Isobel Jacob
On my way over to Summerhall to see Baby Everything on the first Saturday morning of Edinburgh Fringe 2026, I realised I’d accidentally worn a t-shirt that aptly says “I scream, you scream, we all scream constantly…” I didn’t know just how accurate that t-shirt choice would be for this rollercoaster of a play about constantly hopeless news cycles, digital doom and the way privileged people make themselves feel better about their privilege while surrounded by suffering.
At a time when so many of us are feeling worried and overwhelmed by the endless bad news, horrors and atrocities taking place abroad, but also in our own towns, cities and country, I would challenge anyone to find something they couldn’t relate to in Baby Everything. With so much of our news communicated via Instagram and TikTok, as well as our reactions to it, Lee Minora’s topical play questions when these reactions become performative, and the extent to which we should be act versus keeping our lives comfortable. Can we maintain relationships with our loved ones who accept, or even perpetuate, misinformation and oppression? Can we keep our lives comfortable while also fighting for change?
Meet Baby, a Philadelphian who lives in a house bought for her by her parents, is a self-proclaimed political person but is trying to ‘fight the despair’ by attempting to embrace the good things in life and have a ‘perfect day’. This means less doom-scrolling… but can she help herself from getting sucked back into the feed? We are taken on a furious and seemingly unstoppable journey throughout this day in Baby’s life, meeting many other characters along the way, from her doctor, to a woman in post-Mussolini Italy, to an inspirational speaker, to the countless stars of social media reels that Baby just can’t seem to stop watching.
This is a show that never stops moving. Minora’s Baby is consumed by health anxiety, eco anxiety, anxiety about everything, and the pace of this performance perfectly captured an overwhelming, obsessive and self-indulgent engagement with the news, social media and ‘activism’ in the 21st century, exploring what it truly means to take personal responsibility whilst trying to still live a comfortable life, especially against the backdrop (which Minora introduces clearly without over-explaining) of the US under the Trump administration. There is dance, there are excellently executed costume changes, there is mess and there is audience participation a-plenty, artfully introduced and managed by Lee, meaning we never missed a beat, and many audience members really flexed their own acting muscles!
Minora’s total command of the stage, and her quick improvisations without ever letting the pace drop, made this a truly athletic performance. Minora’s constant energy accumulated into a solo show that really doesn’t feel like you’ve seen only one person onstage: Minora’s multi-roling not only created impressively distinct and recognisable caricatures: the constant switches also had a spontaneous and self-aware quality that meant we never forgot that we were watching through Baby’s perspective, grounding us in her reality through which Baby Everything’s presentation of doom-scrolling, anxiety and shame are chaotically explored.
While the comedy enabled for a light hand when addressing heavy themes, and I appreciated that Minora used the audience’s clear relatability to the character’s turmoil to not overemphasise the message of the play, I would have liked to see the second half of the play develop further in terms of understanding the character’s flaws and hypocrisies in a deeper, more nuanced way. At times, there was a repetitive feel to the sketches which were limiting the piece’s ability to touch on a more truthful, tender or even uncomfortable look at the contradictions in Baby’s outlook, where I think the audience were more than prepped enough to handle some really honest, brutal political takes.
I really enjoyed the scene with the coffee with Baby’s friend, and the slight darker side of this character than began to be exposed. I was eager to see a little more of this in Baby’s character development, yet Baby Everything’s commitment to chaos and relentlessness meant that we were kept firmly in the safety net of lightly and relatably problematic, but never meaningfully consequential, accidents and mishaps.
However, this is a well-executed and highly entertaining hour with a laugh-a-minute – or even more! Minora has created a hilarious look at the reality of living in a chronically online generation where we have more than any previous generation, yet surrounded by brutal and alarming news stories every day.
Recommended Drink: A double espresso from Summerhall Cafe, to match a fast-paced, unrelenting show that feels like its got caffeine coursing through its veins.
Catch Baby Everything between 9th and 31st August at 10:10 (1 hour). Tickets are available through the
EdFringe Box Office.
Image Credit: Emilie Krause
Salvador Kent
Shay Mace
