There are some shows at the Fringe that require complex, detailed reviews, because there is so much to say about them; and then there is Lost in Translation. The review is simple: go see it!
The premise is brilliantly simple. Take an iconic and well-known film, such as Twilight as I enjoyed at my performance, run it through a dozen different languages using online translators (Bing if you’re curious), then translate it back to English. A few small edits for readability and continuity, and hand the resulting insanity to a cast who have never seen it before. What could possibly go wrong?
Sophie Addison and Aaron Finan are the shows co-creators, with Finan also playing the narrator, and Addison taking on the star role. Regular performers Josh Rice, and Sarah Baber are joined by guest performers Jack Sullivan, Sarah Bradley, and Maddie Ragless. With guests changing each night, the performers receive the script for the first time alongside the audience, making waves of laughter as everyone discovers the increasingly unhinged dialogue together.
The cast somehow manages to turn mistranslated nonsense into brilliant comedy. Actors take on multiple roles throughout the hour, switching quickly and seamlessly between characters with enough distinction that you can immediately tell who is who, despite the fact that the script appears determined to make their lives as difficult as possible. Sarah Bradley, for example, somehow transforms between Carlisle Cullen, Jacob Black, Eric Yorkie, Waylon Forge, and Mr. Molina, while Maddie Ragless takes on Renee Dwyer, Angela Weber, Victoria, Alice Cullen, and the security guard.
And then we meet Jack Sullivan’s glorious Edward.
In this version, Edward is not the compelling and mysterious vampire we know. Instead, he sweats diamonds, is a mosquito, and delivers iconically recognisable lines such as “hold on tight, gorilla crab!” Elsewhere, we get the villain – Queen Victoria the vampire, and meanwhile Bella (or Bellybutton) is in biology class, declaring she’s prolapsed.
Every time you think the script cannot possibly become any more ridiculous, it somehow finds another way to land the audience in tears. The audience becomes part of the show at times, providing sound effects for everything from rain to pigeons, making everyone feel in-on the joke. Some lines are truly so funny the actors break, but rather than disrupting the performance, this only makes it funnier. Watching the performers discover their insane lines in real time creates a wonderfully infectious atmosphere.
What is particularly impressive is that beneath all the chaos, the show really works. The team manages to squeeze essentially the whole movie into an hour, making edits where necessary to keep things on track. The premise could so easily become a collection of disjointed stories and disconnected jokes, but instead there is a surprisingly coherent story underneath all the nonsense.
There is no elaborate theatre spectacle here, and there doesn’t need to be. The sound and lighting support the actors, but the production truly lives and dies by its fabulous performers, and this cast is exceptional. Their timing, commitment, and ability to turn nonsensical lines of an already rather silly film into comedy gold is what makes Lost in Translation work so spectacularly.
If you want an hour of completely ridiculous, gloriously chaotic, laugh-until-you-can’t-breathe comedy this is the show to see.
Lost in Translation runs at Gilded Balloon at the Museum at 9pm on from the 5-30 August (except for 17 and 24). The 2026 programme includes iconic films such as Mean Girls, Titanic, Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters, Love Actually, and Pirates of the Caribbean. With a different film, script, and guests every night, every performance guarantees a unique experience.
Theatre Scotland 
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