THEATRE REVIEW: The Fit Prince…, King’s Head Theatre
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Awkward Productions are spreading Christmas cheer this festive season with their latest offering, The Fit Prince (Who Gets Switched On in the Square in the Frosty Castle the Night Before (Insert Public Holiday Here)), now playing at London’s King’s Head Theatre.
Parodying all of your favourite Netflix and Hallmark Christmas movies, The Fit Prince… combines queer joy with utter chaos as we are transported to the land of Swedonia. The story begins with the tragic death of the King, making Prince Elian (played by Linus Karp) next in line to the throne. However, in order to become King, Prince Elian must not only get married, but he needs to do it before Christmas which is only a few weeks away. The prince doesn’t vibe with any of his potential suitors via video, so the race is on to find the one before the big festive day.
On the other side of the world, New York baker Aaron Butcher (played by Joseph Martin) receives an invitation to bake Prince Elian’s wedding cake (thanks to a lot of interference from colleague Jenny Puppetson). Feeling deflated after being dumped by his ex (and wanting to make him jealous), Aaron seizes the opportunity and makes his way to Swedonia to meet the Prince.
This leads to Prince Elian and Aaron enjoying a stereotypical meet cute before naturally disliking each other. However, the NYC baker later encourages the prince to explore what exists outside of the castle grounds, setting the scene for a much rooted for romance. What ensues is a frenzied Swedonian fairytale involving doppelgängers, a strangely familiar BAAB concert with hits including ‘Dunkirk’ and ‘Movement King’, and a showstopping turn from Gerta McMurder, the orphanage manager.
credit: Anna Clare
The Fit Prince… is a riotous rom-com which ticks all the boxes. From the second you step into the theatre, you know that you’re in for an incredible experience. Having never seen an Awkward Productions show before, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was in tears of laughter from the start. Linus and Joseph have created such an inclusive space, and it’s clear to see why they have such a strong following. The show is a love letter to Linus’ native Sweden but is also a hilarious caricature of the heteronormative modern Christmas rom-coms that we all know and love (even Vanessa Hudgens is a fan…if you know, you know).
Linus and Joseph slay their performance throughout, and as well as playing Prince Elian and Aaron respectively, also take on other roles throughout the evening including puppeteering Jenny and Gerta. Their chemistry is unmatched (which is unsurprising due to the pair actually being married in real life), but they also had a brilliant rapport with the audience. There were a few technical difficulties on the evening but they dealt with them in an exquisite manner, laughing off any issues and keeping the crowd entertained with off-the -cuff remarks.
Whilst Linus and Joseph are the stars of the show, there are also video contributions from a whole host of well known faces including Tove Lo as The Prime Minister of Swedonia, drag queen Kate Butch as Angela Merkel, Yshee Black as Michelle Obama, Geri Allen as The Queen of England, and Heartstopper actor Sebastian Croft as Prince Balthazar of Bashington. Each character was woven into the story wonderfully – Tove Lo self referencing her discography was a particular highlight.
Digital cast of The Fit Prince…
The show is also enhanced by lots of audience participation, with the lucky audience members chosen from the crowd before the show starts. With ample roles on offer, including a priest, orphanage children, and Elian’s horses, the show is certainly uplifted by the contribution of the crowd. On press night, the chosen audience members gave their everything, making us laugh in all the right places. We were also treated to a very special guest participation, with Sebastian Croft being given the role of Elian’s doppelgänger for one night only. This was made even funnier by the fact that he had to romance his own digital character, Prince Balthazar of Bashington.
The beauty of The Fit Prince… is its versatility. The incredibly long title includes “(inset holiday here)”, meaning that Linus and Joseph have been able to update the show from their Edinburgh Fringe run this summer to create this festive offering. They also keep it up to date with current pop culture references, including a hilarious nod to the viral Madame Morrible x Wicked Witch TikTok trend. Due to the element of audience participation, each show will look slightly different as well as you just don’t know how people will react and play out their roles.
credit: Anna Clare
There is also music laced throughout the show, created by songwriter Leland. Whether it’s the Swedonia national anthem (with ever changing lyrics to match the plot), the brilliant BAAB songs parodying ABBA’s greatest hits, or Gerta McMurder’s powerful ballad, each track is sensational in its own way and adds a lot of depth and humour to the plot.
As Christmas specials go, The Fit Prince… is a must-see and is an excellent alternative to your traditional pantomime. The 70-minute spectacular packs a punch in all the right ways and will undoubtedly leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Ditch the Netflix specials and make your way to the King’s Head Theatre today!
The Fit Prince (Who Gets Switched On in the Square in the Frosty Castle the Night Before (Insert Public Holiday Here)) plays at King’s Head Theatre, London between 2 December 2025 – 3 January 2026. Tickets are available now.
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review