The Crawl overview – madcap swimming comedy carried out by synchronised duo | Edinburgh competition 2025

This extremely bodily comedy about two aggressive swimmers begins initially – not with a referee’s whistle however a stand-alone aquatic opus racing by way of people’ evolution from fish. In caps, goggles and bathing fits, Alexander Burnett and Ellie Whittaker recount our abiding ardour for the water, from the earliest types of life to Napoleon diving into an particularly moist misremembering of Waterloo, and on to an amusing pitch for The Great British Swim-Off. It’s a supremely foolish sequence that might even stand up to just a few extra laps of absurdity.

The present’s focus, although, is on two contestants going face to face: Meeta (Burnett), drilled for competitors since beginning, and Steve (Whittaker), rehabilitated from a wayward youth by a newfound love of swimming. (He nonetheless has an over-developed proper arm from throwing stones.) Meeta emits self-discipline and icy focus; have-a-go Steve is a bag of nerves, goggle-eyed even with out the swim glasses.

In a pleasant contact, Burnett and Whittaker are aggressive with one another about how this story might be informed and so they additionally play overly fussy, antagonistic race organisers and buffoonish commentators. As for the opposite opponents, coaches, lifeguards and so forth – they’re all performed by us, due to probably the most affably dealt with viewers participation I’ve seen this fringe.

With bombastic music from Andrés Hernandez, Olivia Zerphy’s manufacturing by no means treads water and the limber, Lecoq-trained performers are suitably synchronised. Who wants props after they can play health club tools, a library or a glacier themselves?

This is a genially amusing hour, by no means fairly reaching hysterical heights, however with loads of intelligent, goofy touches and a large enchantment (it’s for over-eights) even when the ethical may most likely be elucidated for youthful audiences. The story grows surprisingly candy and reveals there’s a couple of approach to win in life.