Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023: Review: Bampots - the most Scottish show at this year's Fringe

If you are looking for something uniquely Scottish, then Bampots is the perfect Fringe show for you, taking a dive into how we see ourselves as Scots and how the world sees us as a nation.

This debut play from Haud Yer Wheesht Theatre explores what it means to be Scottish, from challenging the stereotypes to embracing our flaws, this show is a tour of our homeland, with the stories and songs of our nation showcasing the bampots that live here. And while bampots is Scottish slang for “foolish people”, the four-person cast of this show deliver a thought-provoking and clever look at ourselves in the mirror.

This play delivers real Scottish stories, songs and jokes, including a hilarious ‘Elvis’ delivery of the Andy Stewart classic ‘Donald Where's Your Troosers?’.

The thought provoking tale of how Scotland sees itself and how the world sees Scotland, includes sketches about Scottish people with a posh accent being mistaken as English, our relationship with our nearest neigbours down south and the ongoing debate over whether Scotland should become an independent nation again.

The four performers delivered excellent performances in this thought-provoking play, with each taking on a handful of different characters, including an American tourist tracing his ancestors and a school teacher heading home on the train who is confronted by a gang of local neds.

Among the songs performed was a sing-a-long version of the Scotland football team’s 1982 World Cup song ‘I have a dream song’ and the closing number, ‘Over and Done With’ by the Proclaimers, which saw the cast invite the audience onto the stage for a raucous dance and sing-song, the perfect end to a quintessential Scottish Saturday night.

Like most Scots in general, this play doesn’t take itself too seriously, with fun the main component throughout. However, there are some expertly placed sombre moments that really cut through and leave a mark on the audience. Locals and visitors both enjoyed a cracking night out to see the true spirit of being Scottish, unafraid to look at our flaws, look back at our history and look forward to what this country could become if given the chance.