The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is famous for creating performance spaces in the most unlikely of places – including public loos. Conversely this week sees the opening at Curve Leicester of Edinburgh Fringe award-winning musical Public, where four unlikely companions find themselves locked overnight in a gender-neutral toilet block. 

First into the cubicles is Zo (Grace Towning), a Gen Z activist and influencer en route to a protest to save the bees in striped top, antennae and wings. Then there’s Lycra-clad cyclist Andrew (Matt Corner), a City banker whose outdated attitudes soon set sparks flying with Greta Thunberg-loving Zo.

Also through the door comes Finlay (Ivano Turco) a young gay man on his way to work who, having trodden in something unsavoury, has rushed in to clear up the mess.  And lastly there’s suitcase-lugging Laura (Cole Dennis), the queer people-pleaser on their way to marry the girl of their dreams. Or so it may seem.

Performances on Press Night feel a little tentative at first, but the pace soon picks up as the characters’ lives begin to unfold. Despite no phone signal among them, Zo is intent on creating ‘content’ and Andrew tries to catch up with some work whilst Finlay has a meltdown before retreating into a cubicle. Laura seems to be the most grounded among them until the subject of their fiancée’s best friend comes to the fore. Tempers get frayed but as the night wears on, the ensemble loosens up thanks to some gummies that are not all they might seem, leading to a memorable loo-block rave sequence.

Public includes some great songs and soaring harmonies in the quartet numbers. Solo numbers allow each performer to shine, particularly in Corner’s heart-wrenching Missing Pieces and Turco’s angelic rendition of Nervous Disposition.

The set by Amy Jane Cook, lighting by Katy Morrison and sound by Russell Ditchfield, all complement each other perfectly, such that the toilet block seems to take on a character of its own. The grimy tiles and dodgy electrics add to the authentic feel of the place and even the graffiti manages to raise a few laughs. 

Created by Stroud and Notes, Public is a quirky musical with a strong score and some important messages about queer identities, although these can come across as a little bit too earnest at times. Directed by Hannah Sands, Public runs at Curve, Leicester until June 13th.

Photo credit: Mark Senior