Cricket & The Freebugs offers an unexpectedly brilliant way to start a day at the Edinburgh Fringe. A brand-new family musical devised by the company, it follows country-bug Cricket Hayfield as he journeys from the quiet of the Field to the Big Apple in pursuit of his grand musical dreams. Arriving wide-eyed and hopeful, he is quickly blindsided to discover a city whose music scene is rigidly divided by species—leaving him to assemble a ragtag band of fellow musical bug outcasts to defy the rules and usher in the revolution.
Anyone expecting a polite children’s show should think again. From the opening salvo, ‘Tune In’, live music sits at the heart of the production. While the brassy lineup of actor-musicians might first bring 1970s legends Chicago and their jazz-, rock-, and pop-infused sound, their funky numbers slide effortlessly across genres. ‘We’re Chirping’ carries a touch of Hank Williams, while other tracks sound like Four Tops B-sides. Packed from start to finish with Motown magic, the score doesn’t feature a single dud song in the running.
Underpinning all that musical variety is a retrospective narrative structure that gives the performance a warm, chummy energy. The band seem to have as much fun re-enacting their origin story as the audience enjoys watching it. Peppered with a pun-infused lexicon—’Go Off-Bugway’, ‘Son of a Bug’, and ‘Everybuggy!’—the script keeps things accessible without flattening into boring triviality.
The plot itself might follow a well-worn path, but the characterisations make it work.
“While the brassy lineup of actor-musicians might first bring 1970s legends Chicago and their jazz-, rock-, and pop-infused sound, their funky numbers slide effortlessly across genres.“
Milo Morris brings a touch of star charisma to anchor Cricket, but this remains a collaborative ensemble piece where every performer gets their moment. Johan Ribbing gets big laughs as the perpetually ‘invisible’ Stick Insect, while Pascal Perico delivers a wonderfully droll, Liverpudlian Beetle. Every cast member pulls double duty as an accomplished actor-musician, slinging live instruments across the stage—from saxophone and trumpet to keyboards, percussion, and even a pair of spoons.
Ensemble Magic and Low-Tech Stagecraft
The production also embraces low-tech, ingenious stagecraft. With just a blanket, Ian Chavez Zarate transforms from a melodramatic Mexican Bee into a problematic music-boss caterpillar. Later, three band members conspire to bring a bar-owning spider to life. Leading the many-armed trio, Louise Perico delivers real, unstable energy as the friend-deprived arachnid—deprived largely because she keeps eating her companions. Her song about ‘Taking just a little nibble’ carries the show’s most modern sensibilities, turning a dark joke into a poppy highlight.
When I caught the show, the audience was almost entirely young adults—with maybe three children in sight—all clearly loving every minute. The humour is innocent and joyful, wearing its Pixar influences openly, yet some of it might bypass children at the lower end of the 5+ age recommendation. Without flashy visuals, munchkins not immediately swept up by the live music might end up a little disengaged.
Overall, however, Cricket & The Freebugs is a superb new piece of family-friendly gig theatre. Full of heart, playful energy, and really great music, I strongly suggest you start your next day in Edinburgh with a trip to this banger-packed bug ball.
Show details
Venue: Venue 20: Assembly Rooms, 54 George Street, EH2 2LR (Google Maps)
Date(s): Thu 06 Aug to Sun 30 Aug (23 shows)
Time(s): 11:10am (60 mins)
Age recommendation: 5+
Price: From £8 (concessions available)
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