By Grace Hatchell
There’s something rather comforting about believing everyone else has life sorted. You know the feeling. You’re scrolling through social media, someone has bought a beautiful house, another friend has just welcomed a baby, someone else is sipping cocktails in Bali, and suddenly you’re wondering whether you’ve accidentally taken a wrong turn somewhere.
Well, A World Apart arrives at the Edinburgh Fringe with exactly that thought in mind – and it sounds wonderfully relatable.
Created by Frog in a Pot Productions, this brand-new musical follows lifelong best friends Alice and Kate, who now find themselves living on opposite sides of the world and, seemingly, opposite lives.
Kate has stayed in Australia. On paper, everything appears perfect: a husband, a home, a newborn baby and even an adorable dog. Alice, meanwhile, has built an artistic life in London. Independent? Absolutely. Fulfilled? Perhaps. Lonely? Quite possibly.
As the two compare their lives from thousands of miles apart, they begin hiding the cracks beneath carefully constructed versions of themselves. Things finally come to a head during a joint thirtieth birthday celebration, where long-held insecurities and simmering tensions bubble to the surface.
I rather like the idea behind this. We’ve all been guilty of comparing our behind-the-scenes with someone else’s highlight reel, haven’t we?
What makes A World Apart stand out is the way it tells its story. Rather than relying solely on traditional musical theatre, the production blends rapid-fire spoken word, live music, authentic performances and percussive orchestration to explore modern friendships, expectations and the impossible standards we often place upon ourselves.
The musical has particularly personal roots. Composer and lyricist Amelia Jutilane conceived the idea after experiencing a theft on the London Underground whilst speaking to her best friend back in Australia. That moment sparked wider questions about constant comparison, the influence of social media and the paralysis that comes from believing everyone else is getting life “right.”
Those ideas grew into a collaboration with singer and actor Samantha Lauren Martin. Fittingly, the pair are themselves real-life best friends and Australian expats, bringing an extra layer of authenticity to a story centred on friendship, identity, home and the fear of failure.
Behind the production is Frog in a Pot Productions, a new London-based company founded by Amelia and Samantha. Their aim is refreshingly straightforward: create accessible, intimate musical theatre that welcomes audiences who may not usually think musicals are for them.
Even the company’s name carries meaning. Like the old fable of the frog slowly coming to the boil, their productions gently draw audiences in with humour, catchy songs and fast-paced dialogue before inviting them to confront bigger social questions lurking beneath the surface.
I always enjoy discovering new companies at the Fringe, particularly those prepared to experiment with form whilst telling stories that feel honest and recognisable. If you’ve ever questioned your own life choices after five minutes on Instagram, A World Apart might just strike a chord.
Sometimes the biggest distance isn’t between London and Australia — it’s between the life we’re living and the one we think we’re supposed to have. That feels like fertile ground for an emotionally honest, thought-provoking hour of theatre.
A World Apart plays at the Amphitheatre at theSpace @ Symposium Hall from 7–15 August (10:35am) and 17–29 August (10:45am), with each performance running for approximately one hour.
A World Apart | Edinburgh Festival Fringe
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