By Grace Hatchell
Hot Mess, the award-winning new musical that Theatre Village previously named as one to watch at the Edinburgh Fringe, is returning to London for a summer run at The Other Palace. Here’s why this transfer feels like a natural next step.
Now then… this one feels a bit like opening a letter and thinking, “well yes… we did say this might happen.”
Because if you remember (and I certainly do — I’ve got the receipts tucked neatly in t’satchel), Hot Mess wasn’t just another show passing through the Fringe last year.
No, this was one we flagged early. One we circled. One we gave a full five stars and quietly thought… this isn’t staying small for long.
And sure enough, here we are. Interested in shows we are predicting for good things in 2026? Well if by magic.. Top Ten Edinburgh Fringe Shows To See In 2026 – Theatre Village
Hot Mess is heading back to London this summer, taking up residence at The Other Palace from 13 June to 6 September — not exactly a blink-and-you-miss-it run either. Twelve weeks. Proper staying power.
For those who somehow missed the whispers (or the rather loud standing ovations), this is the high-energy new musical from Jack Godfrey and Ellie Coote — the same duo behind 42 Balloons — and it’s been gathering a fair bit of silverware along the way.
We’re talking Fringe First Award, Popcorn Writing Award, Best Musical nods… the sort of list that starts to make you sit up a bit straighter.
But awards aside, what makes Hot Mess stick is its idea — a romcom, of sorts, between Earth and Humanity. A love story that starts with sparks flying and ends… well, in exactly the kind of chaos the title promises.
And it works. It really works.
What’s interesting now is not just that it’s returning — but where it’s landed.
The Other Palace isn’t a quiet little corner. It’s a space that’s become known for nurturing new musicals that are ready to step up, stretch out, and prove they can hold a bigger stage.
Which, if you ask me, feels like exactly the right next move.
The run opens on Saturday 13 June, with a press night set for 23 June, and if its previous outings are anything to go by… don’t expect tickets to hang around for long.
So yes… you could call this a transfer.
But really?
This feels more like a show doing exactly what it was always going to do.
Right then… I’ll just pop that back into t’satchel — though I suspect this won’t be the last time we hear about Hot Mess.
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