One of the things modern pop culture has given us is the ability to identify common story threads and tropes. Gracie and the Start of the End of the World (Again) is an enemies-to-lovers, one-woman-against-the-apocalypse-style story that draws inspiration from media such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Throne of Glass, and pretty much every other trope on An Archive of Our Own.
And to be clear, the main character in this is a jellyfish. There are not any old jellyfish, though; Gracie is special. Despite living in the ocean, she has access to pretty much every single bit of geeky science fiction and fantasy out there. Gracie has a crush on the likes of Spike from Buffy and is pretty sure that Timothée Chalamet is a vampire, which is a bonus for her because jellyfish are also pretty much immortal. Gracie is looking for the one, but they have to be the right sort of bad boy. Dating is hard, especially as the planet gently boils under climate change.
This is a one-hander, though. As the sole character is a jellyfish, we could make a pun about it being a ‘many tentacle show’ or something, but let’s not say we did. What is remarkable is that writer and performer Zoe Bullock is incredibly engaging as a jellyfish, spending the entire performance in a luminescent costume while gently swaying. It must be exhausting, and yet they remain witty and charming throughout.
The term ‘spirit of the fringe’ gets used a lot about this time of year, but this is a climate crisis science fiction story, performed by a lady in a jellyfish costume, it definitely captures the current zeitgeist in a very special way. It’s gloriously quirky and incredibly odd but also very memorable and heart-warming. If you’re the sort of person who watches Doctor Who for the emotional beats, thinks that Penny deserved better in Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, wants Dean to get that pie, or you’ve simply devoured everything Holly Black has ever written, then this one is for you.
Fabulous, quirky and unique. Filled with powerful emotional beats that may be familiar to some of you. Gracie and the Start of the End of the World (Again) is a cupid’s arrow straight to the heart of pop culture.
You can book Edinburgh Fringe tickets here, and find out about future tours here.
