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★★★★
Wedding planning is the theme of New York-based comedian, actor and writer Meg Millane’s Edinburgh Fringe show Bride To Be which is now open at Greenside venues until 15th August. Having recently been through the process herself, Millane has created a solo character-driven comedy piece about wedding preparations and the pressure surrounding saying “I do”. Covering everything from getting engaged to whether or not it is dated to take your husband’s name in 2026, this is a deeply relatable 55-minute comedy show which will appeal to anyone who has ever planned a wedding and tried to balance pleasing your family with planning something special to you.
Show format and structure
Bride To Be is a comedy-focused theatre piece that is full of charisma, choreography and a perfectly themed playlist. The audience follows a woman who is deep in wedding planning and through personal dialogue and various characters in her life, the wider significance of marriage and commitment is discussed. It is all told through a comedy lens, complete with hilarious costume changes, impressive dance sequences, pop culture and musical theatre references.
Outside of this planned format, there are snippets of Millane’s ability to respond to the mood in the room and break the fourth wall and this for me, is where the performer is at her strongest. At our performance Millane battled a show stop as a result of a fire alarm and professionally jumped right back in afterwards, humorously acknowledging the rare situation. Bride To Be straddles the line between the comedy and theatre genres, but at its core it is a structured piece and if anything could benefit from more flexibility in the narrative. This would encourage more of a two-way discussion on marriage between the performer and audience. Everything Millane says will relate to audiences, and I wanted to see more of the performer’s quick-witted on the spot delivery.
Performance style
High energy is how I’d describe Millane’s performance style and so much is packed into this 55-minute piece. Millane is a born performer, drawing audiences into her eccentric characters, but underneath the larger-than-life and silly personalities, each of them has a layer of sincerity which contributes to wider discussions on marriage and commitment. The amount of stage presence Millane has is second to none, and when combined with evolving, vibrant lighting and the nostalgic soundtrack, the atmosphere generated is enough to energise the quietest of crowds.
A strong comedic reflection on weddings
Bride To Be is high energy comedy at the Fringe that will also make audiences reflect on the history and significance of marriage. Whilst I believe Millane would truly soar in a slightly more organic piece, there is so much to enjoy in this witty and honest tribute to the pressure of weddings. You can catch Bride To Be at Thistle Theatre at Greenside @ Riddles Court (venue 16) until 15th August. Performances start daily at 19:40, with tickets available via the festival’s website.
*My ticket for Bride To Be was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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