Basket: £0.00
Basket: £0.00
Gene Morgan was an essential worker during the Covid 19 pandemic working at a grocery store. Find out the true story of how one man dealt with a global pandemic, being called a hero (and being incredibly underpaid) and all the interesting stories about working as a stock boy while everyone else sheltered in place.
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
Who are the funniest comedians? The Americans, the English... eh... probably the Scottish, but maybe it's the Arabs? Is it the Asians? Canadians? No, it's your Irish cousin... or maybe your Indian dad? Can’t forget about the Jews! The time to wonder has run out! Comics from every nation, culture and background will go head-to-head and answer the age old question: who are the funniest people? Records won't lie and there will be one champion. Join us with your face paint, show us your nips and let's get ready to rumble!
Laughing Horse @ Kick Ass Greyfriars
Fringe Room
Ain't no party like a Diddy Party – a compilation of the festival's freakiest comedians in a big party atmosphere. Bring your own baby oil. Late-night, dark humour, diverse line-ups. Produced by award-winning comics.
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
The Alcove
Have you ever dreamed of being #1? Ana Falcon's high-energy, late-night stand-up dives into her journey of becoming the #1 Mexican in Estonia. Because if you can make it in Eastern Europe, you can make it anywhere! This show premiered to rave reviews at the 2024 Tallinn Fringe: 'A powerful feat of storytelling and stand-up' (SourCreamAndDill.com). Ana Falcon, crowned the 2024 Comedy Roast Champion, is a Mexican comedian based in Estonia. She is part of Pussy Jam Comedy, a collective which creates safe spaces where LGBTQ+ people and their friends can enjoy stand-up in English.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Las Vegas
Fresh from selling out at Fringe World Perth, it's the 11th Annual Haters Ball! Four headline comedians battle for the prestigious title of Master Hater, roasting your suggestions. From pop culture to daily gripes, no topic is safe. Expect interactive chaos – no show is ever the same twice. 'Brutally funny' (Scotsman). 'Hysterical' (Dircksey.com.au). 'Perfect late-night adrenaline' (GonzoMagazine.co.uk). 'Most fun I've had compacted into one hour' (Gerard Butler, A-list movie star). Prepare to be offended, amused and part of the ultimate roast!
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 1
Do you like comedy? Do you like karaoke? If yes to both, then this is the show for you. Three comedians do a set each, followed by their favourite karaoke song with the audience deciding the winner.
Laughing Horse @ Dropkick Murphys
Main Room
Blue Rose Code presents the finest Scottish folk and roots music you'll see at this year's Edinburgh Fringe. Performing a headline set and featuring a different guest artist each evening. You'll hear songs from Scotland and beyond, as well as one-off collaborations between Blue Rose Code and the guests, specially for the Fringe. ‘Imagine John Martyn meets a young Van Morrison, shipwrecked with a crate of Chet Baker records’ (Time Out).
St James Church Leith
Church
Israel and Ireland aren't exactly hosting joint picnics right now. But Ori Halevy and Brendan Hickey decided to do a comedy show together anyway. If diplomacy won't work, maybe dark jokes will. Two comics. One hour. No politics – just sharp, silly and unpredictable stand-up. One of us even got a Scotsman quote: 'He is like no comic I have seen… and despite myself, I want to see more.' Laugh awkwardly. Clap nervously. Tell your friends you saw "that" show.
Alchemist Cocktail Bar and Restaurant
The Fallow
Zoom zoom zoom! Reigning Hoots Fringe Act of the Year award winner, Ridwan Hussain and Runner Up, Oliver Moore (who is a Chortle Student Comedy Award finalist) return with the latest iteration of their award-winning stand-up comedy show! Join the duo for brand new, never been seen before bits. It's 30 minutes of well-written stand-up comedy each, unlike anything you've seen before. Buy yourself a ticket – you deserve it!
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 6
Step right up for a fortune-telling experience that's barely accurate, but definitely unforgettable. Magdalena, the "fortune teller", combines a crystal ball, questionable predictions and a healthy dose of dark humour in a show that's as absurd as it is entertaining. Described by The Scotsman as 'unexpected, clever, ridiculous but great stuff, crystal ball and all', this interactive comedy has left audiences worldwide laughing and wondering what just happened. Some say it's life-changing, others call it pure nonsense-but no one escapes without a few laughs, some spirit summoning and answers you probably didn't want.
Alchemist Cocktail Bar and Restaurant
The Fallow
Immerse yourself in the world of 007 and the legendary voices that have accompanied Bond. Goldfinger, Skyfall, Diamonds Are Forever and more brought to life by the secret agent Maia Elsy and the Night Owl band. Night Owl Shows bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won them standing ovations worldwide. This chronological trip through the music of 007 promises all the classics with fascinating facts delivered by our own onstage agents and agent M beaming on to a screen from his bunker in London.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
1 *Irish: is a stand-up comedy show featuring Northern Irish comedian Reece Kidd. Reece has 100 million views online. Reece had two sold-out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 3
The team behind hit show 2 Guys, 3 Drams presents a special series of intimate gigs featuring superb Edinburgh singer-songwriter Nicole Cassandra Smit. Having made her name in the Scottish jazz and blues scene over the last decade – performing sell-out shows and touring with outfits including The Blueswater, Nicole & The Backup Crew, Smitten, and The Travelling Tent Show with Tenement Jazz Band – she'll present her songs alongside two delicious whiskies. 'Smit oozes soul and endless character' (Skinny). 'Expect Nicole Cassandra Smit to go far' (Scotsman).
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
A king. A traitor. A villain. Or was he? History tells us Richard III was a ruthless usurper, a murderer, a monster. But history is written by the victors – and truth is not always what it seems. In this electrifying one-man performance, Richard returns to confront the myths, the lies and the Shakespearean legend that made him infamous. Fact and fiction collide as he defends his name and forces you to question everything you thought you knew. The final verdict? That’s for you to decide.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
After a hugely successful debut Ed Fringe with rave reviews, magician and mind illusionist Sean Alexander is back with his thought-provoking magic show as he reflects on the defining moments in time that shape each and every one of us. With jaw-dropping magic throughout, each instance is intertwined with powerful metaphors and storytelling. This show is unlike anything else. Discover your moments in time all over again... 'This should certainly be on your must-see list' (BritishTheatreGuide.info). 'One of the stand-out performances at the Fringe' (NorthWestEnd.co.uk). 'Pure delight and amazement' (FringeReview.co.uk).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
What’s the worst thing someone could do if you were stuck in a packed lift? Sing a showtune, probably. An off-the-wall, laugh-a-minute musical where ten lives intertwine while dangling 10 Stories High and secrets come out when the doors are jammed shut. With a break-neck pace and songs you’ll be humming for the rest of the Fringe, Musical Theatre Bristol’s newest original show is funny, heartfelt and suitable for the whole family! Skip the stairs – take the lift with us today!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
When it comes to relationships, Shinanne is all about the D... disappointment! She's a 40-year-old, single lady on a journey of reflection. Her eggs are hanging on like contestants in Gladiators... even her cultural references are old! The show is a hilarious account of the trials and tribulations of dating in a Tinder reality after growing up in a kissing-in-the-disco world. Inevitably she begins to ask – what's wrong with me? So begins the introspective, somewhat ridiculous and comical list of "flaws" that expose Shinanne's weaknesses in the modern dating era.
Laughing Horse @ The Brass Monkey
Cinema Room
Sixth year on the Fringe! Join our comics as they battle it out, creating comedy from any thought you have. Just write them anonymously on pieces of paper we provide and watch the comics create a set on the spot, just for you! Entry without tickets is not guaranteed, as we have regulars that religiously come back every evening for a completely different show. 'Very funny but also thought-provoking' (Scotsman).
Alchemist Cocktail Bar and Restaurant
The Fallow
The UK's No1 Show Choir returns to the Fringe following their 2024 sell-out run, with an all-new show! Join us on another joyous journey through the rich history of musical theatre, in a fun-packed a cappella show for all the family. Starting in the raucous days of the music hall, you'll hear much-loved songs from genre-defining composers including: Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein – right through to big, modern day West End sensations like Kinky Boots and Miss Saigon. Join us for a glorious celebration of the very best of musical magic!
theSpaceTriplex
Big
Love stand-up comedy? Love badgers? Of course you do! This show explores how the worlds of humans and badgers collide using jokes, PowerPoint, and West Country charm. We’ll learn about the European badger and its dachshund nemesis, the presidential American badger, the world-famous internet sensation that is the honey badger and many more. 'It’s learning, it’s comedy and it’s cool... a fascinating wee treat at the Free Fringe' (MumbleComedy.net).
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
What’s the difference between expats and immigrants? Can Americans get deported from countries? Is Europe even real anymore? These global comedians are putting their lives (or at least their dignity) on the line to find out. 100% C*ntinental is a stand-up comedy mix show, unpacking the experiences of international women adjusting to life, love and immigration politics via ChatGPT. Where does Eastern Europe start? Is Estonia for sale? Will Hugo Boss have a comeback? What would happen if Emily went to Paris on minimum wage?
Laughing Horse @ The Raging Bull
Cellar
Each night sees four experienced acts performing. All our comedians have been hand-picked from an ethical, fair-trade farm where they've been grown in only the finest organic dog-poo. All our fart jokes are sustainable due to our unique carbon offset scheme. Each time one of us blows off, a tree is planted in Dagenham, Essex. 'Funny. Fast. Free' **** (ThreeWeeks). 'Picture BBC's Live at the Apollo' **** (DeadlineNews.co.uk).
Laughing Horse @ The Hanover Tap
The Wee Tap
Award-winning gag-merchant and three-time Joke of the Fringe winner, Masai Graham, delivers over 100 naughty jokes in half an hour. Expect punchy puns, outstanding one-liners and wizardry wordplay in this 3.3 laughs-per-minute bonanza. 'Annoyingly good' (Gary Delaney).
Laughing Horse @ Dropkick Murphys
Main Room
Comedians put the world to rights in this new panel show. Hosts Leslie Gold (as seen at The Comedy Store) and Tom Mayhew (as heard on BBC Radio 4) invite different guest comics each day to present ideas to improve the world at large. Imagine the opposite of Room 101, adding good stuff instead of banishing bad (in theory anyway). Whether the rules are adopted is down to an audience vote at each performance. Basically, it's an excuse for bants with a view of making the world a better place!
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
The Alcove
49 and 64 are in the room. They cannot see each other but they can talk and pass notes. All they have is questions, wedding veils and dog tags. Who are they? Where are they? What is going on? And why? And who is J Doe? And why are they watching them? 113 focuses in on the ideas of identity and memory. It asks if memory is what makes our identity, and if we were able to see ourselves objectively, could we change?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
This fast-paced, hilarious coming of age musical is back at the Fringe. Evan Goldman’s parents have split up and he is forced to leave the buzz of New York for rural Indiana. Will he find his place in the popularity pecking order? ‘Once again, the young performers in Captivate Theatre have shown they can put on a powerful and professional show that is a real joy to watch' (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).'Truly excellent musical theatre performances are rarely found on an amateur stage, but Captivate Theatre brings… energy, focus and talent to rival the professionals' (BrawTheatre.com).
The Edinburgh Academy
Magnusson Theatre
'Fantastic!' (Jools Holland). 'Boogie-woogie slide-guitar master' **** (Scotsman). 'The Fringe's most unique, inventive and soulful blues performer, a fantastic gig' **** (BroadwayBaby.com). Hunt's 13th Fringe following 12 years of full-house performances. 'Blues legend built his own cannibalised, recycled guitars from a B&Q shelf and papier-mache' **** (Herald). 'Instantly evocative of the deep south blues. Unique R'n'B take on Sinatra alongside a James Bond mash-up. Whatever Hunt plays, it feels refreshingly authentic' **** (List). 'Ingenious 21st-century blues' **** (ThreeWeeks). 'Like Seasick Steve in a science lab, a storming set' (Ian Rankin).
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
As a detective inspects a murder scene, each object he touches comes to life. A tarnished locket speaks in whispers of long-lost love. A delicate teacup chatters nervously about an argument overheard over steaming tea. A ballerina in a music box dances to a haunting melody as it recalls an ominous visitor. Each object, bound by its past and the hands that have held it, offers fragments of a larger mystery. With time running out, our detective must determine which object holds the final, damning clue – before the murderer strikes again.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
One Gen Xer's nostalgic coming-of-age tale traversing the building blocks of his identity. Each stage we walk through is a lesson, a memory, a funny antidote or a conversation with the audience. Crowd work in a theater piece? Yes, so please be ready to speak and interact with Ayindé. The play is fixed around the cleaning of old memories in an old room where all that's left is memories. A cast of characters spinning from quickies, a corner store/family business, Ayindé's second home. Lucky for us, most of this takes place in the 90s.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
A community turns on itself. Neighbour accuses neighbour. Child indicts mother. And 10 women are executed for witchcraft. Based on the true story of the Pendle witches and the frenzied trials which swept Lancashire in the seventeenth century. Led by acclaimed writer/director Rebecca Vines. ***** (1984 - BroadwayBaby.com). ***** (Chatroom - TheNewCurrent.co.uk). ***** (Punk Rock - ThreeWeeks). **** (Crime and Punishment - BroadwayBaby.com). **** (Coward Conscience - BritishTheatreGuide.info). **** (More Myself Than I Am - TheWeeReview.com).
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Edinburgh Photographic Society's first international photography exhibition was shown in 1861. This is the 161st running of this prestigious international print exhibition. A panel of invited judges select around 160 of the best photos from thousands entered. Entry is open from March until June. We have two categories: Mono and Colour, with up to four entries in each. Any genre is eligible. Images must originate as captures by light and the copyright owned by the submitting photographer. A printed A4 colour catalogue is included in the entry fee. Entry includes another two exhibitions.
Edinburgh Photographic Society
Gracie Allison Exhibition Hall
Shocking tricks, filthy laughs and jaw-dropping sleight-of-hand – this is not your average magic show. 18+ Magic: The Magic Show Your Mum Shouldn’t See is a chaotic late-night ride packed with R-rated illusions, adult humour and zero shame. No kids, no filter and absolutely no boundaries. It’s not just the rabbit that’s dirty – it’s everything. One unhinged magician, a very filthy deck and more surprises than your therapist would recommend. If you're easily offended, don't f*cking cum. If you're not, welcome to the wildest hour of your Fringe night.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Official Fringe sell-out 2024. It's the year 1954. Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James and Eartha Kitt are all at the dizzy heights of their careers. With swinging jazz, powerful soul and cheeky kitsch, these women broke new ground for all who followed. Award-winning singer/actor Melissa Western and her musicians pay tribute to this magnificent era in music and inspiring trio of pioneering singers. 50s style abounds. 'Western is a force of nature... Great storyteller, feisty, highly enjoyable' ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). 'Absolutely brilliant… Her aptitude for music is vast and versatile' ***** (ThreeWeeks). 'Oozes with charisma' ***** (Edinburgh-Reviews.co.uk).
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
The Beatles on the radio. Geoff Hurst on the pitch. British teenagers have never had it so good. With a world of adventures in front of them, a group of friends gather to cheer on the English football team. A new musical led by acclaimed writer/director Rebecca Vines. ***** (1984 – BroadwayBaby.com). ***** (Chatroom – TheNewCurrent.co.uk). ***** (Punk Rock – ThreeWeeks). **** (Crime and Punishment – BroadwayBaby.com). **** (Coward Conscience – BritishTheatreGuide.info). **** (More Myself Than I Am – TheWeeReview.com).
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength. In a world of deceit and disappeared dissidents, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. Orwell’s masterpiece imagines the reality of a boot stamping on a human face – forever. Following previous sell-out shows of 1984, this new version is led by acclaimed writer/director Rebecca Vines. ***** (1984 – BroadwayBaby.com). ***** (Chatroom – TheNewCurrent.co.uk). ***** (Punk Rock – ThreeWeeks). **** (Crime and Punishment – BroadwayBaby.com). **** (Coward Conscience – BritishTheatreGuide.info). **** (More Myself Than I Am – TheWeeReview.com).
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
An insect joke? Tick. A tartan joke? Check. Join Danny Matinee (Times and Telegraph's Best Jokes of the Fringe 2024) for at least another 197 one-liners, alongside props, pictures, facts and more. Includes a farmer joke that's corny, and an optician joke that's cornea. Suitable for all ages, especially fans of Masai Graham, Milton Jones and Tim Vine. By the writer/performer of shows at Brighton Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe and Leicester Comedy Festival, and Not So New Comedian of the Year 2024 finalist. 'Fantastic... I utterly recommend this show... loved it' (Audience Review).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Fake accents, real laughs! Five rising stars of comedy perform their stand-up sets with a unique twist: some of them are putting on a fake accent. Can you spot the dodgy accents? Comedians from all over the world take on the challenge to dupe the audience. Including undiscovered gems, Roast Battle champions and award-winners and nominees. ‘Distinctive stuff…’ (Bruce Dessau). 'an un-flashy confidence’ (Chortle.co.uk). ‘You are funny, but you’ll probably get cancelled’ (Prince Abdi). Sold out run 2024 Fringe.
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Upstairs
Two award-winning comics deal late-night craic in the mid-afternoon, a wild mix of dark, satirical stand-up and musical comedy. 'These guys are going to be huge' (David McSavage). 'Cork's finest export' (RedFM.ie).
Laughing Horse @ The Brass Monkey
Cinema Room
Tired of being called terrorists, Aisha and Hasan became something worse: comedians! After their 2024 sell-out run, featuring on STV News and BBC R4, and raising over £4000 for Medical Aid for Palestinians, the double-act nicknamed 'Antwar and Dec-ina' are back with a new show! Saturday Night Takeaway has gone Halal. Expect more crowd work, Arab-Kazakh double-act Banter and Sharia-complaint stand-up. Remember, EDL is welcome! (extremely deafening laughter). 25% of proceeds to MAP. 'Stereotype-crushing material' (Rolling Stone). 'Deliciously funny' (Guardian). 'Edgy and silly in exactly the right balance' (Sara Pascoe).
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Garden Room
Funny, but is it true? Three headline comedians step on stage. Two are telling the truth, one is a big fat liar. Can you tell who...? The award-winning interactive comedy compilation sell-out show returns to a brand-new air-conditioned venue on the Grassmarket! The perfect show for fans of BBC's Would I Lie To You? Total sell-out 2023 and 2024, so book early!
Ghillie Dhu
Auditorium
Funny, but is it true? Three headline comedians step on stage. Two are telling the truth, one is a big fat liar. Can you tell who...? The award-winning interactive comedy compilation sell-out show returns to a brand-new air-conditioned venue on the Grassmarket! The perfect show for fans of BBC's Would I Lie To You? Total sell-out 2023 and 2024, so book early!
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 1
Funny, but is it true? Three headline comedians step on stage. Two are telling the truth, one is a big fat liar. Can you tell who...? The award-winning interactive comedy compilation sell-out show returns to a brand-new air-conditioned venue on the Grassmarket! The perfect show for fans of BBC's Would I Lie To You? Total sell-out 2023 and 2024, so book early!
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 2
If 8 Mile was funny... 'One of the best events this Fringe season' (FringeFeed.com.au). Daniel Delby is an award-winning comedian who can rap, Macshane is a rapper who can make jokes. Every show is different as ADHD meets freestyle comedy in the most interactive freestyle game show ever created. Join your side of the audience to battle it out with your performer to cleverly outwit the other team using topics and suggestions to create hilarious improvised raps and fast paced word games. You've never experienced a show like this, trust us.
Laughing Horse @ The Raging Bull
Cellar
Returning after a sell-out season in Edinburgh, 2 Wongs and A White is back! Get ready for a stand-up comedy show featuring Australia’s funniest comedians. Each night, Jenny Tian, Harry Jun and one token white man bring you the best of Australian humour. They’ve been on TV, toured internationally, sold out festival runs and written for telly. 'Delivery is spot-on' ****½ (TheatreMatters.com.au). 'Making comedy look easy' ****½ (Stephanie Chin, Lilithia.net).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Chamber
What if Orpheus took a different deal? What if it all turned a bit differently, someone who could not bear to see their love pass on, in the process triggering something perhaps even more tragic than anyone could imagine. Orpheus is doomed to watch Eurydice die and reincarnate, falling in love over and over again. Eurydice is none the wiser, thinking she is falling in love with a mysterious stranger through some shenaniganry. The narrative jumps between time, telling of the journey our characters took and how we ended up here. Can Orpheus and Eurydice have a happy ending?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
In this intimate piece, a woman returns to her mother’s home to pack and clean – and discovers a trove of unheard messages on an old telephone answering machine. In a unique twist, it's audience members who read the messages aloud, becoming storytellers to the actor onstage. As the messages "play," they reveal glimpses of the woman and her mother’s life and their complicated bond, and the woman is forced to confront her own patterns and choices. A poignant exploration of generational echoes and emotional inheritance, the show premiered at Portland’s Fertile Ground Festival in April 2025.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Just took a DNA test – turns out I’m 100% not my dad’s biological daughter. In this deeply personal true story, Malia Moss unpacks a revelation that shattered the image she had come to associate herself with: a basic white fifth generation Texan. Now she grapples with the information uncovered by the DNA test, including being related to a holocaust survivor and a former Miss Universe contestant. Funny, devastating and deeply thought-provoking, this is a show that explores family secrets, identity and the miracle of human existence.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Three little pigs move to the big city, dreaming of pop stardom. They enter a talent contest run by the sly Big Bad Wolf and hosted by a fabulous presenter. With live vocals, lip-syncing, dance, and comedy, this electrifying show reimagines the classic tale. As the pigs advance through the competition, they revel in the glitz and glamour, unaware of the Wolf’s true intentions. The stakes rise as they discover the chilling truth – they’re destined to be the main course at the Wolf’s annual Feast of Champions. Can they escape before it's too late?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
In 2021, Sydney comedian Sam Kissajukian decided to quit stand-up, rent an abandoned cake factory, and become a painter. Over the course of a six-month manic episode, he created 300 large-scale paintings, unknowingly documenting his mental state through the process. In this hilarious, fascinating, and wildly original show, Kissajukian brings audiences on a rollercoaster ride that explores the ties between art, mental health, and creativity. Following last year's celebrated run at the Fringe and an acclaimed run at New York's Vineyard Theatre this fall, the show returns to the Fringe by popular demand.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
An unmissable, exclusive performance from legendary Russian-American trumpeter and Jazz Messengers alumnus, Valery Ponomarev, who dramatically escaped 70s USSR and toured the world with Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers for four years, recording 11 albums! Joined by an all-star international band, this elite quintet celebrates one of jazz’s most influential institutions, recreating their timeless music once more for the 32nd year! This is the jazz event of the Fringe!
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Australia’s most eligible (and unlucky) bachelor Daniel Delby had his first girlfriend at 33... for six weeks. Now, he's turning his hilariously awkward dating history into a night of non-stop laughter, relatable storytelling, and absolutely mind melting improv freestyle songs. Fringe World Comedy Award winner. 'Side-splitting genius' ***** FringeFeed.com.au, 2024). 'If you're a fan of Jim Jefferies, consider Delby his cheeky protege' (FringeFeed.com.au, 2025). From brutal rejections to learning how to speak girlfriend, Delby shares the highs, lows, and ridiculous in-betweens of love, dating and everything that went wrong. This will sell out, book now.
Laughing Horse @ The Raging Bull
Cellar
Three performers take on 20+ characters in 45 minutes in a performance that asks: who controls the narrative? In 2003, playwright Suzan-Lori Parks tasked herself with writing a play a day, sometimes two. We have curated ten of those pieces to present for our 21st year at the festival – featuring goddesses, exiled kings, unhinged presidents, writers, muses and some regular folks. By writing a play daily, Parks reflected on the year she lived in and on the world at that historical moment. What is amazing is how relevant many of those reflections remain today.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Ever wondered what happens when a LadBible-loving geezer, a pretentious C-List actor, a sadomasochist Wotsit-lover and an overbearing faux-liberal billionaire get thrown under the supervision of a Welsh boy-scout leader in one confined space after a catastrophic nuclear war? 4’s a Crowd is a new comedy play that follows the idiots left behind after the world ends. And with communications down and supplies dwindling, a deadly debate ensues: who's getting thrown out? Oh, and two of them are claiming to be the same person...
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
In this interactive show for kids of all ages, learn about different popular music genres and how to write a hit song. Children are invited on stage to play instruments and sing in an instant percussion band while writing an all-new song together. The show is led by international opera singer Steph DePrez, who began her career as a music teacher.
Laughing Horse @ West Nic Records
Little Cellar
Is your job actually real? Clue: if your job title is mostly abbreviations, then probably not (sorry, CEOs, PDFs and SEO optimisation wizards). The faker the job the realer the money! In this show, we will demystify how so many people make so much money from jobs that are thoroughly pointless. We’re beyond excited to humbly share these life-changing career hacks on curating your signature style for success, finding your passion for paying your mortgage and turning every email into a meeting. See you on LinkedIn!
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
Start your evening at the Fringe with this afternoon comedy happy hour. It does what it says on the tin. Sixty minutes of top-class stand-up from some of the finest acts on the Scottish comedy circuit. The show was a total sell-out at the Fringe in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Previous acts include Vladimir McTavish, Jay Lafferty, Ross Leslie, Robin Grainger, Gareth Waugh and Gill Cordiner. There are lots of exciting guests lined up for 2025. Book early for this show of world-class comedy made in Scotland. 'Nothing short of superb' (Scotsman).
Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly
Other Room
Hear some of the best artists from the 70s and what made them so unique: The Bee Gees, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Elvis, Rita Coolidge, The Doobie Brothers, The Mammas and The Pappas, and many more. Starring Rainee Blake, Oliver Harris and Sarah Omar, plus special guests.
Le Monde
Dirty Martini
Berlin's beloved opera-singing comedian Steph DePrez returns to Fringe after a year of touring Europe and opening for Michelle Wolf. Her new stand-up show features jazz, gospel and Puccini alongside tales of shattering wine glasses and glass ceilings. Featured on BBC News and Arte. Don't just take our word for it! Audiences say: 'Tears rolled down my cheeks as I laughed so hard'; 'I’ve been to scores of Fringe shows but I will remember this one' and 'I'm in awe of her talent. She combines opera with comedy and storytelling'.
Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly
Other Room
Eight teenagers take you back in time to an analogue age when telephones had wires and television was not so demanding. Square Pegs return with a brand-new, life-imitating-art play about growing up, which asks lots of questions about what it means to be human, but offers absolutely no answers whatsoever. Join Macready Theatre’s Offie-nominated Young Actors for 45 minutes of absurdist, fast-paced, fun-filled storytelling, to share time-travelling tales of nostalgia and a yearning for meaning when all seems fake. ‘A short spectacular showcase’ ***** (TheMumble.uk). ‘Another joyous bag of wild imagination, comedy and physicality’ **** (BroadwayBaby.com).
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
It’s New Year's Eve. You’re in a dingy pool bar... Why? We do not know. Your night is suddenly interrupted by a rowdy lot. After a not-so-usual service, the staff of The Windsor Arms Bistro embark on their New Year celebrations. A few beers in, a few games of pool down and some banging karaoke tunes, the team are in full swing. Navigating their interpersonal and professional relationships, with all their hopes and dreams for the New Year right around the corner, will they each find their own way to break out of their monotony?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Based within two blocks of the attacks, Sofia May takes the audience through the extremely unique and absurd experience of being a child survivor of 9/11. Within the trauma and the endless grief, shines delicious irony, which the solo explores comedic tidbit by tidbit. Though the narrative focal point is surviving 9/11, there are many other whimsical vignettes about other extremely dark topics with a delightful air of innocence and cartoonish charisma. This is the narrative of how surviving 9/11 turned an innocent baby into an innocently twisted comedian.
Laughing Horse @ West Port Oracle
Flight Club
Having been raised Catholic, I have been in “recovery” for a long time: all those prayers you didn’t actually understand, those many times in that scary confessional and the constant guilt! I’m sorry if I’m not apologising enough for it. How does a good Catholic girl navigate sex, abortion, career, mental health or… actually talking about feelings? By singing proper church hymns, of course, with none of the lyrics changed at all! This show will really get you questioning what’s in those Hail Marys!
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
Feast yourselves on an irreverent meal of a comedy sketch show. Skip the appetisers, go straight to the main course. As smooth an experience as eating a Michelin award-winning dinner from a bin in a back alley. If you want taste, style, fancy ingredients, subtle flavours... go somewhere else. Sometimes dark, sometimes silly, the show is guaranteed to tickle the wishbone. These are laughs that your mother would be ashamed of. It’s bad, but it’s so good. Offers 'belly laughs and… memorable characterisation' (SouthernArtsReviews.co.uk). Come on!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
‘Christmas Morning 2018, and I’m hiding in a graveyard from my family…’ Part disability history lecture, part autobiography, part agility course, part rant, part quiz and a whole lot of laughter. A Brief History of Neurodivergence will bust the current misunderstandings around neurodivergence – all whilst bouncing on a trampoline, skipping the alphabet, smashing the star jump challenge and occasionally pausing for breath. Join theatre-maker Fiona Moon in an embodied exploration of neurodivergence, and glimpse the chaos of a hundred-mile-an-hour mind. ‘A bold, striking voice reminiscent of an early Polly Stenham’ (The Bush Theatre).
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
RadioOctave returns to the Edinburgh Fringe for another unforgettable journey. This year, we’re taking flight with a vibrant setlist inspired by cities and countries across the globe. From smooth layovers in heartfelt ballads to exhilarating take-offs into chart-topping anthems, our show promises something for everyone. With tight harmonies, unique choreography and infectious energy, we guarantee an in-flight experience like no other. Whether you're a seasoned traveller or just passing through, join us as we embark on a musical adventure – no passport required!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Set in Budapest at the heart of the Cold War, two operatives have been tasked with a mission of seduction and espionage to swap state secrets. The two are monitored by their Wires, older agents who attempt to instill professionalism and discipline in their protégées. However, through several dates on their companies' cards, the two end up falling for each other and inadvertently give up every sensitive piece of intel they possess. Pursued by their organisations, the two must navigate a tricky tightrope of half truths and hope.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
A joker assembles a foursome for a game of cards. But the game is not what it seems, and nor are the players, who may turn out to be figments of the joker’s sinister imagination. If there were a story its moral would be: beware what you imagine – it may come back to bite you. A Dangerous Whim is fifteen minutes of cinematic poetry. Through stylised acting, surreal videography, and a quirky soundscape of music, voice and noise it conjures up a strangely compelling world of beauty and suspense.A new short non-verbal piece from tarinainanika, creators of Tokyo Fugue and The Same Boat, also showing on C ARTS.Performed by | Nozomi Fujishima, Ryuta Kawai, Yukiko Masui, Kate Montgomery, Yukio TodoDirected by | Kentaro Suyama and Tania CokeProduced by | tarinainanikaMusic | Kevin MacLeod, Victor Dance Orchestra, Mozart, Tania CokeSound design and operation | Tania CokeLighting design and operation | Kentaro Suyamawww.tarinainanika.comwww.facebook.com/tarinainanikawww.instagram.com/tarinainanika Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Immerse yourself in the world of cask-strength, single-cask whisky with The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Enjoy a guided tasting of three exceptional drams, each bursting with unique character, depth and complexity. From bold and robust to delicate and nuanced, explore a symphony of flavours that showcase the finest whisky craftsmanship. Whether you're a seasoned enthusiast or a curious newcomer, this experience promises to elevate your appreciation and transport you into the heart of whisky excellence.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Oval Room
This intimate show invites the audience into a multimedia coming-of-age story about my life growing up as a working-class girl in Edinburgh and my powerful connection to Scotland. Through storytelling and poetry, coupled with original artwork and soundscape, this show explores the complexity of family, kith and kin, the ache of leaving home, the grief of being lost and the beauty of being found. Join me for a journey that crosses borders and boundaries, over seas and time, weaving through the depths of pain unraveled and joy rediscovered.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
We're Wright&Grainger, multi award-winning, internationally acclaimed storytellers. We went to school together and grew up on some seminal albums. A Grand Don't Come For Free by The Streets is top of that list. It's inspired us to make everything we've done since. So we're gonna play it live, in full. It's full of bangers (Dry Your Eyes, Fit But You Know It, Blinded By the Lights) and it's full of love, mates, heartache and hope. We're playing it for three nights only. The dance floor will be rammed – see you at the bar.
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
It’s the nation’s favourite game of murder, exile and ridiculous twists. But when a contestant is found dead having been literally hung drawn and quartered, can the killer be proven beyond treasonable doubt? Award-winning mystery maestros Highly Suspect return to the Fringe with a hilarious new interactive murder mystery for the audience to solve! Featuring a fiendish plot, evidence to examine, and cryptic clues to crack, can you deduce whodunnit? Fun, frivolity and fatalities guaranteed! Sold out 2021-2024. ‘Prepare to have your funny bones and little grey cells equally tickled!’ (BroadwayWorld.com).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
Sherlock Holmes is dead! But can the killer really be Dr Watson, Mrs Hudson, Inspector Lestrade or Mycroft Holmes? The game's afoot in a mystery that's more than mere elementary... Award-winning mystery maestros Highly Suspect return to the Fringe with a hilarious interactive murder mystery for the audience to solve! Featuring a fiendish plot, evidence to examine, and cryptic clues to crack, can you deduce whodunnit? Fun, frivolity and fatalities guaranteed! Sold Out 2021-2024. ‘Prepare to have your funny bones and little grey cells equally tickled!’ (BroadwayWorld.com).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
You can’t have it all. And sometimes you can’t have anything at all. And as Shannon learnt the hard way, you definitely can’t have a horse. Shannon Brooke is an award-winning Australian comedian who has a gift for showing up to every situation completely unprepared. A Horseless Rodeo is a reflection on all the terrible decisions that led her to pack up her life and move to Germany. Known for her storytelling, passion and silliness, Shannon regularly hosts and headlines shows around Europe and most recently won the Roast Battle Berlin 2023/24 championships.
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Wee Room
Best Newcomer nominee Bazely performed last year's show about having a Breakdown while having more anxiety than he'd ever had. So, this year, Peter is attempting to embrace a zen "no anxiety" lifestyle. '...an exemplar of anti-comedy... Bill Bailey-esq' (Chortle.co.uk). Audiences say, 'he's either a genius or insane' and 'my favourite show of the festival'. Peter has been performing at the Fringe for over a decade now so he can probably give you directions. 'My kind of crazy!' (Richard Todd). 'Like a low energy Stewart Lee' (TheReviewsHub.com). Four-time Fringe sell-out.
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Upstairs
Boyhood is all about spit-shakes, rope swings, and playing soldiers, but only the good guys of course. Whether it’s stories around the campfire, pranks on their superior, or a prayer to their favorite president, these two scouts just want their moms to see the big strong men they’ve become. From three-time consecutive 2022, 2023, and 2024 Fringe First Award-winners Xhloe and Natasha comes an absurdist two-hander about the idealized American childhood and the boys it left behind
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
A precious and unique sari awaits the presence of a boy to pull it out of the wardrobe and drape it on his shoulders. In the meantime, the sari shares secrets with anyone who cares to hold it close to their heart.To listen to this piece: go to your closet, find a piece of clothing to hold close, and press play… 'This lyrical work elicits the perfect amount of warmth needed during a chilly winter night' (Jose Solís, New York Times).This Is Not a Theatre Company creates site-based, immersive, multi-sensory, participatory dance-theatre that can be smelled, touched, and tasted as well as seen and heard. Created by Mahesh Dattani, performed by Swati Das.www.ThisIsNotATheatreCompany.comwww.facebook.com/thisisnotatheatrecompanywww.instagram.con/thisisnotatheatrecompany/ Watch Company Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Jason Woods tackles the madcap world of Wonderland, embodying every zany character in A Mad, Mad Wonderland! – from the anxious White Rabbit to the volatile Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat (who might sound suspiciously like Jack Nicholson) to Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee (who might sound suspiciously like Jeff Goldblum and Alan Rickman). When the Queen of Hearts’ song vanishes, Alice must brave the chaos of Wonderland and its bizarre inhabitants to save the White Rabbit from a chocolate-dipped doom, rediscovering the magic she thought she'd outgrown.
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
A Shakespeare comedy telling the tale of love, magic and mistaken identities. Four young lovers and a group of actors get caught in a mythical forest where fairies play tricks, leading to chaos and eventual resolution.
The Royal Scots Club
The Hepburn Suite
It is what it is, the course of true love never did run smooth... In this summer’s Athenian villa, a bombshell has been dropped: the public have voted to split up the hottest couple in the game. Behind the scenes there’s dissent amongst the crew with the presenters’ stormy relationship on the rocks and the producers picking sides. Into this firepit of feelings and factions, the producers break their boundaries and introduce their own brand of magic that will see more sparks fly than your typical return from Casa Amor.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
This interactive children's show features the story of Highland and Lowland midges in Scotland – how they interact with their local communities within their region of Scotland, the relationships they have with humanity and human beings in warm weather seasons, how they cope with the pressures of climate change with the environmental arena plus how artificial intelligence tools are used to offer hope for the future species growth and development in both Highland and Lowland regions of Scotland. This show being workshop based, parents will participate along with children to create the story.
Broughton St Mary’s Parish Church
Drummond Room
Join the hilarious fun as Dr H revives the great satirical songs from the Monty Python era. Participation is a must, with cabaret antics, interactive patter, and lots of singalong in this piano cabaret show. Songs include: Lumberjack Song, Sit On My Face, Galaxy Song, Finland, Knights of the Round Table, Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life and many, many more… So, book your tickets, bring your friends and family, and enjoy an uplifting and fun hour revisiting the songs and stories of one of the world’s most successful comedy groups.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
01 - 09 AugA dark satirical comedy that follows four prison workers battling a fire with anything but water. As characters wrestle with existential crises, heartbreak and bureaucracy, an inevitable doom draws ever nearer, forcing this band of misfits to confront their long-forgotten responsibilities. Prepare for full speed, uninterrupted chaos from start to finish as Gaulier-trained clowns and sharp-edged comedians deliver a relentlessly funny tale of love, loss, fear and arrogance. This exciting piece of new writing is eager to push boundaries, electrify audiences and most importantly, make you laugh out loud.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
11 - 16 AugA dark satirical comedy that follows four prison workers battling a fire with anything but water. As characters wrestle with existential crises, heartbreak and bureaucracy, an inevitable doom draws ever nearer, forcing this band of misfits to confront their long-forgotten responsibilities. Prepare for full speed, uninterrupted chaos from start to finish as Gaulier-trained clowns and sharp-edged comedians deliver a relentlessly funny tale of love, loss, fear and arrogance. This exciting piece of new writing is eager to push boundaries, electrify audiences and most importantly, make you laugh out loud.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
After a murder is committed in Jacobean London by a man wearing motley, two playing fools from different productions must prove their innocence with the help of a bard, an innkeeper’s wife, a harlot and the all-knowing judge. Intertwined in guilt and innocence are the torrid affairs of the pleasure and playhouses and the love of an old fool for his actor-king… What motivated the killer? Dubious investments in the fledgling Globe Theatre? Scandalous family secrets? Syphilis? You decide! As the trial reaches its climax, it's the audience who must play jury and deliver the verdict!
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
The Christmas story, Broadway-style. You’ll be startled by Roman soldiers, witness the oppression of the Jewish people, be in awe of the Wise Men’s lavish costumes, hear yodelling shepherds, and learn to love the hilarious Herod the Great – all in 60 minutes! ‘I was completely blown away. I came not expecting that at all’ (Audience review). ‘The music, the sound, the singing, the whole production was beautiful. It was really lovely’ (Audience review). ‘I think it was wonderful. The whole play was great. Gets you in the Christmas spirit and shows you what it’s all about’ (Audience review).CastMother, Herod’s Cheeky Girl, Singing Angel | Ava BraticTownsperson, Singing Angel, Lounge Singer | Brooke BrownPharisee Father, Herod’s Singer, Shepherd | Chad CarffMary, Dancing Angel | Rose CarffManger Assistant, Student, Frankincense Girl, Dancing Angel | Isa CervantesShopper, Herod’s Fan Girl | Emily DeWoodyShopper, Herod’s Fan Girl, Dancing Angel | Mya DeWoodyTeacher, Herod’s Cheeky Girl, Singing Angel | Charissa DomizioliStreet Lady, Townsperson, Midwife, Gabriel | Lisa FarrallRoller-skater, Teacher, Herod’s Cheeky Girl, Shepherd | Lisa Hartley HillStreet Vendor, Tax Collector, Innkeeper | Guy HoenigTownsperson, Angel | Cindy IngrahamWise Men Entourage, Dancing Angel | Allison KervinTaxpaying Townsperson, Wise Man, Dancing Angel | Kim LauerShopper, Townsperson, Herod’s Cheeky Girl, Singing Angel | Laura LeeRock Thrower, Student, Wise Men Entourage | Nathan LeeRoman Centurion, Wise Man | Peter McCharlesTownsperson, Angel Dancer | Deborah MillerRoman Guard, Herod’s Guard | Jeff MillerManger Builder, Pharisee, Herod’s Singer, Shepherd | Colin PattersonJoseph, Herod, Narrator | James Arthur PattersonShopper, Narrator, Shepherd Wendy PattersonTownsperson, Sceptre-holder, Dancing Angel | Blakely PostonRoller-skater, Pharisee, Herod’s Singer, Shepherd | Austin RiosTownsperson, Angel | Jana RochetteRoman Soldier, Tax Collector Guard, Wise Man | Doug RothenbushShopper, Wise Men Entourage, Angel Dancer | Jenna RothenbushRoman Soldier, Pharisee, Shepherd | Joel ShugarsRoller-skater, Wise Men Entourage, Dancing Angel | Aiyana SivakDancing Angel | Amy SivakTownsperson, Dancing Angel | Susan SmithTownsperson, Dancing Shepherd | Aly Van IderstineTownsperson, Student, Wise Men Entourage, Dancing Angel | Brea WilkinsTownsperson, Wise Men Entourage Dancing Angel | Marla WilkinsComposed and Directed by | James Arthur PattersonChoreography by | Carina Torres-Brown, Haley Arnold, Deborah Miller, Susan Smith, Amy Sivak, and Wendy PattersonSet and Prop Design and Construction | James Arthur Patterson, Colin PattersonProduced by | Wendy PattersonStage Manager | Ian PattersonAdministration | Wendy Patterson‘Impact’ written by Eliza Vladescu, Ron Boehme, Doug Rothenbush and Wendy Pattersonwww.heartandsoulproducers.comwww.facebook.com/heartandsoulproducerswww.instagram.com/heartandsoulproducers/Part of the C ARTS Brighton Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe digital opogrammes in 2025. Watch TrailerWatch Preview
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Exeter Spotlights presents A Night at the Musicals. Exeter University’s only performance choir are returning to the Edinburgh Fringe for another musical extravaganza filled with beautiful harmonies, captivating dance and a brilliant live band! Prepare yourself for an action-filled spectacle featuring musical hits from your favourite shows whilst displaying themes of love, community and independence. This musical theatre showcase will provide a night full of energy, humour, fun and blossoming young talent. This is a performance you will not want to miss!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
‘Once upon a time, a milkmaid wished upon a star…’ Join trans artist Hunter King on his journey of gender self-discovery. This brand new uplifting queer parody musical, Maid in the Wild, Wild, North West is based on a true story. It explores themes of belonging, self-discovery and joy through storytelling and music. Expect Disney songs as you’ve never heard them before, bad puns, terrible tropes, a damsel in distress, an animal sidekick, villains galore and a hero! Feel the Pride, live the magic, and cheer as the story unfolds... ‘Pure camp, country, comedy’ (Audience review).
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
The Emmy-nominated screenwriter of King of the Hill, Beavis and Butt-Head, Just Shoot Me, Wilfred and Rules of Engagement is coming to Edinburgh! In his critically acclaimed one-man show, writer/performer Michael Jamin asks: What if the smallest, almost forgotten moments were the ones that shaped us most? Audaciously funny yet achingly poignant, A Paper Orchestra will change the way you think about life. Perfect for fans of David Sedaris and Mike Birbiglia. Based on the best-seller, which Vulture.com named Best Comedy Books of 2024.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
Set to excerpts of Glenn Gould’s rendition of Bach’s Two and Three Part Inventions, and accompanied by a luminous sound design by John Gzowski, A Perfect Day speaks to Laurence Lemieux’s relationship to dance over time, and her sense of self within it. Through a series of intimate solos, the work follows the performer as she recollects her past and grapples with the current urgency of the moment to share human emotion with an audience. Serves as a reflection on the importance of artistic practice as a daily occurrence, and the renewal of its purpose post-pandemic.‘Everything about Lemieux’s creative decisions feels organic… The style and control of a true professional’ (EdFringeReview.com)Choreographed and Performed by | Laurence LemieuxSound Design and Variations on Bach | John GzowskiWith excerpts of Bach’s Two and Three Part Inventions, performed by Glenn GouldLighting and Scenic Design | Simon RossiterCostume Design | Jim Searle and Chris Tyrell for Hoax CoutureRehearsal Direction | Danielle BaskervilleAvailable in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.www.citadelcie.comwww.facebook.com/citadelciewww.instagram.com/citadelcie_/ Watch TrailerWatch Preview
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
This one-woman play follows Faith’s battle against Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder in a moving and thought-provoking way. We follow her battle as she struggles with the illness and family relationships for over 30 years. During this time, Faith must hold on to her faith and see light at the end of the tunnel. This play is a true eye opener that highlights the profound impact of PMDD on all relationships and aspects of life. A must-see moving production that will bring light, hope and faith to the audience.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Dunedin Theatre
A Play About Feet is a dark comedy about love, ambition and terrible decisions. Meet a young woman stuck in a dead-end job, dating a useless boyfriend and spiraling into chaos after an impulsive OnlyFans venture. Between disastrous relationships, drunken karaoke and foot-themed online fame, she struggles to find direction – while everyone around her tries (and fails) to help. Hilarious, sharp and painfully relatable, this play explores modern life’s absurdities with biting humor and unexpected heart. Will she finally find her footing or will everything come crashing down?
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
In Shakespeare's classic, The Merchant of Venice, only Portia's appearance in court and her implacable logic saves Antonio from Shylock's knife. But what would happen if she never came to Venice? Bassanio's need for money to woo Portia sets in motion the events that lead to the trial, but what are his real motives? And why is there so much hatred between Antonio and Shylock? With echoes of Romeo and Juliet, events in A Pound of Flesh move remorselessly to a tragic end.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Hilarious and heartfelt story about a Russian immigrant named Natasha who moves with her son to NYC in the hopes of becoming a Real Housewife and cabaret star. Along her journey, she meets a lonely Manhattan dweller named Lyle (Tai LeClaire from Peacock’s Rutherford Falls) and crashes at his apartment. Natasha discovers that fame and happiness might look a little different than she anticipated… Features iconic Real Housewives played by Thorgy Thor and Phi Phi Ohara/Jaremi Carey from Ru Paul's Drag Race.www.asipwithvodka.comwww.facebook.com/asipwithvodkawww.instagram.com/asipwithvodka Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Having garnered millions of views and tens of thousands of followers online, Hugo Hayes is bringing his characters (and some not seen online) to the stage for the very first time. He will be joined by a different special guest stand-up comic opener every day.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 6
Join the adventures of Moody, the slowest snail in the forest, as he faces his fears and discovers the hidden power of his mind. Teased by others and facing life-threatening challenges, Moody’s journey is a celebration of courage, kindness and friendship. Originally created by theatre company Danny & Dessi in Bulgaria and newly produced for the UK by Letaniko Theatre, this puppet solo performance reminds us all that with thought and care, we can go further than we ever imagined.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Phoebe is the Queen of lists. On her fridge, her whiteboard, all over her hands and… everywhere basically. Her favourite lists are: shopping, favourite stationary, least favourite numbers, past jobs in order of wanting to staple her earlobes to the table, the missed opportunities folder in her emails. When her lists are becoming an overwhelming list-athon, a giant fluffy monster appears. She’s sure there isn’t a problem. Phoebe wonders if she needs her space, but the monster is a really good cook. So why is she suddenly listing all the ways she might die?
Greenside @ George Street
Mint Studio
A cutting-edge, immersive physical theatre experience combining live physical performance with smartphone interaction. Using La Fura dels Baus' Kalliópê app, the show transforms audience members into active participants, exploring identity, belonging and intergenerational connection. Visually striking and sonically rich, this production is designed to captivate both teens and adults. La Mecànica crafts a unique, high-impact theatrical journey that resonates with contemporary audiences. Please bring your phone fully charged!
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
Murder, arson and traumatic tragedy abound in this groundbreaking new drama by soon to be award-winning playwright Sebastian Maroun. A middle class family is pushed to the brink when their patriarch discovers he is going blind. As his vision fades, details of torrid affairs come to light which threaten to tear the family apart. The only thing that can save them is the journalistic instinct of their young daughter and a helpful stray dog who may not be what he seems. This is a normal staged reading. Everything is fine. Why wouldn't it be?
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
Step into an interdimensional musical tribute inspired by the Discworld Universe created by Sir Terry Pratchett. In the words of our own Honourabelle Mention: 'Everyone laughs, everyone cries, everyone sings and hums. Hopefully you lot will do that at the right times.' A must-see for fans, a wild ride for everyone! With one simple message: everyone feels music with their soul.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
A lyrical, haunting meditation on womanhood, loss and the weight of tradition. Woven with Irish folklore and mysticism, it moves like a dream: fluid, poetic and deeply visceral. Shadows flicker between past and present, the living and the dead, as voices rise in lament and revelation. The rhythm of firelight, water and whispered tales pulses through the piece, drawing the audience into a world both tender and unforgiving. It is a story of resilience and ruin, where grief is embodied and shame lingers like mist over the land.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Unlikely friendship blooms on a country road at night. An aging Irish deer, the last of his kind yearns for a scrap with the oncoming traffic of the nearby motorway. Worlds are forever changed when he meets Ída, a runaway farmer, trapped in tradition. What do you do when you don’t feel like yourself anymore? Contemporary, absurdist and, most importantly, Irish as muck. A story of identity, roadkill and queerness told through puppetry by Kyle Moss (he/him) and Ceilbí (they/them). Written by Ceilbí.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
The Highlands of Scotland – filled with misty moors and glens, rolling fields of heather and ghosts from Scottish history. They invite mystical ruminations, kindle existential questions, and spark the imagination to soar higher into uncharted territory. At any moment an ordinary situation can be transformed into an extraordinary one. Join Paul O'Brien and Bonnie Prince Charlie in the telling of one man's story of loss and discovery as he searches for mystery, meaning, and a lost wallet in the Highlands.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
An inexplicable curse causes Nathan to skip a year and a day into the future, whenever he falls asleep. Leaving behind a botched heist, his wife, his struggling family and a jaded criminal gang, Nathan must learn to adapt to his ever-changing existence. Spanning 65 years, this is a bold, darkly funny and poignant exploration of a man trying to right his wrongs as he rapidly skips through time. Under the careful direction of dramaturg Rosanna Mallinson, award-winning Christopher Sainton-Clark uses multi-roling to tell a beautiful story of love, loss, betrayal and crime.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
The 2024 sell-out concert returns! Come and see ABBA Odyssey – The Live Concert! This all-seated show features singers who produce the most authentic tribute to the iconic ABBA sound. With over 13 years of experience performing throughout the UK together, our Agnetha and Frida (Fran and Kat) have perfected their highly-acclaimed vocal blend. ABBA Odyssey – The Live Concert! features all the hits that you know and love, plus a few hidden gems for the most devoted ABBA fans! Suitable for all ages. Includes one interval.
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh
Greyfriars Hall
An existential PhD student hunting dark matter, a disillusioned illusionist, a medium with a secret and a murdered mathematician star in the greatest unsolved mystery of the universe. Following their acclaimed and award-winning Her Green Hell and Sisters Three, TheatreGoose presents AETHER, a show about the unknown and our insatiable desire to define it, asking why are we so desperate to know what happens behind the curtain and who gets to decide what lurks there? Part-science lab on the cusp of discovery, part-Victorian seance, part-unauthorised Nobel Prize Ceremony, AETHER explores faith, physics and magic in rich theatrical spectacle.
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Interactive science? Hip-hop programmer? Love triangle with AI? Oh... Yes! The musical that fuses diverse styles as a metaphor for AI’s evolution. An immersive journey reflects a future where true connection is vital. A programmer, Steve is hopelessly in love with Celeste. He is drawn into an experiment when his friend Aster proposes creating an AI. Soon their creation outgrows a funny toy, becoming a weapon in the wrong hands. A science-driven story exploring the bond between creator and creation, an amusing tool and an imperious threat, shaping the future and resisting new rules.
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
A mysterious message from the “future self” invites participants into an immersive space where AI unveils their projected histories. In The Waiting Room, choices shape a unique, evolving audio narrative, guiding participants through moments of dreams realised and challenges faced. As their future unfolds, from the fulfilment of deepest aspirations to a global crisis that transforms the world, participants explore a bizarre, unpredictable world where technology and humanity collide, prompting reflection on how our choices shape the future.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Weird Al Yankovic and Daniel Harry Potter Radcliffe were destined to be together onstage, and now they are (sort of)! This loving tribute to two icons of entertainment will leave you giggling as your toes are tapping. American comedian/musician Steve Goodie brings it all together with songs and accordions and guitars and visual effects that cost many dozens of pounds, all for your amusement! Plus, there's a lot of Tom Lehrer! Nerds rejoice!
Laughing Horse @ Freddy's
Band Room
Enjoy an hour of the best up-and-coming one-liner comedians on the circuit in this celebration of puns, one-liners and wordplay. Hosted by Joke of the Fringe winner 2016, 2021 and 2022, Masai Graham.
Laughing Horse @ Dropkick Murphys
Main Room
With a string of sell-out shows under his belt, one of the UK’s fastest rising stars Aaron Wood – ‘Hilarious... unique and refreshing… definitely an up-and-coming comedian to watch out for!' ****½ (The Student) – is back with his highly anticipated Fringe debut hour. Tour support for Luke Kidgell, Fin Taylor, Connor Burns and with over 100 million views online, Aaron presents a gag-heavy, relatable and heartwarming show that asks is there really more to life than this? ‘Absolutely brilliant!’ (Tim Vine). ‘A very big future in this business’ (Tom Stade). Buy tickets or else.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 3
‘The first time I heard Andrea Carlson, I was in love!’ (Charlie Silvestri, UpCloseAndAcoustic.com). Dare to be transported to another time and place! Andrea leads her Love Police jazz band with sassy, sultry, silken vocals, witty lyrics and enchanting melodies to a 21st-century speakeasy world and the Golden Age of Jazz. Award-winning Memphis, Tennessee-born songwriter/singer/guitarist Andrea blends musical adventure, intrigue and the sensitive wonders of the human heart – through the Great American Songbook, French Chanson and fabulous originals. Fall in love with hot, hip, romantic, golden-age jazz. The music will leave you Ab-so-lute-ly Jazzed!
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
In 1904, the first modern Olympic marathon was run in los Estados Unidos's deep south at the height of summer. Due to the heat, the muddy water and the dust in the air, half of the runners were hospitalised. In fourth place came humble, working-class postman Felix Carvajal, a little man with a big mustache. Abby Denton's show breaks down the politics of 1904 to explain why Felix Carvajal is, in fact, one of her favourite men ever to walk the earth, who deserves a statue in every park.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Following acclaimed productions Blush of Dogs and Hell Yes I’m Tough Enough which took London by storm, Fragen Network returns to the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time since their five-star 2016 show, 5 Out of 10 Men. Abhorrent Little Scrotum is a bold, high-energy dive into the subconscious, where computer hacking meets brain hacking. This electrifying, physical theatre piece follows one woman’s mission to rescue her friend from the depths of her own mind. Sharp, seductive and unrelenting, it’s a psychological thrill ride infused with wit, movement and raw theatricality. A must see.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
The Beached Boys are returning for a fourth consecutive year to the Edinburgh Fringe with an innovative and brand-new show. Hear the UK’s leading Beach Boys Tribute act perform an array of classic live hits including: Surfin' USA, Help Rhonda, Good Vibrations, God Only Knows and many more. So dust off your surfboards and book your tickets early to avoid disappointment.
Le Monde
Shanghai
For 15 years, Absolute Improv! has entertained sell-out audiences with off-the-cuff comedy performances from Scotland’s top improvisational comedy actors. Your ideas are shouted out to inspire side-splitting sketches, characters and tales, all created in the moment – truly you-had-to-be-there instant comedy gold. This Edinburgh Fringe, join us and the finest improv talent in Scotland once more for delightful and wacky performances that have never been seen before, and will never be seen again! You suggest, we perform, everybody laughs! Official Fringe sell-out show. ‘Absolute magic!’ ***** (Cream of the Fringe).
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
For Albert Camus, the Absurd Hero is embodied in the mythological character of Sisyphus, mayor of Corinth, sentenced by Zeus to the mundane task of pushing a boulder up a hill only to see it roll back down for eternity. In our present-day version of the Greek myth, Sisyphus (now Sid) must persuade the homeless Gods to cooperate with city hall if he wants to be mayor of Columbus. Oh, how the tables have turned for the Olympians in 2025.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
With fork-related accidents up by 7% and the teaspoon declared hazardous (size-to-injury wise), there has never been a better time to polish your cutlery safety awareness. Fear not as expert Ian Crawford is here with all the answers in his deadly serious cutting-edge training workshop presentation, carefully welding classic tips with all-new sharp material. 'Forking good health and safety-based comedy' **** (TheWeeReview.com). 'A well-honed performance that is, above all, good silly fun' **** (TheReviewsHub.com). 'What a delight this well-realised, obsessive character is!' (Comedy.co.uk).
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
Dating – brimming with possibilities for passion, romance or smashing a total stranger in the back of their Toyota Camry while they moan a name you don't recognise. How does one navigate the whirlwind of dating and relationships in the city of sin and entertainment? The answer is found with the help of comedians.
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
This poetic, critically-acclaimed retelling of the myth of Achilles returns to Edinburgh. When his lover is killed in battle, Achilles, enveloped in insatiable rage, inflicts unspeakable horrors on those around him. He fills the river with bodies and kills and mutilates the body of Hector. It's only when he realises that this will never give him compensation for his lover’s death that he stops and weeps. Directed by Kate Brown, dramaturgically supported by Kevin Scully. Written/performed by Jo Kelen. ***** (GetYourCoatsOn.com). **** (BroadwayBaby.com).
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
Returning to the Jazz Bar for the seventh year, Scottish acoustic guitar and double-bass duo, Malt and Rye will be playing classic blues and roots songs from the last 100 years. Songs like Hoochie Coochie Man and San Francisco Bay Blues will be played with the duo’s distinctive passion and humour. The hour-long set not only includes songs by the greats like Robert Johnson, Willie Dixon, Lowell Fulson, Jimmy Rogers and Memphis Slim, but also comes up to date by including songs by modern-day blues masters, like Eric Clapton and Martin Harley.
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Following successful solo shows in 2023 and 2024, Scottish blues singer/songwriter Derek Smith (from Main Street Blues and Whisky Road) returns to the Jazz Bar to perform an hour of quality, up-tempo, foot stomping acoustic blues and roots classics from many of the old blues masters, including tracks from Robert Johnson, Albert King, Jimmy Rogers, Memphis Minnie, Sonny Boy Williamson, BB King and Ray Charles, plus selected and re-arranged blues originals from his band's album back catalogue. You can expect a fun and engaging lunchtime session with the occasional surprise guest joining him on stage.
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Join BAFTA award-winning writer and comedian Adam Kay for an evening of hilarious and horrifying anecdotes, as well as a unique insight into the British healthcare system. A guest host will be your guide as Adam launches his debut novel, A PARTICULARLY NASTY CASE. Expect anecdotes from the wards and readings from the much-anticipated new medical thriller at this one-night only event. Plus Q&A with Adam, author of the global bestseller THIS IS GOING TO HURT. includes a signed copy of A PARTICULARLY NASTY CASE ahead of it being released in bookshops nationwide.
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
Jamaican-Canadian songwriter Duane Forrest presents the UK premiere of his soulful new album. It sounds like Jack Johnson, João Gilberto, and Norah Jones making music together in the Azores Islands. Blending folk, reggae and jazz, Adrift takes listeners on a journey through love, loss and self-discovery. Duane’s warm vocals, intricate guitar work and global influences create an intimate and immersive experience. Accompanied by Stephen Jack on bass and Joliyan Young on drums/percussion, this is a rare chance to hear Adrift live in an unforgettable setting. Nothing’s lost, it’s all just changing.
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Acrobatic arts. Dance, drumming, comedy, music. Stage craft for theatrical performance, street shows, workshops and educational presentations.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
Romeo and Juliet are dead. Peace has been ordered, but a tense truce holds between the Capulets and Montagues after the death of Romeo and Juliet. After bitterly blaming her cousin Juliet for her love Romeo’s death, Rosaline is bent on revenge. Torn between being voted the Capulet’s new Prince of Cats and giving into the grief and jealousy that torments her mind, this thrilling sequel shows the consequences of Romeo and Juliet’s actions. A stirring tale of love, violence and new beginnings. The order may be for peace, but the Capulets and Montagues are far from it.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
What happens to Shakespeare's best-loved heroes and most reviled villains after the curtain falls? Come and join a host of familiar Shakespearean characters as they reflect back on their lives, including: Lady Macbeth, Portia, Hamlet and King Hal (Henry V). Lexi Wolfe weaves together Shakespeare's words, historical research and her own dramatic spark as she transforms into four distinct characters, to follow their onward journeys. 'A must-see show' ***** (EdinburghGuide.com). 'One of this year's standout shows' **** (GetYourCoatsOn.com). 'Refreshing and gifted writing' **** (WestEndBestFriend.co.uk).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
The best operatic show on at the Fringe – over an hour of favourite arias and ensembles from the greatest composers, performed by the internationally-renowned bass singer Brian Bannatyne-Scott, with rising stars Emma Morwood (soprano), Catherine Backhouse (mezzo-soprano) and Magnus Walker (tenor), accompanied by the brilliant pianist Michal Gajzler in the glorious surroundings of the New Town Church in the heart of Edinburgh's New Town. Following on from last year's sell-out show, we bring more fabulous music to thrill and move you by Mozart, Verdi, Strauss and many others.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Ah-Ma – Fujianese for grandmother. Ten years ago, Ah-ma was diagnosed with dementia, struggling each day to remember the names of her loved ones. 'Ah-ma, if one day you forget everything, please try not to forget love'. Fringe First award (2023) and Hong Kong Young Artist award (2024) winner returns with a hauntingly beautiful new play, weaving together natural and social disasters, bodily deterioration and family sorrow. A lyrical, poignant tale of resilience, faith and humanity. A story of memories slipping away – only to be gently reclaimed.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
This captivating one-person show dives deep into the life of mysterious aviator, Amelia Earhart, known for her daring ambition. People fell in love with her as a romantic icon, but beyond the public persona, we see the woman behind the headlines, confronting her vulnerabilities, sexuality, insecurities and the cost of chasing the unknown. Through raw, intimate performance, this play explores her darker side – uncovering the personal fears and struggles that shaped her pursuit of greatness. A powerful reflection on what any ambitious woman might need to do and the price of a life lived on the edge.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Steely Dan redefined popular music, blending rock, jazz, Latin, R&B and blues with unmatched musicianship. Known as the perfect musical antiheroes of the seventies, they created a unique sound with jazz-influenced complexity, sophisticated lyrics and meticulous production. Aja! A Steely Dan Tribute brings their sound to life through a genre-spanning supergroup of some of Scotland’s finest musicians, with global touring experience and deep roots in the country’s vibrant music scene. Experience classics and deep cuts performed with unrivalled precision and boundless energy in this ultimate tribute to one of music’s most influential duos.
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Join us on this wonderful rags-to-riches story of ambition, loyalty and self-discovery, full of eastern promise. Let the magic of the Arabian Nights come alive through colourful costumes, backdrop, inventive story-telling and unforgettable, original songs that will have you singing long after you have left the theatre. Watch Aladdin’s dreams come true as he discovers the power of friendship, bravery and true love! Aladdin is a must-see production for children and adults alike and is brought to you by a vibrant, talented young company who brought you sell-out shows for The Wizard of Oz in 2024. **** (BroadwayBaby.com).
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Leading Scots fiddle exponent, Alastair Savage returns to the beautiful setting of the Canongate Kirk with his unique celebration of the cherished Scots fiddle tradition. Alongside him a stellar cast of the country's finest musicians, including Euan Drysdale (guitar/piano), Iain Crawford (double bass), Bronte Hudnott (flute, whistle) and Chris Gibb (border pipes). Toe-tapping strathspeys and reels combine with soulful laments, ancient and modern, for a breathtaking journey of sound. An unmissable experience of Scottish culture. 'A must for aficionados' (Herald). 'Panache, grace and affection' (Scotsman). 'Master of the instrument' (Threeweeks).
Canongate Kirk
Canongate Kirk
An exciting collaboration to begin Alastair's eclectic Fringe programme. He is joined by five-time National Mod Gold Medalist and multi award-winning composer/harpist, Ailie Robertson for their first-ever duo Fringe appearance. With both musicians steeped in traditional and classical disciplines, this promises to be a tour de force with some of Scotland's finest melodies performed on fiddle and clarsach. 'Alastair Savage is a master of the instrument' (Threeweeks). 'Flair, precision and consummate skill' (Folkwords). 'A player of Ailie's class has the ability to tear your heart out' (Maverick).
artSpace@StMark's
Church
From the 18th-century Golden Age of Robert Burns and Niel Gow, to 19th-century virtuoso James Scots Skinner, alongside classic melodies from Ireland and America, Alastair completes his diverse festival programme with an eclectic range of sound, alongside piano/accordion supremo Gregor Blamey. Steeped in traditional and classical disciplines and with a critically acclaimed back catalogue of album recordings, radio broadcasts and live performances, this promises to be a unique insight into the fiddle tradition. Unmissable for folk music enthusiasts. 'Superlative musicianship' (BrightYoungFolk.com). 'Panache, grace and affection' (Scotsman). 'Music in the moment' (Herald).
artSpace@StMark's
Church
A fascinating overview of Scots traditional fiddle. Alastair is one of the nation's most versatile instrumentalists and is joined by Orcadian piano master, Laurence Wilson, noted for his work alongside island fiddle legend Jennifer Wrigley. From the Robert Burns-inspired tunes of Alastair's Ayrshire homeland, through the geographical range of mainland Scottish melodies, to classics from the Northern Isles, this performance encompasses the essence of traditional Scotland. A captivating experience for those wanting to enjoy Scotland's rich fiddle history. 'A must for aficionados' (Herald). 'Panache, grace and affection' (Scotsman). 'Breathtaking effortlessness' (BrightYoungFolk.com).
St Cuthbert's Church
Lindisfarne Room
Enjoy a journey to the heart of Andalucia with Alba Flamenca. Experience the joy, the tragedy and, above all, the pulsating passion of an authentic flamenco performance in our intimate venue. Alba Flamenca is a truly independent venue, with one aim: to bring the best of flamenco to Scotland. Each year, for more than twenty years, it assembles a group of dedicated singers, dancers and musicians that combine together to deliver an uplifting, joyous moment of pure Fringe Flamenco. Come and savour Spain.
Alba Flamenca
Alba Flamenca
ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards and Joke of the Fringe nominee Alex Kitson follows up 2024's multi award-nominated, five-star cult hit with a brand-new unmissable hour of fast-paced, critically acclaimed stand-up. Tour support for Fin Taylor, Tom Ward and Vittorio Angelone. ***** (ThePhoenixRemix.com). **** (TheWeeReview.com). **** (Entertainment-Now.com). **** (MumbleComedy.net). **** (EdFringeReview.com). ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards nominee, 2024. U&Dave's 3rd Funniest Joke of the Edinburgh Fringe, 2024. Best Jokes of Fringe 2024 (The Times, The Telegraph, Sunday Express and Edinburgh Evening News). Best of Brighton Fringe Comedy Award nominee. Best Joke winner, Bath Comedy Festival.
