FLOP! The Best Songs from the Worst Musicals
- andybram69
- Jul 26
- 2 min read
A famous producer once remarked "we could make more money with a Flop than with a hit", but Arthur Hull proves you can do both at the same time.
Not every musical can be Hamilton. Some barely make it to the interval. Thankfully, Hull has turned theatrical disaster into one of the funniest, cleverest and most joyous evenings you're likely to experience.
Flop is a glorious celebration of the musicals that, despite the passion, talent and sheer determination of everyone involved, simply... didn't work. But here's the twist: every one of those spectacular failures contains at least one song worthy of being remembered, and Arthur makes sure it gets the standing ovation it deserves.
Arthur's original show made its critically acclaimed debut at Adelaide Fringe in 2025 winning the Best Emerging Artist Award before playing Edinburgh Festival Fringe later the same year where it won Best Entertainment at the Dark Chat Awards. Now he's back with a new version.
Recently performed in the wonderfully intimate surroundings of Darlington's Hullabaloo, the show feels tailor-made for the Edinburgh Fringe. Fast-paced, brilliantly researched and bursting with infectious enthusiasm, Arthur effortlessly blends powerhouse vocals, razor-sharp comedy and audience participation into a performance that never lets the energy dip.
Whether it's Grease (2), (the follow-up to )The Phantom of the Opera, (a forgotten musical from the writer behind )The Lion King, or the wonderfully bonkers world of King Kong, each story reminds us that even the biggest creative swings don't always connect—and that's exactly what makes them fascinating.
This is the perfect antidote to today's mega-budget, ultra-polished productions. Flop strips musical theatre back to its wonderfully ridiculous heart, celebrating ambition, courage and glorious failure with warmth, wit and extraordinary talent.
If you're heading to Edinburgh this summer, do yourself a favour: seek out Flop. You may arrive expecting to laugh at forgotten musicals. You'll leave applauding the people brave enough to make them—and one remarkable performer who's found the gold hidden amongst the glitter.
Flop is at The Gilded Balloon
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