Scotland

Painkillers – Summerhall

Mamoru Iriguchi has long been a curious fixture of the Edinburgh Fringe — a darling of those who admire eccentricity for its own sake. Their latest work, PAINKILLERS, billed as a playfully profound meditation on identity, gender, and perception, might well leave audiences wondering whether they’ve missed something — or if indeed, there’s anything to miss at all.

Clad in a thick, full-body knitted woman’s suit — presumably both metaphor and misdirection — Iriguchi emerges as Anastasia, a magician’s assistant who might also be Mari, or Alessandro, or Mamoru, or all of them at once. These blurred lines between character and creator are supposedly the crux of the piece, but in practice, they feel like a muddle rather than a mirror.

Despite flashes of visual interest and the occasional flicker of humour, PAINKILLERS never delivers on its promise of deeper insight. The central narrative – if it can be called that – meanders through a confusing tangle of half-told stories, vague metaphors, and stilted audience interactions. While some might call this structure “playful” or “surreal,” others may see it more plainly as incoherent. It’s not so much a subversion of theatrical convention as a disregard for it.

There’s an air of The Emperor’s New Clothes about the whole affair. Those who confess to finding the show tedious or impenetrable risk being labelled as unimaginative or simply not “getting it.” But the truth is, large portions of the audience looked visibly disengaged, some nervous, and scattered laughter did little to lift the heavy fog of confusion in the room.

What might have been an intelligent examination of identity and performance instead feels like an underdeveloped idea wrapped in layers of self-conscious quirk. The knitted costume, the fractured identities, the mirror gags — they all seem to hint at meaning, but never land anywhere solid. In the end, the piece risks appearing more concerned with cleverness than connection.

Iriguchi certainly has a loyal following and a flair for the unconventional, but PAINKILLERS is unlikely to win over new admirers. For all its elaborate dressing and meta-theatrical posturing, it left this reviewer – and many others, judging by the sighs and seat-shuffling – cold, confused, and frankly bored.

17:45 Daily (except 11^th , 12^th and 18^th) Till 25^th August

https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/painkillers

Reviewer: Greg Holstead

Reviewed: 5^th August 2025

North West End UK Rating: