REVIEW: Our Town Needs A Nando’s, Hot Mess Productions, EdFringe 2026 ★★★

If you’ve ever lived in a small town where there’s nothing but a McDonald’s open after 6 o’clock, then you’ll understand the struggles these five high school girls face in Our Town Needs A Nando’s.

In Hot Mess Productions’ debut Fringe show, Beth (Reese Hannah), Rachel (Lauren Mills), Zahidah (Lovely Selwyn), Ellie (Airlie Duff) and Chloe (Eilidh Rose) are stuck in drama class. Their assignment is to create a piece around the prompt “Our Town”, but there’s a problem: there’s not much to write about a town that’s main attraction is a leisure centre where the lifeguards let children poo in the pool. As they turn to their own lives for inspiration, gossip and bickering ensues, and the girls are forced to examine their biggest insecurities.

Within the five characters, it is Chloe and Rachel who stand out the most. Chloe has just moved to the school, and she is evasive about the reason why. Eilidh Rose shows a great range of emotions throughout the play, from laughing and joking with the other girls, to the perfect mix of sadness and hope as she talks about her future at the play’s finale

Rachel is the typical high school mean girl. Her vindictiveness is shocking, but unfortunately mirrors how far girls will go to tear each other down. She does have her own problems, but these aren’t fleshed out enough within the script, making them feel superficial.

A short scene where Rachel briefly discusses her struggles around food feels more like filler, and her feelings for Beth never feel authentic until the very end. The attention given to Rachel means that more compelling storylines, such as Zahidah having to flee from her home country, and the sweet friendship she shares with Ellie, are left to the wayside.

Sexual harassment plays a key thematic role with each girl having their own story to tell. Their experiences weave in and out of each other alongside jerky choreography and red lighting to help to emphasise their discomfort. It’s a powerful metaphor. As well as being signposted after the performance, support information is displayed on the posters that make up the set, which is a nice touch.

The main pitfall of Our Town Needs A Nando’s is the sheer amount of topics that it crams in. With references to depression, eating disorders, sexuality, and more, the amount of material would be better suited to a television series rather than a 50-minute Fringe play. As a result, themes feel thrown in, and aren’t given the time or attention they need.

Our Town Needs A Nando’s is a great concept and tackles important issues affecting teenage girls across the country, but needs a little more refinement to be considered excellent. That said, Hot Mess Productions clearly have bright futures ahead of them, and I look forward to seeing their progression.

Recommended drink: Whatever your go-to is at Nando’s.

You can catch Our Town Needs A Nando’s at Space 1 at theSpace on the Mile at 14:30 (50 mins) from August 10-15. Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.