“Fun and fast-paced multi-character comic crime caper”
Maybe You Like It return to the Fringe as Pleasance Associate Artists with crime caper Whatever Happened to That Guy?, which runs on breathless energy and theatrical precision. This story sees failing author Bee Leigh (Maggie Moriarty), her unemployed brother Andy – though prefers Drew – (Robert Merriam) and sister-in-law Julia (Ellie Jay Cooper) plot to fake the memoir of reclusive Hollywood A-lister Guy Wesley. A hoax that riffs on the real-life Howard Hughes biography scandal, with the three actors then also playing wild carousel of other characters they meet along the way.
The frenetic character and scene swaps propel the story along at a pace that evokes the Max and Ivan shows of old. The set is constantly imaginative, props whisked out of suitcases at the back of the stage to keep the world spinning – and this is a real masterclass in the inventive use of simple props to set a scene.
The characters are clear and well-formed, and the setup is fun. It avoids the classic pitfall of multi-character shows which can be keeping track of where you are and what’s going on. It’s never dull for an hour. However, amongst that the jokes sometimes come too quickly to land. It also suffers from being neither a straight comedy nor a play, falling somewhere between the two. The ending is played for neither laughs or drama – the central characters face up to a lifetime in prison with the same nonchalance that someone might show over missing a train rather than losing their freedom. Meanwhile, the revelation about the Hollywood recluse that the plot hinges around is not fully explored.
In the end, this is a very enjoyable hour of light on its feet theatre. It’s silly and accessible but diverting rather than deep.
Show listing: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/whatever-happened-to-that-guy
Listings information:
Venue: Pleasance Dome
Dates: 5–31 August 2026 (not Mon or Tue)
Time: 14:40
Running time: 60 minutes
Fringe Box Office: 0131 226 0000