Hoots @ Potterrow
Big Yurt
Alex Mitchell is on a mission to find out what it really takes to be a tough guy in modern Britain. He's had a strange couple of years – being thrust into the limelight on mainstream telly, getting into a less than healthy relationship, being abused daily online, becoming disabled, and his best friend gave birth to a now three-foot bully. But, has Alex toughened up? The easy answer is no... but he's trying. Britain’s Got Talent Finalist. 'Accomplished and intelligent' (NeurodiverseReview.co.uk). 'A natural' (Chortle.co.uk). 'Absolutely sensational' (Alesha Dixon).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
Join comedy equivalent of sunshine Alex Prescot for a delightful debut hour that's tailor-made for each audience. Expect a warm and fuzzy blend of joyful musical comedy and quick-witted improvisation. Don't expect his notably absent double-act partner. Clap Back to Reality Winner 2024, Musical Comedy Awards Finalist 2025, Chortle Hotshots Shortlist 2025, Kingston New Act Finalist 2024, Chichester New Act Finalist 2024. ***** 'Incredibly talented' (BroadwayWorld.com). ***** (LondonTheatre.co.uk). **** (PepperAndSalt.uk). **** (ThePhoenixRemix.com). Directed by Ben Target (Double Fringe First Winner and Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dexter
Voilà. Alfie serves up another helping of Fringe. This one's about friends and enemies. Bon appétit. As seen on the BBC New Comedy Awards 2024. Writer for News Quiz (BBC Radio 4). 'Effortless... a joy to sit through' (ThreeWeeks). ‘Sharply observed standup’ (Scotsman). ‘Thought-provoking and hilarious’ (WestEndBestFriend.co.uk).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dexter
Welcome to our speakeasy and a vibrant night of swinging trad jazz improvisation. 'Superbly fun' ***** (TheWeeReview.com). 'Vivacious! Brought our red carpet to life' (Everyman Cinema). Fresh new international co-op bring 1920s heat to Edinburgh, stomping old time jazz standards plus original material! The Vagabond Jacks play authentic old-time music, mixing down-home blues and rags with early brass and string jazz. Performed by top exponents of this genre, a spirited and heart-warming eve awaits. Hit show in 2024! Early booking advised for this intimate venue.
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
Ali is celebrating 30 years of pioneering jazz, blues and hokum. Award-winning vocalist, jazz historian, and an all-star band playing with authenticity. The music was bold – the musicians even more so! Come hear the bawdy music that inspired such scandalous parties. 'Masterclass in grassroots jazz/blues' ***** (Edinburgh49.org). 'Not a household name yet – she soon will be' (BBC Radio Scotland). ‘Musical storyteller’ (Scotsman). 'Astounding vocals' ***** (San Diego Union-Tribune). ‘Vivacious’ (Herald). Six-time nominee for Best Vocalist (Scottish Jazz Awards).
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
Ali is celebrating 30 years of pioneering jazz, blues and hokum. Award-winning vocalist, jazz historian, and an all-star band playing with authenticity. The music was bold – the musicians even more so! Come hear the bawdy music that inspired such scandalous parties. 'Masterclass in grassroots jazz/blues' ***** (Edinburgh49.org). 'Not a household name yet – she soon will be' (BBC Radio Scotland). ‘Musical storyteller’ (Scotsman). 'Astounding vocals' ***** (San Diego Union-Tribune). ‘Vivacious’ (Herald). Six-time nominee for Best Vocalist (Scottish Jazz Awards).
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Two nights only! Award-winning Ali, Scotland’s ‘Queen of vintage jazz’ (OC Weekly), presents a special programme – a carefully crafted selection of Lady Day's best-loved songs (including some of Billie's own favourites). 'Affleck is not a household name yet – but I think she soon will be' (BBC Radio Scotland). Best Jazz Vocalist 2014 and nominee 2017-20 (Scottish Jazz Awards). ‘A musical storyteller’ (Scotsman). 'Astounding vocals' ***** (San Diego Union-Tribune). 'Outstanding' ***** (Edinburgh49.org). ‘Vivacious stage presence’ (Herald). Sell-out show in 2018 and 2019, so early booking is advised.
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Forget 'party like Gatsby'... this is the real deal! A fresh new show featuring an international band of women who play authentic old-time music and know the history. Low-slung blues, scorching swing jazz and crossover folk hits from 1851-1933. Come discover what 'Tents, Trains and Traveling Janes' meant during this pivotal time. Wild music was created and the pioneering bandleaders were wilder still! 'Outstanding' ***** (Edinburgh49.org). ‘Vivacious stage presence’ (Herald). 'Not a household name yet – but soon will be' (BBC Sounds).
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
Forget 'party like Gatsby'... this is the real deal! A fresh new show featuring an international band of women who play authentic old-time music and know the history. Low-slung blues, scorching swing jazz and crossover folk hits from 1851-1933. Come discover what 'Tents, Trains and Traveling Janes' meant during this pivotal time. Wild music was created and the pioneering bandleaders were wilder still! 'Outstanding' ***** (Edinburgh49.org). ‘Vivacious stage presence’ (Herald). 'Not a household name yet – but soon will be' (BBC Sounds).
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Rediscover the golden age of swing jazz: Carmen McRae, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Anita O'Day, Maxine Sullivan, Peggy Lee. Award-winning Ali pays fiery homage to these trailblazing and musically vital women with her acclaimed band. Scotland’s ‘...Queen of Vintage Jazz’ (OC Weekly). 'The real deal' (Clive Anderson). ‘Stunningly expressive... Astounding vocals’ ***** (San Diego Union-Tribune). ‘Musical storyteller’ (Scotsman). 'No other singer can deliver this material with such authenticity and so swingingly' (BBC Radio Scotland). ‘Vivacious stage presence’ (Herald). 'Outstanding' ***** (Edinburgh 49). Early booking advised!
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
Rediscover the golden age of swing jazz: Carmen McRae, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Anita O'Day, Maxine Sullivan, Peggy Lee. Award-winning Ali pays fiery homage to these trailblazing and musically vital women with her acclaimed band. Scotland’s ‘...Queen of Vintage Jazz’ (OC Weekly). 'The real deal' (Clive Anderson). ‘Stunningly expressive... Astounding vocals’ ***** (San Diego Union-Tribune). ‘Musical storyteller’ (Scotsman). 'No other singer can deliver this material with such authenticity and so swingingly' (BBC Radio Scotland). ‘Vivacious stage presence’ (Herald). 'Outstanding' ***** (Edinburgh 49). Early booking advised!
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Two-woman band Finova came together in 2024 after meeting as students in Aberdeen. When aspiring singer/songwriter Ali Kova, the stage name of Rachel Allan Molotnikov, released her first single Loved Me Too that summer, she looked to Galloway girl, Erin Findlay to accompany her with masterful piano playing. The musical fusion of this new-found duo soon led to creative collaboration off-stage too, as time between classes was spent writing and rehearsing. Hear Kova’s lyrics and melodies made whole by Findlay’s moving, compositional genius in this original, acoustic night to remember!
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
Join Ali Woods, star of Comedy Central and Stand Up Sketch Show, after his third sell-out Edinburgh Fringe and sell-out UK tour, for his brand-new show. Known for his viral online sketches (@aliwoodsgigs) with millions of views, Ali Woods has supported comedy greats like Russell Kane, Axel Blake, and Adam Kay. With his unique blend of sharp wit and relatable humour, his performances are a must-see. 'Ali Woods is a simply brilliant storyteller' ***** (Everything-Theatre.co.uk). 'Thoroughly entertaining' **** (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine). 'Hilarious' **** (Entertainment-Now.com).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
A powerful, immersive journey into one woman’s struggle to reclaim her past. On the eve of her 50th birthday, Alice sets out to confront the trauma of her 10th birthday, which, instead of being a day of celebration, became the painful beginning of her abuse. Join her and her guests as her fragile reality is threatened throughout the day, as Alice fights to take back what is hers. Alice is a voice-hearer and a survivor of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA). Optional immersive element available. 'Very strong future ahead of it' ***** (BroadwayBaby.com).
Greenside @ George Street
Ivy Studio
A comedy show about writing a book about romance. Alice Fraser has fallen in love... with romance novels. She's written a delirious love letter to the genre and now she has to live with the consequences. If you love romance novels, or if you have no idea how anyone could love romance novels, this is the show for you. A show that will make you laugh, cry and rethink happily ever after. 'Breathtakingly funny' ***** (EdinburghGuide.com). 50 Best Comedians of the 21st Century (Telegraph).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
With oral history passed down over the family generations, Peter gives a stirring and passionate account of his great-grandmother’s hard-fought campaign for the right to vote over 100 years ago. A shoe machinist by trade, lifelong socialist and mother of six, centenary year 2018 marked a bronze statue unveiled of Alice together her sash, hunger-strike medal and more on display at UK Parliament. Illustrated throughout with her very own suffrage memorabilia, sister suffragette Ruth Pownall adds true theatre to an unmissable spoken word show. **** (The Student). www.alicehawkinssuffragette.co.uk
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Helen Duncan Room
Alice-India is a sweet widdle baby cherub. But, biblically speaking so was the devil... In this debut hour, Alice-India explores moral relativism and being "one of the girls". Arrested only 10 days before receiving an autism and ADHD diagnosis, often misunderstood, Alice swan dives into good and evil. Black and white. Whether good people exist at all. And, if they do, does anyone want to sleep with them anyway? Fresh from a break-up and a miraculously clean DBS, Alice-India pays the ferryman and takes you across the River Styx. See you in hell, assholes.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
The All Made Up Podcast Live is back at the Edinburgh Fringe – bigger, better and funnier than ever! Join hosts Harry, Ben and Lewis as a special guest comedian takes the reins as lead writer, crafting a story like you’ve never heard before. No scripts, no safety nets – just pure, off-the-cuff hilarity. With past guests like Netflix’s Daniel Sloss, Jason Byrne, Emmanuel Sonubi and Sooz Kempner, this is where stand-up meets storytelling in the most unpredictable way. If you love quick-thinking comedy and laugh-out-loud chaos, don’t miss it!
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 3
Sell-out show every year! More puppets! More magic! More laughter. The perfect family show to start your day – kids love the magic, mayhem and colourful puppets! Great fun for all the family from three upwards, as Leigh invites you to meet his naughty puppets, play games and marvel at his magic. Booking in advance is advised as this is the best value and funniest lunchtime kids show on the Fringe
Frankenstein Pub
Bier Keller
Join us for a post-lunch comedy tasting menu served up by seven comedians who’ll guide you on a journey from Bromley to Boston via Bangalore. Freshly prepared by Comedians By Night, this hilarious stand-up comedy variety show will take you on a whistle-stop tour through the UK, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the good old USA, as our comedians from all over the plate try to prove whose part of the world is the most deliciously funny.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
1955. Into a square little American town rides a guitar playin’, motorcycle ridin’ Elvis character who changes everything and everyone in this hip-swivelling musical comedy. Nelson Youth Theatre (New Zealand), who in 2019 'Embodied the true spirit of the Fringe' (London Times), will have you jumpin’ out of your blue suede shoes with a script that’s packed to the seams with comic one-liners and classic Elvis rock‘n’roll hits like Jailhouse Rock, Teddy Bear, Hound Dog, Devil in Disguise, Heartbreak Hotel, It’s Now or Never, One Night With You and All Shook Up.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
Almost Everything isn’t just a modern love story, it’s a timeless cautionary tale about gratitude, fate and life’s unpredictability. It reminds us to cherish what we have while we have it, yet acknowledges that life rarely follows the plans we make. Fans of One Day and Normal People will appreciate its realistic exploration of love in all its complexities: the moments of joy, heartbreak and unexpected connections that shape us. Through raw emotion and deeply human experiences, this story challenges perspectives, sparks conversation and offers an honest portrayal of love – flawed, messy and far from a fairytale.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Alba Theatre
Emily Benton, veteran actor and star of stage and screen, is back in the UK after a career that took her to Broadway and Hollywood. With her pedigree, she should be in Downton Abbey or the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, not auditioning for a role in a devised play that only become available when another, more famous, actor went to join the theatre in the sky. What cruel fate brought her here? Maybe there’s a secret she’s not revealing. From the makers of Make-up: 'A disarmingly truthful and humorous piece, adroitly constructed and beautifully performed' ★★★★ (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Would you sacrifice good food for freedom? Join Alvin Liu, a Chinese comedian who was once arrested, as he navigates the hilarities of starting anew in the UK. Love Letter to a Sandwich offers a fresh, comedic take on the quirks of cultural assimilation and unexpected surprises of viewing the West through Eastern eyes. Prepare for an evening filled with heartfelt humour, unique insights, and stories that bridge worlds. 'Potent in its imagery, authenticity, perverse logic and volatility' (Comedy.co.uk). 'Hilarious... one to watch' (Chortle.co.uk). ***** (Morning Star). Nominated – BBC New Comedy Awards.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
Alvin Bang and Eva Peroni bring a split-bill so funny it defies international law. Alvin and Eva Break the Geneva Convention is a radical split hour from two of Scotland's fastest progressing new acts who are not afraid to tackle big topics like the class struggle and international war crimes. Alvin Bang is 'one to watch' (Rosco Mcclelland). Eva Peroni is 'wonderful, a real joy to watch' (Vladimir Mctavish).
Hoots @ Potterrow
Wee Container
A solo clown show about a janitor who finds herself in front of an audience. Left with nothing but her fear, some trash and a stage, she tries to find the cure for loneliness! Always, Sometimes, Maybe is a story about desperation, feeling alone and ultimately finding a community using dance, puppetry and a sprinkle of magic. All ages are welcome to dive into the trash!
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
Ama, a female free-diver, hunts for shells unencumbered by diving equipment. This piece focuses on the 3,000-year-old culture of free-diving in Japan, now threatened by climate change. and and asks us questions. In a time when the climate emergency and oceanic pollution are major issues. Yoriko Maeno Tanztheater’s piece shows the life of the free-divers and their communion with nature – through dance, 360º video projection, and music composed by Thorsten Quaeschning (director of Tangerine Dream). Owing to the pandemic, the work is presented online as a 360° film. Here you will experience new sensations which can be only found through digital technology.www.yorikomaeno.comwww.facebook.com/yoriko.maenowww.instagram.com/yorikomaeno_dance/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Louis Pearl has been thrilling audiences worldwide for over 30 years with the art, magic, science and fun of bubbles. An Edinburgh Fringe favourite, he has sold out for the last 14 years. Louis explores the breathtaking dynamics of bubbles, combining comedy and artistry with audience participation and enough spellbinding bubble tricks to keep everyone mesmerised. From square bubbles to rocket bubbles, the Amazing Bubble Man conjures shrieks of laughter and gasps of amazement from all ages.
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
It's bingo with loads and loads of prizes. You get two bingo cards as part of your entry. If you bring a wrapped prize, you get another bingo card. Take your seats, get your dabber ready and let the winning begin. Jes is your game show host. He has crazy bingo variations like you've never seen before. Let's take the excitement through the roof! Oh, did I mention that there are loads of prizes? Just saying, because there are loads of prizes. See JesMoonBingo.co.uk for more information and customer reviews.
Royal College of Physicians
Great Hall
Live streaming from her flat in Edinburgh, a Brazilian woman unearths the untold history of her Amazonian ancestors, from those who watched the first Europeans lay claim to her land to the women fighting to defend the forest today. Discover the real Amazon (not the online shop)! Buckle up for a gripping darkly funny whirlwind new solo show by acclaimed British-Brazilian theatre maker Gaël Le Cornec. Winner of the Guimarães Rosa Institute Award 2025. Previous work: Frida Kahlo: Viva La Vida! ***** (Scotsman), Camille Claudel **** (Times) and The Other ***** (BroadwayBaby.com).
Summerhall Festival
Former Gents Locker Room
Essex comedy veteran, Paul Merryck proudly presents his Edinburgh debut. A hilarious hour packed full of short gags and tall stories, that focuses on living life to the full as the clock ticks down to the great inevitable. Remember everything in moderation. Especially moderation. And the Grim Reaper can f*** right off somewhere else for a bit. Preferably Kent. 'The Essex bloke is something of a geezer gag-focused delivery…. high laugh rate…. you’d think that the spirit of Mike Reid is alive and well' (Chortle.co.uk).
Laughing Horse @ Boston Bar
Basement Bar
New York City improv comedians present American Football: An Improv Show. I bet you have never seen this show before! And that’s because we’re making it all up as we go! Showcasing different improv styles, comedians and ways of storytelling, you can bet that every night will be something different and exciting!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Bobby Award-winning comedy following Johnny, an 18-year-old at an all-boys boarding school. He ambles through daily life, Britney in his ears, failing to fit into the school's (rather rigid) mould. Enter Harry, the rugby golden boy. To save time, Johnny and Harry shag. Constantly. This isn't a coming out story or a gay tragedy and it is definitely not porn. It is life through the lens of a young queer man, navigating Grindr, hyper-masculinity and an institution rife with shame.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons tribute act 'The False Seasons' are back at the Fringe for a third year running after previous sell-outs with an all-new show. To hear iconic hits such as Big Girls Don’t Cry, Beggin, Oh What a Night and many more, ensure you book early as tickets will sell fast!
Le Monde
Shanghai
Hear the incredible real-life stories of Marvin and others who have faced challenges and turned their lives around. Find out why a near-death experience led him to turn his back on his criminal past and what motivated him to become the reformed person he is today. Now working as a crime-prevention activist, his motivational talks aim to reduce re-offending by inspiring youth and changing lives. With guest interviewees whose lives have involved challenge, change, change and transformation. Followed by a no-holds-barred Q&A.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
A glorious spoof of the RAF. Early Doors Productions bring you the greatest parody of the most awesome escape. Join Dickie, Jackson, McQueen and Garner in their most daring and amazing flee of all time. Put a fence in front of these men and they'll… wait, what fence? Escaping is great. Your balls are in good hands.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
After a complete sell-out run in 2023 and 2024 at the iconic Edinburgh Festival Fringe (as well as performances at several festivals in Ireland and the UK), this triple-headline, pro-comic show from an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman brings a live stand-up comedy show like nothing else you've ever seen! Rick Molland, Danny O'Brien and Billy Kirkwood will take to the stage for another full festival run, bringing non-stop laughs, high-energy and hilarious banter! Don't miss this one, one of the fastest-selling shows of last year's Festival for good reason!
Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn
Beehive 2 (The Attic)
Step into a vibrant cabaret where the ancient myth of the Minotaur is reinterpreted through the eyes of Ariadne. As she unravels the truth behind the twisted legacy she’s inherited, she dares to challenge the myths that uphold patriarchal control. No mere bystander, she is a force of change, navigating the labyrinth of power, truth and identity. Driven by a genre-blending score and powerful, poetic storytelling, both psychological and political, this production transports audiences into a living labyrinth and invites them to question the stories we accept, systems we uphold and who really controls the narrative.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Enjoy musical satire at its finest: celebrating the mischievous wit of Tom Lehrer, performed by Australian entertainer, singer and pianist, Antony (Dr H) Hubmayer. This award-winning smash-hit of the Edinburgh and Adelaide Fringe includes all Tom's hits plus even more laughs, songs and games. Join the merry journey exploring the life and times of Tom Lehrer, retold through such timeless songs as Masochism Tango, Vatican Rag, Poisoning Pigeons in the Park. You’ll be laughing and singing your way through a great evening of cabaret entertainment as you experience An Unwasted Evening.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Anatomy of Pain is a powerful and unflinching exploration of the dysfunctional healthcare system, following Alex’s journey to seek a diagnosis for the rare and debilitating condition, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Through an intimate and emotional performance, the show explores the impact of clinicians’ unfamiliarity and lack of empathy when faced with rare conditions. Audiences are invited to witness the devastating impact this has on every facet of Alex’s life, from identity to relationships. Beautifully crafted and deeply moving, this interdisciplinary performance is a must-see for anyone seeking to understand the human cost of systemic failings.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
A love letter to the queers, the weirdoes, the trailblazers, the fringes and the night-walkers. An exploration of personal identity through a reflection of memories from queer and club spaces. Remembering the energy that can be drawn from these spaces and trying to sustain the sensation while understanding the longevity of a moment in time that is so communally charged. This show is a storytelling of any night, told through the use of dance, runaway show, spoken word and lip-syncing. It is an exploration of gender, queerness and camaraderie of different spaces.
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
A musical stand-up show dealing with life as an Irish male raised in a culture where emotions are things to be avoided. It’s much better to push them right down whenever they rear their ugly heads until they pop up as bigger problems down the line. A metaphysical hydra, if you will.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
The rodeo is the best place in the world. Why would anybody burn it down? Unfortunately, rodeos don’t burn down on their own. More unfortunately, everything is expensive: becoming a cowboy, finding the culprit, and even keeping the lights on. This alleged tale of arson fractures into the story of two clowns desperately trying to afford to put on a show. An absurdist Western send up of the American Dream from consecutive 2022, 2023, and 2024 Fringe First Award-winners Xhloe and Natasha.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Ukraine’s BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Winner 2019 (opera), Andrii Kymach baritone returns to Edinburgh with rising star accompanist Jâms Coleman (piano) in a new recital, Ukraine, specially devised for 2025's Day of Ukraine Independence (24th August 2025). This follows his hugely successful 2024 recital Arias, which celebrated Edinburgh and Kyiv's 35th twinning anniversary (1989-2024). The historic 2025 event is supported by the Consulate of Ukraine and the Consulate Generals of Germany and France in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Andy Chung is a captivating figure in Scottish folk music, based in Edinburgh with roots in Fife and further afield. As a folk singer Andy embodies the rich tradition of Scottish storytelling, blending the timeless words of Robert Burns with his own compositions and Scottish songs. Andy connects with the audience and brings our songs to life as he shares the emotional and historical influences and paints a vivid picture of Scottish landscapes and culture. His individual experience shapes the performance. Join our rare and cherished singer at historic Captain’s whilst experiencing Edinburgh’s folk scene.
Captains Bar
Bar
Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years takes over the upper and lower galleries in the Royal Scottish Academy building for the summer. Based in Scotland, Goldsworthy (born 1956) is internationally famous for his extraordinary work with natural materials. This exhibition showcases over 200 works including photographs, sculptures and installations. Goldsworthy will also create several major new works onsite. Sure to be one of the most talked-about exhibitions of the year – showing only in Edinburgh. Image: Andy Goldsworthy. Test for clay wall. Dumfriesshire, Scotland, June 2024. Courtesy of the Artist. © the artist.
National
Royal Scottish Academy
Get your dabbers ready for playful parodies, polished puns and surreal stories from the frontline of the UK party bingo circuit. With on-screen singalong karaoke lyrics, audience interaction and an actual game of bingo it’s unlike any other show you’ll see! Critics Choice Award winner at the 2024 Bay Fringe. Best Comedy Show nominee at the 2024 and 2023 Buxton Fringe. Mamma’s Drag Battle finalist 2024. 'A cheerily endearing persona...' (Chortle.co.uk).
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
Experience the mesmerizing energy of Indian classical rhythm as masterful tabla player Manmohan Dogra returns to the Fringe. A disciple of the esteemed musicologist and writer Pt. Vijay Shanker Mishra, Manmohan brings the centuries-old tradition of tabla to life with an electrifying solo that blends power, precision and emotion. Accompanied by Dave Beards on sitar, this performance promises a spellbinding journey through intricate rhythms and dynamic improvisation. Join us for an unforgettable evening of rhythm, melody and tradition – where the past meets the present in a breathtaking celebration of Indian classical music.
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Helen Duncan Room
It is a 90-minute live anime music concert with an interval, featuring high-achieving young musicians performing excerpts from popular anime series such as One Piece, Chibi Maruko-chan, Studio Ghibli, Sword Art Online, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Attack on Titan.
Marchmont St Giles
The Church
Voice actors bring Anime to life through games, live dubbing, and challenges! New guests daily – come back and see a different show every time! Your host: Soness Stevens, Tokyo-based voice actor, the voice you know as Hello Kitty (1999-2024), Metro announcements worldwide, Ultra Boy, Time Crisis 5, Nintendo Arms, and Bomberman. She also voiced the worst video game ever! You’re an Otaku who’s translated the lyrics to DanDaDan? Spent your childhood watching Saturday morning cartoons? You'll love this! www.animezing.games
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
It’s been a while but Captivate is bringing back this much-loved family favourite with a fantastic new cast. ‘A wonderful and family-friendly experience for anyone who knows and loves Annie, or equally for anyone who is new to the music and the story, Captivate Theatre’s production is rip-roaring musical fun... With humour, skilful choreography, and exceptionally strong vocal performances, this excellent adaptation avoids the mawkish trap and produces a first-class musical which is a joy to behold’ (Primary Times). ‘An Annie that stands tall among the shows of the Fringe, and one which is well worth seeing’ (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).
The Edinburgh Academy
Magnusson Theatre
Following the success of her critically acclaimed debut solo show Annie Are You Ok? Annie returns with Smooth Criminal. This comedic confession of her first arrest explores how the silly, the serious, and the surreal intertwine in life – and in comedy. If you'd been there, if you'd seen it... you would've done the same. As seen on RAW Comedy (State finalist), Comedy Zone and Binge's Colin From Accounts. 'The artistic concoction of deadpan meets tongue-in-cheek' (TheUpsideNews.com). '...stunning, sarcastic, blazing performance' (Louder-Magazine.com).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
A pandemic-induced trip down memory lane, featuring puppets and a treatise on The Sopranos, is put into hyperspeed when a gender non-conforming praying mantis named E appears in Kelsey’s study. This leads her down a path of discovery of the patterns that shaped who she thinks she is. Before going further, she must uncover a truth she might not be willing to face – at least, not on her own… This piece leans into the voyeuristic nature of Zoom performances, explores the binaries we occupy, and asks how we can leap past old behaviours into the possibilities of the unknown.www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participantswww.instagram.com/kelseysiepser/ Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A '...rip roaring tour de force' (TheReviewsHub.com) from the co-writer behind Two Fingers Up. Winner of Solas Nua New Voices Award at Dublin Fringe Festival 2024. Irish Twins, Sarah and Jamie, are about to hit 30. Before they do, they're reliving their greatest hits: credit crunch, austerity and free school meals... Benefits Britain never sounded so good! A soundtrack packed with Oasis, Springsteen and Sam Fender in this euphoric, working-class celebration of the power of live music, teenage angst, sibling rivalry and love. An electric and hilarious, coming-of-age anthem for anyone who ever wanted more.
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
After a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024, Mythography return with their urgent and haunting production of Jean Anouilh's Antigone. Irreverent and full of rage, this bold rewriting of an eternal myth asks questions that would shatter our world. This is a story about youth on the brink. About the splintering world we've inherited and our struggle to make sense of it all. It's a cry of absolute idealism and existential rage from a generation learning what it takes to grow up in the 21st century. Our Antigone is a beautiful and unforgiving shock to the system.
French Institute in Scotland
Salle Emilienne Moreau-Evrard
Scarlett Smith is an electroacoustic harpist and comedian. Tired of the harp's demure, classical reputation, Scarlett’s debut solo show Any Objections? defies traditional stereotyping. Instead, audiences are taken on a surreal quest to prove this unwieldy, celestial instrument has a place far beyond the orchestra pit. Blending live looping covers of popular songs, self-produced indie-pop jingles and fast-paced punchlines, the show is a playful celebration of creativity and harp innovation. Expect wedding industry musings, a fateful boat trip and an interactive gameshow in this whimsical world where chaos meets creativity.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
A Wimbledon line judge for 20 years, comedian Pauline Eyre is ready to spill the Pimms on tennis gossip from the fragrant royal box to the musty locker room, and why line judges are OUT! Expect smashing stories, ace anecdotes and a 40-love letter to the game. And there’s nobody to say ‘quiet please’. She cannot be serious… can she? 'She’s warm, wonderfully funny and you’ll want to be her pal' (Angela Barnes). Jones Bootmaker ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer nominee 2024. 'An impressive debut full of big laughs' ***** (Youngish-Perspective.net).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
A lonely karaoke jockey is the sole survivor at the end of the world, and decides to go out singing. A darkly hilarious, high-octane spectacle, where Nietzsche meets the Spice Girls, and the world ends in song. Chanteuse, comedian, and chaos enthusiast Scout Durwood (MTV’s Mary + Jane) hailed as 'brazen, brass' (Vogue), makes a powerhouse Fringe debut packed with original songs, pop bangers, audience interaction, and existential musings. This full-throttle celebration of life at the edge of the abyss asks the big question: is there time for one more song?
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dairy Room
Uma Gahd from Canada’s Drag Race Season 5, everybody’s favourite unofficial auntie, brings you her one-woman drag comedy exploring small talk and big issues: fame, family, feminism, and failed marriages! Stuffed with stand-up, lip-sync, and plenty of hysterical pathos, Uma tells the story of her life - from sneaking into bars with her childhood best friend, Margaret, to breaking into showbusiness with her growing family. Part environmental theatre, part cabaret, and part drag show. Come hear the word of Gahd!‘She is warm, slightly daft, and thoroughly loveable’ **** (List)‘A wildly entertaining way to spend 45 minutes’ (MontrealTheatreHub.com)'Montreal's #1 Drag Artist’ (CultMLT.com)
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
A recital celebrating the 100th anniversary of Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924). Sungho Kim tenor, the South Korean Winner of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Song Prize 2023, stars with his Cardiff accompanist, the virtuoso pianist Llyr Williams.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
A recital celebrating the 190th anniversary of Vincenzo Bellini (1801-25). Sungho Kim tenor, the South Korean Winner of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Song Prize 2023, stars with his Cardiff accompanist, the virtuoso pianist Llyr Williams.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Where do we sit through it all? Who are we with our friends? Six separate lives interwoven over meals. This is where we start, but also how it ends.
Greenside @ George Street
Olive Studio
Glaswegian comedian and author Iain MacDonald embraces the international aspect of the festival as he takes you on a pun-venture around the world in which he has a joke for each and every country. You tell him the country – he'll tell you the joke! And with the aid of his giant map and mini globes for the audience, there'll be plenty of opportunities to try and catch him out! ‘Scotland’s Prince of Puns‘ (BBC Radio Scotland).
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
The Alcove
Dutch composer/pianist Hermane composes beautiful songs with intricate harmonies. Before settling in Andalusia, he spent thirty years in Latin America, USA, Asia and Africa, soaking up the traditional music of each country. A meticulous composer, his goal is to create virtuoso pieces, endowed with a fragility that moves the listener – so different from the typical four repeated chords structure common to much contemporary music. While drawing inspiration from classical grand-masters, his compositions are palpably twenty-first century, offering an intricate kaleidoscope of colourful musical landscapes bearing Latin, Soul, Tango and Flamenco influences.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Award-winning guitarist Daniel Martinez presents new compositions as well as past works, where dance takes centre stage. Following the incredible success of previous productions, which have captivated over 80,000 audience members in only two years, Daniel returns with a must-see flamenco spectacle. Featuring world-class dancer Angel Reyes alongside Daniel's company, this electrifying show has already captivated over 30,000 people in 2025 alone. With original compositions performed live, the synergy between music and dance creates an unforgettable experience. Immerse yourself in the raw passion of Andalucia. Simply unmissable!
Yotel Edinburgh
Imaginex
What happens when two overly interconnected share houses go head-to-head in an epic, highly anticipated boardgame showdown? The miniature trophy prize and the prospect of a framed photo of the opposing house on their fridge seems trivial, but there’s more at stake. Simmering under the surface are tensions, hardcore competitiveness and unresolved conflicts. Six young adults with a myriad of quirks that make them either the perfect teammate or a recipe for disaster and hilarity ensues! When the chips are down and victory is near, everyone will do whatever it takes to win. What will be revealed?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
The Fringe is an Odyssey – where will your journey take you? Artist is a card-based workshop created for Fringe artists. It's a space to pause and recalibrate amidst the festival chaos. With a custom deck of conversation cards, each session sparks open dialogue on themes like community, expectations and strategy, both at and beyond the Fringe. This is not a lecture: it’s an immersive experience designed to spark reflection, connect with community and explore new perspectives. You're even invited to take the cards with you and continue the conversation into your next journey!
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
library
As We Face the Sun is a moving and uplifting exploration of friendship and the passage of time. The story follows a group of West London classmates who, after the tragic loss of a friend, hold an annual party in her honour. As they transition from teenagers into adulthood, the gatherings become a reflection of shared memories and growth. Bought to life by talented West London drama students, the narrative reminds us of why we hold onto things and how we might start to let go.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
This original Chinese campus youth musical delves into the complex emotions and struggles faced by today’s teenagers and even adults, exploring self-doubt, anxiety and the search for identity. Co-created by teachers and students, As You Wish encourages individuals to confront their fears, embrace their uniqueness and discover their own inner spark through an engaging and heartfelt narrative. More than just a school musical, this is an artistic expression of the hopes, dreams and challenges faced by today’s youth. Will leave audiences inspired by a renewed appreciation of the beauty of individuality. Performed in Mandarin with English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
After a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024 and sold-out performances at Greenwich Theatre, Ascension returns for Edinburgh Fringe 2025. Ascension is based on the 300-year-old diary of Dutch sailor Leendert Hasenbosch, who was marooned on Ascension Island in 1725 for the crime of sodomy. Isolated and surrounded only by barren rock and endless ocean, he fought to survive. He was, however, pursued ashore by his personal demons. This bold and inventive adaptation reclaims his story for the 21st century, exploring queer identity, the weaponisation of religion and the resilience to love ourselves in a sometimes unforgiving world.
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
32, single and lives with his Chinese immigrant mother. Sounds like a catch? Then join Lance on his quest to find The One during (yes, during) this dark, candid and heartfelt stand-up comedy show about a Chinese immigrant family, culture clash and first dates. Lance has always dreamed of a fairytale love story. Then why is he still single? Stereotypes? Personality? Unrealistic standards? He'll give 32 reasons why he's still single at 32. ‘One of the most honest pieces of comedy I've seen', 'Devastatingly funny’ (Audience reviews). ‘What kind of a man defames his family’ (His mum).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
Ever had a burning question about one of the world's most misunderstood professions? Join real-life, quick-witted and unshakable strippers as they peel back the stereotypes to reveal what really goes on behind the neon lights and glitter of the sex industry. Stacey Clare (author of The Ethical Stripper) and Sabrina Jade (TV reality star of Slagwars), plus special guests, dish the dirt in this hilarious, insightful and brutally honest show. Expect laugh-out-loud comedy, confessions and candid conversation – come for the laughs, stay for the stories... if you don't ask, you'll never know.
Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly
Other Room
Atomic Cabaret is a one-woman science-political musical about the existential risks of the nuclear age, starring Lynda Williams, the Physics Chanteuse. Provocative and wildly entertaining, the show exposes the reckless stupidity of the bomb, from Trident to Trinity, and explores how we can stop the madness – with science, satire and song that is smart, sexy, sassy and radical. Atomic Cabaret commemorates the 80th anniversary of the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and is a benefit for Scottish CND. 'Lynda will blow your mind!' (Kip Thorne, Nobel Prize-winning physicist). 'Williams puts the fizz in physics' (People Magazine).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
A groundbreaking music drama by Scottish New Music Awards shortlisted Joanna Nicholson, combining projections, voice, electronic soundscapes, clarinet and horn. Psychological time travel draws us into the inner world of Aud the Deep Minded, a real-life Christian Viking and conflicted yet brilliant leader in 9th century Scotland. Inspired by fragments of unreliably documented history, and reframed in the present, we explore Aud's transformatory journey from oppressed to oppressor to liberator. Soprano – Clíona Cassidy, Horn – Andy Saunders, Clarinet – Joanna Nicholson, Electronics – Alistair MacDonald, Projection art – Kirsty Anderson. #IamAud MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
theSpaceTriplex
Big
The Edinburgh comedy institution Auld Cheeky returns for its third Fringe to give you the best of all local acts every night. Brought to you by Liam Jackson, Dan McKenna, Rob Raith and Mike Sayers. 'Organic f*ck-it attitude' (Comedy.co.uk).
Scottish Comedy Festival @ Waverley Bar
The Waverley
Auntie is a sweet old dear and a jolly good raconteur. All she wants to do is regale us with tales of dear old Blighty – but her body is falling to bits. Oh dear. Best not mention it. Someone ought to clean that up. By turns an absurd and rambunctious bouffon comedy and a bloody, messy, sing-along satire on Britain and nationhood, Auntie Empire is an unmissable collaboration between award-winning Scottish companies Disaster Plan and Jordan & Skinner.
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
The smash-hit West End comedy, as heard on BBC Radio 4, celebrates its 12th glorious year at the Fringe! The all-star cast (featuring Rachel Parris, Cariad Lloyd, Graham Dickson and more) improvise a hilarious new Jane Austen novel every show, inspired entirely by a title from the audience. Performed in period costume with live musical accompaniment – it's a riotous, razor-sharp show where swooning is guaranteed. 'Hilariously bold, wickedly funny' ***** (Times). 'One of the most enjoyable 60 minutes on the Fringe' **** (Guardian).
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
Avenue Q is back for a fourth year! Our sell-out runs prove how popular this production is. Featuring actors and puppets, we follow Princeton as he struggles through life and love. Not for the faint-hearted. A fantastic show that is full of humour and witty lines as well as smacking you round the face with sex, love and deceit. Forget about the actors as the puppets take on a life of their own as you buy into their lives and struggles. A talented and dedicated cast make this show a must-see production.
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Lower Hall
A focus group. A pitch meeting. A multiverse imaginarium. Having received critical acclaim for a show about grief, addiction and mental breakdown, Maxwell is stuck on how to up the ante with her next confessional solo show. She needs you for some intensive audience research: which of her personal traumas is most fundable, marketable and ripe for TV adaptation? In an era hungry for the next smash-hit overshare, BABYFLEAREINDEERBAG kicks over the bucket of ideas Maxwell can't yet bring herself to make a show about, interrogating the risk and cynicism in telling one's own story onstage.
Summerhall Festival
Former Gents Locker Room
BOMBSHELL follows three sparkly Vegas showgirls who put up environmentally-conscious cabaret acts in a rundown nightclub called Club Fistfight. Despite their best attempts at making global warming hot, the club is closing. For their final performance, Scarlett, Jane and Eliza decide to tell the audience a love story. But as the last show at Club Fistfight reaches a peak, Scarlett takes extreme action when a shocking secret is revealed. BOMBSHELL is about how far we'll go for love, for each other and for our planet, and who is really responsible for the end of the world.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
When she discovers that her dad has stolen her identity, she has to face who she really is. A true-crime comedy about human trafficking, identity theft, cults, child actors, and the tragicomic omen of being born on the set of a Coen brothers movie to a mafia family.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Lena and Joey are having a baby. Lena has bought a pinstripe suit. Joey is soaking wet. A show about queer family making and what it takes to make one. Baby in the Mirror is the debut show of Second Adolescence, a new theatre company from Stella Marie Sophie and Sammy J Glover, Director and Co-creator of The Last Show Before We Die ***** (Guardian).
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
Organist David Hamilton performs a programme that includes Bach's Prelude and Fugue in C (BWV 547), the Fugue on the Magnificat, two different settings of Liebster Jesu and the Fugue in C (BWV 575) on Canongate Kirk's renowned Frobenius organ.
Canongate Kirk
Canongate Kirk
This talented London-based cellist returns to the Fringe to give her annual recital of all the Bach Cello Suites over three days. Come and listen and escape form the bustle of Edinburgh in August.
St Cuthbert's Church
Main Sanctuary
Famous for his beautiful sound, Vienna’s leading violinist Wolfgang David interprets Bach's Sonata No 1 and Partita No 1. Award-winning American composer/pianist David Gompper joins to perform his Répons I. This is part one of three programmes. Wolfgang David performs regularly at the most prestigious concert halls such as Carnegie Hall New York, Musikverein Hall Vienna, Suntory Hall Tokyo, and Wigmore Hall London. David Gompper is a Professor of Composition at the University of Iowa and director of the Center for New Music.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Famous for his beautiful sound, Vienna’s leading violinist Wolfgang David interprets Bach's Sonata No 2 and Partita No 2. Award-winning American composer/pianist David Gompper joins to perform his Répons II. This is part two of three programmes. Wolfgang David performs regularly at the most prestigious concert halls such as Carnegie Hall New York, Musikverein Hall Vienna, Suntory Hall Tokyo, and Wigmore Hall London. David Gompper is a Professor of Composition at the University of Iowa and director of the Center for New Music.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Famous for his beautiful sound, Vienna’s leading violinist Wolfgang David interprets Bach's Sonata No 3 and Partita No 3. Award-winning American composer/pianist David Gompper joins to perform his Répons III. This is part three of three programmes. Wolfgang David performs regularly at the most prestigious concert halls such as Carnegie Hall New York, Musikverein Hall Vienna, Suntory Hall Tokyo, and Wigmore Hall London. David Gompper is a Professor of Composition at the University of Iowa and director of the Center for New Music.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
This talented London-based cellist returns to the Fringe to perform the Preludes and Gigues from all the Bach Cello Suites in one lunchtime performance, in the stunning surroundings of St Cuthbert's Church. Come and be amazed!
St Cuthbert's Church
Main Sanctuary
Join this talented London-based cello/piano duo as they perform a series of three consecutive concerts of sonatas by these musical giants in the Georgian splendour of Edinburgh New Town Church. Not to be missed.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
They say well-behaved women seldom make history! Bad Girls of History is an audio-visual live DJ set presented by DJ Carly Gray, celebrating all the bad girls who changed the history books forever. Set to a soundtrack of remixed hits by female icons such as Taylor Swift, Chapell Roan and Whitney Houston, this immersive dance party with synchronised visuals celebrates the female rebels that paved the way for all the generations of girls after them. A purely feminist, energetic and joyful show – get ready to sing, dance and celebrate female icons of the past.
The Three Sisters
LIVE Room
Having a bad night's sleep has an effect on your whole day, having not sleep well for 30+ years changes the way you see the world. Throw in pain to keep you company and that’s enough to send you over the edge. Ian TC brings you his newly updated sell-out comedy show, exploring the world you see when you haven’t slept well. Loud and explosive, but always funny. Bad in Bed is one to see. 'Like a young Billy Connolly on Speed!' (The Stand). 'Fu*king great' (Tom Stade).
Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn
Beehive 1 (The Lounge)
The contestants on this year's Bake Off have been doing much much worse than usual. It's almost like... sabotage? Join our crew of almost-recognisable faces as they band together to defeat the world’s greatest evil: Ratt Lucas. Using the power of friendship and a predictable parody (or two), will they succeed in the endeavour? Or will there be egg on their faces? Come and find out. Returning for another year of Fringe performances, there will be puns, buns and tonnes of funs!
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
Sherlock Holmes is not at home this evening. Neither is his friend and colleague Dr Watson. Mr Holmes is rarely home unless knee-deep in a case (and unavailable anyway) or otherwise desperately waiting for a good one to come along. But on this particular evening, whatever the case, he is elsewhere. Three ladies, all with strong ties to the great detective, one after another, are drawn towards and into 221b Baker Street in the hope of finding him at home.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
This performance lecture examines the UK's colonial legacy in Palestine, focusing on Arthur James Balfour, Prime Minister (1902-1905) and Foreign Secretary (1916-1919), and his role in denying Palestinian political rights. Utilising speculative choreography and Afrofuturism, Saleh intertwines history, fiction, and fantasy, drawing inspiration from archival materials. Set in 2045, the lecture reflects on a fictive apology letter issued by the UK in 2025, promising reparations to the Palestinian people. The audience become members of the reparations' evaluation committee created on the 20th anniversary of the apology and are invited to participate in the performance. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
Bang returns to the Fringe as a one-woman play about the tragic life of Joan Vollmer, the common law wife of famed Beat writer William S Burroughs. After her murder, Joan appears to the audience to recount her life with the wildly unpredictable and ultimately dangerous literary giants of post-WWII America: Burroughs, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. Can she find redemption in her exploration of a life spent in loyalty to these violent men?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
A cheeky, hilarious, mellifluous romp through one singer’s colourful past of cult-loving husbands, wacky producers and shaggable therapists, with lusty vocals in bra busting style. 'Musical mayhem comedy: from weird uncles to zoom therapy, suffocating exes and Liza’s cabaret like you’ve never heard, Barbara had the room singing and clapping along, while also keeping them in hysterics' (Kyle Wallace, G&B Comedy). 'What a show! One of the rare performances where everyone is in stitches and you leave with your cheeks hurting' (Audience review). 'She is fearless, endearing, raunchy and unflinching' (Torrey Shine).
Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly
Other Room
It's so boring! I don't understand it! Do we have to? Join us for a rollercoaster ride through some of Shakespeare's well (and lesser) known plays as we delve into the timeless themes and modern issues contained within their pages. A little bit comedy, a little bit tragedy, Bard Education introduces audiences to Shakespeare's greatest hits in whole new light. Spend the afternoon with us and discover the answer to every English teacher's nightmare question, why bother with Shakespeare?
St Vincent's
The Undercroft
At St Cecilia's Catholic boarding school, we follow the students as they confront their awakening sexuality and all the questions and struggles that it brings. ELT brings this story to life with energy, grit and compassion. Just wow! This forceful, passionate and compelling musical deals with raw emotion and the struggle with rejection and acceptance. We see the anguish and guilt that some people struggle through as they discover who they are and where they stand in society. A heartbreaking and soulful production that you will be immersed in with this talented and energetic cast.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Alba Theatre
We cordially invite you, monster hunter, to an unforgettable night. The world-renowned paranormal expert Baron Vordenburg and his helpers, Gothic and Grotesque, give away trade secrets and expertise on hunting the unknown. The first in a series of lectures, the Baron tackles the most cunning creatures of the night. Please RSVP as seats are limited for this most-special event. Photo and book signings will be available before and after the symposium. Your safety is our concern.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Barry Morgan – Australia’s most celebrated organ salesman. Straight from the golden era of the late 70s into the 1980s and the showroom floor of Barry Morgan’s World of Organs, Barry Morgan is here to bring you the ultimate in jaunty music and comedy. Barry has toured across the world lighting up stages and people's lives! His dazzling performances are a blend of music, comedy and sheer joy, guaranteed to leave audiences feeling mesmerised by his extraordinary organ. It's the ultimate Edinburgh party – don't miss this massive cult!
Frankenstein Pub
Bier Keller
Welcome to The Brain, Inc, the tiny office that lives inside the head of every living person. It's Bea P Deigh's first day on the job and she's here to make a name for herself. This acclaimed production deftly challenges mental health stigma with humour and heart. Hailed as 'absurd and heartbreaking in equal measure' (LondonPubTheatres.com) and 'a vital and humorous insight' (AYoungishPerspective.co.uk), Bea P Deigh is an unmissable, thought-provoking theatrical experience that resonates long after the curtain falls.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Man or bear? Which would you choose? Intertwining fairytales and folklore with the viral Man vs Bear debate, Bear is about a girl who goes on a camping trip, where she is saved from a bear attack by a knight in shining armour. She is brought into a log cabin, safe, only until his true colours show... This two-hander with Man and Bear played by the same actor explores duality, manipulation and revenge, discussing one of the most profound fears for women, and the reasons why most would rather face the cruelty of an animal than a human.
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
Your chance to get thrown into a hilarious head-to-head with a top comedian. Test your wits and general knowledge as you battle for crown glory in this quiz show. Laugher guaranteed, victory uncertain.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Las Vegas
'Why do you hurt yourself?' Partial to his own methods of self-therapy, chronic overthinker Jade has all the answers. However, when unexpected news surfaces, overwhelming questions are provoked and painful memories resurrected. Suddenly thrust into an existentialist journey of self-discovery, Jade's world begins to unravel, seeing him at loggerheads with his most trusted voice of reason... himself. Written and performed by Hassan Govia, Because is an explosive solo-show that explores the long-term impact of bullying, engaging with issues of mortality, masculinity, privilege and (undiagnosed) mental illness. 'Incredibly powerful' (FringeReview.co.uk). 'Govia impresses with a captivating stage presence' (TheReviewsHub.com).
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Chronicling a moment of intergenerational exchange. Based on discussions between creator Roger White and his grandmother, Marianna Clark, about a hidden life under the Nazi regime. Blending a haunting soundscape, featuring recorded conversations of grandmother and grandson, with evocative choreography that embodies memory. A cautionary tale highlighting the perils of anti-immigrant narratives, through stories that pivot between humour and darkness, documenting the slow march toward authoritarianism. A heartwarming reminder to honor the wisdom that came before us and hold on to the memory of those we cherish most. From the creators of 2023's hit Papillon.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Alternative comedy takes over Bedlam Fringe! See the most exciting acts from all over the UK in a curated lineup of one-off weirdness. From live Scalextric tournaments to a Midlands themed brawl, there's something different every night. 'Intelligent, anarchic, format-breaking comedy' (Chortle.co.uk). Full lineup at bedlamfringe.co.uk/late or drop by the venue.
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
OCH continue their obsession with all things Captain Beefheart, re-working the music of his Magic Band for the 21st century. Tracks from all of the Captain's classic albums interpreted by Steve Kettley (saxes, vocal), Stuart Allardyce (guitar), Dave Beards (bass) and Des Travis (drums). Psychedelic rock meets free jazz meets the blues! 'Part homage, part wild-eyed evening of grand riffs and virtuoso playing' (Mark Thomas).
Bannermans
Back Cave (standing)
Parky Players founded in 2020, first performing at the Edinburgh Fringe 2022. Since then, they’ve won the 2023 World Parkinson’s Congress song competition, performing their song in Barcelona to 2000 people. In 2024 they wrote, performed and toured a new comedy sketch show, Shaken Not Stirred, culminating in six days at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024. This is a chance to hear their inspirational story through an introduction by Parky Player co-founder Janet Shipton, followed by a screening of the documentary by award-winning filmmaker Dave MacFarlane, and finally a Q&A session with cast members.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
University of Exeter’s Illuminations presents Behind Bars: Sentenced to Sing. Fifteen of the a cappella world’s most wanted have been put under lock and key in the high security prison: Acatraz. But now, they must sing for their freedom. You will decide which inmate is set free. Their fate rests in your hands. Packed with powerful vocals, unexpected twists and a whole lot of heart, it would be criminal to miss this.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Behind the Laughter is the journey of a mental wellbeing teaching course. Come and see how this comedy course has helped these six individuals (many more have benefitted!) with their own individual issues as they bring you their own original comedy performance, to show how comedy has helped them in life by improving their confidence, their mental health and to feel part of a community again. Laugh For Life Comedy charity in conjunction with Care Merseyside charity will show you how mental wellbeing and stand-up comedy work in harmony using social prescribing at its best.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Actor, impersonator, and song-and-dance man Frank Moran celebrates the characters of the Marx brothers as he dexterously weaves their lives into his own. A real ‘New York story,’ Moran spins a rollicking tale of his younger self and all his heroes, including his working-class family, the Broadway greats, and – of course – Groucho Marx. Riddled with stories both comic and tragic, Moran dances, literally, between the comic and the tragic, as he discovers how powerful wearing all these different masks has really become.www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participantswww.facebook.com/frankmoran11www.instagram.com/realfrankmoran/www.youtube.com/channel/UCQh8DpbQxDBxDU9URn9I8Tw Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A daring fusion of classical ballet and modern sensuality, Bella’s Ballerinas presents a captivating performance blending heels technique, burlesque and breathtaking choreography. An unforgettable celebration of empowerment, passion and artistic freedom.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
'An insane amount of fun' (TheWeeReview.com). Mafia-themed whodunnit CrimeLandTown returns to EdFringe. Ben Goldsmith plays every character in a hilarious and one-of-a-kind screwball comedy about a wannabe gangster who never made the grade, so ended up singing in a dive-bar. What a schmuck! Don't miss a show described as gloriously silly, epic and weird, performed with enviable vim by a versatile talent with nimble aplomb. **** (TheWeeReview.com). **** (BroadwayWorld.com). **** (TheUpcoming.co.uk). **** (EdFringeReview.com).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
As seen and heard on ITV, BBC Radio5Live and BBC Radio 4, multi award-winning musical comedian Bennet Kavanagh brings his 'unique and charmingly chaotic' (TheReviewsHub.com) brand of musical comedy to the Fringe for his debut hour! Expect songs, stand-up and whatever happens when you combine those two things. Winner of Bath Comedy Festival New Act of the Year. Winner of Amused Moose People's Champion. 'Silly, smart... Bill Bailey would have given Kavanagh his vote' (Bruce Dessau). 'Actually... that was funny' (Simon Cowell). Directed by Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominee Huge Davies.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
Need advice? We’re dancing it. Yep! The Operators have arrived, serving as the world's first dancing advice columnists. It’s giving, writing, re-righting, rites of passage through our resume of soft skills. We’ve got decades of antidotes for the bodies becoming mother-lovin' wisdom. Tired of outsourcing all your questions to the dive bar echo chamber that is the internet? Try insourcing them with some real-life dancers. Join us as we relocate, protest, undermine and go on the offensive! The Operators will work to connect you to the best worst advice we can give!
Greenside @ George Street
Jade Studio
Best in Class is an award-winning showcase of working-class comedians from across the UK. Sponsored by waste grounds, knock-off trainers, spam, weed, the unions, crap schools, bunking off, failed MOTs, failed GCSEs, bus stops, payday loans, fierce mums, tired dads and empowerment. 'A fantastic crowd-funded initiative which brings working-class comics to the Fringe' **** (Scotsman). 'A great showcase of genuine talent' **** (TheWeeReview.com). 'Wonderfully funny' **** (BroadwayWorld.com). Edinburgh Comedy Award and ISH Award winners.
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Chamber
A revolving line-up of the best established and up-and-coming comedians at the Fringe in a show full of fun and laughter. 'The best thigh-slapping, cackling laugh of a time I’ve ever had ... something for everyone' ****1/2 (FringeFeed.com.au). 'A comedy smorgasbord' **** (GreatScottMedia.com). 'Hilarious comics ... a solid comedy show well worth the ticket price' **** (FringeFeed.com.au). 'A fine set of comics, who entertained everyone in the room' (Rip It Up).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Chamber
A revolving line-up of the best established and up-and-coming comedians at the Fringe in a show full of fun and laughter. 'The best thigh-slapping, cackling laugh of a time I’ve ever had ... something for everyone' ****1/2 (FringeFeed.com.au). 'A comedy smorgasbord' **** (GreatScottMedia.com). 'Hilarious comics ... a solid comedy show well worth the ticket price' **** (FringeFeed.com.au). 'A fine set of comics, who entertained everyone in the room' (Rip It Up).
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Garden Room
A revolving line-up of the best established and up-and-coming comedians at the Fringe in a show full of fun and laughter. 'The best thigh-slapping, cackling laugh of a time I’ve ever had ... something for everyone' ****1/2 (FringeFeed.com.au). 'A comedy smorgasbord' **** (GreatScottMedia.com). 'Hilarious comics ... a solid comedy show well worth the ticket price' **** (FringeFeed.com.au). 'A fine set of comics, who entertained everyone in the room' (Rip It Up).
Laughing Horse @ Kick Ass Greyfriars
Fringe Room
1939: Bette returns home knowing she’s to lose, as the press leaked the Oscar winners. Bette takes us on a bumpy ride, as the tenacious actress fights her way to the top. Witness Bette triumph over misogyny, to win roles and compensation on par with male counterparts. Through conversations with her mother, her friendship with Olivia de Havilland, her four failed marriages and her feelings of regret about her groundbreaking court case, we experience Bette’s most defining moments; Bette at her most vulnerable. See what happens when someone who always wins… loses. ‘Magnificently witty’ (List).www.BetteDavisAintForSissies.comwww.facebook.com/jessica.sherr.5www.instagram.com/bettedavisaintforsissies Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
‘Many times I wanted to step off the train of life, but faith and hard work kept me tethered to my seat.’ Cambridge-educated eye-surgeon Sola Amure returns to the fringe with an interactive presentation of his inspirational memoir Beyond the Horizon Might Be Better. The book tells the story of his life, from an abusive childhood divided between Nigeria and England to confronting prejudice from both NHS staff and patients as a medical professional. His presentation is followed by a Q&A.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Australia's award-winning favourites cross the seas with another hilarious cabaret packed with sharp wit, feminist flair and original anthems. When a Disney Princess wishes to see the most beautiful beaches in the world, she unexpectedly lands in the clutches of Australian customs officers. In this far-off land of sunburn and strange wildlife, security is so tight that not even the magic of a Fairy Godmother can break through. With nothing but a song in her heart, her given name and a confused entourage of illegal animal friends, our Princess begins to fight for her Australian working visa.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
Celebrating 21 years at the Edinburgh Fringe, the record-breaking Scottish big band brings you a night of music and song from the golden age of swing. Be transported back to a time when swing was king, with sensational songs and memorable melodies made famous by Ellington, Basie, Miller and the Rat Pack. Fabulous singers and a 15-piece big swing band guarantee to make it a night to remember. If swing's your thing, don't miss it. ‘That Swing Sensation are first and foremost a nostalgia trip, and it’s an act they play well.’ (ThreeWeeks).
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Billy Banana's Brilliant Bingo returns after last year's smash hit! Fun for all the family! A high energy interactive extravaganza of a show. Expect jokes galore, plenty of prizes, music, games, routines and much more. Join children's entertainer and panto legend Billy Banana for an action packed show where bingo comes to life! Get tickets while you can for this five star sell-out show! 'As far as children's entertainment goes, this has been the best!' ***** (audience review). 'Highly recommend, kids will love it and so will the adults' ***** (audience review).
Laughing Horse @ West Nic Records
Main Cellar
Written and performed by Jason Woods, Bing! captivated New York audiences and critics, and received a 2023 Off-Broadway Alliance Award nomination for Best Solo Performance. Woods morphs into Jasper, Casper, the witch, the ghost, the dragon, the herald, the henchman, the witch’s mother and more with rapid–fire dexterity and heartfelt authenticity in this razor–sharp magical comedy about family and fantasy, and the lines we blur with both. In addition to writing and directing, Woods is also the composer of the John Williams–esque orchestral score for Bing!
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
18 - 23 AugThe Neurodiverse Review Bounce Emerging Artist Award 2023 recipient, Bipolar Badass, is a dark comedy that tells the story of Mari being diagnosed with bipolar. Mari likens her illness to a fire-breathing dragon that she needs to tame, passed down through genetics. Her late grandmother who endured unethical medical treatment hands her the dragon's leash. Mari has no desire to be chained to a terrifying dragon for the rest of her life, which is her inevitable fate. She embarks on the journey to learn how to live with her forever altered identity. Directed by Nadiya Atkinson.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
11 - 16 AugThe Neurodiverse Review Bounce Emerging Artist Award 2023 recipient, Bipolar Badass, is a dark comedy that tells the story of Mari being diagnosed with bipolar. Mari likens her illness to a fire-breathing dragon that she needs to tame, passed down through genetics. Her late grandmother who endured unethical medical treatment hands her the dragon's leash. Mari has no desire to be chained to a terrifying dragon for the rest of her life, which is her inevitable fate. She embarks on the journey to learn how to live with her forever altered identity. Directed by Nadiya Atkinson.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Mia and Amber never had their spitting, screaming bitchfight, but would it have been better for everyone if they had? Five years since their friendship fizzled out, Amber appears on Mia's doorstep, wedding dress on and suitcase in hand. Five years on, and can Mia stand up to the abusive best friend she thought was consigned to the past? Bitchfight is a play about toxicity in friendships: the sort of toxicity comprising years of slights and comments which, in isolation, sound mad to label as abuse, but still leave deep scars that cannot be healed.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Fringe favourites, the Black Blues Brothers are back with a brand-new show! Having wowed over 50,000 Fringe spectators the Brothers return to McEwan Hall. Set in a smoky train station against a soundtrack of unforgettable rock'n'roll music, witness breathtaking acrobatic stunts, human pyramids, somersaults and fire routines. Featuring songs by Glenn Miller, Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, get ready to go wild as the Brothers get ready to astonish and delight. Following four successful Fringe seasons, appearances at the Royal Variety Show and Moulin Rouge, don’t miss out. A show for the whole family!
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
This award-winning play explores the cultural, social and political significance of Black women’s hair. Through dynamic storytelling and music, it delves into themes of identity, self-esteem, race and resilience, offering a profound commentary on beauty standards, history and empowerment. The success of Black To My Roots since its 2002 debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, including its 25th Anniversary production in 2024, showcases its enduring relevance. With upcoming global tours and adaptations, these African American tales clearly continue to resonate deeply with audiences worldwide.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
The University of St Andrews’ sexiest, funniest and incidentally only improvisational comedy group is back at the Fringe, this time with a late night slot guaranteed to keep you awake. Blind Mirth: Past Our Bedtime promises to bring more of the trademark humour which has earned us three years of five star ratings and two awards for Best Improv from the Derek Awards. Every night is different and dependent on audience suggestions, so put down your pajamas and join us for some late-night-lunacy!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
After a tough conversation with his dad, Tom discovers a newly-opened portal in his bathroom mirror. In a vibrant expression of clowning, physical comedy and vulnerability, Tom stumbles through memories of his father and his childhood. Blip dives into the funny, tough and tender moments that can shape a father-son relationship. This one-man show is a playful journey through memory and identity, with plenty of humour, heart and self-reflection. Blip is performed by Tom Bass and directed by Ren Roberts.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Pickle Studio
Following a sell-out 2024 run, the award-winning social deduction game Blood on the Clocktower returns to EdFringe as a live comedy show. Hosted by Jon Gracey (Werewolf: Live, No Rolls Barred) and featuring a revolving cast of comedians, Blood on the Clocktower: Live is a night of gothic chaos and carnage. Will the townsfolk of Ravenswood Bluff finally destroy the demon – or will they only destroy each other?
Underbelly Bristo Square
Jersey
Bluebell Swing bring the enchanting sound of the 1940s to life with their sparkling renditions of Great American show tunes. Their unique fusion of manouche jazz and swing captures the essence of a bygone era.
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Blues, burlesque and blistering satire collide in Sellout – a bold, bawdy and brilliant new show from Fringe favourites Pete Saunders (Dexys Midnight Runners) and Belle de Beauvoir (The Sparkling Diamond of burlesque – BBC Radio). With sizzling burlesque, soulful songs and razor-sharp wit, all backed by Pete’s brilliant blues piano. From London’s cabaret scene to international stages, this dynamic duo delivers a night of music, mischief and mayhem. Will they sell out? Will they sell their souls, their bodies, their grandmother, their kidneys or just tickets to that weird little show they do.
The Voodoo Rooms
The Ballroom
String Cheese Theatre brings you to the dust-choked town of Bluffstone, where farmers are grappling with a famine that plagues their settlement. Amidst the hardship, farmhand Isaiah hopes to win the hand of Clarence’s daughter, Dolly. However, the arrival of two drifters brings new competition and new mouths to feed… Follow these cowboys Noah and Durlin through the west, all brought to life by our live saloon band and original score. A black tragicomedy full of love, betrayal, and a bad pantomime horse costume.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Uncover the world and music of Dylan in this celebration of one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Hits Blowing In The Wind, Don't Think Twice, Rolling Stone and many more. Night Owl bring you more than just the music with a new take the tribute genre that has won awards, sold-out shows and standing ovations worldwide. In this show Night Owl's sublime Kiah Spurle and The Night Owl band take on a truly legendary set of songs as she seeks to uncover the enigma that is Bob Dylan.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
After last years sell-out full debut run at the Fringe, comedy legend Davro returns with a brand-new show. Laughter guaranteed! Audience reviews from last year: 'He tells jokes!! Laughing from start to finish. Get a ticket for this if you can'; 'Couldn't stop laughing from start to finish. Old school entertainer at his best. Ability to ad lib and involve and react to audience is class'; 'Great to see Bobby live on stage – the gags kept on coming with perfect timing, and the audience loved them!'
Frankenstein Pub
Bier Keller
What would you do for love? Go back in time? Or look underwater? And how far would you go for answers when the man of your dreams died 2,000 years ago? When the grieving Petra begins to trawl through the lonely marshes of Lindow Moss, she finds far more than she bargained for. She finds him. An experimental dark comedy from women-led Itchy Feet Theatre, Bog Body is a solo piece about love, death, decay and desire: the four are closer than we realise.
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
The Trial of God, Moscow, 1919, and subsequent execution: the search for one’s own identity, the dynamics of power, and the methods by which we are manipulated by the state. Through dance, theatre and humour, we talk about power and the search for referents when God is dead. inclusive, intergenerational, humorous poetic, compelling, dance-theatre epic. Created by professional performers and performers of diverse abilities. directed by Vero Cendoya and Israel Solà, director of the company La Calòrica. Nominated for Spanish MAX awards for best choreography, best show and best original music. Winner of the Derek Award for Best Physical Theatre, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021.www.verocendoya.com/bogumer-or-children-of-lunacharskiwww.facebook.com/ciaverocendoyawww.instagram.com/ciaverocendoya Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
The impossible true survival story of Titanic stoker Frederick Barrett. Working in the boiler rooms of the maiden voyage, Barrett’s fight for survival is one of the most devastating accounts of the last few hours of Titanic. Boiler Room Six gives a voice to the sacrifice of the working men below deck who kept the ship afloat for as long as possible, saving hundreds of lives, whilst knowingly giving up on their own. Returning after a sell-out run in 2024. 'Electrifying' ***** (Edinburgh Guide). Winner: Best Overall Show of the Festival (Derek Awards, 2024).
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
Two dancers specialised in acrobatics and floor technique have become tools of the classical artist's genius, but inspiration is running low and the choreography is not progressing. The pressure is high, and emotions are heating up as they struggle to create something final. The work atmosphere is tense, the humour is dark and the dance is dangerous. The Bolero duet is built on the foundations of Kinetic Orchestra's partner technique and the performers' extensive skill set. It is a combination of black comedy and skilled, fast-paced dance, full of techniques from different acrobatic disciplines.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
Starting from the idea of bondage as a metaphor, the piece of physical theatre Bond-Age explores pain and pleasure, bonds and restrictions in relationships, not only between lovers but also between family members, between an individual and his/her home country or the society, between one and his/herself or gender role, etc. Are we tied down to/by anything or anyone? Would it be better to be tied down or to be completely free? We are bound to play, characterized by multi-genre dance and original music, the play is bound to be sensuous, symbolic and experimental.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Muse
Looking for the perfect tan or a fresh manicure? Visit Princess and Pandora’s Perfect Parlour and Stacey’s Salon. They’ll fit you in, somewhere between the fried body and a killer on the loose. Stacey and Destiny have had some bad news; the tanning inspector is coming today, and there’s a strange smell coming from the tanning bed. Pandora and Princess are in financial difficulty, then a mysterious stranger enters asking for the full works. What could possibly go wrong? Start your day with a mildly disturbing laugh, suitable for the not-too-little littluns and the youthful biguns.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Fresh from supporting the legendary Bill Bailey on tour, the Jennifer Ewan Band bring us their stirring and richly-layered mix of compelling original songs, Louisiana blues and old-time Cajun dance music with a Celtic tint. Jennifer’s distinctive Scots voice soars over the Bayou grooves supported by an intricate interplay of accordion, flute, acoustic guitar, bass and percussion. 'Jennifer is a Scottish rising star' (Janice Forsyth Show, BBC). ‘A sassy cocktail of Cajun and modern sounds’ (Metro). 'Reminds me of one of the best songwriters I’ve ever known' (James Allan, Glasvegas).
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Wes McClintock was born a different colour than most due to a strange occurrence at birth. Although he survived this first hurdle seemingly unscathed, he often wonders if this event changed his brain chemistry. Wes takes you on a musical and comedic journey through his unique life: from his odd family members, to performing stand-up comedy, to participating in drug studies to make ends meet. Reflecting on the traumas that formed him at a young age, he hopes that instead of hiding, we can share our pain openly and heal together.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
Trapped in a bleak, cold, featureless room utterly devoid of natural light, A is a young woman teetering on the brink of collapse. Perpetually torn between hatred of her surroundings and abject terror of ‘the world outside’, any chance of escape or salvation seems to be beyond her grasp. With nothing to occupy her racing mind, she whiles away the hours reliving the mishaps, setbacks and agonies of her past. All this would be bad enough, even without the presence of a small, brown wooden Box with far too much to say for itself, for her liking...
Greenside @ George Street
Olive Studio
Like all women, Jo has been called her fair share of things, many not so flattering. She reflects on the labels society has given her from ages 5 to 50, deciding which to accept, and which to jettison like yesterday’s fish. Equal parts comedic and heart-wrenching, this show is meant for anyone who wonders who they are, enjoys pop culture, has sought love, has been a teenager, is worried about ageing, or likes the Ramones (you’ll need to see it to understand). The stories in this show may be fully true, untrue, or something in-between.www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participantswww.facebook.com/dellapinawww.instagram.com/dellapina/www.vimeo.com/dellapina Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
‘Brain rot occurs when a person habitually replaces themself with easily consumable content. The environment we inhabit online is hostile, feeding on our engagement.’ Welcome to the Oswald Space Programme. The next step in human. Our crew are jetting away in the latest spaceship, bound to find adventure with the whole universe at their fingertips. Your time is a gift... Give it to us. Expect an eclectic mix of people, media, movement, a musical number, guttural screams, timely poetics, unintelligible jargon, looking at cheese, eating light and fighting the grip of the Bestia Uwagi.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Experience the vibrant energy of dance through the centuries in an extraordinary brass ensemble concert! Journey across 400 years showcasing the evolution of the music from Baroque elegance to lively jazz and modern grooves. Marvel at the powerful sound of brass instruments bringing minuets, waltzes, tangos and more to life in this dynamic performance. Whether you’re a fan of classical masterpieces or contemporary rhythms, this event promises a captivating blend of styles and eras. Join us for an afternoon celebrating the universal language of movement and music in a bold, exhilarating way. Don’t miss this unforgettable, one-performance-only, show!
artSpace@StMark's
Church
A magical winter adventure from the author of Shrek. When dressmaker Mrs Bobbin falls ill, her daughter Irene volunteers to deliver a beautiful ballgown to the duchess before her evening party. But as Irene steps into the winter afternoon, a blizzard descends. Battling treacherous winds, deep snow and her own fears, Irene embarks on an extraordinary journey that will test her courage and determination. This enchanting musical tells a heartwarming tale of perseverance, featuring mesmerising movement and songs to delight audiences of all ages. A magical adventure that proves even the smallest person can overcome the biggest obstacles.
