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How to Escape

 
Ross Anthony Review by Ross Anthony 3 Published: 23 Aug 2025 Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower Show Dates: 11 Aug 2025-24 Aug 2025

Natalie Slaiman depicts a true-to-life mental breakdown in her one-woman show How to Escape. This dark comedy is troublingly familiar to anyone who has spent a little too much time around a campfire at a festival or who has ever got stuck in a cycle at a party they grew to regret. While the production values are a little light, there is a heart of gold here, and you will laugh nervously as much as belly chuckle.

Slaiman's vocal range and clownish comedy style comes together for some excellent laughs

After graduating, Slaiman apparently wasn’t ready for a real-person job, so ran away to the Fringe to flyer. Having survived crowd rejection, Edinburgh’s streets and continually running into artists, she wanted one last hurrah before going into the world of work. What follows is a comedic telling of the downward spiral that ensued. Slaiman’s vocal range and clownish comedy style come together for some excellent laughs which often seem to have an edge to them, and it becomes clear something is awry early on.

The show feels raw and emotionally available, but at times a little repetitive. While some voices – like the worst New York fun-aunt you can imagine – are amusing, others feel grating and misplaced. I repeatedly got the sense that the show didn’t know if it was a comedy or a dark comedy. Either could have been compelling, but trying to have both ruins the chance for either to truly grip.

There’s a gnawing awareness throughout that it would be all too easy to fall into this land of make-believe and never claw your way out. It makes for a disquieting darkness which I personally feel Slaiman should lean towards.

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The Blurb:

Following a young woman who, after a psychedelic experience at a music festival, runs away with two hippies who introduce her to a magical world. Through a series of surreal encounters, she must grapple with existential revelations regarding free will and what it means to live a creative life. How to Escape is a testimony to following your heart, even if it leads you astray. Audience Reviews: 'I couldn't look away'. 'I'll think about this show forever'. 'The entire thing rests on (Slaiman) being incredibly charming'. 'This made me think my friend isn't crazy after all'.