Ay Up, Hitler!

Absolutely hilarious! Totally worth it.

Saw this last night with my fiancé and I am just floored. This show will make you squirm with how far they take the humour, but let it, trust me, because the pay off at the end of the show is so so worth it.

The cast are honestly so amazing, they never apologised or held back, they went for it 110% and left us flabbergasted at the end. It’s an energetic, madcap, anarchic, show that will leave you wanting more. Definitely the most energetic 65 mins at the fringe

We had a couple of people leave part way through the show, but seriously, STAY. I mean it, stay because this show has a message that you’ll want to hear before the next general election. Stay until the end. You really won’t regret it (unless you’re a Tory!)

Just an awesome night at the theatre, I want to see it again!

There's VERY clearly 2 types of people in this review section; those with a sense of humour, and those who are wah-wah-tories who don't like how they've been depicted (by the actual quotes from BJ used within the show).

Whilst I won't say this was the best show I've watched, it was still very entertaining and an enjoyable hour. Would recommend it! The show involves a almost panto-esc comedy style (not quite) poking fun at mostly Hitler of course, but also trump, BJ, and points out the similarities between some of the methods utilised by these political figures (yes this can be done without claiming they are as bad eachother. I hear conservatives crying already, stop it xx).

All over a witty, punny show making for an enjoyable time. It was not overly political and avoided making any serious comments, mostly just poking fun.

I was a little nervous before this show, as I had never heard the phrase Ay Up before, so was a little worried I wouldn’t understand the language, but even not being a local, there was something for everyone in this show.

It was very funny, and it really made me think about politics around the world. I’m glad to see that there are lots of people who really see what’s going on around here.

Loved the cast, I thought the woman who played Meg was very good, she was very unexpected and funny, and did a very good impression of an ex-president (won’t say who cause don’t want to spoil)

Definitely something for everyone. Good

Honestly I’m still a little stunned by the show I saw last night.
At surface level, I thought we were just going to see a farce about Hitler, but when I met the cast on the Mile they told me it was really a stark warning about modern day fascism, and boy howdy were they right.

Even with the info I had, the message of the piece snuck up and bit me on the arse; there I was awwwing and Ay Uping at Hitler, and then BAM. I was hit with a “Make them laugh and they’ll follow you” message which really made myself and my wife gasp.

This piece is clever, witty, and the wildest 65 minutes at the fringe.
The writing is what I think really holds this piece up. Not a single line is wasted, and it makes the audience squirm in places. It’s brave and brash as all hell, and the cast were unapologeticly vibrant and ballsy. My favourite was definitely the guy who played Eva Braun (not sure of names sorry!) because boy howdy he was brilliant in all 3 of his parts. He was gross one second, sassy the next and then suddenly bumbling whilst waving flags. I creased every time he opened his mouth!

All in all an amazing piece of theatre that I’d definitely pay to see a full length production of. Not sure what show a couple of these reviews saw, but they didn’t leave a name, so they aren’t to be taken seriously in my opinion. Keep it up!

What lovely guys and great performers. A fantastic way of flyering to draw in crowds. Met this team on the first night and promised we’d be back! Clearly we didn’t see the same show as the person commenting below.
It’s was absolutely fantastic - if you like The Book of Mormon or bouncers then you will love this! Very tongue in cheek and risky and you’re unsure whether to laugh or cheer or look down in disgust. But a very well written script and good Yorkshire accents - being from
York myself. Would like to see a little more German in parts when not ‘undercover’ and talking by themselves but overall a great show that I will definitely recommend!

Holy Shit! What a show!!

Honestly I’ve not laughed that hard in ages, and it’s so refreshing to see satire alive and well.
I’d read a few reviews prior to and post seeing the show, and can honestly say that those too afraid to put their own name are doing so cause they KNOW they’ll be in the minority, because only the people being lampooned in this show (AKA Nazis, Tories and Trump) could really dislike it.

I might just be a pink haired old lady, so maybe not everyone will agree with my tastes, but I think anyone who doesn’t like this show either wasn’t paying attention, or voted for the wrong people.

What a blast. I might see it again tomorrow, great performances and writing. I loved it

I am quite confused by this show. There are elements that could have been great - like the actor ‘quitting’, the commentary on Churchill’s own evils and the final seconds of the show… but instead those are squandered and this just feels like a way to play at being Nazis for an audience largely consisting of drunk people and teenagers taking pics of the cast to post on social media. The actors even in script made multiple reference to the offended tweets audience will be posting after. I think this show could have been something good, if the satire had been more biting and certain members of the audience less excited by the concept of cheering on Hitler. As it is, this ended my evening on a sour note. Putting aside the main body of the show, the references to covid and Trump… no thanks. Consider carefully if this is something you think is worth seeing, I suggest Fabulet 1933 for a more sensible look at Nazi Germany, by a fantastic performer.