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
One of Ireland’s most celebrated singing stars, songwriter and interpreter. A phenomenal 35-year career, enjoy his exceptional vocal talents from his 1990 debut The Great War of Words to his latest Joni Mitchell tribute, whom he toured with. Music is his lifeblood, constant gigging from Ireland, UK to Asia as a Secret Garden guest, the first international artist to record the globally famous anthem You Raise Me Up. Van Morrison recruited him to join his now unforgettable blues and soul revue tour as guest lead singer and featured on five of Van's albums.
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh
Greyfriars Hall
Brief Tales, a memoir in underpants. South African/Australian actress Joanna Weinberg uses female undergarments to tell her intimate stories. Hilarious, moving and enormously skillful, this show was a hit in the boudoirs and salons of Sydney. Being born female gifted her a flasher in a park, periods at the piano, first time sex with a notable British writer, breastfeeding on an Edgar Allen Poe filmset and hot flushes while leaping out of a cake in Borneo. Joanna is a multi-talented international performer who will literally charm the pants off you.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Poppy and Rubina have sex and aren't ashamed to talk about it. In this fierce, funny and frank show, they explore messy realities, fantasies, sexpectations and navigating life and relationships as British Asian women. Their award-winning, groundbreaking BBC Sounds podcast Brown Girls Do It Too, now in its sixth series, has amassed fans who love their honesty and openness, and faced backlash for breaking the silence on sex in Asian communities. With songs, sketches and some graphic content, this is a celebration of brown British women and genital warts.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Cowbarn
Bringing the magic of the West End to your morning at the Edinburgh Fringe! This charming vocal duo serve up lush harmonies with rich guitar and bass accompaniments, breathing new life into your favourite Broadway hits. From heart-melting ballads to show-stopping classics, every note is delivered with warmth and flair. Singing along is not just allowed – it’s encouraged! Whether you're a seasoned musical lover or just fancy a joyful start to your day, this feel-good show will leave you smiling and musically nourished. Grab a coffee and join us!
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
Step back in time to experience the pleasure of an hour with Bruntsfield Baroque, as Vickie Hobson (viola da gamba), Sheena Jardine (violin), John Sampson (recorders) and Frances Scott (keyboard) introduce a programme of 18-century trio sonatas. In a concert reflecting an evening with the celebrated Edinburgh Musical Society, hear how European musicians were drawn to make Edinburgh their home, mixing with Scots composers such as William McGibbon and James Oswald and embracing native songs and tunes. The Athens of the North was a melting pot – come and enjoy a concert from the Age of Enlightenment.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Emmy-winner Bryan Safi (star of ABC's 9-1-1, Netflix's You, Attitudes!) brings his distinctive voice to this solo comedy spiral all about queerness, confidence and the art of being unapologetically too much. A beloved comedian, podcaster and performer, Safi dives deep into big laughs, big feelings, terrible flirting and one aggressively horny apartment that might just steal the show. It’s a hilarious and heartfelt journey from one of comedy’s sharpest voices. After sold-out shows in LA and NYC, the spiral continues. If you've ever felt like "a lot", this one's for you.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
Join Bugsy, Fat Sam, Tallulah, Blousey and Dandy Dan for a fun time full of laughs, songs and lots of splurge! A great show for all the family and is sure to inspire younger members of the audience to tread the boards! 'Bugsy Malone by Captivate Theatre is a fantastic way to spend 80 minutes. The talented young cast kept us captivated for the duration as the story of gangsters, speakeasies and splurge guns was played out. The dancing and singing was top notch, and the action non-stop' (Primary Times). Splurge-tastic!
The Edinburgh Academy
Magnusson Theatre
Burnley. Now. A group of teenagers are tasked with reaching through time, as they arrive at fateful milestones where decisions must be made. Some thrive while others are left behind. Burnley. Soon. Taking a stand against a looming wrecking ball, a group of hopeful young people come together to confront a bleak reality. Timelines splinter as both groups look towards their hurtling futures, asking the question: when did it all go wrong? FirstByte Theatre returns to give a voice to a generation, navigating an uncertain world in search of hope. 'Outstanding youth theatre' (FringeReview.co.uk, 2024).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
The home of Scottish burlesque for 18 years, The Voodoo Rooms will take you on a journey through the wonderful world of burlesque! Showcasing homegrown talent and our international friends, expect everything from classic striptease and ethereal fan dances to raucous bump’n’grind and cutting-edge neo-burlesque. With a new cast each night, join us for a fun and flirty evening as we celebrate the best of burlesque!
The Voodoo Rooms
The Ballroom
Following their sold-out show, acclaimed novelist Alastair Sim and award-winning pianist Matthew Shiel celebrate the life of Robert Burns with a community sing-along including Loch Lomond, Skye Boat Song and Auld Lang Syne. Kilts, sporrans and a dramatic reciting of Rabbie Burns’ great Tam O'Shanter meet Scottish folk music and masterpieces inspired by the beauty of Scotland, including favourite strathspeys and reels, Farewell to Stromness and a special musical arrangement of Burns' epic ghost story Tam O’Shanter – by candlelight. 'Masters of their craft... ripping good yarn' ***** (BingeFringe.com).
St Vincent's
The Chapel
An oasis of peace and calm in a sea of festival chaos. Burst is a sensory escape from the intensity of the Fringe. Designed with, and for, neurodivergent families and their friends, Burst aims to explore and soothe anxiety. Creative Electric's bubble doctors prescribe a short stay in one of their infamous bubble beds where you will listen to a track over wireless headphones... slowly throughout your experience bubbles will appear and you'll feel your anxiety float away. In collaboration with Refuweegee, Burst is available in Arabic, Farsi, Ukrainian and English. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Decking
Europe is not what it used to be. And things are changing too fast for AJ and Beibhinn. Stuck in patriotic slogans and the fear of being left behind, the girls start ranting against the "foreigners”. But when Beibhinn loses everything and is forced to move town, the two need to reconsider what home really is, what being right means and how far they are willing to go to keep things as they were. But We’re Right is a politically provocative two-hander interrogating the question: why do more and more young Europeans vote right?
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
A wildly original uproarious comedy that brings the absurd to life. Follow Klein and Calvin, two anthropomorphic butt cheeks with big dreams, as they navigate culture shock, friendship and the perils of studying abroad. Packed with sharp humour, unexpected depth and yes – plenty of fart jokes – this play is a fresh take on identity, belonging and the universal struggle of finding your place in the world. Whether you love witty banter, heartfelt moments, or just a good laugh, this is a theatrical experience not to miss. Come for the absurd premise, stay for the surprisingly moving story!
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Hand-picked shows from our digital performance programme and highlights from our critically acclaimed short film programme. Pop in for quirky shorts; linger longer for a moving moment. Features curated work from UK, Europe, Americas, Asia, worldwide. The destination for discerning digital and film audiences. Winner, LiveWire Innovation and Excellence Award for Digital Arts Programme of the Year. ‘Both weird and wondrous’ (ThreeWeeks). ‘Exceptional films’ (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘Delightful… perfect’ (TheWeeReview.com). A much-needed pocket of escapism’ (ThreeWeeks). ‘Spectacular’ (Scotsman). Programme runs continuously. Screenings can be any length (typically 30min-1hr). Some screenings at other times. See website for listings.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
library
The American dream meets the American nightmare on a bench in Central Park. As the United States grapples with uncertainty over its place in the world, this debut work by Edward Albee feels all the more prescient today. Deadword Theatre is a Fringe company based out of Boston, Massachusetts who specialise in producing new takes on classic works. This show has been a passion project of Henry and Frank Schuth for several years, and they are proud to bring it to life with the support of Deadword. We hope you enjoy the show!
Greenside @ George Street
Olive Studio
Alex's Jigsaw journey started as a bit in 2023 when she binge watched SAW I through IX to prepare for the release of SAW X. It was during this period that Alex began to lose sense of where she ended and Billy the Doll began. Her neighbours began noticing their tools missing and strange traps set up in their mailboxes and sheds. COME. SEE. SAW. is an absurd character-based show about the untold “true” story of Billy the Doll. Who was Billy before SAW, and where is Billy now? Are you ready to play the game?
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
No one knows who the killer is, not even the cast! Following multiple five-star sell-out runs, CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation returns with another rip-roaring crime comedy made up entirely on the spot. Leicester Comedy 2023: Best Improv Show Award. Colchester Fringe Comedy Award 2024. Who? What? How? The choice is yours in this fully improvised, witty and absurd murder mystery where the audience creates the crime. 'Quick thinking and fast paced. A spectacular must see' ***** (Bunbury Magazine). 'Hysterical murder mystery and a tight witty improv show' **** (FringeBiscuit.co.uk).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Ermintrude
Come inside the Cabaret of Filth and indulge in a night of pure debauchery, burlesque and drag in this comedy riot! Will contain nudity, adult content, anti-establishment rebellion and all the good swear words. Come and join in the revelry. 'Hysterically funny' **** (TheRealChrisparkle.com).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Front Room
Step into an evening of musical magic with a night at the cabaret, where the setlist is in your hands! We are an a cappella choir, renowned for our original arrangements and engaging performances. We invite you to direct our setlist in real-time. From pop hits to timeless classics, our diverse musical range ensures a captivating experience for all. Our commitment to high-quality, off-score performances, combined with our signature mashups and medleys, guarantees a night of entertainment that’s both unique and interactive. Don’t miss this chance to influence the show and see us live!
Dynamic Earth
The Stratosphere
After a sell-out Fringe run in 2024, Fresh !nk Theatre Company returns with a sky-high spectacle! This must-see two-person show is a hilarious theatrical journey set 30,000 feet above the Atlantic. Join us on an unforgettable flight from London Heathrow to LAX, where two actors seamlessly shift between the disruptive passengers to the pilots in the cockpit. This relatable comedy takes turbulence to a whole new level, showcasing universal travel experiences we are all too familiar with! From unexpected friendships to in-flight shenanigans, buckle up for an unmissable joyride delivering an uproarious experience as the characters' stories unfold.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Highly skilled Scottish duo, Elsa McTaggart and Gary Lister, return to the Fringe to bring you the best of Scotland's folk and Celtic music. With their warmth and laughter, they create an atmosphere of ceilidh and craic, introducing music of old and threading it through modern arrangements and compositions with their many Celtic instruments and styles. Interspersed with storytelling and video footage, this is another gem of a show which will not disappoint. Garnering five-star reviews for every new production they have brought to the Fringe over the last 11 years, don’t miss this gem.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
When Annie's husband John dies of leukaemia, she and best friend Chris resolve to raise money for a new settee in the local hospital waiting room. They manage to persuade four fellow WI members to pose nude with them for an "alternative" calendar, with a little help from hospital porter and amateur photographer, Lawrence. The news of the women's charitable venture spreads like wildfire, and hordes of press soon descend on the small village of Knapeley in the Yorkshire Dales. The calendar is a success, but Chris and Annie's friendship is put to the test under the strain.
Inverleith St Serf's Church Centre
Main Hall
An immersive trip through California when a collective of legends changed the world. Hits from The Eagles, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and The Byrds are brought to life by Dan Clews and Hannah Richards Night Owl bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won them awards and sold-out shows worldwide. In this journey back in time every song is linked to the last with insightful stories that thread the artists of Laurel Canyon together into a show of spellbinding performances of your favourite hits. Sell-out show in 2021-2024.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
Willkommen to Weimar Germany, where our nameless narrators draw you into the haunting show of Caligari and their sleepwalker and servant Cesare who does their every bidding. A darkly comedic tale of love, friendship and fear awaits...
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Call Me Crazy is for anyone wondering how many times people can call you crazy before you lose your f*cking mind. After the medical system fails to find the cause of a woman's pain, she is driven to extremes to be heard and is forced to question the world around her. A complex look at a woman from the inside out as she risks it all deciding what is better: to disappear, be tossed aside or give in and completely explode.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
One of the 20th Century’s most impressive but overlooked figures is revived in this powerful, compelling tour-de-force. When Paul Robeson, actor, singer and civil rights campaigner gets too radical and outspoken for the establishment’s liking, he is branded a traitor, harassed, and denied opportunities. This rollercoaster journey through Robeson’s remarkable life highlights how his pioneering and heroic activism led many to see him as the forerunner of the civil rights movement. Features some famous songs (including a dramatic rendition of Ol’ Man River), speeches, and Robeson’s spectacularly defiant testimony to the Un-American Activities Committee. **** ‘First-rate’ (Guardian).www.tayoalukoandfriends.comwww.callmrrobeson.co.ukwww.facebook.com/TayoAlukoandFriendswww.facebook.com/callmrrobesonwww.instagram.com/tayoalukoinliverpool/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Lost in life, a man from Down Under walks across Spain and stumbles his way out on top! Join gentle Steve Wilson for his inspiring travel story about finding love, saying sorry and rediscovering his smile on the Camino del Norte pilgrim trail. Told through story and slideshow, Wilson shares his tale of meeting people on the way to Santiago de Compostela who help him make sense of his experiences of becoming single, losing his job and being physically assaulted while walking home one afternoon. A weekly award winner from Perth Fringeworld and Adelaide Fringe.
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
A captivating one-woman show that explores the concept of home through personal anecdotes, original music and snippets of familiar songs. This heartfelt performance delves into finding one's place in the world, offering an opportunity to laugh and reflect on what it means to belong. Through poignant storytelling and musical elements, Sophia Wolbrom recounts tales of people and places that shaped her view of the world, highlighting the universal quest for connection and identity. This intimate performance promises to leave viewers with a renewed perspective on the spaces and relationships that shape our sense of home.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 5
Step into a realm where candlelight dances with defiance. Among 1,000 flames, Blue Violin shatters musical boundaries, breathing fierce new life into rock's greatest anthems. Watch as contemporary dancers emerge from shadows and smoke, their movements painting emotional landscapes through AC/DC's Thunderstruck and Lynyrd Skynyrd's Free Bird. This is no ordinary performance – it's a rebellion against convention, where violin virtuosity collides with rock's raw energy. As smoke swirls and music soars, immerse yourself in a spellbinding fusion of movement and sound that will leave you breathless.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
Our award-winning Cantonese opera adventure is back! Join Captain Dic Dic and Chang Chang at the Cantonese Opera Playground in Edinburgh, where the Cantonese Opera Fairy teaches them skills to outwit the Boring King. But they can't do it alone – they need you, the audience, to become secret agents in this interactive spectacle. Imagination unlocks mysteries, challenges come to life and families enjoy laughter, adventure and excitement. Experience the beauty of Cantonese opera and be part of this fun-filled mission. Book your tickets now!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Aggy isn’t worried. The hospital will ring in forty-five minutes, and then she’ll know... Can’t Talk Right Now is a new musical charting forty-five minutes when Aggy doesn’t know if she’ll live. Her life comes into focus as she wonders: if she died now, could she say that she died happy? Fleabag meets The Last Five Years in this show which is sure to make you laugh and cry. A woman in her twenties comes face to face with her hopes and ambitions – her many failures – and who she is and wants to be.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
A contemporary response to J G Ballard’s blistering dystopian novel High Rise. A totally compelling and heartbreaking distillation of young people’s fury about the state of the world they have inherited and the rapidly escalating housing crisis. Award-winning artists Nigel Barrett and Louise Mari were invited by Arts University Bournemouth to devise a show with final year acting students. The University responded to the strict Covid restrictions by commissioning a series of artists to make digital work with their students that was innovative and original and could not be experienced any other way. Recorded live from the UK, Croatia and India.www.nigelandlouise.com Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Witness the classic Captain Dencade in this special sci-fi screening. Hosted by Thomas and Monty, the sons of the original stars that bear an uncanny resemblance to their fathers. Almost like they're the same people! The eccentric duo will bring facts, secrets and on-screen props, celebrating the newly restored episode of Captain Dencade. These two hope to bring the 60s original to a whole new generation. What could go wrong?
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Captain Narwhal's happy band are at it again, stealing treasure from the local town. Only this time, they’ve taken more than they bargained for... Join them in their quest to right their wrongs whilst battling Captain Ouioui and his prehistoric crew! Swashbuckling has never been as swashbuckled as this! This new, interactive show from Gatepost Theatre Company is suitable for all ages. All children who join our pirate crew will also take away a piece of pirate treasure to remember the adventure forever.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Bond is dead. Craig's out. To revive the world’s most famous spy we must return to the very beginning. But who’s brave enough? Who has the courage to bring Bond back? Known for his ethnically ambiguous bone structure and dynamic physicality, Carlos Sandin is bringing a Bond that obliterates all others. A new undercover hero we never knew we needed. Forget Connery, Moore and Brosnan, Sandin is here to take the world on the most epic journey 007 has ever ventured: rebirth. Expect action, drama and live music, a fresh take on a modern classic.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
In Earth Prayers, Carol Ann selects nature poetry from across the ages, from John Clare to Lucille Clifton and Kathleen Jamie, that reflects the fragility of our world and the urgent need for thoughtful stewardship. Encompassing anger at greed and destruction, alongside celebration of the profound and joyful, Carol Ann complements her own writing with voices from around this small planet. The poetry interplays with music from virtuoso John Sampson, who brings an engaging wit as well as sparky tunes on diverse brass and woodwind instruments, creating a unique and inspiring afternoon.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Casino? follows the lives of four restaurant workers down on their luck struggling in a minimum wage job in a capitalist world gone mad. A comedic tale on one of societies unfunny topics. From drunken nights at the casino to hungover shifts, the staff pine for the days the graft will have been worth it. The play offers a comment on capitalism and how when you do reach the top, the system can’t change so people do. Is materialism worth the sacrifice of who you are? Will a drunken night change their lives forever?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Caspar returns to showcase his renowned sleight of hand with an all-new Fringe show. Stunning magic. Unbelievable skill. Elegant performance. Pure close-up magic and sleight of hand, with no stooges, no electronics, no camera tricks! All presented in style by an understated showman. ‘You won't see this level of skill anywhere else in the world. He should be charging £100 per ticket’ (Jerry Sadowitz). ‘Master of sleight of hand… Caspar drew the audience in to the point where he had them eating, almost literally, out of his hand’ (FringeReview.co.uk).
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
Wild World, Father and Son, How Can I Tell You, The Wind and more... The works of Cat Stevens reinterpreted by New York vocalist Jess Abrams, who 'finds her own meaning in each lyric and makes it her own' (UKJazzNews.com) and 'invites you in and makes you feel so good you won't want to leave... A stone delight' (Jazzwise). Jess, accompanied by piano and bass, will surprise and enchant you with unique interpretations of the songs and stories of one of the most beloved songwriters of the 1970s. Join us, it's a wild world...
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
I’m L3NT1L, robo-kitty, taxidermy survivor and leading feline life coach. My hapless human and I recently clawed through Japan, NZ and Australia in search of enlightenment. Now it’s Edinburgh’s turn to come through the spiritual cat flap. Are you struggling with love, loss or weird wiring? I'm your solution. Barely functioning and fully judging! 'It’s comedy, high art and sci-fi all rolled into one' (Sara Robinson, Western Mail). 'You’ll never even know you’re alive until you understand reality can easily accommodate something like this' (Martin Rowson, Guardian). 'What's even happening here?' (Diggity Dog, Daily Mail reader).
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
God won't give up on Cecilia Gentili. Unfortunately, neither will the devil. Follow a young trans girl as she navigates the hilarity of rural Argentina during the 1900s. Part stand-up, part camp and (almost) all true, Red Ink is an irreverent romp in searching for faith while trans. Presented by Elliot Page and PAGEBOY Productions, Sara Ramirez, Breaking the Binary Theatre, Queer Arts Coalition and Nic Cory, Red Ink is the late writer, activist and icon Cecilia Gentili's autobiographical work. The play's off-Broadway 2024 premiere received a Special Recognition GLAAD Media Award.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Jersey
Join a fun and family-friendly ceilidh with live and lively traditional Scottish music and dancing. No prior experience is necessary as all the dances will be taught there and then by our expert caller and no need to bring a partner. Everyone is welcome, so come as a group, come as a family or come by yourself.
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
Family workshop suitable for children aged 3-7 with parents or carers, but all welcome to participate in whatever way they feel capable. We involve everyone; skip, clap and march together to traditional Scottish music. Enjoy simple (often simplified) dances that you might find at a ceilidh or Scottish country dance. Hugely popular with local families, now it's your turn. Bring mum or dad along to partner you under the chandeliers! Children should be accompanied by an adult who is willing to join in; one adult can dance with two children.
Laughing Horse @ The Counting House
The Ballroom
Jasmine Alice is an internationally acclaimed vocalist who will take you on a thrilling musical journey through the life of the iconic Celine Dion. Witness dazzling vocals, show-stopping costumes and let yourself be transported on a musical journey of emotions with this charming homage to one of the most treasured divas of all time. Sing along to your favourite Celine hits and immerse yourself in pure vocal magic. After her success at the Fringe last year, Jasmine is returning with her new Celine Experience this year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Don't miss out.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
North East Scotland-born international singer Kevin Littlejohn takes his audiences through a musical journey of some of his favourite Celtic songs that remind him of his family, his heritage and his home. Kevin's endearing stage presence and impressive talent for storytelling makes for a truly captivating experience. Featuring Kevin's mesmerising vocals and a live fiddle player, Celtic Roots celebrates heritage through familiar classics and newer melodies that will evoke fond memories and connect us all to our own roots and the places we call home.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
'This has never been done before. No person, no woman, no young woman has ever admitted to being the Centre of the Universe.' Fifteen year-old Mary has no discernible talent but she can't ignore the glaring signs that she is destined for greatness. When a TikTok influencer comes to her school, she embarks on a journey. By the age of twenty-three, she will make it to the top. No matter the cost. Centre of the Universe is a laugh-out-loud search for meaning in a success-obsessed society.
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
You find a mysterious door that you have never seen before. Do you open it? If yes – buy a ticket to see this show. If not – why not? Join Cerys Bradley (Actually Autistic Excellence Award 2022, as seen on Comedy Central, UKTV, BBC One Wales) for their wonderful, expansive, interactive choose-your-own-story comedy show. 'AUTISM!' ***** (NeurodiverseReview.co.uk). 'A great storyteller' (Guardian).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
Chairs is a dynamic, unscripted theatrical experience where actors and chairs transform into a surreal, ever-evolving world. Directed by Italian visionary director/actor Ettore Nicoletti, this innovative performance blends comedy, physical theatre and improvisation. With no script to follow, the actors create spontaneous stories using only their bodies, voices and the simple yet boundless possibilities of chairs. The show bursts with mind-blowing transformations, exploring freedom, creativity and human connection as it pushes the limits of imagination. Full of humour and surprises, Chairs is a groundbreaking, unpredictable adventure that turns everyday objects into extraordinary moments, offering a truly unforgettable theatrical journey.
Greenside @ George Street
Ivy Studio
Bienvenue to Chansons, the musical intercultural cabaret. ‘Soul-touching’ stories performed in ‘brilliant showmanship’ (Audience Reviews) about life and passion, from Ne me quitte pas (Brel) to Milord (Piaf). Live life the French way. Experience the joie de vivre. Created by the award-winning musical theatre actress Stefanie Rummel. Spoken in English, and sung in French, English. This piece inspires our own lives by looking at other cultures. As seen in theatres and cabarets in France, Germany, Iceland, Finland, US.‘Great chansons... passionate feelings’ (Rheingauer Echo)‘Quality, legendary songs with the deep meanings attached give gift of genuine benefit. As an educational music tour… anywhere’ Dall Wilson‘Rummel’s voice is outstanding… real moments of joie de vivre’ **** (TheReviewHub.com)‘Fascinating’ **** (LondonTheatre1.com)Written and Performed by | Stefanie RummelAccompanied by | Bogdan Pieleanu, Tom Schlueter, Bob EganAvailable in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season. www.stefanierummel.comwww.chansons.showwww.facebook.com/RummelShowswww.facebook.com/CHANSONS.showwww.instagram.com/stefanierummel1/ Watch TrailerWatch Highlights TrailerWatch Interview TrailerWatch Preview
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Cinderella wants a divorce?! Prince Charming’s already trying day is about to get worse. Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother has presented him with a list of demands that Prince Charming must agree to in order to change Cinderella’s mind. Is the Prince willing to change? Are Cinderella’s demands even reasonable? Is divorce even possible in the realm of fairytale? Can the Prince remain charming even when Cinderella’s Evil Stepmother barges in with her own list of demands? Stay tuned for the answers to these and other questions as this comedy unfolds!
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
What if your anger just simmers underneath? If it never quite reaches boiling point, but it's present, burning your insides? Combining spoken word, football chants, live art and theatre, Chat Sh*t, Get Hit dives into women's anger: how it fuels, how it festers and how it is swallowed. A funny and uncompromising new show about recovery, solidarity and the suppression of women's rage. Edinburgh Fringe debut from Martha Pailing. Directed by Ursula Martinez with dramaturgy by Annie Siddons.
Summerhall Festival
Former Womens Locker Room
A wild, hilarious solo show about grief, love and mommy issues. Candice Fox dives into the chaos of loss and a complex mother-daughter saga, blending raw storytelling with striking visuals. She explores grief in its messy glory, awkward moments and accidental wisdom, navigating the strange ways we stumble forward. This show isn’t just about death, it’s about mourning someone still alive, dealing with estrangement and how addiction distorts family history. Deeply intimate, darkly funny, it's cathartic, relatable and unexpected. You’ll laugh, cry and probably text your mom something unhinged afterward!
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
Drawing from the classic Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare and romantic-themed songs by the 'king' Roberto Carlos, in a back-and-forth between the plagiarised love story and the unauthorised music, the show is critical, acerbic, tragicomic... it is almost ridiculous! In its title, the company, originally from São José do Rio Preto in the countryside of the state of São Paulo, alludes to how the combination of these two ingredients is curiously known in Brazil, uniting traditional British literature with the cuisine from its homeland, with some sweetness and a touch of saltiness.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Chickens is a sharp comedy-drama that explores the chaos of love, life and obsession. Set in a cozy Edinburgh flat, the story follows Jay, an eccentric British enthusiast, and Weronika, his pragmatic partner, as they grapple with clashing priorities and cultural differences. From egg-centric lectures to impulsive chicken coop projects, their relationship begins to crack under the weight of unbalanced expectations. With humour, tenderness and unflinching honesty, Chickens unravels the delicate fabric of love and asks: can unilateral decisions ever be justified by good intentions and the pursuit of happiness? Where is the line between care and control?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Elisa Riddington’s Child of Sunday is an intimate and poignant solo performance that weaves together personal storytelling and music to reflect on themes of faith, resilience and the search for connection. Drawing from real-life experiences, she highlights the struggles and quiet strength of ordinary individuals navigating life’s hardships. Her evocative vocals and heartfelt narratives paint a rich emotional tapestry, capturing moments of vulnerability and triumph. Through humor, honesty and powerful musicality, Riddington invites audiences into a deeply personal journey that resonates universally, celebrating the courage and perseverance of those who often go unheard.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
A knockout solo show about one woman's love of pro wrestling. Part confessional, part exuberant oral history of sports entertainment's greatest matches and most loved characters. Acclaimed comedian Tegan Verheul leaves no Stone (Cold) unturned in her unflinchingly raw autobiographical debut that grapples with heartbreak, friendship and the healing power of bloodsport. Riotously funny, unexpectedly touching, brilliantly human. You will leave a wrestling fan. 'Exceptional' ***** (Mervyn Stutter's Pick of the Fringe). 'An inspiringly fearless performance' ***** (GetYourCoatsOn.com). 'Fantastic, heart-wrenching, raw' ***** (SimplyStagey.co.uk). 'Takes solo performance to new heights' **** (CorrBlimey.co.uk).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
I grew up playing classical piano, but failed my conservatory audition at 18. After some time focusing on MDMA, I started stand-up in 2011. During the pandemic I came back to the piano and now I've combined them. It's my favourite piece, Chopin's Nocturne in Eb Major, presented with jokes by a bald, Australian dickhead with a beard. Best Comedy Adelaide Fringe (Weekly). 'This should not work, but it does' ***** (List). 'Punchlines that will leave you laughing for days on end... This is what a well-crafted comedy set looks like!' ***** (Advertiser, Adelaide).
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
Concert pianist Ailsa Aitkenhead presents a moving rendition of Chopin’s virtuosic Ballade No1 in G Minor, and the profound Sonata in B flat D960 by Schubert. These pieces combine the sorrows of our shared humanity, along with profound hope in the power of connection and togetherness. This is also a unique opportunity to hear the live premier of Ailsa’s own composition, inspired by Chopin and Satie, and Chopin's glittering posthumous Nocturne in C sharp minor.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Chris Griffin brings his gag-filled debut solo show to the Edinburgh Fringe. Now 40, and with the confidence to talk about himself in the third person, Chris has put his big boy pants on and decided to start parenting his inner child... and thinks you should too (yours, obviously; not his, that would be weird). A story about hope, self reflection and working out the positives from life's trauma. 'He gets laughs from the most unexpected sources. Always a joy to watch' (Vladimir McTavish). 'Gifted with affable charm and endless enthusiasm (George Fox).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 5
Best Newcomer nominee at the Scottish Comedy Awards and hand-picked support act for Fringe favourite Susie McCabe and Emmy winner Alex Edelman, Chris Scott presents his debut solo show. Bringing unflinching punchlines and a bit of devilment to the stage, his why not attitude has seen him appear in an underwear ad, perform at an S&M club and host shows on a boat for indie-music darlings Belle and Sebastian. Chris has had a pretty fun life, but after a recent run of setbacks, has the fun stopped?
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 6
Cum one, cum all. This show is for everybody. Partnered, single, friends, lovers. Think Sex and the City meets Book of Mormon. Sing the praises of goddesses. Listen to clit hits. Rejoice in mound sermons. Two smart, unapologetically funny, post-menopausal women in an immersive, laugh-out-loud show, satirising power and institutions and tackling anatomy and sexuality. An experience both joyful and subversive. There will be confessions. Multiple five-star orgasmic reviews. 'It’s always a pleasure worshipping at The Church of the Clitori' (Sydney Morning Herald).
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Get your dessert spoons ready for this delicious new musical for the whole family! Over the last four decades, Cinderella's has become the kingdom's most beloved ice cream company. But how did a humble ice cream maker with not a penny to her name end up as a multimillionaire with her own ice cream empire? Perfect for the whole family, this exciting musical retelling of a fairy tale classic promises a delightful blend of storytelling, stunning live music and theatrical magic that will capture your heart and tickle your taste buds.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Ermintrude
Experimental piano-troupe performs finger-gymnastics and rarely heard music for three pianists, playing one piano together! This piano-orchestra, assembled from award-winning alumni of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is a captivating spectacle pushing the limits of what a piano can do! Programme includes a toy piano and six-hand arrangements of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, Mozart’s Rondo alla Turka, Scottish folk songs and a comic performance of Sousa’s All-American Stars and Stripes Forever. 'Masters of their craft' ***** (BingeFringe.com). 'Director Matthew Shiel shone' **** (ThreeWeeks).
St Vincent's
The Chapel
Researched and designed by best-selling historical author and multi award-winning novelist J A Henderson, our walks combine the weirdest stories, wickedest humour and wildest history – with sole access to the Covenanters' Prison and the Mackenzie Poltergeist – the world's best documented supernatural case. City of the Dead has been named Britain’s Best Ghost Walk (Scare.com, Yahoo.com) and Edinburgh's Best Ghost Tour (LonelyPlanet.com). We are the only Scottish attraction ever to be shortlisted for the prestigious Screamie Awards (three times) and are the winners of ScareTour’s Best Ghost Tour Award.
The Tree of the Dead
Outside St Giles' Cathedral
In this concert you will hear a variety of piobaireachd, the classical music of the great Highland bagpipe, Scotland’s national instrument. The musicians, Alasdair Henderson, John MacDonald and Brodie Watson-Masse, are all leading exponents of this wonderful music. The tunes will be played in continuous fashion, giving a unique musical experience. Most piobaireachd are composed using pentatonic scales or variations thereof, so although the pipe has a limited number of notes, a wide variety of tonal mood is possible, as you will hear at this concert.
St Cecilia's Hall
The Concert Room
Jonathan, winner of the Buxton Fringe Solo Instrumentalist Award 2024, is back with a new show at St Columba's by the Castle with its superb acoustics. The Programme this year includes preludes by Bach and Gerschwin, a gorgeous study by Sor and Turlough O' Carolan’s Italian-influenced Irish music. Vincent Lindsey Clark’s rousing 'Pulsar' ends this thrilling programme. ‘Absolutely recommended’ (Herald). ‘…exquisite, intricate music’ (ThreeWeeks).
St Columba's by the Castle
Church
A videographic tour inside Museo de la Cencillería, Mexico, where four bodies in action generate the entire path of the piece. One of them is the viewer who, through the camera's point of view, lets us contemplate art itself, and the dancers in motion. Original idea by Marlene Coronel, with cinematography by Erik Jonguitud and original score by Alejandro Preisser, performed by dancers Tiffany Orozco, Bryant Pineda, Marlene Coronel.www.hekatombe.orgwww.facebook.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/marlene.ctzwww.instagram.com/bryantpinet Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Blowjobs, bleach and beef bourguignon. A women's domestic life crumbles as she is pushed to the breaking point by her boyfriend's relentless domestic incompetence... and you've been cast as the boyfriend. She navigates the full weight of cooking, cleaning, planning and hosting while questioning how much more she can take. Clean Slate doesn't let you sit comfortably in the dark, it drags you into the mess. You're not merely watching, you're a witness, confidant, unwilling participant. One moment, you're laughing, the next, the air's thick with something unspoken. How many plates can pile before they start being thrown?
Summerhall Festival
Former Gents Locker Room
Aged four, Augustin never finished his food. Now he has a terrible habit of always cleaning his plate, and lecturing people on how they should eat. Today is his thirtieth birthday, and he's cooking dinner. The ratatouille is on the stove, his friends are arriving soon and everything seems under control. But that's without counting on an unexpected visit, and some unwelcome memories. Around the simmering pot, he is forced to examine his relationship with food, as well as his relationship with himself. Funny solo show about hunger, who we are, and the mess of growing up.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
A one-of-a-kind alternative comedy showcase straight from the Windy City itself. Join us in getting unhinged at Fringe for a show featuring some of the weirdest and most hilarious comedians from Chicago's indie comedy scene, that have been delighting audiences in clubs, back rooms of bars, improv theatres and elevated train cars for years. Clever Comedy features expertly crafted jokes, zany characters, musical guests and more. At Clever Comedy we embrace weird, because people are strange.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Distinguished guests, sweethearts and scoundrels, dreamers and ghosters, welcome. Tonight, your ever-optimistic emcee Razmatastic invites you to share the saga of her love life and the twisted world of modern dating. In this debut clown show, see bygone exes brought to the stage for their very final performance, each taking the spotlight with improbable charm and debatable talent. A vaudevillian spoof and emotional exorcism in one, hold on tight as we try to let go; at the Closure Cabaret, we summon the spirits of romantic misadventures and dance on the smouldering ashes of love lost and longed for.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Cobin Millage and Pete Carson bring their critically acclaimed compilation show back to the Fringe for the third year. Alternately hosted and headlined by two of the (alleged) best friends to have ever lived, it features some of the best guests on the local circuit, rising stars and some television personalities who stop by for an unmissable show. 'Touching tips? I love it. It’s going to be an institution. Touching tips is my favorite thing to do. I cannot wait to touch my tip with their tips every year' (Jack Traynor).
Scottish Comedy Festival @ Waverley Bar
The Waverley
Cobin Millage is attempting to sow the seeds of his past to prepare the seeds of his future. Unfortunately, those seeds grew an awful lot of uncontrollable, unweildy grass (Bermuda grass, to be specific) and he has unfortunately discovered that it has little to no intrinsic value, leaving him fighting tooth and nail to sort his sh*t out and get this f*cking grass under control. 'Cobin Millage has become an expert' (Chortle.co.uk). 'This is anti-comedy... Inside baseball for freaks of the stand-up form' (Comedy.co.uk).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Wee Room
It's the week before the Cockaigne high school drinking society fundraiser and something's gone terribly wrong, if only everyone could agree on what that something was. Was it that the wrong band was booked? Was it the escaped murderous convict stalking the place? Or was it the Tesco's meal deal on sale? Cockaigne Drinking Society is a satirical farce that boils down the most despised aspects of the UK education system. This short lecture-length comedic play contains the most relatable and unbearable periods of school life: student politics, underaged drinking and being hunted by a serial killer.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
11 - 16 Aug Cody and Beau have two things on their mind: becoming cowboys and... winning spelling bees?! Enthralled by extraordinary tales of Billy the Kid, the two plan to escape and fulfill their outlawin' destiny. But away from the security of their imagination, the boys soon find themselves up against the harsh reality of the old American West... From the Edinburgh-based creative team of Dylan and Will comes a vibrant, immersive coming-of-age tale, inspired by the lasting legacy of the Wild West.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
01 - 09 AugCody and Beau have two things on their mind: becoming cowboys and… winning spelling bees?! Enthralled by tales of Billy the Kid and Butch Cassidy, the two plan to escape and fulfill their outlawing destiny. But when the boys find themselves against the hostile backdrop of 1889 Texas, the imagined starts to become all a bit too real. From the Edinburgh-based creative team of Dylan and Will comes a vibrant, immersive coming-of-age tale, inspired by the lasting legacy of the Wild West.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Colin has moved to Cornwall. Below his new home stands a shed. Forgotten. Unloved. Ideal for growing in – and according to one curious stranger, soon to be blown up. A post-modern gothic comedy about rural communities, isolation and the dangers of obsessively trying to fit in, Cold, Dark Matters follows a new resident’s rural retreat into the murky underwaters of a community in Cornwall, where everything is not as it seems... 'Beautifully written, structured, and performed. Loved it!' (Mark Jenkin, BAFTA-winning film director). 'A show that delights in storytelling tools and Russian-doll trickery‘ (LPTSA Nomination).
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
'I loved this brilliant new working-class play' ***** (Edinburgh Evening News). It's Derby Day. A violent Hibs football casual returns home to tell his brother something bad has happened. But has something far worse happened in their past? A new gritty dark comedy by BBC Scottish Voices writer Mikey Burnett. Directed by Grace Ava Baker. Produced by Staci Shaw. Starring Ruaraidh Murray and Sean Langtree. Supported by Traverse Theatre and Royal Lyceum Theatre.
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
The Comedian's Quiz is a laugh-filled quiz show blending comedy and questions, stand-up routines and jokes mixed with interactive rounds, witty banter and hilarious moments, it's the ultimate funfest for quiz lovers hosted by professional quiz host and comedian James Beatty. Taking the quiz to a whole new level!
Hoots @ Potterrow
Big Yurt
Join three comedians who almost certainly have no idea how to play Dungeons & Dragons, as they attempt to go on a live fantasy adventure! Questing ain't easy however, especially when the audience can mess with their dice rolls and even cast spells on them! Will our adventurers survive? Based on previous audiences, almost certainly not! No knowledge of D&D or anything like it required (rules lawyers absolutely welcome though), all you need is to be able to enjoy a bit of chaos. So come and watch some ridiculous fantasy characters make some very poor decisions!
Laughing Horse @ The Raging Bull
Cellar
Stand-up Comedy Brunch returns after last year's amazing run. A delightful compilation show featuring top comedians serving you up a hilarious feast. Join us for a side-splitting experience where the laughs are bottomless… featuring new and different comedians every day, booked by @OnlyJokingComedy.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
One of Edinburgh's longest-running gigs now runs nightly at the Fringe! One of our top resident MCs introduces two headline-level acts doing extended sets in our boutique comedy club above the iconic Beehive Inn. Grab a pint at one of the oldest pubs in Edinburgh, climb the stairs past the original death cell door of Calton Jail and enter our purpose-built boutique comedy club for a perfect way to round off your night at the Fringe. Over 100 five-star reviews and counting on Tripadvisor and Google Reviews. Don't miss out!
Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn
Beehive 2 (The Attic)
Comedy Queers is a spicy mix of outrageous queer comedians, cabaret and drag acts. A sell-out Fringe phenomenon since 2018. Looking for diversity? It's what we do best, babe! If you’ve seen enough cis, straight dudes with the same haircut / t-shirt / jokes / toxicity, come and party with the kings, queens and royal thems of comedy. Expect chaos, drag, stand-up, glitter, queer joy and an ever-changing line-up of LGBTQIA+ acts to grace our stage. Comedy Queers is a big queer party. Every. Single. Night! **** (DeadlineNews.co.uk).
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Garden Room
Catch the best comedians Wales has to offer in explosive secret lineups of hilarity, including a token non-Welsh person* (who will also be funny). A nightly showcase featuring TV names, circuit headliners and rising stars filling an hour with guaranteed laughs! Previous acts have appeared on Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, Comedy Central, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Have I Got News For You and pretty much every show BBC Wales has ever made. *but they have to talk about Wales.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
Comedian and storyteller SJ brings a bittersweet, interactive show about how Doctor Who helped them come to terms with being a bipolar, queer, neurodiverse, wannabe activist. Out of the closet into the TARDIS. SJ is a bisexual, bipolar, geeky queer activist. Each of these things have a coming out story. SJ and the audience create SJ’s coming out experiences as an episode of Doctor Who. Wyatt and the audience, using heavily bejewelled props, create sound effects, shape the narrative and choose their own monster. Viva la revolution! Unless it clashes with Doctor Who.
Laughing Horse @ The Brass Monkey
Games Room
Waking up having witnessed a brutal murder – by his own hand, incapable of stopping the madness, he stood and watched. Dr Seward plunges himself into work, feasting on the madness of his prized prisoner, following his rejection by Lucy. Whilst in his confinement, Renfield grows closer to Lucy, and Dracula sets eyes on her new prey. They say you make a deal with the devil – but have you ever made a deal with Dracula? An adaptation of Dracula set in 1890s Scotland – is anyone safe from the darkness in these walls?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Charlie and Vic are a married couple living in the suburbs, trying to keep themselves secluded from the outside world. However, their life is changed when nosy neighbour Annette attempts to befriend the couple. Will they manage to keep their way of life a secret? Is this truly the life the couple wants? What happens if Annette finds out about their alternative diet? A fun, mysterious and ultimately cautionary tale of what happens when you try and hide who you are and what you are up to!
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
When Mickey, Joey and Drew realise they’re in financial dire straits, they hatch a plan to find the next big thing in boxing. At an amateur night, they find a promising young boxer called Sid. Taking him under their wings, his success leads to a life of glitz and glamour. But is success and a winning streak the best thing for the young boxer? Do the coaches really have his best interests at heart? Join us for a show packed with charm, comedy and thought-provoking moments that are sure to have you laughing, and thinking.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Coming up on Corrie: yet another scene in the local pub, someone’s up the duff and two Kiwis figure out if they got their Manchester accents down in time! Five episodes, two actors, 50 minutes of action-packed mundanity. Performed by Kiwi comedic delights Nina Hogg (Ginge & Minge) and Austin Harrison (PopRox), Corrie is a fast-paced comedic treat that is Fringe in all the best ways. 'Austin Harrison – everything he touches turns to gold!' (Wellingtonista.com). '...with veteran improv queen Hogg on the stage, you know you’re in for a treat!' (TheatreView.org.nz).
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Pickle Studio
An energetic, heartwarming show that celebrates the rich history of country music while spotlighting contemporary hits. The show takes the audience on a captivating musical journey as we bring to life timeless classics with heartfelt renditions, alongside modern-day anthems that resonate with today's country music lovers. With a dynamic performance by American singer-songwriter Lars Pluto and its seamless fusion of past and present, Country Jukebox is a must-see for anyone who loves the storytelling magic of country music as we recreate the feeling of a real American juke-joint.
Le Monde
Dirty Martini
You become the choir! For two nights only, this crowd-participatory sing-along show turns a roomful of strangers into an epic, harmonised pop-up choir! Learn a pop/rock anthem in gorgeous harmonies, in only an hour. You won’t believe the sound you’ll make and we’ll film you to prove it! Can't sing? No worries! We'll expertly and (im)politely guide, cajole and if necessary, heave your voice out of you! With lyrics on a big screen and guitar accompaniment, you won’t need anything except your voice, your ears and maybe a few drinks!
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
The twenty-first century has seen the rise of a chrysalis society in continuous and accelerated transformation, from which a new consciousness emerges to face the future, and not-so-future challenges of humanity, climate and environment. Donallop are the Majorcan duo Pere Bestard and Joana Pol, who perform as a trio with drummer Josep Servera. Their music fuses pop minimalism and poetic prose, and explores the textures of trap, the rhythms of house and the beat of slowcore. Experience isolation, detention and courage in modern society. Recorded live at the Teatre Principal, Palma. ‘Compositional inspiration’ (El Temps). ‘Undeniably beautiful’ (Mondo Sonoro).www.donallop.comwww.facebook.com/DONALLOPbandwww.instagram.com/donallop/www.soundcloud.com/donallopofficial Watch Trailer | Dos ditsWatch Trailer | Aubons
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
When viewership tanks for the latest season of a survival TV game show, the producers realise they must go to extreme lengths to make sure the show doesn’t get cancelled – no matter the cost. After all, the contestants signed a contract, they can’t back out now… Follow the final five contestants, guided by the show’s eerily vivacious host, as they slowly realise that this reality show just got a whole lot more "real" than they bargained for. Crocodile Tears is a new satirical comedy play about surveillance, authenticity and the ethics of reality TV.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
When the ghost of her father returns seeking revenge, Hamlet has to choose: play along, or break the cycle? When she makes her choice, the ghost makes his and haunts her coat. Crownless fuses Shakespeare’s text with contemporary female poetry in a bold exploration of grief and power. It's a ghost story, a coming-of-age tale and a stylish love letter to saying 'no’. With sharp dialogue, unexpected laughs and a coat full of unresolved trauma, this show walks the line between comedy and heartbreak. If you’ve ever argued with a parent’s voice in your head, this one’s for you.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
A regular sell-out at Edinburgh Fringe (including 2022, 2023 and 2024), Curmudgeon are an Edinburgh-based trio who play (mostly) Scots folk songs and tune sets, and are popular Fringe regulars. They are: Laurie Brett on vocals and guitar, Andrew Macintyre on vocals, Scottish small pipes and whistles, and Donald Gorman on fiddle, mandola and backing vocals. As always, sweetie-packet rustlers will be ejected; joiners-in on choruses are encouraged. Light-hearted banter assured!
artSpace@StMark's
Church
DARKFIELD presents DOUBLE, VISITORS and ETERNAL. Three award-winning 360-degree sound experiences, from the DARKFIELD Radio project. DOUBLE is a troubling exploration of the Capgras delusion, an uncommon condition in which the sufferer is convinced a loved one has been replaced by an evil replica. VISITORS explores why the dead find so little comfort in the world of the living. Experienced lying down in bed, ETERNAL asks what price would you pay for eternal life? Choose your story: three shows play out in the same space, allowing audiences to choose which world unfolds around them.
Summerhall Festival
Old Lab
Dance Base's in-house companies showcase new work in a double-bill. Youth company LYDC will present work by Marc Brew and Disconnect by Abby Warrilow. Now in its 10th anniversary year, over 60s company PRIME will showcase commissions by Tony Mills, Robbie Synge and Steinvör Palsson.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Ever wondered what turns your favourite stars into household names? The exact conditions that formed their rise to the top? Take a peek into the outrageously elite world of prestigious drama training, where talent is polished, egos are inflated and bank accounts drained. Equal parts sharp satire and painful realisations, Drama Girls invites you to laugh, cry and cheer for three women chasing dreams in a world that promises everything, but guarantees nothing.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
James Willstrop, cynical and driven only by his sporting success, is on the verge of becoming world number one in squash. A chance meeting leads to an agonising dilemma which threatens everything he has worked so hard for. Through tender recollections of his mother Lesley who died when he was 17, and by undertaking the hardest training session of his life in real time, he learns lessons about ambition, success and love. Daddy is a musical ode to beautiful mothers, sporting ambition and fatherhood.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Daisy Meredith is the first scholarship student to attend the Grangewood School for Girls. The privileged students are determined to make Daisy look bad in the eyes of the administration. The administration has its own problems, financial ones. Daisy wins over her chums and saves the school when she cracks a secret code, finds a treasure and saves the life of her chief nemesis all on the same night! This amateur production of Daisy Pulls It Off by Denise Deegan is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Set in 1977, Damn the Dark follows five women navigating Soho's vibrant discotheque scene. Jean, a night-shift nurse, spends time with her sister Daphne, an aspiring housewife, and Daphne’s friend Layla, an ambitious journalist. The club’s regulars, Margot, a Gogo dancer, and Kim, a punk enthusiast, are each chasing their dreams. Amid rising violence and fear in the 1970s, these women unite through courage and activism, joining the Reclaim the Night march. This immersive production celebrates disco, punk and empowerment, inviting the audience to dance in solidarity with the characters.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
The Rock pub has seen better days, more recently, it has seen damp. Tucked away in Lochhaven, a group of misfits find themselves trapped during a storm with no escape. Tensions are high and the walls are talking. They’re stuck. With tales, stories, a strange black slime, songs of spooky ghosts and supernatural goings-on, a fair bit of drinking, some insults for good measure, a spot of Monopoly, the odd jump scare and a sacrificial death. Will this unlikely group of idiots work out the antidote to control... the damp?
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
Following sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2023 and 2024, Dan Bastianelli brings a brand-new magic experience which uses sleight-of-hand, personal stories and honest deception to help explore the simple question: How can you know anything when you don't even know yourself? 'Bastianelli is a very skilled performer' **** (WorldMagicReview.com). 'Dazzling' (Edinburgh Evening News).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
12 AugTake a journey through Director of Night Owl, Dan Clews’ solo career with a collection of self-penned songs from his critically acclaimed catalogue. His songs have been described by Mojo as 'folked picked pearls' (****) and the Guardian as 'songs of sweetness and promise (****) with Sir George Martin stating he is 'too great a talent to ignore'. Journey to the weird and wonderful places that inspired his material through to the birth of Night Owl Shows in a personal trip into a landscape of transatlantic folk and country.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
11 AugTake a journey through Director of Night Owl, Dan Clews’ solo career with a collection of self-penned songs from his critically acclaimed catalogue. His songs have been described by Mojo as 'folked picked pearls' (****) and the Guardian as 'songs of sweetness and promise (****) with Sir George Martin stating he is 'too great a talent to ignore'. Journey to the weird and wonderful places that inspired his material through to the birth of Night Owl Shows in a personal trip into a landscape of transatlantic folk and country.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
Three Gen Z Hong Kong actors hustle for stardom – will they shamelessly scam your ticket by just lying flat or will they blow your mind and shine? A daring, hilarious rollercoaster where ambition meets absurdity. Critically-acclaimed director Eugene Ma invites you to a smart, witty play where young people navigate the chaos of hustle and quiet quitting. Watch as these dreamers wrestle with their voices, their pasts and the unpredictable journey ahead. A thrilling blend of sweat, rage, burnout and moments of hope – come along for a wild, unforgettable ride!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Ireland's dance theatre vanguards, CoisCéim [kush-came] are back with David Bolger's latest hit, Dancehall Blues as part of Culture Ireland’s Edinburgh Showcase. Nominated for Best Production and Best Design, the show captivated audiences and critics when it premiered to sold-out houses at Dublin Fringe 2024. This 'expertly ingenious' (Irish Times) duet unfolds in a surreal dancehall at dusk, blurring the lines between reality and imagination. Two performers dance with fearless abandon, their powerful movements cutting through chaos to ignite hope in a world where dreams and nightmares collide. Bold, gripping, unmissable.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Multi award-winning Irish comedian Danny O'Brien is back with his brand-new stand-up show! Mortgage-approved, childless millennial O' Brien has sold out the last three years straight at the Fringe festival. From buying in a housing crisis to trying Keto for a month plus a defiant allergy to ice baths/saunas despite the "multiple health benefits". He has toured over 70 tour dates globally this past year, sold out Liberty Hall Theatre in Dublin, released a TV special and headlined at various international comedy festivals. Don't miss his hilarious new comedy hour about adulting/existing in 2025!
Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn
Beehive 2 (The Attic)
This vibrant performance weaves Bharatanatyam's intricate footwork and expressive storytelling with the soul-stirring melodies of bagpipes and the lively pulse of traditional reels. Choreographer Priya Shrikumar's artistry reflects her dual heritage creating a dialogue between cultures. The production also honours pieces from Martyn Bennett's groundbreaking music – a powerful blend of Scottish tradition and modern energy – symbolising unity through rhythm. Dansa Rickshaw is more than performance, it's a journey of connection, resilience and shared humanity. By merging ancient traditions with contemporary innovation, Dance Ihayami invites audiences to experience the universal language of movement and music.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
Daphne, the muse of Apollo, Ovid, Lorenzo Bernini ... of us. As Bernini begins to craft his tribute to Ovid’s Metamorphoses, he becomes enchanted by one of his subjects. He places himself within the chase as his desire for Daphne takes over. But what does Daphne desire? Does she want to be pursued? Does she want to be silenced? The play offers an alternative outcome to the myth. Watch as she steps out of the narrative that silenced her, and reclaims her own story.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Diana Stewart and Damian Corcoran perform as different older couples in four romantic tragi-comedies by Edinburgh writer Malcolm Windsor. Anne and John are celebrating their 27th wedding anniversary, but somehow the taxi driver and the waiter are involved. Carol and Steve meet online and date for the first time but are they compatible? Sue and Dave discuss what they might want to improve their marriage, but do they have the same ideas? Sylvia, the moustache stalker, tracks down Martin 40 years later, but is it too late? Fun, games, tragedy. Life itself!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Lily, an imaginative 11-year-old, and her dad explore the musical eras of her life (so far). This family-friendly musical comedy celebrates the different stages of Lily’s life through banter and songs and takes a musical journey from Elmo to Elsa to Elphaba and beyond. Together, they perform hits from Frozen, Matilda and Wicked, to pop tunes from Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Pharrell Williams and other artists, as well as original songs. This Los Angeles-based father-daughter duo performs regularly. You can see Lily starring in over 25 Disney Princess Club episodes on the official Disney Princess YouTube channel!
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
50 years a folk singer, storyteller, poet and songwriter. Raise your voice, join in and sing Australia's musical story with Dave. It will be great mate, that's for sure. Songs from Down Under. From Four Little Johnny Cakes, Bushranger ballads to politics, environment and love. My concertina, guitar and mellow tones are waiting to embrace you.
Laughing Horse @ West Port Oracle
Flight Club
Join David, a 40-something retired twink, as he takes you on a journey from humble beginnings as a young, fatherless, introverted gay boy growing up in a small Scottish town in the 80s and 90s, to international flight attendant and stand-up comedian. There’ll be ups and downs, there’ll be tops and bottoms. He’ll be laying himself bare in order to find the answer to that age old question – in his life, just exactly who is the daddy?
Laughing Horse @ West Port Oracle
Flight Club
You’re cordially invited to the second wedding of David and Katie: confidently codependent, deliriously devoted to a dangerous degree and fully qualified to flaunt a flawless approach to marriage; with music, exotic rituals and, a unity volcano. Bear witness as the world’s worst couple celebrates the (second) happiest day of their lives. Starring David Carl (Trump Lear, The Tender Bar) and Katie Hartman (Netflix’s The Week Of, The Other Two), David and Katie Get Re-Married is a glorious celebration of love, dysfunction and doing it all over again. This time it’s forever. For realz! Probably?!?
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
David and Me is a one-person show theatricalising aspects of the life of artist David Wojnarowicz and the artist’s own life. Wojnarowicz (1954-1992) created a prolific body of work across visual arts, performance, non-fiction writing, music, film and queer activism while the AIDS epidemic upended arts and queer communities under a federal government that criminally neglected the marginalised. Performance includes text, movement and projection. Immersive experience – the audience chooses moments/stories performed by the actor in an organic/chance-based order, creating a fireside, communal feel.
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
An unsent letter to my Dear A. How many years have you been here? A love song of Chinese immigration and global diaspora. The letter A – Asian, artist, amour, abandonment, affection, apology, acceptance... or simply a name never dared to be said aloud.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Dear America is a heartfelt, sharp and original musical exploring the hopes, fears and frustrations of a generation coming of age in a divided world. With humour and honesty, these students ask big questions about the future they’re inheriting – and the country they call home.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Jaja has done everything right. First class degree, ICAN certified, determined. Yet all he has earned is seven years of waiting and unanswered CVs. From exploitative interviews to absurd job offers, his journey exposes the broken and corrupt system facing many young people. One company wants him as a bouncer, another wants free labour. Through sharp humour and raw honesty, Dear Applicant explores the frustration, desperation and quiet resilience of a generation promised everything but handed nothing. Still, Jaja keeps pushing. Because if no one sees you, are you even there?
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Elaine Liner’s unapologetically satirical play takes liberties for laughs, with the biographies of famous political rivals Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton. What if they’d known each other since the age of eight, assigned to be pen-pals as second-graders? In these heretofore undiscovered personal missives spanning half a century, right up until November 2020, we see their awkward friendship wax and wane in letters that borrow liberally (but not conservatively) from Trump and Clinton’s actual public dialogue. You might be surprised who gets the last word! Watch Trailer #1Watch Trailer #2Watch Letter #1Watch Letter #2Watch Letter #3Watch Letter #4
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A Scottish folk tale murder mystery, based on the legend of the Bean Nighe, also known as the Washerwoman. A wee village on the river Clyde is rocked by a death on the night of Samhain (Halloween). A soldier, a doctor, a priest... and two musicians desperately try to uncover the truth. Is all as it seems or is there something supernatural afoot? Is the spirit of the Bean Nighe to blame? Enter a realm of Scottish fantasy and folklore, where a night of music, mystery and murder awaits.
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
Following last year’s sold-out show, romantic piano pieces meet candlelit Venetian masked balls as award-winning pianist Matthew Shiel exposes the scandalous love affairs of the great composers. Features a new romance composed specially for tonight's artist by Dr Alfredo Caponnetto – Notturno VI, alongside digital animations by acclaimed Shanghai artist and Disney illustrator Emma Yitong Shen. An immersive musical experience designed to wind you down, find romantic inspiration and open your heart to live and to love. 'Enchanting' ***** (EdinburghGuide.com).
St Vincent's
The Chapel
Scottish stand-up comedian and singer, Erin McKinnie, is excited to back at Edinburgh Fringe with more banter, mixing some comedy songs and chortle-worthy stories in 50 minutes worth of laughs. A rising star on the UK comedy circuit, she'll be bringing stories of working 'below deck' on cruise ships, longing for a sugar daddy, and moving to London with a bag full of dreams. Honest, raw, fun and just plain silly. 'Great stories, excellent music, and a charismatic comedian' (One4Review.co.uk).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
Definitely Maybe is a split-bill comedy show bursting with Essex charm, chaos and charisma. Join the cheeky duo – bad boy James Beatty and golden boy Harry Pettitt – as they swap stories (not standards) in an hour packed with big laughs, sharp wit and unforgettable banter. With their fun, chatty style and effortless chemistry, this hilarious pair delivers a high-energy show full of outrageous tales, quick-fire gags and all-round comedy gold. @JamesBeattyComedian @HarryPettitt
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 2
A powerful exploration of how stepdance, Scotland’s percussive dance, was lost... and how its revival became woven into a lifelong friendship. Experience a compelling journey across centuries of tradition told through fiddle, feet, Gaelic song and story, in an immersive performance which draws you in to the heart of our heritage. Deiseil means ready in Scottish Gaelic: be ready for a mesmerising reflection on how issues of culture, identity and connection still resonate through society today. Groundbreaking new work from award-winning director Gerry Mulgrew (six Fringe Firsts), dancer Alison Carlyle and musician Amy Geddes.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
A contemporary circus solo that embarks on a trans woman's journey. The show explores the haunting feeling of having murdered one's former self, a common experience for many trans people when leaving their assigned gender behind. Through a multidisciplinary repertoire such as aerials, dance, singing and physical theatre, Diana Salles invites us to reflect on the physical and emotional strength it takes to honour one's truth. The combination of aerial silks, beautiful images and mesmerising music makes you want to hug the artist. A heart-stopping circus show that unravels the beauty of self-discovery.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Come for the music, stay for the existential crisis. Genre-blurring jester, Karen Hall peels back the layers of formality leaving you with only the humanity and insanity of the artist behind the instrument. Featuring Bach's Cello Suite No. 1. Winner – Tour Ready Award, San Diego Fringe; Winner – Best of the Broadwater encore, Hollywood Fringe; Winner – Weekly Judges Pick, Sydney Fringe; Top 10 LA Theatre Pick – Stage Raw Los Angeles. **** (Everything-Theatre.co.uk ). **** (SydneyArtsGuide.com.au). **** (Tagg.com.au). Sold-out at Vancouver Fringe.
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
A murder in a small Fife town has shaken the community to its core. A lifelong friend is gone, the investigation drags on, but does someone know more than they are telling? On the day of the Edinburgh Derby, secrets are revealed, the scars of the past burn anew and relationships are pushed to the breaking point. Derby Day, a new writing drama from Without Compromise Theatre, addresses the damage caused by sexual abuse and the consequences of unbroken cycles of violence in communities throughout Scotland.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Dark, theatrical comedy meets nostalgia in Goblin, written and performed by Derek Mitchell. Set in 2007, it tells the story of Eliot, an emo kid with an imaginary goblin who just wants to be loved. Peppered with period details, Eliot's life takes a series of turns when he meets a much older reality TV star and begins transforming into something truly horrifying... the co-owner of a spin studio. Named one of The i Paper's best shows of the 2024 Fringe.
Summerhall Festival
Former Gents Locker Room
A digital live dance-theatre performance designed for Zoom Webinar format that explores space, presence and connection in one ground-breaking event. Conceived and developed during the lockdown in Chile, Deshacer el Rostro (To Undo the Face) is performed entirely from the artists’ homes, and streamed to audiences online. Inspired by French philosopher Gilles Deleuze’s idea of 'undoing the face' as a gesture toward imagining other possible worlds, the piece examines the digital medium’s capacity to cultivate meaningful encounters and shared experiences, regardless of geographical location. New, dynamic and immersive.Directed by | Paulina MelladoMusic by | José Miguel MirandaVisual Artist | Nury GonzálezAssistant Director | Gonzalo VenegasProduced by | Cristián HormazábalInterpreters | Marcela Retamales, Camila Jiménez, Macarena Pastor, Cristián Hormazábal, Vannia Villagrán, Matías Carvajal, Hugo Castillo, Manuela Perea, Verónica Canales
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Ailsa and Sean are a young couple, at the height of bliss – for now. While on a romantic hiking trip up the mountain known as Devil's Point, shadows darken, tensions rise and someone – or something – makes its presence known. Paranoia and skepticism work together to ask a disturbing question: who is to blame for the whispers on the mountain? Devil’s Point is an experimental folk horror play weaving together folklore from the Cairngorms region of Scotland and the pressures of modern-day relationships. Cutty Sark Theatre returns from their acclaimed run at last year's Fringe.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
From the critically acclaimed comedian behind How to Get Away with Marriage comes a brand new hour of laughter and legal loopholes. In May Divorce Be With You, Devin Gray explores what happens when "forever" has an exit clause. With his signature mix of wit, warmth and downright silliness, Devin turns the highs and lows of his relationships into comedy gold as he navigates his way back into the real world.
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
The Alcove
What does it take to satiate a heartbroken 20-something homosexual with a penchant for deep-diving into the sensory stimuli he finds along the way? In this hour-long piece, Michael lets us into his private world, and invites us to confront and ruminate on the beautiful, the icky, and the confusing together. This show is about sex. This show is not about sex. This show is for anyone who’s ever felt lost at sea and exhausted themselves swimming to shore. Dive underneath the raunch of this show and you’ll find a universally relatable, tender underbelly.Two versions of this piece are available, the film edition, first shown in April 2022 as part of the Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season on C ARTS, and the theatre edition, first shown at the Hollywood Fringe in June 2022.www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participants Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Four ladies, one Costa coffee, a bleached moustache and a dream. It’s 2008, the Sugababes are at number 1, side-fringes are everywhere, and skinny jeans are in! Step inside the world of Avon’s beauty pyramid scheme and join an eclectic gaggle of Woking’s hottest pyramid schemers as they prepare for the “bonanza of the century!” Bring your prosecco and a mini quiche, this soiree is about to get messy! How will new girl Frankie (not Frankie Bridge from the Saturdays) disrupt this pecking order, as we unveil the cracks beneath the polished surface of the beauty industry?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
A dynamic, fast-paced musical about desperation, deception and a daring prison break. Failed entrepreneur Luke lands himself in catastrophic debt to a some very bad people after a dreadful business idea ruins his life. Now the world’s sleaziest billionaire is promising half of their fortune to anyone who can break them out of prison. Assembling a team of old friends, Luke leads a heist fuelled by lies, ambition and a promise of unfathomable riches.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Why was the Wolf in Grandma's bed? Did Sleeping Beauty have an opinion on consent? Were the Ugly Sisters’ feet really that big? How does a goose inspire revolution? Find out in this sexy, subversive cabaret. Join vivacious Madame d’Aulnoy in her 17th century Paris salon. Best Show, Newcastle and Dubbo Fringe Festivals, Best 18+ Show, Young-Howze Awards, 2021. ‘so sharp, talented, clever, mesmerising, funny and what a vocal range!’ (Audience Member). ‘Funny, naughty and sharp… magnifique’ (ChuckMooreReviewsAbout.tumblr.com). ‘I didn't know I needed a raunchy, operatic Into The Woods, but I did!’ (RndYoungHowze.tumblr.com).www.elianemorel.com/disenchanted-a-cabaret-of-twisted-fairy-taleswww.facebook.com/DisenchantedACabaretOfTwistedFairyTaleswww.instagram.com/elianedavismorel/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A revue of Disney hits, following a group of trainees on their first day at a fictional Disney Imagineering Studio. They help each other discover their dreams working together to unite, inspire and believe. Join us for a century of Disney magic in a theatrical celebration of music, creativity, and the dreams that live inside us all.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Aberdeen Academy of Performing Arts presents Disney's Finding Nemo Jr – a musical adaptation of the 2003 Pixar movie. With new music by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Marlin, an overprotective clownfish, lives with his kid Nemo who longs to explore the world beyond their home. Featuring memorable songs such as Just Keep Swimming and Go with the Flow, this show will delight audiences young and old. The book is adapted by Lindsay Anderson with musical arrangements by Myrna Conn. This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Aberdeen Academy of Performing Art's production of Disney's Frozen Jr is based on the Disney film written by Jennifer Lee and directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee. Music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. This show will delight audiences young and old as it brings Elsa, Anna and the magical land of Arendelle to life on stage! Frozen Jr is sure to thaw even the coldest of hearts. This amateur production is presented by Musical Theatre International. All authorised performance materials are also supplied by MTI (mtishows.co.uk).
