“Much more than a history lesson, The Good Scout exemplifies what the Edinburgh Fringe is all about.” What else have critics been saying about Glenn Chandler’s latest festival premiere? (With reviews like these, is another London transfer in the offing?) We’ve rounded up a selection of review highlights. Time to get booking!
The Good Scout, written and directed by Glenn Chandler for Boys of the Empire Productions, runs in Edinburgh at theSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall from until 24 August 2019 and then transfers for four weeks to London’s Above the Stag from 9 October to 2 November 2019.
In the 1930s, Lord Baden-Powell and Joachim von Ribbentrop, Hitler’s London ambassador, instigated exchange visits between British boy scouts and Hitler Youth, in the expectation that they would influence one another.
In Bassington, England, the local troop play host to a cycling party of Hitlerjugend – but are the German boys cyclists or ‘spyclists’? For Will and Jacob, two Rover Scouts on the cusp of manhood, it is a visit that will change their lives forever. As war looms, a heart-wrenching, darkly humorous drama about espionage, a scout’s honour and forbidden love unfolds.
The Good Scout is the first-ever play based on this astonishing historical record. It stars Charlie Mackay, Amanda Bailey, Lewis Allcock, Clement Charles, and young German actors Clemente Lohr and Simon Stache.
The Good Scout is the latest Edfringe show from Boys of the Empire Productions, following Sandel (2013), Lord Dismiss Us (2017) and Kids Play (2018), which won the Broadway Baby Bobby Award for Best Play on the Fringe. All subsequently transferred to London. To TV fans, Glenn Chandler is best known for Taggart which still holds the record as the longest-running TV detective series in the world (28 years). He gave up television to return to theatre a decade ago.
Review highlights
Greg Stewart: “Much more than a history lesson, The Good Scout exemplifies what the Edinburgh Fringe is all about, an unusual but captivating storyline which both amuses and entertains, and which showcases some extraordinary acting talent.”
Robin Strapp: “The whole cast are strong, totally convincing, giving impressive performances in what is a fascinating slice of history. This is a highly enjoyable production that should be on your ‘to see’ list.”
Taylor Crockett: “The Good Scout illuminates a very largely forgotten corner of our national history, and reveals itself to be relevant in a number of ways… You will also be richly entertained and drawn into the plot.”
Jamie Dunn: “The four leads are excellent, but special mention should go to Simon Stache, who’s heartbreaking one minute as Friedrich, a reluctant Nazi terrified of going back home, and outrageously flamboyant the next as French premier Édouard Daladier.”
