Having just watched the 1000 Men and Me: The Bonnie Blue Story documentary on Channel 4, it feels like BODY COUNT couldn’t have arrived at a more relevant moment. The Channel 4 doc follows OnlyFans content creator Bonnie Blue, who has stirred huge controversy with her public stunts – most notably, one in which she invited 1,000 men to sleep with her in central London. BODY COUNT introduces us to Pollie, played by Issy Knowles, an adult content creator aiming to follow in Bonnie’s footsteps by sleeping with 1,000 of her own subscribers. The setting for this? Right here, at the Edinburgh Fringe. 

As we wait, we’re handed blue balaclavas to put on – immediately positioning us as part of the queue of subscribers (alarming to say the least, to see my fiancé wearing one). Pollie greets us in a dressing gown and begins recalling how she ended up here. A voiceover intermittently asks her questions – presumably an interviewer, I wasn’t sure but either way, the structure feels a little contrived at these points. I found myself more engaged during other sections, where the storytelling is more fluid and organic, rather than relying on responses prompted by these cues.

We learn about Pollie’s religious childhood, a heartbreak that shaped her and her past life working in an office, with Knowles adding in snippets of humour where we need it. These personal moments are intercut with choreographed sequences representing the stream of imaginary men entering the space – depicted through amplified, often unsettling moments of physicality and movement. Some scenes are provocative, others veer into violent. At one of these moments, I notice a couple of audience members walk out, a choice that adds to the unease of staying to witness more scenes of a similar nature. With each encounter, we hear the repetitive ka-ching! of money landing in Pollie’s account – a smart audio choice that emphasises the constant stream of income she’s generating throughout.

Knowles gives a committed and assertive performance, never afraid to confront and explore questions surrounding sexual agency, feminism and the perpetuation of the objectification of women. It’s an intentionally challenging piece – something Knowles herself acknowledges as she thanks us for coming after the show finishes. BODY COUNT raises confronting, timely, vital questions without offering us easy answers, forcing us to sit with the discomfort and reflect. 

BODY COUNT is on at the Pleasance Courtyard til 25^th August. Tickets available here!