• Review For Us
    • In London or across the UK
    • at Edinburgh Fringe
  • List Your Show
  • Advertising
  • Musicals
  • Plays
  • Ballet & Dance
  • Previews
  • First Look
Theatre Weekly
  • Home
  • News
    • West End
    • Off-West End
    • Regional & Tours
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Digital Theatre
  • Tickets
    • Discounts
    • Musicals
    • Plays
    • Opera
    • Dance
    • Concerts
  • Edinburgh Fringe 2025
    • Edinburgh Fringe News
    • Edinburgh Fringe Previews
    • Edinburgh Fringe Interviews
  • Contact Us
    • Join us as a Reviewer
No Result
View All Result
Theatre Weekly
  • Home
  • News
    • West End
    • Off-West End
    • Regional & Tours
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Digital Theatre
  • Tickets
    • Discounts
    • Musicals
    • Plays
    • Opera
    • Dance
    • Concerts
  • Edinburgh Fringe 2025
    • Edinburgh Fringe News
    • Edinburgh Fringe Previews
    • Edinburgh Fringe Interviews
  • Contact Us
    • Join us as a Reviewer
No Result
View All Result
Theatre Weekly
No Result
View All Result
Home Edinburgh Fringe 2022

Edinburgh Review: Fanboy at Pleasance Dome

by Greg Stewart
August 10, 2022
Reading Time: 3 mins read
FANBOY Image Credits Ben Borley

FANBOY Image Credits Ben Borley

Four Star Review from Theatre WeeklySpoiler alert – Joe Sellman-Leava has created another hit show.  This latest production follows a string of successes, but in Fanboy, directed by Yaz Al-Shaater, and playing at the Pleasance Dome this Edinburgh Fringe, Sellman-Leava seems to have found a subject that everyone can relate to in some shape or form.

I was at University in 1999 when The Phantom Menace was released.  My best friend missed an essay deadline in order to attend the midnight screening, I couldn’t understand it, after all wasn’t it going to be playing the next day?  Years later and I’m still not a Star Wars fan, but I have made some odd decisions for the things that I do love.

In Fanboy we meet Joe, who has just turned 30 and surrounded by his childhood possessions starts to question the behaviour of some fandoms.  Naturally, there are fandoms for Marvel movies, Nintendo, The Muppets and about a hundred other things that Joe rhymes off in the opening moments of the show.

       

But the idea of fandoms also translates to politics, and the increasingly odd phenomenon (particularly from the right) of becoming very angry with people with differing viewpoints.  This isn’t an overtly political show, but it certainly forms part of it.

Joe talks us through relationships with friends, family and a lover (some of their names might sound familiar).  At the pivotal point of turning 30, Joe also unexpectedly finds himself connecting with his past and future self, with a nice little nod to The Muppets Christmas Carol thrown in.  It makes Fanboy an especially touching look at the way we all grow up, holding on to our childhood passions, even when in adulthood our views might change.

You mightalso like

Sasha Wilson photo by Alex Cameron

Edinburgh Fringe Interview: Sasha Wilson on Bury The Hatchet at Pleasance Dome

Dan Bishop, photo by Patrick Dowse

Edinburgh Fringe Interview: Dan Bishop on Brainsluts at Pleasance Dome

Joe Sellman-Leava is an incredibly talented writer which is matched in the engrossing performance.  With a few impressions thrown in, there’s plenty of humour here, but also more than enough to get you thinking about the endless culture wars that seem to be raging in every corner of life.

Fanboy in a way asks its audience to join the rebellion, to look beyond the things we hold on to dearly to question why innocent young minds grow up to be so angry, so obsessed with being right and winning.  A deceptively vital piece of theatre from Joe Sellman-Leava.

Greg Stewart

Greg Stewart

Greg is an award-winning writer with a huge passion for theatre. He has appeared on stage, as well as having directed several plays in his native Scotland. Greg is the founder and editor of Theatre Weekly

Related Articles

Sasha Wilson photo by Alex Cameron
Edinburgh Fringe 2025

Edinburgh Fringe Interview: Sasha Wilson on Bury The Hatchet at Pleasance Dome

Dan Bishop, photo by Patrick Dowse
Edinburgh Fringe 2025

Edinburgh Fringe Interview: Dan Bishop on Brainsluts at Pleasance Dome

Brainsluts, photo by Ella Carmen Dale
Edinburgh Fringe 2025

Edinburgh Fringe Preview: Brainsluts at Pleasance Dome

Cartoonopolis Image Supplied by publicist
Edinburgh Fringe 2025

Edinburgh Fringe Preview: Cartoonopolis at Pleasance Dome (Jack Dome)

Comments 2

  1. Pingback: Joe Sellman-Leava’s hit Edinburgh show Fanboy heads on tour - Theatre Weekly
  2. Pingback: Edinburgh Fringe 2022: Joe Sellman-Leava’s FANBOY receives wonderful reviews - Rochelle Stevens
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Twitter Facebook Youtube Instagram

At Theatre Weekly we give theatre a new audience. You'll find our theatre news, theatre reviews and theatre interviews are written from an audience point of view. Our great value London theatre tickets will get you the best deal for your theatre tickets.
Theatre Weekly, 124 City Road, London EC1V 2NX
  • Join Our Community
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us
  • Advertising

Recent News

Spin A Play (Credit Lynsey Nicol)

Spin-a-Play Brings Improvised Chaos to Camden Fringe 2025

The sound of Music Cast Image supplied by publicist

The Sound of Music Full Cast Announced for Curve’s 2025 Christmas Production

© 2022 Theatre Weekly

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Tickets
  • Digital Theatre
  • News
    • News
    • West End
    • Off West End
    • Regional & Tours
    • Digital
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
  • Edinburgh Fringe 2025
    • Edinburgh Fringe News
    • Edinburgh Fringe Previews
    • Edinburgh Fringe Interviews
  • Contact Us
    • Join us as a Reviewer

© 2022 Theatre Weekly