The Brief Life & Mysterious Death of Boris III, King of Bulgaria

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When we look though the brochure and website to choose our shows each year we always look for something that little bit different so when we spotted a show about an oft forgotten king who saved the lives of tens of thousands of Jews during World War 2 we added it to our list of things to see.  We are so glad that we did.

As well as learning about a little known episode of the War (despite having two history hungry teenagers in our party) we were treated to one of the finest shows we sat at the Fringe.  Out of The Forest Theatre have given us a show which ticks just about every box.  The ensemble cast are all excellent, the writing is clever, it is staged and directed well and is something that you wouldn’t be surprised to see on a much larger stage than here at the Fringe.  Don’t be surprised if it ends up that way.

As well as the impressive acting the supporting cast are also singing or playing musical instruments again to a very high standard.  The music itself is fantastic, a mix of haunting and upbeat Bulgarian and Jewish folk music.  The show is co-writtten by cast members Sasha Wilson and Joe Cullen, Cullen excellent in the lead, conveying the brave and equally impossible decisions faced by Boris in first picking a side and secondly in standing up to the Nazis as the war progressed. Wilson is of Bulgarian heritage and the show is clearly a labour of love, it really shows, this is a show with a heart and is a fitting tribute to King Boris, as we approach the 80th anniversary of his death (it will actually be the on the day of the last show of this year’s Fringe).

This show should absolutely transfer elsewhere once the Fringe is over so get yourself over to Pleasance Dome during the Fringe so you can get in on the ground and say you saw it before it was massive.

The Brief Life and Mysterious Death of Boris III, King of Bulgaria

is on at Pleasance Dome until August 28th

Tickets available here