Here to prove that Dungeons & Dragons isn’t all complicated rules and crunchy math, Tartan Tabletop: A Dungeons & Dragons Comedy delivers exactly what it says on the box.
This ragtag group of drama kids who have been playing D&D together for years bring their tabletop adventures yet again to the stage, typically with a new guest joining each night to play Noblin the beloved Goblin. Every performance features a completely different story, meaning there’s no need to worry about whether you missed last night’s show; every evening is a brand new adventure!
Tonight, the theme was Toy Story (but separate and legally distinct – of course), featuring an utterly ridiculous – in the best way – line-up. With regulars Alex Bathe as a Lego man, Lauren McColgan as pregnant Barbie, Niall Curran as Stretch Armstrong and featuring a surprising two incredible guests: Sweeney Preston as Ken the “Goblin”, and Joshua Fleming as Transformbot the show kicks off to a hilarious start right from the introductions.
From there the performance descends into glorious chaos. The performers have phenomenal comedic timing and an impressive ability to build on each other’s ideas, producing a constant stream of outrageous situations and brilliantly delivered one liners. Lauren’s Barbie transformed into Profession Barbie, filling every occupation imaginable as it suited the story, while a bout of definitely-not-from-the-players-handbook wild magic transformed Niall into Louis Armstrong, gracing the audience with a raspy jazz voice for nearly the full hour. Somehow, the party even managed to defeat the villain at the end, who was of course Josh Aitken’s personal childhood bully.
With Josh behind the Dungeon Master’s screen the real magic comes to life. Writing an entirely new adventure for every performance is nothing to scoff at, but Aitken consistently manages to deliver a perfectly balanced narrative, characters, comedy, and audience engagement, without allowing one factor to overwhelm the others. The stories are engaging enough to keep you invested, ridiculous enough to keep you laughing, and structured tightly enough to reach a satisfying conclusion within just one hour.
The one hour runtime is particularly impressive, especially for a Dungeons & Dragons show. Despite the improvised nature of the show, each adventure feels like a complete story, rather than a collection of disconnected moments. The narrative keeps moving and somehow, despite the chaos, the party actually reaches an ending.
The technical production deserves credit too. The staging is exactly what you’d expect from D&D, and per the name, we are of course treated to a tabletop blanketed in a tartan sheet. This production benefits from not needing elaborate scenery, as the performers’ imaginations are what make the show truly shine. Lighting and sound are used intelligently to create atmosphere and just as importantly, add to the comedy when needed.
The rotating guest format keeps the show feeling fresh, and ensures that every performance has its own personality. Tonight I had the pleasure of seeing Joshua Fleming and Sweeney Preston rise to the challenge of being thrown in the deep end, and both were equally as enjoyable and hilarious to watch.
What makes Tartan Tabletop special is that every day you get something completely unique. Different characters, different guests, different stories, and different dice rolls, but the same strong core cast and excellent storytelling.
Josh, Lauren, Niall, and Alex are exceptionally funny people, whose sharp wit and engaging stories have an infectious sense of play about them. Whether you’re a devoted D&D player, or someone who has never seen a D20 in your life, there is an enormous amount to enjoy here. Tartan Tabletop is a remarkably well-crafted piece of live improvisation that proves you can tell some of the best stories with little more than a table, some dice, and a very talented group of performers.
Tartan Tabletop: A Dungeons & Dragons Comedy runs at Gilded Balloon Patter House from 5-31 August 2026, excluding 17 August, at 5:30pm. With a brand new adventure every night, consider rolling a D20 and seeing it THAT many times – or more!
Theatre Scotland 
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