Post by @federicabalbi
Seen at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026
⭐⭐⭐ Fun (and a little lesson on being a citizen)
A tourist sunbathes in Bali and projects the Western stereotypes that make us enjoy those kinds of holiday so much: soft sand, blue sea, fresh exotic drinks, you name it. All this, while we completely and willingly ignore the struggles of the locals. And especially, we give democracy for granted…
Upon meeting a local, the tourist can’t escape a very long account of his life, and how the country fell under the dictatorship of the phantomatic Richard Tater. Using Balinese masks, Edoardo Vanoni and Denis Haugh tell a funny story but also explain the importance of taking care of our democracies, before they take a dictatorial turn.
Masks and costumes let us enter this universe, and there’s plenty of comical devices that click almost automatically. Denis Haugh’s comedic timing and expressivity are hilarious, it’s almost a pity when he wears a mask. The bits that involve mime are weaker, and in general the show lacks a bit of precision and cohesion.
A little objection: on their website, Action Theatre company advertises the show as educational theatre, but on the communications of the Fringe run there is no mention of the target audience. For kids it is a solid four-star show, not for some lowering of the standards, but because it was clearly created with a younger audience in mind. I am genuine curious to see their other show, The Italians in England, with the whole cast of Action Theatre, that is a show for adults.
7th – 15th August; 11 am
Running time: 50 minutes
Venue: theSpace @Surgeons’ Hall
Tickets and Info: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/democrazy
Company Website: https://www.actiontheatre.it/en/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actiontheatre.it/
Butterwort 
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