REVIEW: What If They Ate the Baby?, Xhloe and Natasha, EdFringe 2025 ★★★★★

Xhloe and Natasha have become Fringe household names over the few years that they have brought shows to the festival. Despite their success, I have never seen a production of theirs, so I went to see what all the fuss was about. Boy, am I glad I did. 

The rumours are true, this is a creative pairing for the ages. In What If They Ate the Baby?, first premiering at EdFringe 2023, Xhloe and Natasha bring back their surrealist showing of two suburban American housewives. They subconsciously battle against the confines of their perfectly polished homes, and lives, in a thriller that throws up more questions than answers. 

What If They Ate the Baby? is freakishly polished. Whatever they did in the time away from this piece, it has been marvellously beneficial. Every line hits the mark, the structure is something to behold, and the choreography is a marvel all on its own. 

Xhloe and Natasha demonstrate such loyalty to their concept, ensuring that every element of the production carries this nightmarish, uncanny, ultra-feminine quality. The visuals alone are a testament to this, with set pieces askew, and retro dresses spoiled by stains, it has a huge amount of intention. 

The boldness of the absurdist elements, and the way that our performers execute the piece with such confidence, gives them the freedom to flip the concept on its head. As the narrative moves along, it is interrupted by flashes of naturalism, entering a parallel universe in which Dottie and Shirley are not the ideal women society tells them to be. 

Through these subversions, the entire piece takes on a different form. As scenes and phrases run through a cycle, getting remixed and remade around increasingly frenetic movement sequences, we see the writing take on new meanings. Throwaway lines become steeped in emotion, and it is thrilling to see how all the layers fit together. 

There is an urge to find some kind of resolution in What If They Ate the Baby?, but resist the urge if you can. Lean into the enigma that is Dottie and Shirley’s relationship, and let yourself sit in everything that remains unspoken. Trust me, it’s a wild ride. 

Recommended Drink: Milk.

You can catch What If They Ate the Baby? at Upper Theatre at theSpace @ Niddry St from Aug 14, 16, 18, 20-21, 23 at Various Times. Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.