If there’s one thing that everybody has in common, it’s that we all make mistakes. Big and small, the consequences of mistakes can range from a mere moment of embarrassment, to empire-smashing catastrophe.
Mistakes, one could argue, are the glue that binds people, cultures and, history loving comedians, such as Paul Coulter, together. Back for his third Fringe season, Coulter, a self-confessed history nerd, knew he was hooked on history when, aged seven, he attended “dress like your hero day” as a sixteenth century civil war knight. His friends, meanwhile, came as Batman. Thus, set on his very own crusade to learn about and from the past, Coulter’s passion has culminated in 5 Mistakes that Changed History, a sell-out Fringe favourite featuring Coulter in the dual roles of educator and court jester.
The format for Fringe 2025 is the same as previous years, whereby Coulter regales with five stories about mistakes that in some way each changed the course of history. If you’ve been before you’ll know what to expect. If you’re a fresher, think Horrible Histories with a slightly less sardonic tone (though still tinged with British irony) and aimed roughly at the adult and older kid audience bracket. Coulter chose four new stories for 2025, and a repeat of his Titanic story from the first show, though with new information and focus. In the line-up on Friday were Roman Gladiators, some of history’s great scammers including the man who sold the Eiffel Tower to investors for scrap metal (twice!) and the mistake behind Beethoven’s most recognizable tune. There were castles and the brave woman who defended the home she loved against hundreds of rebels, all while pregnant with her 13th child. And there was the string of tragedies behind the failed attempts to contact a nearby ship which, if successful, would have saved hundreds of lives on the night that the Titanic sank.
To divulge further particulars would be to destroy the joy in Coulter’s skilled and delightfully comedic telling of these tales. His passion for the past and talent in delivering details that strike home and resonate are what make this show so appealing. While it’s easy to find information these days, Coulter’s training as a historian is evident and it’s both his understanding of events and the impact they had, together with his performance flair, that makes this show great.
As someone who attended Coulter’s first Fringe season and has witnessed the tiny, half-full tent of 2023 morphe to bigger tents and sold-out audiences in 2024 and 2025, I can attest to its appeal. In my entourage Friday were other adults and kids aged nine, twelve and thirteen. We were all entertained and educated, with the youngest in the group being the show’s biggest fan. In comparison to previous years, some stories felt a little less momentous and their supposed impact upon history at the outer edge of that long-drawn bow. Coulter also appeared less confident in delivering some of his cheesy (but still funny) one-liners that at times failed to quite land. However, grading him against himself is perhaps unfair because he was still good enough to rate a 4.5 star rating out of 5 possible stars from the 12-year-old, and a 4.9 from the nine-year-old. More medieval knights, Paul, and you’d have cracked the 5-star rating from him! I should also highlight that the strength of his earlier shows was sufficient to attract a book deal. So, if you’re curious and can’t get to his show (‘cause they’re sold out!) check out his book of the same name for funny, or at least funnily told, stories about people making mistakes that each, for good or bad, changed the world.
You know, I thought I made a mistake once, but I was wrong…