Rent
★★★★☆ Bohemia lives
Paradise in Augustines (Venue 152): Tue 25 – Sun 30 Aug 2026
Review by Sarah Barnard
Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group’s production of RENT at Paradise in Augustines showcases performances that are strong enough to overcome its too-many tech issues.
Jonathan Larson’s beloved nineties rock musical portrays a ragtag group of artists and friends, scratching out a living in Manhattan’s East Village under the shadow of the AIDS crisis. Groundbreaking when it debuted, RENT remains enduringly popular (a revival will hit the West End next month) despite some cultural references and aesthetics which are firmly of their time.
A scene from Eusog’s RENT. Pic: Emily Sharp.
The score is packed with hits and with moments for each of the eight main characters to show off their vocal chops. The singing in this production is excellent, including the ensemble numbers.
“Seasons of Love” delivers the required wall of sound. Credit is due to co-musical directors Josh Chamberlain and Lauren Mooney and assistant MD Nonny Jones. It’s unfortunate that on preview night, the band seem particularly afflicted by tech issues, resulting in several missed cues. A shaky start isn’t helped by some non-committal staging and unfocused choreography in the opening number “Rent”.
Max Middleton, complete with stripy scarf and straight-down-the-line vocals, has a frenetic energy as Mark Cohen, which works well in big numbers like La Vie Boheme but might benefit from turning down the dial a little for the quieter beats in Act 2.
angsty chemistry
Gemma Leach brings out Roger’s tortured poet soul to great effect, with some perfectly calibrated raspy rock howls and angsty chemistry with Josie Morrow’s soulful Mimi. Morrow gets to display a powerhouse high belt in Out Tonight, though again more could be made of the staging in this number.
Mayokun Dosunmu’s rich mellifluous baritone is one of the standout vocal performances of the show, making “I’ll Cover You (Reprise)” utterly heartbreaking. Cameron Herring also charms as Angel.
A scene from Eusog’s RENT. Pic: Emily Sharp.
Izzie Atkinson and Eedie Baker-Thompson are both delightfully exhausting as the on-again off-again lesbian couple, Maureen and Joanne. Joanne’s duet with Mark, “Tango: Maureen” is where the production really starts to hit its stride, in large part thanks to Baker-Thompson’s charismatic and vocally confident performance giving something for Middleton’s Mark to bounce off of.
Atkinson performs “Over the Moon” with the absolute conviction it calls for, and a hint of Idina Menzel, and it’s a pleasure to moo with her. Surprisingly, Benny (Theo Riviere) also provides some much-needed levity. Riviere is entertainingly oily in his wraparound shades, and often seems to be the person having the most fun onstage.
uniformly excellent
The ensemble (Aisling Ni Dhochartaig, Arsha Mech Vikraman, Bella Cook, Charlie Smith, Katie Barraclough, and Libby Jackson) are uniformly excellent, although again it is a shame that the tech issues mean the comic timing of the voicemails is lost.
Director Hannah Davis and Assistant Director Roni Sharp succeed in bringing the youthful vitality and pathos of the show to the forefront. Issues with sound balance, mic-switching and lighting cues give the production a bit of a stop-start feel which harms the pacing and it does take a while to get going.
The second act also feels somewhat rushed. This can be partly attributed to the text, but more authoritative direction could keep the production snappier, and tighter than it is overall.
Some of these issues should be resolved over the run, and the very good performances make this a production worth catching, whether you’re a RENT-head or not.
Running time: Two hours and 30 minutes (including one interval).
Paradise in Augustines (The Sanctuary), 41 George IV Bridge EH1 1EL (Venue 152).
Tuesday 25 – Sunday 30 August 2026.
Daily: 3.25pm.
Tickets and details: Book here at EdFringe.com.
Rent Instagram: @rent.eusog
Eusog website: www.eusog.org
Facebook: @eusavoy
Instagram: @eusogy
Linktree: @eusog.
A scene from Eusog’s RENT. Pic: Emily Sharp.
ENDS
