Dogberry and Verges Are Scared - Fringe Review

Thomas Levi
Aug 7
2 min read

★★★★★

Dogberry and Verges Are Scared is one of the funniest Shakespeare-inspired comedies the Edinburgh Fringe has ever seen… and one of the festival's very best shows.

Taking two of Much Ado About Nothing's most overlooked characters and thrusting them centre stage sounds like the sort of niche premise that only Shakespeare scholars could love. Instead, Dogberry and Verges Are Scared becomes a buddy comedy that works whether you've studied the Bard for years or couldn't tell Benedick from Bottom. Inspired by the comic spirit of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, it never depends on prior knowledge to earn its place; instead, it builds an entirely accessible adventure around friendship, fear and spectacular incompetence.

The genius of Michael Doherty and Will Mobley's writing lies in how effortlessly it expands Shakespeare without feeling like parody for parody's sake. Familiar scenes from Much Ado About Nothing are woven into an original narrative, allowing newcomers to follow the story while rewarding Shakespeare fans with layer upon layer of references and theatrical in-jokes. Better still, the play quietly addresses one of the original's biggest dramatic sticking points. Hero's decision to forgive Claudio has long divided audiences, yet here Verges' heartfelt explanation of the difference between fools and villains reframes that moment with surprising emotional clarity. It's clever writing that enhances Shakespeare's world.

Michael Doherty's Dogberry is a whirlwind of glorious comic invention. His boundless physical energy makes the constable feel permanently one step ahead of his own thoughts, while every delightfully mangled misuse of language lands funnier than the last. Opposite him, Anthony Lawton delivers a beautifully judged performance as Verges, recalling the effortless comic timing of Will Ferrell. Their chemistry is impeccable. Every pause, glance and escalated misunderstanding is perfectly calibrated, creating the kind of partnership that makes even the simplest exchange irresistibly cute. The friendship between these two unlikely heroes gives the comedy real emotional weight, ensuring the biggest laughs never come at the expense of genuine affection.

This production absolutely deserves a life beyond Edinburgh… and I’ll happily buy tickets again and drag every Shakespeare fan and sceptic I know along with me. Dogberry and Verges Are Scared proves that four-hundred-year-old comedy can still feel thrillingly alive. There's nothing to fear here... except missing the Fringe's finest show.