How wonderful it would be to live inside a theatre, I found myself thinking as we meet Alex, the thirty-something millennial at the centre of Dale Robertson’s Broke & Fabulous in the 21st Century, playing at Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose.
For Alex, however, these unusual living arrangements are born more out of necessity than romantic idealism. Acting as a property guardian in a long-abandoned playhouse, he trades comfort for affordability, knowing full well that the building’s future almost certainly lies beneath the wrecking ball, destined to make way for yet another luxury development.
Like the theatre itself, Alex is in a state of decline. Played by Robertson with equal measures of vulnerability and resilience, he is a struggling drama school graduate who regularly skips meals in order to survive. Yet there is something wonderfully contradictory about his existence. He inhabits a room filled with faded grandeur, surrounded by baroque furniture, gilt-framed paintings and the strains of Beethoven, clinging to a version of sophistication that reality can scarcely support.
His daily encounters with Tom provide both companionship and complication. Rowland Stirling brings charm and warmth to the role of the city professional who still lives with his parents despite his successful career. Tom repeatedly insists he is straight, even while becoming increasingly comfortable in his intimate relationship with Alex. It is this tension between identity and desire that gives many of their scenes an engaging edge.
When Tom is absent, Alex is joined by his closest friend Petunia, played with infectious energy by Olive McHugh. Draped in perhaps the most extravagant coat currently on the Edinburgh Fringe, Petunia breezes through the play dispensing wine, gossip and extravagant affection. Her friendship with Alex feels authentic and lived-in, providing some of the production’s strongest moments.
The play succeeds in capturing the frustrations facing many millennials today. Raised on expectations of success and self-fulfilment, they now find themselves confronting soaring living costs and shrinking opportunities. Alex and Petunia address each other as “duhling” and “my love” as though raised entirely on Absolutely Fabulous and Sex and the City, creating a comic contrast between aspiration and reality.
Yet while the central themes are compelling, the script occasionally loses focus. Conversations drift away from its more interesting ideas, and Petunia, arguably the play’s most fascinating character, never receives the exploration she deserves. A scene involving some accidentally consumed special brownies hints at richer comic possibilities but never fully delivers on them.
The final twist is unlikely to surprise many audience members, revealing itself long before the play reaches its conclusion. Nevertheless, Broke & Fabulous in the 21st Century remains an engaging piece of social commentary, elevated by committed performances and impressively atmospheric staging. While it does not quite fulfil its potential, it tells its story with honesty, humour and undeniable heart.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
