The Unstoppable Rise of Ben Manager Review at the Edinburgh Fringe

A show that sounds great on paper struggles to connect to the stage, or perhaps this reviewer is not smart enough to grasp the full picture.

⭐⭐⭐

Before I write a review, I rarely look at others for inspiration. I met up a a fellow reviewer who was raving about a show and it was The Unstoppable Rise of Ben Manager, which took me by surprise.

The shows concept focuses on a man entering for an interview and comes across the body of an employee . Taking his lanyard, he becomes the man (Ben Manager) and climbs the coperate ladder.

Yes, visually and tonally, The Unstoppable Rise of Ben Manager channels shades of Severance including the use of a lanyard and classic white shirt attire. It's clinical, surreal, and deliberately disorienting. Unfortunately, persistent technical issues at my performance undercut the show’s impact, making it harder for the audience to fully connect. The Sound Operator did a great job trying to balance this.

The performers work hard and commit fully to the concept. Jack Parris (who is also the writer) does a great job of moving the show with plenty of pace. His powerpoint presentations inject the much needed humour.

But much of the audience seemed unsure of what the piece wanted to leave them with. In its quest to be elusive, the show edges into obscurity. Rather than feeling something for these coperate characters, I left feeling bewildered.

The result is a work that feels more like an exercise in style than a story with heart. Without some thread of humanity for us to latch onto, it risks leaving its audience adrift. But perhaps this is exactly what they are going for.

Ticket Information for The Unstoppable Rise of Ben Manager:

The Unstoppable Rise of Ben Manager runs at Above, Pleasance Courtyard at 5:20PM each day as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival until the 24th of August. You can buy tickets here.

Location:  Above, Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh

Date of Review: 5th of August

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Disclaimer: I was invited to this show on August 5th, 2025 in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own and were not influenced by the invite.