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Scaramouche Jones

 
Dougal Reid Review by Dougal Reid 5 Published: 14 Aug 2025 Hoots @ Potterrow Show Dates: 1 Aug 2025-25 Aug 2025

A one-man play in a compact space is really something of a highwire act – if the actor doesn’t immediately grab your attention it can be an extremely tedious hour. It’s a relief, then, that Thom Tuck delivers a sublime tour de force as Scaramouche Jones, a clown reliving the story of his life on the eve of his death and one hundredth birthday on 31 December 1999.

If there is a better intimate one-man show at the Fringe, I have yet to see it

The externally unassuming venue could not be more perfect for the performance. The intimacy of the small yurt gives the impression that you are backstage at the big top for the clown’s swansong – and with stage and performer working in symbiotic harmony, we hear Scaramouche tell of his experiences through major moments of the 20th century. Reminiscent of Woolf’s Orlando in miniature, from his birth in the Caribbean, venturing across Africa, then into Europe, he encounters multiple tragic experiences, each leaving an indelible mark on his visage. One tale in particular, telling of his time in a concentration camp, would be jarring if done by a lesser performer, but here it is delivered with great humour and incredible tenderness.

Tuck’s indefatigable energy holds the engrossed audience in his thrall throughout – a fact proved undeniable when he receives a well deserved standing ovation. If there is a better intimate one-man show at the Fringe, I have yet to see it.

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The Blurb:

Written by Justin Butcher. On Millenium Eve, a 100-year-old clown comes offstage after his final ever performance to tell the story of his life: epic, hilarious and tragic. Performed by Fringe legend Thom Tuck (Penny Dreadfuls, Horrible Histories, Play What I Wrote). Tuck presented this play at the Fringe 2005 and 2015, and plans to revive the piece every decade as he approaches the age of the character. 'To this near-poetry Tuck gave glorious voice' (Observer). 'Intense as it is intoxicating' (Skinny). 'Perfectly balanced hour of storytelling' (ThreeWeeks). 'Inhabits the role with real humility and wisdom' (BroadwayBaby.com).