The Naked Neds Review at the Edinburgh Fringe

A play with a lot of heart and a great message just needs some fine tuning to create a fine piece of theatre.

⭐⭐⭐

A new piece of Glaswegian writing by Ingram Nobel has opened at the Edinburgh Fringe before it heads off on a tour. The show focuses on a group of lads who have recently lost a friend to suicide. In his memory, they decide to stage a charity fundraiser in the style of The Full Monty. But their strip will reveal more about them than they even realised it could.

This play delivers a genuinely heartfelt story, filled with warmth and humour. Even when I couldn’t fully grasp the Glaswegian accents at some points, the emotion and intent were clear, and it didn’t take away from the experience. The audience around me caught every Scottish joke that I missed. The script aims to educate its audience, and it is refreshing to see a show tackling male issues from young males perspectives.

Each performer really engaged with their character. Hannah Mary Taylor stands out as a sassy yet caring Bev. Aidan Curley does a fantastic job of landing each comedic moment with ease, without overdoing it.

The play slightly falls into tackling a lot of issues at once; Mental Health, Fatherhood, Suicide, Body Image and Testicular Cancer to name just a few. Perhaps reducing the themes down might allow for more development. Nobel's monologue around body image was very affective, but we never really get to see how being a young father will affect Paul, our central character.

However, the production needs a more focused direction. The set, lighting, and sound design should be central to the storytelling, but currently feels underutilised. This is possibly down to it being a fringe show, but with more attention and creativity in these areas, the show could elevate itself to something truly impactful.

The final strip sequence, for instance, encountered some technical hiccups on the night I attended (They kept going as the show must go on!) But more than that, it lacked the moment. This should be the Full Monty reveal, the climax where lights dazzle, energy peaks, and the audience is fully swept up. Right now, it falls short. We need that bold, blinding finale to land the payoff and bring the house down. Another would be the football practice, which could have been elevated with fast paced lighting changes and sound.

There’s something special here and I really look forward to seeing this grow . With more development, I think it will be a hit!

Ticket Information for The Naked Neds :

The Naked Neds runs at Grand Theatre at theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall at 10:05PM each day as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival until the 9th of August. You can buy tickets here.

Location:  Grand Theatre at theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall, Edinburgh

Date of Review: 4th of August

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Disclaimer: I was invited to this show on August 4th, 2025 in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own and were not influenced by the invite.