REVIEW: Book of Shadows, Book of Shadowz, Edinburgh Fringe 2026 ★★★

A shadow-puppet show about materialism clashing with all things non-visible, occult and magick Book of Shadows is much more of a breakneck romp than the title lets on. It’s chronically online in the best way; full of memes, hilarious parodic dialogue and beautifully stereotpyical relationships delivered with a fanfic sense of humour. 

Playing in the dingy, sweaty big belly of Underbelly Cowgate, Daniel Wishes and Seri Yanai are utterly charming performers, and the puppets are genuienly incredible. Yanai’s puppets are detailed and beautiful, drawn with a unique sense of style and utilised with a breakneck flow that defies belief. The hour feels like watching a live-action animated film, in the best way. 

A prologue parodies a 2010s memeatic masterpiece in “yer a wizard harry” before we are introduced to odd teenager Vi and her r/atheist FBI agent dad. He has to ship her off to a different kind of wizard school, run by her (potentially crackpot) grandmother who claims to be 200 year old mystic Madame Blavatsky. Naturally they end up in a massive conspiracy which involves Rasputin, Scientology and ends with a cameo from Alistair Crowley. It’s a compelling hour and a romp of an evening.

Wishes and Yanai play all parts with aplomb and are both convincing voice actors. The transitions between the show’s (many) locations are deft. The characters are all imbued with their own sense of personality whilst also being nods to corners of the internet and the occult which came before them. It would be wonderful to see this team in the world of adult animation; they have the same surreal humour that flies so well there, and it translates well to the show. 

This is a show that knows exactly what it’s trying to do, and it does very well at it. I don’t think it’ll be for everyone, and it’s certainly, unashamedly, one part of a longer piece, ending on a cliffhanger. But if what I’ve just described sounds up your street, it’s worth catching. 

TL;DR: Great puppets, story chronically online (complimentary), occult magick, yer a wizard puns. 

Recommended Drink: Any strangely coloured cocktail that makes you feel magick. 

You can catch Book of Shadows at Underbelly Cowgate (Big Belly) at 18.30 (Runtime One Hour) until 30 August. Tickets available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.