{"id":1226,"date":"2026-09-17T19:30:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T19:30:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ivomuller.com\/onemillionwords\/?p=1226"},"modified":"2026-09-21T19:02:32","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T19:02:32","slug":"edinburgh-festival-fringe-audience-reviews-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ivomuller.com\/onemillionwords\/index.php\/2026\/09\/17\/edinburgh-festival-fringe-audience-reviews-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Audience Reviews \/ Edinburgh Festival Fringe"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Thanks to all of you who took the time to write these audience reviews.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span>
Since the Fringe website deletes them once the festival is over, we copied ALL of them here, with names and dates.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAn honest and passionate performance<\/strong> by Ivo as he captivates us with his story and his connection with Rilke’s letters.<\/span>
Rating: 4\/5. Highly recommended.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Macew<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
26 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s quite a pure show. <\/strong>The actor is the vehicle through whom the words spill out. I am a fan of Rilke\u2019s writing and almost wish the show was even more stoic \u2014 not that I want a live audio book, but I thought there was power in such commitments to the words themselves, and in how the actor positions himself in relation to the poet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Cashmere S<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
26 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI thoroughly enjoyed this show \u2014 if you love language, questions about translation and identity, you will love it too. Ivo Mueller is so fully engaged in both roles (himself as actor\/performer and Rilke as character) that the (fraction of) million words reaching the audience is immensely stimulating.<\/span>
I loved the use of the stage and few simple props (including the shadow play) and the transitions between acting and narrating, the more distant poet and the very present actor.<\/strong><\/span>
If you are familiar with Rilke or other German writers of the time, you may find yourself like me \u2018back-translating\u2019 phrases and even whole sentences into German as Mueller takes a literal approach to translation which further enhances the links between identity and language.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Kerstin<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
23 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate the minimalist style of the show and how it stays true to the original letters written by Rilke. I also enjoyed the latter half of the show, when there was more movement and interaction.<\/span>
Perhaps, both as an audience member and as a reader of Rilke, I was expecting more. I was particularly interested in the actor\u2019s personal experience \u2014 how it mirrored or intersected with Rilke and his philosophy, and what it is like to use a second language to create and express oneself. I wanted to see more of how Ivo expresses himself through Rilke. It was there, and I only wished to see more of it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Anonymous<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
23 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere were only few of us in for the performance on Sunday morning, but this just added to the sense of intimacy and immediacy of the communication. You knew that it made no difference to Muller \u2014 he could have been playing to one person or a thousand; his utter commitment to the task and immersion in the role was so complete that you felt he was addressing you alone.<\/span>
He became a conduit for the language of the poet. And what language! Through Muller\u2019s focus and precise articulation, it broke over you in waves and demanded your total concentration. I was wrung out by the end \u2014 an emotional wreck.<\/span>
Ivo Muller is a fantastic actor, and this is a remarkable, wonderful piece of theatre.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Jonathan Herbert<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
19 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot what I expected. Performed well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Julie Phillips<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
18 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA Million Words\u201d \u2014 an unmissable, profound show; a sensitive, thought-provoking monologue. I highly recommend it.<\/span>
Nothing but gratitude.<\/span>
Congratulations to S\u00e3o Paulo Showcase; all the productions are excellent.<\/span>
It exceeded all expectations.<\/strong> Congratulations to Ivo, the entire production team, and everyone involved. Long live such a beautiful show.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

M\u00e1rcia Val\u00e9ria Morelli<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
17 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was very touching to see Rilke’s words on stage with such a great actor, who turns real each sentence of these wonderful letters. For those of you who are seeking great text, acting and getting in touch with the deep sense of art within your souls, I highly recommend One Million Words<\/strong>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Julian<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
17 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA brilliant and touching show for people seeking answers inside. A monologue yet opens up conversations with different voices within and outside oneself. From my point of view, the use of a second language as the medium of play by Ivo adds up another layer of navigating the whole process of understanding life for the poet and for the audience from different cultures.<\/strong><\/span>
The script holds wisdom and sincerity, hovering in my mind when the new line hits right after another, leaving great impact as one ponder and feel the show. Absolutely enjoyed the front row experience and it’s definitely one of the shows I would like to revisit whenever possible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Qingyang<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
