Review: Vagabond Skies - The Van Gogh Musical at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025
- Lisa in the theatre
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
More than 15 years in the making, Vagabond Skies: The Van Gogh musical makes its world premier at Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August.
Vagabond Skies: The Van Gogh musical ★★★☆☆
review: 13 August 2025 | Gilded Balloon at the museum, Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Vagabond Skies is a new British musical by Sussex based creative team Tony Norman (writer) and Mark Edwards (orchestrations.) It tells the dramatic story of Vincent Van Gogh's life as an artist and is inspired by the letters between him and his beloved brother Theo. Vagabond Skies had a showcase in Eastbourne in September 2024 and makes its world premiere in Edinburgh at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2025 (full dates listed below.)
A sung through biographical musical, Vagabond Skies depicts Vincent's later years and uses dialogue from the real letters shared between the brothers. The period of Vincent's life shown is not a happy one. From failed relationships, to his unappreciated art and declining mental health, there's no escaping the general melancholy that envelops this story.
The songs too are a little sombre and mostly unmemorable. The story begins in the 1880's coalfields of Belgium with a song (Underground) that put me in mind of Les Mis - they had my attention! However there is then a good 40 minute chunk in the middle of the musical where the songs all sound too similar and have the same gloomy and wistful vibe. Towards the end of the show things pick up again with the two best songs in the score: 'Don't Waste Your Time On Him' and the beautiful title song 'Vagabond Skies.'
However, more than anything musically, Vagabond Skies is crying out for a live band. I don't know when I last saw a musical - even at the fringe - where the music is played via a backing tape. That degrades the entire experience and I'm shocked that a 'world premier' musical production, which demonstrates such a keen attention to detail elsewhere, had tinny, pre-recorded music. The cast are too good for that and deserve the accompaniment of live musicians.
The highlights of Vagabond Skies are twofold:
1) The creative inclusion of Van Gogh's paintings which come to life exquisitely behind the performing cast via stunning visuals by Dave Fricker. The moving artwork beautifully illustrates the locations and periods of Vincent's life being depicted on stage. It's a great idea that really fits with the material and gives this production a unique edge.
2) The cast. From the incredible Alex Bloomer as Vincent van Gogh to Richard Dawes as Theo van Gogh and Patrick Jennings as Gaugin, Vagabond Skies is bursting with sensational West End talent. Further standout performances came from Jordan Frazier as Agostina, Francesca Leyland as Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, Maren Ovida as Sien and Anna Unwin as Rachel. This company is one of the best to be found at The Edinburgh Fringe this year. Each song, whether solo or ensemble, is performed with the utmost sincerity, passion and skill. This show may be lacking in the big showstopping anthems you find in hit shows like Les Mis, but the vocals and talent of the cast are just as phenomenal.
The entire company is expertly directed and beautifully choreographed by Sarah Dormady. The ensemble numbers do look a little cramped at times, such is the nature of an Edinburgh Fringe stage, but the dance and movement is so well done it could be picked up and plonked down on the West End stage.
The story for Vagabond Skies is interesting, and while the version we have at the Edinburgh Fringe is an abridged, 60 minutes of an intended, full length musical, it does have plenty of substance. I had no idea about the important relationship between Van Gogh and his brother, nor of his numerous love interests. The asylum scenes are harrowing, but ultimately this is a tragic albeit important insight to one of the world's greatest artists. The condensed version of the musical does also suffer from odd time jumps and rushed pacing, but this will hopefully all be smoothed out in development of the longer piece.
Currently Vagabond Skies feels like a work in progress - despite its gorgeous visuals, costumes and world-class cast. As an idea and as a production, it's brimming with talent and ambition. But it does need a little more variety in the score, some more uplifting songs or comic characters (think The Thenardiers who break up the misery in Les Mis), and at least a small live band. ★★★☆☆
Vagabond Skies: The Van Gogh musical plays at Gilded Balloon at the museum at Edinburgh Festival Fringe until Thursday 21 August 2025. Find full listings below.
Vagabond Skies: The Van Gogh Musical rehearsal photos:
Vagabond Skies: The Van Gogh Musical cast
For the full cast list for Vagabond Skies at Edinburgh Fringe 2025, please see the full cast announcement here: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/vagabond-skies-cast-edinburgh
Vagabond Skies: The Van Gogh Musical at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025
Gilded Balloon at the Museum
Thursday 30 July to Thursday 21 August; daily at 9pm (not 11 or 18 August)
Comments