5 Stars
Cody plays with his toy Cowboys and Indians while Beau panics that it’s 9:45pm and he isn’t ready for curtain up – setting a delightfully meta tone in this extraordinarily inventive play. The two best pals in Gonzales, Texas, get so carried away with their love for Wild West Heroes that they plan to escape from home and find Billy The Kid. There’s a magical childish pleasure in seeing them make their devious plan, including breaking into a house to steal a map, and acquiring all the food and supplies for their perilous quest; and as they run away, the lines between reality and fantasy become blurred as Cody and Beau face the real challenges of the Wild West. Dylan Kaeuper and Will Grice have created a truly exciting and escapist fantasy that takes us back to when we were kids, and portray their young adventurers with affection, courage and a genuine sense of those unbreakable bonds we develop with our childhood best friends. I was blown away with the magic of it all. One of this Fringe’s must-see shows. 5 stars.
— The Real Chris Sparkle
4 Stars
Dramatically physical storytelling bookends sections of tightly wound tragicomedy. Cody is the rambunctious and ambitious upstart to the more naïve and wide-eyed Beau. They leap around the stage with such whimsical glee that you can’t help but get swept up in their antics – dashing through the desert sands, playing toy soldiers, flashing their fake wooden guns at one another. Moments of absurdity intersperse the linear narrative to striking effect, with visions of the fictionalised world the pair want to inhabit. High-octane performances from both Dylan Kaueper as Cody and Will Grice as Beau are the beating heart of this show, eventually allowing us deeper into the pair’s psyches and with an emotive, high-stakes finale. Beau’s character arc sees him come to terms with the fact that his heroes may not even look him in the eye, while Cody’s self-assuredness and determination is weathered by the realities of life on the road. All of this is played with a fantastically-delivered light touch. Between the moments of pathos and introspection is a bundle of exuberant, playful joy and roleplay that settles this as a firm and promising debut for Kaueper and Grice. They’re a duo to watch. Dylan and Will’s devilishly sharp and fervent EdFringe debut is a whip-smart romp through toxically masculine idols and false expectations of what it means to be a man.
— Jake Mace (Binge Fringe)
4 Stars
Beneath the gripping action and intense physicality, this heart-pounding adventure presents an intimate portrayal of boyhood friendship and an emotional exploration of masculinity that highlights the fine line between our true selves and who we pretend to be. We start with two pals who enjoy innocently playing together but then experience the intensities of bonding and survival as their characters deal with challenges on the journey and come to rely on each other for survival. They have to face the harsh realities of life and realise that growing up is a demanding process, full of big questions about existence and the nature of relationships. But among all the soul-searching, their tale is littered with comic moments and playfulness, though they don’t shy away from a bravely dark ending.
Kaeuper and Grice say they have “grown up performing and dreaming up worlds together since childhood”, at school where they began their creative partnership, and now at Edinburgh University, where they have formed their own company, Dylan and Will Theatre, with a “mission to make inventive, actor-led theatre that surprises, provokes and, most importantly, entertains.” This debut show fulfils all of those aspirations, is hugely impressive and great fun. These are two to look out for, with the potential to be enormously successful.
— Richard Beck (Broadway Baby)
Link: https://broadwaybaby.com/shows/cody-and-beau-a-wild-west-story/824750
4 Stars
Both performers are excellent, both in the dramatic scenes and in some exquisite physical comedy, where they are completely in sync. Escaping from your room has never been more perilous or entertaining. The accent work is really strong too – there were a couple of wobbles in moments of high drama, but it’s really commendable to sustain such high quality over the course of the hour.
The script is fun and ambitious, with smart remarks and bantering between the boys, leaving us all rooting for them, balanced with sweeter, more reflective moments as they camp under the stars. However, it’s in the final scenes following an altercation that the dramatic performances come to the fore, in a shuddering conclusion that will stay with you for a long time after.
This is a very accomplished production, perfectly poised in comedy and drama. Saddle up, cowboys!
— Claire McArthur (A Youngish Perspective)
Link: https://ayoungishperspective.co.uk/2025/08/09/review-cody-beau-a-wild-west-story/
