Ashley Blair and Drew Reilly's late-night comedy rave, Fully Loaded, at Underbelly, Cowgate, Edinburgh, offers a high-energy antidote to existential dread, blending hardcore hyperpop ditties with satirical sketches that skewer gen Z anomie. The Brooklyn-based duo, both Second City alumni, perform to an adoring audience of peers, turning an ungodly hour into a pulsating celebration-cum-sendup of modern emptiness. Their songs, such as "Everything is empty / Life is a hole / You gotta fill it up," encapsulate the void, but the delivery is anything but hollow.
A generational revolution that targets the funny bone
The show opens as if the audience is being seconded to a generational revolution, but it quickly becomes clear that Blair and Reilly are threats to nothing but your funny bone. Their premise is that life is void of meaning, and they flash back to their alienated schoolkid selves to explore this. One standout sketch, a silly symphony of clinking cutlery and ASMR tuts and sighs, imagines two parents at dinner, struggling to repress their mutual loathing. This inheritance of awkwardness prompts the question: why not seek a better way of being, like a romance with an inverted Centaur Boyfriend or forming a megachurch to replenish the spiritual chasm?
The megachurch sketch delivers first-base satirical sideswipes against Christian homophobia and the church's obsession with sin. However, Blair and Reilly's satire is usually garnished with, or eclipsed by, silliness, as they belt out songs about being bullied in bakeries and "gooning in the DJ booth." The songs are tightly constructed, lyrically adroit, and delivered with hardcore hyperpop attack, making them all the funnier for their precision.
High-energy satire with occasional slips
Only occasionally does the standard slip: the skit about straight female writers fetishising gay male sex is on point but soon devolves into so-so smut. That may not fill anyone's gaping hole, but there is plenty here that will, as Megasquirt minister to existential angst with whip-smart, high-energy comedy. The duo's ability to combine sharp social commentary with unabashed silliness keeps the audience engaged, even when the material veers into less polished territory.
The show's structure, starting with a premise of generational revolution and then subverting it with absurdist humor, keeps the audience on their toes. Blair and Reilly's chemistry is evident, and their performances are bolstered by a soundtrack that merges hardcore hyperpop with comedic timing. The result is a unique theatrical experience that feels both timely and timeless.
Final verdict and run details
For those seeking a late-night escape from existential angst, Fully Loaded offers a potent mix of laughter and music. The show runs at Underbelly, Cowgate, Edinburgh, until 30 August, providing ample opportunity for festival-goers to catch this comedy rave. While not every sketch lands perfectly, the overall effect is a high-energy, thought-provoking performance that resonates with the anxieties of a generation. Megasquirt's approach to comedy—combining hardcore musicality with satirical wit—ensures that their message about filling life's void is delivered with both style and substance.