I thought it was funny and satirical. Although it was playing off of harsh realities, I don't believe lines were crossed as it was clear they were not endorsing this type of behaviour. I liked how it crossed into modern day commentary as well.

I came here just to leave a simple review, but as this show has sat with me for the last couple of days, I find I have to go in to more detail.

This show is clever, and if you’re NOT a Tory or trump lover, possibly the most accurate, funny and ultimately scary thing you’ll see.

The ending sucked the very life out of the room, in the most incredible way. The audience went from cheering and clapping, to realising that they’d just been awwwwing for Hitler, and it was brilliantly executed.

Honestly the best thing I’ve seen at the fringe, and reading the other reviews, I can honestly say they’re either Tory’s (not the show for you), or people who don’t understand how satire works. I can’t wait to see what this company does next.

Damn fine work Gamma Ray Theatre

You can make jokes about Nazis and the Holocaust and be funny. Mitchell and Webb, Monty Python, and even Ricky Gervais have proved this. Gamma Ray Theatre have neither the talent, charm, sophistication or intelligence to pull this off.
Weak performances, cheap and clichéd writing, and a desperate desire to be considered political/satirical result in one of the worst wastes of an hour I have experienced. It wasn't just that it was offensive (although it was to all sorts of people) - you expect that when seeing a Hitler show - it was that it was tasteless and painfully unfunny (the gas bill joke). This is typified by some of the most aggressive, leery, and unpleasant audience participation I have ever sat through.
It relied on the audience finding support for Hitler funny. It made Spitting Image depicting Margaret Thatcher et al. as fascists look nuanced. It trivialises Nazis to an unforgivable extent by likening them to modern conservatives.
Far and away it's worst crime though is that it thinks it is just so smart and relevant by being controversial, when really it's just controversial for the sake of it, with nothing substantive or interesting to say. That, and it's not funny.

Bold , risky and all in all nuts . Everything that shows the Edinburgh Fringe festival is about. The cast bring energy and passion to a wonderfully funny and eye catching show . With a satire lead comedy that wraps up perfectly in a powerful ending .

I was a bit skeptical about coming to this show for many reasons.
However I ended up attending and it left me in awe.
The production is humble but the talent and the script made it the best show I have seen so far.
I dropped my jaw over the last scene.
You won't regret attending this play and seeing all the talent the actors present on stage.

So dang clever, bloody funny, and sharp as a tac.
If you’re paying attention it’s not only damn funny, but also really powerful, with an ending that left us speechless (in the best way).

Hmmmm we weren't sure. Whilst the premise was unusual and lended itself to a different comedy it somehow fell flat. The cast gave it their all, but it just wasn't funny. All in all it was one joked stretched over an hour whilst the audience shouted 'ay up HItler' occasionally and the cast drank invisible beer. Can't recommend, sorry.

A funny and what I found to be unique show - it made me laugh throughout and the cast were so organic and natural it was a pleasure to watch.

The premise is a brilliant idea itself and plenty good God's country accents to be found!

I highly recommend if you are interested in real life satire and enjoy comedy close to the bone - well done all!

While the premise was very funny, they took the worst interpretation and went with it. Yes, when you go to a show about Hitler you will probably hear some offensive jokes. However, the entire piece had no interesting storyline and the jokes were overexplained and just frankly not funny. All you got was an hour of problematic unfunny jokes and hitler drinking some beer. And when people walked out they started this whole rant about not being able to handle offensive things, while it was just unbearable to watch. the man beside us was literally groaning everytime a joke was made because there was just no comedic timing or good script. This is the only show i would not recommend to anyone.

The satire was biting. It was hilarious. Brilliantly written and performed.

I was lucky enough to see this while it was touring last year, and couldn't resist watching it again - this time with several unsuspecting friends in tow. It's an absolutely hilarious show - satire done right in every way. No wonder it keeps selling out!

What a great show!

Bought tickets weeks in advance of coming to Edinburgh based on the title & premise - sounded entertaining, but didn’t know what to expect really.

I laughed like a drain throughout, had a whale of a time despite wincing at a couple of lines that sailed a little too close to the line. Everything was done with a tongue firmly in cheek (a la Book of Mormon, Jerry Springer the musical et al) about the most horrific of times.