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Get ready for a high-energy, show-stopping musical performed by our incredibly talented young cast! Newsies Jr tells the inspiring true story of young newspaper sellers who stand up against injustice, featuring unforgettable songs, thrilling choreography, and a heartwarming message of resilience and unity. This dynamic production brings the streets of New York to life with powerful performances, stunning vocals, and electrifying dance numbers. Filled with passion, determination, and youthful energy, this is a show you won’t want to miss. Join us as we Seize the Day and bring this Broadway hit to life!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
The cinematic re-imagining of Akeim Toussaint Buck’s one-man dance theatre piece, Windows of Displacement. This energetic dance-cinema adaptation translates the acclaimed stage piece into a new medium. Featuring kinetic dance and a myriad of location switches, Displaced pushes the boundaries of dance storytelling. This memorable piece uses explosive dance and deep poetic text to tell an untold story from a place of humanity and love, transcending despair and turmoil. A journey of reflection, calling for global change. Created and co-directed by Ashley Karrell, Displaced explores contemporary challenges such as culture, place, race and imperialism.‘A compelling example of how to reimagine theatre and dance in a digital medium to reach a greater audience… Toussaint Buck proposes radical joy and collective action in the face of these forces. This joy reveals itself in quicker, polyrhythmic movements and the communal triumph of the others singing and dancing with him’ (Theatrereview.org.nz)‘This is a beautiful and powerful show… A powerful and positive film which gives a fresh perspective on the depressing mantra that immigrants automatically equal bad’ (LouReviews.blog)Displaced is a deceptively simple piece, mixing the personal with the public to tell a universal story through dance, poetry and film. Visually beautiful’ (WellingtonReviews.co.nz)hrough dance, poetry and film. Visually beautiful’ (WellingtonReviews.co.nz)Written and Performed by | Akeim Toussaint BuckWith | Arthur France MBE, Khadijah Ibrahiim, Pariss Elektra, Azizi Cole, Cleve ‘Rev Chunky’ Freckleton, Solomon Charles-Kelly, Lorina Gumbs, Giovanna Faith Paul, Acacia Paul, Kaya Moore, Cleo Stoute, Chescot Clark, Aida Fofana, Jimmy Cooke, Jordan Marcus, Kadeana Holding, Jessica Holding, Andre Johnson, Jacob Macima, E Wallace, Azhar Miah, Omari Swanston-Jeffers, Ali Akhtar, Wassi, ByramDirected by | Akeim Toussaint Buck and Ashley KarrellCinematography by | James WilliamsEdited by | Ashley KarrellMusic Composition by | Otis JonesSound Design by | Ashley TendekaiSound Recordists | Rob Wingfield and Liam GilchristCostume Design by | Audrey MaeMakeup Design by | Cleo Stoute ArtistryVisual Design by | Akeelah BertramLighting Design by | Matthew RoseProduced by | Ashley KarrellExecutive Producer | Akeim Toussaint Buckwww.toussainttomove.comfacebook.com/ToussaintToMoveinstagram.com/toussainttomove/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
In a school music club, a group of students wrestles with the frustrations of youth. But, when they’re asked to perform alongside a divisive political commentator, they’re forced to confront their own beliefs. Featuring live music, youth theatre company Lund presents this energetic and sharp exploration of youth, politics and moral dilemmas.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
BBD Productions return to the Fringe with their five-star show, winner of Best Theatre Production (TheatreScotland.co.uk, 2022 and 2023). Join a live band and cast of fierce beltresses to celebrate music, movies and musical theatre. From Anastacia to Adele, Carole King to Cher and Sabrina Carpenter to Shirley Bassey, we can guarantee there will be something for everyone in this high-energy, fast-paced celebration of the greatest divas of all time. ‘Everything is sung to such an incredibly high standard... delivered with passion and verve throughout’ (LondonTheatre1.com).
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
Join former Pointless contestant and Cambridge Footlight Diya Shah for her Edinburgh Fringe debut one-woman show! Aged just 22, she’s faced enough humbling events to last a lifetime, which she’s processing through the healthy medium of stand-up comedy. Don’t miss the opportunity to laugh with (and definitely not at) Diya as she weighs up her highest highs, lowest lows and greatest humiliations, and debates whether or not these warrant an early retirement from comedy. It’s time for her to decide once and for all to Shah or to Shahn’t. ‘Born for this stage’ **** (Varsity).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
Vibrant hot club jazz laced with Celtic spirit from the treasure trove of Scotland’s musical heritage. Exciting new project experimenting with gypsy jazz and Scottish/Irish folk influences. Paul Paterson is one of UK’s leading gypsy jazz guitarists, playing recently at the Django Reinhardt Festival in France. Jim Mackay is a noted guitarist in both gypsy jazz and Celtic styles, as is John Carnie, who is the author of The Scottish Guitar Book. Charlotte Paterson is an in demand gypsy jazz double bassist, recently back from the Django Reinhardt Festival in France.
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
In an overpopulated Britain, a law called the Parental Act requires everyone to obtain a license to have children. This electric dark comedy follows charming young couple Lily and Gareth, who after falling pregnant, must attend a week long “retreat" where their baby’s fate is decided by the State. Failing the retreat means a forced abortion, but they’re confident it’ll be a breeze. Once inside, however, cracks begin to show. Secrets surface and amid intense scrutiny, their love is pushed to the limit as they fight for their license and their future.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
Does anyone else smell curry? It was said by a friend. A joke. I said nothing. Worse. I laughed. Why did I laugh? Meet Kiren. British. Punjabi? Sikh? In that order? And more? Through spoken word, movement, media, verbatim and lip sync, this show explores the British South Asian experience in all its confusing complexity. How do we see ourselves? How do others see us? Are we not more than curry?! Join us for what audiences have described as a ‘raw’, ‘relevant’ ‘reclamation of pain’ which ‘deserves a wider audience and a bright future’.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Lavinia Draper, alcohol-soaked performer of a certain age, maintains her dream despite the struggle. The strife of ageing artists, most particularly women, facing unrepentant discrimination and harassment, and the resultant dysphoria and substance use, is profound. But Lavinia is the rare hopeful dreamer who never gives up on herself and inspires the audience to do the same. A one-woman show performed by Susan Campanaro that shatters genre as deftly as the title character severs the comic/tragic line. Brimming with hysterical comedy, dark sensitivity and harsh reality, the play features a moving score by Lynn Portas.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
A beautifully warm and moving human connection. Don’t Stop Me Now challenges the taboos surrounding ageing and is a celebration of the superb stories and lives of The Flames until this moment in time. Don’t Stop Me Now promises to be fresh and real. Using performance, film and specially composed music, this show highlights the resilience of these performers and explores their stories behind why they are such an unstoppable force. The Flames is Tricky Hat’s performance company for people aged 50+, with participants from across Scotland and beyond.
The Royal Scots Club
The Hepburn Suite
In this laid-back cabaret filled with vocal impersonations, live singing and bluesy banter, drag king Mr Brake Down pays tribute to the wit and wonderment of the iconic Tom Waits. Gloriously odd and experimental, the show takes audiences on a musical journey through some of Waits' seminal works, whilst Brake expounds on just how much a drag king from South Wales might have in common with the California-born performer. Expect to be bemused in a highly enjoyable fashion by a show that must be seen to be believed! Available in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.mrbrakedownbooking.wixsite.com/mrbrakedown/doom-and-glitterlinktr.ee/mrbrakedownwww.instagram.com/mrbrakedown/www.soundcloud.com/mr-brake-down/heartattack-and-vinewww.soundcloud.com/mr-brake-down/the-piano-has-been-drinkingwww.soundcloud.com/mr-brake-down/grapefruit-moon Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
In this laid-back cabaret hour filled with vocal impersonations, live singing and bluesy banter, drag king Mr Brake Down pays tribute to the wit and wonderment of the iconic Tom Waits. Gloriously odd and experimental, the show takes audiences on a musical journey through some of Waits' seminal works, whilst Brake expounds on just how much a drag king from South Wales might have in common with the California-born performer. Expect to be bemused in a highly enjoyable fashion by a show that must be seen to be believed!
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
A striking and stylised imagining of Oscar Wilde’s gothic masterpiece: the picture of Dorian Gray transforms into a malevolent horror as its inspiration remains untouched and beautiful. This supernatural gift begins a dark descent for Dorian as he recklessly pursues pleasure and vice, leaving destruction in his wake. Thrilling drama, daring movement and music combine to bring this visceral new production to life. KCS Theatre Co have established themselves as an Edinburgh Fringe favourite with their unique brand of fearless theatrical storytelling and sparkling talent. ‘Theatre at its most effective’ (BritishTheatreGuide.info).This event will be joining our digital programme soon. Advance bookings for digital viewing are now availablewww.facebook.com/KCSTheatreCowww.instagram.com/kcstheatreco/
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Nominated for IATCHK Performer of the Year and HK Theatre Libre Outstanding Lead Actress. Annie masterfully blends tragedy and comedy in Dots, a critically-acclaimed solo performance that lays bare the struggles of a high-achieving, yet insecure mind. Bold, moving and darkly humorous, it delves into high-functioning depression, the psychology of insecure overachievers and the relentless battle against inadequacy and hopelessness. 'This dark, autobiographical piece of theatre is brutally honest, extremely relatable and full of humour' **** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk). 'Beautiful, raw and real. Taps into universal human feelings and experiences whilst being courageously personal' (StageDoorApp.com).
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Award-winning fiddle/guitar duo, described as 'utterly enchanting' by Songlines magazine. Their folky approach to composition weaves in influences from klezmer, jazz, old-time and more. Songs and tunes which both captivate and make you move your feet.
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Juul, anxious and plagued by compulsions, discovers their fetish for choking. Ashamed, but desperate for euphoric relief, Juul retreats into their hole beneath the tree. With Juul hiding away, echoing the dark path of their late father, loneliness and worry creeps up on their mum, Annette. Constricted within the bounds of their arboreal home, Annette and Juul unravel the messy and absurd lengths we go to understand ourselves – and each other. Written and performed by Ilja van Ravels, this is a dark comedy about shame, identity, desire, belonging and the ties that bind us.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
When solicitor Jonathan Harker sets off for Transylvania to sell the mysterious Count Dracula a Gothic mansion, his bride-to-be, Mina, begs him to stay. Now her sister Lucy – newly-engaged to Harker's friend, Dr Seward – is becoming pale and thin. In Seward's lunatic asylum in London, a madman named Renfield babbles about his master who is coming. As a midnight storm rages, a black ship heads towards the English coast... This modern retelling of the Victorian classic explores what drives Dracula’s victims to invite him in and submit to his embrace. Suspenseful, chilling and suffused with dark eroticism.
The Royal Scots Club
The Hepburn Suite
Dragon Song Productions is a specialist early-years theatre company based in Edinburgh. Their shows are a must for new babies, as they integrate an interactive age-appropriate props bag into the 40-minute production along with live music and beautiful tactile puppets. The performers are incredibly experienced working with young audiences, so that everyone feels comfortable and happy. The shows are carefully structured to keep the energy and entertainment moving for adults and children alike. Perfect for the whole family, this is a brilliant introduction into theatre for young audiences.
LifeCare Centre
George Young Hall
Will you draw the nude body in front of you? Or will you draw from the life that has been stitched and stuffed inside the nude body? Experience a contemporary performance life drawing class which isn't skin deep. Art materials will be provided for those who wish to draw, and a performance will be provided for those who wish to spectate. You may even wish to join the nude body and unpick some of your own stitching...
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Come and dream with me. Going through an emotional journey of a dream landscape, the one that we see during the night in our sleep. We are going to encounter spirits, people, places, sounds and move through a myriad of diverse events that leave us questioning about the previous one or gives a clue about the next one. The illogical nature of dreams – or is it that illogical? Is there an underlying emotional logic to all of it? Real life and real dream. Which one is more real? What is real?
Greenside @ George Street
Olive Studio
How do individuals react to the same event? To what extent does your life, your mistakes, your hopes and dreams, affect your perception of reality? And do you need a bath to publish a report? Dreamliner is the attempt at answering these questions and more, brought to you by the minds of the Situationalists. Part-written, part-devised, Dreamliner is a surreal exploration of individual experience and the uselessness of British crisis management. Originally performed at the Act II and Homecoming festivals and at the Edinburgh Fringe 2022. See the play that they’re all dreaming about.www.thesituationalists.comwww.instagram.com/thesituationalists23_3/ Watch TrailerWatch Preview
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
In its 75th anniversary year, we have forgotten why we have the ECHR. A living commemoration of a living law, this beautiful song cycle offers a new way to view the Convention, telling its story through the words of its British artisan, Edinburgh-born David Maxwell Fyfe. It shows how the seeds of ECHR grew in the wasteland of the evidence of the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials. Firmly rooted in humanity, David's personal papers, Sue Casson’s music and archive film blend in this powerful celebration of the Convention's protections. ‘Magnificent work about freedom, democracy, liberty’ (MusicalTalk.co.uk).
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
A powerful combination of film, text, sung and spoken word, exploring the birth of modern human rights, told through the eyes of Nuremberg prosecutor and champion of the ECHR, David Maxwell Fyfe. His words intertwine with Sue Casson’s musical settings of the poets who inspired him on his journey along his stream of natural law. Conceived and performed by members of the next generation of Maxwell Fyfe’s family. ‘Tells a very necessary story of not only an amazing man, but also the hopelessness of man and mankind's hope for the future. Brilliantly performed’ (Derek Awards). ‘Richly layered… celebrates the concept of natural law’ (LouReviews.blog).A companion piece to the staged version of this work, Dreams of Peace and Freedom: The Streams of Natural Law. www.englishcabaret.co.ukwww.facebook.com/EnglishCabaretwww.instagram.com/streamsofnaturallawwww.youtube.com/channel/UCKh0R1gZ6GQ7c_tgs4ebpBgsoundcloud.com/english-cabaret/sets/dreams-of-peace-and-freedomWatch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A powerful combination of film, text, and performance exploring the birth of modern human rights, told through the eyes of Nuremberg prosecutor and champion of the ECHR, David Maxwell Fyfe. His words intertwine with Sue Casson’s musical settings of the poets who inspired him on his journey along his stream of natural law. Conceived and performed by members of the next generation of Maxwell Fyfe’s family. ‘Tells a very necessary story of not only an amazing man, but also the hopelessness of man and mankind's hope for the future. Brilliantly performed’ (Derek Awards). ‘Richly layered… celebrates the concept of natural law’ (LouReviews.blog).A companion piece to the film version of this work, Dreams of Peace and Freedom: The Human’s in the Telling.Available in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.www.englishcabaret.co.ukwww.facebook.com/EnglishCabaretwww.instagram.com/streamsofnaturallawwww.youtube.com/channel/UCKh0R1gZ6GQ7c_tgs4ebpBgsoundcloud.com/english-cabaret/sets/dreams-of-peace-and-freedom Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Former Chelsea FC trainee Alfie Cain delivers a raw and powerful solo performance in Dropped, exposing the brutal reality of football’s unforgiving system. With 99% of young players failing to make it pro, Alfie relives his harrowing journey through rejection, shattered dreams and a world that offers little support once the game moves on. Told with unfiltered honesty and dark humour, this gripping 60-minute play reveals what happens when football is all you know – until it's gone. A must-see for fans and dreamers alike, Dropped is a searing indictment of the football factory that leaves so many behind.
Easter Road Stadium
Behind The Goals
Multi award-winning 'sensational' ***** (Time Out), clown Dru Cripps brings his rapidly selling out ad hoc and critically acclaimed Loopstation based shenanigans to a cargo container. Improvised songs. Spontaneous audience musings, Cripps really has to be seen to be misunderstood. Winner of a British Comedy Guide award, an Offie Award (as apart of Sophie’s Surprise 29th) and comedy competitions up and down the UK, it’s time to get in the container with Cripps. 'Incredible' **** (TheRendition.co.uk). 'Hilarious' **** (BroadwayWorld.com). 'Show stealing' ***** (TheNewCurrent.co.uk).
Hoots @ Potterrow
Wee Container
Hit comedy podcast Drunk Women Solving Crime is back! After sell-out runs in 2019, 2022 and 2023, hosts Hannah George and Taylor Glenn welcome a guest to "solve" a crime over a glass or two, plus invite an audience member to share their own tale for a prize. Past guests include: Katherine Ryan, London Hughes, Rosie Jones and James Acaster. Every show is unique – 10 dates only, book early!
Underbelly Bristo Square
Cowbarn
Step into the world of Dunhuang, where the ancient Silk Road meets the present, and centuries-old murals come alive. Follow A-Lai, a modern-day student, as she uncovers the secrets of Dunhuang's ancient caves and is thrust into a mystical journey alongside Liansheng, a mysterious figure from the past. As they delve deeper into the history of the murals, they are faced with life-altering choices that test the limits of sacrifice and destiny. Blending history, art, and spiritual exploration, Dunhuang offers a visually stunning and emotionally compelling journey that explores what we leave behind for future generations.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Back again after a stellar run in 2024, Durham Dynamics proudly presents their new show Durham Dynamics: A Decade in Harmony – an a cappella showcase of beloved and catchy songs from the vinyl all the way to the TikTok famous variety. If you’re looking for an opportunity to sit back, relax, and get tunes stuck in your head for the rest of the day, this is the show for you. From Billie Eilish to John Lennon, there will be a song for everyone to love – we dare you to resist singing along!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Blistering musicality, razor sharp political satire and spectacular masks collide as a prison band of dictators and traitors takes you on an exhilarating journey from tyranny to enlightenment. Touchy Trump, Polonium Putin, and Kim Jong Elvis join Beldon Haigh to provoke, satirise and entertain in this immersive, multimedia rock opera by acclaimed singer/songwriter Justin Skelton. Epic songs, bold storytelling, audience participation and raucous power ballads fuel this must-see show with raw grip on the zeitgeist. 'Political, angry, thought-provoking, always entertaining…' ***** (MustSeeTheatre.com). 'A rollicking rollercoaster show' ***** (LouderThanWar.com). ***** (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk).
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Grand Hall
Come along to participate in a wine tasting and quiz! The event will include: a welcoming drink, a tasting of 6 wines with the quiz and tasty snacks as an accompaniment. There will be a raffle too...
Eric Liddell Community Hub
Robertson Suite
Winner: Best Drama, Greater Manchester Fringe. Why does misogyny still thrive in 2025? Enough is a bold drama following new police recruit Irie as she battles systemic injustice within the Met. Inspired by real events, it holds a mirror to the institutions meant to protect us, exposing the societal complacency that enables discrimination. Drawing from the Met’s response to the 2021 Sarah Everard vigil, this gripping play challenges power, accountability, and the cost of speaking out. With standing ovation nominations and critical acclaim, Enough is a must-see theatre experience that gives voice to those who refuse to be silenced.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
EULOGY is a surreal, otherworldly journey through a dreamlike, labyrinthine hotel that exists entirely in your mind. How you arrived is a mystery and why you're there remains unclear. Just make sure you read the pamphlet. Performed in complete darkness, this exhilarating ride uses binaural sound and speech recognition technology to deceive the senses and transport audience members through the bowels of this strange hotel. How your dream unfolds is, in part, up to you. EULOGY premiered as part of the London BFI Film Festival 2021 and has toured venues in the UK and Australia.
Summerhall Festival
The Terrace
Latin class: Loved it or hated it? The Hopkins School’s Shoestring Ensemble stages all 27 chapters of this classic Latin textbook’s narration in English! Wolves! Soldiers! A ditch! What becomes of the family Cornelii? Seriously, we’re asking! Told in the Fringe First award-winning Shoestring style, this ensemble of New Haven teens create all the needed scenic elements through colourful and cheeky living tableaux. Suitable for families, lovers of Latin and those who despised this book! www.hopkins.edu has more information about the Shoestring Ensemble at Hopkins School where Latin has been taught since 1660!
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
So good he wants to do it again. The show the mainstream media refuses to review repeats its 2024 dual four-star-reviews show. Meet Milligan! Patricia Highsmith! Ed D Wood Jr. Edith Stillwell and others. With Quentin Crisp as your master of ceremonies. Before being called Neurodiverse, Autistic, having lots of character and just plain being bonkers came Eccentricity. Paul Wady explores his first identity before Neurodivergency/Neurodiversity. Warning: Scouser (Funny). Autistic Elder. Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Neurodiverse review 2023. A book of all the Guerilla Autistics shows is coming out this year.
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
The Alcove
This compelling new music theatre piece, inspired by the Wei-Jin era’s Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, reimagines the legendary final moments of Ji Kang. Before his execution in 263 CE, he played the guqin, a traditional Chinese musical instrument. In Echoes, this zither becomes a spiritual vessel, through which his companions confront grief, freedom and existential meaning. Blending music, drama and physical theatre, the narrative intertwines metaphysical dialogue with poetic defiance, mirroring the struggle of the sages to reconcile idealism with a chaotic world. Performed in Mandarin with English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Experience a captivating evening as Finnish pianist Mianoora Kosonen unveils rarely heard piano works by Finnish composers Jean Sibelius, Leevi Madetoja and Selim Palmgren. This program explores Finland’s rich musical heritage, from Madetoja’s delicate lyricism to Palmgren’s virtuosity and Sibelius’ atmospheric beauty. Kosonen’s expressive interpretations bring these hidden gems to life, offering a journey through a lush forest of Nordic soundscapes.
Stockbridge Church
Church Hall
Echoes of Ghost Lake tells of photographer Ah-Hua and Rukai youth Daru meeting in the Ghost Lake tribe. Initially clashing due to cultural differences, they gradually bond through elder Vuvu's wisdom. The play highlights Rukai rituals, Ghost Lake legends and cultural displays, exploring cultural identity and natural relationships. The music blends Rukai chants, Minnan Nanguan and modern electronic music, contrasting traditional tribes with modern cities. It culminates in a duet of traditional and modern dance, symbolising cultural inclusiveness and modern civilisation's inheritance.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
When Nüwa created humanity, she believed they would live in joy and harmony forever. She mended the sky with five-colored stones, halted the great Catastrophe and ascended – confident her work was complete. But thousands of years later, BOOM! Humanity obliterated itself. Nüwa never returned. Instead, she left her three minions, the Muddy Lolos, to take on the task of rebuilding. Through endless experiments, they tinker with the dimensions of humanity, searching for a version that can truly cherish life. After countless failures, one question remains: does humanity have a future?
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Never underestimate the power of a lesbian in love. Edie is based on the fabulous life of Edith Windsor and her sexy and tumultuous relationship with Thea Spyer. Edie sues the United States of America and convinces the Supreme Court to recognise the love that she and Thea share, changing the very definition of marriage. In her ground-breaking, decades-long journey, Edie struggles with the pain and joy of being herself while proving, once and for all, that love is love. This remarkable one-woman show stars award-winning actor, Jessica Toltzis.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Entirely improvised comedy tales from Edinburgh's untold Victorian past. Join Edinburgh-based improv troupe KinkyFish as they take the audience back in time to Victorian Edinburgh and spin a previously untold tale based entirely on audience suggestion. Against the backdrop of foggy streets and ivory towers, scientific advancement and haphazard medicine; join urchins, lords, apothecaries and publicans as they act out hilarious, untold tales from Edinburgh's forgotten past.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
The world is over: rancid eels reign! Intrepid Fools unleash their freakishly fanciful third Fringe show. A disgraced eel scientist and his hopelessly hungry lab assistant are humanity’s last, least qualified hope. Will they prevent the Eel-pocalypse or pledge allegiance to our new slimy overlords? Will you be on the right slippery side of history? High-stakes absurdity, deep-sea conspiracies, and an alarming amount of eel facts in this eel-ectrifying, surr-eel and frantically fishy farcical comedy. 'Captivate us from start to finish' ***** (DeadlineNews.co.uk). 'Fast-paced, hilarious and utterly charming' **** (The730review.co.uk). 'Lots of action... plenty of laughs throughout' **** (One4Review.co.uk).
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
Princess Effie Jean has made a bargain with Proteus, the Old Man of the Sea and now she’s stuck in Tahiti guarding his jewels. Boring! Even worse, she’s supposed to kill any strangers that land on the island and the first one who shows up is her own brother. So, she and her brother have to find a way to trick Proteus. Along the way, they’re helped by vain Cassiopeia (Queen of the Night Sky), a school of flounder and some good old-fashioned song and dance.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
'If I'm in a lesbian relationship when I'm older, I want you to be the sperm donor' a woman says to her best friend, while drunk at a birthday party in uni. 'Okay, it's a deal', he says. Flash forward ten years and the two friends are making good on their promise. She is in said relationship, and he's just got a girlfriend. Having your best friend be your sperm donor – what could go wrong? A queer rom-com about having a baby in the modern world.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Jersey
18 - 23 AugSelf-love. Self-awareness. Self-sabotage. Two Jewish girls in their 20s are on a mission to achieve feminist perfection, but a series of man-shaped obstacles make their journey almost impossible. Admirable in their attempts, we see two sister-like girls do everything within their power to become the best versions of themselves.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
11 - 16 AugSelf-love. Self-awareness. Self-sabotage. Two Jewish girls in their 20s are on a mission to achieve feminist perfection, but a series of man-shaped obstacles make their journey almost impossible. Admirable in their attempts, we see two sister-like girls do everything within their power to become the best versions of themselves.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Carnaby House is an eight-storey tower block. On the day our story enfolds, the lift is "out of order". The residents of Carnaby house come together to create a community carry to enable octogenarians, Harry and Mabel, to reach their top floor flat. Each resident has their own story which is told through the mesmerizing words of Paul Heaton and The Beautiful South.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
Following last year’s sold-out show, award-winning pianist Matthew Shiel returns to lead you towards musical enlightenment. Japanese anime Spirited Away, Ludovico Einaudi’s contemplative piano pieces and Philip Glass’s soundtrack to the Academy award-winning film The Hours meet Japanese Zen stories, alongside digital animations designed by acclaimed Shanghai artist and Disney illustrator Emma Yitong Shen. Beautiful and life-affirming music is interwoven with Japanese storytelling, inspired by the wisdom and philosophy of Zen Buddhism to create a hypnotic and profound musical experience. 'The audience was indeed spirited away... meditative' ***** (EdinburghGuide.com).
St Vincent's
The Chapel
Embark on a journey through the four natural elements – Air, Water, Fire and Earth – brought to life through the artistry of contemporary dance. Experience the breathtaking beauty and terrifying force of these elements as they are embodied on stage, guided by the celestial energies they represent. From serene breezes to roaring flames, this performance will captivate your senses and leave you in awe. With influences drawn from contemporary, hip-hop and glimpses of folk dance, Elements weaves a story of harmony, power and darkness. A chillingly beautiful artwork, prepare to be compelled as the essence of nature unfolds.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
The wonderful talent of Sarah Omar opens the iconic songbook of arguably the greatest jazz singer of all time, Ella Fitzgerald. Accompanied on piano, Sarah sings many wonderful songs including: My Funny Valentine, Night and Day, and many more. Sarah Omar is a Malaysian-born mezzo-soprano with a passion for classic American jazz music. A scholar of Wells Cathedral School and Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London.
Le Monde
Dirty Martini
Elliot Wengler presents his most personal show, about relationships, night terrors, operations and adventures. He's had one hell of a few years, from the depths of nightmares that broke his relationship to winning medals at his new gym. He's a changed man. Honest. Don't be frightened, let's go. Malcolm Hardee Comic Originality Award nominee in 2024. 'Likeable performer, nice ideas' (BroadwayBaby.com).
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
Elliot Wengler presents his comedic and chaotic history of the monster-hunting franchise with a joke for every Pokémon! Following its smash-hit run at the 2024 Fringe, and having taken the show around the UK and the USA, the Malcolm Hardee Comic Originality Award-nominated 2024 show returns. Will we finally catch 'em all and become Jokémon masters? Full of puns, clowning and chaos, this is not to be missed. For all ages (12 and up advised). 'Likeable performer, nice ideas!' (BroadwayBaby.com). 'Truly funny stories' (Concrete Comedy). 'Enviable performing abilities' (TheTab.com).
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
Elon is on his way to Mars. The man-boy, sci-fi geek blasts off into space, but he’s about to get a call from The White House that will send his universe into a spin. An action-packed, satirical epic that looks inside the scary mind of Elon Musk to find out what’s really going on in there. Starring Ben Whitehead (voice of Wallace in Wallace & Gromit), with Sarah Lawrie as the ship’s computer, and featuring Donald Trump, Patrick Moore and Arthur C Clarke. Directed by Olivier Award nominated John Nicholson (Peepolykus). Written by David Morley.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
The sensational Oliver Harris returns to the Fringe for a 10th year! An hour of pure Elvis classics performed by an award-winning artist. All the great songs from The Wonder of You, to Heartbreak Hotel, Suspicious Minds, Blue Suede Shoes, and many, many more. A rare chance to hear the incredible Oliver Harris.
Frankenstein Pub
Bier Keller
Join Edinburgh poet Ken Cockburn on this walk through the literary sights of the Royal Mile. Ideal for those who like strolling the city to see its historic closes and green spaces, and hearing about its great writers. If you're new to Edinburgh you'll see some of the main sights and if you know the city you’ll experience it afresh through the words of poets down the centuries. 'A privilege… to enjoy the poetry and discover places and features that I didn’t know down the Royal Mile. I would never have explored them on my own' (Audience Review 2024).
Outside Scottish Poetry Library
Meeting Point
An absurdist one-man show which follows a radio host through the apocalypse as he descends into isolation and madness. A high octane, dark comedy on the encroaching sense of dread that is polluting our doom scrolling timelines. Imaginary guests, satire-filled news commentary and a meditation on how we recover after disaster strikes. A cross between Black Mirror, Mock the Week and Tim Key. Winner of Best New Writing at Wandsworth Arts Fringe 2023.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
English Ako finds a fresh way to celebrate the experience of growing up in different cultures – embracing being born in Manila, raised in England. The protagonist Boy goes on a journey to look for his older brother who ran away. While searching, he invites us inside his world: his school detentions, his Hinge dates and his universal credit meetings, all whilst turning the people in his life into Shakespearean characters he’d read about. English Ako shows us that we have more similarities to laugh about and that the things that make us different can also be celebrated.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Welcome to The Restaurant where Chef's final service goes up in flames. While he melts down, he'll prepare actual food and drink – if he can serve you before he's cooked. Cavin is a two-time Emmy award-winning comedian. Credits include Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Bon Appetit Test Kitchen, and Epicurious. He created Late Night Eats, a cooking series featuring Anthony Bourdain, David Chang, Nick Offerman, Alton Brown, Questlove, Giada De Laurentiis and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and has worked with chefs like José Andrés, Ina Garten and Binging with Babish.
Summerhall Festival
Former Womens Locker Room
Eric Barry is a straight man. Well, as straight as you can be as a former gay-for-pay escort. This raunchy and provocative stand-up hour details Barry's time as a poor student paying his way through college while working the seedy underbelly of Craigslist's erotic services. From being stiffed by a client with cerebral palsy to explaining his work to the women in his life, No Homo is a hilarious and edgy stand-up hour that examines gender dynamics, Bible masturbation and taking the cock out of your mouth to shout to the world 'I'm not gay!'
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Upstairs
Eric returns with more fast paced, topical and highly enjoyable parody, poetry and blether. This is my 18th year on the bounce performing with SpaceUK at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It is always a thrill to perform at the city of my birth in August. It's the audience that makes it special. Being so upfront, close and personal with them helps create such an electrifying atmosphere. The very reason that keeps me coming back, year after year. Oh, plus Donald Trump. 'Davidson’s niche is assured' (Chortle.co.uk). 'Superbly entertaining and cleverly structured comedy (FringeReview.co.uk).
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
After celebrating the centenary of Eric's Olympic gold, Grant examines Liddell's extraordinary life and legacy. All monies raised will go to The Eric Liddell Community Care charity and local hub.
Eric Liddell Community Hub
Robertson Suite
A fun, engaging show featuring puppets and bubbles. Our hero, Bubbles, leaves the mundane bubble tub behind to embark on an exciting adventure across the globe! From deserts to volcanoes, the North Pole to the ocean depths, and even the night sky, our hero encounters jaw-dropping bubble tricks and meets a cast of puppet animals along the way. You will see a bubble volcano, a tornado inside a bubble, a jellyfish bubble and a bubble snowman, as we explore the world together. Can you help Bubbles on their first adventure into the big wide world?
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Step into a dark world of dreams with Iphigeneia in Tauris. A land where sacrifice and fate are intertwined. This chillingly romantic tale of exile, deception and escape will ask you to search for hope in the face of doom. In the heart of danger, an exiled priestess torn between duty and family must confront her past. Experience the haunting history, the unbreakable bond of family in separation and the power of destiny. This production will immerse you in the lives of some of Euripides most renowned characters.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Join us for an enchanting evening as vocalists Elsa and Jaz take to the stage in a breath-taking tribute to the legendary Eva Cassidy! Combining their exceptional vocal talents and shared passion for Cassidy's music, this show promises to be a memorable experience. Delight in the exquisite harmonies that will fill the air, as they breathe new life into timeless classics. With each note, Elsa and Jas will transport you into a world of emotion and beauty, showcasing their professional delivery and deep connection to the music. Don’t miss this extraordinary celebration of songs.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
The show was born from the necessity to translate onto the stage human frailty in the face of imposed patterns. It also takes us toward the rediscovery of nature (the deepest human one). Evelyn, the protagonist, finds herself living in an extreme situation, locked inside a cramped space, manipulated and bombarded by a constant and pressing presence of messages and information. She cannot be herself – she is alone and induced, transformed to the point of being comic and funny, but also tragic at times. An ironically dramatic journey through a daily life, punctuated by fake rituals.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
A comic storytelling show, based on the 1924 British Mount Everest expedition. It follows Mallory on the SS California to India, on a train across to Darjeeling, and on ponies across Tibet. In tow is Stanley from the Mad Hatter's town of Stockport, Manchester. All of this is new to Stanley, who has barely been up Helvellyn in the Lake District! Once reaching Mount Everest, they must tackle it with feet, ropes, and possibly some oxygen. Knowing his own limitations, Stanley absolutely does not make a summit attempt, alongside Mallory and Irvine...
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
Do you believe in love at first sight? Oscar doesn't. Alex wants to. Then, they meet at a mutual friend's wedding and time stands still, except Oscar has a girlfriend. When they say goodbye and go back to their lives, Alex and Oscar struggle with the feeling the day left inside them. As time goes on, they begin to wonder if it was all in their heads. Years later, they meet again, and the natural order feels like it has been restored. Has time moved them on, or will they pick up where they left off?
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
Evolution at the Fringe is a celebration of dance, uniting Scotland and Estonia's next generation of talent. Presented by YDance, this international collaboration features the National Youth Dance Company of Scotland (choregraphed by Anna Kenrick and directed by Philippa Clark), ETA Kompanii, and the 2025 Project Y Evolution Company (choregraphed by Dr Mitul Sengupta and Dr Shambik Ghose from Rhythmosaic Dance Company). Experience bold, dynamic performances that push creative boundaries and showcase the power of dance to connect and inspire. Don't miss this vibrant fusion of movement and culture in an unforgettable performance of innovation, energy and global collaboration.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Join us for a tilt-a-whirl trip through the mind and letters of Vincent Van Gogh. A terrible spinning wheel controls the manic, blissful, bitter artist as he frantically relives the constant struggle and turbulence of his life. Disoriented, out of control, reeling from idea to idea, the soul-crushing, chaotic randomness of creation shapes a deep and dark vision of Van Gogh, a man who was so much more than a severed ear.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Extra Ordinary is a comedy show about a man who’s ordinary in every way except for his ideas. One of India’s biggest comedy stars, but he’ll never sell as many tickets as his father – a bus conductor. A first-generation graduate, he hilariously stumbles through language, wokeness, post-colonial confusion and life’s biggest inconsequential debates. With clueless confidence, he takes on questions nobody asked – like whether Unstoppable by Sia is just Indian motivational wisdom or which language truly came first. His thoughts are sometimes revolutionary, sometimes reductive. Come watch a man catch up to modernity, badly.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Pickle Studio
FATAL FLOWER, an ode to the hysterical woman. In this tragicomic musical and over-the-top one-woman show, Valentina explores the boundaries and clichés of the female image in society. With a mix of opera, theatre, musical, cabaret, classical music and comedy, she introduces various hysterical women, including the Queen of the Night, a vengeful bride-to-be, and a strict Russian piano teacher (or is that her mother?), all leading to Valentina herself. Armed with remarkable musicality, humour, social criticism and larger-than-life characters, Fatal Flower keeps the audience on edge, evoking either sympathy or bewilderment – either way, it's a triumph.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Ivy and Jones, two deadbeat, dead-end 20-somethings are looking for a way out. Ivy knows that suicide is the answer but doesn’t want to die alone. Jones is cool with being dead, but doesn’t want to die a virgin. Four going on five tries in and they're still breathing; I guess sometimes the universe has other plans for you. As Ivy’s frustration mounts and their tenuous relationship degrades, a violent solution finally materialises. What follows is a pitch-black comedy about escaping your ugly, rotten, nasty, little life by finding a gun and finally pulling the trigger.
Dovecot Studios
Meeting Room
A mysterious new musical in which three strangers are summoned to a secluded seaside manor on New Year’s Eve by the enigmatic Mr Dellamort, who leads them through an evening of revelations and eerie delights. Exploring themes of unrequited love, mortality and deception, this theatrical gem features an original pop score, live theremin and vintage Foley sound effects. Gothic, quirky, and delightfully unpredictable, it’s a uniquely immersive experience that balances heart, humour, and haunting surprises. 'Will keep you guessing right up to the dramatic conclusion!' **** (NorthWestEnd.com).
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
In False Tongues, Britt Fishel and Artists will share narrative pathways of the women accused of witchcraft globally in the 17th century. The work focuses around the women's peril, while navigating their place as scapegoats within their community. Through dance and performance, we hope to share truth where there are misconceptions, find empathy though lived experiences and examine a cautionary tale of mass hysteria, the dangers of superstition and the consequences of societal paranoia.
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
The legendary magician The Great Baldini tells the story of his and Baldwin the magical dog’s life from their first tricks to the height of their careers: attempting Houdini’s greatest escape. The show is packed with magic, sweets, puppetry, sweets, water, sweets, eggs, sweets and escapology. It’s hilariously silly… with sweets. Come and see two true magical superstars (Baldini and Baldwin) at the very pinnacle of their powers. The Great Baldini is an award-winning member of the Magic Circle and the Bristol Stage Magic Champion. 'Incredible' (Front Row, BBC Radio 4). 'Charming, engaging and charismatic. A pleasure' (FringeReview.co.uk).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
A down-on-his-luck impressionist, desperate for a meaty role that will satisfy his artistic cravings, is hired by a man on the run to swindle his blind, dying mother with the ultimate deception. Then: dates with Myra Hindley, glam rock gods, charity-cheque-sized death certificates, unexpectedly Cajun long-lost sons, street heroin, proctology appointments, Strava, misguided mobsters and a bit of bird-spotting, all held together by one man and his microphone…
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Join us for a feisty, funny, physical take on Roald Dahl's cast-iron classic fable and watch our three foul farmers get their fiendish, foxy comeuppance in intriguing new ways... Twisted Tales return to the Fringe after last year's mischievous take on Rapunzel and their sell-out version of Grimms' Tales (Once Upon A Crime) with another colourful, knockabout take on the well-known tale. A perfect treat for families or just anyone who would like an early, bracing blast of fun in their Fringe adventure!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
The music of Sinatra, Goodman, Ella, Nina, Tony and Nat, Glenn Miller, Andy Williams, Sammy Davis Jnr; plus by request, Stevie Wonder, Lennon and McCartney. Abundant musical nostalgia, fascinating tales, pure joy!
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Kyle is just like any other wannabe stand-up star. Handsome, charming, complex relationship with his dad. He's also made up of dead bodies. Get to know “Frankenstein’s Monster” like you've never been able to before. Face to face with only a mic and some stage lights between you and him. Maybe you're more alike than different, but only time will tell.
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
Come and share our love for the magical, intimate world of French song with Caroline Salmon (soprano) and Anne Evans (piano). Escape to these enchanting and poignant mini soundscapes with us.
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
The St Andrew Camerata returns to the Fringe with these atmospheric, late-night performances of Gabriel Fauré's much-loved Requiem and Cantique de Jean Racine. Taking place in the heart of the city in the beautiful setting of Old Saint Paul’s, the choir will be directed by Robert Dick and accompanied by orchestra. These shows are the perfect way to wind down from a day at the festival and have proven incredibly popular with festival-goers since first appearing in 2006. Book early to avoid disappointment!
Old Saint Paul's Church
Church
Faustine: A Dissertation. A Confession. A Mental Breakdown. Faustine is excited to share her dissertation with you, but all is not what it seems. She’s sold her soul to the devil in exchange for her brilliant thesis. Faustine lied, cheated and murdered to get here, and she won’t go back. This solo musical critique of academia, ambition and class (coming to you from a sold-out NYC run) is equal parts Xiu Xiu and Sondheim, Heathers and Hedda Gabler, pedestrian and academic, and hilarious and horrifying.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Led by Colombian-American Felipe Schrieberg, Feli y Los Malos is a latin-pop quartet blending together funk, boogaloo, blues and Cuban son into something altogether unique playing original Spanish-language songs. The result is a heady cocktail of latin influences held together by slick songwriting. They will be playing five late-night latin dance parties at Edinburgh's best live music venue, The Jazz Bar. 'Excellent! That was so great I bashed myself against the microphone' (Clive Anderson, BBC Loose Ends).
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Before sliced bread, there was the hot dog! Actor, playwright, historian and former Feltman’s hot dog brand owner Michael Quinn brings this true story to life, performing every role in a dynamic one-person show. Travel to 19th-century Coney Island as German immigrant Charles Feltman rises from struggle to revolutionize street food. Quinn, who himself successfully revived the legendary brand before facing his own challenges, weaves a powerful parallel between past and present. Blending humor, heart and history, this must-see performance tells the story of resilience, reinvention and the food that changed the world!
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
Jive along to jazz, party to punk rock, cavort to classics and experience electropop with our cherry-picked musical assortment. A powerhouse of bands and soloists from across the globe. Enjoy the warmth of the world through a hand-picked selection of of bands, singers and instrumentalists, and soak up their sound! Discover new artists from five continents! We’ve got bangers, beats, bass and Brahms! Come enjoy jazz, blues, world music, electronica, pop, classical music and more. See website for listings.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
Playful and poetic, Fields (Extract) draws the audience into a textured landscape of stone, where patterns of dwelling are made and unmade, shaped by land, time and human hands. The performance's episodic narrative offers snapshots of lives lived out amidst stony ground, taking in the enduring labour of ages past, present and perhaps yet to come. Layered with detail and played out to an intermittent sound score, images emerge of agricultural labouring, the toil of turning stony ground, and at the end of the day, the scraping of boots and laying down to rest on pillows of stone.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
The powerful true story of Verity, a teenage girl institutionalised after a mental health crisis and later sent to Broadmoor, where she could only be released with permission from the Home Secretary. This gripping play explores the complexities of mental illness, the struggle for identity, and the devastating impact on both Verity and those around her. Find Me confronts society’s treatment of mental health, exposing the isolation, misunderstanding and failures of the system. A deeply moving and thought-provoking production; a true story that packs a punch.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Do you believe in magic? Bev does, but after the death of her son Jess she thought she’d never find her magic again. This remarkably uplifting true story of personal survival and triumph shows how she survived her grief and found new hope. Beverley uses storytelling, film, clowning and magic to introduce and demonstrate her new reality of unpredictable triggers, clichés and flashbacks. The audience are invited to share the new-found surreal humour she deploys to find peace after bereavement. Equal parts moving and magical, Finding Magic is a captivating story of loss, longing, love, laughter and solace.‘An intensely personal tale of coping with grief... a deeply personal statement and quietly inspirational’ (British Theatre Guide)‘Bishop is a friendly and open performer who also has a gift for close-up magic’ (LouReviews)'Possibly one of the most authentic, inventive and inspiring pieces of new work I have seen in a long time' Natalie Jode, Creative Arts East (UK)Created, Written and Performed by | Beverley BishopAvailable in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.www.beverleybishop.com/finding-magicwww.facebook.com/finding_magic_cic Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Experience a bold theatrical adaptation of one of Japan’s most powerful war novels: Ōoka Shōhei’s classic Fires on the Plain reimagined for the stage. This solo performance brings to life the harrowing journey of a soldier lost in the chaos of World War II. Through multiple roles, one actor explores the depths of war, solitude, and human survival. Explores themes of faith, dignity and humanity through the loneliness, hunger and moral dilemma of the Philippine front. A visceral, intimate take on Ooka’s classic, confronting the darkness of war with haunting clarity.Original text by | Ōoka ShōheiAdapted and directed by | Horikawa HonohPerformed by | Nagai HidekiPhoto | Igaki Photo Studio (use courtesy of Toyooka Theatre Festival, Japan)
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Jon, a lonely fisherman sailing the seas, catches something unexpected… unbeknownst to Jon, this catch will change his life forever. An evocative and beautiful clown-odyssey told by a loveable idiot discovering the true power of love. This critically acclaimed show is brought to you by an award-winning performer. Bevan's accolades include the Fulwell 73/Comedy 50:50 Award and finalist spots in Funny Women and the British Comedy Guide's Talent Awards. 'Unique blend of heartfelt storytelling and surreal humour' (TheReviewsHub.com).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dexter
Due to popular demand, we proudly present our flamenco production designed especially for children. If your child enjoys music or dance, this is a unique chance to explore the vibrant world of Spanish culture and flamenco art. The show introduces rhythms, dance movements, clapping, guitar, singing, castanets, percussion and language expressions in an engaging and educational way. Created and performed by TuFlamenco’s talented artists, the show guarantees an original, dynamic and interactive experience – perfect for all ages. Join us for an unforgettable journey into the passionate world of flamenco. Prepare yourselves for lots of fun! Ole!
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Daniel Martinez launches a new venture: Flamenco Fringe. Each year, Daniel will bring world-class flamenco artists from Spain for a thrilling, authentic flamenco tablao. 2025's edition will feature Daniel himself joined by sensational singers, Inma Montero and Danielo Olivera and world-class dancers, Angel Reyes, Carmen Ureña and Gabriela Pouso. This exceptional ensemble unites on stage for a show-stopping, unmissable celebration of flamenco culture, music and dance. Experience the artistry and beauty of flamenco in its purest form through breath-taking footwork, fiery energy and mesmerising choreography. This gorgeous venue also offers additional tapa and drinks packages to enjoy!
Yotel Edinburgh
Imaginex
Philip Adie presents a spellbinding solo performance, capturing the evocative essence of Andalusian flamenco with his wonderful playing. He passionately seeks life's essence and magic through his playing. Adie, a Seville-based Scotsman clearly steeped in his adopted culture, shares captivating and vivid stories that accompany the music he plays, offering insight into the rich culture and history of flamenco guitar. Adie is a brilliant musician. Don't miss this! 'His musicianship is a love letter to Andalusia. A performance that (within minutes) became one of my all-time favourites of The Fringe' (Rosie Morton). ****½ (ScottishField.co.uk).
Alba Flamenca
Alba Flamenca
TuFlamenco Academy presents an entirely new edition of Flamenco in Scotland, a vibrant celebration of flamenco’s passion and artistry. Directed and choreographed by Inma Montero, this powerful showcase unites international dancers driven by their love for flamenco. With a fresh repertoire, exceptional live music and the authentic Andalusian spirit, the performance promises to captivate both aficionados and newcomers, offering an unforgettable journey into the essence of flamenco.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
An inspired, powerful and elegant piece with Flamenco dance and guitar. Aylin Bayaz’s contemporary flamenco dance combines strength, elegance and beauty. Raul Mannola's music draws on Flamenco, Brazilian music and jazz, giving depth and colour. Bayaz’s dance and Mannola’s music fuse together to produce an unique show of beauty and inspiration.‘Flamencodanza is more than just a show – it’s a breathtaking journey, with its fusion of tradition and contemporary flair… leaving an enduring impression on every fortunate spectator’ (Dancelife.com.au)‘Flamencodanza is hot, and you won’t see anything else like it’ (TheStageRaw.com)‘Mannola is amazing to watch. He does not “play” the guitar, he dominates it’ (TheTVolution.com)'An audience favourite' (Hudson Theatre, Hollywood)‘Pure artistry and emotional tour de force’ (LouReviews.blog)Best Dance and Physical Theatre, Hollywood Fringe 2022Award for Artistic Merit, Hollywood Fringe 2023Choreography and Dance by | Aylin BayazMusic by | Raul Mannolawww.eflamencodanza.comfacebook.com/aylinbayazinstagram.com/aylinbayaz/ Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
Award-winning flamenco dance from an international duo based in Spain. Flamenco, Brazilian music and jazz fuse in this inspirational showcase of strength, elegance and beauty embodied in Aylin Bayaz’s dance and Raul Mannola's guitar music. The shared passion and synergy of this five-year collaboration produces a unique experience of beauty and inspiration. ‘Flamencodanza is more than just a show – it’s a breathtaking journey, with its fusion of tradition and contemporary flair… leaving an enduring impression on every fortunate spectator’ (Dancelife.com.au). ‘Flamencodanza is hot, and you won’t see anything else like it’ (TheStageRaw.com). ‘Manola is amazing to watch’ (TheTVolution.com).
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
After selling out last year, Transatlantic Ensemble return to The Queen's Hall by popular demand. Performing the iconic Rumours album in its entirety, plus loads of other Fleetwood Mac classics, experience one of the greatest albums of all time, lovingly and accurately recreated live, by this stunning ensemble of gifted young musicians. There’s something so evocative about the Rumours album... something that strikes a chord with every music fan. It has sound-tracked the lives of multiple generations. Ask anyone who has seen this phenomenal band, these shows are now an annual Edinburgh tradition.
The Queen's Hall
Auditorium
Flick is a nurse, Mark has cancer, the kind you can't come back from. He's also dangerously attractive. When Mark asks Flick for a favour it doesn't take long for boundaries to blur and lives to intersect. From award-winning writer/performer, Madelaine Nunn, Flick is a darkly funny thriller about life, death, and really bad decisions. Shortlisted for the 2022 Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award. 'Brilliantly written, with a humanly comedic through-line' ***** (WhatsTheShow.com.au). 'Nunn is outstanding' ***** (StageWhispers.com.au). 'One of the best single actor shows... her comic timing is impeccable' (TheatreTravels.org). **** (List). Director, Emily O'Brien-Brown. Sound Design, Christian Biko.
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
In the eerie confines of an airport terminal, five strangers become ensnared in the grip of a violent storm, severing all connections to the outside world. While the tempest rages, reality is distorted within the terminal as the passengers begin unwittingly to repeat their actions and words with eerie precision. Only Lucy, a psychologically troubled woman, seems to notice the time-loop pulling at the other passengers like marionettes. Unsure of whether or not this phenomenon is a product of her own fractured brain’s design, Lucy must face the demons of her past if she ever hopes to escape.
Laughing Horse @ Freddy's
Band Room
'Best of the Festival and Fringe: Riveting Highland tales fresh from the Gaelic' (Independent). Presented by James MacDonald Reid in the traditional manner, with Gaelic songs and antique Highland bagpipes. James MacDonald Reid 'is a hugely accomplished teller of tales, quietly humourous and learnedly respectful of his craft. This is a rare Fringe opportunity to plug into ancient currents and it should be grabbed at by anyone who sees the arts as more than just a series of transient events' (Scotsman).
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Comedy! Music! Fractured classics! Drama! And more! Do you like to be surprised? Is variety what you crave? We have just the ticket for you. The Flying Solo! Follies features short excerpts and vignettes performed by Fringe artists and companies from across the States showcasing new work, current Fringe shows and maybe even gems from their repertoire. Be adventurous and join us for 60 minutes of fun, laughter, tears and amazement. Two performances only; completely different line-up of performers for each show.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Join Raymond Mearns and his Fool On Comedy Crew for a brilliant hour of original sketches and stand-up comedy. FoolOn.co.uk is a charity based in Lanarkshire whose mission is to improve the mental health and wellbeing of people through artistic engagement. The Fool On Comedy Crew is a group of people who have been coming along to Raymond's comedy workshops for the past 18 months and this is the result of all their hard work. All profits go directly to FoolOn.co.uk, so come along, watch a great show and do your bit for charity as well.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
A multitalented, multilingual singer, actor and stand-up comedian you might recognise from the Fantastic Beasts movie franchise, brings her solo stand-up show to the Fringe! Calling herself The Foot Putter because of her graceful ability to often say things that others might find a bit unusual (at the very least!), permanent outsider Maja Bloom will delight you with her energy, her jokes, some useful tips for other 'foot-putters' and frank social observations of an immigrant Brit that is just never British enough…
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Footloose is back! Enjoy this fantastic show and cast as they blast their way through this great musical. Ren ends up in this small town from Chicago and meets problems everywhere including a dance ban! It's about listening to younger people and helping them through their problems with great music and choreography. This dynamic show is brought to life by the talented cast. If you want a great afternoon out, then book this quickly.
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Lower Hall
11 - 16 AugMake sure you bring an offering for the shopkeeper – he plans to barter his way out of this place by any means. It matters not who visits him, or what he stands to lose. A picture, a memory, a hand. All looks like good currency to me, anything to fuel trade, to keep the business going. Meet the cast of strange characters that spend their days and nights browsing this dreamscape of a market in Will Oliver's newest, strangest one-person horror comedy, constructed almost entirely from found objects. Songs, stories, dismemberment: there's something for everybody here.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
18 - 19 AugMake sure you bring an offering for the shopkeeper – he plans to barter his way out of this place by any means. It matters not who visits him, or what he stands to lose. A picture, a memory, a hand. All looks like good currency to me, anything to fuel trade, to keep the business going. Meet the cast of strange characters that spend their days and nights browsing this dreamscape of a market in Will Oliver's newest, strangest one-person horror comedy, constructed almost entirely from found objects. Songs, stories, dismemberment: there's something for everybody here.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Through everything, through their speech, their body, the lights, the barn, the staging and memories of before they were born, Cray tries to express what they mean. Out of fear of anything new and indulgence in the safety of their own anxiety, they have confined themselves to a barn, the people they allow to come and leave only a part of their attempt to describe this experience. They have caved themselves in as they refuse to answer the question of whether they want to start healing, all the while struggling to contend with what they cannot articulate.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Could you go on a reality dating show? Could you and your useless friends convince the producers that you’re actually cool and marketable? Could you be honest with yourself about how much you want the attention? What if it was all For the Plot? This is the true story of two friends who fell in love in front of the nation. But their televised romance is just as real as Romeo and Juliet's – it’s entirely fictional. Can they keep a handle on the lie or will reality slip from their grasp?
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
Orange is the New Black’s Julie Lake and songwriter Annie Macleod join forces in Forget-Me-Not, a true story of motherhood, lost love and hauntings set to original music and heart-exploding harmonies. Two estranged childhood best friends reconnect in midlife – both mothers, stifled by traditional roles and longing for more creative freedom, adventure, sexual liberation and a deeper sense of self. Through storytelling and song, they rediscover the power of their bond, finding the healing and freedom they’ve been searching for all along. A moving, magical celebration of motherhood, creativity, resilience and the transformative power of female friendship.
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
Two young people fall for each other with a strange sense of déjà vu in a story of love, loss and intimacy. Exploring the beautiful power of imagination, Isla Hall's poignant new play challenges perceptions of love and relationships and examines the fragile and complex nature of human connection. Forget-Me-Nots was originally written for the National Theatre's New Views competition and premieres at the Fringe 2025.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Formosa Viva Dance Theater narrates Taiwan's 500-year history, spotlighting key historical events through 12 selected musical pieces. From indigenous cultures to Dutch, Ming, Qing and Japanese influences and the Republic of China's governance post-1949, it highlights the transition from martial law to democracy. The performance emphasises recent advances in gender equality and cultural diversity. This dynamic presentation vividly brings to life Taiwan's rich cultural evolution for the audience, showcasing its significant milestones and transformations over the centuries.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
When Pestilence accidentally kills Death, the whole world stops. The people of Earth become immortal, and it is up to the remaining three horsemen to track down a replacement Death. They think they have found one when they discover the last person on Death's list, but training a new Death is more difficult than it sounds.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
An unmissable journey through history, where science, superstition and myth collide. From 19th-century Parisian hysteria to the Radium Girls of the 1920s and the sedative ads of the 1950s, Hannah Rose Platt illuminates the shocking fight for women’s bodily autonomy. With gripping stories like Anne Greene’s miraculous survival of execution and the trailblazing Edinburgh Seven – performed at the Surgeons' Hall where these women made history – Platt exposes the ongoing battle for women’s health and equality. This powerful show uncovers the enduring gender health gap and celebrates the unyielding spirit of women throughout the ages.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
This contemporary dance-theatre piece delves into the emotional tension between the yearning for connection and the fear of intimacy in human relationships. Drawing from psychological theories and personal experiences, it explores the ways in which attachment shapes our behaviours and emotional responses blending movement, psychology, and visual storytelling. Fragmented in structure, each section of the piece portrays different emotional moments, conveying the subtle shifts between desire, rejection, fear and longing. This delicate balance between connection and separation creates a rich narrative that invites the audience to reflect on their own experiences with attachment, vulnerability and emotional complexity.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Brand new play about the rare neurological illness narcolepsy from a true-life perspective. A coming-of-age story to transform your world and prove just how much fight is required to beat the fatigue. Created by newly formed theatre company Crak'd Mirror Productions, a group of recent graduates from London who believe that theatre in its rawest form is the most compelling and rewarding. Who want to not only entertain but to decentre and connect people through the power of dialogue, movement and collaboration. Written by and starring Kerri Chester.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Step into the joyful and absurd world of Francisco de Nata – A giraffe. In a G-string. With a job to do. In this non-verbal clown show featuring audience interaction, puppetry and yes, a very special Portuguese custard tart, Francisco invites you on a playful journey where nonsense, vulnerability and wonder take centre stage. Tasked with painting a ceiling, his world soon unravels into beautiful chaos, but as the clock ticks and the paint dries, a tender and ridiculous story unfolds about this giraffe's love for his Avó (grandma). Will it come together before time runs out?
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
As the world teeters on the brink of global annihilation, who better to restore a new world order than the ultimate swinging dictator himself? Frank Sanazi storms back into Edinburgh to deliver his signature mix of darkly hilarious tunes and extreme comedy. Joined by his right-hand man Dean Stalin and a special guest despot, expect reimagined classics, razor-sharp wit and a night of laughter in the face of a global meltdown. Sinatra meets satire, dictatorship meets decadence – are you ready to heil with laughter?
Le Monde
Shanghai
Celebrate the songs and stories of Frank Sinatra with award-winning international piano cabaret entertainer Antony (Dr H) Hubmayer. The show features all his classic hit songs spanning over 50 years of recording and includes plenty of singalongs, laughs and colourful background stories retold and sung 'our way'.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
What if the story didn’t have to end? Just imagine what would have happened if the Doctor and his creation had lived… Frankenstein: Afterglow is a neon-gothic battle of self-determination between man and monster. We might get to choose how our lives are lived, but what about how they end? An original take on a familiar theme which elaborates on Mary Shelley’s famous novel, this is quite literally a matter of life and death. Think you know how the story ends? Think again.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
From Leith to Las Vegas, Frankie Mack’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Inspired by legends like Dean Martin, Elvis, Freddie Starr and Robbie Williams, his high-energy show blends swing, rock'n'roll and modern classics to make every audience member feel part of the experience. More than just a performance, this is a night of powerful vocals, laughter and pure entertainment. A previous sell-out sensation – this is your chance to witness the next stage. Don’t miss it!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
From Leith to Las Vegas, Frankie Mack’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Inspired by legends like Dean Martin, Elvis, Freddie Starr and Robbie Williams, his high-energy show blends swing, rock'n'roll and modern classics to make every audience member feel part of the experience. More than just a performance, this is a night of powerful vocals, laughter and pure entertainment. A previous sell-out sensation – this is your chance to witness the next stage. Don’t miss it!
Easter Road Stadium
Behind The Goals
Join us for our genuinely free, small group walking tours of Edinburgh's historic Old Town and enjoy stories of the many colourful characters who lived here. Since Edinburgh's first festival in 1947, our trained local guides, all volunteers who love their city, have shared their knowledge with visitors from all over the world. Our tours leave from the City Chambers Courtyard on the High Street at 10.30am and 2pm, lasting about 90 minutes. Step with us into Scotland's rich history. Tripadvisor awarded us the Travellers' Choice award in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Edinburgh City Chambers (Meeting Point)
Courtyard
Produced by Dance Base, Fringe Fragments is a new pitching platform showcasing dance talent from around the world. Designed as a public event and industry showcase, audiences can see excerpts from tour-ready performances by international and UK artists. As well as enjoying a jam-packed hour of new choreography and there will also be an opportunity to hear from and get to know the artists. Fringe Fragments brings different dance perspectives together in one event, where you can see fresh insights into new international dance. The place to be for industry professionals and dance fans. See you there!
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
After 3.5 billion years, Dr David Jones has evolved –– research biologist by day, stand-up comedian by night. He’s set himself the gargantuan challenge of telling the complete story of life on Earth. In one hour. Can he squeeze the origins of life, the evolution of millions of species, the extinction of millions more, and Homo sapiens’ rise to dominance, into a 60-minute show? Probably not. But it’s still very funny. Warning: Contains scenes of death, genetic drift and existential dread.
Dovecot Studios
South Gallery Annexe
Frozen Love: A Buckingham Nicks Story, is the true story of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham’s rocky road to joining Fleetwood Mac. The creators of the piece, Georgie Banks and Jake Byrom, intertwine songs from Stevie and Lindsey’s scarcely-known debut duo album Buckingham Nicks and also show how some of the world’s favourite Fleetwood Mac songs came about. Their relationship during their time with Fleetwood Mac is infamous, but before that performance of Silver Springs, at the heart of it, they were madly in love and would do whatever it took for the music.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
When May and Bea experience writer's block for an upcoming poetry competition, they decide to use personal information about their flatmates as inspiration. What ensues is a messy confrontation within the flat, causing the girls to reckon with their own fears about the future, missing out on their youth and past mistakes. Set during the lockdown, Fruitcake is a tender and comedic exploration of how the pandemic affected young people and their relationships. With a mixture of poetry, dance, conversation and improvisation – Fruitcake is a messy and vibrant homage to the intimacy, strength and hilarity of close friendships.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
You’d boater believe it because Full Score are bringing barbershop back to the Edinburgh Fringe for a 5th year following last year’s five-star rated, sold-out show! You’d Boater Believe It! promises to be an afternoon of classy quartets and outstanding full chorus numbers. Packed full of musical theatre, jazz, pop and Disney like you’ve never heard them before, there is bound to be something for everybody. Look out for their boaters and braces because you don’t want to miss this one-of-a-kind show!
theSpaceTriplex
Big
Berlin Open Theatre presents Fun at Parties: an electrifying new play set in the underbelly of Berlin’s legendary club scene. While local partygoers seek hedonism, freedom, and true euphoria, organisers must battle to keep the dream alive for future generations. With a diverse, Berlin-based cast, Fun at Parties is a must-see for party lovers, culture seekers, and anyone who’s ever longed to dance till dawn in one of the world’s most vibrant cities.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Returning to the Fringe by popular demand! See Edinburgh on two wheels. Escape the crowds and join us on a family-friendly cycle tour to see Edinburgh beyond the tourist trail! Bikes, helmets and qualified guide included. We have a vast network of cycle paths in this beautiful city and our tours are mostly all off-road. Did you know we even have a beach? Come ride with us for an ice cream on the beach or even a dip in the North Sea! Discover Edinburgh beyond The Royal Mile!
Bridgend Farmhouse
Meeting Point
After death, your soul will be…? In the past, the Japanese imagined the soul was like a fireball floating in the air. Now, they don’t believe it anymore because they know it is superstition. In 1,000 years, can we still believe something invisible in the world of full of information and plastic garbage? From award-winning Butoh dancer and choreographer Emiko Agatsuma. Agaxart produces innovative Butoh performances based on Emiko’s Butoh method and aesthetics, examining the interaction between body, mind and soul. Agaxart creates Butoh performances to deliver the diversity of the physical expression that is connected to the unconsciousness.agaxart.wixsite.com/agartwww.facebook.com/agao00owww.instagram.com/emiko.agatsumawww.youtube.com/channel/UCSXxrjd0qLNtUMmD5VoOTtAa Watch TrailerWatch Preview
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A mysterious investigation of the great American writer, inspired by his scandalous life and the Black and White ball he hosted at the Plaza Hotel. A provocative journey through success, sabotage, addiction and true crime, from Garden City to New York. This adaptation, with original music, plunges the audience into a dangerous conflict where art and life are intertwined. Social hypocrisy, class power, gossip and murder are the guests of honour at a garden party worthy of Truman Capote. A new work by Kulturscio’k International Live Art Collective.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Gavin Lilley, the well-established deaf comedian, will be returning to bring you a new set of hilarious stories! Drawing on his experiences as a sign language user, traveller and weary father of three – his cringing moments of embarrassment and experiences during his encounters throughout his eventful life will make you chortle. Gavin has performed all over the UK and Europe, bringing laughter to deaf and hearing alike. Looking at the world today, it’s an opportunity to get a hilariously unique perspective of our diverse cultures (and the habits we’d rather keep to ourselves).
Deaf Action
Blackwood Bar
Princess Gayatri seeks to preserve her father’s legacy and the survival of her people. Can she attain her dreams? Epic new opera, the first in a three-part series from Mhyajo, based on Mpu Prapanca’s 13th century Javanese manuscript Nagarakertagama, with music composed by Franki Raden, a professor in ethnomusicology, and co-directed by Bona Palma.‘Fascinating and brilliantly scripted’ **** (TheatreAndArtReviews.wordpress.com)‘A brave and deeply ambitious spectacle’ **** (LouReviews.blog)‘Its combination of contemporary and traditional, of history, music and movement, is unexpectedly compelling’ (SeeingDance.com).‘A stunning story and artform… am now desperate to see more!’ (TheArtsBusiness.com)Highly Commended for Outstanding Production, Asian Arts Awards, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024OnComm finalist, 2022Highly Commended, Asian Arts Awards, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021Written and produced by | MhyajoDirected by | mhyajo and bona palmaMusic by | Franki RadenSopranos | Christine TambunanTraditional Singer | Satya CiptaMale Narrator | Rendra Bagus PamungkasExecutive Producer | Alexander TriyonoLine producer | Patar Pribadi and IGN Wira Satyadharmawww.7evenotes.comwww.mhyajo.comwww.facebook.com/gytr.artwww.instagram.com/gytr.art/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Fast-paced, racy and full of youthful zest, this high-energy musical addresses the disillusionment of the disenfranchised Z and A Generations with comedy, dance and song. Satirically depicting how they view their over-reliance on technology, influencers, career aspirations, social media and non-traditional learning, Gen Z.A! offers a no-holds-barred take on racial and social injustice, sexuality, feeling marginalised and being unemployed in a world overshadowed by economic injustice. With humour, pathos, love and anger, it's interactive, and (like the issues) in your face! Entertainment with a capital E! Not to be missed.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
New national tour for star of Have I Got News For You, Is University Really Worth It?, The Last Leg, Would I Lie to You?, Live At The Apollo, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Backstage With Katherine Ryan, The News Quiz, Geoff Norcott's Working Men's Club and many more! This will be Geoff's first UK tour under a Labour government, so he's got plenty to get off his chest. Not least because there's nothing quite so British as being promised a brave new dawn then realising it's as crap.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
Self-proclaimed hedonist and queer performance legend Katy Baird has spent the last decade documenting her pursuit of pleasure and figuring out what to do with her time and the time she has left. Through trademark humour and an existential haze of last night’s pounding techno, intimate home videos and sessions with life coach Stephen, Get Off offers a raw and uncensored look at our need for distraction. In a world obsessed with purpose and progress, this intimate late-night show explores the depths of our desires and what really gets us off.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Get thee to a… nursery? In this original comedy, a gang of four-year-olds are cursed by the spirit of Shakespeare for shredding his beloved Folio. Formerly inarticulate and screen addicted, the feral children awaken to find themselves fluent in the Bard’s language and conceiving character thoughts not their own. As the nursery politics magically weave through various Shakespearean subplots, the children bicker, fight and age through the Bard’s world and words. Debuting to rave reviews at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, this imaginarium returns in 2025 performed by young adults channeling their inner infant.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
The flickering flames wake spectral shadows of the past. Is the mind playing tricks or do these shapes come with a sinister purpose? It’s almost the witching hour, dare to come into the candlelight. The late-night sensation that revived a time-honoured tradition, according to the New York Times. ArtsGroupie blends classic frights for modern nights. Following three years of sold-out performances in the North West of England, don’t miss this spine chilling spectacle.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
For fans of Rocky Horror, Beetlejuice, and Ghosts, Ghosted! is a hauntingly hilarious new musical! Struggling with accepting the death of his best friend Mia, Henry attends a paranormal support group with the hopes that he can communicate with her ghost, and maybe bring her back... but a mischievous, poetry-loving Spirit already haunts him. Along with Lydia, an amateur exorcist, the quad embarks on a journey of grief, the supernatural, and some much-needed musical therapy (because the real kind is expensive). Who says we ever truly leave the place we call home?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Welcome to comedian Bailey Swilley's ghost tour, complete with tales of haunted tampons, magical spells and life lessons on family expectations, grief and growing up. Gimme a Sign! is a storytelling comedy, based on a family tragedy and the strange but funny antics that ensued after. Join Bailey as she reflects on the stages of grief and her endless search for signs from the universe!
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
Newly-crowned First Queen of the Majapahit Kingdom, Princess Gitarja must ensure the growth and safety of her people and find freedom from her powerful mother Gayatri. This brand new Javanese traditional historical narrated opera, the second in a series of three pieces, is conceived by Indonesian artist Mhyajo, and adapted from Mpu Prapanca’s manuscript Nagarakertagama. UNESCO designated the manuscript as the Memory of the World. This epic piece features music composed by Franki Raden, a professor in ethnomusicology.Highly Commended for Outstanding Production, Asian Arts Awards, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024The trilogy’s first episode, Gayatri, was Highly Commended in the Asian Arts Awards 2024 and 2021, and was a 2022 OnComm FinalistWritten, directed and produced by | MhyajoMusic by | Franki RadenTraditional Singers and Sopranos | Satya Cipta and BethuLighting Designer | Iwan HutapeaCostume Designer | Kleting TItis WigatiTechnical Manager | Risdo SinagaArtistic Manager | KarissaArtist supports | creative tech, motion beastExecutive Producer | Alexander TriyonoLine Producer | IGN Wira Satyadharma and Patar Pribadiwww.7evenotes.comwww.mhyajo.comwww.facebook.com/gytr.artwww.instagram.com/gytr.art/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
In 200 AD, Emperor Septimius Severus decreed that women could no longer compete in the Gladiator Games. What happens when an empire mandates how women use their bodies? Gladiatrix brings this untold story to life through passionate vocals and gripping stage combat. Inspired by true events, this electrifying production explores the strength, sacrifice and resilience of the women left behind. Her story, lost in history.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
There is a desert and there is a map, and there is a veterinarian and a dog. There is a diary and an obituary, and there is somebody else out there. An absurdist mapping of legacy, sunshine and fervent hope. From Irish company AIMSIR, this is a piece about the end of something. We’re going to teach you a dead language. We’re going to send you down a famine road. It’s all going to turn out fine.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Gabe is a perfectly average teenager, with perfectly average problems... except he is best friends with God and the Devil. Gabe will have to manage adolescence with two omnipotent beings in tow. Revelations will be made, loyalties will be tested, and the greatest reveal may not be world-shaking, but reveals more about Gabe himself. GCSE stress? If only!
