Scotland

Mary, Queen of Rock! – Underbelly, Cowbarn

Mary, Queen of Rock! reimagines Scotland’s most famous monarch as a leather-clad rock rebel, taking on John Knox in a battle of the bands. The cast delivers strong vocals, with Mhairi McCall in the lead role commanding the stage and Rebecca Williamson as Queen Elizabeth I, who brings plenty of ‘tude and sly wit and a fine voice to boot! The songs, especially Loud Women, deserve to shake the walls, but the volume is only half what it should be. With more punch in the sound and sharper tech, this could be a killer rock gig.

I’m at the Underbelly’s Cowbarn, and the lights come up on Mary, Queen of Rock! Unfortunately, this nicely proportioned and comfortably seated raked venue is less than half full. In this version of history, Mary returns from France in 1561 to find John Knox running the place and rock music outlawed. Her record label, Catholic Cassettes, faces off against his Presbyterian Records. It’s history with added distortion pedals, at least, that’s the idea.

Mhairi McCall, who also co-wrote the piece, is a powerful lead. Her voice sails through the set list, from playful satire to big emotional ballads like Trees. Then there’s Queen Elizabeth I, a scene stealer with a sly grin and a strong attack in her numbers. The whole cast moves with purpose, and the band, complete with violin adding a folk edge, gives the songs real personality.

The music itself is good. Never Quite Know and Steppin’ On Out are catchy, and Loud Women is a feminist anthem that deserves to be belted at full tilt. Which brings me to the problem, it’s not loud enough. For a show billed as a rock gig, the volume is maybe half what it should be. I don’t know if that’s because another show is happening next door and they’ve been told to keep it down, but in a concert style performance, you need to feel the bass in your ribcage. Here, I can still hear the person behind me shifting in their seat.

The lighting isn’t great either, missing those dramatic hits that could lift the big moments, and washing the audience with floodlights for no good reason is never a great idea, and the story wobbles between satire, panto, and rock opera without settling on one tone. I enjoy individual scenes and songs, but the overall arc never quite clicks for me.

That said, the atmosphere is lively, the crowd is warm, and when the ensemble hits together, I can see why it’s picking up four and five star reviews elsewhere. There’s a show here that could properly soar if the tech matched the ambition. For now, it’s a good night out with flashes of brilliance, but rock should be loud

19:45 Daily Till 24th August

https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/2025MARYQUE

Reviewer: Greg Holstead

Reviewed: 13th August 2025

North West End UK Rating: