A heartbreaking, joyous and urgently important story of growing up online
*some spoilers ahead*
Playback takes us inside the digital world of a young Euan Munro, using real footage from his childhood to create a funny, nostalgic and ultimately devastating journey through growing up, finding an audience online and discovering that not everyone watching has good intentions.
What begins with the excitement and innocence of a child discovering YouTube quickly develops into something much darker. Euan dreams of being seen, entertaining people and giving audiences what they want. But as his following grows, so does the attention and not all of it is welcome.
Combining live performance with Euan’s real childhood YouTube videos, Playback creates an incredibly immersive experience. We watch a young boy move from innocence and excitement into the world of online fame, before facing the devastating realisation that the world he believed was safe was anything but.
The use of multimedia is particularly effective. Camcorder footage, childhood videos, sound, lighting, costume and set work seamlessly together, transporting us into Euan’s bedroom and the digital world that becomes such an important part of his life. The production feels carefully considered, with every element serving a purpose.
There is something particularly powerful about seeing the story through Euan’s younger self. The footage is funny, awkward, endearing and wonderfully cringe-inducing, but as the story unfolds, those same innocent moments become increasingly difficult to watch. What makes them so touching is also what makes Euan so vulnerable.
The realisation that his childhood world was being watched and exploited by predators is heartbreaking. What initially feels like a nostalgic look back at the early days of YouTube becomes a much more sobering exploration of the dangers children can face online when they do not yet have the knowledge or understanding to recognise them.
Euan’s performance is slick, polished and deeply engaging. His physicality and vocal delivery clearly define the different stages of his life, allowing us to see the child behind the screen as well as the person he becomes. There is a real sense of care and thought behind the performance, and it is evident throughout.
Playback takes the audience on an emotional rollercoaster – funny, awkward, joyous, uncomfortable and heartbreaking in equal measure. Yet despite the darkness at its centre, there is also warmth, love and hope.
Most importantly, the show leaves us thinking about the responsibility we have to protect children in an increasingly digital world. It doesn’t simply tell us that the internet can be dangerous; it asks us to consider what we can do to make it safer for those who are most vulnerable.
A deeply personal, thought-provoking and beautifully constructed piece of theatre that stays with you long after the curtain falls.
Genre: Theatre / New Writing
Running time: 60 minutes
Venue: Summerhall Arts, Former Women’s Locker Room
Address: 1 Summerhall, Edinburgh, EH9 1PL
Dates: 6–31 August 2026
Time: 1:20pm