Will BF: Moon Team IIIV delivers a sharp, chaotic sci-fi satire at Underbelly Cowgate that dissects galactic franchise tropes, Hollywood greed, and the inevitable curse of the sci-fi prequel. Staged inside the Jelly Belly space during the final stretch of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, solo performer Will BF constructs a live mockumentary about the disastrous making of a fictional space opera sequel.
The production frames itself around the ruins of Moon Team IIIV, Roman numerals deliberately botched to mean “Moon Team 2”, a box-office disaster designed to chart the villainous origin of Lord Munis. That origin begins with Prince Apollo Moon, an entitled space aristocrat whose entire galactic rebellion is sparked by a refusal to pay a 1% tax levied on the interstellar super-rich.
What follows is an inventive deconstruction of space fantasy conventions. To execute his rebellion, Apollo assembles an absurd away team portrayed through lo-fi puppetry, physical gadgets, and multi-character roleplay:
- Swimothy: An existential, ever-growing extraterrestrial fish.
- Houston: An omniscient rodent.
- WD40: A morally compromised robot with severe ethical blind spots.
- Flora: A telepathic space plant possessed of immense cosmic power who simply chooses silence.
The technical execution sets the show apart. Using a flatscreen television and projector as on-stage scene partners, pre-recorded industry “talking heads” and critics tear the production apart in real time, synchronised with live-action stage scenes behind the curtain. The lo-fi analogue setup extends to overhead projectors, physical puppets, and a self-coded video game segment that recruits front-row audience members into live hacker duty.
The musical numbers hit their marks, balancing sharp lyrical cynicism against classic sci-fi homages. Rather than relying solely on cheap parody, the show takes aim at corporate IP milking, George Lucas-style prequel overreach, and the commercial urge to over-explain every minor villain backstory.
Solo multi-character shows often risk losing momentum, but the relentless cue timing, custom tech integration, and comic momentum sustain the hour cleanly. It is an ambitious, genuinely funny slice of geek comedy that succeeds precisely because it understands the ridiculous mechanics of the genre it mocks.
Tickets for Will BF: Moon Team IIIV can be booked via the EdFringe box office or directly through Underbelly.
Will BF: Moon Team IIIV
Underbelly Cowgate (Jelly Belly) • Reviewed 29 August 2026
A brilliantly chaotic blend of DIY prop comedy, live-action mockumentary, and retro sci-fi parody. Will BF delivers a razor-sharp deconstruction of prequel bloat and corporate IP milking, held together by relentless comic timing and clever tech integration.
The Wins
- Sharp, satirical writing skewering franchise prequel tropes and corporate greed.
- Flawless multimedia synchronisation between live stage action and on-screen CRT footage.
- Genuinely inventive low-fi props, puppets, and interactive video game mechanics.
The Glitches
- Late-night slot and high-density gag pacing leave very little breathing room between scenes.
