Shay Mace
Bridie Connell is the writer of upcoming Edinburgh Festival Fringe musical drag comedy Fuccbois: Live in Concert. Following the epoynmous boyband Fuccbois on their world tour, the piece looks to an irreverent satire of toxic dating culture alongside original thumping singalong tunes to create a lively, unforgettable night out. We caught up with Bridie for a pixelated pint to find out about her inspiration, and what the audience can expect.
You can catch Fuccbois: Live in Concert at Studio Two at Assembly George Square Studios on August 5th – 31st (not the 12th, 19th or 26th) from 17:05 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Shay: Hi Bridie, tell us about the Fuccbois and why you have decided to bring this to the stage now?
Bridie: Fuccbois: Live in Concert is a bombastic comedy-boyband-extravaganza. It follows global superstars Brendan, Brandon, Tyler and Also Brendan (aka the Fuccbois) in their final ever show. The lads attempt to sing through their back catalogue of hits to a stadium full of fans but as with all fuccbois, their own egos get in the way and things begin to unravel.
Why now? The show is a very silly satire that explores some of the more toxic elements of dating culture – a theme that is unfortunately as timely as ever. Also, there’s a huge wave of y2k nostalgia right now and the show taps into that. Frosted tips and Juicy Couture tracksuits encouraged in our audience!
Shay: How has the creative process been of putting the show together? Give us an idea of the journey you’ve been on with it so far.
Bridie: The journey has been a long one! I had the idea for the show back in 2019 after encountering a string of real life fuccbois in quick succession. I began writing little chunks here and there over the next couple of years but it was hard to gain momentum between some other work projects, Covid, and life in general!
Eventually I reached a point where I knew I had to commit to getting the show on a stage or it was just never going to happen. A friend of mine introduced me to the amazing music producer Dave Muratore and we started bringing the songs to life. In 2024 I applied for a development workshop at Hayes Theatre in Sydney, and worked with a panel of experts to refine the vision of the show. Then I was offered a spot by the good folks at Old Fitz Theatre to stage the show in their Festival of New Works, and together with an amazing team we presented the first ever version of the show! It went really well but I knew there was more juice to squeeze so it was back to reworking and refining. A year and several drafts later (and now partnered with the incredible Soft Tread Productions) we presented the new and improved Fuccbois at Adelaide Fringe and Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2026 … and now Edinburgh Fringe!
Shay: What will be the first thing the audience sees, feels, and hears as they enter the space?
Bridie: You’ll see and hear 90,000 screaming fans vie for the best seats. (Okay, more like 100.)
You’ll feel deep nostalgia as you see fan posters scattered through the audience.
Bonus: you’ll smell the intoxicating scene of Lynx Africa, the official scent of wannabe Fuccbois worldwide.
Shay: What are you hoping the audience might take away from the experience, if anything?
Bridie: You’ll take away: a new favourite band and a sharper radar for dodgy dating behaviour in the real world.
We’ll take away: your breath 😏
Shay: What journey has the show been on to find itself at EdFringe 2026?
Bridie: Originally we were working towards bringing the show to EdFringe in 2027, but we’ve been able to fast track that plan thanks to the generous support of House of Oz. We were overjoyed to learn that we had won their Purse Prize at Adelaide Fringe Festival, which supports Australian artists to bring their work to international stages. We are determined to make the most of this incredible opportunity!
Shay: With EdFringe now just around the corner, what are you most excited for?
Bridie: Performing at the Edinburgh Fringe has been on the wish list since I first attended as a punter back in 2017, and now the dream is becoming a reality! We are so excited to make our international debut, see as many shows as we can, and soak up as much artistic inspiration (and whisky) as possible.
Shay: Given the themes of Binge Fringe, if your show was a beverage of any kind (alcoholic, non-alcoholic – be as creative as you like!), what would it be and why?
Bridie: Although the characters in the show would like to pretend they’re classy gentlemen, let’s be real. If the Fuccbois were a drink they’d be a jäger bomb. They’re overly sweet, have enough energy to keep you up all night, and you’ll regret it in the morning.
A remindeer, you can catch Fuccbois: Live in Concert at Studio Two at Assembly George Square Studios on August 5th – 31st (not the 12th, 19th or 26th) from 17:05 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Image Credit: Anna Kucera
