There is something here amongst the chaos
As a Fringe concept, planting an Italian audience member with a thick accent who tries to turn the show into a two-way conversation with the comedian – while comedically mishearing most of what’s said – isn’t a bad one. And that is mostly what Christopher Beanland’s Hipster Hell is on the day I saw it; though I presume it wasn’t the idea, as if so having the same audience member also live-translate the show for their partner felt quite immersive.
The indignities suffered by performers at the Fringe have likely filled many a therapy session. And it sounds like Chris Beanland has a few anecdotes from this years’ run alone; he can count disruptive hen parties and busloads of pensioners among his audience this year. In addition, he rounded up some of the audience for this this gig after they mistook him for BrewDog staff and tried to order chicken wings from him.
Beanland handles the disruptive audience member well, though, there’s even a warm selfie at the end of the show. Gentrification is the target of this show, but it is less skewered than poked repeatedly for comic effect. There are some good jokes here, though several require specific knowledge of east London gentrification. Beanland is a journalist and author of a book on Brutalist architecture, and he veers off the main theme at times to focus on what is clearly home turf.
Acknowledged as a work in progress, the show has ideas aplenty and plans to return complete at next year’s Fringe. And while there is potential, though there are parts that need to be ironed out to the material and perhaps the venue – not least as it transpires when he tries to load up a video for the finale, BrewDog do not even give their performers access to the staff Wi-Fi.
Show listing: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/christopher-beanland-hipster-hell-small-plates-ruined-my-life-wip
Venue: PBH’s Free Fringe @ BrewDog Lothian Rd (Venue 102) – The Garage, 50 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH3 9BY
Dates: 8–30 Aug 2026
Time: 16:55
Running time: approx. 50 minutes
Ticket prices: Free