“This searing new climate change musical toes the line between funny and hard-hitting”
Opening a musical about climate change during a London heatwave has been a true moment of poetic justice for (blissfully air-conditioned), venue The Other Palace. After its runaway award-winning success at Edinburgh Fringe in 2025, Hot Mess: A New Musical has arrived in London just in time for a stretch of 35+ degree days.
Following the ill-fated love story between Earth and Humanity (otherwise known as E and Hugh), Hot Mess is an abstract take on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers. Earth (Mia Quimpo) is initially aloof and uninterested in the impact her natural disasters and ice ages have on her inhabitants, until Humanity (Morgan Gregory), manages to wear her down with the promises of innovation and understanding.
Earth has had enough one-night stands with single-cell organisms, and is still reeling from the death of her most recent ex (the Tyrannosaurus rex). She opens the show detailing her search for love, and along comes Humanity, a species unlike any she’s seen before.
Called in at the last-minute due to cast illness, Mia Quimpo comes into her own in this production. Totally transforming into the role of Earth, you would never know she was an understudy called in at the eleventh hour. Seductive and initially so sure of herself, the audience emits a groan and audible ‘NO!’ When she first kisses Humanity. We all know where it goes from here.
Gregory plays an initially geeky and jovial Humanity, totally embodying the ultimate ‘nice guy’ trope, of the guy that turns out to be the very opposite of nice. Fabulous vocals mirror Quimpo beautifully, and the pair have a completely believable 300,000 year whirlwind romance.
Music and lyrics by Jack Godfrey are a real highlight of the piece. The music is catchy, modern and packs a punch. Lyrically fun, Godfrey plays around with double meanings and word construction, not dissimilar to the likes of Tim Minchin. No doubt a challenging score to sing, both performers jump from speaking to singing and back again without breaking a sweat.
Director Ellie Coote makes total use of the small theatre, surrounded by a minimal but impactful set design by Shankho Chaudhuri. It feels like the perfect space for a two-hander musical, with the intimacy of the venue placing the performers totally front and centre with nowhere to hide.
Funny, relevant and skilfully executed, it’s hard to fault this snappy 90-minute piece, and is highly worth escaping the London heat to see.
Hot Mess: A New Musical runs at The Other Palace until 6 September 2026. Tickets are available here.