WOODY SEZ ⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Join us on an authentically American musical journey, using Guthrie’s own words and over two dozen of his timeless songs in one joyous, toe-tapping musical. Performed by a multi-talented group of actor-musicians playing more than a dozen instruments.”

Nick Corley's direction is confident and refreshingly unfussy. Rather than constantly reminding us that we are watching theatre, Corley lets the material do the heavy lifting. The performers move between storytelling, character and music with an ease that makes the whole production feel wonderfully organic. The show takes us through different parts of America, and the shifts between locations are clear without becoming overly theatrical. It trusts the audience to follow the journey, and we happily do. Most impressively, Corley knows when not to direct. There are moments when the room becomes completely still, and the production allows Guthrie’s words to sit in the silence. In those moments, you could genuinely hear a pin drop.

Seth Reiser's lighting is simple but effective. I particularly enjoyed the variations that distinguish the different states and environments throughout the journey. There is enough visual distinction to give the audience a sense that we are travelling across a vast country, without the design ever becoming distracting. It is exactly the sort of lighting that supports rather than competes with the material — and for a production this dependent on storytelling, that is absolutely the right choice.

The sound design by Barry G. Funderburg is generally fine, but this is one area where I felt the production could be considerably stronger. At times, particularly in a large room, I struggled to hear some of the spoken material and certain instruments clearly. That is a problem when the entire show depends on us listening to both the story and the music.

For me, having no microphones on the performers or instruments in a space of this size feels like a missed opportunity. The rawness and acoustic quality of folk music is undoubtedly part of the show’s charm, but authenticity should not come at the expense of audibility. When everything is landing clearly, the music sounds fantastic. I just wanted that clarity more consistently.

The book is one of the show’s greatest strengths. It takes us through Guthrie’s life without ever feeling like a history lesson. Humour, tragedy, politics, love, hardship, and music are woven together in a way that feels remarkably natural. The show understands that telling somebody’s life story doesn’t mean listing every event in chronological order and hoping the audience remembers the dates. Instead, it gives us the person. And then there are those moments when the comedy disappears, the music stops, and the room listens. Those moments are extraordinary. The production has enough confidence to let silence do some of the storytelling, and when it does, the effect is powerful. The contrast between the toe-tapping musicality and the quieter, more painful sections gives the piece a real emotional rhythm.

Music Direction, Orchestrations & Vocal Arrangements are beautifully crafted. The harmonies are just gorgeous. The vocal arrangements have a warmth that makes the songs feel communal rather than performed, which is particularly fitting for Guthrie’s music and philosophy. And then there is the sheer musicality of the performers. Guitars, fiddles, banjos, harmonicas, dulcimers and a whole host of other instruments appear throughout the production, with the performers switching between them with a casualness that is frankly rather rude to anyone who has ever struggled to play three chords on a guitar. The show is built around actor-musicians, and that musicianship is central to its success.

The performances from David M. Lutken, David Finch, Nyssa Grant and Raquel Chavez are beautiful. An infectious sense of enjoyment runs through their performances. They clearly understand this material, but more importantly, they clearly love this material. Lutken brings a wonderfully charismatic presence to Woody Guthrie, combining humour with a real sense of humanity. There is no attempt to turn Guthrie into a perfect folk hero. Instead, we see a complicated, passionate and sometimes difficult man whose music ultimately became far bigger than himself.

The rest of the company are equally impressive, moving between characters and instruments with remarkable speed and precision. One moment they are providing a harmony, the next they are playing a completely different instrument, and then they are suddenly inhabiting another character from Guthrie’s life. It never feels like showing off, though. The virtuosity always serves the storytelling. And that is what makes this cast so effective.

Some shows arrive at the Fringe determined to throw everything at you: projections, pyrotechnics, twelve costume changes and probably a man dressed as a potato if they can squeeze one backstage. WOODY SEZ takes almost the complete opposite approach.

Four performers, a collection of instruments and the life and music of Woody Guthrie are all it needs. And rather wonderfully, it works. This is a joyous, moving and remarkably intimate journey through the life of one of America’s most influential folk musicians. Using Guthrie’s own words alongside more than two dozen of his songs, the production manages to tell a substantial life story without ever feeling like somebody has opened a PowerPoint presentation entitled The Life of Woody Guthrie: Slide 1 of 47.

WOODY SEZ plays at Underbelly Bristo Square, Edinburgh, at 17:30, with a running time of approximately 80 minutes. Performances run 5–30 August 2026, excluding 17 and 24 August.

Book your tickets here: WOODY SEZ – Edinburgh Festival Fringe