Theatre review: Bone Wars

Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Inspired by true events, Bone Wars depicts a historic feud between Edward ÂDrinker Cope (Nicholas Cooke) and Othniel Charles Marsh Â(Kieron Nicholson), two 19th century academics whose passion for palaeontology pits them against each other.

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House (Venue 170)

***

In this portrayal, Cope is the (comparative) innocent, a sweet-natured soul who just wants to unearth fossils and spend time with his beloved family (and, OK, maybe also take advantage of the 1870s’ relaxed attitude to illicit substances). Marsh, on the other hand, comes across as an archetypical egocentric villain: convinced of his own intellectual superiority, he plots to undermine Cope at every opportunity, all the while taking credit for his rival’s discoveries.

The inherently fascinating scenario carries Bone Wars a long way – it woud take a pretty concerted effort to make a show about duelling Victorian dino-diggers boring.

Cooke and Nicholson (joined onstage by Michelle Wormleighton in a variety of supporting and narrator roles) aren’t the most polish ed performers, but their delivery is, even at its shakier points, still competent, and the jokes land more often than not. Given its light-hearted yet informative tone, it would even pass for a family-friendly afternoon show, were its performers not so fond of dropping the odd F-bomb for comic effect.

Niki Boyle

Until 13 August. Today 11am.