The 5 performers were all top notch but the arrival of modern day characters made the conclusion hilarious until the finale sucked the air out of the room in a really good way.

So much discussion that followed, so much thinking back through the show, made it even more excellent in hindsight.

An awesome performance that I will gladly recommend and will look out for the company again in the future.

Good show, it had the audience roaring with laughter from beginning to end.

Seen this twice, and somehow even better in second watching. Probably the best fringe show I’ve ever seen, including past and present. Extremely profound, funny, and fair in its critique of modern society. Everyone is responsible for why we are where we are, including the audience. Brilliant.

Very clever. Very funny. Makes you think.

One heil of a show... if you're into edgy comedy with a powerful message, you're Göring to love this one!

Frenetic energy, silly accents and fake pints belie a serious message that slowly dawns on you just before you realise it may already be too late... with excellent, entertaining performances from a cast with brilliant chemistry and a masterful stage presence. To describe my favourite details would be to provide spoilers, but rest assured, if you only see one show this Fringe, make it this one.

If you spend the first 20 minutes of this show cringing in your seat and wondering what the hell you've gotten yourself into- don't worry.
The "ah-ha" moment is coming and the rest of the show will be a festival of wicked laughter.
Then, by the end, you'll be left questioning everything- most of all, yourself...
This is an affronting, clever piece of theatre that shows us, rather than tells us, just how powerful laughter can be. And, when in the wrong hands, how it can be used as a weapon.
There's a serious and important message being told here, but they're not going to spoon-feed it to you. They're trusting the audience to have some humanity and self-introspection and I appreciate that.
Get yourself a drink (or 2) and I guarantee you'll be in for a night you won't soon forget.
Prost!

This piece was masterfully written and performed, and is a must see. Get tickets now or you will miss out. Colin

What a fantastic production! Not the first time I've watched this but such a splendid fit for Edfringe. A really clever piece of writing: shocking, hilarious, informative, entertaining and thought-provoking. And what superb character portrayals by the entire cast - am still giggling. I'd say most of the audiences at the Fringe will get the key message of this clever satire. The ending still gives me the shivers. So powerful. Bravo Gamma Ray Theatre

Hilarious!
I haven't laugh like that for a long time.
Such good writing, the portrayals of the characters were simply brilliant. A massive "Ah up" to all involved.

Take 'The Producers' and the broad idea of 'Look who's back', subtract the critical and subversive analysis of today's society to create an at times too cheeky Tour de Farce about the 3rd Reichs main cast. The cast and performance was great, to be sure. The same could not be said about the writing that lacked focus and did not always connect well with the audience.

Beyond daft and beyond unPC, a laugh out loud hour of silliness but with a twist that makes you sit up and reflect why black humour sits so easily and yet is so cringingly uncomfortable. A likeable cast with a comment about recent world leaders and the parallel (ish) ideology of Hitler that caused most of the audience in the packed venue to slowly nod their heads. Clever stuff.

Excellent satire, dangerously edgy and very relevant. Great conceit, and hilarious delivery. A superb end to my evening which I’m still processing and laughing out loud about 2 days later!

Had no idea what to expect but was absolutely blown away, especially with the ending. At first you think it's just a wall-to-wall joke machine, with some jokes going quite close to the edge, but by the time that ending hits (and you could hear a pin drop when it does) you realise how intelligent the show is, with sprinklings of nuance featured throughout.

Gotta admire the balls of the cast and crew for putting on something so risky, that could easily be taken the wrong way by people not paying attention. Remarkable satire, insanely funny, but also quite terrifying. Makes you really think about the kind of world we're trapped in.

I totally get that this clownish show was intended as a satire and it culminates in a serious though messily made point about our modern day politics but it takes so long to get to this by way of several holocaust jokes that I really didn't feel the end justified the means.

Did those people in the audience laughing like drains at some incredibly tasteless jokes go off into the night chastened by the message that humour helps politicians mask some very ill intent? Did they realise they had perhaps been implicit in proving how such politicians get away with it? I doubt it very much. More likely they went for more drinks and continued guffawing over the jokes that the cast themselves 'got away with.'

Looking for a cheeky, fun, funny and timely play about the rise of modern day fascism? We’ll look no further than Ay Up, Hitler! This Mel Brooks inspired comedic romp will have you rolling in the isles, especially when it finally reaches its perfect third act turn! Great writing and performances all around! This new promises the show will have you saying “Ay Up, Hitler” too!

