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Blood on the Clocktower: Live

 
Victor Black Review by Victor Black 4 Published: 28 Aug 2025 Underbelly, Bristo Square Show Dates: 12 Aug 2025-24 Aug 2025

Blood on the Clocktower is a social deduction game in the vein of Werewolf, Secret Hitler and The Traitors, but with the added twist that every single person has their own secret role with hidden powers used at different points in the game. The aim is to deduce who the Demon is and kill them before the end, while the evil team win by keeping the Demon in play. I’ve played it a few times with groups of 10 to 15 gamers, so seeing five top comedians run it promised to be a Fringe highlight.

This is a winner that gives you everything: comedy, drama, murder, betrayal, and twists

Today’s event had an impressive line-up. A couple of comics didn’t have much impact on the entertainment side, but the stellar cast also included the quick-witted Alice Fraser, American comic Gianmarco Soresi and modern-Fringe, future-Taskmaster-legend-in-waiting Bec Hill.

Hosted ably by Jon Gracey, the godfather of live gaming formats, the rules were explained clearly and succinctly enough for unfamiliar audience members to grasp before the fun began. Each of the comics shared hilarious stories of morally questionable wrongdoings, including Bec’s embezzlement of arcade tickets and Gianmarco’s full method acting portrayal of Daniel Day-Lewis’s Oscar-winning turn as Christy Brown in My Left Foot – in a restaurant.

The banter between the comics was sharp, with Alice pointing out that there were two female Australian comics on stage, before “killing” Bec with the Highlander line: “There can only be one.”

There was some opportunity for the audience to get involved, with the generic shout of “Too many sherries” when the drunk character was mentioned. But it felt as though more interaction could have been built into the format, perhaps with on-stage roles that allowed the crowd to engage directly.

The team played through two games, with a few roles repeated across them. This felt like a missed opportunity when there are so many characters available, or that could have been created especially for this format, to give more variety to the gameplay. A few sound cues were used, but more effects could have enhanced the atmosphere further and pushed the show towards becoming an unmissable cult hit.

If you’re familiar with Blood on the Clocktower, or like similar formats, this delivers everything: comedy, drama, murder, betrayal and twists. And if you’re considering going next year, you’ll likely find some games you can join at your local board game café or social group – it’ll be the most enjoyable market research you do all year.

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The Blurb:

Following a sell-out 2024 run, the award-winning social deduction game Blood on the Clocktower returns to EdFringe as a live comedy show. Hosted by Jon Gracey (Werewolf: Live, No Rolls Barred) and featuring a revolving cast of comedians, Blood on the Clocktower: Live is a night of gothic chaos and carnage. Will the townsfolk of Ravenswood Bluff finally destroy the demon – or will they only destroy each other?