A Stan is Born Review at the Edinburgh Fringe

A beautiful and joyful play, A Stan is Born is currently playing at Blether at Gilded Balloon Patter House for the Edinburgh Fringe, with divas, vocals and a great story.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Photo Credit: Sami Sumaria

A Stan is Born follows Alexis, born in New York City as a closeted child and uprooted to rural Germany, where his world suddenly shrank. Discovering the fierce, fabulous pop divas like Céline, Whitney, Mariah, Beyoncé who became his “mothers” and his obsession.

This is a bright, flashy, and wonderfully silly show, light on heavy topics but big on fun. It’s an instant mood-lifter, packed with toe-tapping songs and plenty of camp flair.

Alexis Sakellaris is a charismatic presence with impressive vocal talent, handling everything from diva-esque ballads to quick comedic moments with ease. Even when faced with a line drop or a rogue air conditioner interrupting a number, Alexis thinks on their feet and keeps the energy alive. There were some great laugh-out-loud moments too! While some impressions of the divas are stronger than others, the commitment to the performance is total, and it’s hard not to love them.

Madison Cole’s direction keeps the pace sharp, guiding smooth transitions between Alexis and their diva personas. The staging is well thought out, balancing big movement with well-placed stillness.

There’s plenty of potential here. A little fine-tuning of the script and a rethink of how the divas are portrayed (perhaps with the addition of a killer voice-over for each diva) could elevate the show to the next level.

As it stands, A Stan is Born is fun and full of heart. An uplifting burst of queer joy at the Fringe.

Ticket Information for A Stan is Born:

A Stan is Born runs at Blether at the Gilded Balloon, Patter House at 3PM each day as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival until the 24th of August. You can buy tickets here.

Location:  Blether at the Gilded Balloon, Patter House, Edinburgh

Date of Review: 7th of August

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Disclaimer: I was invited to this show on August 7th, 2025 in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own and were not influenced by the invite.