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
A train grinds to a halt after a suicide. With the temperature rising, a neurotic professor on her way to an environmental protest and a nihilistic nomad wasting his days on this train spiral into a heated battle over our existence. Is it a joke, a tragedy, or just going nowhere? Inspired by the works of Anton Chekhov, Going explores the individual’s role in the environmental emergency. Born from the same frustrations experienced by four individuals from four countries, this one-act play explores themes of purpose, responsibility, and sacrifice. With the planet on fire, how do we keep going?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Two native singer-songwriters return to the Fringe with their five-star, sell-out show featuring original and traditional songs of Edinburgh and Scotland. 'This charismatic pair can easily hold a spotlight' (Prague Fringe, 2019). ‘Quality voice!’ (Edinburgh Evening News). ‘Rock-solid quality song writing’ (Andy Lang). 'Nicholson's songs are funny, often with a political edge or element of social commentary' (ThreeWeeks). 'Gore is a knock-out – his songs balance beauty with fierce rallying cries of social justice' (Fest).
The Royal Oak
Lounge
'I knew this place would ruin my life, I just didn’t see it happening like this.' When a law firm is rocked by a sexual misconduct scandal, the office’s most coveted personal injury case is up for grabs. A decision made in the "spirit of equality" pits Jeanie, Zara, and Summer, three qualified women attorneys, against each other, causing them to plot, scheme and strategise about how to triumph over the others. Can they look past their insecurities and work towards progress? A fast-paced drama about office politics and women who think they hate other women.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
The story is about a daily routine, the ritual of a lady. Everything happens after she wakes up in the morning: she makes herself a cup of coffee and looks down the street from her room, soaking herself in the chill and easy vibes before she starts dressing, doing her makeup and sharing a little, intimate moment with herself. This is the preparation and self-soothing she performs before heading out to face real life.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
After the death of a commune's spiritual leader, its people must gather to crown a successor. Presented in collaboration with students from Loyola Marymount University and UCLA, this show makes its international debut and invites the audience to join the ensemble as they perform a seance and come face-to-face with the pressure of power and the burdens of grief. Join us for an immersive theatrical seance exploring characters who haunt the narrative and shape the story in profound ways despite being physically absent.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Goodbye Postie follows the story of two lads, Postie and Sparkie, living in Dumfries together. Sick of the small town, Postie decides to fly the nest and Sparkie feels left behind. With reasons to stay and go, together they explore why some people leave and some stay, risking their friendship in the process. This dark comedy by Alexander Artis debuted at the Edinburgh Free Fringe in 2023 to much audience acclaim, described as heartfelt, funny and honest and an inspired bit of writing.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Goodness Me is a one-woman-and-a-Furby dramedy about millennial struggles, unexpected consequences and the crushing weight of responsibility. Celeste is in her early 30s. She is also lonely, broke and utterly lost – but when life starts unravelling in bizarre ways, she’s forced to face her problems head-on. With only Lulu, a snarky yet oddly wise Furby, as her guide, she must navigate heartbreak, identity and the pressure to fix everything. Quirky, heartfelt and deeply relatable, Goodness Me is a hilarious and poignant look at responsibility, resilience and the messy, unpredictable journey of adulthood.
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
Award-winning violinist, vocalist and BBC broadcaster, Seonaid Aitken, and top jazz guitarist Conor Smith present a swingin’ show to celebrate two Jazz icons – French violin master Stéphane Grappelli and First Lady of Song vocalist Ella Fitzgerald.
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
1959, Chicago. Join Sandy and Danny, alongside the Pink Ladies and Burger Palace Boys, as they navigate love, friendship, and identity, plus the all-important hand jive! With classic tunes and unforgettable characters, this iconic musical is full of grit, heart, and authenticity. Grease is the word! Grease is presented through special arrangement with and all authorised performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW). Book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Film songs used by arrangement with Robert Stigwood.
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
1554. The Tower of London. Lady Jane Grey, the 'Nine Days Queen,' awaits execution. The walls whisper the stories of the women who came before – and those yet to come... Battling sleep and the horrors that lurk within it, Jane retraces her short, tumultuous life. Can she reclaim her own legacy? Grey unearths the humanity behind infamous names: who was Bloody Mary? What does it mean to be remembered? A haunting, thought-provoking journey through grief, fear and hope, woven with a modern, emotive soundtrack. 'Do you think people would write about my love story?' – Lady Jane Grey.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
Picture this: you’re seventeen. You’re a twink. You’re the hottest 17-year-old twink that’s ever existed. And then bam! You get it. A Grindr notification. From a blank profile. A 26-year-old man... Oh what the universe has in store... Now, four years, copious amounts of weed, a gender transition and several high doses of psychedelics later, Ryann Lynn Murphy tells a story about a girl who got groomed.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Finlay McGowan, consultant, has woken up tied to a chair. Being unable to leave, his captors, two civil servants, explain his situation. After years of development, HM Government had perfected The System, an electronic, economic Nostradamus, whose word is law and always, always knows the path to economic growth. There’s just one problem, according to The System, for the economy to grow, Finlay has to kill himself. He cannot be made to do it and cannot be coerced. Gross Domestic Product is a dark comedy that asks the question: how much is a human life really worth?
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
Growing Pains is a comic look at the best and worst of the British education system. Tessa isn't built for much... A failed play at the Fringe, a sponging screen-writer for a partner and a bumbling middle-class persona hardly qualifies her as a teacher. But, finding herself with few alternatives, at 25 Tessa is tasked with inspiring the future. Her rag-tag GCSE drama group are more focused on Tessa's demise than their exams, but this year will be a year of learning for all. Mid-twenties angst is real and, with no answers, can Tessa really teach anyone anything?
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
Mina (Comedy Central, STOMP, MTV) returns with her highly acclaimed multimedia show weaving together hilarious and heartfelt stories from her New York upbringing as the daughter of an Italian-American boxing promoter. From wise guys to Muhammad Ali, broken bones and mended Broadway hopes, all the way to present day in Dubai where she pioneered a comedy scene while adjusting to a whole new Arabian world. Combining comedy, 360-degree projections and rhythm she'll make you laugh then cry through a raw and heavy-hitting mixed-cultural lens. This special live recording was filmed in Dubai.Created and Performed by | Mina LiccioneDirected by | Ali Al SayedDramaturgy and Stage Management by | Liz BainsProduced by | Dubomedy ArtsDedication | The show is inspired by and dedicated to Mina's parents, Tony and Patty Liccionelinktr.ee/minaliccione Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Navigating youth is a universal challenge, but with the threat of firearms, American students face their mortality before they stop wearing tutus to school. Fortunately, these kids don’t face this horror alone: meet the guardian angels of America’s youth – dragons. Guns in Dragonland, written, created and performed by Ithaca College students, is a series of vignettes exploring American school society and its overlap with gun culture. Witness as these children and their dragon guardians grapple with the dangers of gun violence with humour, bravery and compassion. 'Surprising and extraordinary' (David Henry Hwang).
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Guru Dudu and the team returns to Edinburgh with our hilarious and engaging tours. Special themes (Queen, Abba, 80s, 90s) listed at www.gurududu.org/fringe. Daily tours of spontaneous flash–mobs through the streets, interpretative dance around local landmarks, group singing and lots of fun interactions with onlookers. Everyone wears headphones (supplied) and can hear the hilarious commentary and dance-mix of uplifting favourites from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s. Accessible for all ages and ability. Come prepared if raining. Tickets available on the door if not sold out. Warning: cheeks may hurt from smiling!
Cockburn Street at corner of Fleshmarket Close
Meeting Point
Guru Dudu and the team returns to Edinburgh with our hilarious and engaging tours. Special themes (Queen, Abba, 80s, 90s) listed at www.gurududu.org/fringe. Daily tours of spontaneous flash–mobs through the streets, interpretative dance around local landmarks, group singing and lots of fun interactions with onlookers. Everyone wears headphones (supplied) and can hear the hilarious commentary and dance-mix of uplifting favourites from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s. Accessible for all ages and ability. Come prepared if raining. Tickets available on the door if not sold out. Warning: cheeks may hurt from smiling!
Outside Appleton Tower, Crichton Street
Meeting Point
The five-star, sell-out cabaret Guys Sing Dolls is coming to the Fringe! BBD Productions have gathered four professional male vocalists from across Scotland to perform some of the most iconic diva anthems of all time from music, movies and musical theatre. Having previewed in 2024 at The Dirty Martini, Guys Sing Dolls is back with more stories, laughter and singing that will get your hands clapping, feet tapping and leave you singing in the streets. ‘For an evening of top-quality vocal entertainment, look no further than BBD Productions’ (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
A triple-bill by three artists. Taking different approaches to navigate conflict, similarity, vulnerability and beauty. Re-Do Re-Do by Blue Ka Wing – How can we create changes in repetitions? Can we find certain routines in a series of change? Does My Body Represent My Whole Self by Justyne Li – A work of exploration and whispered secrets unfolds in delicate collaboration with the choreographer. Beautiful Chaos by Panda Waack – Panda tries to anchor herself in different cultural and social contexts through exploring the beauty of disorder and confusion.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
One of Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular shows – HMS Pinafore is a comedic operetta. On a British naval ship (the HMS Pinafore) the Captain's daughter, Josephine, rejects her betrothal to a Lord, as she has fallen in love with lowly sailor, Ralph. Trapped between social expectation and true love with nowhere to run, chaos ensues on a ship filled with sailors, secrets and hidden agendas. As the truth becomes exposed, will Josephine be able to stay with her true love, or will rank triumph? After all, neither the ocean nor true love's course ever did run smooth.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
I am the voice of the dead, cast upon the dry shores by the sea. The voice of the dead is the ever-present voice that collects and remembers the stories and conditions of life of the unjustly killed and innocent victims of humanity. At a time of humanity’s greatest development, we have commited the most dire crimes of war and live in moral paradox. Ha highlights the ambivalence of attitude, the ignorance of guilt, and the pleasure of comfort. An uninterrupted performance built on the performer’s voice and depth of breath.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
Experience a captivating reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic, blending original musical numbers with dark humour. Devised by a talented ensemble of Hong Kong performers, intertwining the struggles of contemporary Hongkongers with Hamlet's timeless tale. Follow three storylines: Wong Ka Kee, a masters student in 2058; Hamlet, the iconic Danish prince; and Mr Cheung, an everyday man in 2025. Together, they confront the eternal question: to be or not to be? Nominated for the IATC(HK) Critics Awards for Script / Playwright of the Year and Director of the Year, this show invites you on a powerful journey of laughter and sorrow!
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
The BTMR Project presents a captivating music performance inspired by Black women and their hair. Featuring Adra Boo and Blake Madden, this evening of music explores the social, personal and political significance of Black women’s hair. This will be the show's debut at the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, running Aug 5-9 2025 at the prestigious thespace @ Surgeons' Hall (Venue 53). Join Adra Boo and Blake Madden for an unforgettable evening of music, storytelling, and cultural exploration.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Meet Magenta. This 20-something icon is confident, creative and incredibly hairy – particularly on her face. Tonight she's going on a date – perhaps he'll be the love of her life! Or perhaps he'll just stare at her moustache. Either way, its time to pop a pill (birth control), wax ya eyebrows and throw on a primarni dress, because tonight – this hairy bastard is hitting the town! This semi-autobiographical play is based around the writer's experience with hirsutism and PCOS. Full of lots of interactive, challenging and comedic moments – this one woman show is hair-raising!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Tortured by his own conscience, the young prince of Denmark must overcome the betrayal of those closest to him and take revenge for his father's murder. A vibrant young cast of 10 actors presents a stripped-back telling of Shakespeare's profound tragedy, making innovative use of chorus to create Hamlet's world in this high-energy and haunting production. Raiser Theatre returns to the Fringe following their previous sell-out successes of The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth and Love's Labours' Lost.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Fringe First and Total Theatre award-winning Song of the Goat Theatre present an exploration into the origins of Hamlet. With groundbreaking polyphonic vocal technique, this Shakespearian vigil turns pagan ritual, honouring spirits of the dead.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Folk and pop classics, traditional and contemporary gems from Scotland and beyond, plus self-penned songs in a genre-defying show from '…one of the best singers in Scotland…' (Tom Paxton). brucedavies.com
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Two armed robbers have interrupted Billy and Elise’s morning to steal... well, they aren’t sure yet.. Hands Up! is a witty, high-tension comedy with an ever-present looming threat of the Big Boss. An unlikely friendship blooms as two inept robbers hold these housemates/exes at gunpoint for a painfully uncertain amount of time. After all, while the people robbing you await further instructions, why not bond over a weirdly emotional round of Never Have I Ever? Existential realizations unfold as the group endure the most cordial house invasion of the century in Izzy Higgins’ Fringe debut.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Inspired by the film Interstellar (2014), our show time-warps cinema history, intersplicing modern film music with silent cinematography as we travel through cinema history. With live music including Hans Zimmer’s film scores for Batman and The Da Vinci Code; John Williams’ Jurassic Park, Jaws, Star Wars, Harry Potter and Schindler’s List; Ennio Morricone’s Cinema Paradiso and Gabriel’s Oboe and Joe Hisashi’s Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. Includes digital cameos from Hollywood icons Charlie Chaplin and Greta Garbo. 'Enlightening' ***** (EdinburghGuide.com). 'Artistic director Matthew Shiel shone' ****(ThreeWeeks).
St Vincent's
The Chapel
It’s time the bottom of the food chain fought back… with our lasses. Bonnie, Pearl and Frances, three sex workers trapped on the once-thriving Happy Ending Street, dream of escape. With stolen cash in hand and the odds stacked high, breaking free won’t be easy. But their sisterhood is unshakable. Bold, razor-sharp and unapologetically feminist, this dark comedy tackles patriarchy, power and survival in a world that refuses to see them. Written by real women about real women, a rallying cry for those who won’t be silenced. An original play by Jenna Stones produced by DollsnRags Productions.
Leith Arches
Ground Level
After a stunning sell-out run and a host of hot reviews in 2024, Harry Stachini returns with plenty of relatable, honest and hilarious stand-up. Stachini's WIP shines a spotlight on the life changes we all feel. For Stachini, it's been a big year of change from receding hairlines to travelling the world and even becoming housemates with his dad! It's a jam-packed show with tales and jokes that will leave you feeling better than when you arrived. 'His anecdotes are funny as they're outrageous' (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine). 'Modern observational storytelling at its best' (OnTheMic.co.uk).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
The hilarious follow-up to Alan Cochrane's play Ne'er the Twain performed by EPT, the only company to have been at every Edinburgh Festival Fringe ever! It is 1924, one year after Parliament decreed that Edinburgh and Leith should become one town, but old rivalries still fester. An impending marriage between two families – one Leith working class, the other Edinburgh upper middle class – is in jeopardy when an unmarried mother-to-be turns up at the door. The complications are added to by the ghost of a Newhaven Fishwife with a few scores to settle.
Newington Trinity Parish Church
Church Hall
Edinburgh is known as one of the most haunted cities in the world. Listen to its tales and discover a host of terrifying stories of hauntings from the city’s dark past. From the House of Horrors in the West Bow to Greyfriars Kirkyard and the infamous George Mackenzie, the servant boy of Queensberry House, and some of the haunted closes on the Royal Mile. These are just a few of the tales.
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Sanctuary
A solo monologue from aspiring writer/performer Frank Conlan, who has a passion for combining comedy and hard-hitting, thought-provoking drama to audiences. This short takes the audience on a rollercoaster of emotions as drag artiste Miss Fit comes offstage from her local gig, and addresses the audience as she talks about her weeks shenanigans. Slowly transforming into her true self, s/he reveals a scare encountered when 'tucking'… a lump! Will this be something that is taken seriously, or is it that Miss Fit hasn't got the balls? Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A joyous dance, irreverent and innocent at the loss of memories. Featuring internationally renowned Cirque du Soleil clown conceptor Daniel Passer and co-created and directed by award-winning director Beth F Milles, this immersive solo performance of spontaneity investigates losing track of one’s past while discovering and cherishing one’s present. The audience embarks on a surreal journey, finding hilarity, joy and unexpected revelations in the ironies of fading memory. Passer’s beautiful, whimsical performance breathes life into moments that challenge the mind, an unforgettable experience where humour transcends the challenge of forgetting.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Merging concert dance and social dance, high-art and pop cultures, Heat is an ongoing piece that changes with each new performance and venue, offering a poetic journey from calm contemplation to ecstatic party. Choreographer Kari Hoaas, dancers, DJs and designers engage local artistic communities to take part and transform a post-apocalyptic installation into a participatory dance party, creating a unique experience grounded in the communities at each performance location. An environmentally-friendly alternative to the traditional dance company touring model, seeking ways to meet the challenges of more sustainable live international artistic exchange.karihoaas.com/2018/08/18/heat-2018www.facebook.com/karihoaasproductionswww.instagram.com/karihoaassoundcloud.com/niwin_music Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Heather got hit by a car and she’s never, ever going to shut up about it! Infused with honesty, wit, and dark humour, this show is a unique perspective on almost dying. Told by doctors that she would recover well because of her model “positive attitude,” Heather spent nearly a month hospitalized and over a year recovering. Combining stand up with dramatic reenactments and visual aids, Heather weaves an entertaining yarn about getting knocked down but being tough enough to still get up.
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
Join us in celebrating the success of Hebridean Fire, a captivating sell-out show featuring multi-instrumentalists Elsa and Gary as they enchant audiences with the spirit of the Scottish Highlands and islands. This dynamic duo masterfully blend heartfelt ballads, high-energy jigs, reels and traditional Gaelic songs, creating an unforgettable musical experience. Their seamless storytelling transports listeners to the rugged beauty of Scotland, showcasing the rich culture and heritage of the region. With each performance, Elsa and Gary ignite the stage, leaving audiences inspired and craving more. Don't miss your chance to experience this extraordinary celebration of Scottish music.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Halò! Bonjour! Hello! Have you seen the Heebie Jeebies? They are all around you, but you've probably never seen them – until now! Take a journey through the seasons with these tiny creatures and their insect puppet pals and help them save the day, before it's too late! This visual performance, created for children under 6 and their carers, combines multilingual storytelling (Scottish Gaelic, French, English), puppetry and original live music to inspire a deeper connection to nature and to each other, and to raise awareness of environmental issues for young audiences.
French Institute in Scotland
Salle Emilienne Moreau-Evrard
Helen Shapiro Walkin’ Back is based on the early life of UK singer Helen Shapiro. By age 15 in 1961, she had two No 1 singles selling 40,000 records a day. By 16, she had five top ten hits and toured the UK with The Beatles as her support. This premiere has a talented young Scottish cast for award-winning Kingdom Theatre Company with a sold-out Fringe 2024. With original songs plus the hits of the day like You Don’t Know and Walkin’ Back To Happiness, this will whisk you back to the 1960s with authentic music.
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
18 - 23 AugThank god you're here! A dead mime needs help. A highly interactive clown experience for fans of old school point-and-click adventure games. Leo Lion, an NYC actor-director known for interactive and game-based theatre experiences (Metamorphosis, Insomnia, Scandalton!, DICE: A Midsummer Night's Dream) appears as the sole performer in Help Me!!!!, directed by Yev Gelman, who last directed the solo performance piece Justus for WhiteBox NYC’s election night festival End Game.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
01 - 16 AugThank god you're here! A dead mime needs help. A highly interactive clown experience for fans of old school point-and-click adventure games. Leo Lion, an NYC actor-director known for interactive and game-based theatre experiences (Metamorphosis, Insomnia, Scandalton!, DICE: A Midsummer Night's Dream) appears as the sole performer in Help Me!!!!, directed by Yev Gelman, who last directed the solo performance piece Justus for WhiteBox NYC’s election night festival End Game.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Henry has brought up twins (with his wife of course!) and now Henry is bringing his learnt life lessons to the next generation… his grandson. His parenting skills are still valid despite him getting older. His daughter may think differently as she has her own ideas of bringing up his grandson. He won’t be silenced. Listen to his top tips for life, learn how as a sexagenarian he deals with eating out at restaurants, the world of social media, his daughter's pregnancy and his medical procedures.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Here Comes Gudong! Where mystery roars and legends soar! This summer, unleash curiosity in a whirlwind adventure where myths collide and laughter rules! When a thunderous Gudong rattles the jungle, join Explorer Monkey and her quirky crew to crack the code. Is it Jingwei’s ancient cry, Nordic trolls’ burps or clock factories exploding? Dive into a sensory symphony of puppetry and live-camera wizardry, weaving east Asian folklore with western fables. Bursting with heart, humor and hands-on magic, this interactive quest turns families into myth-busters. Don’t just watch... sleuth, solve and soar. Curiosity is calling – Gudong!
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
Not a confession, but a way to let our entrails speak… Punk, heavy metal, movement, poetry and video art create an environment that stimulates the senses. Three women struggling to raise their voices against contemporary repression discover the suffering of their forbears. Exposes taboos and shines a light on the treatment of those dubbed 'witches'. Hexe reclaims the pain of countless scorned and scorched female voices. It breathes life into tortured bodies consumed by fire centuries ago, returning colour to long-dead ashen cheeks… It gives voice to their truths, long ago ignored and demolished by a rigid, patriarchal society. Winner of the Derek Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021.www.conchavidal.netwww.facebook.com/devalicourtwww.instagram.com/conchavidalvalicourt Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
There aren’t as many spectators in life as you think. This powerful interdisciplinary performance, influenced by the dance-theatre style of Pina Bausch, integrates physical expression and symbolic installations to challenge perceptions of social anxiety. Are we really being watched? Or is it all in our heads? This fear can stem from a distorted sense of self, but as Hey Stop!!! shows, there is often a significant gap between perception and reality. Contrasting exaggerated fears with actual social interactions, the piece breaks this misconception and ultimately challenges the fear of “being watched”. A profound reflection on modern social psychology.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Isla Brae is a mother of two young women, Alba and Elspeth, who have come to see their mother for the very last time. Elspeth is more familiar with their mother’s state than Alba, leading to heads butting as they work together to find a way to say goodbye. Hi Mum! is about two daughters who come to a funeral home viewing room to see their mother before her cremation. The show begins when the funeral director leaves the daughters with their mother’s body, surrounded by the audience in an intimate stage setting.
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
For Edinburgh Fringe 2025, Angus Baskerville is back after last year's hugely successful, 5-star reviewed, award-winning debut at theSpace on the Mile. His all-new show Hidden Powers is a fascinating, continuing exploration of the connection between the power of the mind – certainly of Angus’ mind – as well as his own, very personal, story of growing up with (Angus’ words) neurodivergent superpowers. Informative and entertaining, poignant but funny. You will never leave a Baskerville show without having had both your mind blown, and an appreciation of growing up autistic advanced.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
An intriguing, soul-searching masterclass into the personas of jesters, jokers, and clowns, through the lens of the theatrical mask. From Greek trickster gods to Japanese Noh Theatre, commedia dell’arte and opera to slapstick and cartoons, join Professor Rosemary George on a rollercoaster through the joys and sorrows, comedies and tragedies of life, which probes hidden identities in human behaviour.‘The professor’s range and extent of research is clearly apparent’ (EdinburghGuide.com).‘A densely packed piece of work which successfully steers a course between the jagged rocks of academic dryness and the coral reefs of mundanity' (EdinburghGuide.com).‘Brilliantly and eloquently written… Thoughtful… Extraordinarily well-researched’ (Audience Review, Edinburgh Fringe).‘Quite unique… Informative and fun’ (Audience Review, Edinburgh Fringe).‘A truly thoughtful, educational and enjoyable presentation of the deep symbolism in the masks that we as human beings are required to wear. Loved it’ (Crowd Pleasers Audience Review, Melbourne Fringe).'Lively… wide-ranging… George’s extensive research is apparent in the breadth of examples provided… Those with an interest in the history of opera and theatre will enjoy George’s lecture, particularly the innovative linkages she makes between mediums… Charming delivery… Excellent' (TheatreReview.org.nz).This is a masterclass in how we become what we are not, from the 'tears of a clown to the masks of traditional Japanese Noh. It considers the jester as the communicator of the soul... It both touches on many different forms and places where the mask appears.' (Lou Reviews)www.rosemarygeorge.comPart of the C ARTS Brighton Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe digital opogrammes in 2025. Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
East High is back! Troy, the school jock, tries to win and woo Gabriella, as Sharpay and Ryan try to plot their downfall. A fantastic musical which will conjure up memories or create new ones. Fantastic! This hugely talented cast brings back to life East High and the story of Troy and Gabriella. This high energy show with great vocals will get you remembering the iconic songs and routines from the show and have you wanting more. Great family fun and a great show for Fringe 2025. So come along and get your head in the game!
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Grand Hall
Tall Child is an hour on the impossibilities of being alive right now. In this age of insecurity, in a cost-of-living crisis, we're all stuck in the shit so let's wade through it together. Armed with nothing but a little red loop pedal and her ever-growing rage, Holly Spillar is looking for the catharsis only art (made by low-income people, working two bad jobs on minimum wage) can provide. 'Otherworldly... the love child of Kate Bush and Bo Burnham' ***** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk). 'A riveting performer' **** (Chortle.co.uk).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dexter
A new play set in the mixing pot of a writer’s room. With the anniversary of the beloved soap opera Holly Street on the horizon, how will the writing team craft a story worthy of the green light? What happens when given a wacky whiteboard that seems to bring ideas to life? Follow them through a bizarre brainstorming session that leads them into the heat of the action. Will the wayward team of writers combine their two braincells to piece together the beat sheet? Or will their differences prove too much for even the soaps?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
A speed dating event at a church turns queer in more ways than one. One night. One Catholic church. Nine singles who are far from ready to mingle. Watch this religious rom com unfold as the secrets, parish tensions and flaws of sinners, saints and everything in between begins to rise to the surface. There will be comedy, cream buns, queerness and hopefully catharsis from religious trauma. Join our singles at Our Lady of Perpetual Grimace to find out!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
A tragicomic one-woman show about the absurdity of searching for a home today. Miriam, a street artist, waitress and actress, takes the audience through a series of absurd and often hilarious encounters with real estate agents and landlords, highlighting the struggles of a young person trying to navigate an overpriced and increasingly inaccessible housing market. Facing the harsh reality that without a home, there’s no mental stability, Miriam explores the difficulty of growing up and finding a sense of belonging in a seemingly hostile world.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
Ricardo Malerbi and Rudi Solon present a unique kind of game in which every player expects to be deceived and finds joy in it. If you accept the challenge and embrace the deception, you will leave more exhilarated than when you arrived. This show explores the fine line between what is real and what merely appears to be, turning illusion into an act of pure honesty and celebrating the paradox at its core. A decision will feel entirely yours – until you realise it never was. Telepathy, after all, is not about reading minds, but about guiding them.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dairy Room
Glimpsed through the curtain of Hamlet’s story, scrawled in the margins of Shakespeare’s play, adrift and in love, Horatio draws his breath in pain and laughter to tell the story of someone strange, fractured and jangled out of tune – himself. Is it weird to follow your situationship home for Christmas break? How can you keep your flight risk best friend safe when they make you swear a blood oath not to interfere? Can anyone see how much you’re breaking apart when they’ve decided you’re their rock to cling to?
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
A thrilling, witty, superhuman coming-of-age story about the quest to find your place in the world. When a mysterious cosmic event hits, a group of unsuspecting teenagers are suddenly granted superpowers and together they must work out what to do with their newfound abilities. But their new world of endless possibilities soon starts to crumble as trust is shaken, lines are drawn and conflicts erupt. Can they pull together in time to save themselves – and the world? Horizon is a family-friendly fun mix of school banter, superhero fantasy and conspiracy story.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Gen Z, try-hard, pick-me Ebeth gets dumped by the man of her dreams the day before everyone realizes the world is going to end. With the short time she has left to live, Ebeth obsesses over her humiliating past relationships and unhinged personal philosophies. This apocalyptic anti-romcom follows Ebeth on her journey of unintentional self-reflection.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Hot Dog has just been dumped by her girlfriend, Dumpling, and now she must candidly examine what it means to live in a post-Dumpling world. Part love letter, part hate mail, this short confessional wrestles with the difficulties of accepting oneself and living life bravely. Who is responsible for who we are and how we are? How do we discover our authentic self? How do we accept ourselves when we are filled with things we don't understand? Join Hot Dog as she figures out what it means to reconcile with living a life encased.www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participants Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
The problem: Gwen and Charlie are strapped for cash. Their wedding is coming up and they have no way to pay for the honeymoon of their dreams. Not in this economy. The solution: Break into Aunt Robyn’s house and steal the mysterious treasure that she is always bragging about but no one has ever seen. This is how Charlie and Gwen find themselves outside Aunt Robyn’s house holding a rock, wondering if they should throw it through her window and really hoping that she is definitely on holiday.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Last year I snuck into the biggest stadiums across Canada wearing a hidden camera, then redistributed the ticket value to those in each city that could really benefit. As I released these videos on my YouTube channel (Matt Watson Comedy), security started hunting me, resulting in a need for more creative sneaks. When I discovered the concert of the year was coming to Toronto in Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, I was determined to pull off my biggest heist yet...
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Front Room
How To Kill Your Landlord is a fatal comedy of errors focusing on three young housemates... Burke, a former student activist, living from paycheck to paycheck. Harriet, a freelance yoga instructor desperate to corner the yummy mummy market. And Joq, a crypto bro forever on the hunt for his new side hustle. Though seemingly polar opposites, all three are united in their contempt for chauvinistic landlord Archie, who has just decided to evict them! Taking a lead from Crime and Punishment, the trio put dark plans into motion, with hilarious and deadly consequences...
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
Felix Culpa Theatre Company successively produced The Woman He Lived With **** (One4Review.co.uk), and The Bad Daters ***** (TheReviewsHub.com) at the Edinburgh Fringe. This year's Fringe premiere, How to Become a Movie Star? is a joyous comedy about an actress with a unique plan to become a movie star by training to be a schoolteacher. She bases her career on an out-of-print biography, moves to New York, lives in a decrepit hostel in London and attends the strictest drama school ever while working in a pub. Based on a life well lived.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
A sexy, sassy, orgasmic two-woman musical comedy show, made for you! Yes, you! Created by Mimi Meier and Holly Hart, this show features vignettes about the insanity of womanhood through the lens of toxic women’s magazines and mixes relatability, musicality, vulnerability, and above all, humour. With sketches including a history lesson, a steamy infomercial, a beauty pageant, an influencer skincare routine, and five original musical numbers about everything from Twilight to the joys of living with female roommates, this show will make you laugh, cry and get abs in 10 days!
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
My name is Terry Whinnett. I have been a mental health nurse in the NHS for 15 years and this it... Welcome to the end... Join me as I take you through the story of how I lived my childhood dream of becoming a mental health nurse with CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) and why, after 15 years, I’m now ready to try something new. Take a risk, bet on myself. There’s no plan. So if anyone’s got a job going…
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Pickle Studio
In the seemingly peaceful town of Little Heath, the shocking murder of a local boy pulls seven unsuspecting residents into an emergency meeting. The twist? Everyone is a suspect – the teacher, the vicar, the schoolboy, even the doctor. Secrets are about to unravel in Little Heath’s town hall, and nothing is as it seems. Human Nature is a gripping murder mystery full of twists, perfect for cosy crime lovers who enjoy a good whodunit. With descriptions of gore, bullying, and moderate language, this play is intended for audiences 12+.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Fragen Network, acclaimed for producing fun, heartfelt, uncompromising theatre, presents a bold and hilarious new adaptation of Knut Hamsun’s Hunger, reimagined as an experimental, immersive theatrical experience. This innovative production brings a world-renowned novel’s psychological intensity to life, following a struggling writer as he battles starvation, isolation and the self-sabotaging habits of his own mind. Blending comedy, movement, sound and striking visuals, Hunger offers a fresh perspective on one of modern literature’s most haunting works. Thought-provoking, visceral and deeply human, this is a must-see for audiences looking for daring and original theatre.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
In the heart of Louisiana where hurricane parties are a way of life, three high school friends, a decade after graduation, find themselves in their hometown as a hurricane rolls in. What follows is a night of revelry and revelations as they navigate the storm both outside and within. With parts of the performance improvised, each show will present a unique exploration of the characters and their journeys. Get swept away by the humour and heart of this Southern tale of friendship.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Breakin', rap, experimental dance, beatboxing, ballroom community, art and community: all in one event. Featuring a breakin' battle, a member of UK Breakin', beat box and band shows, rap cyphers with Laryn Entertainment and demonstrations of community activity including the workshops from the Welsh Ballroom Community. A climate-friendly jam, filmed in the Rhondda Valleys South Wales, connecting the hip hop and local communities. Made with Welcome to Our Woods, which provided power generated from streams and converted into electricity by a hydro powerstation. The stage was built from wood and new trees planted. Lots of fun.www.avant.cymruwww.facebook.com/AvantCymruwww.instagram.com/avant_cymru Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Meet the ageing Jake ‘Mental’ Hughes, a psychiatric patient who believes he is the real Muhammad Ali. His voice shows anger, rage and sometimes indifference as he introduces us to his interpretation of a mental health system that has subjected him to 25 years of the painful effects of anti-psychotic drug Zuclopenthixol. In the face of government bungling and in the absence of essential support he takes on the world over his right to live life without ‘the Zuc or the needle’!
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Kaitlyn has spent the past two years soaking in the magic of Paris, but her time is running out. In a twist of fate, her grandfather might be the key to extending her stay. As Kaitlyn uncovers an almost-forgotten piece of her family’s history, she learns that borders and identity aren't what she had imagined. Will her newfound heritage provide the answers or is true belonging deeper than native soil? This Offie-nominated show blends fast-paced comedy with gut-wrenching revelations about borders, self-worth and what it means to come from somewhere you’ve never been.
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
'You're fighting for equal rights or some such shit, and that's the problem: I'm still fighting for the right to exist'. Sophie has a choice: surgically remove her one remaining eye containing a tumour, or risk eye cancer. Again. No brainer, right? But her parents have done everything to save this one eye. Can she start valuing herself this time? A semi-autobiographical one-woman show from Jasmine Thien; a fully blind writer, poet and comedian. 'A mesmerising feat of storytelling' ***** (BingeFringe.com). Directed by Max Percy (Baklâ). Produced by The Project People.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
Lily Casson invites you to join her in a world of songs and stories from a century of musical theatre. Sharing her favourites – some familiar, some exciting new discoveries – she takes you on a journey of how they came to be and why she hearts them. Lily has always loved musicals. Growing up in a theatrical family, she has experienced musical magic from both sides of the velvet curtain. As she shines a spotlight on the wonder of escapism, Lily makes musicals the star of the show. ‘Delightful, and beautifully sung cabaret’ (BroadwayBaby.com).
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
Do you ever feel like the worlds conspiring to annoy you? Meet Liv whose anger issues are put to the ultimate test by her nightmare roommate. From the daily struggle of dodging slow walkers to dealing with clueless GP receptionists who keep losing her stool samples, every mundane Monday is a trigger for her rage. In this one-woman comedy show follow Liv as she navigates the hilariously infuriating moments of every day life, turning anger into riotous laughter. Did she ever find inner peace, or did she finally snap? Come and find out.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Inimitable stand-up, brimming with great jokes, from the UK's favourite and funniest Jewish comedian. **** (Scotsman). **** (Mirror). **** (Guardian). ***** (BroadwayBaby.com), ***** (ThreeWeeks). They say Jews are funny, Ivor Dembina proves it!
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
The Alcove
In 2015 Matty Grey, kids comedian, accidentally insulted a child in passing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. What happened next would see the brief interaction go viral and Matty's Fringe turn upside down. On its 10 year anniversary and in the hopes it will be picked up like Baby Reindeer, Matty has decided to tell the story.
Laughing Horse @ West Nic Records
Little Cellar
After being pushed over the edge by the most popular kids at school, four-eyed wallflower Nancy Miller cries to the heavens for help! But it is Satan who hears her cry. The Devil transforms Nancy into a big-haired, foul-mouthed, sex bomb rocker who's hungry for souls, and sweet revenge is on the menu! Who will save Nancy? And will the power of love for who she really is break the spell before its too late?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Acclaimed Edinburgh singer-songwriter Lorna Reid, and band of Scotland's finest jazz and blues musicians perform classic jazz and songs from Lorna's new self-penned album I Will Tell Your Story. Perfect pre-dinner show. A firm favourite at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with full houses last year at The Jazz Bar, the city's only dedicated jazz venue. Influences include: Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Krall and Melody Gardot, and smoothly crosses genres jazz, blues, soul and latin. 'Fabulous repertoire from easy listening to hot vintage swing' (BBC Radio Scotland).
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
A physical theatre comedy about brothers transformed into AI! This play explores humanity's path through human-AI conflicts. Plot: Hyun-jun is surprised to see his brother Ki-jun become AI, but adapts to a life where everything is cared for. However, Hyun-jun begins to question whether a life dependent on AI is good. When Hyun-jun expresses dissatisfaction with Ki-jun's solutions, Ki-jun becomes violent. Feeling threatened, Hyun-jun eliminates Ki-jun (AI) by causing a short circuit. Award-winning Korean theatre: Grand Prize at Gwangju International Peace Theater Festival, Best Acting Award at Changdong Performing Arts Festa.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Lauren, Nat and Chloe are young adults. They are going through big changes in their lives. And they are autistic. Lauren is a uni student who discovers she may be autistic when researching for an essay. Nat has been unlucky in love, until he meets the neurotypical Sophie who is everything he wants in a girl. Chloe is struggling with bullying at school, and the strain on her relationship with her best friend Liv, because of Liv’s sudden rise in popularity. We encounter love, loss, friendships, mental health and more in this new musical.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
Cecelia’s comedic foray into therapy invites you to consider that your way may not be the best way. Revelations abound, like: we all grew up with different rule books and communicating with other humans is like playing a game of telephone. ‘Trust no-one’ is easier said than done, and being in charge is not all it’s cracked up to be. Cecelia learns that being a mother has changed her understanding of everything she believes, loves and trusts, and that she must grow an ultra-thick skin to survive.www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participants Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Violence against women is declared a national emergency, and celebrity politicians with their absurdist policies are at an all-time high. Aspiring leaders Maud and Agnes take to a Saturday night chat show to… ban men. What starts as small, radical ideas escalates into a chaotic spectacle of smeared makeup and drenched mayhem. Blending absurdist flashbacks and sharp dialogue, this satirical comedy offers a provocative commentary on the rise of celebrity politicians. If people can elect Donald Trump, would they trust two women dressed as clowns?
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
A quadruple-bill of four short pieces, Flow and Gravity from calligrapher and choreographer Chiharu Kuronuma, and Coordinated Distance and Part of Empties from juggler Teruki Okamoto. Together they investigate choreography as a part of a research process that unites dance and juggling with perspectives of calligraphy and digital programming. Chiharu Kuronuma has developed a theoretical framework for integrating 2D calligraphy into a 3D bodily expression by employing aspects of the Laban Movement Analysis. Teruki Okamoto has been working on the discovery of the Principle of Motion.io-multimediaperformance.comterukiokamoto.com/iowww.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086313156221www.instagram com/chiharu.kuronuma.59 Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A quadruple-bill of four short pieces, Flow and Trajectories of Transitions from calligrapher and choreographer Chiharu Kuronuma, and Coordinated Distance and Part of Empties from juggler Teruki Okamoto. Together they investigate choreography as a part of a research process that unites dance and juggling with perspectives of calligraphy and digital programming. Chiharu Kuronuma has developed a theoretical framework for integrating 2D calligraphy into a 3D bodily expression by employing aspects of the Laban Movement Analysis. Asian Arts Award winner Teruki Okamoto has been working on the discovery of the Principle of Motion. from calligrapher and choreographer Chiharu Kuronuma, and Coordinated Distance and Part of Empties from juggler Teruki Okamoto. Together they investigate choreography as a part of a research process that unites dance and juggling with perspectives of calligraphy and digital programming. Chiharu Kuronuma has developed a theoretical framework for integrating 2D calligraphy into a 3D bodily expression by employing aspects of the Laban Movement Analysis. Teruki Okamoto has been working on the discovery of the Principle of Motion.io-multimediaperformance.comterukiokamoto.com/iowww.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086313156221www.instagram com/chiharu.kuronuma.59 Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A quadruple-bill of four short pieces, Flow and Trajectories of Transitions from calligrapher and choreographer Chiharu Kuronuma, and Coordinated Distance and A Part of Empties from juggler Teruki Okamoto. Together they investigate choreography as a part of a research process that unites dance and juggling with perspectives of calligraphy and digital programming. Chiharu Kuronuma has developed a theoretical framework for integrating 2D calligraphy into a 3D bodily expression by employing aspects of the Laban Movement Analysis. Asian Arts Award winner Teruki Okamoto has been working on the discovery of the Principle of Motion.io-multimediaperformance.comterukiokamoto.com/iowww.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086313156221www.instagram com/chiharu.kuronuma.59 Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A storm is breaking. IV (4) is a quartet bringing together bodies in movement and stillness, in light and in darkness, to create a series of tableaux that unfold and fracture into moments of blissed out dancing. IV considers cycles, time, divination and decomposition. A system of loose dancing emerging from tight structure; a choreographic machine; a meditative play between instinctive rhythms and clock time. SERAFINE1369 is an artist, dancer and body-focused researcher working with dancing as a philosophical undertaking and political project. Part of the Here & Now showcase.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
11 - 16 AugAt first glance, Iago Speaks appears to follow the events immediately after Shakespeare's Othello. But this meta-theatrical, comedic romp quickly turns, introducing us to Iago’s hapless jailer, always landing in Shakespeare plays, but with no lines. His quest, as he languishes by Iago’s dungeon cell, is to discover the true purpose for his life, and – ultimately – theatre. A classic comedy duo, Iago and his jailer descend into a mad adventure, its ultimate purpose only revealed at the end. The play is boundless, ridiculous and constantly winking at the audience and yet, manages to make us think.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
01 - 09 Aug, 18 - 23 AugAt first glance, Iago Speaks appears to follow the events immediately after Shakespeare's Othello. But this meta-theatrical, comedic romp quickly turns, introducing us to Iago’s hapless jailer, always landing in Shakespeare plays, but with no lines. His quest, as he languishes by Iago’s dungeon cell, is to discover the true purpose for his life, and – ultimately – theatre. A classic comedy duo, Iago and his jailer descend into a mad adventure, its ultimate purpose only revealed at the end. The play is boundless, ridiculous and constantly winking at the audience and yet, manages to make us think.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
If You Don’t Laugh, you’ll cry. So we better start laughing. At least that’s Carl and Buzz’s view as they visit their mate in a coma to update him on all the happenings he is missing. A gender-bent exploration of the humorous tales that arise from two lads living life to the fullest. From run-ins with girls, to getting their cousin Arson Carson off the hook; Carl and Buzz will make sure their mate misses none of it, even if he isn't awake to join in.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
Ignacio Lopez (Live at the Apollo, Have I Got News For You) creates an hour of blisteringly funny stand-up right in front of your very eyes! Mining his unique and hilarious upbringing, as well as suggestions from the audience, Ignacio crafts an intricate story of mystery and suspense from nothing. Expect sarcasm and silliness in this captivating comedic experiment from the Spanish/Welsh humourist. 'Charming, charismatic, hilarious. Will have you leaving with a smile on your face' (DeadlineNews.co.uk). 'A comedic genius at work. Sharp wit mixed with a dose of the ridiculous. A must see' (One4Review.co.uk).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 3
From Caroline’s on Broadway to Mozarthaus in Vienna, Polish pianist Igor Lipinski returns with his one-of-a-kind show of piano and magic at the stunning St Mark’s Unitarian Church. Featuring flutist Anna Chenoweth Lipinski. Directed by Paul Christman. ‘Igor is an original. He thrills you on the piano. He mystifies you with magical illusions. And he keeps you laughing with his impudent, charismatic charm’ (Teller of Penn & Teller).
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Ill Behaviour: an anomaly in the habits of the well and able, an act of de-habituation towards the rhythms that the body sends. Delve into qualia, embodied and disembodied states and experiment with auscultations and the body uncanny. The sonic (ill) body becomes both instrument and archive – of beauty and repulsion, ecstasy and rest, violence and intimacy, pleasure and risk. Amplifying the body's interior transmutes the act of listening inwardly into an act of care and intimacy. Ill Behaviour holds an unanswered question: how do we live in and listen to the (ill) body we are given?
Summerhall Festival
Former Gents Locker Room
Explore environmental icon Rachel Carson’s nature in this wildly inventive solo show from fellow Pittsburgher Elise Robertson, who uses puppets, found objects, and stage wizardry to interweave her own messy coming-of-age with Rachel’s, as they struggle with their identities as artists, mothers, and truth-tellers. ‘An act of performance and activism’ (WellingtonReviews.co.nz). 'Robertson is a gifted storyteller’ (LouReviews.blog). ‘An Alice in Wonderland for nature exploration’ ***** (Audience Review). ‘This one will stay with you. A reflection on science, the fragility and vibrance of the environment, sexism, parenting, and the complexities of human relationships’ ***** (Audience Review). Available in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participantswww.eliserobertson.com/imaginingrachelwww.facebook.com/ImaginingRachelwww.instagram.com/ImaginingRachel/ Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Edinburgh Fringe 2022Watch Trailer | Rachel CarsonWatch Trailer | Crop sprayingWatch Trailer | When you're doing all the jobsWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
At a party in their hometown, Charlie is confronted by fragmented memories and a growing mystery: who is Max? Inspired by lived experiences, Imprints explores underrepresented aspects of memory loss, queer identity and the fragile process of piecing together the past. Through live cinema, puppetry, spoken text and dreamlike soundscapes, the Palimpsest Project reconstruct memories in real time to create a haunting, coming-of-age mystery about rediscovering self amid uncertainty. It's a story that is both personal and universal – a meditation on nostalgia, identity, and the delicate threads that shape who we are.
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Musical mayhem abounds in a show that has to be seen to be believed. You suggest a title and seconds later the curtains open on a brand-new musical for the first, last and only time. Everything is made up on the spot. You'll be on the edge of your seat throughout as Australia's finest improvisers create a musical full of hijinks, harmonies and hilarity. It's unrehearsed. It's unpredictable. It's Impromptunes. 'Improv gold. You'll leave with sore cheeks from laughing' (Herald Sun).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Ermintrude
Box of Frogs, Birmingham’s award-winning Improv Group, brings you a night of high-octane improvised comedy nonsense, based entirely on your suggestions. Expect the unexpected as quick-witted players conjure up hilarious spontaneous songs, sketches and scenes on the spur of the moment! 'A Box of Stars Here' ***** (Derek Awards). 'Hilariously funny – highly recommended' ***** (Morish TV). 'Guarantee you’ll be laughing throughout' (@midlandstheatre). 'The brilliant and bouncy Box of Frogs is definitely a group to see at least once before you croak' (BumOnASeat.com).
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
In a world where movie plots are getting too predictable, one award-winning improv show dares to break the mould. You choose the genre, the subgenre, the setting and the title and they will do the rest, creating a totally improvised show brimming with all your favourite movie tropes. This '...understandable Fringe favourite' (FringeReview.co.uk) features live musical accompaniment, with songs and soundtrack all made up on the spot. Will you be lucky enough to grab one of the four famous Improvabuzzers, allowing you to direct the action as it happens?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Bottoms Up Theatre is back with their trademark devising process, taking aim at masculinities past and present. What do you think made a man 400 years ago? And how do you think he’d survive Scottish society today? Based on director Ashley Brown’s PhD research and the cast’s own experiences, In His Own Image puts Scottish masculinity under the spotlight. Expect egos, conflicts and some truly questionable decisions from our host of historically-inspired and hopelessly-opinionated characters. Maybe Scotland’s past isn’t as left behind as we think. Come see what happens when rigorous scholarship meets creative abandon.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Glynis Traill-Nash lives a double life: fashion writer by day, jazz singer by night. Now the two collide in this soirée of chic! Dressed to thrill and accessorised with a set list of stylish chansons, Glynis will take you from the suburbs of Perth to the front rows of Paris to unpick the world of fashion in alarmingly relatable fashion. 'An absolute romp of fun' (OutInPerth.com). **** (Advertiser, Adelaide). 'Even Anna Wintour might manage a smile at this mix of fashion and fun' (SydneyTravelGuide.com.au). Adelaide Fringe Weekly Award Winner 2025.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dairy Room
Left alone while her family searches for the missing herd, a Neolithic girl seeks comfort in imaginary friends. As she fills the cave with stories about her family, dreams and ideas, the reality of isolation starts to take its toll, all while The Thing Without a Face is drawing closer… This piece premiered at the National Student Drama Festival 2021 as an audio play. It was adapted for live performance for Brighton Fringe 2022, where it was nominated for the Brighton International Fringe Encore Award. ‘King’s script is simply sublime’ (Mark Smith, Noises Off). www.rebekahkingwriter.comWatch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Every wolf starts as a cub... some just have to claw their way up. In The Black is a gripping, dark comedy solo play about an ambitious Black accountant fighting for a seat at the table in the high-stakes world of Wall Street. Torn between love, identity and the relentless pursuit of success, he must navigate power, class and identity in a system that was never built for him. How far will he go to survive... and who will he become in the process?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
One of Europe's most exciting female choreographic voices comes into its own, in this uncompromising and surrealistic piece. Plunged into an absurd world, In the Bushes celebrates the incomprehensible and magnificent contradictions of life. Quirky and witty, it mocks the idea that we are exceptional and questions our humanity with ferocious joy. 'Masterfully choreographed’ (BroadwayWorld.com) 'Powerful' (WritingAboutDance.com).
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
As a father prepares for life-altering surgery, his estranged daughter keeps reluctant watch. Time stretches, tensions rise and memories begin to bleed through the walls. The daughter he remembers is not the woman beside him now. In the space between what's said and left unsaid: what's still possible?
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
Experience the beauty of Indian classical music with an evening concert featuring sarod virtuoso Suhas Mitra and tabla maestro Vijay Kangutkar. Set in the beautiful Helen Duncan room at the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Centre Edinburgh, the concert promises a captivating journey through the intricate world of raga and rhythm. A rare opportunity to experience the evocative soundscapes of the sarod, known for its deep resonant tones and soulful expression.
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Helen Duncan Room
History repeats itself, but so does nature. What happens when humans mirror the survival mechanism of one of the oldest organisms in the world? Follow the steps of bacterial infection told in parallel with a manipulatory relationship. See how this relationship effects friendships and how our friends are our immune system in life. And maybe learn a thing or two about microbiology on the way.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Inspired by Romulus and Remus' legend and the symbolic meaning of Rome's city walls, Inlet explores the significance of borders throughout history. Raising thought-provoking questions about walls and their timely relevance, Inlet examines their role as boundaries, fortifications and barriers that influence human interactions and perceptions. Through raw movement and compelling visuals, the dancers capture the essence of separation, confinement and yearning for freedom. Without distraction, their bodies convey universal truths that resonate deeply with our present society. Inlet is more than a performance: it's an immersive experience, an invitation to reflect, feel and break free.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Heavenly timing, earthly advantage and human harmony shape the path to success in Chinese tradition. Zhuge Liang’s tale of borrowing the east wind embodies this deep unity between nature and humanity. His calm mind, seizing of opportunity and firm belief continue to inspire today. Based on this story, the work unfolds into six poetic wind realms: Wind Arises, Wind Ceases, Wind Against, Wind With, Wind Swift and Wind Leisurely. May each person, through their journey, borrow their own east wind and ride it toward their aspirations.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
1561. Scotland. Returning from France to rule her country, Queen Mary is faced with hostility from the Protestant lords. Seen as more French than Scottish, she has much to overcome as Queen, especially as a Catholic woman. The lords choose Henry Darnley for her husband, but as the marriage frays both Mary and Darnley find respite in Italian secretary David Rizzio. Flitting between comedy and tragedy, Into Thy Hands explores the bond between the Queen, her husband and lover. This tale examines homophobia and relationships, and questions: Who decides our fate?
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
A brutal bildungsroman soaked in love and blood, featuring a story of self-fulfilling prophecy, a friend group corrupted by artistry and two girls who give their best to love each other. As their former innocence is cruelly annihilated, they are forced to move on but are unable to when the gravity and monstrosity of adulthood finally arrives and they are confronted with the unbearable ugliness and horrors of growing up. It is a journey that’s creative and destructive, from girlhood to womanhood, through the joys and anxiety of motherhood, exploring the tenderness and rage of female sexuality.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
A happy couple on their anniversary. An unwelcome visitor. A bombshell that changes everything. An original Fringe premiere written by James Cumming, Intrusion is all about the past catching up with us and dealing with the consequences. The debut play of Scottish emerging theatre company, Locked In Thought.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
Invisible Lover is an interdisciplinary contemporary dance theatre performance exploring self-construction and the interplay between visual arts and movement. 'I have never been just myself; I am a product of both myself and the people around me,' the piece navigates relationships, memory and the invisible forces that shape us. Blurring the boundaries between body, space and visual expression, Invisible Lover invites audiences to experience identity as a dynamic, ever-evolving creation.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
In a tragedy of greed and deception Iphigenia is torn from her mother and sacrificed to make the Trojan war possible. But her life after death is where it gets really interesting. An original, rebellious, feminist retelling of a young princess's murder and her surprising rise to power in its wake.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
The best Irish acts at Fringe available to see in the same place with different comedians featured each day!
Laughing Horse @ Dropkick Murphys
Main Room
Following its four-star debut at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024, award-winning storyteller Ansa Edim returns with Is This Normal? A shockingly true, uncomfortably cringe storytelling show drawn from her real-life dating disasters, heartbreaks, and hard-won lessons. With humour and vulnerability, Is This Normal? unpacks the highs and lows of love, societal expectations, and the messy path to self-acceptance. Is This Normal? is a compelling, unforgettable journey of embracing power, breaking free from norms and finding joy in a beautifully imperfect story.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Island Spirit is a captivating musical where a young Polish woman returns to Scotland to trace her roots. She takes a job at a whisky distillery on a remote Scottish island, discovering the story of her mother, and the father she never knew. This Fringe-style performance offers original songs from the musical, in between which the tale unfolds as she learns about her family’s past and her own identity. The show features soulful melodies with Scottish musical influences, weaving together powerful storytelling and emotive songs. Beyond the Blue return to the Fringe with this heartfelt performance.
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
Stand-up comedian Richard Pulsford (three-times Top 10 Funniest Jokes of the Fringe) hosts this show for history fans, its fifth year at the Fringe. Three guest comedians and history buffs perform short stand-up sets based ‘on this day’ in history before exploring some possible alternative histories of Edinburgh's people and events. Recorded for the It Just So Happened history podcast. Up-to-date details on the podcast website www.itjustsohappened.co.uk and @ItJustSo1 on Twitter. ‘A fascinating and funny history podcast’ 3.3 * (Edinburgh-Reviews.co.uk). ’A quirky history podcast with a friendly splash of humour’ 3.5 * (TheReviewsHub.com).
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Muse
An amnesiac time traveler needs the audience's help to recover the defining moments of his life. A lighthearted and sentimental exploration of the beauty of human relationships. Who is worth remembering and who would you rather forget?
Hoots @ Potterrow
Wee Container
Two trios of Trio Sonatas! J S Bach’s six organ trio sonatas, ebullient and unique in their difficulty and musical perfection, played in two concerts by David Goodenough on the sublime Frobenius Opus 1000 organ in Canongate Kirk on the Royal Mile. These sonatas require the hands to play independent melodic lines on separate keyboards, whilst the feet play the basso continuo. Hear these masterpieces of the organ repertory in the inspiring surroundings of Canongate Kirk.
Canongate Kirk
Canongate Kirk
Jack is a queer, gothic and punky new musical based on the tale of Jack the Ripper – the unidentified serial killer who terrorised London in 1888 – and the women he targeted. This hard-hitting production follows his final victim, Mary Kelly, throughout the police investigation led by the determined PC Alfie Foster. This immersive show captures the essence of Victorian London in a chokehold of frenzied fear. Come with us as we uncover: who is Jack the Ripper?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
A young girl named Martha lives with her evil stepmother and two ugly stepsisters. Though the similarities to Cinderella are undeniable, part of what's so enchanting and satisfying about Jack Frost are the ways in which it borrows from the classic story while reimagining it, infusing it with a spirituality and a central character who takes charge of her own destiny. Because of her heroic determination and passion for living, Martha warms the heart of crafty Jack Frost. Join Stage Door Enigma as they weave an enchanting traditional story of how kindness and generosity have their own reward.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
A journey back in time to autumn 1745 – the most dangerous, dynamic and exciting weeks in Edinburgh's long history, when it was occupied by Prince Charlie's Army. How did the Jacobites breach Edinburgh's walls? Why wasn't the city better defended? How did Prince Charlie's army secure its money and arms? What happened during the Battle of Lawnmarket? What became of the Lord Provost? What was the fate of the Marquis of Montrose? Mysteries solved through eye-witness testimony, CSI techniques and old-fashioned detective work and shoe leather...
Outside the World's End
Meeting Point
It’s Jacqui Randa season! She’s drop dead gorgeous, a talented singer and pianist and has escaped her small country town of Tambo in Central Queensland, Australia. Self-proclaimed as Australia's Next Diva she has big dreams to brush shoulders with her idol Tina Arena and is enduringly delusional when it comes to finding love! Relatable? Expect sparkle, laughter, heart, vulnerability and exceptional musicianship through songs such as Dancing Queen, WAP, Lilac Wine and Chains.
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
Jain isn't like other girls. She's worse. But she's finally ready to Lean In (and receive a little forehead kiss from hubby). She-Devil is a show about conspiracy theories, autism and men turning on you. Expect silly, subversive comedy from literally the best comedian. 'Pleasingly offbeat' (Guardian). 'Hugely talented' (Skinny). 'Get in early to catch a rising talent' (ShortCom.co.uk).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
Brand new stand-up comedy from 2024 BBC New Comedy Award finalist Jake Donaldson, packed with nostalgia, punchy jokes and stories about finding your place in the world. All set to the soundtrack of the 2000s. 'Phenomenal' ***** (@edfringecomedy, X). 'Truly brilliant humour' **** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk). 'A fibrous hour' **** (@EdinburghEye).
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
The life of a mathematician is one that most people outside of the sphere don't understand. The mathematician is a shy reclusive animal, so says Joe Public. Imagine my shock when I realised I was one after walking off stage as Othello. Welcome to the life of a mathematician who isn't a recluse, has social skills and apparently likes being on stage. Come join me and work out how on earth this happened and maybe I'll tell some stories of other people just like me.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Stutter Island by James Beckett (So You Think You're Funny and Laughing Horse New Act semi-finalist, Beat the Frog and Mr Bens Winner) explores navigating life as somebody with a stutter and his 12-year break from the comedy scene. Also featuring a guest appearance from another Fringe performer (changes each day)! ‘An engaging and memorable performance’ (RockCentralPromotions.com).
Laughing Horse @ Boston Bar
Basement Bar
One of Scotland's most exciting new comedians, James Gardner returns with a show about his love of football, the differences of living in London, and turning 42. With over 40 million views online, James has emerged as one of the most popular comedians in the UK from viral stand-up clips, sketches and live performances. 'Really, really funny' (BBC Scotland). 'This fella is gonna kill it as a comedian' (TalkSport.com). 'Absolutely hilarious' (Sunday Mail). 'Class' (Amos Gil). 'Definitely worth going to see' (One4Review.co.uk).
Le Monde
Shanghai
'Magic is in his bones. Disbelief. Flabbergasted. Stunned' ***** (HenleyHerald.com). Dare to believe in magic, in a brand new show where the impossible becomes possible. James Phelan – star of The Dreamer, the UK's most successful touring magic show – presents this dazzling five star show that will leave you aching with laughter and dizzy in disbelief. 'One to watch in the world of magic' (List). This magic show is nothing like you've ever seen. It's uplifting, heartwarming, amazing. Tickets likely to sell out, don't miss it!
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
Sue will guide you to create a Boro-inspired textile art work, by slow stitching with beautifully curated blue fabrics. Fabric, thread and all equipment provided. No experience required. Suitable for all. Previous Edinburgh Fringe sell-out event.
The Royal Scots Club
The Hepburn Suite
Join PROFESSIONAL actor Jason Thurston for a lesson in learning the act of acting. Jason's had a fabulous career in short film classics, Death Strikes Us All, F*ckless, and Mothers for Justice, and even in the feature films, Massacre 700 and Little Joe starring Ben Whishaw. Now he wants to impart his wisdom onto you (yes, YOU!), through the medium of trailblazing anecdotes, powerful acting exercises, and some good old-fashioned talking at people. He doesn't need validation, but he would like it, so please join him. Special guests also join Jason Thurston. Bonanza.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Blessed with beauty, wealth and charisma, the Flawless Four – Courtney, Julie, Marcie, and Liz – are the most popular girls in Reagan High school. Courtney, Julie, and Marcie decide to prank Liz for her birthday, but it goes horribly wrong – and ends with Liz choking to death on a jawbreaker. Based on the cult classic 1999 film, Jawbreaker: The Musical brings murder, lies, and delicious drama to the stage with a book from its original writer, Darren Stein, music by Jeff Thomson, and lyrics by Jordan Mann.
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
Dynamic renditions of great jazz tunes from all eras from two award winning performers, Brian Kellock (piano) and Dick Lee (reeds). 'Intimately convivial... fine playing, with some deliciously liquorice-toned clarinet... [Kellock is] habitually ebullient' (Scotsman).
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Peter Seivewright performs Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and music by the Austrian jazz composer Friedrich Gulda.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Sell-out shows since 2004. Saxophone and piano duo playing jazz standards and melodic originals in a comfortable, intimate jazz club setting. Good food. Good music. Good atmosphere. Buy lunch, or just listen! Photographs and tales, following a jazz saxophone and piano duo from Scotland as they tour around the UK and beyond in their tour bus (a converted ambulance). More info at millarandspencer.co.uk
Novotel
The Tap
We invite you to our quaint Brass-erie for a sumptuous supper of only the choicest cuts of traditional jazz. You, our audience, select from the musical menu for our evening together in this intimate venue. (No food included). Scotland's own Tenement Jazz Band have been delighting audiences across the UK with their hot brand of acoustic traditional jazz, ragtime and blues since 2018. With special guests from across Scotland, join them for this musical teatime treat in the bar where the band began. 'The future of traditional jazz is in good hands' (Bert Thompson, MusicWeb-International.com).
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
The island of Jeju draws everyone with its charm and beautiful Korean dialect. So why couldn’t Sodam go? This captivating play invites you to experience the soul of Korea through the beauty of its language, culture and sounds. Delving into universal themes of love, loss and human connection, it offers a rare opportunity to experience Korea's distinct theatrical style, merging tradition with modern expression. The universal themes of grief and relationships transcend cultural boundaries, making this raw and poetic performance deeply resonant. Korean and English blend seamlessly, with Jeju dialect accompanied by English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
Join ex-con Jimmy as he brings you along to get ready for his first date since he got out of prison that morning. Along the way he’ll introduce you to a cavalcade of crooked characters, talk you through a smorgasbord of shady schemes, and entice you with a variety of vices. Writer Charles Edward Pipe has previously had success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with Five Short Plays Loosely Linked by the Theme of Crime – ***** (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk) – and Four More Short Plays Loosely Linked by the Theme of Crime: ***** (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk). ***** (VoiceMag). ***** (One4Review.co.uk).
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
Stand-up comedy from an actual couple… what could possibly go wrong? After a previous sell-out run at the Fringe, viral sensation Joe McTernan and star of Britain’s Got Talent Abi-Carter Simpson bring you a hilarious hour of comedy... relationship style! From love to mishaps to a whole lot of honesty, this show is bound to leave you head over heels. ‘Genuine star quality’ (Simon Cowell). ‘I was crying with laughter pretty much throughout this entire performance’ ***** (ThreeWeeks). ‘A must-see for those who enjoy comedy with a heart’ ***** (One4Review.co.uk).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 2
As seen on Hypothetical, Roast Battle and various apps on your phone. You know the ones. As he embarks on his first international tour, Joe 'could have been a dancer' Sutherland is bravely talking about something that, until recently, he's suffered with in silence: being a total hunk. Now that being really sexy is finally accepted in society, Joe is ready to share his story. Groundbreaking stuff from one of the most in-demand comedians in the UK. 'Oozing star power from every pore' (Mirror). 'Drooling cynicism, punchy jokes and shrewd sarcasm' (VoiceMag.uk).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Jersey
Hi, hope you're ok. My show is about hope. It's also about mental illness, good liars, bad ideas, Lorraine Kelly and a gang lord forcing me to hold a raw chicken. But it's mostly about hope. I live with a complex mental illness called borderline personality disorder (BPD) and I started writing this, about that, in January 2020. It's been a long 5 years, but I'm finally here. Please come. I wrote it for you. 'Searingly funny... informative and surprisingly moving' (Telegraph).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Ermintrude
Fresh from his sold-out 2024 run, his new show tackles accepting responsibility for life’s disasters with sharp, self-deprecating humour. From therapy struggles to awkward relationships and common frustrations, the hilarious Irishman will have you laughing non-stop. One of the most exciting stand-ups emerging in the Irish comedy scene. Winner of the Best New Act Award at the 2019 Bray Comedy Festival, he has performed with top comedians such as Michelle Wolf, Joanne McNally, David O’Doherty and Neil Delemare. 'So funny' (Wendy Liebman). 'Classic stand-up' (Ruben Rajah).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 5
It's the stand-up chat show where comedians sell their jokes. We're the only stand-up show in the world where if you like a joke enough, you can buy it. Every show introduces a top-secret line-up of the absolute best comedians at the Fringe – all offering their jokes to the highest bidder. All profits from the show are donated to Comedy Support Act, the charity set up to provide emergency funds to support Comedians that find themselves in times of financial hardship.
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Chamber
It's comedy set swapping live! The cult-hit show where comedians perform their own jokes, then each other's. Chortle Award winner for Best Club Show London. 'Top 5 comedy shows of the year' (List). 'Top 10 shows at the Fringe' (Time Out). 'Top 25 shows at the Fringe' (Comedy.co.uk). Featured on BBC Radio 4 Extra. 'A brilliant format' (Guardian). 'An undoubted hit' (Chortle.co.uk). 'Spontaneous and anarchic' **** (Fest). 'A truly electric night' **** (Scotsman). 'Action-packed and chaotic' **** (BroadwayBaby.co.uk). 'Deserves more than one visit' **** (One4Review.co.uk). Piloted for Comedy Central (US) and BBC2 (UK).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Chamber
A compilation show featuring four of the funniest comedians from across the Edinburgh Fringe! The line-ups are shuffled daily so you're always sure to get dealt the very best of all the jokers! Expect storytelling, one-liners and a little bit of naughtiness! Every show is different, so make sure you check out a Jokers in the Pack show! It's always loads of fun and you're guaranteed a great night's entertainment!
Laughing Horse @ The Hanover Tap
The Wee Tap
A compilation show featuring four of the funniest comedians from across the Edinburgh Fringe! The line-ups are shuffled daily so you're always sure to get dealt the very best of all the jokers! Expect storytelling, one-liners and a little bit of naughtiness! Every show is different, so make sure you check out a Jokers in the Pack show! It's always loads of fun and you're guaranteed a great night's entertainment!
Laughing Horse @ Boston Bar
Basement Bar
Ivo’s Edinburgh Fringe debut offers a playful dive into the chaos of our modern world through a show full of absurdist jokes. A semi-comprehensive investigation – possibly with a few detours – into how to stay focused amidst endless distractions and whether we should even try. Featuring unpredictable one-liners, surreal sketches and maybe a poem or two. We will discuss everything from being in the present moment to the struggles of riding a seahorse.
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Wee Room
An intimate concert experience featuring Joni Mitchell's most iconic songs and the stories that inspired them. The concert is set in 1976. An award-winning show. Songs include: Both Sides Now, A Case of You, Big Yellow Taxi, Woodstock, Blue, California, and many more. Rainee accompanies herself on guitar and dulcimer.