15 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRilke is an oracle to any artist \u2014 and really to any sensitive soul \u2014 and Ivo acts as a beautiful medium between his wise words and us. Highly recommended to all, but especially to other Fringe performers in need of inspiration during the crazy roller-coaster that is this festival.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Bruna Longo<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
15 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the only show I watched twice at the Fringe this year. <\/strong>Great shows should evoke personal memories and generate thoughts of the audience, and One Million Words is one of them. The small venue setting in Jack Dome is perfect for this one-man show.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

When Ivo looked me in the eye from the stage, I felt that he was not performing but talking to me directly as an elder mentor with his sincere heart, which was a unique experience. He made Rilke alive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Kate Jiang<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
15 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBased on Rilke\u2019s letters to a young poet, written when Rilke himself was encountering a stagnant period in writing, this material, rich in itself for a dramatisation, becomes richer still as we learn that it has been instrumental in encouraging M\u00fcller\u2019s own transformation from schoolteacher to dramatist\/actor.<\/span>
In the hour we have with Rilke\/M\u00fcller we hear Rilke\u2019s best known exhortations (among others, to live the question) but here, they are given a heartfelt context. The staging reflects the exhortations and dilemmas one faces to achieve them.<\/span>
The stage is a minimalist circle of letters on the floor. There is also a white rose and a red apple suspended above a table and chairs. Other visual frames of reference appear to create a richly-layered hour.<\/span>
M\u00fcller’s production and performance stand independently of an audience\u2019s knowledge of Rilke, but One Million Words will encourage me to explore one of my favourite poets further. Did I say I loved it?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Robert<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
13 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThought provoking and engaging<\/strong>. Thank you. I\u2019m rushing now to buy some of Rilke\u2019s writing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Kate H<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
13 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA bold, risk-taking, transgressive, one-of-a-kind show<\/strong>. So glad we saw this one. Rare Fringe gem!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Anonymous<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
10 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis one-man play is more like a monologue than a cohesive story. Overall, it is quite enjoyable. I particularly like the philosophical thinking. It is a piece for the moment.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Anonymous<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
8 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGreat performance!<\/span>
It was intense and incredible how he keeps the audience engaged on the monologue.<\/span>
Wonderful!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Camila Ismania Santos<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
8 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAmazing play!! Great talented actor!!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Guilherme De Rosso<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
8 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAn incredible performance by Ivo Muller bringing Rilke\u2019s words to life in a way that has relevance 100 years after his death. You\u2019re encouraged to drift off but also to relate to the words which resonate with you. Ivo engages with individual members of the audience by addressing them directly but also brings in additional elements such as movement and puppetry to keep you focused on his performance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Anonymous<\/span>
Audience member<\/span>
7 Aug 2026<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Thanks to all of you who took the time to write these audience reviews.\u00a0 Since the Fringe website deletes them once the festival is over, we copied ALL of them here, with names and dates. \u201cAn honest and passionate performance by Ivo as he captivates us with his story and his connection with Rilke’s letters.Rating: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advanced_seo_description":"What did audiences think of One Million Words \u2013 Rilke? Read audience reviews from the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe of Ivo M\u00fcller\u2019s solo show inspired by Rilke.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"Edinburgh Fringe Reviews | One Million Words \u2013 Rilke","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,1],"tags":[32,34,37,36,35,31,33],"class_list":["post-1226","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews","category-uncategorized","tag-audience-reviews","tag-edinburgh-fringe-2026","tag-ivo-muller","tag-one-million-words-rilke","tag-rilke","tag-solo-show","tag-theatre-reviews"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ivomuller.com\/onemillionwords\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1226","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ivomuller.com\/onemillionwords\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ivomuller.com\/onemillionwords\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivomuller.com\/onemillionwords\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivomuller.com\/onemillionwords\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1226"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/ivomuller.com\/onemillionwords\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1226\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1268,"href":"https:\/\/ivomuller.com\/onemillionwords\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1226\/revisions\/1268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ivomuller.com\/onemillionwords\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivomuller.com\/onemillionwords\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivomuller.com\/onemillionwords\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}