Edinburgh Fringe Review 19th August 2026

The Bob Ross Effect is a warm hug of a show about the legendary television painter, enriched by tender memories of lost family and friends.

Appearing as Bob Ross, performer Sarah-Louise invites us to join in. Small canvases and crayons are supplied, and throughout the show we are encouraged to draw. Some of the results are shared with the room, but artistic ability is beside the point. There is no competition and no such thing as a wrong picture. What matters is the process: taking a little time to forget the outside world, quieten the mind and create as best we can.

I think I may have been the only audience member who had previously painted along with Bob Ross in real time, albeit cheating a little by using an iPad. I did so while watching repeats of his show during lockdown. Seeing Sarah-Louise recreate that same calm and comforting atmosphere was a real treat.

We then learn about Sarah-Louise’s grief and her remembrance of her brother, as well as the wonderful Lynne Ruth Miller. A fellow performer whom I briefly knew in Brighton, Miller was an older woman with an extraordinary joie de vivre, an absolute force of nature. Her presence feels particularly vivid here, reminding us that those we have lost can continue to inspire and bring joy.

The act of drawing becomes connected to memory, grief and the ways in which absent loved ones continue to shape our lives. Bob Ross’s familiar gentleness provides the perfect framework for these reflections, allowing the show to move between humour and sadness without ever becoming overly sentimental.

Its greatest pleasure is the atmosphere Sarah-Louise creates. For a short while, a roomful of strangers is given permission to slow down, be imperfect and enjoy making something simply for the sake of it.

A happy, calming show that looks back with affection, finding both comfort and inspiration in remembrance. As Bob Ross would say, “Happy painting, and God bless, my friend.”

Show	The Bob Ross Effect
Dates & Times	5-31 August 2026 at 4.05pm
Venue	Assembly George Square Gardens – Piccolo Tent
Production Company	Sarah-Louise Young / Suzanna Rosenthal Productions
Ticket Link	Edinburgh Fringe