Coco – billed as a six‑foot‑seven‑inch‑tall tour guide who never wears heels – is the brainchild of British comedian Max Norman. He created the character as a tongue‑in‑cheek “revenge” on his artist mother, who used to drag him through London galleries as a child, and as a way to make the often‑stuffy world of Old Masters feel entertaining.
The character made her Edinburgh debut last month as part of the city’s Fringe Festival, staging the tour inside the National Galleries of Scotland. The event was promoted as a “cheeky romp” that would uncover the “gossip, glamour and glorious absurdity hiding behind the art.”
During the tour, Coco instructed participants to curtsy before portraits of British monarchs, then launched into humorous anecdotes that highlighted the insecurities and indulgences of the historical figures on display. At one point the group “played dead” on the floor while learning about the 18th‑century Jacobite defeat, a visual gag that underscored the shift from swords to guns in that conflict.
The experience continued with a light‑hearted “gallop” from room to room, as attendees were encouraged to mimic horses as they moved between galleries. The physical, improvisational elements were designed to break the passive museum‑visiting mold and keep the audience actively engaged.
Audience reactions, as reported by participants, ranged from delighted laughter to a renewed curiosity about the artworks themselves. By blending factual commentary with slapstick performance, Coco’s tour offered a fresh model for how cultural institutions might attract younger or less‑traditionally‑interested visitors during high‑profile events like the Fringe.
Norman says the success of the Edinburgh run will inform future tours in London and other cities, suggesting that the format could become a recurring feature of the Fringe and similar festivals, where the line between comedy and education is deliberately blurred.