Following his debut last year, Arthur Hull returns to the Edinburgh Fringe with Flop!, a delightfully entertaining hour of music and comedy that proves even the most notorious musical failures can have something worth salvaging. The premise is deceptively simple: Hull has researched some of the biggest flops in musical theatre history and selected the standout song from each one.
This is a solo show, so there’s a fair amount of pressure on Hull, who plays the music, sings the songs and provides the audience with context for each number. It would be easy to follow a rigid formula here: anecdote, song, repeat. But Hull resists this. A varied mix of musical styles, inventive running gags and cleverly constructed segues keeps the show moving at a brisk pace, with each story naturally leading into the next.
Crucially, Hull never approaches the material with a sense of superiority. He is at pains to explain that Flop! is not about mocking shows that have already suffered enough, nor is it interested in ridiculing the artists behind them. Instead, the show sets out to celebrate the flashes of creativity and talent that survived within productions that were commercial or critical failures.
Hull’s affection for musical theatre is unmistakable, and that generosity of spirit makes the evening feel far more like an act of appreciation than a catalogue of failures. Flop! seeks to demonstrate that even the biggest disasters can contain a moment of theatrical brilliance, and delights in uncovering them.
The depth of research is impressive. At this industry preview in London, Hull was facing an audience packed with musical theatre devotees who know the art form inside out, yet many of his revelations still drew audible gasps or, at the very least, knowing nods. Just as importantly, Hull proves himself a witty raconteur, with an engaging, conversational style that allows even the most obscure theatrical trivia to land with the impact of a punchline.
Musically, Flop! is a genuine treat. Firstly, it offers the chance to hear songs from musicals you may never encounter again, unless there’s a particularly adventurous producer somewhere plotting a revival of Moby Dick. Secondly, Hull is an accomplished musician and performer, throwing himself wholeheartedly into every number regardless of style. Whether delivering soaring ballads or comic novelties, he commits completely, finding the qualities that made these songs worthy of rescuing in the first place.
What makes Flop! such an ideal Fringe show is its accessibility. Theatre lovers will relish spotting familiar titles and rediscovering long-forgotten curiosities, but the show’s appeal extends far beyond the musical theatre faithful. Even those with little knowledge of the genre will find plenty to enjoy in Hull’s sharp storytelling and the sheer improbability of some of the productions he uncovers. There is a particular pleasure in hearing just how much money, ambition and misplaced confidence can go into creating a spectacular theatrical misfire.
Whether you love musical theatre, loathe it, or your only point of reference is the film version of Cats, Flop! is an irresistible reminder that failure can be every bit as entertaining as success. Hull digs through the rubble of Broadway and the West End with warmth, wit and genuine affection, uncovering forgotten treasures in shows long written off as failures. In celebrating the artistry hidden amongst the wreckage of commercial catastrophe, Hull proves that every flop has value, provided you know how to produce it.
Flop! plays at Gilded Balloon Teviot (Wine Bar) from 6-30 August (excluding 12, 19 and 26 August) at 6:45pm, before transferring to Wilton’s Music Hall, London, from 24-26 September, with performances at 7pm and an additional 2:30pm matinee on 26 September.
