Show reviewed: 07/03/2026

Show rating: Ain’t no small talk here, 4 stars!

As a fellow compulsive crossword addict, the idea of creating a Fringe show based around solving cryptic crosswords to form a narrative structure for telling the life story of an artist, one Henry Nicholls, was an intriguing and innovative prospect! Henry is a humble and self deprecating host who has made himself personally and artistically vulnerable as he talks about heavy topics like being queer and neurodiverse and living with cancer. Henry discussed in particular how improvisation has taught him the lesson that nothing is perfect in life, that we must continue to carry on to make the bugs of a situation as part of the features that define the stories we tell about ourselves.

I have reviewed this production as a work in progress due to the experimental nature of the interactive theatre, and while I personally like the idea of it, the heavy emphasis on audience participation means that this is not a show for those who don’t particularly enjoy puzzles. Otherwise I have enjoyed the challenge Henry presented to the audience with his performance as he taught us how to decode the clues within a cryptic crossword. I think that Henry’s peer advocacy by production is something I look forward to seeing more of ist future fringe festivals.