Bottoming for Jesus
Bottoming for Jesus is a show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026, performing at ZOO Southside. It has 23 performances listed, running from Fri 7 Aug, 22:40 to Sun 30 Aug, 22:40. The run has finished — every listed performance has taken place.
About this show
A show about holes... and the lengths we go to fill them. At fifteen, Michael R Speciàle converted himself to Mormonism – no missionaries required. A closeted gay teenager in the Pacific Northwest, he built an entire belief system to contain what he couldn't face. Surprise! It didn't work. Part stand-up, part cabaret, part sermon, part TED Talk, Speciàle transforms the theatre into a queer church of longing, doubt and spectacular failure through musical numbers, radical oversharing, whiteboard theology and of course, Judy Garland. 'An audacious but essential work of art' (WWeek.com). European Premiere.
Details
- Venue: ZOO Southside
- Space: Studio
- Genre: THEATRE, Cabaret, LGBTQ+
- Country: UNITED STATES
- Running time: 60 minutes
- Room size: about 70 seats (Studio) — the Fringe box office sells a share of the room, not all of it
- Performances listed: 23, of which 0 still to come and on sale
Accessibility
- Wheelchair access: level
- Access features: Step-free access, Accessible toilet
- Venue notes: Accessible entry: Level access via rear entrance, 10 steps from street if not taking accessibility entrance. Wheelchair access type:Level Access Stairs: 6 - 10 Number of stairs is provided as guidance and is not in addition to any wheelchair access type (lift/ramp etc) stated above.
What the reviewers said
We have captured 5 published reviews and 15 audience reviews for this show from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s own listing. The excerpts below are the reviewers’ words, not ours — follow each link for the full review.
Speciàle’s raw honesty ensures this remains an unforgettable story. It is a brave, deeply memorable exploration of faith and identity that lingers long after the final bow.
— The Reviews Hub (4 out of 5 stars)
Funny, touching and deeply confessional, Bottoming for Jesus blends cabaret, storytelling and audience participation into a surprisingly complex exploration of faith, sexuality, belonging and what it means to reckon…
Bottoming for Jesus is a powerful, sharply written exploration of what happens when being gay, finding yourself and a life shaped by God all collide. At the centre is the religious concept of kenosis, the emptying of…
— Pure Life Plus (4 out of 5 stars)
Performance dates and ticket availability
- Fri 7 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £10.00
- Sat 8 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £14.50
- Sun 9 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £14.50
- Mon 10 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £14.50
- Tue 11 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £14.50
- Wed 12 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £13.50
- Thu 13 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £13.50
- Fri 14 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £14.50
- Sat 15 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £14.50
- Sun 16 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £14.50
- Tue 18 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £13.50
- Wed 19 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £13.50
- Thu 20 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £13.50
- Fri 21 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £14.50
- Sat 22 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £14.50
- Sun 23 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £14.50
- Mon 24 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £13.50
- Tue 25 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £13.50
- Wed 26 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £13.50
- Thu 27 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £13.50
- Fri 28 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £14.50
- Sat 29 Aug, 22:40 — Already performed — £14.50
- Sun 30 Aug, 22:40 — Cancelled — £14.50