-minute running time. The cast attack the material with enormous energy, supported by staging that is remarkably impressive for a Fringe production.
Yet the show’s greatest strength may also expose its biggest weakness. The version presented in London was a two-act musical, whereas the Fringe production has been reshaped into a single eighty-minute piece. The result is a tighter and more commercially accessible show, but one that occasionally feels rushed. Piper’s journey remains largely intact, yet some of the richness surrounding her sisters has inevitably been lost.
Matilda Shapland’s Holly emerges with enough definition to make an impression, but the remaining sisters are left with comparatively little room to develop. Their relationships, ambitions and growth feel abbreviated, leaving the emotional stakes of the story slightly diminished. For a musical built around sisterhood, the balance occasionally tips too heavily towards a single protagonist.
There is also a question of audience positioning. Bliss describes itself as suitable for audiences aged eight to eighty-eight, and while that broad appeal is certainly visible, the tone can sometimes feel caught between demographic targets. At one moment it resembles a smart family musical; at another it leans towards material more likely to resonate with teenagers and adults. The result is a production that occasionally feels unsure exactly who it is speaking to.
And yet, despite those reservations, there is something undeniably exciting about Bliss. It is rare to see a new musical arrive at the Fringe with this level of confidence, polish and ambition. The scale of the production alone sets it apart from much of the festival, and audiences are responding accordingly, with the vast Pleasance Grand regularly packed to capacity. More importantly, the foundations are exceptionally strong. The score is memorable, the performances are committed, and its message of self-discovery lands with genuine emotional force.
Bliss may not have found its perfect ending yet, but it already feels like a musical with a very bright future. Edinburgh looks less like a destination and more like the next step in a journey for a show that seems destined for a much larger stage.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
