Following riotous 2025 runs at the Edinburgh Fringe and in London, with over 21 five-star reviews and counting, Awkward Prods are delighted to announce that their romcom parody The Fit Prince (who gets switched on the square in the frosty castle the night before (insert public holiday here)) will be coming to Newcastle from Tuesday 7th – Friday 10th April 2026.
From the makers of Gwyneth Goes Skiing, Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story and how to live a jellicle life, The Fit Prince (who gets switched on the square in the frosty castle the night before (insert public holiday here)) Flicks through the Net of traditional holiday movies, bringing all their Hallmarks together in the signature Awkward Prods way – queer, interactive, comedic and heartfelt.
On bringing the show to Newcastle, Linus Karp says:
The people in Newcastle know how to have FUN. It’s so enjoyable to play for a Newcastle crowd – and compared to other cities we also tend to get people of all ages all equally up for a fun and raucous time. Live Theatre is such a gem of a venue on the UK theatre scene, and we can not wait to be back.
About The Show
Panic! In Swedonia. The King is dead, and the Prince in line to the throne is unmarried – if he doesn’t find someone soon, he must forfeit the crown!
Meanwhile, in New York City, baker Aaron Butcher is butchering his career as a family baker. His puppet colleague, the ever-optimistic Jenny Puppetson, secretly enters him for a mysterious royal commission in the faraway land of Swedonia: Aaron has been chosen to bake the wedding cake for the Prince himself. Extremely reluctantly, and mostly to spite his ex, Aaron accepts. Maybe a commission in a suspiciously familiar, completely fictional country will fix his problems…
Audiences are invited to Swedonia – the perfect setting for the ultimate queer parody of all those Netflix and Hallmark romcoms you love to cringe at; the chaotic queer cousin to them all.
Written by and starring Linus Karp and Joseph Martin, with original music by Golden Globe–nominated songwriter and producer Leland (Troye Sivan, Charli xcx, RuPaul’s Drag Race) and multiple surprise cameos, The Fit Prince is a joyous subversion of heteronormative romcoms and a love letter to Karp’s native Sweden.
As if their creative chemistry weren’t already clear, there’s a sweeter twist to the story: in August last year, Linus and Joseph legally tied the knot on stage at the Edinburgh Fringe in a packed-out 750-seat Pleasance Grand in front of friends, loved ones and a ticketed audience. Believed to be the first legal wedding ever to take place at the Fringe – and the first LGBTQ+ wedding in the festival’s official programme – the one-off ceremony celebrated their 11 years together with a joyful mix of festival sparkle and real-life romance.
Digital Cast Cameos
In addition to the live on-stage action, The Fit Prince also boasts a glittering line-up of digital cameos.
Appearing via video throughout the show are Grammy-nominated pop icon Tove Lo (making her theatrical debut as the Prime Minister of Swedonia), Sebastian Croft (Heartstopper, Game of Thrones), Malte Gårdinger (Young Royals), Joshua Whitehouse (The Knight Before Christmas, Poldark), Misia Butler (Kaos), Jeremy McClain (Pose), Kate Butch (RuPaul’s Drag Race UK), and more – including Geri Allen (Operation Mincemeat) reprising her acclaimed Queen of England from Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story.
This line-up brings together a mostly queer and pan-global mix of talent – from drag royalty to pop royalty to fan-favourite faces from queer TV moments.
WHO’S WHO
Linus Karp is a queer Swedish actor, writer and theatre maker whose range as a performer goes from glamorous blonde women to glamorous blonde men. He is the writer/performer behind Gwyneth Goes Skiing, Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story and how to live a jellicle life. He is so skinny that he was the inspiration for the hockey sticks in Heated Rivalry.
Joseph Martin is an actor, musician and creative based in North London. Previous credits include Jeff Wayne’s The War Of The Worlds (Layered Reality), Sir Quentin Blake’s The Green Ship (UK Tour), and Count Magnus (BBC). He co-founded Awkward Prods with Linus Karp in 2017.
Leland is a Golden Globe–nominated songwriter and producer. He has written for artists including Charli xcx, Kylie Minogue, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande and Cher, as well as co-writing Troye Sivan’s Grammy-nominated hit Rush. His television and film credits include RuPaul’s Drag Race, Love, Victor (Hulu), The Other Two (HBO Max), and Sierra Burgess Is a Loser (Netflix). He also wrote the original songs for Gwyneth Goes Skiing.
More Praise for The Fit Prince, 2025
“A flamboyantly queer, joyfully audience-involving homage to the romcom”
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Edinburgh Reviews
“Proving once again that these theatre creators have a unique voice, The Fit Prince is their best show yet.” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ The Recs
“Fringe camp at its absolute finest.” ★ ★ ★ ★ The Arts Desk
“Going straight to the top of my recommendations for this Fringe!” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Theatre and Tonic
“A beautiful and hilarious rom-com for the ages – one of the freshest, most original shows you’ll see this Fringe.” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Fairy Powered Productions
“A gloriously unhinged send-up of Hallmark-style romcoms, full of theatrical flair and tongue-in-cheek charm.” ★ ★ ★ ★ Mickey Jo Theatre
‘The Fit Prince […]’ might well be the crown jewel of Awkward Productions.” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ A Youngish Perspective
“Bursting with queer joy, mischievous invention, and laugh-until-you-cry mayhem. Swedonia is officially my new happy place.” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Theatre Audience Podcast
“This is unashamedly fun, fiercely funny, and just an utterly unforgettable experience…the must-see theatrical event of the season.” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Pink Prince Theatre
“A must-see” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Celeb Mix
“Unmissable – supremely silly and hilariously uplifting.” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Fairy Powered Productions
“Had me howling throughout, a must-see…pure unadulterated joy” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ The Live Review
Praise for previous Awkward Prods shows
“An endless amount of non-stop laughter” ★★★★★★ Jack The Lad
“Absurd, camp, chaotic, and hilarious” ★★★★★ Attitude
“Perfectly imagined and brought to life on stage with vision and heaps of silliness”
★★★★★ The National
“A masterclass of parody” ★★★★★ The Skinny
“As poised and polished as it is anarchic and outrageous.” ★★★★★ London Theatre1
“A whole new level of genius” ★★★★★ All That Dazzles
“The most unhinged piece of theatre in existence” ★★★★★ Broadway Baby
“Gleeful absurdist comedy at its finest” ★★★★★ Culture Fix
“Gloriously ridiculous” ★★★★ The Stage
“Preeningly perfect… very funny” ★★★★ The Scotsman
“Repellent trash” Daily Mail
The Fit Prince (who gets switched on the square in the frosty castle the night before (insert public holiday here))
Venue: Live Theatre, Broad Chare, Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3DQ
Dates: Tuesday 7th – Friday 10th April
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: https://www.live.org.uk/whats-on/fit-prince