I’ve seen this show more than once and apart from laughing so much at time I ended up crying it’s given me an increased appreciation of the intelligent writing and talented cast. It’s not an easy subject matter and if easily offended not for you but if you haven’t seen this show already until you have you really can’t have an opinion. It doesn’t glorify Mr. Hitler and his cronies (the title should tell you they’re mocking the Nazi regime!) it shines a light on the dangers of becoming complacent and waking up one day to the likes of Donald Trump and Boris Johnson in charge. It’s easy to be distracted by shallow charm and amusing buffoonery! Sometimes you don’t know whether to gasp or laugh but this show does what all good theatre should, educate as well as entertain. Do you know the origins of stringy cheese?, no well watch this brilliant show by David McCulloch (writer) and his equally talented fellow actors and you’ll find that out and much more as well as laughing your way through 65 minutes of what is still the best thing I’ve seen at the fringe.

Oh my God. Did I really just laugh at that!!! If you are easily offended do not attend! Brilliant show! Say no more x

Such a fun show. The performers were excellent, and it was exactly the kind of "Fringe" comedy I've been looking for. Would see again!

A clever and interesting show with amazing and engaging performances from all the actors!

Fantastic show! The delivery of the jokes by the actors were really well timed, and it was a good level of audience, panto-style interaction without going too far with it. The show acknowledges the dangers of presenting a piece on this topic in a very good way, and so I’d urge people to see it before making a judgement on whether it’s offensive or not. All of the actors delivered a brilliant performance, definitely worth a watch!

I don’t know what show some of these other reviewers saw. Yes, the show mocks Boris Johnson and Donald Trump. Yes, it portrays Hitler as a buffoon. And in between, it makes jokes about how hilarious the Holocaust was. (Example: “What’s wrong, Hitler? I haven’t seen you this upset since you got your gas bill!” Ha ha! “Gas bill”! Get it? It’s funny because they murdered 6 million Jews!)

At one point there’s a subplot about one of the actors “quitting” after realizing how unredeemably offensive the show is. And then… the show just keeps going? Later, one of the actors broke the fourth wall to make a joke about the fact that audience members were getting up and leaving.

This show is not brave. It’s not clever. It’s just a bunch of edgelords trying to figure out what level of offensiveness will sell the most tickets. Don’t feed the trolls.

Just WOW!! I never thought I would myself laughing so hard at any production, let alone one of this subject matter. I’m not sure if I have any laughs left for the rest of the fringe. Not until now have I felt such morel ambiguity for laugh at holocaust jokes and “awww”ing mein Feuer. 5 Stars for sure. A must see.

Great show! It's always a walk on a very thin line to set up a good comedy about Hitler and the Nazis. This one succeeds in making jokes, that are really funny, but the laughter gets also kind of stuck in your throat. Apart from the successfully set link to mass communication nowadays you can see a wonderful case of how precise timing and moves have to be worked out, so that the art of slapstick can do it's charm!

It was mediocre, had a great opportunity at the end of the second act to really address the issues with making a comedy show about such a controversial figure, but instead chose a comically safe ending with references to our former and current PM and one soon-to-be--incarcerated president. At least it was 2for1

Nothing against the performers, they did the best they good

This is what the fringe is all about. Brave and daring theatre- not every theatre company would take on such a delicate subject matter. Incredibly well handled and a unique comedic take on a very taboo subject. Extremely funny, poignant and topical. The show is aware of its own potential controversy, exposing the sheer ridiculousness of the real life villians through some subtle and some unsubtle comedy. Definitely worth the watch.

We went into this one thinking it would purely be a farcical parody, what if, scenario. A barrel of laughs and nothing more. What it in fact turned out to be was a very thought provoking political piece that had my wife and I ruminating about for long after the show. It certainly had us questioning what we know about the politics of our world today.
It was of course also a barrel of laughs and had me chuckling from start until finish. Absolutely brilliantly done, worth a see!

This isn’t a subject to laugh about!? But you quickly realise you’re laughing at control and disrespect that the marketing specialists have for us all. If you don’t challenge the past you won’t know you’re repeating it. Be entertained, be reminded to keep your eyes open, think for yourself, have a good laugh, we all need that.

If you had told me that I would ever have laughed at a joke about the Holocaust we could have ended up rowing. This show demonstrates the absurdity of the Nazi party in the best way , through humour . Chuck in a couple of new members of their elite leadership group and you have a show which I found absolutely hilarious . A very strong cast , brilliantly written . Don't miss the chance to see those evil bastards ridiculed and at the same time experience the happy discomfort of your sides splitting.