With so many shows competing for attention at the Edinburgh Fringe, a poster really needs to make you stop and look. A golden retriever sporting an American tie around his neck will certainly do that. Meet Mayor Max, the remarkable story of a dog who became the mayor of a small town in America.
As we enter the space, we’re greeted by actor and writer Alex Robins, whose genuine warmth and gratitude immediately win the audience over. He thanks us for being there, creating an unexpected sense of positivity in the room and even a strange little touch of emotion.
Robins is a captivating storyteller, gradually bringing the town of Idyllwild, California, to life. With the help of projected images and photographs, he paints a vivid picture of the town and its community, drawing us into the extraordinary world of Mayor Max.
It’s 2012, and Idyllwild decides to elect an animal as mayor because… well, why not? What starts as a quirky local idea soon takes a much more extraordinary turn. Community member Phyllis receives a ‘message from a mysterious being high above Idyllwild’: if her dog, Max, is elected mayor, he will live forever. If he isn’t, he will die. Spurred on by this seemingly impossible message, Phyllis sets out to get Max elected and somehow succeeds. Max quickly becomes far more than a novelty mayor. He grows into a symbol of the community, championing kindness and community spirit along the way.
It’s clear that Robins is fascinated by the story himself, and that enthusiasm is infectious. Little moments of interaction with the audience make the show feel relaxed and personal, while the stream of photographs keeps us firmly on Max’s side. By this point, we’re hanging on Robins’ every word and, naturally, every photo of the puppy. Robins doesn’t just tell us the story. Curious about how much of it is actually true, he travels to Idyllwild himself to meet the mayor and the people behind the story. It’s here that things start to feel a little less straightforward.
It would be unfair to reveal too much about where Robins’ investigation eventually takes him. Mayor Max heads somewhere you really don’t expect. What begins as a charming story about a much-loved golden retriever gradually becomes something far stranger, leaving you questioning not only what you’ve been told, but why you were so willing to believe it in the first place.
Robins carries the entire hour with impressive ease. There is never a sense that he is simply delivering a rehearsed monologue, instead, he makes the audience feel as though we are discovering the story alongside him. His warmth and humour make the darker questions that emerge all the more effective. The cleverness of the production lies in its simplicity. There are no elaborate sets allowing the story to take the focus. Instead, Robins relies on photographs, projected images, testimony and his own investigation, giving the piece an almost journalistic quality while keeping his performance firmly in theatre.
Directed by Jon Nash, the show manages to be increasingly puzzling without ever losing its way. Mayor Max may begin with a golden retriever in an American tie, but it quickly becomes much more than a cute story about a canine politician. By the end, the audience is left questioning not only the story they’ve been told, but why they were so willing to believe it in the first place.
Go for the dog. Stay for the story. In a Fringe packed with thousands of stories competing for attention, Meet Mayor Max is one worth seeking out.
★★★★★
Gifted ticket in exchange for an honest review.