Post by @federicabalbi

Seen at Edinburgh Festival Fringe on the 9^th of August 2026

3 stars – between rave and storytelling

Rave music, check. Laser lights, steam, check. A tormented romance? Also check. Ready to embark onto a solo storytelling show about New York rave scene.

Emma is a journalist who is asked to report on rave parties in underground locations. She has never been to one, she isn’t familiar with the music, but she’s not going to say no to this job. So, for research purposes, she starts hitting the dancefloor, leaving with the last ones, and falling in love.

The world she encounters is a one of apparent despair but deeper hope, where an ephemeral utopia is created, or maybe dreamed, but it only runs until the music ends, until the effect of substances runs out. During that time, hope is large enough to embrace the whole world, to project a future, an alternative system, a different mode of living, less aggressive and less polluting.

Lilly Walker plays various characters, moving with skill and agility from one to the other. Sadly, some direction and scenery choices don’t help the performance, in some cases they hinder it. The idea dramaturgy is original, with some very interesting moments and ideas. Overall, the performance would benefit from a few little changes, and from a less dispersive venue.

The Late Utopians is produced by Coggia, with Alfie Jones (writer and director) and Kyndall Sillanpaa (producer and dramaturg).

5^th-30^th August (not the 18^th); 14.18 pm

Running time: 60 minutes

Venue: Underbelly Cowgate

Tickets and Info: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-late-utopians

Company Website: https://coggia.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coggiaproductions/