‘Listen Dance’, from innovative theatre company Little Bulb must be the most fun you can have on the Fringe without taking illegal substances. The label ‘Social dance’ is accurate but doesn’t do any sort of justice to this hour and fifteen minutes of life-affirming collective celebration. A young person might call this show ‘wholesome’ and it utterly is – but it’s delivered with a wink and a whoop as you whirl around the floor so the net effect is anything but.

We’re in the beautiful Palais du Varieté, one of the Spiegeltents recently landed in Assembly’s George Square Gardens, all stained glass, mirrors, cabaret booths, and twinkly lights. A nine-piece band are on the stage with an array of instruments – everything you’d expect with cameos from a bunch of things you wouldn’t. And we are invited to dance. You don’t have to. If you choose to, you’re encouraged to take it at your own pace, take breaks when you need to, keep water to hand (as this gets fast). But mainly you’re encouraged to find a stranger, take their hand and have fun.

The performers serve up an array of musical and dance styles but what makes this show magic is that each is accompanied by clear instructions on that dance style. We kick off with pop, segue into an Orcadian Strip The Willow, then we rock around the clock. Abba knocks knees with ‘Hava Nagila’, a Jewish folk song sung beautifully as we circle dance. There’s some YMCAing and we’re even invited (with ear plugs) to mosh. You maybe didn’t set out this evening to find yourself wedding dancing in sync with a roomful of people you’ve never met to Marvin Gaye but you’ll be glad you did.

The reason for it all is revealed towards the end in a well-crafted monologue, affirming the importance of creating time for joy in lives that can feel gloomy. Whatever your age, whatever your relationship with dance, you’ll find it hard to resist falling in love with Little Bulb.

‘Listen Dance‘ has finished its Fringe run