Review Roundup

Aug 20, 2026

It’s a wild ride bringing an intentionally different, divisive, difficult work to the Edinburgh Fringe. I plan to write a longer article about it. Philadelphia is sadly laking in breadth and depth of arts criticism. Edinburgh has a different kind of problem, and is very invested in its star system.

**** The Guardian
“A show that is both wayward and intentional seems hellbent on destroying itself from within. Haghverdi does not want to be labelled as an Iranian, still less a minority; he resists being boxed in by his directors (Benjamin and Mason Rosenthal), and resents entertaining us even as he does so. His quest for perpetual reinvention leads to a Marmite show that is equal parts perplexing and delightful.”

**** Binge Fringe
“Foriegner is an unforgettable piece, if unpleasant. It feels more like performance art than clown, and certainly has a lot of passion within it. It is like if ‘Waiting for Godot’ and ‘American Pie’ merged into a clown show. This is a provocative show, raising big questions and challenging the audience to witness it.”

VS.

*** The Stage
“Doesn’t quite push the boundaries.”

*** The Recs
“The audience didn’t know how to respond … and though that discomfort was likely the point, it also fragmented the audience immediately into two camps: those who saw … a painful statement by an Iranian immigrant struggling to find his place in the world, and those who thought it was a comic bit.”

Our audience reviews are also a blast to read.