MUSE: The Shakespeare Mayhem Musical: Cowbarn at Underbelly, Bristo Square
16th August 2026
★★★★
Before he was the Bard, he was just Will… with a problem: his publisher will only print one of his plays. With Puck as instigator, Lear, Cleopatra, the Macbeths and more of Shakespeare’s greatest characters erupt into rebellion in a chaotic race to become the chosen tale. Pop musical comedy meets absurdist theatre in this riotous story of ambition, ego and the birth of a legend.
This started off so well with a gorgeous, contemporary musical number from Anne, Shakespeare’s wife. Hanna Andréa’s score is a mix of modern music with an almost country element to it and performed superbly with brilliant vocals from the strong cast. But it is at odds with the script by Lisa Sanderson. The dialogue uses Shakespearean language which would be fine for the odd quote but this seems to be throughout which doesn’t work with the music. The characters all have important messages to put across and do this through the songs and lyrics but during the acting scenes it feels a bit lacklustre and forced. It would have been better to completely modernise the characters – if their lyrics and vocal styles can be modern then surely so could their dialogue too.
Muse has a great concept and works well as a Fringe show, although having a basic knowledge of the Shakespeare characters may help too particularly the slightly lesser known/popular ones. It is definitely a show of two sides. The score and talent is engaging throughout, passionate and emotional but it doesn’t work with the dialogue – or more to the point the dialogue doesn’t work with the well written score. The show should lean more towards the music style as this is where it excels and perhaps leave the ‘old Shakespeare language’ in the past.
For more information and tickets click here.
AD – PR invite in exchange for a honest review.
Musical Manda 
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