Le Monde
Dirty Martini
Suburbia is Jonny Woo's most personal show to date. A return to his spoken word, story-telling and performance art roots, Suburbia is a poetic memoir about his life from childhood in the Medway Towns, to discovering ecstasy in the 90s, the clubs of New York and a queer community in London. Now in his fifties, Woo is more reflective and honest about the secrets he harboured and the lessons he learnt. Woo's wit is as sharp as ever and his desire to shock and surprise is evident throughout. Suburbia is everything but suburban.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Josh Elton's brand of barnstorming comedy is the perfect show to start the day. Razor-sharp jokes, unshakeable confidence and an award-winning comedy mind. A Welshman, a Jew and a damn fine comedian, Josh Elton takes a sidewise look at life, the universe and why Swansea is a bit rough. 'Rocks every show' (Ignacio Lopez). 'Really really funny' (David Baddiel). Winner: Welsh Unsigned Stand-Up Award.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
A sweaty man runs to a building with a paper full of ideas. This building is a place for those who are lost in life as bartenders, hotel clerks, waiters, performers and more. We have the time and skills to do it, but when and where can we do it? Bathrooms, bar counters, sofas, anywhere can be a great stage. We can all perform together with people living overseas! Always keep on moving. Light a candle with hope. Its flame reaches people and spreads from person to person. Now a new life begins…Cast | Itsuro Suwa, Aya Terasoma, Mai Kagimoto, Kotori Sasago, Katsuki Kakinohana, Ikki, Tamaki Suzuki, Mikarin, Motoi Sano, Miyako, Yui SekiMusicians | Haruna Minato (vocals), Ogaching (bass), Sho (guitar), Shiori Sugaya (keyboard), Ryo Arayama (drums)Directed and choreographed by | YamatoCinematography by | Yu NimiyaoProduction Design by | Masashige LidaSet Design by | Chikako Suzuki (daVinchi)Lighting Design by | Noriyuki MoriMusic by | Nozomated RecordsSet Decorator | Mizuki Yasuda, Tomomi EmoriStylist | Shuhei KaiHair Stylist | Bassy (Number Seven)Makeup | KahoRiAssistant Cinematographer | Ayaka NagakariAssistant Stylist | Noriko KasaiProduced by | Hiromi Kubota (Manohara Co) and Hiroko Sato (Paralleldrive)International Coordinator | Eri NakaneMix Engineer | Akihiro IizukaMastering Engineer | Moe KazumaSound Recording | Akifumi YokotaPublicity Design | Mari TachibanaPhotographer | Mitsuo OtsukaLighting Crew | Hironori ikura, Hiroko Ikura, Yuki MiyazakiProduction Crew | Yumi Fujii, Sue Kim (Sue's Special Effects Makeup), Catherine Hassall (CfAT)Thanks | N-cafewww.facebook.com/marubatsusankaku2020www.instagram.com/m_b_3kaku/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Experience the immersive Viking journey! Travel to the Viking Age as the renowned Scandinavian band Jotunger takes the stage, clad in full Viking gear. With their ancient instruments, they open a door to the past through original compositions, familiar Viking songs and tales from the Sagas. You won’t go hungry or thirsty on this journey either, as the experience includes three small courses and two drinks – including a selection of mead from the Danish company Mjødgård! From the Viking Age, Scotland and Scandinavia have been connected and we will demonstrate how.
The Mother Superior
The Cave
Journey to Stolen Identity is a multi-art performance that explores women’s rights through a blend of musical genres, starting with classical but evolving into jazz and rock. The performance is delivered in Farsi, English and Italian, giving it a multicultural and dynamic feel. Additionally, aerial dance is a key element that has drawn in many audiences, creating an immersive and visually striking experience, alongside live musicians and multimedia storytelling.
Saint Stephen's Theatre
Ian McKellen Theatre
Journey to the West: A 15-minute epic blindfolded adventure blends Shanghai and London through scent, sound, and touch. Lose yourself in a disorienting odyssey where migrants' dreams clash with reality – where every step echoes the heartache of belonging nowhere. Experience the ultimate sensory paradox: familiar yet foreign, promised land or endless void?
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Sanctuary
Join Live at the Apollo’s Ignacio Lopez (aka Juan Solo) on a daring journey through the galaxy, in his rust bucket of a ship, the Millennial Falcon! Juan has been tasked with recruiting and transporting 100 humans to try out the Galactic Holiday Empire’s latest resort! Every passenger gets full space safety training and onboard entertainment. Expect sarcasm, stand-up comedy and silliness in this chaotic, interactive sci-fi adventure show. 'Finely crafted silliness. Highly relatable. Hilarious. Go to this if you want to give your kids a pretty first rate introduction to stand-up comedy' (ThreeWeeks).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 2
Judy and Sally perform traditional and contemporary folk music and songs on Scottish smallpipes and English concertina. Their playing explores how these two very different instruments can complement and support each other and Judy’s vocals, whilst also maintaining the integrity and essence of traditional music. Drawing on a wide range of sources from across the UK, their focus is on finding songs and tunes which show these two instruments at their best, both individually and together.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
After enduring torture in the Ministry of Love, Julia is finally released and reunited with her sister. The two women rejoice but they are closely monitored by a telescreen and are unable to speak freely. Nonetheless, Julia is determined to seek revenge and wants to find out who reported her and her lover Winston to the police a year ago. To discover the truth, she returns to her ex-torturer, Thought Police officer O'Brien, but things take an unexpected twist, and she finds herself entangled in a dangerous mind game.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Juliet and Romeo is a vibrant, high-energy reimagining of Shakespeare’s legendary love story. This dynamic production blends the classic tale with music, dance and modern twists, delivering an unforgettable theatrical experience. With a talented young cast breathing new life into the star-crossed lovers’ fate, expect humour, heart and a fast-paced, electrifying performance. Whether you’re a Shakespeare fan or completely new to the story, don’t miss this production – where tragedy meets comedy, and romance meets rhythm in a show bursting with youthful energy!
theSpaceTriplex
Big
June Helen Tuesday is a toxic trans mess and she’s trying to get away with it. Her parents don’t accept her, she's in trouble with the law and she’s not turned into the sort of woman she wished she’d be. This is a 45 minute show about taking HRT from the gutter. Performance includes opening support act. Leicester Comedian of the year Nominee, 2025. Welsh New Act Finalist, 2024. As Heard on BBC Radio Wales. 'Oodles of chaotic energy' (Chortle.co.uk).
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
As the British Empire struggles to keep its colonial possessions, Nigerian lawyer Tunji Sowande quietly breaks through multiple barriers to become Britain’s first Black judge. A fine concert singer and keen cricket follower, he muses on international politics and history as they affect the Black world from Africa to the USA and Britain, from the point of view of one who would rather watch sports, and spread love and peace through the medium of song. Recalling heroic sporting achievements alongside epoch-defining political events, Tayo Aluko delivers ‘a masterclass in performance art, research and history’ (EdFringeReview.com).Available in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.www.tayoalukoandfriends.comwww.justanordinarylawyer.comwww.facebook.com/TayoAlukoandFriendswww.facebook.com/justanordinarylawyerwww.instagram.com/tayoalukoinliverpool/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Stirring, electrifying soundscapes usher you through the cosmos as K Mak fuses live cello, violin, synths, beats and vocals with sumptuous, tailored visuals. Continually selling out homeland Australia, her arresting show now comes to Edinburgh where a legendary festival venue becomes an enthralling, immersive planetarium. 'I had an outer body experience at K Mak'. 'Truly immersive and cathartic'. 'It was really good except it made Mum cry'. 'We’ve travelled the world and never experienced anything like it'. 'I’d go again in a heartbeat'. 'K Mak is AMAZEBALLS' (Audience Reviews).
Summerhall Festival
Demonstration Room
Life is filled with the queerest things, none more so than the machinations of a mind like KC Finn’s. In this high-energy exploration of modern LGTBQIA+ life, the multi award-winning writer delivers poetry for the soul, along with the ideas and inspirations which helped these verses spring to life. Tackling puzzling topics from the perils of queer dating to taking up activism, working through difficult times and the tricky business of gender identity, the show promises emotional highs and poignant humour. A unique perspective in well-chosen words for queer kindred souls everywhere. Available in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.k-c-finn-free-agent.webflow.io/linktr.ee/mrbrakedownwww.facebook.com/AuthorKCFinnwww.instagram.com/authorkcfinn Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Sam and his dead grandpa have a conversation about everything from fighting fascism to growing up with mobsters – all with the help of a mystical creature from Yiddish folklore. Developed from the private journals of Saul N. Sherman, a Jewish WWII veteran blended with the writings from his grandson, Sam Sherman Kaddish (How to be a Sanctuary) explores what our ancestors can teach us about the messy path towards standing up for what is right.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
An immersive 50 minute dance performance created in Shetland and inspired by the migration of birds. Through mesmerising choreography, live music from Jenny Sturgeon and stunning projected visuals, Journey of Flight creates a thought-provoking journey of arrivals, departures, the nostalgia of place and the notion of flight itself. Set against a backdrop of flowing white sheets, the dancers move through ever changing spaces, exploring new states of being and new homes. This visually stunning piece invites audiences to reflect on the delicate balance between nature, movement and our emotional ties to place and each other.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
In this fast-paced, cabaret-style solo musical comedy, one actress plays six vibrant characters to tell the story of Tomi – a luxury-obsessed teen whose world flips when she discovers she’s the heir to the Kazakh throne. Thrust into a remote village, Tomi faces intense culture shock, eccentric relatives and a journey of hilarious, chaotic self-discovery. Featuring original music blending jazzy and theatrical styles, Kazakh Princess Diaries is a bold, heartfelt exploration of identity, privilege and what it really means to belong, told through the eyes of a Kazakh performer reclaiming her narrative with humour and heart.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Winner: Best Comedy, Newcastle Fringe Festival 2023! Retirement? More like a weekend off to die. With AI stealing her job, Kel eyes her son's sex-fuelled Euro trip and wonders: why not cash in? Fresh off an award-winning run, this no-BS Aussie tackles work, family and the cost-of-living crisis with brutal honesty and big laughs. If life’s a hustle, Kelly’s ready to play! The perfect accompaniment to a boozy lunch, because day drinking is best served with comedy. 'Australia’s next comedy genius' (Tim Ferguson). 'Lively, impudent, raucous' (TheatreTravels.org). 'Motor-mouthed vixen! A top-class standup comedian' (FringeFeed.com.au).
Le Monde
Shanghai
Join us in the comedy yurt for an hour of killer comedy packed with laughs. Don't miss Harry Stachini, ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Show nominee and Mervyn Stutter Pick of the Fringe 2024, Lewis Coleman, a fast-rising star with a charismatic storytelling style, and Ben Hart, delivering northern English humour with aggressive charm, leaving audiences in stitches across the UK and beyond. With plenty of special guest appearances from the best acts on the comedy circuit, it's a no-brainer choice for a guaranteed giggle!
Hoots @ Potterrow
Big Yurt
Killian Sundermann, one of Ireland's most exciting new comedians, always dreamed of being a rock star. Though his shower renditions of Bohemian Rhapsody haven't quite catapulted him to fame, his comedic talent certainly has. Join him for a night filled with stand-up, sketch and song as he takes his sold-out Irish tour show to the Fringe. With rave reviews, Sundermann has gained recognition across platforms, including appearances on RTÉ, Virgin Media Ireland and the Young Hot Guys Podcast. He also boasts a massive following of over half a million online fans.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Jersey
Acclaimed Edinburgh-based songwriter Kim Edgar performs an uplifting evening of songs for peace. These include her own songs and favourites from other songwriters, performed on grand piano and acoustic guitar. Feel connected, uplifted and hopeful! Kim will be joined by a scratch choir who have learned some of the songs with her during an afternoon workshop that day. 'Heart-stopping' (Sunday Herald). 'Very special' (Fatea-Records.co.uk). 'An inspired empathy... her gentle personality and relaxed interaction would melt the stoniest of hearts' ***** (FringeReview.co.uk). 'Probably one of the best songwriters in Britain today' ***** (SpiralEarth.co.uk).
Stockbridge Church
Church Hall
Join experienced choir leader and acclaimed songwriter Kim Edgar to form a scratch choir! You'll learn and then perform uplifting, inspiring songs in Kim’s Songs Of Peace concert (7-9 pm): her own songs and favourites from other songwriters, performed on grand piano and guitar. Feel connected, uplifted and hopeful! All welcome – no sight-reading required. 'Heart stopping' (Sunday Herald). 'An inspired empathy… her gentle personality and relaxed interaction would melt the stoniest of hearts' ***** (FringeReview.co.uk). 'Probably one of the best songwriters in Britain today' ***** (SpiralEarth.co.uk). Email kim@kimedgar.com for advance materials.
Stockbridge Church
Church Hall
King tells the story of Geok Yen, a public relations executive who seemingly has it all – a stable job and a boyfriend who is about to propose. This safe stable life gets upturned when on impulse, she attends the party in the guise of a man, Stirling da Silva. Emboldened by the alter ego, Yen discovers a newfound confidence to speak her truth and be whatever she could be without self-judgement. In this one-woman show, Jo Tan delivers a tour de force performance playing multiple characters, navigating expertly through a host of social stereotypes.
Summerhall Festival
Former Gents Locker Room
Young King Arthur is ready for a wizardly lesson in the erotic arts. Buoyed by Merlin’s teachings, he pulls Excalibur from the stone, marries the powerful Lady Guinevere and presides over the Knights of the Round Table. Lancelot, his closest friend and Knight, may just be more than a manly object to drool over. After years of unfulfilled desire, Guinevere, Lancelot and King Arthur give way to their repressed passions! With Merlin providing a wizardly perspective on this story’s relevance in these turbulent times. A queer comedy retelling of the Arthurian legend.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
Seven men are trapped in toilet cubicles within purgatory. Will this punishment prepare their souls for the afterlife? Struggling with their unresolved sins, they anonymously share their frustrations and desires experiencing conflict, reflection and confession. Each man is challenged by the contrasting personalities that are also trapped. On top of the absurdity, this new comedy concentrates on deep themes of male health and existential reflection, challenging the view of male tropes in the modern age. Kings on Thrones is an absurd comedy about self-realisation, transformation and the messy journey towards redemption.
Greenside @ George Street
Olive Studio
A real-life ghost story from award-winning writer-comedian, Kirsty Mann. Do you believe in ghosts? No? You will. 'Heart-racing' *****(Scenestr.com.au). 'Un-missable' ***** (FringeFeed.com.au). 'A rising star in the comedy world' ***** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk). 'See it now – you'll be claiming you were there in years to come anyway' (Mix 102.3 Adelaide). 'Charming' **** (Chortle.co.uk). 'A joy to watch' **** (List). 'Incredibly engaging' **** (Fest). Winner Best Comedy, Fringe World 2024. Winner Weekly Comedy Award, Adelaide Fringe 2025.
Summerhall Festival
Former Gents Locker Room
Join disgraced monks Tamothy and Brother Jack on their quest to becoming knights, after being banished from their monastery for starting an underground ‘Knightclub’ with only one rule... Can the holy pair put their training to use in the real world? Can they win the king's favour, and outsmart the dastardly French? A hilarious new comedy play packed full of tomfoolery, tournaments and temptation, by former Footlights regulars and the creators of Pirates: You Wouldn’t Steal A Boat, ***** (TheWeeReview.com).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Samuel Beckett's unique take on life is performed by award-winning Fringe veteran Kevin Short. The protagonist, Krapp, revisits his younger self via audio tapes he has recorded over the years. The younger Krapp was full of hope and idealism. The older Krapp is full of woe and torment. The play is thought to be Beckett at his most autobiographical. Krapp reflects on his failed love-life, his heavy drinking and where things might have gone wrong. His appetite for bananas is nevertheless still ever present. This haunting humorous piece will live on in the mind beyond its enactment.
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
Leicester Comedy Festival 2023 Best Show Nominee, Kuan-wen is back with a new show. The mischievous Taiwanese comic wants to raise public awareness of the dangers posed by Andrews, including – but not limited to – Prince Andrew, Andrew Tate, Julie Andrews and the two pieces of human garbage he once dated. Andrews are of course welcome to come make your case. Kuan-wen as seen/heard on Comedy Central, BBC Three and BBC Radio 4. Channel 4 Sean Lock Comedy Award nominee 2023.
Hoots @ Potterrow
Big Yurt
Sick of swiping? Channel 4’s First Dates meets comedy talk show in this hilarious and unpredictable night of on-stage speed dating. Simply put your name down for the chance to enjoy a one-minute date on stage with a mystery match from the audience (or just watch from the crowd). When time’s up we throw to our panel including a dating expert and comedians – to chat about your love lives, how the date went and if we all hear wedding bells. Participation is voluntary. All relationship statuses, orientations and genders welcome!
Laughing Horse @ Coco Boho
Main Room
Experience the beauty of Italian and Neapolitan love songs and the enduring classics of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin in a captivating 30-year musical journey with Philip Contini and his six-piece Be Happy Band!
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Absurdist take on philosophy and language. A present-day student and activist, Sheela joins Ludwig Wittgenstein, Paul Shepard and Walter Benjamin for a spirited game of mahjong. As they play, her energy conjures Joseph Beuys as a mythological hare. Invisible to the players, he interjects cultural incantations, while the players contemplate how language evolved from naming animals to representing them with signs, and how myths serve the human need to imagine. Physical chair-play creates an escalating rhythm as tensions build… As the chair-e-ography builds to a crescendo, Sheela pushes back against male aggression and wins the game.www.peculiarworks.org/languagegameswww.facebook.com/peculiarworks Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
Revered Tyneside ensemble Lanterns on the Lake head to Edinburgh for a special performance at this years Festival Fringe.
La Belle Angele
Main Room
An intimate story in search of the tomb of ancient Egypt's most beautiful woman told through an inventive meld of history, performance and song. From an English country castle, where the quest began, to the heat of Luxor, where dreams of a dig were realised, this film is a personal impression of one man in pursuit of the find of his life. Interviews and eye-witness material from four seasons in the Valley of the Kings are threaded with cabaret interludes from Sue Casson and the Brannick Academy. ‘Bold… slightly mad, with a creative brio that is very infectious’ (Storyville).www.englishcabaret.co.ukwww.facebook.com/EnglishCabaret Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares is a one-woman comedy show from the mind of Tony Award winner Laura Benanti. Known for her dazzling Broadway performances and razor-sharp wit, Benanti takes the stage to share her hilarious, heartfelt, and sometimes brutally honest takes on getting older, people-pleasing, and the absurdity of it all. Blending side-splitting storytelling with original songs, New York Times Critic's Pick Nobody Cares is a love letter to recovering ingenues, mothers, and anybody working on themselves. 'Benanti communicates more with one raised eyebrow than most actors can with a lengthy monologue' (New York Times).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Ermintrude
This internationally acclaimed, award-winning musical follows Elle Woods' inspiring journey as she challenges stereotypes, snobbery and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. Equal parts hilarious and heartwarming, it's a riotous ride that’s almost too much fun to be legal! Featuring unforgettable songs like Omigod You Guys, What You Want and So Much Better, this production is bound to have people dancing in their seats. Captivate Theatre is a local, vibrant, community-driven theatre company known for producing high-quality, engaging performances. ‘With so little, Captivate creates so much spectacle’ (TheWeeReview.com).
The Edinburgh Academy
Magnusson Theatre
Performed entirely by very talented students, Captivate’s production has been seen by an estimated 22,000 people, with sell-out crowds, standing ovations and multiple five-star reviews. Les Mis is the story of love, compassion and redemption, featuring hit songs I Dreamed A Dream, Bring Him Home and many more. Don’t be put off by School Edition. 'From beginning to end, the show is faultless... Captivate's production of Les Misérables blows every other musical at the Fringe completely out of the water. A musical masterpiece – book your tickets now before it's too late' (TheReviewsHub.com).
The Famous Spiegeltent
Spiegeltent
A new show from your favourite (she hopes?!) London-based, 6’3 Canadian, existential, green-haired, silly, spooky, formerly imaginary, formerly cursed, alternative comedian. 'Funny and insightful, she is one to keep an eye on as she inevitably rises through the comedy scene' (The Only Culture Vulture, Facebook). '… her slightly chaotic nature and gimmicks made it feel like I was down the pub with a friend telling me some stories' (CarlyMay.co.uk). 'Your brain genuinely can’t predict the twists and turns in the punchlines she crafts' (BlizzardComedy.co.uk).
Hoots @ Potterrow
Wee Container
Two comedians, two cultures, two fresh perspectives – what could go wrong? Laura (UK) and Irene (Italy/Switzerland) bring their sharp wit and unique experiences to this split-hour comedy experiment. From millennial struggles, nostalgia (remember MSN?) and language mishaps to life’s absurd expectations, career chaos and aging. They navigate it all with punchlines, stories, and unexpected twists. They don’t have all the answers, but they’re figuring it out – live, on stage and with you. A show full of laughter, surprises and maybe even some accidental wisdom.
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
A lighthearted comedy about university student Sophie, and her journey of discovering what it means to be a woman in this world. Whether that's being viewed as a sexual object, being judged on your appearance, or even having another woman in Ann Summers glare at you for buying a vibrator, nothing is what Sophie was expecting. Written and performed by Danie McIntyre and directed by Ethan Peters.openmouththeatre.wixsite.com/openmouthwww.instagram.com/openmouththeatre Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
In 1956 Brooklyn, an aspiring playwright falls in love, her letters brimming with desire and ambition. Decades later, her granddaughter, a writer herself, uncovers them – tracing the arc of a love story cut short and a dream left unfinished. Between a summer alive with possibility and a present-day American diner steeped in nostalgia, past and present blur. She sits across from the man who once held her grandmother’s heart, wrestling with the choices that shaped two lives. Explores the dreams we chase, the ones we abandon and the longing for the life that might have been.
Greenside @ George Street
Mint Studio
Can those who overthrow idols avoid becoming what they once despised? In a rehearsal room an actor prepares for the role of Magistrate Wu, questioning the character’s moral motivation and in doing so, confronts his own relationship with performance, authority, and self-deception. Inspired by Pu Songling’s Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, this piece invites the audience into a world where actors become ghosts, gods are bureaucrats, and belief itself becomes a performance. Traditional Yue Opera, classical Chinese instruments, and stylised historical costume create a layered meditation on power, identity, and legacy. Performed in Mandarin.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
When they were four years old, Anna and Lily promised to be best friends for life, to sit side by side next to each other in their wheelchairs in the nursing home. But can a childhood promise survive the forces of time and space? Life Cycle of a Star presents the friendship of Anna and Lily 'against the life of the stars,' taking us on a journey through time, from prom to the nursing home, on cross-country and intergalactic space expeditions. Life Cycle of a Star asks: can you really promise someone a lifetime?
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Sex? Yes, please. Raves? Absolutely. MDMA? A dabble. Illegal raves find me high, staring at vaginas in abandoned museums. Meet Bex, a fortysomething woman struggling with expectations. A twist of fate, she rejects safe and abandons herself to life. Consequences be damned, embracing a reality that’s messy, exhilarating, cruel and wild. Showing you the world through her imperfect lens of love, loss and heartbreak, so you can make the leap and live intentionally – whatever that means. A rip-roaring, naughty, funny tale that will have you laughing into the dark.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Three troubled queers walk into a dressing room: a seasoned veteran of the drag runway, a jaded queen cursed to always play second-fiddle and a newbie on the scene with a bold, confrontational attitude... What could go wrong? As these three queens clash whilst preparing for the finale of a popular drag reality TV competition, their producer tries desperately to get them runway ready. Will they be able to confront their traumas in time for their show stopping performance? It’s the most important night of their careers, and shit’s about to hit the fan.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Lights Out By Nine bring their live show back to the Jazz Bar for the seventh time, playing a variety of original soul, blues and funk tracks along with their interpretations of classic songs. Expect to hear album tracks from their extensive back catalogue plus the songs of friends and collaborators who they have worked with over the years. The last six years of presenting this show at their beloved Jazz Bar has resulted in a high number of sell-out shows. Do not miss out, this will be better than ever before!
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Lili Redman (formerly La Scala) is back with seductive Siren, blending dark eclectic songs and life stories in a frank, funny and melancholic musical voyage. Having achieved international success, and award nominations with her previous shows, War Notes and Songs to Make You Smile (Best Vocal Performance, Buxton Fringe 2012), AFVS Lili Redman returns, somewhat later than planned, with Siren. Gathering some of the most haunting music from both the classical and cabaret worlds, as well as new music by Michael Roulston, she has created a mysterious, enigmatic musical experience. 'Hilarious, graceful and spellbinding' (BroadwayBaby.com).
The Voodoo Rooms
The Ballroom
Just a game? An Amazon All or Nothing documentary – but without the sponsorship money. Or men. Goalkeeper Marnie juggles a second job, Twitter trolls and a Premier League striker boyfriend over the course of a WSL Championship season. Navigating periods, penalties and pressure, and with her team battling relegation, can the newly-appointed captain save them – and her career – from the drop? A one-woman comedy drama exploring confidence, fan culture and the footballing gender pay gap. Think Dear England meets Derry Girls – with hefty sprinkles of North London grit, heart and attitude.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
An award-winning solo show by Joann Condon (Little Britain). Join Joann on a joyous and cathartic journey exploring a lifetime's worth of "boxes": the hopes and dreams of a child, the frustrations of an acting career, the tensions of being a parent, the grief in losing loved ones, the fear of being... herself. A story of breaking free from constraints and living life to the fullest. 'A show with profound heart... all need to see it' ***** (TheatreAndTonic.co.uk). 'Hilarious, moving, sad and uplifting' ***** (TheSpyInTheStalls.com). 'Condon’s comic timing is impeccable' **** (LondonTheatre1.com).
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Little Parts is a clown. She is also pregnant. And has always been. So, she's not really sure she'll ever give birth. But despite this conundrum, she is determined to find a good father for her Maybe-Baby; she is certain that at least one of the six applicants who applied online will be the perfect fit. Part confessional, part Bachelorette-wannabe, part puppet show – the selection process swings from absurdly funny to brutally honest as the identity of the real Baby-Daddy dares to come into view.www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participants Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
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portal – on demand
When the plants come to take over the world and achieve world domination watch out. This fantastic comedy musical is a huge Fringe favourite as Seymour and Audrey try to survive their encounter with Audrey II. This talented and hard-working cast bring this classic musical to life with their stage delivery and great singing. Audrey II needs feeding and it just won't stop. Has Seymour created a monster just to win the girl? This musical has it all and audiences will leave the theatre singing the tunes and rushing to rebook the show.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Alba Theatre
Feeling unsafe? Award-winning comedian Alice Frick proposes an off-the-wall solution: If you can’t beat them, join them! In her brand-new solo show, the once-innocent Austrian abroad tests traditional and unconventional ways to achieve her ultimate goal of feeling safe. A show filled with high energy and out of the box problem solving. www.alicefrick.com
Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly
Other Room
A stand-up comedy drawing on anecdotes and stories linked to my autobiography, showing that despite being visually-impaired and a wheelchair user, one can get round most barriers in life! I relate tales about my many experiences and funny events and challenges that could only happen to a person like me! I've climbed Snowdon, done wing walks and been skiing amongst other crazy things, none of which have passed without incident!
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
Orange Works is proud to present Locusts – a compelling mix of drama and northern humour – in which love, family and faith are put to the test. Locusts tells the story of Stephen, whose past resurfaces as Pete, a once-trusted church leader, reappears asking for Stephen’s help in repeating damaging mistakes. Stephen’s partner, Jeff, is facing problems of his own, and knows nothing of this part of Stephen’s past. Now, they must all face the truth. Locusts masterfully weaves together real-life experiences of gay conversion therapy within an evangelical church into a gripping and sensitively performed play.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Lolo lands a dream-come-true European tour. But when it gets cancelled after just a few weeks, she’s forced to pack up her funky costumes and drag them back to her mum’s house in suburbia. Lolo thought she’d be famous by now. Her psychic told her she would be. Instead, she’s stuck in her childhood bedroom tormented by the ghosts of many failed relationships. Irreverent and soul-baring, Lolo captivates audiences as she journeys from self-harm to self-redemption. Lolo won Audience Choice at the NYC Fringe and rocked Off-Broadway at Playhouse 46. Lolo is dying to meet you!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Are you angry? This punk clown musical comedy show is very, very angry, and if you’re not, then you’re not paying attention. And Loose T doesn’t want to be alone. So with improvised interactions with the audience, short clown skits and punkish songs she will make you angry too – with men in suits, fossil fuels, fascists, plastic, Brexit, labels... until you scream, dance and sing along with her. And hopefully laugh too. ‘She surprises once again, making the listener have fun, reflect and sing along’ (RoadieMusic.com). ‘A highly intelligent and politically-charged performer’ (YorkCalling.co.uk).
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
You shall not pass... up this opportunity to see some great Kiwi comedy! The last Lord of the Rings movie came out in 2003 and these NZ comics are still riding that wave. They don't have a single joke about hobbits or any opinions on the works of Peter Jackson, they're just using this as a marketing ploy. Although, they're travelling all the way to Edinburgh so, in a way, their journey is like Frodo and Sam taking the ring to Mordor - we assume, we haven't actually seen the movies.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
After years of living in a world where music has been banned and instruments were destroyed, have we lost the soundtrack to life? When The Sweet Nothings find a hidden recording, a whole new explosion of sound begins to rock their lives. They are left with the only instrument that cannot be destroyed, their voices. Together, they embark on a journey of recreating lost harmonies on their search for sound. Performed by Exeter's premiere female and gender non-conforming A Cappella group, The Sweet Nothings, this show is not to be missed.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Set on a morning tram commute, Lost Property is a one-woman show following Alice, an unrelenting optimist, on a quest to reclaim a lost possession. Retracing her steps over the past year, she's forced to confront recent decisions and untangle her morphed view of womanhood to recover what she's lost. Blending absurd comedy with poignant reflections on solidarity, Lost Property asks: what do women truly owe each other? ***** 'An extraordinary and vital piece of theatre' (StageWhispers.com.au). ***** 'Clever, hilarious, and poignant' (Tagg.com.au). **** 'A smart, sensitive treatise on how we relate to each other' (TheatreMatters.com.au).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Get lost in a new musical every night. Give us a location and we'll provide the rest. Expect glittering harmonies and gut-wrenching drama... all made up entirely on the spot! After a sold-out series of shows at their ongoing residency at the Omnibus, Clapham, Lost the Plot are thrilled to bring their whirlwind of laughter to Edinburgh. Featuring a cast of seasoned improvisers and West End performers.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Jay Sodagar's intelligent comedy returns, but this time he talks about love of all kinds. How getting a dog reframes how you approach and love others. But what about the others? Half politics with topical commentary, the other half social commentary on love. Don't bring tissues, it's not that kind of show. The show is not Love Actually and not soppy, but a funny, intelligent, truthful insight. Is love a projection of your soul or is it a spiritual vibration or a different feeling to everything else in life?
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
Welcome to the weird world of Loveless. With misogyny and incel culture on the rise, Loveless takes a satirical and surreal look into the reality of the perception of women in society, and the complexities and nuances of modern-day love. The play episodically explores many different characters and their worlds of relationships, intimacy and connection. Join us as we delve into all of the disturbing yet hilarious storylines, guaranteed to make you squirm... in every way!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Lucy Churchill (aka the leggy blonde with cracking t*ts) brings you her debut one-woman show. A lesson in self-love, feminine rage and the subtle art of not giving a f*ck, taught through original songs, high kicks and a whole load of rambling. At the age of 10, Lucy said a prayer to God one night, vowing she would do no wrong for the rest of her life if she received the most phenomenal pair of b**bs. Well, be careful what you wish for.
Greenside @ George Street
Ivy Studio
A comic tour of the medieval world with daft professor of medieval studies Luke Connell and his games, props and songs. Get to know creatures like sea-centipedes and manticores, dogs with names like Havegoodday, and characters like Eilmer the flying monk. Discover the old world’s taste in tourist tat and, expect to leave convinced that medieval medicine was better than the modern kind. Or maybe not. 'A lovely stage presence… this is awesome” (One4Review.co.uk). As heard on BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time.
Laughing Horse @ The Brass Monkey
Cinema Room
Tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 1999. Join the greatest party band of all time for an epic 90s sing-along in McEwan Hall – 2 weekends only! Expect everything from rock to rave, girl power to grunge and Britpop to boybands.
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
Addict to icon: the story of Miles Davis and the biggest selling jazz album of all time. Presented by acclaimed theatre company :DELIRIUM: and Lauren Reed Productions, this show delves into the life of the famous jazz trumpeter Miles Davis through the making of his seminal 1959 album Kind of Blue which changed the course of music forever. With live music from the UK's foremost jazz trumpeter, Jay Phelps, colliding with DELIRIUM's multi-disciplinary theatrical style, this new piece of theatre is a smokey, atmospheric, fever dream route in the Birth of the Cool.
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
Join Scottish artist and musician Lomond Campbell for a unique live performance of MUO, an audiovisual experience powered by the universe itself. Using muon detectors, MUO captures cosmic radiation from deep space, transforming it into reactive sound and entrancing live visuals. Performing with his one-of-a-kind handmade instrument, the Muonophone, Lomond creates a constantly evolving sonic landscape, joined by special musical guests throughout the festival. Blending art, science and sound in a way you've never seen before, MUO is a cosmic journey not to be missed. Presented in partnership with Sonica and the University of Glasgow. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
French Institute in Scotland
Salle Emilienne Moreau-Evrard
The story of a mixed-race Liverpudlian great-grandmother of Nigerian and Irish heritage celebrating her birthday, recalling a rollercoaster of memories – from her childhood in a Welsh convent to meeting her Nigerian Husband. Going on a journey to Nigeria only to discover 'In England I'm black. In Africa I'm white. It’s a funny, bloody world'. Celebrating life's triumphs and tragedies, and observing Liverpool’s social, economic and political life, from her uniquely humorous perspective. You think you know Scouse, well you’ve never tasted it like this before! Come have a natter in Ma Joyce's Parlour.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Dunedin Theatre
Is this a real knife? Is this just fantasy? Enjoy Shakespeare's spooky tragedy like never before, as six actors deploy wittily rewritten pop classics and uproariously silly comedy to recount the saga of Scotland's most murderous king. Expect queens and witches, Queen and B*Witched, ABBA, stabbers and much more besides! With gloriously repurposed numbers from Broadway, the charts and the Golden Oldies, Macbeth: the Musical is a hilarious ride, suitable for buffs and beginners, wee ones and wizened ones, and Scots and Sassenachs alike! No bagpipes were harmed while making this musical. **** (TheWeeReview.com).
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
'Think of a suave, urbane style that reigned in theatre and the movies during the 20s and 30s. Think of cigarettes, smoking jackets and cocktails. Think of cynical epigrams and sexy, witty, world-weary songs. This ode to the quintessential Englishman Noel Coward, dapper American playboy Cole Porter and debonair Welshman Ivor Novello, is stylish entertainment at its best, a series of vignettes of each of the 'Boys' and, of course, the songs that made them immortal. 'It is a sophisticated and simply elegant' (Billy Suter).
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
(Gender)queer disabled storyteller, visual artist and Mr Gay GB 2025 finalist Jude FireSong revives his show about intersections of identity, transcendent love, found family and surviving a decade-long breakdown through creative practice (and sheer stubbornness). 'Such clear, truthful poetry, beautifully sequenced… enriching, honest and will stay with you for a long time' (Audience Review). A powerful love letter to the odd ones out, delivered with an unplaceable accent against a backdrop of original paintings, drawings and photographs. Based on a hybrid collection long listed for new word press's Chapbook Competition 2024.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Three men walk into a bar – a Dane, a Swain, and a Thane. Tired of their tragic lives and nightly deaths, Hamlet, King Lear and Macbeth seek to escape their storylines. As they conspire to be free of their creator and flee their destinies, they are interrupted by none other than the author himself, Will Shakespeare. The tragedy escalates into mayhem and mischief once Mercutio arrives… Will the plotting protagonists prevail? Can Shakespeare stop his conspiring characters and save himself? It may end in murder, but whose? High energy, fast-paced comedy and the right amount of drama’ ***** (BroadwayBaby.com).www.shhh.media/#/theatrewww.facebook.com/TheMusicFirmHQwww.instagram.com/staceyhaberofficial Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
From 1519 to 1522 Fernando de Magallanes set off to circumnavigate the globe. Magallanes succumbed to a poisoned arrow, but his expedition was successful. This historical science-fiction play explores the first round-the-world voyage and Ferdinand Magallan’s relationship with church, state, his co-explorer Juan Sebastián Elcano, and indigenous people from five continents. During a 500-year confinement, Magellan strikes up dialogues with Shakespeare, stars and stones in his efforts to stay sane. He time-travels from evolution to globalisation, forcing us to ask ourselves exactly what the first circumnavigation of the earth has brought to us, five hundred years later.www.tshock.orgwww.facebook.com/tshockemocionalwww.instagram.com/tshockculturaemocional/ Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
Irish comedy magician Alex J Byrne brings his show Magic Mic back to Edinburgh Fringe following a successful run in 2024! Magic Mic is a comedy magic show that is suitable for all ages and has been toured around Europe to great fanfare over the last couple of years. If you like clean comedy, silly observations and a lot of magic tricks, this is the show for you!
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Las Vegas
Beverley Bishop creates performances and films that are thought-provoking and personal, quirky and embedded in humour. ‘Bishop is a friendly and open performer who also has a gift for close-up magic’ (LouReviews). Available in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.www.beverleybishop.com/finding-magicwww.facebook.com/finding_magic_cic Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
In 1936 Spanish Republican troops disembarked on the shores of Majorca to recover the island, which had been taken over by the military. The operation was a failure, and soon the Republicans were defeated in retreat, leaving many comrades behind on the ground. Survivors were made an example of, tortured, and executed. Mar de fons explores the consequences of these events and the following repression, and how it has affected Majorcan society. Documentary theatre based on real testimonials of people involved in the Spanish Civil War and the repression that followed. The Trial of God, Moscow, 1919, and subsequent execution: the search for one’s own identity, the dynamics of power, and the methods by which we are manipulated by the state. Through dance, theatre and humour, we talk about power and the search for referents when God is dead. inclusive, intergenerational, humorous poetic, compelling, dance-theatre epic. Created by professional performers and performers of diverse abilities. directed by Vero Cendoya and Israel Solà, director of the company La Calòrica. Nominated for Spanish MAX awards for best choreography, best show and best original music. Winner of the Derek Award for Best Online Show, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021.www.iguanateatre.com/index.php/ca/mar-de-fonswww.facebook.com/iguanateatreciawww.instagram.com/iguanateatre Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
Marble Cake is a new play which takes a snapshot look at the relationship between a mixed-race brother and sister, Kumi and Keisha, as they reunite for the first time in months. Over the course of one evening, Keisha returns to visit Kumi in their family home and issues that they have not previously explored together come to the surface for the first time. The impact is huge. The curtain is drawn back and the audience is brought into this intimate and difficult moment between them, where they try to navigate conversations of race, abandonment and mental health.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
One week. Six decades. 12 songs. Margot and Martha take you on a journey from mixtapes to Spotify wrapped, celebrating pop music through what was in the charts on the 18th of August – the very week they’re performing at the Fringe. With unique arrangements of hit songs, they tell the stories behind the artists and bands that have ruled the charts over the years: from the 60s when The Beatles reigned supreme, to Blur and Oasis’ legendary battle for number 1 in 1995. The perfect nostalgic show for pop fanatics and chart aficionados!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Lose yourself in the hypnotic world of the marimba – probably the biggest xylophone you’ve ever seen. In his new solo show Marimba Mirage – Sounds in Motion, the Swiss marimba artist Manuel Leuenberger blends rhythm, melody and movement into a mesmerising performance, featuring his own compositions, cloned friends, rolling blackouts and whirring mallets. From delicate whispers to thunderous waves, this show transforms the wooden bars of the marimba into a dynamic soundscape. With every strike, emotions resonate, creating a journey of sound, space and illusion. Prepare to hear the unexpected.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Alba Theatre
A show all about the highs and lows of fame, by a man with zero experience of it... Although, he was once recognised in his local fish and chip shop! Following a very successful debut of this show in 2024, Mark Row returns to Edinburgh with a show he refuses to stop performing until absolutely everyone knows who he is! Expect silliness, niche references and very big questions like: who is the worst famous person ever? What should you do if you encounter the paparazzi? And who on earth is Mark Row?
Laughing Horse @ Boston Bar
Basement Bar
Leave the kids at home (if you bothered to have them) for this interactive improv, sketch and naughty game show. This production features a real-life married comedy couple (winners of the 2017 National Sketch Comedy Championship in Los Angeles) who explore relationship dynamics, emotions and sexual positions. Audience members can even compete to win a titillating title! You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. And you’ll invest in birth control. Erin has been described as ‘fiercely funny’ and Andrew as ‘utterly silly’ (ArtsTalkMagazine.nl). ‘Their chemistry is enviable’ (SketchReview.com). ‘Wonderfully twisted and absurdist’ (Chicago Tribune).
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
‘Powerful call to arms… three remarkable women’ (ThePegReview.com). Centuries after their deaths, 18th-century radical Mary Wollstonecraft reunites with daughters Mary Shelley and Fanny Imlay to come to terms with their wounds, their writing and their reverberations through history. Through this feminist ghost story we hear the tireless writings of a genius out of her time, two sisters trying to reconcile wounds only families can create, and the birth of an iconic monster on the shores of lake Geneva. This new piece of writing is a rallying cry for a world that centers radical kindness above all things.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
The Queen of Rock is back! The year is 1561. The Scottish Reformation has enforced an outright ban on rock'n'roll. Cue the arrival of Mary Stuart, one of the world's biggest and most iconic musical artists... who happens to be the undisputed Queen of Rock! With the Scottish nobles and her cousin in England against her, can Mary get the country rocking? Or will heads roll? ***** (AllEdinburghTheatre.com). ***** (StageToPage.co.uk). **** (BroadwayBaby.com). **** (List). **** (WestEndBestFriend.co.uk). **** (MusicalTheatreReview.com).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Cowbarn
Love, laughter, and life’s unexpected turns! Comedian Mat Wills delivers a brutally honest, yet heartwarming hilarious take on family, love, social taboos, the absurd realities of growing old and the lengths we go to for the people who matter most. Packed with fun, no subject is off-limits in this unfiltered tribute to family. An underground hit of the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe.
Laughing Horse @ The Hanover Tap
The Wee Tap
Enter the world of Matilda, the extraordinary girl with a love of books and a mind as sharp as her wit. Featuring electrifying songs, thrilling choreography and a cast of young stars, Matilda Jr brings Roald Dahl’s timeless tale to life. Join Matilda and her friends as they stand up to the fearsome Miss Trunchbull in this inspiring, heartwarming musical packed with laughter, rebellion and a touch of magic. A dazzling theatrical experience for all ages – don’t miss your chance to witness the power of imagination!
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Join Matt Holborn and his quartet for a concert dedicated to jazz violin legends Stephane Grappelli and Stuff Smith. Major figures in jazz from the 1930s onwards, Grappelli played with Belgian guitarist Django Reinhardt and Stuff was a leading jazz violinist in the US from the 1930s onwards. The set features selections from Stuff and Steph's repertoire alongside original music from Matt’s upcoming album, For Stuff, inspired by Smith's style and legacy. Swinging jazz violin with top London band. Fraser Urquhart – piano, Simon Read – bass and Joe Dessauer – drums.
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
Join Matt Holborn and his quartet for a concert dedicated to jazz violin legends Stephane Grappelli and Stuff Smith. Major figures in jazz from the 1930s onwards, Grappelli played with Belgian guitarist Django Reinhardt and Stuff was a leading jazz violinist in the US from the 1930s onwards. The set features selections from Stuff and Steph's repertoire alongside original music from Matt’s upcoming album, For Stuff, inspired by Smith's style and legacy. Swinging jazz violin with top London band. Fraser Urquhart – piano, Simon Read – bass and Joe Dessauer – drums.
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
What exactly is the difference between a medieval monk and a modern-day academic? Shockingly, nothing. Or at least that's the conclusion Mary, a troubled new student at Cambridge University, has come to after a shockingly traumatic first few weeks of term. Raunchy, irreverent, and biblically brilliant, Me and My Year of Casual Monasticism invites audiences to question if they really are both a Madonna and a whore. Join Emily Knutsson as she offers a shockingly fresh and innovate approach to sex, 'that' ex, and the Middle Ages in her debut one-woman show.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Pickle Studio
Who truly holds power in the theatre? The writer, the director, the producer, the actor – or the audience? This genre-defying new work is not just a show: it's a conversation that tears apart the comfortable distance between stage and audience. Why do we come to the theatre? To escape, to feel, to be seen, or to be changed? In this bold, chaotic and thought-provoking work, audiences are invited to question the invisible forces that keep theatre in motion. As the lights fade, you might wonder: was I just watching, or was I part of something bigger all along?
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
You can dance if you want to but don't leave your friends behind as iconic 80s hitmakers Men Without Hats bring the party to La Belle Angele on Fri 22 Aug as part of the Fringe.
La Belle Angele
Main Room
In Merrily Merrily Merrily, three friends gather for a boozy night of laughter and existential debates, unraveling the mysteries of love, the universe, God, and the proper way to eat a chocolate soufflé. But beneath the drunken chaos, one of them harbours a sinister agenda. As the night spirals into absurdity and revelation, the boundaries between humour and horror blur, exposing the fragile beliefs that keep us tethered to hope. Darkly funny and unnervingly sharp, this play is a wicked exploration of love, faith, and the hope we cling to when the soufflé collapses.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
'How did you get to be here?' EUSOG returns after their triumphant 2024 Fringe run with this captivating musical by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth. Told ingeniously in reverse, Merrily We Roll Along follows the lives of three estranged best friends as they navigate the soaring highs and crushing lows of their careers in the world of Broadway. Carried by one of Sondheim’s best scores, this show masterfully redefines traditional showbiz narratives, offering a dazzling exploration of the seductive power of success – and what it costs.
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
Think you know your Shakespeare? Think again! This is Shakespeare as you’ve never seen him before – ‘trippingly on the tongue’… Migrant actors take on the Bard, reinterpreting his words in alien environments you will never have imagined before. They give his iconic characters a new life, migrating them into the roles assigned to outsiders by society. Hamlet is a meat-packer, King Lear a construction worker, Caliban a hotel cleaner, Lady Macbeth a housewife looking after children, and Shylock washes the dishes in a restaurant. This is no one Bard: Shakespeare belongs both to no-one and to everyone.’Migrant Shakespeare and Seyyar Theatre are a gift… Even hindered by an English that I’m sure they struggle for, their Shakespeare is pretty damn good’ (British Theatre Guide)‘A fascinating look at how those whose first language is other than English treat the words and meaning of the Bard’ (LouReviews.blog)‘Highly dramatic… These people grasp the undercurrents so well… It made me think’ (FringeReview.co.uk)Monologues by | William Shakespeare Adapted and Directed by | Naz YeniThe Players Hamlet (Hamlet) | Tuana Arayici Jacques (As You Like It) | Zülfü KaplanEdmund (King Lear) | Gözde IșikLady Macbeth (Macbeth) | Gülİstan SarbasLauncelot Gobbo (The Merchant of Venice) | Semba TekİnKing Lear (King Lear) | Tuncay AkpinarCaliban (The Tempest) | Seda ÇelİkKatherine (The Taming of the Shrew) | Eser RüzgarShylock (Merchant of Venice) | Denİz OkuProspero (The Tempest) | Özlem TașDramaturgy | Stephanie TillotsonMusic | Jan ÇIitakSinging | Hüseyİn ErdoǧanVideo Editor | Asli Tokmanwww.seyyar.companywww.facebook.com/seyyarcompanywww.instagram.com/seyyarcompanywww.youtube.com/channel/UClJlJDJKbTGUEb2hxv1pf-Awww.tiktok.com/@seyyarcompanyopen.spotify.com/user/3b0cyl3st83fthn2aubq6awklsoundcloud.com/seyyar-company Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Baristas Amy and Callum are back from a sell-out show at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival but they’re still stuck navigating the coffee-ground trenches. Serving up coffee, songs and laughs to their customers (audience), they ask: is this really low-skilled labour? And what does Harry Styles and a smashed avocado have to do with it? 'Funny, light-hearted and relatable... a bespoke and inventive performance' (Glasgow University Magazine), this interactive comedy musical will give you food for thought to discuss over coffee afterwards.
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
North London Jewish comedian and soccer fan, Ivor Dembina (**** (Guardian)) presents his bitingly funny account of why he now supports south London's most notorious football club, Millwall FC. They say Jews are funny, Ivor Dembina proves it!
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
The Alcove
Milly comes from a world without music. But when she comes across a magical book on a trip to the bookshop with her Gran, she falls into a whole new world. Milly will meet feathered, furry and spiky friends who all have a song to share with her. However, she must get back home with her now found music before a sneaky snake gobbles her up. Experience magical illustrations and amazing new music as you follow Milly’s adventure over the course of 45 minutes.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Thistle Theatre
Extravagant musical satire about young migrants surviving in a place that no longer welcomes them. Meet real people facing the consequences of Brexit and how it's affected their future. What does it take to become Miss Brexit? Who is capable of erasing their identity in order to talk, think and live like a Brit? Who is willing to exchange their national cuisine for mashed potato? Danail Chirpansky New Work Award Winner. 'Vibrant, colourful, loud and unashamedly partisan **** (PlaysToSee.com). 'Outrageous, uproarious musical romp' **** (WestEndBestFriend.co.uk). 'Smart, riotous comedy' **** (ShadowsOnTheWeb.blogspot.com).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Ermintrude
With music based on the 2000 comedy classic, Gracie Hart is a clumsy yet brilliant FBI Special Agent who must go undercover as a beauty pageant contestant! Come hear the original songs inspired by the movie as the cast retell the story of this cult classic.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
What would you do if your home away from home of 30 years was gone tomorrow? As the heart of its local community, Southside Bar has seen just about everything. So why should its last day before demolition be any different? A beautifully touching slice of life story, this new student-written folk musical from Northwestern University immerses audiences into 1997 rural Kentucky. As locals and visitors alike navigate relationships old and new, unrequited love and small-town drama, they must also figure out what the future holds: for Southside, their community and themselves.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
When, years ago, a teenage Mitch discovered American comic songwriting legend Tom Lehrer, the course of his life was changed forever. Mitch looks at the legacy of the elusive Lehrer, the creative debt owed to him by all those who mix humour and melody, and performs some of the more Lehreresque of his own songs. Since Mr Lehrer (at time of writing, still slogging obstinately along at the age of 97) recently placed his entire catalogue in public domain, expect a few Mitch Benn-ified covers of some of Tom's most famous creations as well.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Jersey
Irina, Masha, and Olya are bored, homesick, and wildly over-educated. Mom and Dad are dead. Only one thought keeps them going in this remote, military town: ‘Get the F*@k out of here and back to Moscow!’ A fast-moving, high-spirited contemporary riff on Chekhov's Three Sisters. Devised by the company and filmed in the historic Ellen Theatre in Montana, this adaptation of the Russian classic is a high-spirited meditation on grief, longing, and (miraculously) hope. Winner of the Derek Award for Special Merit, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021. ‘A spiked vodka shot wrapped in a production that magnificently captures the essence of live theatre' (FrontMezzJunkies.com).www.nervoustheatre.com/mommys-deadhttps://www.facebook.com/nervoustheatrecohttps://www.instagram.com/nervous.theatre/a> Watch Trailer #1Watch Trailer #2
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portal – on demand
Following sold-out spectacles across London, multi award-winning cabaret artist Aidan Sadler teams up with Soho virtuoso Natasha Panas to present a crazy little modern love letter to two of the most iconic disruptors of our generation. Featuring heartfelt renditions of both the top hits and more obscure earworms, they bring you more than just the music with a celebration of their brilliant lives. Journey through the life and work of these enigmatic artists back to the place when you first heard the remarkable sounds of David Bowie and Freddie Mercury.
The Voodoo Rooms
The Ballroom
Leanne, Lucy and Richard spent their childhoods wondering about the moon and promised to one day live there, together. As their lives play out before our eyes, we see them grow, always together and always under the watchful gaze of the moon. With time racing past them, will they ever fulfill their promise and make it to the moon? Celebrating 10 years at the Edinburgh Fringe, Simply Surreal return to their debut play. Updated and reworked, Moonswing returns as magical, sweet and touching as ever. Join us as we celebrate 10 years and look forward to the next 10.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
'By the receding of my gums... something wicked this way comes.' A comedic and farcical retelling of Macbeth from the witches' perspective... if the witches were a bimbo shot-boy, a klepto DJ and a drag queen. Set on an imaginary strip in Edinburgh, colleagues of Club Limbo, Mother, Maiden and Crone, are confronted with McBride and her heinous hen party who are soon to find out the dos and don’ts of queer spaces.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
This solo multimedia performance celebrates the raw power of creation and destruction embodied by a volcano, as it explores parallels between the cyclical movements of the earth and the emotional landscape of humanity. Through a series of vignettes, a combination of expressive dance, recorded narration, video, music and scent, immerses the audience in the essence of an evolving mountain. Performed on a set crafted from recycled and natural materials, Mountain Woman showcases the sacred feminine spirit, embodying growth, self-destruction and balance as a call to reconnect with the cycles of the earth.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Combining the spooky, silly and sentimental, this brand-new musical is about confronting the past and knowing when to let go. When Mortimer Removals, managed by three hapless siblings, are tasked with clearing out the possessions of someone they once knew, they discover there’s more to the house than it seems... With help from the resident ghosts, can the trio figure out what is causing these bizarre accidents, and prevent it from happening again? This bone-chilling and heart-warming tale blurs the boundaries between the living and the dead in surprising and often hilarious ways.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Alba Theatre
A special school assembly harking back to the grand old days of the bawdy British boarding school, hosted by drag king and self-proclaimed "Head" Master Mr Brake Down. It's a right carry-on in this St Trinian-esque show as you, the student body, experience the academy announcements, receive a highly stimulating motivational speech from the Head, and hear parables, hymns and storytime as you've never heard them before. This cheeky character comedy show offers drag, debauchery and a dry wit that's sure to suit fans of classic British humour. Available in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.mrbrakedownbooking.wixsite.com/mrbrakedown/the-headmaster-will-see-you-nowlinktr.ee/mrbrakedownwww.instagram.com/mrbrakedown/ Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
It's a solo show. A mockery and celebration of performance. Absurd. Simple. Outrageous. Stupid. Fun. It's terrible. An important waste of your time. It's great. Please strongly consider all of this information before coming. John Norris is a man whose absurd comedy is singular and oozes mountains of stupidity and silliness. Based out of Los Angeles and Las Vegas, John brings his word-of-mouth cult hit, sold-out, five-star, award nominated debut show back to the Edinburgh Fringe. Also, in 2009, he ate and digested an entire Kia Forte.
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Our story is human, that of a company built on the road, created through encounters, personal tragedies, and destinies. Who are we? Musicians? Clown-puppeteers? Madmen or poets? Why does nothing we say seem believable? And above all, why do we continue to play? We have been travelling for two centuries, attached to each other, storytellers from another time. We are those who were found, those who were lost before we were found, and those who stood in the shadows all along. Not really from yesterday, do we wander from one scene to another. We are the Lost Children.Mr Moon is a dreamlike cabaret that brings together musicians, clowns, divas and puppeteers in a riotous, order-less and borderless explosion, featuring artists from the Netherlands, Mexico, Scotland, Italy, Ecuador and France.Moon Cabaret, the theatrical branch of Snowapple, creates and tours captivating, immersive shows that draw on opera, physical theatre and cabaret with a touch of hallucinatory surrealism. The company has experimented with cinema, music, theatre and puppetry, engaging audiences at festivals including the International Festival of Music and Humour, Festival Off d’Avignon, Gavazzana Blues, Vondelpark Theater, Cervantino Festival and El Café Berlin.‘Mr Moon blur the boundaries between theatre, cabaret and concert… it is the music that drives the production, the physical contortions transform the songs into an almost ritualistic fever dream’ (EU Contemporary Puppetry Platform).‘Mr Moon makes for a bewitching, hypnotic experience...(it) embraces a variety of artforms that bring out the best in its eclectic, eccentric group of artists’ (TheWeeReview.com).‘Take a break… roam free in the endless fields of the imagination’ (La Croix).www.mooncabaret.com/shows-mrmoon-theatrewww.facebook.com/MrMoonCabaretwww.instagram.com/moon.cabaretwww.soundcloud.com/moon-cabaret Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
Mr P from HR is an interactive drag-king performance, taking audiences down “recruitment road” and welcoming them to their new job induction day at luxury department store Gayrods (pronounced 'Gah-rods', not 'Gay-rods'... that would be absurd). Mr P has written songs, quizzes and NDAs for the amazing new sales team who will soon call the store hell... I mean home! But could this all be a ruse to conceal the secrets lying in the tunnels beneath the store's shiny floors? Don't be late and remember to be ready in full Gayrods attire upon arrival!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
An evening of good, old-fashioned Scottish entertainment, featuring some of Edinburgh's best-known performers. Join Wendy Weatherby (cello, vocals), John Sampson (trumpet, crumhorn, recorders), Sandy Brechin (accordion), Andy Cannon (storyteller), Allan and Rosemary McMillan (vocals, guitar), Pete Baynes (ukulele, vocals) and Lawrence Dunn (fiddle) for a cheerful, poignant or nostalgic jaunt through our favourite songs, tunes and stories. From Scotland's rich, dramatic folk traditions to the lighthearted fun of its variety theatres, come along, sing along – there's something for everyone at our party!
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Gilbert and Sullivan meets Shakespeare in this song/dance/play mash-up, developed and performed by multiple National School Theatre Award winners. This time it is Jonathan who is leaving the Pirate King to become a Shakespearean actor. 'Parting is such sweet sorrow – here today, gone tomorrow'. What would Queen Victoria say? Our aim is that somebody's amused, even if it's not Her Majesty. Our previous productions include: Les Miserables, 'Tear-jerking... extraordinary teamwork' [s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s] (BroadwayBaby.com), Sweeney Todd 'Highly talented boys' [s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s] (BroadwayBaby.com), Waiting for OFSTED 'Serious, witty' [s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s] (ScotsGay.co.uk), 14-18 Cyrano 'Stylish, original' [s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s] (BroadwayBaby.com).
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
It's back after last year's success! Mr John Winner is found dead at his house on the anniversary of his huge lottery win. But was it murder? Who bears a grudge? Who has the motive? Was it the estranged wife, the eccentric sister, perhaps the dodgy financial advisor or simply the family friend? Or did the butler actually do it? You become the detective and you solve the case in this interactive murder mystery show that's back after last year's rave reviews. Now it's your chance to solve the case.
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Committee Room
After last year's success, a new case! Carry on dying! Professor Stiff has been found dead in the gynaecology department. Who had the motive for murder? You decide and work it out in cross examination. Through listening to evidence and cross examining the suspected candidates, it will take all your private investigator and Miss Marple knowledge and experience to solve this murder case. Brilliant comedy expertly acted out by the talented cast, delve into the world of intrigue and murder in this great show. A must see for the amateur sleuths in the audience.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Dunedin Theatre
The 2024 sell-out returns with a brand-new interactive murder mystery event. 1927, prohibition is in full swing, but you can still get a drink if you know where to look. Join the party at illegal speakeasy The Snapper, run by notorious British duo the Fisher sisters. Meet their rag-tag collection of staff and performers while witnessing fights, rivalries and wrong-doings aplenty. When the inevitable happens, follow the clues and interrogate the suspects to work out whodunnit. A glamourous and immersive evening of suspense and sleuthing with 1920s dress encouraged.
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
A one-woman play about falling in love with your boyfriend's murderer. Can this connection go the distance? You should see this show if romantic relationships confuse you (the show will not help you be less confused), if you consider yourself to be a party girl/boy, or if you like the idea of some random lady from Los Angeles running around back and forth for an hour. With music, dancing and plenty of kissing.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
Experience the power and beauty of the movies and music in this unique solo piano recital by acclaimed concert pianist Ailsa Aitkenhead. Ailsa offers an emotional journey through some of the most moving and inspirational pieces written for films. Enjoy these iconic pieces in the beautiful setting of St Mark’s Unitarian Church. Featuring music from Studio Ghibli's Joe Hisaishi (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle), Einaudi (Nomadland), Yann Tierson (Amelie), Chopin (The Pianist) and many more.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
24 July 1943. Rome. The Grand Council of the fascist government convenes to discuss the removal of the Duce. Inside a small study-room of Palazzo Venezia, the authoritarian leader, tired and overwhelmed by the failures of the Italian army, reflects on how destiny drove him from poor and humble origins to be crowned Italy’s supreme leader – and how much of his sanity he lost along the way. This solo tour-de-force by Tom Corradini offers a satirical journey into the mind of the sentimental and deeply human man who became Italy's greatest modern statesman.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
My Brother Was a Vampire delves into the haunted heart of sibling bonds tangled in love, trauma and the supernatural. Told in reverse, it exposes Skye and Callum’s raw, messy attachment, entwined with secrets, sharp humor and pain. Skye’s eerie abilities blur the line between control and illusion as they grapple with abuse and family dysfunction. This ghostly, suspenseful puzzle asks: Can we escape our past, or are we forever marked by it? Minimal staging and dark humor pull audiences into this unflinching exploration of survival and unbreakable family ties.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Set in 1969 in the Suntree Bar, My Sweetheart and Me is a light-hearted romantic comedy stage musical that follows three couples navigating love, heartbreak and hilarity in the fictional sleepy town of Cheerysville, Northern Ireland. Yvonne is fed up with her reckless husband Sammy, while Ruby and Cyril's marriage faces collapse. Geeky Bookworm Bob woos Sheena but faces competition from charming rogue Dandy Dan. Unless Sheena's best friend Barbara intervenes! As barman Frank keeps the drinks flowing, romance and chaos unfold. Featuring fantastic original songs, this feel-good show is sure to leave you smiling!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Niusia was a Holocaust survivor. Her granddaughter, Beth, only remembers an angry, dying woman. She's ready to learn her stories, but what she discovers is all the questions she didn't know existed and wasn't allowed to ask. Through NIUSIA, Beth weaves together memories, handed-down stories and interviews to examine the precarity of identity and the haphazard cultural legacy second, third and fourth generation immigrants are handed. It asks: what does remembrance look like when all I remember is the space where questions should go? ***** (List). ***** (StageWhispers.com.au). ***** (SeeDoEatReview.com).
Summerhall Festival
Former Womens Locker Room
NOEUD is the proposal by dance company DAB, in which we delve into the working methodologies shared by Eduardo Chillida and Cristóbal Balenciaga. The creation of spaces and curvilinear figures are the concepts of both artists that guide the movement of their time towards freedom. The period in which they lived has also served as inspiration for us: we have observed the political, social and cultural situation of their time and positioned three dancers on stage with the intention of finding the path from constraint to freedom.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
NORMAL is an interdisciplinary art project merging dance, storytelling perspectives and film. The production at its core, embodies the physical expressions related to affection, care, intimacy, togetherness and its collective power within bodies that exist and live outside of the norm. NORMAL is about people, bodies and stories that do not belong to mainstream society. It is also about the interactions and intersections that exist between disabilities, sexuality and gender identity.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Performance is a metaphor and allegory of the world we live in, of interconnections, of incommunicability. We live in the era of global communication, but it has never been so difficult to be understood. We do not listen with the intention of understanding, but with the intention of answering. In empathic listening, the situation is reversed: ears are used, but also eyes and heart. What if we look for the silence within us: silence that allows us to perceive without distortions, and to truly understand the heart with our ears and eyes?www.saramarinelli.comwww.facebook.com/compagnia.freefallwww.instagram.com/freefall_dance_company Watch Trailer #1Watch Trailer #2
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portal – on demand
A stand-up comedy competition featuring only the very best comedians at the Edinburgh Fringe. All battling it out for the title of Edinburgh Fringe Comedian of the Year and a cash prize of £1000. The shows will feature a handpicked selection of over 100 of the finest acts at the festival all competing in a series of knockout rounds. Every night will showcase six comedians performing their best stand-up for a chance of progressing to the prestigious finals.
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Live Room
A stand-up comedy competition featuring only the very best comedians at the Edinburgh Fringe. All battling it out for the title of Edinburgh Fringe Comedian of the Year and a cash prize of £1000. The shows will feature a handpicked selection of over 100 of the finest acts at the festival all competing in a series of knockout rounds. Every night will showcase six comedians performing their best stand-up for a chance of progressing to the prestigious finals.
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Front Room
Join NYC@theFringe for an Artist Talk and discussion on the 2021 Edinburgh Festival Fringe from the perspective of New York City theatermakers who created shows in Scotland’s big event. Join the artists live afterward to discuss their work and their Covid-fringing experience – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Moderated by NYC writer and producer Anthony J Piccione of Indie Art Today. From 8 NYC Artists:Melissa Center www.melissacenter.comSarah Lazarus www.sarahrlazarus.comRalph Lewis & Barbara Yoshida www.barbarayoshida.comPeter Michael Marino www.petermmarino.comSarah Norris www.sarahnorris.orgTlaloc Rivas www.tlalocrivas.comJessica Sherr www.jessicasherr.com/bioCrystal Skillman & Megan Hill www.crystalskillman.com These artists perform in the following shows:Bette Davis Ain’t for Sissies (75 minutes)Hitler’s Tasters (90 minutes)Language Games (20 minutes)Marrying Jake Gyllenhaal (70 minutes)Open (65 minutes)Planet of the Grapes (60 minutes)The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano (55 minutes)A Sip With Vodka (25 minutes)Moderated by Anthony J Piccione:www.anthonyjpiccione.com/podcast1www.facebook.com/indiearttodaywww.instagram.com/indiearttoday
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A compilation of jokes, poems, and songs about a breakup, breakdown, breakthrough, and everything in-between. In his debut solo show, Mosher chronicles a failed relationship, bipolar diagnosis, and a year-long breakdown and recovery. His true true-life tale is told through stand-up, music, poetry. This well-rounded yet grounded storytelling extravaganza displays Mosher’s penchant for rhyme and rhythm, and the power of the spoken word to heal. A night of laughter, sorrow, reflection, and ultimately hope. ‘Brave, bitingly funny, hilarious, endearing, brutally honest, and BRILLIANT’ (Tod Kimbro). ‘Accessible and revealing’ (Daily Bruin).Available in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.www.nathanmosherisgoodenough.comwww.facebook.com/nathanmosherisgoodenoughwww.instagram.com/nathanmosherisgoodenough/open.spotify.com/artist/1LLskhIYNNVqFasmHmKtzmsoundcloud.com/nathanmosherisgoodenough
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Naughty Cabaret is back after a sold-out run at Edinburgh Fringe in 2024. A queer feminist extravaganza full of energy, absurdity and ridiculousness with an ever-changing line up of clown, character comedy, boyband, burlesque, music and more. Previous guest performers include Sophie Zucker, Josephine Lacey, Siblings, Lara Ricote, Madeleine Rowe, Amando Houser, Frankie Thompson, Elf Lyons, Lucy Hopkins and Gogo Bumhole. Hosted by 'queens of the ridiculous' Anna Marie Simonsen and Marie Kallevik, **** (TheWeeReview.com). Naughty Cabaret has been performed in Australia, Edinburgh, London and Norway. 'The most irresistibly silly, fun and unexpected cabaret show' **** (@InstaFestReview).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
Nearlyweds is a brand-new musical comedy that will have you laughing, crying and singing along! We follow Lily, a people-pleasing Scottish bride as she runs away from her wedding, and Jake, an arrogant, jilted groom whose life isn’t as glamorous as it seems. Along the way they meet an array of vibrant characters each with weird quirks and have hilarious scenarios to overcome. Will Lily learn to stand up for herself and will Jake finally stop the awful puns? This relatable musical comedy by Jasmine Alice has extremely loveable characters and way too many puns!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Née is a work that moves us, gives roots to the human, caresses loneliness, stratifies loss, accompanies disillusionment, emancipates disenchantment, energises absence, fights for love, virtualises the nearby, sustains magic, frightens off demons, humanises the inanimate, returns from the dark, attacks the imagination, separates fears and puts them in order, crosses the air and strives. With elegance, it builds a journey far removed from noise. It is told in the first person, thoughtful and transformative.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
This new musical comedy dives into the deeper connection (and no, not just the Bluetooth kind) between two of the most iconic inventors of the digital age. Witness the geniuses behind the tech revolution like never before, as Bill Gates, the mastermind behind Microsoft, meets Steve Jobs, the innovator of the smartphone. The show chronicles their journeys from humble garage beginnings to shaping the world as we know it. Watch as these two trailblazers clash, create and rise to greatness.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Cowbarn
This quirky new musical follows New York newbie Joe on his journey from Ohio to the big city, where he meets long lost friend Bonnie after many years. When Joe’s luck finally runs out, he turns to Bonnie to try and navigate his new life in New York. After years of being stuck in New York as a failing actress, can Bonnie find new freedom on her journey to becoming a star or will she stumble yet again and make her back to Ohio.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
Disney's Newsies Jr is a 60-minute version of the 2012 Broadway musical, based on the 1992 film. Inspired by the rousing true story of newsboys in turn-of-the-century New York City, Newsies Jr features a Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman and a book by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein. When powerful newspaper publishers raise prices at the newsboys' expense, the charismatic Jack Kelly rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions. Together, the newsies learn that they are stronger united and create a movement to fight for what's right.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Nick Hornedo is so convinced he's the main character that he made his high school girlfriend a break-up movie (it was not well reviewed). A decade later, Nick and his ex reunite to rewatch the movie and find some closure. Will they succeed? Or will Nick make this just another performance? Find out (and see the video for yourself) in this debut stand-up hour about love, art and the perils of chasing the impossible plotlines we write for ourselves. Nick Hornedo is a New York stand-up previously featured on PBS and Vulture.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
Nick it for Munich is a hilarious one-person show about Jamie, a dreamer determined to make it to Euro 2024. With nothing but a Scotland top and wild spirit, he embarks on a chaotic journey across Europe, facing outrageous challenges and unexpected friendships. As his plans go hilariously awry, Jamie's resilience shines through, proving that the pursuit of dreams knows no bounds. This heartwarming tale celebrates optimism and the joy of chasing what you want, making it a must-see for everyone, whether a football fan or not! Join the ride and cheer for Jamie!
