Review: Police Cops - The Original | Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025
- Lisa in the theatre
- Aug 21
- 2 min read
Globally acclaimed Police Cops celebrate their 10th anniversary by bringing their debut blockbuster show that started it all: Police Cops: The Original back to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for 2025. Police Cops plays at Assembly George Square until Monday 25th August.
Police Cops: The Original ★★★★☆
review: Gordon Aikman Theatre at Assembly George Square | Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025
Not to be confused with Police Cops: The Musical and Police Cops: In Space, this year's Edinburgh Fringe offering from Zachary Hunt, Nathan Parkinson and Tom Ro is the original comedy play version of their debut, award-winning show Police Cops. Revived and reworked for 2025, the three-man London-based comedy group bring their theatrical parody of all those over-the-top 70s and 80s buddy cop TV shows and "America hell-yeah" movies back to the Edinburgh stage.
1976 America (somewhere): Rookie police officer Jimmy Johnson promises his dying brother that he'll find his murderer and become "the best damn Police Cop ever!" Johnson and his partner - a disgraced, retired renegade cop named Harrison - set out to investigate the crime, and are led deep into the murky underworld of their city.
Police Cops: The Original is an hour of slick, sharp, high-energy comedy filled with brilliant physical gags, nostalgic pop bangers and impressive choreography. While this version of the show is not a musical, there are a few moments of expertly judged, camp and creative musical numbers that hit the mark with their inspired intelligence and cutting observations every time.
The story for the original Police Cops is bonkers, but it borrows elements from those equally as insane, adrenaline-fuelled cop capers from peak American cinema. With three very strong and engaging performers leading the action, these Police Cops had the 500-strong Edinburgh Fringe audience in uproar with their highly physical, fearless comedy. There are a few moments within the show when the guys ad-lib and go off on a tangent; some of these work better than others. But the chemistry between the trio and their good-natured teasing and mocking of one-another is a joy to watch.
Police Cops: The Original is an incredibly entertaining, upbeat, joyful spoof and a damn good time. A glorious revival of a Fringe classic ★★★★☆
Police Cops: The Original plays at the Gordon Aikman Theatre at Assembly George Square until Monday 25 August 2025.
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