I needed a play like this one at a point in my Fringe schedule where the two previous plays I had seen that day were both about young women killed way before their time for totally unjustifiable reasons. There wasn’t much to this show, fundamentally, which lampoons Elon Musk, and to a certain extent, Donald Trump. It’s silly with a capital S, and provides the kind of entertainment that is bound to wind up the MAGA people, who take themselves far too seriously. Above all, Musk himself would probably be livid. President Trump could potentially see the funny side, or at least not take umbrage with a portrayal of him as someone who has the power (all the power, more power than anyone has ever seen or will ever see again) over Musk’s future and destiny.
Ben Whitehead replicates Musk’s mannerisms and voice very well. His mother (Sarah Lawrie) is a robot, which does mean listening to a relatively monotone voice, but she is commendable consistent throughout the show. Some of what she says is, on balance, better said in a deadpan voice than an enthusiastic one. The other characters are voiceovers and appear on video – while Donald Trump is appropriately bombastic and oozing with self-belief, some of the other impersonations don’t quite hit the mark. ‘Sir Patrick Moore’ – inverted commas mine – was especially unconvincing.
In the end, though, it’s a show that does precisely what it says on the tin. Gloriously capitalising on the idea that Musk is rather full of himself, every last drop of a portrayal of naivety and lack of self-awareness is milked. It’s not for everyone, but I found it to be full of harmless humour. It is not meant to be a deep dive into the psyche of the richest person in the world (at the time of writing). It’s a show put on for ‘LOLs’ and giggles, and it succeeds in its mission.
Review by Chris Omaweng
In a darkly comic sci-fi satire about one of the world’s most famous men and the dangers of unchecked ego and limitless wealth, Elon Musk is en route to Mars aboard one of his own spacecraft with only the ship’s AI, M-UTHA, for company. Just as he leaves Earth’s orbit, a call from President Trump sends his mission, as well as his mind, spiralling off-course.
Cast: Ben Whitehead and Sarah Lawrie
Writer: David Morley
Director: John Nicholson
Movement Direction: Mandy Gordon
Sound Design and Composition: Chris O’Shaughnessy
Lighting and Video Designer: Al Orange
ELON MUSK: LOST IN SPACE
theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall at the Edinburgh Fringe
11 to 23 August 2025
