Fringe performers react against the critics – with tomatoes!

This unique event will take place on Thursday, 15 Aug from 3PM – 4PM at Jawbone Walk on The Meadows, Edinburgh

Writer of the universally panned stage musical Desperately Seeking Susan, Peter Michael Marino, has organised a fun way for performers and writers at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe who receive bad or critical reviews to get their own back on critics at the first ever Critical Mass Tomato Toss.

Marino, who returns to the festival with his hit show Desperately Seeking The Exit, has first-hand knowledge of what it’s like to have scathing criticism of “your literary baby” when his much anticipated 2007 stage musical of the film starring Madonna and Rosanna Arquette, featuring the music of Blondie, opened on London’s West End stage … and closed a month later after biting reviews. Indeed the title of his hit comedic autopsy – Desperately Seeking The Exit – is taken from one particularly bad review!

“The Critical Mass Tomato Toss was inspired by a sense of mischief and Spain’s annual Tomatina Festival” says Marino. “But unlike its Spanish counterpart where participants toss rotten tomatoes at each other the squishy tomatoes will be aimed at pictures of reviewers who have, with their every keystroke, crushed a writer or performer’s dream. The gathering on Jawbone Walk is a fun way for scorned performers to publicly express their discontent in a safe, messy setting.”

The Critical Mass Tomato Toss takes place on Thursday, 15 Aug from 3PM-4PM at Jawbone Walk on The Meadows, Edinburgh

Peter Michael Marino returns to Ed Fringe this year with his hit show Desperately Seeking The Exit a comedic autopsy of his flop juke-box West End musical of the film starring Madonna, Rosanna Arquette film Desperately Seeking Susan. Desperately Seeking The Exit @ The Counting House 6. 15pm; part of Edinburgh Festival Free Fringe