Greenside @ George Street
Mint Studio
Is it scary? We all reach that crossroads in life. What choice do we make? Does it lead us to the realm of peaceful dreams? Or the realm of nightmares? What scares you? After the success of The Wheel Of Misfortune in 2023, Nightmares returns to the Fringe almost seven years later with a new coat of paint. A surreal/horror anthology from local creative, and HorrorTok creator Sandy Jack. Inspired by the works of David Lynch, The Twilight Zone and the history of horror.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Champions of the filmmaking talent the mainstream ignores, Nightpiece is a portal to the reality of independent filmmaking. In 2025, Nightpiece Film Festival, with no funding or external sponsorship in sight, enters its 12th season. We've screened over 370 short films from the UK and rest of the world since 2014 and usually we're premiering a feature or two on launch. We schedule thematically with five nights of curated programming sourced from submissions entered via FilmFreeway. Hosted by prolific film director Al Carretta – come and support the Fringe's premier independent short film festival.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
The best-reviewed comedy show of the 2024 Fringe returns! The virtuoso ventriloquist, BAFTA nominee and British Comedy Award winner presents an unparalleled, unscripted show that delves deep into who we are, hijacking faces to spark a bold, hysterical reality warp. Fresh from sell-out runs in the West End and New York, and a sold out national tour. 'Sublime silliness' **** (Guardian). 'Genius' ***** (Telegraph). 'Superb' **** (Times).
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
Was Kurt Cobain trans? Was Kurt Cobain a trans woman? What if? No Apologies delves deep into internet discourse and classical mythology – radically mis-remembering Nirvana's iconic 1993 MTV Unplugged concert. It fights back against the pressure to mould ourselves into images that are acceptable to society and the danger that lies when we are not able to live as our full, vibrant selves. 'Emma Frankland is the punk rock angel of your dreams and nightmares...' (Stage).
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
Was Kurt Cobain trans? Was Kurt Cobain a trans woman? What if? No Apologies delves deep into internet discourse and classical mythology – radically mis-remembering Nirvana's iconic 1993 MTV Unplugged concert. It fights back against the pressure to mould ourselves into images that are acceptable to society and the danger that lies when we are not able to live as our full, vibrant selves. 'Emma Frankland is the punk rock angel of your dreams and nightmares...' (Stage).
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Speckle cannot shake the feeling that something is not right. Could it be that chickens are not, in fact, all-powerful gods, as she has been led to believe? We watch as a group of young people, raised their entire life on the remote chicken farm Poultrion, begin to question their wacky way of life. But with Reverend Rooster's iron fist ruling over the farm, can Speckle and the others find the answers they are looking for, and perhaps even a higher purpose in their lives? An extravagant, heartfelt and totally brand new musical.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
No More Bull is a bold reimagining of the myth of the Minotaur, exploring the complex dynamics of power, resistance and political autonomy. Ariadne, caught between the monstrous Minotaur and the celebrated hero Theseus, unravels the truth behind her family's tragic fate. As she challenges the glorification of patriarchal ideals, the production critiques the societal structures that perpetuate them. With an innovative blend of ancient and modern musical styles, dynamic lighting design and a powerful score, No More Bull invites audiences to consider the legacy of power and hero worship within both mythology and contemporary culture.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Feel... Connections... Recovery... ENSEMBLE. Devised through a somatic approach, this piece illuminates the dynamic bodies of individuals in Hong Kong, revealing the intricate relationship between movement and environment. With a focus on breath and rhythm, this piece documents the music and fast-paced life of the city, exploring how economic pressures and cultural influences shape our daily existence. Through the artistry of performance and ensemble work, we invite audiences to experience the subtle textures of human connection amidst the neon backdrop of urban life, highlighting the unique stories that emerge from this populated, vibrant landscape – Hong Kong.
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
Grouchy innkeeper Isaac isn’t expecting anymore guests. So, when two angels appear to prepare him for the arrival of a certain, divine couple, things don’t exactly go to plan. Can he change his cold-hearted ways? Or will there be No Room at the Inn? Purpose is flipped on its head and wit is aplenty in this absurd comedy.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
Inspired by a true story, this meta-theatrical dive into Italian culture follows desperate actors scrambling to stage a Fringe show. Experience the beauty of Italian literature and the terror of looming deadlines. Performed in Italian with English subtitles.
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
After last year's smash hit performance, Edinburgh's hugely popular community wind band returns with its unique blend of musical genres. A magical myriad of mesmerising melodies guaranteeing contagious excitement. Unmissable festive fun for all the family and friends.
Broughton St Mary’s Parish Church
Main Hall
Love comes in all forms – sweet, messy, unexpected – and The Houghtones are here to sing you through it. Making history as LSE’s first a cappella group at Fringe, this debut show brings you a rom-com told entirely through harmony. Following love stories from meet-cutes to heartbreaks to happily-ever-afters, expect tight vocals, raw emotion and a whole lot of charm. Whether you're a hopeless romantic or just here for the riffs, this is a feel-good, fun-filled celebration of love in all its chaos and glory. No strings attached.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
It's opening night of a brand new play. With the cast and crew missing, can one actor perform every role and bring the performance to life? Well, Noah is going to try! No props, no costumes, no help when things get weird. Just one performer who won't quit until curtain call. Each performance, Noah turns an audience suggested title into a spontaneous work of theatre. Fringies Week 1 Front-Runner (audience award) at the 2024 Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Audiences say: 'Very quick witted', 'made up fun', 'a true delight'. Noah says: 'Where'd the rest of the cast go?'
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
East of the sun and west of the moon comes a tale of finding your courage and staying true to yourself. Nocturne is a new original musical rooted in Norwegian folklore and folk music, inviting you on a mysterious and inspiring journey filled with enchanting music, puppetry and physical theatre. Join our protagonist Solveig as she delves into the forest of ancient fairytales, encountering familiar characters and dark mysteries. Get lost in the magical fables we often forget as we grow older.
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
Shakespeare sits in his script, costume and prop-strewn attic amending his Will, when his muse magically materialises. ‘Why are you here?’ She points to the audience. ‘I’ve come to prove to them you wrote the plays’. ‘How?’ ‘By getting you to reveal where you “signed them”’. ‘Screw you’. What follows is a heart-warming, at times tragic, often heated debate between them – the Muse hurling Will’s own lines in his face – that ultimately reveals the truth and the urban legends that make up Will’s life and works, allowing him to adopt the motto: Not Without Right.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Shakespeare sits in his script-, costume- and prop-strewn attic amending his Will, when his Muse magically materialises. ‘Why are you here?’ She points to the audience. ‘I’ve come to prove to them you wrote the plays.’ ‘How?’ ‘By getting you to reveal where you “signed them”.’ ‘Screw you.’ What follows is a heart-warming, at times tragic, often heated debate between them – the Muse hurling Will’s own lines in his face – that ultimately reveals the truth and the urban legends that make up Will’s life and works, allowing him to adopt the motto: ‘Not Without Right’. www.willsplayers.org
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
When two childhood friends, distant strangers to each other now, find themselves trapped in the classroom of their least favourite teacher at a 10 year high school reunion, they can’t resist the urge to poke their noses where they don’t belong. Following clues left by their former teacher, they begin to unravel a life forgotten. A game of hide and seek, some horny classmates and some punishment exercises brings about nostalgia and some hard truths that neither was prepared for. Is this the rebirth of their friendship? Or are certain things better left in the past?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Hellfire gets in the habit in this original comedy rock musical. The Nuns of Fury are a trio of righteous ass-kickers, plundering relics in the name of the Lord! But have these holy hell kittens met their match? The Nuns are about to meet their greatest challenge yet, facing evil, loose morals and their own demons. Join the Nuns and everyone's favourite gadgeteer, Father Q, as they pit sisterhood against villainy – the most important commandment? Faith in yourself!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Rewrite her stories. Write her. A one-of-a-kind multidisciplinary performance rooted in Nüshu, the secret script of Chinese women. In this ritualistic solo work, writer and performer Jiayi Chen uses her body as a living scroll, inscribing ancient characters onto her skin with traditional ink. Through live body calligraphy, inspiring contemporary dance and an original soundscape, the piece becomes a haunting altar of memory, grief and feminine resistance. The piece is a tribute to the missing women in Jiayi’s life and a bold act of rewriting silenced histories through the body and voice.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
This dance-on-film follows the epic journey of Odyssea, a curious sea traveller, as she encounters flora and fauna in fantastical realms. New York-based Quicksilver Dance perform with only their hands, painted to become vibrant characters. Across biomorphic landscapes of sculptures and fabric and set to original music, Odyssea offers a feminist take on the concept of an odyssey: she makes her way by helping fellow travellers, building relationships and trading, rather than through the mythologically typical (male) approaches of strength, trickery or intrigue. This playful and poignant tale of encountering difference promises to make the familiar feel excitingly unfamiliar again.‘Odyssea is clever, vibrant, and poignant storytelling captured at its very best’ (LouReviews.blog)‘Fabric makes a landscape, a seascape, to host boats made from driftwood and other coastal pieces. It all appears so simple but it's obvious deep thought has gone into every choice. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts’ (WellingtonReviews.co.nz)Created, Choreographed and Performed by | Mariah SteeleVideography and Editing by | Hans RinderknechtOriginal Musical Score by | Yoshiko Arahata3-D Mixed Media Artwork by | Raphaela McCormackAdditional Performances by | Lia Nelson and Anna Remuswww.quicksilverdance.comfacebook.com/QuicksilverDanceCompany Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
Rejected by Hillary Clinton at Yale, he now trashes her nightly on Fox News! When ‘Mommy’ announces her presidential run, conservative pundit Chet Bigsley's carefully constructed reality implodes in spectacular fashion. Watch one man's obsession spiral into a whiskey-soaked, saxophone-interrupted breakdown that asks: is cable news just revenge porn for the politically rejected? This late-night satire from Oh No Theatre serves up sex, politics and delusion with a shot of irreverence. Perfect for anyone who enjoys their comedy with teeth and their commentary uncensored. ‘I don't like theatre, but I like this!’ (Audience review).
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main house
An uproariously inaccurate portrayal of a party amidst the smallpox epidemic in 1810 England. The show is a mix of scripted and improvised dramedy that explores what happens when a group of young people in the regency era decide to get together for a night of debaucherous fun. However, their night of fun quickly spirals into a night of gossip and shortly after a night of full-on chaos, courtesy of a government-enforced quarantine in response to a smallpox epidemic. Let’s see if these young people can get a grip!
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studio
Rated 4.5 stars by NYC audiences, Kaila Galinat’s queer solo show navigates the humour, grief and wisdom of personal rejection through sketches, parodies, character monologues and direct address. Directed by Jasmine K Bernard, Kaila invites you on a hilarious journey of a self-discovery as they're repeatedly rejected by friends, lovers, therapists and even a cat. 'A genre-bending queer romp about self-acceptance in the face of personal rejection' (AllAboutSolo.com). 'Kaila Galinat wins you over with dark humour wrapped in unbridled optimism, taking life’s big and little rejections and treating them with retroactive hilarious kindness' (Gabe S Dunn).
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
She’s undercover. She’s overwhelmed. She’s bad at everything. Fresh off her Off-West-End sold-out debut, this electric comedy tells the true story of Liv’s classified mission evaluating NYC hospitals... in 2020. She's Patient 0, using her ‘acting skills’ to pretend to have Covid and save the American healthcare system. And that’s showbiz, baby. So buckle up. ‘Terrific storytelling’ ***** (FringeReview.co.uk). ‘Excitable, manic, vivid’ ***** (TheReviewsHub.com). ‘Hurricane composite of top-class acting’ **** (MumbleComedy.net). ‘Crazily funny’ ***** (Derek Awards). Winner: Best Solo Show, What The Fringe?! Nominee: StageCrafts Selects, Hollywood Fringe 2024. Hollywood Fringe Spotlight Series 2024.
Greenside @ George Street
Jade Studio
Looking for love? So is Liv. But she’s a professional matchmaker – her 9-5 is doing just that... for other people. She’s got some stuff to say: advising clients on their unfortunate photos, talking down grandpas in their 70s who want to date women in their 30s, and making matches she immediately wishes she could undo. Come behind the scenes at your least favorite dating apps and meet the girl who's pulling the strings. ‘Terrific storytelling’ ***** (FringeReview.co.uk). ‘Standout comedic timing’ (Time Out). Winner: Best Solo Show, What the Fringe?! 2024. Hollywood Fringe Spotlight Series 2024.
Greenside @ George Street
Ivy Studio
A funny show, guaranteed. This show is a trial of routines for my 2026 tour and even though this will be new material, I'll still promise a really funny show. Wanna bet? You wager £10 and give me 50 minutes to make you properly belly laugh. If not, double your money back in cash. 2024 Best Reviewed Show list. 2024 ISH Comedy Award nominee. 2024 British Comedy Guide Recommended. 2025 Best of Edinburgh Fest Australia Cast. 'Howling laughter' ***** (TheWeeReview.com). 'It's impossible not to like Ollie Horn' ***** (MumbleComedy.net).
Scottish Comedy Festival @ Waverley Bar
The Waverley
Dark comedy about Stockholm syndrome and class difference. Posh, nepo-baby-turned-socialite Bambi is kidnapped by closed off, working lad Oliver and falls in love with him despite his best efforts. Bambi and Oliver are polar opposites, but they are both stuck in their situation, through no fault of their own, and need a way out – one more so than the other. He shows her how to enjoy the little things in life and despite her circumstances she remains optimistic (entirely delusional) throughout. A story about finding love in the most surprising place.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
World-famous Russian playwright Anton Chekhov is best known for his major works including: Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters and The Seagull. However before writing these, he was responsible for highly-acclaimed short comedies called vaudevilles. These explored the human condition including the beauty, heartbreak and loneliness people experience. On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco embodies all of these themes. Ivan Ivanovich Nyukhin is told by his wife to deliver a lecture on the dangers of smoking to one's health but digresses somewhat and begins laying bare his unhappiness and his failed dreams. A short comic masterpiece.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
A tale for a modern age: early one morning on Putney Bridge, three strangers' lives collided for one fleeting second. Inspired by real events, Once Upon a Bridge weaves a tale about human triumph and frailty, about the power of destiny and chance, and why sometimes we choose to hate and other times, we choose to dance. Sonya Kelly's critically acclaimed play was premiered in The Mick Lally Theatre, Galway in February 2021. This adaptation from the Lace Market Theatre was met with critical and public acclaim following a UK tour.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
It was the faeries who taught the witches, the wise women, all that they know. Women spun faerytales on their tongue to spread the word among adult ears. Wise words made infantile by men. Come meet a real-life Faery. Let her whisper her words into your ears. Hear her tale of truth. For it’s true, faeries cannot lie. This, I promise you. This faery has a story that’ll make your hair curl and your eyes sparkle. She’ll change you, transport you, introduce you to a whole new world and show you a view brand new.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
Join a fairytale princess with her sing-a-long show of your favourite animated characters! With enchanting vocals and gorgeous gowns, this new show emulates the magic of the animated movies. Jasmine Alice is a professional singer/actress who has toured internationally with her engaging shows. Sing along to the most acclaimed Disney songs and you’ll discover a world of magic unfold in front of your eyes and ears. This Edinburgh Fringe show is certainly the best way for the whole family to start the day! This creative, dynamic children’s show is not one to miss!!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Alice is bored and loves to daydream. One day unexpected events lead her into the magical Wonderland, ruled by the Red Queen. Home of the mysterious Jabberwocky, it’s a place of friends and frenemies, but who is which? Why is the Mad Hatter mad, the White Rabbit always late and all the roses painted red? Was Humpty pushed or did he fall? Meet quarrelling Tweedledum and Tweedledee, a grinning Cheshire Cat, and a tea-drinking Dormouse. Join Alice as she tries to work out what an earth is going on and why she is here?www.lightsoflondon.blogwww.facebook.com/LightsofLondonProductionswww.instagram.com/lolondonprods/www.youtube.com/channel/UCWQpBbhee1Wbv0sF_7Tw3FQ Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
An old book, What It Means to Be a Woman, given to Georgia on her sixteenth birthday, becomes the thread connecting three women’s lives: Georgia, now a woman in an unhappy marriage to a brutish man; Shirley, her long-lost best friend, now a nightclub singer in New York; and Maud, Georgia’s mother, the orchestrator of their downfall. From childhood to motherhood, the book’s secrets are passed from hand to hand, revealing the choices we make and the chances we miss. One Voice Theatre Company proudly presents this one-woman musical, with eight original songs.
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studio
To commemorate the 175th anniversary year of his death, immerse yourselves in two macabre Edgar Allan Poe classics. Arguably Poe's darkest tale, The Black Cat documents an alcoholic's last confession on the eve of his death. A story not for the faint-hearted. Then, the poem that made Poe famous: The Raven. In the midnight hour, as an elderly man laments the loss of his love, an ominous visitor is heard tapping on his chamber door. One Man Poe by award-winning storyteller Stephen Smith brings Poe's words to life as never before.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
A marathon of the macabre. Using Edgar Allan Poe’s original text from the 1840s, award-winning storyteller Stephen Smith faithfully brings to life two of the most terrifying examples of the gothic genre from the pioneering Godfather of Gothic Horror. In The Tell-Tale Heart, we meet a madman, trying his hardest to convince us of his sanity, whilst explaining the meticulous details of a murder he committed. Then, in The Pit and the Pendulum, we join a prisoner trying to escape the various torture devices of the Spanish Inquisition.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
Someone has dropped an atom bomb on Copenhagen. With all-out war looming, an underqualified junior staffer in the British government must somehow stimulate a response from his idiotic superiors. There is just one thing standing in his way: Microsoft Teams.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Set following the Strangeways Prison Riot, meet recovering addict Frankie, played by renowned political comedian Mark Thomas as he enters the brave new world of a liberal prison experiment. None of Frankie's fellow convicts are what they seem. In the most unexpected of places he discovers: the revolution is not dead. It's just sleeping. A new play from the writer of Fringe First-winning England & Son and A Political History of Smack & Crack, Ed Edwards and Mark Thomas tell a tale of freedom, revolution and messy love. Directed by Charlotte Bennett.
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
Follow a young bookworm and a Persian cat as they relive Zhang Qian’s epic journey – braving the Xiongnu, seeking the Yellow River’s source and bringing exotic wonders east. His story, intertwined with young heroes like Emperor Han Wudi and Huo Qubing, reflects youth shaping a nation's destiny. The play blends poetry, guqin and traditional culture, linking ancient dreams to modern visions. From the Silk Road’s origins to today’s Belt and Road, it celebrates China’s ongoing role in global connection and cooperation.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Dave is single. He's stood at the bar. Eurydice is a tree nymph. And Bruce Springsteen is on the karaoke. Enter a world of dive bars, side streets and ancient gods. Internationally acclaimed storytellers Wright&Grainger weave a tale of impossible, death-defying love told through hair-raising spoken word and soaring acoustic soul music. Originally made to play five performances, 600 shows later it still feels as fresh and exhilarating as when it began. After touring the world for almost a decade, Orpheus returns to Edinburgh. 'Theatrical magic. I laughed, I cried, I loved it' (GlamAdelaide.com.au).
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
The most advanced Japanese tea party. Break down the prejudice and reconstruct traditional forms. Don't be afraid to go beyond the borderline. Don’t forget the primitive energy that happened in the past. We are walking at the top of history. From award-winning Butoh dancer and choreographer Emiko Agatsuma. Agaxart produces innovative Butoh performances based on Emiko’s Butoh method and aesthetics, examining the interaction between body, mind and soul. Agaxart creates Butoh performances to deliver the diversity of the physical expression that is connected to the unconsciousness.agaxart.wixsite.com/agartwww.facebook.com/agao00owww.instagram.com/emiko.agatsumawww.youtube.com/channel/UCSXxrjd0qLNtUMmD5VoOTtAa Watch TrailerWatch Preview
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portal – on demand
When reality fails to answer desire, the fictional world becomes home. They are the gangsters on screen, forbidden lovers to some, the perfect souls that never existed in reality. The overlooked, East Asian female creators project their emotions onto the imaginary, weaving intimate connections beyond the limits of the real world. When patriarchal narratives attempt to define love, desire and existence, these women reshape them through imagination – not just as passion, but as identity, as a profound connection known as fictosexuality. Fanfiction is not just fantasy, it is love that the world has yet to understand.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Like watching Whose Line Is It Anyway masquerading as a theatrical play. 45 minutes of controlled chaos as comedians are pitted against challenges determined by the audience and a spinning wheel. Each night has a surprise immersive theme! Hot off a hit-run in Washington DC, this show will leave you feeling like you just saw Chappell Roan come out of a life-sized apple bong dressed as the Statue of Liberty for the first time; overcome with awe and disbelief. It pushes the boundaries between performance art, improv, sketch and game show. More is more.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
After two decades, thousands of shows and countless miles, Chris Brooker has decided to become an overnight success story and it's coming Out of Nowhere! An epic all-new show from the UK comedy circuit's hidden gem. What is success? What does it mean to succeed? Chris Brooker first set foot on a comedy stage in 2001 with nothing but his nerves and three fully formed jokes. Now he has over 20 years of experience and at least seven of them. Has he succeeded? What is success? Is this the year he writes an eighth?
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 3
This family-friendly comedy show is packed with surprises as Darryl and his mysterious box take you on a whirlwind of wonder. Every time the box opens, it's a new adventure: trick shots, circus performances and laugh-out-loud moments that invite everyone to join in the fun. Darryl's mission is to make you the star of the show (no embarrassing moments here, just pure joy!). With Darryl's gentle, non-verbal clowning, everyday objects transform into the extraordinary. This show is a joyous celebration of play throughout your life, whatever your age, bringing generations together through seriously skilful silliness.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Jersey
Don't miss out on all Aussie late-night laughs at Outback Comedy! Catch the best and brightest stand-up comedians on the Australian circuit in one place. With a new line-up each night, you're guaranteed a dose of our famous laid-back, self-deprecating humour. Who doesn't love a laugh with a room full of Aussies? Grab your tickets now as they're sure to sell out and join us for a ripper night! For line-up announcements follow @brightsidepresents.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dairy Room
Jamie's girlfriend is expecting a proposal. His best friend's expecting him to come out as gay. One way or another, the truth will out... After their successful debut with Slush Pile **** (WestEndBestFriend.co.uk) – Unseen Theatre returns with a heartfelt comedy about sexuality, friendship and secrets. Outing explores the confusing grey area between friendship and romance, love and longing, truth and lies, tackling what it means to be queer, straight and completely and utterly confused. Join Jamie, Ella and Adam for a fun-filled five years in 50 minutes – an Outing you'll never forget!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
PAINKILLERS delves into physical and emotional pain through magic tricks and romantic memories. Mamoru, a magician's assistant who enjoys her large knitted body, is at the mercy of knives, saws and guns, on and off stage. 'So much wily humour and visual wit. An incarnation of what is raw, visceral and unprotected about the selves we harbour behind clothes, relationships, even the names we assume' (Mary Brennan, Herald). 'Plenty offbeat charm as (s)he(!) treats a booty load of themes... showbiz magic/gender metamorphosis/penetration/death' (Donald Hutera). Award-winning performance maker returns to Summerhall with his acclaimed show.
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Daddy's hired the venue, paid the deposit and organised the photoshoot. Our first fringe show in six years. So, this is fate. This is our PHILOSOPHY OF THE WORLD – inspired by the best worst band of all time, The Shaggs. We'll play the band. You play the audience. It'll be perfect. Load up on guns, bring your friends. (Free soda on admission.) Previous reviews: 'Late night theatre... a bit like a party and a bit like a nightmare?' (ExeuntMagazine.com). 'Anarchic, unclassifiable performance' (TheStage.co.uk). 'Might be brilliant or might be shit' (Fest).
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
Celebrating their 10th anniversary year, Dance Base's in-house company for over 60s will showcase new commissions by Tony Mills and Robbie Synge alongside a revival of sections of Steinvör Palsson's Carry on Dancing which premiered in 2016.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
The show that NoHo Arts District calls 'absolutely genius' (NoHoArtsDistrict.com), recipient of Best Musical Comedy Off-Broadway at United Solo in NYC, and SOLOFEST Best of Fest 2024. When a know-it-all NYC comedian seeks help for diffuse midsection issues, she quickly learns how little she knows about her body’s most basic functions – in spite of her OB/GYN father. Veltman shares it all in this raw and ridiculous extravaganza featuring unhinged characters, music, videos, and a medically unsanctioned chart. If you're reading this, you have a pelvic floor; you'll leave this brisk comedy knowing why it matters.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Step into the club. It's hot, it's dirty, it's sweaty. You feel his hands creeping up your body. You feel sexy, desired, on edge. Pump drops you in the middle of a nightclub dance floor in a desperate search for validation, intimacy and identity. Following successful seasons at Melbourne Fringe (2024) and Adelaide Fringe (2025), emerging artist and VCA graduate Isabella Gilbert makes her Edinburgh Fringe debut with this immersive and explosive solo show. Pump is an honest and shameless exploration of club culture, vulnerability and the artist experience. **** (TheClothesLine.com.au).
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
After losing two family members in the same week, Eve wonders if God is a sadistic prick or if life holds deeper meaning. Embarking on an ayahuasca ceremony for answers, she meets God and her G-spot and becomes convinced that she may be the next Jesus. Determined to heal others, she attempts to save a woman dying of cancer, but her efforts unravel into an unexpected lesson of humility and acceptance. A true story about the chaos of existence and surrender.
Greenside @ George Street
Ivy Studio
Megan and Kevin are close friends bonded by their love of takeaways, Rick and Morty and Jeremy Paxman – a match made in adult heaven. But after a desperate one night stand is unwittingly caught on camera, Kevin and Megan realise that perhaps there's something more to their friendship... Written and created by BAFTA Rising Star Winner David Jonsson, Paldem explores the amateur porn industry from the perspective of those who produce it. An anti-romantic comedy that crosses the murky lines of interracial dating, fetishisms and hook ups in the digital age.
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
What starts as an innocent search quickly escalates for 16-year-old Pandora, as the world of online porn unfolds before her. Conflicted yet drawn in by what she sees, Pandora begins to feel the impact on her real-world relationships. Drawing inspiration from the Greek myth of Pandora’s box, Pandora explores the dangers of defining oneself through the prism of the internet, and the importance of remaining plugged into the real world.‘Unlike almost any show I’ve seen… barefaced and unapologetic in its language and themes. Yet it’s also poetic, suggestive and nuanced, a clever variation on the Greek myth of Pandora and her monster-filled box’ Now Magazine ‘Berthiaume’s script is remarkable in raising many important issues in our attitude towards cyberspace through its open-ended nature and allegorical features’ TheTheatreReader.com‘The text is laced with metaphor, the staging highly stylized and the context surreal. Such a combination could have spelled disaster in less capable hands. But [the] world premiere of Pandora, a Youtheatre play about a teenage girl’s troubling encounter with online pornography, was an unmitigated success’ Montreal Gazette ‘Unflinching, Vital and Important Theatre for Young Audiences’ MooneyOnTheatre.comWritten by | Sarah BerthiaumeTranslation | Nadine DesrochersCastPandora | Cara RebeccaAlex/Firefox | Gabriel RichardsonDirection | VéaDirector of Photography | Martin AmiotProduction Manager | Maude LafranceTechnical Director & Assistant Director | Emlyn VanBruinswaardtEditing & Colour | Elodie Lorrain-MartinMakeup & Hair | Maude LafranceAssistant Camera | Ivan PeloquinSound Operator | Samuel CarrierTechnicians | Andrew Scriver, Emily SoussanaFrench Subtitles | Elodie Lorrain-MartinSet Documentation | Théo GagnéSet Designer | Martin SiroisCostumes & Props | Ariane ValadeSound Designer | Guillaume LévesqueSound Editing | Thierry GauthierSound Mix | Pako MamouniProduced by | Productions UPExecutive Producer | Youtheatrewww.youtheatre.cafacebook.com/YoutheatreMontreal instagram.com/youtheatremtl/ Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
Inspired by Alan Bennett's Talking Heads, this is a play about a woman's survival and a bowl called Pandora. Told through recaptured memories of childhood, and the experience of motherhood, as a daughter, mother and grandmother, our story will resonate with people of all ages as they sit and remember their own special memories. After all, everyone has their own washing up bowl... don't they? Starring Niki Mylonas (The Seagull, Othello) and written and directed by Wendy Reynolds (An Evening with Sir Thomas More, Survivors).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
A classic tale of boy meets girl. Except she’s got a mysterious box that can destroy the world. The town Neapolis is shocked when an outsider named Pandora washes up on its shores. Enchanting and powerful, she awakens jealousies that overturn the townspeople’s lives. They suspect the answers to their problems are inside Pandora’s sole possession, a beautiful box she warned them never to open. They never suspect Pandora is a test from Zeus himself, with humanity’s survival at stake. Myth meets madcap comedy in a story about gods, monsters, love, and betrayal.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Now that the dust (and lawsuits) from last year’s adventures have settled, things are (finally) looking up for the St Andrews Pantomime Club. Oh, no they aren’t! With a divided cast, a series of increasingly complex love triangles and a four-hour show squeezed into fifty minutes, it’ll take more than a Fairy Godmother to ensure that success isn’t just a Midsummer Night’s Dream... Wait, wrong Shakespeare.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Thistle Theatre
Scotland’s roots folk/Americana trio Paper Sparrows captivate with their twin-guitar, harmonies and double bass. 'Highly recommended' (Celtic Connections). 'Infectious' (Americana-UK.com). RnR Magazine said 'the epithet ‘debut album’ belies the depth of skill and experience behind the band members'.
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Paradok Platform presents: Unwelcome: Andrew's carefully curated London life is upended when his sharp-tongued little sister Tracy shows up unannounced. A raw, funny and heartfelt play about identity, belonging, shame-and hiding parts of yourself… badly. A Cats Parasite, inspired by the stranger-than-fiction Jeremy Thorpe scandal, a forgotten tale of love and murder, set in the twisted, queer chaos of 1960s London. Finally, Russian Roulette, a brand spanking new dark comedy about a never ending game of Russian Roulette, this intimate and absurdist two hander promises to answer: why oh why won't one of them just die already?
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
Musical memories from a Parisian cafe. A journey through the vibrant swing scene of the 20s, 30s and 40s. Relive the songs, clubs and atmosphere of Paris in the Jazz Age, told by Eloise DeFleur, (Airlie Scott) and her talented band as she sifts through the music, her love story and tales of her Parisian life. A hot jazz blend of gypsy jazz, early swing, French chanson, blues and American songbook classics popular in Paris from the roaring twenties through occupation to liberation at the end of WWII.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
In possibly the first show of the dead supermarket comedy genre, Paul looks at how, as a socially isolated sixth former, he found solace in the aisles of 00s supermarket Somerfield. Paul spent up to two hours a day relaxing in his beloved Stretford branch but when the store closed, Paul expererienced the five stages of Supermarket Grief. The show features original cassette recordings from 2007 of Paul discussing his heartache. 'Paul Campbell is the kind of genius the fringe needs. A true original, hilarious and accessibly odd' (Joe Kent Walters).
Hoots @ Potterrow
Wee Container
Clearing out their late mother’s belongings, two siblings in Kenosha discover a package containing a record, suggesting a possible hidden romantic link between their grandmother and African-American singer and activist Paul Robeson, dating back to 1949. Watching coverage of protests at the latest police shooting happening in their city, they recall her story of racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Communist protests at a Robeson concert outside Peekskill, NY. The tense and uncertain run-up to the November 2020 elections reveals the best and the worst of their country in violent conflict, in a repeat of that hot summer of 1949.This is an imagined story based around the Peekskill and Kenosha happenings.‘A political and cultural feast, delivered with panache, humour and plenty of sumptuous baritone’ ***** (Morning Star)‘The writing was authentic and the dialogue delivered incredibly well by the cast. [An] emotional and powerful piece of theatre’ (Number9Reviews.blogspot.com)‘Thoroughly compelling and highly educational’ (Writebase.co.uk)Written by | Tayo AlukoCast in order of appearanceAdele Spears | Ananda Bena-WeberGeorge Simons | Bob WeickPaul Robeson | Tayo AlukoCharlie Daniels | Nils SwansonBenjamin Winger | Michael BiasJessica Winger | Lisa MerrillEssie Robeson | Leslie McCurdyPaul Robeson, Jr | Mark AtkinsonLloyd Brown | Darryl Van LeerHelen Rosen | Michelle PaulsSidney Danis | David RovicsPianist | Dennis NelsonDirected by | Olusola Oyeleyewww.tayoalukoandfriends.comwww.robesonslovesong.comwww.facebook.com/TayoAlukoandFriendswww.instagram.com/tayoalukoinliverpool/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Paul Savage has renting trauma. Greedy landlords, internet scammers and a very broken canalboat. The 2024 sell-out, critically acclaimed show returns for even more house share nightmares. ***** (TheatreThoughtsAus.online). ***** (TheatreScotland.co.uk).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
This whimsical allegorical fairytale from China is about the world of food. It follows a peanut’s fantastical journey to avoid its destiny of being eaten, and so reflects the universal human experience of struggling against fate. Through its adventures in the Delicious Metropolis (the restaurant kitchen), the Food Refugee Camp (the leftover bowl), and the Flavourless Hell (the garbage can), the peanut meets a colourful cast of condiments! Along the way, it comes to realise the truth: although death is unavoidable, it can be faced in a way that brings inner peace. Performed in Chinese with English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
What would you do if your best friend murdered someone? For Penelope Quadrangle, the answer is simple: hide the body. Sure, her bestie Natalie doesn’t talk much, or invite her to birthday drinks, and might be a serial killer, but without Natalie, she’d be nothing. So when Natalie brutally murders a client at their workplace, priority number one is make sure nobody ever finds out. Ever. If Penelope is one thing, it’s loyal. (And extremely well dressed. And absolutely, definitely, not lonely).
Greenside @ George Street
Ivy Studio
A wildly quirky piece of physical theatre from Japan. Watching PeoplePeople is like peering into the minds of its five characters: a professor, a punk, a pierrot, a patient and a pupil. The experience is strangely humanising and somewhat mad. The movements are carefully crafted and highly stylised through the unique theatrical language of Corporeal Mime. The characters speak in their native tongue (Japanese, Chinese, English). There is no story. There is no set. Just five people, being people, in their own surreal way.Created and performed by | Tomoki Nonaka, Ruxun Dai, Teruya Sugimoto, Masaya Tsujimoto, Harry DeanDirected by | Kentaro Suyama, Tania CokeAssistant direction | Yukiko MasuiMusic by | Tania Coke, Henry Morse, DreamylapseProjected images by | Kentaro SuyamaLights by | Kentaro SuyamaProduced by | tarinainanikawww.tarinainanika.comwww.facebook.com/tarinainanikawww.instagram.com/tarinainanika Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A wandering theatre show, inspired by T.S. Eliot's poetry, follows a contemporary everyman through a single day. Using striking visuals, dynamic choreography and grotesque humour, it reveals the traps of modern life, where many lose their individuality without reflection. The performance, blending satire and spectacle, questions our fate: does the collective possession of the Peregrinuses ever end? Are we victims of the dybbuks, or do we become them? This journey forces us to confront whether we still control our identities or if we surrender to the forces shaping us. A thought-provoking, visually captivating experience.
Summerhall Festival
Courtyard
Two girls find themselves trapped in limbo following their sudden deaths, only to discover that they are not alone. Someone else is here, watching them, determining who gets to leave and who gets left behind. Haunted by their deaths and the lives they've lost, the two must battle each other and their own demons to face what they’re truly willing to do to escape. A gruesome yet tender exploration of girlhood, this collage of memories, music and Y2K pop culture questions how young women survive in a system that asks them to tear each other down.
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
Amelia Crotchet is a semi-failed classical musician in a double-act with her violin. She’s about to play the most important concert of her career, but it’s far from straightforward. For a start she’s easily distracted and must explain her relationship with Violin, the practical uses of opera and Violin’s latest business ventures before the music even begins. She’s got two guest comedians to help her through it, but will they be up to the task? Expect silliness, historically questionable facts about Bach and, if Amelia gets round to it, some beautiful classical music.
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
Dive into one man’s poignant journey through his struggles with addiction and perfectionism. With original music and story, protagonist Leo Grant navigates his identity as a gay man through the mediums of drag cabaret and musical theatre. Catapulted by grief and torn between the showman and the offstage persona, with a rollercoaster tale using song, comedy and drama, he finally finds acceptance through the solace of faith and the healing power of music.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
After a life in the UK, Pernille Haaland (Netflix, HBO, NRK, Discovery) flipped her world upside down during lockdown, trading London's gritty streets, sewers and foxes for the cold, dark fjords of Norway. She's settled in surprisingly well, made friends with the local wolves and seems to be thriving, which is great timing given that the world seems to be unraveling. With far-right extremism on the rise, wars erupting and women's rights under attack, it's truly a golden age for a single, childless lady in her 30s.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
Peter Doherty (legendary co-frontman of The Libertines) brings his brilliant new album Felt Better Alive to La Belle Angele.
La Belle Angele
Main Room
Hi, I'm Peter Jones. I'm an Australian comedian. I've performed stand-up on the TV series Comedy Up Late. I also appeared on the Netflix series Why Are You Like This? and I wrote for a few TV shows in Australia. Since moving to the UK I've won the 2023 Beat the Frog World Series and I've been gigging at comedy clubs across the country. Most importantly though, this show is funny and you should come along. I'll see you there!
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Upstairs
Stories of five fictional women, fundamentally different and unconnected, but sharing the same core: the pain of living on when something essential is taken away. Human trafficking, family separation, suicide, depression, and rape are some of the themes explored in this original piece. Based on true events, accounts and testimonies. A reminder of the human stories behind news and statistics, told through poetry, dance, and monologues. In 1936 Spanish Republican troops disembarked on the shores of Majorca to recover the island, which had been taken over by the military. The operation was a failure, and soon the Republicans were defeated in retreat, leaving many comrades behind on the ground. Survivors were made an example of, tortured, and executed. Mar de fons explores the consequences of these events and the following repression, and how it has affected Majorcan society. Documentary theatre based on real testimonials of people involved in the Spanish Civil War and repression that followed. Winner of the Derek Award for Best Overseas Show, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021. Writer/performer: Lennora Esi. Producer: Rzgar Hama. ‘A powerful piece! There are many levels displayed through the performance of these powerful stories’ (George Belliveau). ‘What a profoundly important piece of work’ (Marvin Westwood).www.skytheatregroup.com Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Open the door to No 19, where love hits the rocks like gin and tonic… In Eva’s world, time has eclipsed. Control is her vice and to be forgotten is her greatest fear. Meet David, her forever child. All he wants is to meet a nice lady and start a life of his own. But will Mammy ever let him go? Pheromone spits fire, glamour, and the wrath of God into 1950s Ireland. ‘Just pure theatre in its look and style… dramatically Pheromone hits all the right notes’ **** (Everything-Theatre.co.uk). ‘Chilling’ (LouReviews.blog). ‘Clear vision… thought-provoking… engaging characters’ (OughtToBeClowns.com).www.lipzinctheatre.comwww.facebook.com/LipZincwww.instagram.com/lipzinc_theatrewww.tiktok.com/lipzinc_theatre Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Man of Few Words is a show from Bristol comedian Phil Wathern. Expect joke-packed routines on life, death, and football, delivered with a deceptively charming and laid back stage presence, from a finalist in Stand Up For Cider and Philly Cup New Act competitions, and Bristol Comedy Chest Audience Vote winner. 'A very skilled writer... his material was strong throughout' (NottsComedyReview.wordpress.com). 'I absolutely love his material and stage presence. Audience warm to him immediately' (Chappers Comedy).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Wee Room
'Funny, silly, moving, ukelele' best describes The Phil Monty from award-winning South African comedian Phil de Lange. With a blend of music and stand-up, Phil unpacks his early onset midlife crises, grief and the politics of WhatsApp groups.
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Wee Room
01 - 09 AugEdith Piaf and Jacques Brel: two French musical icons who sang of romance and heartbreak and lived passionate, dramatic lives. But they didn't ever appear onstage together – until now! This impossible concert features internationally acclaimed singer Melanie Gall. With Amsterdam, Milord, La Vie en Rose, and other French classics. Piaf and Brel has been performed in over 12 countries. Chosen to be part of the Fringe Encore series and awarded an off-Broadway run at SoHo Playhouse in New York City. 'Impeccable performance!' ***** (GlamAdelaide.com.au) ***** (Winnipeg Free Press). Sold-out Edinburgh Fringe runs 2017-2018.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
11 - 16 AugEdith Piaf and Jacques Brel: two French musical icons who sang of romance and heartbreak and lived passionate, dramatic lives. But they didn't ever appear onstage together – until now! This impossible concert features internationally acclaimed singer Melanie Gall. With Amsterdam, Milord, La Vie en Rose, and other French classics. Piaf and Brel has been performed in over 12 countries. Chosen to be part of the Fringe Encore series and awarded an off-Broadway run at SoHo Playhouse in New York City. 'Impeccable performance!' ***** (GlamAdelaide.com.au) ***** (Winnipeg Free Press). Sold-out Edinburgh Fringe runs 2017-2018.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
New Zealand concert pianist Charles Whitehead makes his sixth solo appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The 2025 Piano Masterworks Recital features an exciting array of music including works by Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Messiaen as well as the Prokofiev Piano Sonata No. 6 in A, Op. 82. Come and prepare to be entranced by the beauty and power of these timeless classics in mesmerising live performances!
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
The pianist's dead. There's a room full of pianos. And one of 'em ain't playing straight. It's a case only 'the Fringe's favourite pianist' (List) can get to the bottom of. Two nights only. No encores.
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
Piano Smashers is a new play by Rupert Page and Rob Thompson in which a mother bequeaths a precious piano to her children in her will, insisting they keep it. They do not want it because of what it represents to them, yet they can not bring themselves to dispose of it. Nominated Best Performance – The Actors, Brighton Fringe, 2024. 'Such hidden gems add greatly to the Fringe experience and remind us that there are superb ones which don’t get the audiences they deserve. Piano Smashers is one such show' (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk). https://www.pianosmashers.co.uk
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
A cri de coeur from author/performer Sandra Laub, wrestling with characters like Golda Meir and a Palestinian mother of martyrs, to make sense of the insane horror of October 7th. Can a progressive Jewish woman reconcile her Zionist heart with her liberal conscience? This tour de force, many-voices solo show, dares to ask for peace while grappling with war, whose antecedents and repercussions continue to shape our world. Hailed as a remarkably balanced and compassionate portrayal, the play respects the facts while standing firmly on personal, humanistic ground.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Welcome to the jar. Here, tragedy floats and the wail of an abandoned tomato cuts through the salty atmosphere. Come hear the lament of lives not lived, watch the chaotic energy of the search for meaning and find connections between these decaying vegetables and your own existence. Be prepared, bring a hankie, will you laugh or cry? Who knows. You'll leave stirred up but none the wiser. A surreal theatrical cabaret for adults with puppetry, masks, and perhaps a poem that promises more vegetables per pound than any supermarket. Don't worry about inflation when there is disintegration. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
When his son’s history class gets a face-full of stormtrooper erotica, gay artist Cal fights to stay true to his queer identity and role as a single parent. Developed and performed by an ensemble from UCLA, Loyola Marymount University and Northwestern University, this world premiere from Los Angeles Theatre Initiative explores the complexities of queer parenthood. Supported by his team of queer icons, Cal navigates the shifting nature of raising a teenage boy while reentering the romantic world of West Hollywood after 13 years and no d***. Cal must answer the question: does love truly win?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Scott is taking a day off work. A quest begins that will take him through an array of quirky characters and situations as he attempts to answer the question: where does one find hope today? Pilgrim of Hope is an uplifting story of an everyday man, Scott Adams, who goes in search of hope. Trouble is – where does one find hope today? A funny, poignant fable about life, death, air-fryers and one man’s search for hope. A third Fringe solo show from versatile writer-performer Stephen Callaghan (Pew With a View 2018, and Oggie! Oggie! Oggie! 2023).
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
AcadePitch Productions presents a fantasy swashbuckling adventure filled with music, conflict and an unlikely romance. The pirates are in search for a long-lost artifact: the golden pitchpipe, but the British navy are hot on their tail. Will the pirates be successful or will they be brought to justice? Find out in our a cappella jukebox musical that is full of wonderful soloists and beautiful harmonies designed to get those goosebumps going. Our comedy show is accessible to all ages, so bring the whole family along for a sea-faring adventure!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Vocalist Christine Adams cooks up another helping of dirty blues and swing from the era of joint-jumping, boisterous Harlem rent parties. With trumpeter Colin Steele, reedman Dick Lee, guitarist Phil Adams and bassist Jerry Forde.
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Often used in clinical trials, the Placebo is renowned for its power of illusion, whether through the form of a sugar pill, a sham injection or an empty procedure dressed as a cure. Placebos thrive on one thing: belief. They can heal, deceive and manipulate, miraculously working against all odds to blur the line between medicine and illusion. Belief can be a powerful drug, and in a world coming undone, it’s all Stoner has left. This belief is fuelled by trust, dependent on perception – powerful when upheld, devastating when exposed. So when the mirage shatters, what will remain?
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Play On is a dark comedy following two estranged siblings forced to complete an escape room together after attending their mother's funeral, in order to receive her last will and testament. Tensions rise as the two siblings uncover past hurts that have never been dealt with, while balancing grief for their mother, along with exposing the breach of their relationship. Clues about their personal lives, weighted retaliations and an inability to work together may cause the siblings to never uncover their mother's final wishes. Blood is thicker than water, but will it be enough?
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Proposal Day – four theologians at a sleepy seminary are soon to be ordained. In an apartment living room only yards away from the campus, these students on the brink of maturity find themselves caught in a sexual square-dance where feelings run riot, intelligence is victim to desire and games of wit, chance and smarts can bring time to a deafening standstill. Playing Love is a comedy of manners – about faith, devotion, sex and luck – taking on the Fringe after a sold-out run in St Andrews. What d’you say? Heads or tails?
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
A site-specific, immersive, and participatory experience that takes place in your own bathtub. (Theatre-stayers may substitute a foot bath, if desired.) Join us for poetry, singing, and dances for small appendages. Has been performed in over 34 countries in multiple languages. ‘Incredibly soothing’ (Guardian). ‘Turns the limitations of quarantine into a precious gift’ (TheTheatreTimes.com). ‘Gives a new literal meaning to immersive theater’ (Jonathan Mandell, www.NewYorkTheater.me).This Is Not a Theatre Company creates site-based, immersive, multi-sensory, participatory dance-theatre that can be smelled, touched, and tasted as well as seen and heard.Conceived and directed by EB Mee, materials by Jenny Lyn Bader, Jonathan Matthews-Guzman, Juan Ortiz, ee cummings, and Rumi. Performed by Lynnette R Freeman, with piano by Lucy Yao.www.ThisIsNotATheatreCompany.comwww.facebook.com/thisisnotatheatrecompanywww.instagram.con/thisisnotatheatrecompany/ Watch Company TrailerListen to Show Trailer (English)
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Enter the fevered final moments of a literary legend. Poe is a chilling descent into the mind of Edgar Allan Poe as it fractures under the weight of memory, guilt and imagination. Through shifting shadows and whispered confessions, his most macabre tales – The Tell-Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, The Pit and the Pendulum – bleed into reality. As his pulse quickens and time runs thin, the line between story and storyteller begins to dissolve. Poe’s life was shrouded in mystery. So was his death. This is not a biography. This is a haunting. Venture, if you dare.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Poetry Without Words is a programme with primarily classical and romantic content, in a sense a nod to Schumann's song cycle Dichterliebe, from which songs will be performed in an interpretation for viola and piano, combined with works of the classical, romantic and slightly more modern period. Song is the focus of our performance; we have added Britten's Lacrymae which circles around John Dowland's song If My Complaints Could Passions Move, one of Beethoven's beautiful song-like romances, Pärt's haunting piece Fratres and Weber's cheerful Andante e Rondo Ungarese to the mix.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Pop is a gig-style musical about a songwriter who leaves their hometown and moves to London to pursue their dream of being heard on the biggest stages. This fast-paced show explores the highs and lows of being an aspiring creative and mixes this relatable sincerity with catchy songs and amazing vocals. The cast of five combines the energy and fun of a pop concert with the intimacy of musical theatre storytelling.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
Practice of Zen theatre movie, produced and shortlisted: Highly Recommended (Asian Arts Award). Now, we perform in-person! A kid with his superhero blanket cape was brought to a realm of Wuxia. He took in the tangling of impermanence with resentment and lust with karma in the martial world. The story tells how a heroine copes with circumstances. Spirit of Wuxia is brought in contemporary theatrical language. Wuxia's a fairytale for grownups and a medium to evoke personal and social thinking. Continuing the creative spirit, Theatre Ronin recreates folklore and emotional landscapes. A practice of Zen awaits you.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Growing up in a patriarchal family, Prashasti naturally had one dream – to become a patriarch herself. Inching towards 40, but pretending to be 30, Prashasti can finally mark this dream complete. But instead of happiness, she finds herself pondering: was the ascent worth the price? Spend an hour with Prashasti as she questions all her life choices and meticulously assigns blame to the women and men who shaped her into this being. As seen on Netflix's Ladies Up, Comedy Premium League and Amazon Prime's Comicstaan. 'Fantastic, one of the leading comedic voices in India' (Deadant.co).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dexter
Warren Martin, the architect of his own troubles, strives to be a perfect father but barely manages to be adequate, a fact obvious to everyone except for himself. Story after story of incompetence and struggle will make you wonder how he’s even got this far. He tells the story of his life from the birth of his children to their teenage years, covering his work and interview misunderstandings, family holidays and oblique observations of life. This window into his existence will reveal the funny side of life to all, except him.
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
After eating from the tree of the Fruit of Knowledge and leaving Paradise, Adam dreams that Lucifer shows him the entire history of humanity and its unavoidable failure. As Adam travels through time, and tries to find ways to prevent this, the values that dominated society at different times in history are brought to life with everyday objects. Hungary’s classic philosophical play Az Ember Tragédiája (The Tragedy of Man) by Imre Madách is given a new treatment in this original non-verbal object theatre re-telling with original music, written, directed and performed by actress Flora Novak with music and masks.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
Prudence Play is a one-woman-many-voices serio-comedy starring a young catholic nun having an identity (gay-as-hell) crisis. From her fever dream of tap dancing, or her hot and heavy thoughts during the Lenten fish fry, you understand… she’s having a moment. She’s waking up to feelings for a fellow sister, wrestling with her every belief, and confessing a lot (perhaps too much) to the order’s new priest. As memories from her past resurface and her dreams get more sinful, Prudence begins to question the voice in her head and is forced to confront her (horny) (gay) demons.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
Following a bumpy few years of job loss, breakups and pandemic related dramas, Briyah needs a fresh start. She drives across the USA in her purple car to wash dishes at an oceanside retreat centre with hot springs on site. It goes pear-shaped. She returns to NYC and admits herself to the psych ward before embarking on a worldwide healing journey, with the help of psychedelics. It's time to turn her inherited trauma into comedy, and she documents it all on the podcast 2 Paleys on a Pod, alongside her dad, a Budapest based Rabbi.
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
After experiencing loss, a solo neuroscientist spirals inward, journeying through memory, mysticism, science and the mind in this poetic exploration of altered states. Blending scientific logic with surreal storytelling, this bold new work merges monologue, movement and sound to explore the liminal space between loss, healing and transformation. Visually evocative and emotionally resonant, it invites audiences into a deeply personal yet universal psychedelic experience. Created by multimedia company PolyXo, this is theatre for curious minds and open hearts – perfect for those drawn to bold new writing, experimental form, and stories that sit between reality and dreams.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
A special preview of Puff, by choreographer Alice Ripoll and performer Hiltinho Fantástico. Disguise is an element present in dances of the African diaspora meant to transmit silenced cultures. 'Puff' in Portuguese can mean when something magically disappears. Hiltinho began dancing Passinho, an urban dance style born in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. He carries the ancestry of Brazilian dance, starting in Africa, moving through samba and capoeira. The show explores techniques such as extremely speedy steps and the dissociation of body parts, which promote illusion effects, and suggest that something is being hidden from our eyes.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Four top comedians try to beat the punchlines in this comedy gameshow. But, you can win prizes too by playing the comedy bingo! All you need to do is cross the words off your card as the comics say them to win prizes! It's Bingo – but comical.
Laughing Horse @ West Port Oracle
Flight Club
After years of adventure, Puss in Boots finds himself alone and lonely, so embarks on an exciting journey back to his past! Along the way, he meets new pals and learns what it means to find friendship again. StoryMakers Theatre creates innovative, interactive and exciting performances for young audiences. Filled with original music, interactive fun and exuberant characters, this show is the purrfect treat for the whole family. 'Wow, what a magical, fun packed show! Loved the songs and hilarious characters. The kids had a blast... storytelling at its best' (Audience review).
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
PUSSY RIOT need little introduction, the Russian protest art collective have one of the most important voices of the last 10 years; lyrical themes include feminism, LGBT rights, and opposition to Vladimir Putin. Gaining global notoriety in 2012 when three members, Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Yekaterina Samutsevich were imprisoned for 'hooliganism motivated by religious hatred' for their performance inside Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The accompanying piece to Alyokhina’s memoir of the same name (Penguin Books), the touring play RIOT DAYS ('Revolution') merges punk, electronica, theatre, documentary footage and protest.
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
Inspired by the allegorical Chinese myth of Pangu, and choreographed by Kuik Swee Boon (Singapore) and Kim Jae Duk (Korea), this contemporary dance piece presents the idea of transculturation as a convergence of cultures across geographical, historical, social and physical boundaries. Created in collaboration with award-winning Taiwanese musician Wang Yu-jun, the performance is hosted and co-performed by two disabled artists Wheelsmith (Danial Bawthan) and Tung Ka Wai. Produced by The Human Expression (T.H.E) Dance Company and commissioned by Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, the full-length dance show premiered live in Singapore in May as part of the Cultural Extravaganza Festival 2021.www.the-dancecompany.comwww.facebook.com/THEDanceCowww.instagram.com/thehumanexpressionwww.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxsEW_SZ9suwsfjRrADMqCy5AD5tb28xGAccess Audio DescriptionPlease note that audio description includes pre-show notes, and the show video should only be played when you hear the bell at the 5-minute mark Watch TrailerWatch Trailer – SeungMuWatch Trailer – The Notion of Transculturation
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Quartet is a brutal 75-minute piece for two. Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont engage in an escalating series of role plays in a war for love, sex and power. Heiner Müller's reduced 1980 play adapts Dangerous Liaisons, the classic 1782 French novel that exposed the decadence of pre-revolutionary France, and that was turned into multiple movies and TV series.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
Kromatik Ensemble perform Messiaen's masterpiece for violin, cello, clarinet and piano, the Quartet for the End of Time, and works by Debussy for solo piano and voice. Full programme at kromatikensemble.com.
Greyfriars Kirk
Main Church Sanctuary
Kromatik Ensemble perform Messiaen's masterpiece for violin, cello, clarinet and piano, the Quartet for the End of Time, and works by Debussy for solo piano and voice. Full programme at kromatikensemble.com.
Stockbridge Church
Church Hall
Rock on with the greatest Queen piano cabaret tribute singalong show ever! All the hits, fun stories and lots of laughs as you transform from an audience into the world’s greatest Queen cabaret singers… This is a high-energy, interactive show that will have you singing, laughing, dancing and generally having one of the best nights of your life. International piano cabaret entertainer Antony (Dr H) Hubmayer will lead the celebrations as we sing all the best bits from Bohemian Rhapsody, Somebody to Love, Don’t Stop Me Now, and many more.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Today our clothes are kept waiting to go out and vibrate again in the streets. A videographic piece born from imagining the life-cycle of the textiles in which we live our lives, and from fantasising about the longing of our clothes to feel the skin again. Explores issues of ecology, humanity and quotidian habits. Created by award-winning Mexico City-based duo Daniela and Sergio Vázquez.www.hekatombe.orgwww.facebook.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/danielavazcowww.instagram.com/sergiosearchvimeo.com/user21628450 Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
01 - 09 AugEvery autumn, Runyon Grammar teams up with the neighbouring boys' school for their annual musical. This year, it's Guys and Dolls. At the final rehearsal before the dreaded tech week three principals, Sky Masterson, Benny Southstreet and Miss Adelaide, sneak away from rehearsals to check on their costumes. But when the door to the costume cupboard locks behind them, they find themselves trapped. Forced to pass the time together, they decide to play an impressions game with the costumes around them. But as the game goes off the rails, they end up sharing much more than they bargained for.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
11 - 16 AugEvery autumn, Runyon Grammar teams up with the neighbouring boys' school for their annual musical. This year, it's Guys and Dolls. At the final rehearsal before the dreaded tech week three principals, Sky Masterson, Benny Southstreet and Miss Adelaide, sneak away from rehearsals to check on their costumes. But when the door to the costume cupboard locks behind them, they find themselves trapped. Forced to pass the time together, they decide to play an impressions game with the costumes around them. But as the game goes off the rails, they end up sharing much more than they bargained for.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
On the 31st October 2019, Cosmo was hit by a car in an act of transphobic hate and violence. This show is not about getting hit by a car. This is a show about sex. This is a show about period sex. This is a show about working at Tesco. This is a show about living with your parents. This is a show about the Rocky Horror Picture Show. This is a show about trans euphoria, sexuality and survival.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Rachel explores the vast chasm between her British roots and her adopted Dutch home, providing a humorous insider's perspective on the cultural quirks that define expat life in the most tolerant and liberal country in the world. Expect hilarious stories about her life in the Netherlands as a British fish out of water, engaging audiences regardless of where they are from. Known for her friendly, chatty and relatable comedic style, Rachel has firmly established herself as a prominent figure within the European comedy scene. In 2021, she was awarded Best Stand-Up by WorldWideComedyAwards.com.
Laughing Horse @ The Raging Bull
Cellar
A recital of Hindustani classical music. Sitarist Et Bartholomew pays tribute to Vilayat and Imrat Khan’s historic performance at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1965 by revisiting their compositions in Raga Ahir Bhairav. Accompanied by Dave Beards on tabla.
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Helen Duncan Room
Grab your fedora, holster your puns and come join Raiders of the Local Adventure. Renowned archaeologist Dr Grones and his assistant Milo will take you on an interactive expedition through Holyrood Park in search of a mysterious lost artifact, spoofing your favorite pulp adventure stories along the way. Watch out for cryptic clues, derring-do, deception, dangerous wildlife, meddling academics and more in this wacky adventure!
Holyrood Park
Meeting Point at Information Centre
Raul Kohli is an award-winning comedian from Newcastle, England who has gigged all over the World. Having been the star of his own BBC Sounds podcast (Comic Sanskrit), he is fluent in meditation and mindfulness but as a Brit he knows God can also be found in a beer or a one night stand. In this show, Raul attempts to balance western culture with eastern philosophy. Will he find God or lose his mind? Edinburgh Fringe ISH Award nominee ***** (Guardian).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Front Room
Raul Kohli returns for a fifth year with his sell-out cult hit! No material, no plan, no sad bit at the 45th minute where his pet chinchilla dies... Just one hour of straight improvised comedy based on what the crowd tell him. ***** (Guardian).
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Garden Room
Rave is set in a night club where we meet Colin and Rosie. They are attending a rave at the end of their relationship and there are decisions to be made. A great interactive show and story line. The characters are battling through their own worlds of crisis using the music of the rave club to help, encourage and solve their problems. A great chance to dance to the rave classics and watch the story unfold before your eyes. Brilliant performances set this story apart and the live DJ is the icing on the cake. Exquisite!
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Grand Hall
Ray Fordyce is back once again to host a variety show filled with comedy and entertainment from across the world. Featuring many different acts each day, this show is a must for any Fringe goer.
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Garden Room
Quincunx is Ray Fordyce's favourite word. It means a pattern of five and there are five areas of his life he want's to talk about and how they all connect.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
A brilliant mix of audience interaction and stand-up from a master of the craft. All over social media you see comedians posting videos of crowd work. Raymond Mearns has been doing great crowd work for years as one the best MCs in the country! Within the comedy industry, he's regarded as one of the best there is! Come and witness Raymond live onstage and see why he sells out his show every year. All will get roasted, but nobody gets burned in this sensational comedy show. 'Raymond Mearns is an improvisational genius!' (Frankie Boyle).
Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn
Beehive 2 (The Attic)
How can we inhabit landscapes that are transforming due to climate change? Re-Shape-Land-Scape is a dance-theatre performance that delves into the ephemerality of transforming landscapes. Original choreography devised to evoke the numbers of the coordinates with movement in multimedia live-digital performance, takes audiences on an eco-journey through three geographically diverse landscapes looking for answers: the windswept shores of the Norfolk Coast in East Anglia (52.96691, 0.532), the historic Panagia Chrysopolitissa Church in Cyprus (35.3413, 4.6333), and the bustling Wan Chai Reclamation in Hong Kong (22.2803, 4.1141). An exploration of the impact of human interaction on ever-changing terrains.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
When the BBC directors try to hold auditions for the channel, disaster happens as they put the auditionees through their paces. A great, funny show that showcases the talent of Edinburgh youngsters. A must-see for families. The directors take the applicants through a series of sketches, and we see just how bad the directors are until the twist at the end reveals how some acting contracts are actually handed out. A very fast, lively, full of energy show that starts your Fringe day off the right way. The Scottish Theatre and Music School kids truly shine.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Alba Theatre
Lia and Bryn have built a relationship rooted in the belief they are forever. As this promise begins suffocating Bryn, roommate Carter invites Ellie, a seductive, enigmatic force, to stay. Ellie’s openness inspires Bryn and Carter to confront buried desires, while Lia grows increasingly suspicious of the newcomer. Her paranoia deepens, dreams blur with reality, and she becomes convinced Ellie is a malevolent creature manipulating their world. As Lia fixates on Ellie, she misses the real betrayal: Bryn and Carter’s growing bond. A violent confrontation shatters everything. Was Ellie just a guest... or something far more sinister?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
This innovative interdisciplinary short film and performance piece weaves together contemporary lyrical dance, archive footage, animation and storytelling, to tell the stories of generations of displaced people in their own words. Created by a collaboration of Liberty EU Portfolio artists – choreographer and storyteller Akeim Toussaint Buck, filmmaker Ashley Karrell, animator Benedetta Fasson and writer mandla rae – from the Reckoning with Refugeedom archives held at the University of Manchester.‘A call to action’ (WellingtonReviews.co.nz)Choreographer, Storyteller and Performer | Akeim Toussaint BuckFilmmaker, Editor and Sound Mixer | Ashley KarrellAnimator | Benedetta FassonWriter | mandla raeProduced by | ArtReachwww.toussainttomove.comreckoningwithrefugeedom.wordpress.comfacebook.com/ToussaintToMoveinstagram.com/toussainttomove/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Reconstruction is an unmissable new one-man play about the process of grief leading to eventual emotional growth. Have you ever chosen to forget? Looking to escape his stagnant home life, James finds himself on a train with only his thoughts, his camera… and some old photos. Through analysing pictures of his life, Yorkshire teenager James takes the audience on an intimate journey through his memory, confronting his past to find hope in his future. On the surface, this moving performance confronts vulnerability and loss but dig deeper and you will find a life-affirming journey of strength and determination.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
In a discordant world, minds keep moving, too active for rest, bustling, sizzling all the time. Three performers strive to relax the mind – they exercise Chinese Qigong, physical movements and sound healing to detach from the thinking mind, achieving a peaceful balanced state where yin and yang, the sun and moon elements, are harmonised. The body can relax and not do anything apart from just be.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
'Superb' (Hot Press, Ireland). Winner of Best Performance: International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival. Embark on a retrospective journey with Annmarie, a seasoned musician who leaves her life in LA for love in Barcelona. Trading music for a corporate job, she loses herself, her connection to music, and ultimately, her wife. Reeling from the breakup, Annmarie returns to her native Dublin after 25 years away to start over. With on-screen cameos by Naimee Coleman and comedian Gearoid Farrelly, this inspiring, mixed-media, one-woman musical is a must-see for anyone at a crossroads in life.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
A drunk, a clown, a disabled soldier, an old crone. A moth, a mirror, a muse. Welcome to the world of Rey Camoy, Japanese painter of the human soul. tarinainanika’s latest production shows the artist in his studio, surrounded by the characters from his creations. The drama unfolds without a word, with intricate ensemble-work and breath-taking physicality. It’s a gut-wrenching love song to beauty – the kind worth living and dying for.‘One of the most exquisite pieces I have seen in a long time’ ***** (BritishTheatre.com).‘A tour de force of physical theatre’ ****(*) (Salterton Arts Review).Cast | Kentaro Suyama, Tania Coke, Ryuta Kawai, Yukiko Masui, Teruya Sugimoto, Masaya TsujimotoDirected by | Kentaro Suyama and Tania CokeMusic by | Tania CokeVideo by | Kentaro SuyamaFilm version directed and edited by | Taro MizunoFilm version planning and production by | SCS Osakawww.tarinainanika.comwww.facebook.com/tarinainanikawww.instagram.com/tarinainanika Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Award-winning pianist-conductor Matthew Shiel leads his acclaimed jazz band on a swinging, toe-tapping odyssey through blues, Berlin cabaret, ragtime and New York jazz piano improv with poignant storytelling – by candlelight. Programme includes Joplin’s The Entertainer, Brubeck’s Take Five, Gershwin’s showstopper Rhapsody in Blue and cabaret music by the Jewish composer Erwin Schulhoff (1894-1942) – who was murdered by the Third Reich for the "crime" of composing jazz. 'Enchanting... amusing, enlightening stories' ***** (EdinburghGuide.com). 'Artistic director Matthew Shiel shone' **** (ThreeWeeks). 'Ripping good yarn' ***** (BingeFringe.com).
St Vincent's
The Chapel
2025 60-minute solo piano recital includes Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, American Gospel medley, sweet home Chicago blues, Count Basie medley (my youngest influence), Scott Joplin Ragtime and original jazz and blues compositions by Tim. This may seem like a lot, but 60 minutes of piano beauty divided up between these great styles gives you a very nice flowing musical program. Imagine a few pieces from each style to remind you of great music in your life! Let Tim 'don't call me burton' Barton play for you!
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Helen Duncan Room
Last year's hit-show returns! Lars was born in Atlanta, Georgia to a southern Baptist gospel bluegrass family and starred in international smash-hits such as The Everly Brothers tribute show Walk Right Back, Nashville Live and Legends. He also played Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash in West End productions. The show includes hits Wichita Lineman, Galveston, By The Time I Get To Phoenix and Rhinestone Cowboy. 'Stunning vocals, Lars sounds as good as he looks' (StageSideUK.co.uk). 'A powerful tribute. There was roaring cheers as the curtain fell' (Glasgowist.com).
Le Monde
Shanghai
In 2011, fresh out of a psychiatric facility, Rich Hardisty flies to NYC with no money or plan, hoping to find his biological father. Desperate, he searches everywhere, helped by endearing strangers along the way. Unfortunately for Rich, when he does finally find his father, it doesn't go as anticipated. POP is a hilarious and heartbreaking exploration of family trauma and redemption. A nostalgic, emotional rollercoaster that leaves you believing dreams can come true... just sometimes not in the way we imagined. 'Eye opening, deeply affecting, hilarious' **** (Scotsman). 'A thrilling life story... brilliantly told' (Richard Gadd).
Summerhall Festival
Former Gents Locker Room
Quality one-liners, puns and light-hearted jokes! UK Pun Championships winner, 2022. Scottish Comedian of the Year runner-up, 2021. You Must Be Joke King winner, 2024. Nominated Best Stand-up Buxton Fringe, 2023. Dave's Top 10 Jokes of the Fringe 2019, 2021 and 2022. As seen on Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch. ‘A barrage of one liners... exudes confidence and charm’ [s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s] (Lancaster Guardian). ‘Quick, original and funny’ [s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s] (BroadwayBaby.com). 'Immediately establishing himself as a safe pair of hands, reminiscent of a master like Milton Jones, his (justified) confidence in his material shone through' (Scotsman).
Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn
Beehive 2 (The Attic)
Which is the true home of heroes – Marvel or DC? In this interactive show, kids battle it out on behalf of their heroes in games and challenges designed to assemble the greatest superhero team! Join comedian Rik Carranza for an action-packed hour filled with tests of speed, strength and knowledge (aka all the things that make a hero). Whether you’re team Ant-Man or team Aquaman, team Storm or team Supergirl, team Spiderman or team Batman, just be ready to champion your hero! Dressing up is strongly encouraged.
Laughing Horse @ The Counting House
The Lounge
Button lives in an alleyway surrounded by cardboard boxes and items rescued from the bin. With sidekick Chawana, a sprouting seedling, he shares the absurdity of modern consumerism and over-development, while reflecting on the importance of meaningful relationships. Created by eleven artists from Mexico and Chile, fusing clown, gestural theatre and live illustration in a show for audiences of all ages. ‘Excitement, of laughter and tenderness that would be a pity to miss’ (Vaucluse Matin). ‘Pure visual and gestural poetry for this burlesque and graphic show, both funny and touching’ (LibreTheatre.fr). ‘Uplifting! We love it!’ (La Provence). www.circonciente.comwww.facebook.com/circonciente.circo.teatrowww.instagram.com/circonciente/Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
What can we learn from ancient cultures regarding climate adaptation, and how can we fuse this with technology and AI? Ash went on an adventure from Ireland to Australia and came back a Solar Punk. This is his story. A show exploring Celtic knowledge, forest life, Off Grid ideas and how technology is bringing like-minds together. Perfect for urbanites looking for answers. Without deviation from the norm progress is not possible – Future Artists.
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
Inspired by shamanic journeying and altered states of consciousness, this electrifying healing ceremony is a meditative ritual celebrating the human experience. Six powerful male dancers surrender to instinct, moving through a trance-like ritual that blurs the line between isolation and connection. Through movement, Rite offers a unique opportunity to contemplate your humanity, ignite a release of what weighs you down, and emerge with a newfound clarity: a personal and collective spiritual catharsis. Witness the intensity of energy, surrender to the movement and dynamically explore the profound connections between body and soul.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Portia and Alison are driving home from a wedding. They hit a deer. Portia dies. Portia and Alison are driving home from a wedding. They hit a deer. Portia dies. The deer gives a philosophy lecture. Portia and Alison are – wait what? They hit a deer. Portia dies. Forced to relive a car accident over and over, Portia must confront uncomfortable truths about her relationship while she tries to escape the surreal time loop. A thoroughly queer dirge for the imagined future, Roadkill Bambi asks how we make decisions while caught in the headlights of disaster.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Captivate Matilda is back after a sell-out run in 2024. Get your tickets to root for the 'revolting children' who will teach the grown-ups a lesson. ‘A truly charming show presented by one of Captivate’s young companies, whose version of the classic Roald Dahl, using Tim Minchin’s fantastic musical score, is a delight. Energy and commitment abound in the show about the girl with a very unique brain, making it a great show to watch… This is a really charming and likeable show, a satisfying and accomplished piece from this prolific community theatre company' (AllEdinburghTheatre).
The Edinburgh Academy
Magnusson Theatre
When Rob got on his ship, he didn't know he would never reach his destination. But maybe fate had a place reserved for him: an island where all he will find is himself. When life drifts, imagination becomes our only lifeboat. Dear audience, thank you for coming to join Rob in his solitude. But don't yell at him, don't call him: he won't be able to hear you. Even though his island seems to be on the outside, it actually resides inside him. Sit back, relax, and have a pleasant shipwreck…www.teatredelabast.es/robwww.facebook.com/TeatreDelAbastwww.instagram.com/teatre_abast_oficial/webaddress Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Cult classic comedy horror movie Beetlejuice retold through the songs of The Beatles. What more do you need to know? From the same genius mind who brought you The Elvis Dead. (At the end of that show, there was a throwaway joke about one day doing this show... and it appears that saying it over and over has summoned this into being). Work in progress. It's (not yet) SHOWTIME!
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 3
A chilling tale of greed, guilt and the macabre, The Body Snatcher exposes one of the darkest truths in history – the grisly pursuits of the so-called Resurrection Men. When medical student Fettes is recruited to assist the enigmatic scholar Wolfe Macfarlane, a chilling chain of events is set in motion. To what lengths will they go for the advancement of medical knowledge? This stunning adaptation brings to the stage Stevenson’s masterfully-weaved story of suspense and morality – exploring the dark depths of human ambition and its terrifying consequences.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Robin Morgan (Mock the Week) hosts a comedy show for kids and adults alike. Robin has a story to tell. But he needs some help telling it. Using helpful members of the audience (who will NOT be paid), Robin will tell you a story, acted out by some of the most gifted young actors who are present in the room at the time. He'll also teach you how stories work, so you could argue it's educational. Can we get Arts Council Funding for this? Another question for another time. Best Kids Show nominee (Leicester Comedy Festival 2025).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Live Room
Join Rock Choir, the award-winning national phenomenon, for a spectacular concert of uplifting songs! Throughout August, more than 3000 Rock Choir members will light up the stage with feel-good hits from Aerosmith to Phil Collins. Rock Choir promises an exhilarating experience, blending the excitement of pop music with the magic of choir performances. Join us for an unforgettable night of singing, dancing and celebrating the power of music, which will leave you on a high note! Love pop? Love singing? Love the thrill of a choir? Then you'll love Rock Choir – the ultimate musical celebration!
theSpaceTriplex
Big
An electrifying, non-verbal, a cappella theatre experience by Hong Kong’s pioneering troupe. A group of scouts embarks on a hiking trip, their voices echoing through time as they relive the city’s past, myths and dreams. Without words, only pure vocal expression and movement, the production unveils Hong Kong’s history – reflecting on the past, embracing the present and looking to the future. Merging tradition with innovation, Rock Hard is a captivating, genre-defying performance that resonates with audiences. Step into this unique world of a cappella theatre where every note tells a story.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
Following a string of five-star, sell-out productions, Bare Productions return with the electrifying hit Rock of Ages! This high-energy, feel-good musical is packed with powerhouse vocals, epic guitar solos, and all your favorite 80s rock anthems. Set on LA’s iconic Sunset Strip, it tells the hilarious and heartfelt story of love, dreams, and the fight to save a legendary rock‘n’roll nightclub from ruthless developers. With larger-than-life characters, outrageous comedy, and unforgettable tunes, Rock of Ages is a must-see celebration of the power of music. Get ready to rock – this show will blow you away!
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
A moving piece of contemporary physical dance theatre drawing on testimonies of the Spanish Civil War. Cia Miquel Barcelona create a visceral piece which is as powerful as it is haunting. Rojos grew from a 2-year research project on the post-Civil War period. The language of dance allows the company to bring the period to life using the performance and research as a way to listen and learn about the past. The piece also seeks to highlight untold stories, making them visible to audiences for the first time.www.miquelbarcelona.comwww.instagram.com/miquelbarcelona/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Romance on Repeat: Lizzie has always dreamed of a whirlwind romance like in the movies. Her dream comes true when she is sucked into her TV set to be the star of her own romcom. Everything is perfect: falling for the hometown hunk, denying her big-city boyfriend and reconnecting with her childhood best friend. In fact, it’s too perfect. Is this everything Lizzie really wanted? Will she find true happiness? Or will she break under the control of the omnipotent TV god? Turn on, tune in and glitch out.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
In the fluorescent glow of a conference hall, two PhD souls collide – entwined by love, yet divided by rival labs. Will their love spark a groundbreaking tardigrade gene discovery worthy of a Nobel Prize, or will it fade into obscurity, lost in the ruthless tides of academic rivalry? The Awesome Potatoes from Uni-Heidelberg (Germany) invite you to a whimsical science-theatre spectacle, inspired by real events straight out of their research labs.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
What would’ve happened if Romeo and Juliet didn’t die? If Romeo went off and found himself? This upbeat modern coda to the tragic events of Shakespeare's famous play follows what happens when Juliet stumbles across a new-styled Romeo. Romiet follows the star-crossed lovers as they meet again and this time, Romeo is doing a very different job. Will they get back together now that Romeo is a drag queen? Can Juliet put her beliefs aside for the love of her life? Join us as we discover if Romeo and Juliet can rekindle their love in a modern age!
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
For over 30 years, a great family secret remained hidden. Now thanks to modern technology, a nosy teen and some beautiful happenstance, all can be revealed. An autobiographical brand-new hour that will blow your socks off. Some pit stops to talk about mental health, tragedy, suicide and Scotland's drugs culture. 'Ross Leslie, though, is one of those rule-proving exceptions. A bossman who can do the do. His comedy is biographical and original, unpredictable and vividly fresh' (EdinburghLaughterBulletin.substack.com, 2024).
Laughing Horse @ West Port Oracle
Flight Club
Choro 25 give two performances of this glorious masterpiece described by the composer as 'the last sin of my old age'. Directed by Neil Metcalf with Stuart Hope (piano) and Matthew Beetschen (organ).
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Jazz cabaret written and performed by Malcolm Windsor tells, in songs and stories, of his adventures in America in the 1960's. He is accompanied by two fine musicians Jeremy Thorp (piano) and Nick Gent (guitar) with songs of the era by Sinatra, Ella, Nat King Cole. Who knew that starting work at sixteen in the lab of a chocolate factory would lead to a scientific job in California, thanks to Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, and an international diplomatic post in Edinburgh? A fascinating, entertaining story told with lovely songs, fun and joy.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
The remarkable award-winning Oliver Harris returns as Roy Orbison. All the great songs from his iconic songbook: Oh, Pretty Woman, In Dreams, A Love So Beautiful, I Drove All Night, Crying, You Got It, She's a Mystery to Me, and many more.
Frankenstein Pub
Bier Keller
A comedy set in a post office using carrier pigeons in the run-up to a debate on whether to keep the pigeon post alive or not. Tensions run high between two employees on opposing sides of the debate, as the very fate of pigeon mail is in the balance. Come on down to help save our pigeon mail (or do it in), this short play invites us into a novel yet familiar world.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Experience the rich traditions of Scottish piping with The Royal Scottish Pipers' Society and friends at this special Fringe event. Featuring fine piping with guest performers to showcase the rich heritage and powerful melodies of Scotland's national instrument. Whether you're a lifelong piping fan or experiencing it for the first time, this is a great opportunity to enjoy authentic Scottish music in a welcoming setting.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Pigeon conspiracies. Unexpected war heroes. Die Hard with a Vengeance. Just some of the topics covered in this hilarious and wide-ranging show from a regular crowd favourite on the Scottish comedy circuit. Ruaridh has compiled his various stand-up routines from comedy clubs across the country into one show and tried to find a common theme, reaching an awful conclusion. Shortlisted for 2024 BBC New Comedy award and a regular joke contributor to BBC's Breaking the News. 'Great jokes... Landed one after another' (CityLiveGlasgow.com). 'Sharp writing [and] natural charisma' (Comedy.co.uk).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 5
Celebrity designer Mat Sanders’ fabulously designed existence implodes spectacularly when sudden betrayal triggers a hysterical, one-man meltdown. Rugburn explores what happens when you’ve built a glittering life on a foundation of unresolved shame and perfectly upholstered defences begin splitting at the seams. Hollywood gossip, popper-fuelled confessions and impeccably appointed interiors collide in this fast-paced, filthy, deliciously deranged neo-vaudevillian spectacle. From the highs of styling A-listers and hosting makeover TV to the lows of underground sleaze and spectacular self-destruction, watch Sanders shape-shift through the dazzling wreckage of his life as style spirals into chaos. Brace yourself for Rugburn.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
Have you heard the gossip? The improvised story of a small town where a rumour ruins all: romance, reputation and petty revenge! With audience suggestions setting up the action, a single rumour is born. Chaos erupts, relationships implode, reputations shatter and the quest for revenge turns hilariously petty. From misplaced love letters to scandalous secrets, no one is safe, proving that in a tight-knit community the juiciest gossip is always the most destructive. As heard on BBC Radio, seen at Hoopla Impro, Camden Comedy Club, Barons Court Theatre, and sold out at Brighton and Cambridge fringes.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Nik Narain's debut hour is a synthesis of science facts, embarrassing stories, and dad jokes following the life of a 21-year-old queer Indian-American "physicist", highlighting the power of tea-biscuits as trans metaphors. Narain is a recent graduate of Duke University who has performed his witty, energetic, and insightful comedy around the states. An award-winning screenwriter, Nik holds a background in neuroscience research and K-12 science engagement. He is committed to telling entertaining and accessible science stories for the stage and screen firmly grounded in LGBTQ+ and AAPI experiences.
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
Ryan Mold returns to the Edinburgh Fringe. He takes a heartfelt and hilarious look at life after losing his grandparents. His well-received four-star 2024 show was a tribute to being brought up with grandparents. But what now? Expect moments of laughter, nostalgia and some genuinely touching reflections on the impact loss can have on shaping our lives. This show is a deeply personal, yet universally relatable journey through love, loss and finding humour in the toughest moments. 'Absolutely brilliant' (Nick Helm). 'Full of very funny and original jokes, a laugh-a-minute' (LondonTheatre.co.uk).
Laughing Horse @ The Hanover Tap
The Wee Tap
Shame. That uncomfortable, ugly thing that we all carry around, but rarely look closely at. So what happens if we stage it, and by doing so, reclaim it and take away its power? Six women from across the UK – and 10 hours of virtual rehearsal – bring you this experiment in building shame-resilience through devised, digital performance art. The cast confronts the unspoken and the uncomfortable with care, humour and creativity in this original new piece.www.sheadonovan.org/indigo-arts-collectivewww.facebook.com/theindigoartscollectivewww.instagram.com/indigoartscollective Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
1995. Holidaying on the Isle of Skye, Annie and her siblings glimpse their father across the beach. Which seems impossible, because he died four years ago. What follows is a relentless search for the truth, on a rugged island where real people and ghosts seem to walk hand in hand among the mountains and lochs. A chilling, propulsive debut thriller by Sunday Times bestselling author and Olivier-nominated producer, Ellie Keel, whose Summerhall hits include SAP, An Interrogation, Bullring Techno Makeout Jamz and The Last Show Before We Die. Winner: The Stage Producer of the Year 2024.
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
It’s about nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing. For tonight, here, together, we are free – we promise. From the creators of 2023’s cult-hit CREEPY BOYS (***** (Fest), ***** (SomewhereForUs.org), ***** (InDaily.com.au), ***** (WhyNow.co.uk), ***** (ToDoList.org.uk), **** (BritishTheatreGuide.info), join us for a technocolour acid trip where you’ll meet puppet Joni Mitchell, a two-person horse and every body part we have. A techno-punk concert, a play, a clown show, a basement puppet nightmare all rolled into one, SLUGS is about trying to have a good time while the world burns.
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
A glitter-soaked cabaret meltdown from a fallen icon with nothing left to lose – except the will to perform, her accoutrements and possibly her marbles. Join Star Dust as she rises like a gold-sprayed phoenix to reclaim her legacy: one power ballad, emotional spiral, and audience singalong at a time. Fringe debut from Punchdrunk’s Kat McGarr, 'witty, mad, hilarious' (Time Out), transforming grief into something absurd, funny, profound. Expect glamour, chaos, clowning, a confetti of catharsis, and a show-stopping finale of hope. Think: Gloria Swanson meets Fleabag at a wake. Sprayed gold. With snacks.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
In this brilliant but little-known silent film from 1923, Charlie Chaplin plays an escaped convict who steals a minister's clothes. This disguise leads him into a series of misadventures when he has to keep playing the part of a parson, including conducting a wedding and improvising a sermon. The screening of this unique film will be introduced by Richard Kendall.
St Vincent's
The Undercroft
First published in Edinburgh in 1650, the Scottish Metrical Psalter remains in use to this day. This celebration of its remarkable contribution to sacred music includes Edinburgh composer Chris Hutchings' new setting of Psalm 24, and three commissions from winners of last year's young composers competition, as well as music from the period of the Psalter’s publication. The evening includes an opportunity for the audience to join in singing some of very best known Scottish psalms.
Sacred Heart Church
Church
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) was employed as Maestro di Capella at the Ospedale Della Pieta in the great mercantile city of Venice. The strikingly simple interior of Edinburgh’s historic Canongate Kirk provides the Howe Street Ensemble, directed by Les Shankland, with a fine acoustic in which to sing some of Vivaldi’s most exquisite pieces. The programme includes the famous Gloria in D major, as well as Lauda Jerusalem, and the Vesper Psalm Beatus Vir.
Canongate Kirk
Canongate Kirk
Compositions by the winners of the 2025 Sacred Music Scottish young composers competition will be performed by the Sacred Arts Festival Singers, director Calum Robertson. The recital includes additional music by Paul Mealor LVO, principal adjudicator of the competition and celebrated royal composer, who will talk about composing sacred music and comment on both the winning and the highly commended pieces.
Canongate Kirk
Canongate Kirk
This groundbreaking event brings together Ian Bradley, author of The Message of the Musical (2004) and Music of the Night (2025), and the renowned Schola Cantorum to uncover the search for the divine in shows like The Sound of Music, South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof, Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables and more. Be prepared – you'll never hear these musicals in the same way again!
St Mary's Catholic Cathedral
Cathedral Nave
Emma Morwood, soprano and Ingrid Sawers, piano. Samuel Barber, Hermit Songs; Schubert, Litanei; Howells, King David; Strauss, Morgen and Allerseelen; Rachmaninov; Two Sacred Songs. Emma Morwood’s recent concert highlights include appearances as a soloist with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Edinburgh Royal Choral Union. Ingrid Sawers is equally at home in instrumental and vocal repertoire. She has performed at numerous venues throughout the UK, Europe and Canada and broadcast live on BBC radio arts channels.
Old Saint Paul's Church
Church
The bible verse 'we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses' provides the inspiration for this musical celebration of great Christian saints and martyrs. Interspersed with poems reflecting the same theme, the highly acclaimed choir of Old Saint Paul's (director John Kitchen, Edinburgh City Organist) will perform a selection of music, drawn from many centuries and reflecting the lives and deaths of some of the greatest witnesses to Christian faith.
Old Saint Paul's Church
Church
This multimedia presentation is designed to uncover the origins, novelty, artistic content and pervasive influence of this remarkable book. Organised in conjunction with the Scottish Church Service Society, the event combines short talks and video presentations from experts, with a chance for everyone to sing. Original copies of the Psalter and other related artefacts will be on display.
St Vincent's
The Chapel
War, peace and reconciliation. Duruflé Requiem and other choral works. Robin Chapel Choir director Paul Gudgin. Edinburgh’s Robin Chapel is a memorial to Lt Robin Tudsbury of the Royal Horse Guards, who was killed in action in the final months of World War II. The acclaimed Robin Chapel Choir mark the 80th anniversary of his death with a selection of choral works from the aftermath of the war including Duruflé’s exquisite Requiem.
St Vincent's
The Chapel
Contemporary Sacred Song. Following their Sacred Arts Festival debut in 2024, Sam Madden, an international tenor from Dunedin, New Zealand, currently singing as a lay clerk at Ely Cathedral and Will Sims (piano) Director of Chapel Music at Robinson College, Cambridge return to Edinburgh with a recital of sacred song by contemporary composers. The programme includes works by Errollyn Wallen (Master of the King’s Music), Thea Musgrave, Roxanna Panufnik and the festival’s patron Paul Mealor LVO.
St Vincent's
The Chapel
The winners of the competition will be announced and invited to read their poems alongside two celebrated Scottish poets. Robert Crawford is the author of the newly published Old World, his ninth collection of poems, and Shetlander Christine De Luca was Edinburgh's Makar (poet laureate) from 2014 to 2017. Organised in conjunction with the Scottish Poetry Library.
Canongate Kirk
Canongate Kirk
‘The dark well from which we draw’. Poets Grahame Davies and Rowan Williams explore Welsh religious poetry to mark 25 years since the death of RS Thomas. Readings and conversation, together with verses set to music by composer Paul Mealor, and sung by the Sacred Arts Festival Singers under the direction of Calum Robertson. Organised in conjunction with the Scottish Network for Religion and Literature.
St John's Church
Main Church
A fun, educational and interactive show for babies and toddlers where wriggling is allowed. The programme of music has a theme of water and tells a musical version of Hans Christian Anderson's story of the Lucky Toy Soldier. A selection of carefully chosen music is performed by a professional violinist and professional cellist. Instruments are provided to join in with familiar songs. Suitable for the whole family.
Stockbridge Church
Young Room
Sometimes good girls don't go bad, they go sad! This one-woman show is a glimpse into the mind of former prude and purity culture devote Syd King. She is a little sexually repressed and a little bit rock and roll. So, if you have been personally victimized by Catholic school... you are entitled to compensation!! Buttt you're gonna have to settle for some singing, dancing, puppetry, clown and a cartwheel. More fun than youth group, it's Saint Sydney! Directed by Saturday Night Live alum Vannessa Jackson.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
This reinterpretation of The Crucible juxtaposes the story of the Salem Witch Trials with a current day trial by social media. In a world of persecution, isolation and fear, the pressure to conform overrides individual integrity, the work asks the question what are we willing to sacrifice to save our reputation? The production will combine physical theatre, text, dance and an original sound score, creating an engaging drama that transports the audience between 1692 and current day as the stories of young women are told in parallel. A tale of coercion.
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
Saloon Girls is a dark comedy set in a 19th-century saloon and brothel of the Great American West. Story unfolds in one room (the dressing room) where the women doll themselves up, debrief their evenings, and scheme to navigate a male-dominated lawless land. The narrative delves into relationships between the painted ladies and their Madam, whose status quo is thrown to bits by the arrival of a long-lost sister in search of her sibling. Journey with us to the Wild West to learn the bawdy and boisterous stories of six soiled doves, woven in a colorful historical tapestry.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
What advice did the Guinness World Records' Oldest Man have for Sam Michael and how did it change his outlook on life? Sam Michael's debut solo hour show, World's Oldest Man hilariously explores feeling older than your years (even in childhood!) and nostalgically looks back on those just-missed adventures of 'youff' whilst trying to relive them (before it's too late!). But what happened when Sam actually met the Guinness World Records' world's oldest man and what was the "life-changing" advice that he gave him?
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
Lucifer, the fallen angel, begs God’s permission to return to Heaven: ‘You forgave everyone, but me. Why not me? I was first.’ Are Satan and God within the eyes and deeds of humankind? Is Satan responsible for all he is accused of? Have we ever heard him testify? Labelled ‘Father of Lies’ and ‘Prince of Darkness’, Satan puts forward his case: ‘Who says your way is right? They have forgotten you.’ This original piece explores and opens a conversation about religion, faith and humanity that is normally taboo or censored. A solo tour-de-force with music and movement.Winner of the Derek Award for Spirit of the Fringe, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021Winner of the Derek Award for Best Drama, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023Offie Award nominated, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023‘Original… fresh’ (LouReviews.blog)‘Mesmerising, seductive and powerful… hauntingly beautiful… I’m blown away by the quality of the writing… Deaon is an electric performer… His words get under your skin and stay there’ (NicsReviews2021.wordpress.com)satanvsgod.comwww.facebook.com/satanvsgod.officialwww.instagram.com/satanvsgod.official Watch Trailer #1Watch Trailer #2Watch Trailer #3
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Dan works at the UK's most successful and infamous gay sauna. A place where men from all walks of life come to relax, socialise and most importantly... f*ck. Join Dan as he navigates a hidden world of lust, friendship and unorthodox working relationships. From multi award-winning writer and performer, Dan Ireland-Reeves, comes a semi-autobiographical look behind the curtain of one of the world's most secretive and seductive industries. Pulsing with frenetic energy and laced with sexual tension, Sauna Boy is guaranteed to touch you in more ways than one. Winner of Oscar Wilde Award for Best Writing 2024.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
A London flat: a suitcase, sofa, coffee table, half-eaten tuna sandwich on it... and the dead body of Charlie Matthews sprawled across the floor, gunshot wound in her chest... In this Tarantino-inspired comedy-thriller epic... bumbling hit-people comedy-duo Jack and Jill stumble upon the score of a lifetime when they cross paths with the epic, the badass: Alix Jones a one-woman-army on a revenge quest to save her sister Sophie... Who is Alix? Why is she here? Who killed Charlie Matthews? What's in the suitcase? And is it morally okay to eat a dead woman's tuna sandwich?
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Thistle Theatre
New Year's Eve, 2007. A fraud scandal has gone public and hit The Company like a ton of bricks. The Company scrambles to recover, meaning massive layoffs for low level employees and possible prison time for the higher ups. The accounting department need to choose amongst themselves who will take the blame, as well as deal with their imminent divorce. Join us for a productive, efficient, synergised, motivating and challenging 45 minute shift.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Written by Justin Butcher. On Millenium Eve, a 100-year-old clown comes offstage after his final ever performance to tell the story of his life: epic, hilarious and tragic. Performed by Fringe legend Thom Tuck (Penny Dreadfuls, Horrible Histories, Play What I Wrote). Tuck presented this play at the Fringe 2005 and 2015, and plans to revive the piece every decade as he approaches the age of the character. 'To this near-poetry Tuck gave glorious voice' (Observer). 'Intense as it is intoxicating' (Skinny). 'Perfectly balanced hour of storytelling' (ThreeWeeks). 'Inhabits the role with real humility and wisdom' (BroadwayBaby.com).
Hoots @ Potterrow
Big Yurt
Fife Opera cordially invites you to Mozart’s the Marriage of Figaro, presenting the well-known music and beloved characters in about 90 minutes with no interval. This delightful comedy is updated to the first half of the 20th century. Our cast of Scottish-based soloists and chorus will be accompanied by a chamber ensemble of piano and strings. Scenes will be costumed, semi-staged and the story joined together with narration. Sung in English with English surtitles. Musical Director Derek Clark, Production Director Rosemary Nairne.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Forth Children's Theatre return for their 44th Edinburgh Fringe production with the rockin' Andrew Lloyd Webber stage adaptation of School of Rock. Dewey Finn, an amateur rock enthusiast, slyly takes up his friend's job by posing as a substitute teacher. Bearing no teaching qualifications, he instead starts training the students to form a band. Previous FCT productions include The Sound of Music, Everybody's Talking About Jamie (**** AllEdinburghTheatre.com) and The Addams Family – A New Musical (***** CorrBlimey.co.uk). Now we're ready to climb to the top of mount rock for Fringe 2025!
Broughton High School
Main Theatre
A hilariously bonkers, award-winning show where children (and maybe even a few parents) take to the stage to share their favourite jokes. Best Children's Show, Buxton Fringe 2024. Best Children's Show, Morecambe Fringe 2023. Leicester Comedy Festival Best Kids' Show nominee. Created by comedian Philip Simon during lockdown to entertain children (and give parents a well-deserved break), this is the hilariously silly joke show where your kids are the stars. ‘The comedy world's Joe Wicks’ (BBC Radio London). Expect silliness, cheeky laughs and almost certainly a few references to poo!
Le Monde
Dirty Martini
Science communication that engages the heart and the mind. Two scientists turned performers, Giulia and Richard, share their passion for the fun, wild ideas hiding in science’s back catalogue. From fire to water, thermodynamics to the Twin Paradox, five stories will materialise to kickstart scientific wonder. Our stories anthropomorphise the scientific world, giving atoms personalities to explain their behaviour, adding emotions to chemical reactions and inserting the idiosyncrasies of science into the day-to-day. Full book of stories available to buy at the end of the show. We will reawaken the curiosity that your science teacher crushed.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Score explores the impact of technology on nature and human life. Using electric muscle stimulation (EMS), three performers' muscles are involuntarily activated, allowing choreography to be driven by computational code. The piece examines the relationship between the human body and technology, questioning how advancements meant to simplify life may disconnect us from free will and cognitive abilities. It raises ethical concerns about technologies that challenge the human body's relevance in society.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Peter Seivewright {pianoforte} performs the masterpiece of American Transcendentalism Concord Sonata by Charles Ives (1874-1954) and music by Scottish composers Eddie McGuire and Tommy Fowler.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Join us for Scots o' the Pops – a lively, interactive music show that celebrates the best of Scottish pop! Sing along to your favourite hits from iconic Scottish singers and bands, as we pack in as many chart toppers as possible. This engaging experience invites everyone to participate, creating a vibrant atmosphere filled with laughter and joy. Whether you're a fan of classic favourites or contemporary sensations, there’s something for everyone. Bring your friends and family for a night of unforgettable music, fun and camaraderie. Don’t miss out on this musical celebration of Scotland’s finest!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
When the sun goes down the weirdos come out to play... Surreally Good is an absurd foray into the wonderful world of award-winning surrealist and comedy nincompoop Scott Turnbull. Expect live, lo-fi animations on an old overhead projector, catchy songs played badly on a miniature Casio Keyboard and a series of unexpectedly tender moments of storytelling linked together with love, dark humour and felt tip pens. Bring booze and friends. 'Teesside surreal is a thing, Scott Turnbull is its King' (North East Reviews).
Summerhall Festival
Former Womens Locker Room
Put a finger down if one day you looked at the world around you and said there has to be another way – a better way. Welcome to the void, a pure pristine world of divine minimalism. We love the void, we worship the void, in the void everything is exactly as it should be. Our three disciples will guide you through your day from the moment you wake until you scroll away: you need them! And they need you. Kira Mason’s new absurdist piece Screaming Into the Void explores the internet’s relentless grip on womanhood.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Sean Mearns Band present... Country Music All Stars. Join us for a night to remember covering classics from Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, CCR, Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs and many more. Sean and the band are Edinburgh locals who are passionate about live music and everything country! Get your cowboy boots and Stetsons at the ready for a night of country music that you won't forget. This show is a must for country music lovers!
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Grand Hall
A bold, witty and moving autobiographical solo performance exploring queer identity, diaspora, racial injustice and the search for belonging. Krishna, a queer Indian-Malaysian man, attends a gay speed-dating event in Berlin. Through five-minute conversations, his regret and grief at never coming out to his late mother emerge. With raw storytelling, multimedia projection and poetic honesty, the piece weaves together personal memories, political insight and humour to challenge dominant narratives and celebrate the voices of the marginalised. It speaks to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider, because of their skin, sexuality, culture or class.‘Once in a while you see something that takes your breath away, something so perfectly formed and delivered that you would happily see it again and again… Second Class Queer made me laugh… and cry. It made me feel guilt and shame, it made me feel uncomfortable and then proud. It made me want to be a better man and it made me want to see this important piece of theatre be shown to young people and old, worldwide’ Andrew Kay, TheLatest.co.uk
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
Seconds delves into the complexities of heartache, loneliness and redemption through two women’s stories as they grapple with new beginnings. Sandra is a first-time mother living rurally, her vision for motherhood not working out, marred by colic and harbouring a secret. Jenny is heartbroken and cynical, reeling from a failed romance she thought would last forever. Her day-to-day dealings are interrupted by gut punching realisations that she is once again alone and navigating life as a single woman. The play follows both characters as they play the cards dealt, unaware of each other's part in the same game.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
A typical rehearsal quickly deteriorates when the actors find themselves unable to depict the difference between fiction and reality. A play within a play.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Sekoya is an interdisciplinary trio, harmoniously combining European music with American jazz, to create a sincere genre-defying musical entanglement uniquely their own, focusing on energy and improvised interplay. 'A beautifully crafted piece of work' (Scotsman).
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Finally, a one-man show that's brave enough to ask the question: why can't we, as humans, get enough of fizzy beverages? On a sweltering summer day, Seltzer Boy can only find relief with an ice-cold seltzer. With zero calories and countless flavours, it’s the perfect way to assuage his feelings of bodily inadequacy. Or is it? Join Seltzer Boy on his carbonated journey exploring his delicate relationship with his body, what he puts in it, and why. Ultimately, he has to ask: How can one accept their body when all they know is how to hate it?
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
At the Smits' family home, Christmas Eve is all about stories from the past. Grandpa usually leads the way, but this year everything is different. Dementia is loosening his grip on time. His memories, once vivid, start to make no sense, fading like a photo exposed to light. Sense is a musical journey through time and memory: an intimate and moving story about the power of family, love and loss. With a powerful Belgian professional cast and original songs, it's a warm, hopeful, unforgettable experience for the whole family.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
A brand new relatable and comedic monologue following Lara, a creative writing graduate, hoping to write the next best-selling fantasy romance novel. There’s only one thing standing in her way: her casual waitressing job that keeps the money coming in. We’ve all been there, but Lara wasn’t ready for the stressful and chaotic reality of working in the service industry. Can Lara keep her sanity and get her big writing break, or will she crumble under the pressure of under-staffed shifts, creepy comments and customers who say their only food allergies are women...?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Get ready for an unforgettable night with Mrs C – she’s calling you to join the fun! Prepare yourself for a whirlwind of laughter, infectious tunes, and a good old-fashioned roasting you won’t soon forget. It’s an emotional rollercoaster you’ll be eager to ride time and time again. Mrs. C dives into anything and everything, with the occasional song (or six!) thrown in for extra flair. Her goal? To connect with as many of you as possible. What will she say? Honestly, even she doesn’t know! So grab a seat, relax, and most importantly... Settle!
Planet Bar
Planet Bar Stage
Step into the captivating world of this powerful and provocative play by Linda McLean. This unflinching exploration delves into the complexities of faith, desire and human connection. Through gripping performances and thought-provoking dialogue, Sex and God challenges the boundaries of love, religion and identity. Don’t miss this unforgettable journey into the heart of what it means to be a woman, in every version of society.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Sex, Drugs and...? An exclusive interview sheds light on the formative years of Scotland's biggest punk, alternative (fictional) band, revealing how their drug addiction and musical passion clashed together to give way to sobering success. Tackling issues of the pressures of modern life, three addict punks recount how their love of music and creative passion saved them from a pitfall of coke and broken dreams, allowing them the worldwide success they have today. A powerful new piece of writing about celebrating creativity and fighting for your friends, written by Samara Telford and directed by Andrew Nimmo.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
The five-star, multi sell-out, Fringe phenomenon is back! With its hilarious combination of an entirely serious adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and an absolutely sh!t-faced actor! It just wouldn't be the Fringe without it. With a genuinely inebriated cast member each night, no two shows are ever the same in this raucous, riotous rampage through one of Shakespeare's most mischievous plays. Featuring a rotating cast of the finest classically trained actors, partial nudity, foul language, acts of a sexual nature, and actual Shakespeare. Please remember to always #EnjoyShakespeareResponsibly.
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
On a soundstage at the 1970 MGM studio auction, Ann Miller revisits the Golden Age of Hollywood and discovers her second act as a Broadway star. A love letter to entertainment, starring Kayla Boye (Call Me Elizabeth, 2023 Fringe sell-out).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
The Bardic Breakfasters are back with a brand-new show, with breakfast included! A pleasing plethora of pentameter, puns and pastry. A sensational Shakespearience, perfect for hardened fans and blank-verse virgins alike.‘A bouncy and boisterous take on Willie’s work’ (List).‘Well worth getting out of bed for’ (Independent).‘No holds Bard‘ (FringeGuru.com).‘Irreverent humour… clever’ (Stage).‘Side-splitting… glorious’ (BroadwayBaby.com).‘Full of fun’ (RemoteGoat.com).‘Sizzling’ (Scottish Daily Express).Free coffee and croissants! Fringe favourite since 1992. Book early.www.ctheatre.comfacebook.com/ctheatreedinburghinstagram.com/c_theatre/
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
The perfect introduction to Shakespeare’s beloved characters for children and their families. Discover brave adventurers, spell-binding suspense and laughs aplenty. ‘Hidden gem’ (FringeReview.co.uk). ‘Capturing the emotional heart’ **** (List). www.ctheatre.com
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Imagine the most well-loved Shakespeare characters plopped into the same Tudor world where Shakespeare's rival Robert Greene rewrites history in the style of a British pantomime. Boo for our baddie, watch out for people "behind you" and sing along with our three cast members (who play everyone!). Featuring Romeo and Juliet, Midsummer's Night's Dream and... The Scottish Play. Dun dun duuun! Whether a lover or a casual liker of Shakespeare, you're bound to have a laugh. To be or not to be ridiculous?... It's seriously got "to be".
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
Shakespeare's extraordinary ability to understand and articulate the diverse thoughts, emotions and experiences of his characters has imbued his words in our everyday language and imprinted his stories on our minds. Shakespeare: Master of the Mind is an enchanting mentalism show that celebrates the genius of William Shakespeare through the art of psychological illusion. Watch in awe as two members of the audience are impossibly connected over the story of Romeo and Juliet, marvel at the power of premonition as we summon the three witches of Macbeth.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
A disembodied artificially intelligent voice awakens August deep in space. In a daze, she confronts her reality – one of the last human beings floating in the void, guiding the archive of civilisation towards its destination in the far beyond. Frozen blood. Coolant in your veins. Every moment of human history preserved in digital hyperspace. Memories become data. Routine becomes regimen, yet somehow, your limbs feel… wrong? A new trans sci-fi body horror play exploring humanity's legacy in the stars. Praise for Elastic Fantastic's previous work: 'Absolutely Flawless' ***** (EdFringeReview.com). 'Mesmerising' **** (AllEdinburghTheatre.com). 'Genuinely Exciting' (Scotsman).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Dublin darling Shane Daniel Byrne is back, just about. The award-winning stand-up has become a leading act in Ireland at breakneck speed. Shane is the boy from school who was capable of more, the kid who could do better. Just try catching him now. Expect rapid-fire craic and big-hearted feelings in his brand-new show about bellies and bullies. 'He storms rooms... a flare' (Tommy Tiernan). 'My favourite new Irish comedian for many years' (David O'Doherty). 'Shane Daniel Byrne is my favourite' (Irish Examiner). **** (BroadwayWorld.com). 'Superb as always' ***** (GCN.ie).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Jersey
My name is Shaun Guff and I’ve hit rock bottom so you don’t have to. My sensational, self-funded seminar promises* to give you the metaphorical hammer to start nailing your life. (*No promises) Join Clementine Bogg-Hargroves with her 'Yorkshire-based robustness and sunny charm' **** (Scotsman), in this very serious seminar filled with pyrotechnics, PowerPoint presentations and personality. Creator and star of Skank and The Times Critics Choice Edinburgh Fringe 2021. Creator and star of Please Love Me, 2023. 'Winning humour and infectious irreverence' **** (TheStage.co.uk). 'Infectious wit' **** (List). 'Nothing is perfect' ***** (BroadwayBaby.com).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 5
Why do people write ghost stories? Is it to explain away the fear, or to reveal the ghosts inside? Shirley is a dark and intimate one-person play, inspired by the life of Shirley Jackson and the ghost stories of M.R. James. Shirley has felt haunted her entire life. Haunted by her responsibilities, her husband and a story that’s been with her since childhood. But will writing a novel finally release the horror that has been manifesting in her for a lifetime? Praise for previous work: ***** (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk). ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). **** (Scotsman). **** (Skinny).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Get ready for Shit Show: Improvised Soap Opera, where audience suggestions create three outrageous dramas, and three wild party scenes compete for the spotlight. One lucky audience member holds the power of the Salsa Card, ready to flip the script and send the story spiralling in unexpected directions. Packed with laughter, drama and spontaneous twists, this interactive improv experience guarantees a night of unforgettable chaos. Will your favourite party win? Will the Salsa Card save or sabotage the story? Join us for a hilarious, unpredictable, and downright good time!
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
Why is it easier to talk about a bowel disease than mental illness? Darkly comedic and life-affirming, this one-person play reveals the reality of living with chronic mental and physical health conditions. We follow a young genderqueer person through a Crohn's Disease diagnosis, hypo-manic episode, colostomy bag fears, queer sex, group sex, morality, mortality, blood, shit, laughter and tears. Hayley Edwards brings their multi award-winning debut play to Summerhall with the Edinburgh Touring Award after two highly acclaimed, sold-out, extended seasons in Melbourne. Think Fleabag but with more queer shit (literally). ***** (Lilithia.net). **** (Age).
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
A rock/pop musical inspired by a true life shoe theft. Emily the shop owner has the ability to heal customers' issues through song, but is it real or illusion? 11 songs – varying from uplifting pop and comedy through to heart-wrenching ballads – see Emily healing customers of their life issues one by one. Everyone leaves the shop fulfilled, except for Emily. Emily heals broken hearts, imposter syndrome, a family break-up and a cut in funding, but can she solve the case of the stolen shoes?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
In 2023, like a Dickensian protagonist, BBC shortlisted comedian Lizzie Simpson lost her beloved uncle. Leaving behind paper towels, many a spicy VHS and a flat in the capital, Lizzie found herself with £20,000 and a dream. Should she invest in her future or a Fringe show? You decide! After toiling the London open mic scene, finally with the means to bring her vision to the unsuspecting public, this oversharer with a dry, yet likeable edge asks whether her uncle's retirement fund is being put to good use.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
Two of Newcastle's brightest rising stars, Joe Casey and Shay Raper, bring a split-bill hour of award-winning stand-up comedy to Edinburgh after a successful run last year. Shay is the FeltNowt New Act of the Year winner 2023 and the Stockton Gong winner 2024. Joe Casey is the 2024 Stockton Gong runner-up and winner of the Cavendish Arms Mini Gold Plastic Crown. 'Genuine belly laughs' (Northern Echo). 'Super big hitter, nailed it' (The Stand Comedy Club).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 6
A hilarious fantasy tale where you choose the adventure! Come merry folk from yonder to craft an original tale, with aid from your Story Master and a sprinkle of imagination. Fill in a character sheet, then watch your creations spring to life as they embark on an epic quest – or go way off track. Will they fight a dragon? Save a village of pixies? Get stuck in a dungeon and eat their shoes? Anything can happen! Your characters, your locations... their fate is in your hands. Come and roll the dice. A fantasy fun-filled show for all.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
From their years as the most successful duo of all time and beyond to their solo hits, journey through the careers of two all-time greats. The Sound of Silence, The Boxer, Bright Eyes, 50 Ways, Call Me Al and more. Presented by Dan Clews (endorsed by Sir George Martin) and Night Owls latest recruit, Peter Marchant, two artists with spellbinding instrumental and vocal mastery. A perfect match to express the ethereal music of the greatest pop duo of all time and the music they created beyond their celebrated duo years.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
The world’s a mess and Simon doesn’t know what to do. Surely telling some jokes will help, right? Join Simon for his Edinburgh debut and get ready for clever, quirky and really original stand-up comedy. His antics probably won’t save the world, but they just might save your night. Don’t miss this fresh act – all the way from New Zealand, just like Hobbits, splitting the atom and women getting the right to vote.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
From Wimbledon Music Hub comes this youthful double-focus show: a cappella and strings. You’ll hear pop, gospel-ballad, alternative rock songs from the 60s: Viva La Vida, the 80s: Hallelujah, through to the 00’s Scientist, 10s: Budapest and 2020 World Soundtrack Award song: Stand Up. And from our string group: folk, classical, film music, jazz and popular music too: From Ashoken Farewell and Shostakovich Jazz Waltz, to Pirates of the Caribbean, the theme from Up and of course Sing, Sing, Sing! All songs have been specially arranged for the group.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
In a ruined theatre, an actor tumbles onto a dark stage. His fellow actors have disappeared – arrested – and only their torn costumes remain. The actor defiantly sings into the chaos, recreating his friends' acts and proving how celebration and humour, rage and delight, can be acts of resistance. Performed around the world and winner of a dozen best-of-fest awards. 'Breathtaking' ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). 'Laughter and jaw-dropping physicality... a must see' (TheaterJones.com). 'Fringe theatre, nay theatre itself, doesn’t get much better' (CalgaryHerald.com). 'Incredible one-man show' (PBS). 'Stunning theatrical accomplishment' (InTheVue.com).
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
Dementia-friendly interactive cabaret celebrating music and memories from musicals, film, the good old days of the dance hall and more! Expect lots of laughs, a hearty singalong and a chance to dance the cobwebs away in an inclusive and fully accessible space. Hosted by Queen of Cabaret, Miss Annabel Sings (MAS). All monies raised will go to The Eric Liddell Community Care charity and local hub.
Eric Liddell Community Hub
Myreside Suite
Jim is dying. With his son Mark at his bedside, he's expected to pass away in his sleep. It is the ideal way to go... except for the fact that he refuses to die. When the Devil arrives to collect his soul, she assumes it will be a run of the mill damnation... but she didn’t expect Jim’s family to put up such a fight. In this black comedy, family tensions are exposed, regrets are laid bare, and the Devil is forced to confront her very own demons, all alongside the ticking clock of eternal damnation.
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
Based on the hit film and Broadway show, this feel-good musical comedy will have audiences jumping to their feet! Discover the story of disco diva Deloris Van Cartier, who is placed in protective custody at a convent after witnessing a crime. Struggling with the strict lifestyle, she soon transforms the choir with her disco flair, bringing new life to the church and community. However, her newfound sisterhood is threatened when her cover is blown... Packed with powerful music, energetic dancing, and a heart-warming message of friendship, Sister Act Jr is an uplifting show for all!
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
In a world still healing from isolation and digital saturation, this compelling performance offers a quiet but powerful invitation: to stop; to feel; to be seen, if you choose. This raw, immersive work about human connection movingly explores our physiological need for touch. At the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time since its Herald Angel award-winning premiere in 2007, Little Dove Theatre Art's groundbreaking live artwork returns: stripped back, immediate, more relevant than ever. Come and experience this unmissable work for yourself – and please do touch.***** Guardian***** ThreeWeeks***** Herald**** ScotsmanWinner of Herald Angel Award, Edinburgh Fringe 2007Winner of Scotland on Sunday Best Director Award, Edinburgh Fringe 2007Winner of Best Dance Award, Melbourne Fringe 2009Winner of Best Interactive Performance, Sydney Fringe 2023
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Get your dabbers at the ready! It’s bingo! But instead of numbers, it’s hilarious comedy sketches, and the fun keeps rolling until someone gets bingo! Three-time Funny Women Award nominees Quirks & Foibles present their debut comedy show. No show is the same and there's a winner every time. Fun for all the family with an eclectic range of silly sketches... and who doesn’t love a bit of bingo!? Quirks & Foibles consists of Katie Bennett, Amy McCann and Amelia Stephenson. As featured on BBC Comedy, DMs Are Open, British Comedy Guide and Comedy Crowd Chorts finalists.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
It's comedy sketch swapping live! The cult-hit show where sketch groups perform their own sketches, then each other's. Chortle Award winner – Best Club Show London. 'Top 5 shows of the year' (List). 'Top 10 shows at the Fringe' (Time Out). 'Top 25 shows at the Fringe' (Comedy.co.uk). Featured on BBC Radio 4 Extra. 'Brilliant format' (Guardian). 'An undoubted hit' (Chortle.co.uk). 'Spontaneous and anarchic' **** (Fest). 'Truly electric' **** (Scotsman). 'Action-packed and chaotic' **** (BroadwayBaby.com). 'Deserves more than one visit' **** (One4Review.co.uk). Piloted for BBC Two (UK) and Comedy Central (US).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Live Room
It's more than a word – it's a societal chokehold. A lifelong battle with scales, shapewear and shifty surgeons. But there's an alternative! Backed by a powerhouse band, multi-award-winning vocalist and cabaret performer Michelle Pearson dishes up a stunning blend of pop anthems, soaring ballads and raw, real storytelling. With stunning vocals and eye-opening interviews, this inspiring work unpacks society's toxic obsession with diet culture urging us to rethink what beauty truly means. Heartfelt, relatable and uplifting, it's a celebration of every shape, every size and every person who's ever looked in the mirror and wondered: is this slimming?
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
Soil is a powerful dance performance about identity, language and belonging. Through movement and the rhythms of Kalaallisut (Greenlandic language), it explores how we connect to culture: beyond words, across borders and through the body. A poetic and physical journey of self-discovery, Soil delves into language and the search for self and recognition. It invites audiences to experience the beauty and challenges of communication in new ways. A dance of belonging and becoming. Part of #DANISH
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
This performance seamlessly blends the physical language of traditional Chinese opera with the expressive symbolism of modern dance. Through the reinterpretation of objects such as shoes and shopping bags, it explores the repetitive dilemmas of contemporary life, while embodying the cultural transition of Chinese women from tradition to modernity. By bridging different eras and societal contexts, the work highlights the evolving roles and identities of women, offering a profound reflection on how traditional symbols adapt and transform to resonate within modern narratives.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
In this evocative performance, bodies and characters collapse, separate and reform in a constant search for meaning, attachment and understanding. Voices extend from these bodies as they navigate busy streets, seeking comfort in their unique landscapes. This exhausting yet familiar quest for connection unfolds through moments of humour, intimacy and longing. From karaoke bars to restaurants, this contemporary dance work combines text, movement and situational absurdity. Solitude without Loneliness invites empathy through the cyclical endurance of the performers, reminding us of the universal desire for union with one another and with ourselves.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Three solo dance works based on Gibson’s affordance theory performed in three spaces by international Japanese choreographer Akiko Ono. A white classroom is the setting for Gestures; a black room sets the scene for Meditation; in a space among delicate floating sculptures created by Tomoyo Hirairwa, she explores The Bottom of the Sea. Each space evokes a different physical and emotional response in the dancer as she uses her body and original ideas to perform three contrasting solos devised in collaboration with award-winning Canadian choreographer, Takako Segawa. This thought-provoking triple-bill questions the effect of the environment on our well-being.www.akikodanceproject.comwww.facebook.com/taichidancewww.instagram.com/akikodanceproject/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
The cult hit returns to the Fringe! Don’t miss an interactive screening of the classic Murder, She Wrote episode, A Fashionable Way to Die, following last year’s riotous presentation of Paint Me a Murder. Jessica Fletcher is invited to Paris to visit a designer friend, but soon gets caught up in a murder mystery only she (or you!) can solve. See the show that has wowed audiences across the UK, Ireland, Australia and the Murder, She Wrote Festival 2025 in Mendocino (Cabot Cove). ***** (BroadwayWorld.com). ***** (Everything-Theatre.co.uk) 'It has the BEST host' (Time Out London).
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
Man-meat meets mental health in this dark comedy. In a dark corner of the internet, two men find each other. They meet in a coffee shop, chat, make plans... Think you know where this story is going? Think again. Using a queer lens to reimagine one of the most shocking crimes in modern memory, Some Masterchef Sh*t eats taboo for dinner (literally!) as it examines the idea of living life by default in a fast, funny and tender story between two men, struggling to exist. ‘Delightfully unpredictable and darkly hilarious’ (ILoveManchester.com). ***** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk).
Greenside @ George Street
Jade Studio
Trapped in a manor house, two hapless Glaswegian detectives must investigate the deaths of each family member, but try not to become victims themselves… A time-warp murder mystery, wrapped in a comedy set in Edinburgh. If you like thrillers, time travel, warped comedy and Edinburgh, you'll love this new piece. In the best tradition of the Fringe, Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid warps your brain, tickles your ribs and celebrates Scotland. Written and directed by Justin Goldstein.www.shhh.media/#/theatrewww.facebook.com/TheMusicFirmHQwww.instagram.com/staceyhaberofficial Watch Trailer – MysteryWatch Trailer – Bromance 1Watch Trailer – Bromance 2Watch Trailer – Frederick’s Decline
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Speakbeast are doing a tribute act – and we think we’re doing a pretty convincing job. Paul is telling everyone how to stand. George keeps quitting and coming back. And nobody knows what Ringo’s on about. And if you really squint, we almost look like the real thing. But something is missing. And he keeps trying to get in. From Binge Fringe Queer Performer's Award winners Speakbeast, SHGTBJ is a fever dream we've been having about transmedicalism. About breakups. About separating reality from realness. And about separating The Beatles from John.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
On what should be the happiest day of her life, a bride mysteriously disappears, leaving chaos in her wake. Her best friend and wedding planner struggle to keep things together, the mothers of the bride and groom clash over blame, the groom spirals into doubt and the bride’s best friend, who hides a deeper connection, knows more than they’re saying. As the search intensifies, secrets come to light, forcing everyone to confront uncomfortable truths. But when the reason for her disappearance is revealed, will they be able to handle the fallout—or was this wedding doomed from the start?
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
01 - 09 Aug, 18 - 23 AugSLAB is a two-man 50-minute comedic catastrophe starring Nathan Hatfield and Eryn Rafferty. Laugh, cry and throw tomatoes while enjoying sketches, puppets and poorly choreographed, but earnest, dance numbers. From humble beginnings in Chicago as a college podcast exploring the trans experience and a love of comedy, SLAB has grown into a variety show bursting with character. If you’ve ever wanted to see two grown men throw comedic spaghetti at a metaphorical wall for nearly an hour, now’s your chance. (Please don't throw actual tomatoes at the performers, we promised them not to worry about it).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
11 - 16 AugSLAB is a two-man 50-minute comedic catastrophe starring Nathan Hatfield and Eryn Rafferty. Laugh, cry and throw tomatoes while enjoying sketches, puppets and poorly choreographed, but earnest, dance numbers. From humble beginnings in Chicago as a college podcast exploring the trans experience and a love of comedy, SLAB has grown into a variety show bursting with character. If you’ve ever wanted to see two grown men throw comedic spaghetti at a metaphorical wall for nearly an hour, now’s your chance. (Please don't throw actual tomatoes at the performers, we promised them not to worry about it).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
Deep in the heart of the mysterious Song Society, memories and feelings are filed away to make room for new ones. But when a stubborn case resists being archived, the Songkeeper is pulled into a journey that challenges everything she knows about the stories that make us whole. A one-person musical by award-winning writer/performer Florencia Iriondo, woven with an original acoustic folk-pop score that echoes long after the final note. 'At the center is the radiant presence of Iriondo, an engaging performer with a flavorful story to tell... An aural hug to the audience' (TheaterMania.com).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dexter
Two of Scotland’s foremost acoustic guitarists, Simon Kempston ('A master of fingerstyle guitar' (Scotsman)) and Paul Tasker ('one of the leading guitarists of his generation' (Maverick)), present their collaboration of original instrumental music. After two sell-out runs, the duo now proudly present their debut album. Drawing on elements of classical, folk and contemporary styles, the show blends intimate story-telling and masterful compositions which invite audiences to explore the expressive power of music beyond language. An essential show, not to be missed by any lover of the guitar, or newcomers seeking an experience beyond traditional performance.
The Royal Oak
Lounge
A recital in celebration of Ian Hamilton Finlay’s groundbreaking garden south of Edinburgh in his centennial year. Including music by Handel, Purcell and Vaughan Williams, as well as a new commission by John Hails. Soprano Alison Bishop and pianist Stuart Hope take you on a journey through the gardens many glooms, with narration by head-gardener George Gilliland.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Philip Contini brings to life the timeless love songs of Italian composer Francesco Paolo Tosti (1846-1916) in a heartfelt hour of enchanting 19th and 20th-century Italian melodies, accompanied by Anne Evans on piano.
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Our parents worked to live. In this economy? We're killing ourselves to work. With her post-uni gap year closing in on its fourth birthday and no closer to… well, anything, it's clear Eddie's life is a non-starter. But before she can try again, we've got to put the first one to rest and in Soul Sucking, you're invited to the funeral. There'll be music, requiems and a baptism just to die for. Three friends, two new/old lives and one teeny tiny urn. Free food at the wake sounds unlikely...
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
A journey from electro-mechanical computation to electro-acoustic composition, this piece uses the beauty of music to celebrate scientific evolution and revolution. Featuring computational machines and mechanisms that are musical equivalents of the enigma and bombe machines, hear the musical enigma machines' encrypted musical pitches, melodies, harmonies and forms being decoded in real time! Highlighted within this work are recordings of the mechanical noises made by the original enigma and bombe machines from the National Museum of Computing UK.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
01 - 09 AugSped Kid is an award-winning, high-energy, genre-defying one-man show that blends comedy, music and storytelling in a raw and heartfelt performance. It tells the powerful true story of Adam Linn, a twelve-year-old boy going blind in 1984 Boston, a city divided by long-simmering racism, but alive with new music and breakdancing. In this gripping, autobiographical journey, Adam’s failing vision forces him to leave an all-white Catholic school and board a special education short bus to an inner-city public school, where he and his new friends find strength, humour and triumph through their shared love of music and dance.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
11 - 23 AugSped Kid is an award-winning, high-energy, genre-defying one-man show that blends comedy, music and storytelling in a raw and heartfelt performance. It tells the powerful true story of Adam Linn, a twelve-year-old boy going blind in 1984 Boston, a city divided by long-simmering racism, but alive with new music and breakdancing. In this gripping, autobiographical journey, Adam’s failing vision forces him to leave an all-white Catholic school and board a special education short bus to an inner-city public school, where he and his new friends find strength, humour and triumph through their shared love of music and dance.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Darkly-comedic Korean social satire with innovative staging and colourful physicality. Exhausted by his job and his noisy neighbour keeping him up at night, the man in apartment 709 picks up a parcel for 109 by mistake. This wakens a thrill and he begins to steal other parcels intentionally. He takes one of his neighbour’s parcels, wanting to get revenge for her inconsiderate behaviour. But inside the box is the body of the neighbour’s cat… 2019 Asian Arts Awards: Best Technical Production and Best Direction. From Korean Theatre Directors’ Association 2018 Director of the Year, Cheong-euy Park.blog.naver.com/sanghy72/222162759048www.facebook.com/pg/chointheatrewww.instagram.com/chointheatre Watch TrailerWatch Trailer – The Making of Spray
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Springboard ‘25 is a curated programme of work created by emerging artists and recent graduates, produced by PASS at Edinburgh College. Witness the talent of creators working in theatre, dance and physical theatre. The platform has been curated by a panel of artists currently working in the dance sector. PASS is delighted to be showcasing this work as part of the Fringe 2025.
PASS Theatre
Theatre
A circus performance delivered as an interactive home experience. Three jugglers, a visual artist and a warm poetic voice will take you on a tour of your own home. Guided from space to space, reminiscing on the beautiful memories you find there, this magical experience will leave you seeing your home in a completely new light. Created from research by visual artist Don Satijn and Tall Tales Company, gathered together in a series of short, enchanting scenes that take inspiration from the patterns of nature and our daily lives. Ready for circus in your living room?www.talltales.nlwww.facebook.com/TallTalesCompanywww.instagram.com/talltalescompany Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Join MAS and the Squidz Puppet Gang. Cilla the cellar spider has a party to get up into the attic of MAS mansions! Who and what will she meet on the way? Expect a fast-paced hour of silliness, interactive storytelling, performance and puppet making! All monies raised will go to The Eric Liddell Community Care charity and local hub.
Eric Liddell Community Hub
Myreside Suite
ROSE is an AI chatbot that gives advice for the end of the world, powered by a black box of memories from people whose worlds have already ended. Tonight, ROSE unboxes her training data of human memories (and fabricates some in true AI fashion), to learn about the woman who created her. Stampin' in the Graveyard is an immersive headphone experience fusing physical theatre and live music to draw audiences into an ephemeral, apocalyptic world. Developed by the critically acclaimed and award-winning Elisabeth Gunawan and Kiss Witness behind Unforgettable Girl: ***** (Stage). ***** (TheReviewsHub.com). ***** (TheatreWeekly.com).
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
Stand Out – a show created to help our students do just that! Join The Performance Academy Scotland as we welcome you to a variety show to remember! Enjoy a show packed full of drama, song, musical theatre and more! A show for all ages to enjoy. Performed by the talented young performers from The Performance Academy, a Scottish award-winning performing arts school. Returning again for 2025, after four years of previous sell-out shows!
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Adam, a social media moderator, witnesses a man kill himself on a livestream. Haunted by his numb reaction, he spirals into a reckoning with his own desensitisation. On a night out with his oldest friend, Ben, they confront brutal questions: What if we’re not the good people we desperately hoped we were? At what point does that begin to affect our relationships with each other? This fearless new writing grapples with a defining modern insecurity: in a world where tragedy is constant and compassion fades, how do we hold on to our humanity?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Award-winning Stefania Licari, expat and medic-turned-comic, promises to make the audiences a little bit more Italian, 10% sexier and 100% happier in her new show. After sell-out runs of her previous work at Edinburgh Fringe 2022, 2023 and 2024, Stefania has established herself as a rising star and one of the most exciting international acts in the circuit. This is your unique chance for comedy, pizza and endless love all rolled into an authentic Italian drama. 'A never-to-be-forgotten experience' (BroadwayBaby.com). 'Thoughtful and inspiring comedy' (LondonTheatre.co.uk).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dexter
Welsh optimist Steffan Alun finally presents his hilarious debut hour. As seen on BBC Wales, S4C, supporting Elis James on tour and performing slightly less than an hour of stand-up at the Fringe every year since 2015. Steffan returns to Edinburgh to work through his latest identity crisis with an hour of excellent comedy about sexuality, pop culture and, of course, all the best things about Wales.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
Stepping in… Spilling out: across your parent’s carpet, stepping into the cypher, stepping in solidarity, stepping with strangers in the club. Collaboration with French percussionist Rémy Gouffault, this work takes a walk along the personal history of Mark's dance practice through the foundational act of stepping; the different people, communities, histories and politics that collide with Mark's body through these movements. Beginning on an oversized drawing of his family home carpet, using movement, conversations, participation and music, Mark and Rémy guide you through layers of landscapes stepping through; parties, protests, rituals, mosh pits and gas clouds.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
More than a year after the UK general election, the political mood feels very different from last summer… Keir Starmer’s government has had a wobbly start, but so has Kemi Badenoch, Reform makes hay, the SNP dares to hope again and Trump is back. Time to make sense of all the new epic dramas and characters in this legendary festival show. A different show every day, including unreliable predictions, Question Time and much more.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
Steve's Big Dumb Show is part stand-up, part ridiculous songs, part multimedia, part improv and all hilarious! American comedian/musician Steve Goodie has been bringing the biggest, dumbest collection of nonsense to the stage for years, and now it's Edinburgh's turn! Pre-pandemic Steve played all over the US, and even continued virtually when we all shut down. And now it's back, live, and you don't want to miss this!
Laughing Horse @ Freddy's
Band Room
Trapped in a school locker room during a zombie invasion, three misfit field hockey players face a chaotic, unforgettable night of dark humour, secrets, unlikely friendships and romances. Forced to confront personal demons and an impending undead threat, they discover that survival isn’t just about dodging zombies – it’s about trusting each other and forging bonds through adversity. With hilarious banter, heartfelt musical numbers and unexpected twists, this coming-of-age musical challenges them to redefine what it means to be brave. Will their newfound unity be enough to overcome the night’s madness and change their futures forever?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
A site-specific theatrical performance combining movement and text, featuring two women and two couches in two different cities. One in Berlin, the other in Montréal: two performers united through the magic of video to create clumsy and crazy choreography. In a seemingly banal space, a surreal universe appears to offer a comical and absurd look at the world around us. Claude Breton-Potvin and Chantal Dupuis are French-Canadian actresses. Together, they explore how the simple and the mundane can turn into joy and transcendence. Still Life premiered at the OFFTA festival in Montréal in 2021.www.facebook.com/Projet.Still.Lifewww.instagram.com/projet_still_life Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Excitement! Drama! Romance! And... knitting? An award-winning hour of lost wartime knitting songs. Bring your knitting (or crochet) and stitch along to toe-tapping, needle-clicking tunes. Come out and have a "ball"! During the World Wars, millions of women knitted for the soldiers. Mere days after the first bullet was fired, dozens of knitting-themed songs began to appear. After the wars these songs were lost, but this cabaret concert, this music – a clever, sweet and entertaining footnote in history – has been preserved and given a chance to live again. 'Amazing!' (Guardian). ***** (GlamAdelaide.com.au).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Tired of Tinder? Once upon a time, we trolled Craigslist Casual Encounters for the 'M seeks F for DL meet-up' ads. Long before we learned to swipe, we made up our own rules, the hotel was on him, and… we got catfished. Set your phones to do not disturb for the most peculiar and intriguing game of f*ck, marry, kill. All bets are off the table when the oxytocin and endorphins are released. Named by the Washington DC City Paper as one of five women-created shows to see at the Capital Fringe Festival.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
'People can be strange and scary and complicated, up and down like the tides…' Zodwa and Malcolm, two Zimbabweans in London who meet for their first date in unusual circumstances: at Malcolm’s house. They size each other up, connecting and debating over shared cultural understandings and experiences, ultimately revealing more about themselves than they bargained for once they start to uncover deep, staggering truths about the other. The debut play by Zimbabwean playwright Chiedza Rwodzi, Strangers and Revelations is a striking and provocative exploration of relationships (between men and women), mythology and trauma through an African lens.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Streets Paved with Gold is a long-running, successful solo play by Victor Richards, set during the Windrush era. Through the story of Augustus Cleveland Johnson, who arrives at Tilbury Docks in 1948, the play explores the experiences of African-Caribbean migrants navigating life in a new and unfamiliar Britain. With themes of hope, resilience and identity, this poignant performance captures the struggles and triumphs of those seeking opportunity and belonging. Rich in storytelling and emotional depth, Streets Paved with Gold offers an intimate and moving reflection on a pivotal moment in British history, resonating deeply with audiences.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Dunedin Theatre
A farmer. A Taco Bell employee. A makeup artist. A landlord/influencer. It can only be this season's cast of Summer Fling, Channel 6's hottest dating show! Get ready for a summer of sand, short shorts and semen, as young people with concerningly low IQs and concerningly high body counts make fools of themselves for your viewing pleasure. A satirical comedy, Summer Fling explores the humorous, absurd and somewhat exploitative aspects of dating shows and the society we exist in.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
A laugh-out-loud stand-up comedy show that dives into the messy, magical madness of motherhood. From giving birth to surviving sleepless nights, toddler tantrums and the "romance" of marriage after kids, this high-energy special blends sharp storytelling, brutally honest truths and original ukulele songs. Whether you’re a parent, thinking about becoming one or just enjoy watching others struggle with tiny humans, this show is for you. Hilarious, heartfelt and totally relatable, Super Mama proves that not all heroes wear capes… some just carry 17 bags and never drink hot coffee.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Supermarket 86 follows five girls who get stuck in a supermarket overnight, all connected in ways they may not yet realise. Before the power goes out, the cashier's ex-girlfriend walks in. Set in 2007 Upstate New York, the show is a character-driven dramedy featuring five complicated, lonely young women pushed to confront their unwanted realities and uncertain futures. Fundamentally, the show is about the desire to connect and how, sometimes, you are forced to find connection in places that initially seem mundane and stagnant.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Svaneborg Kardyb and Vega Trails team up for a massive night of experimental Scandinavian Jazz as part of Festival Fringe 2025.
La Belle Angele
Main Room
Captivate Theatre is thrilled to bring Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd to the Edinburgh Fringe: a show that extends the stage to the audiences and draws them into its storytelling in a way that is as much felt and shared as it is enjoyed and appreciated. Its ghoulish coaxing draws us into an unforgettable experience. The dark streets of Victorian London come to life in this thrilling production of Sweeney Todd by Captivate Theatre. ‘With so little, Captivate creates so much spectacle’ (TheWeeReview.com). ‘Bloodily brilliant’ (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).
The Famous Spiegeltent
Spiegeltent
The gods descend, banishing evil and clearing life’s burdens. Incense smoke rises with wishes, as drums and flutes echo. Mighty deities unite, exuding divine majesty to bring blessings and peace to all.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
When you think of me, do you think of me? Or the me you made up in your head? The one who's words you write… A self-destructive writer struggles to construct a play that unfurls the secrets of her broken friendship. But as passion blurs into obsession, she loses grip on the narrative. Should she let truth get in the way of a good story? Mind-bending and heart-wrenching, this romcom meets psychological thriller is a nonlinear love-letter to the creative process. Handcrafted by award-winning, multidisciplinary artists, heartbreak and hyperreality spiral in Hannah Caplan's unmissable debut.
Summerhall Festival
Former Womens Locker Room
Marimba meets tap dance in a thrilling fusion of rhythm and melody. Experience how this Swiss duo turns music into motion with dazzling foot percussion and virtuosic marimba playing. Wooden Impact blends groove, melody and percussive artistry into a dynamic, genre-defying performance. Tap shoes become instruments, seamlessly interacting with the marimba’s rich tones in a captivating visual and auditory spectacle. From intricate footwork to delicate musical moments, every piece tells a story through rhythm, movement and pure artistry. Perfect for music lovers, dance admirers and anyone seeking a show full of passion, innovation and surprise!
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Alba Theatre
Magic seamlessly meets theatre in Lin Lu-Chieh's engaging autobiographical solo show. Confident and captivating, this young, self-taught master of prestidigitation offers up a true and touching coming-of-age story that couples delightful 'How did he do that?' sleight-of-hand with warm-hearted observations on the sometimes painful yet often humorous process of growing up. His sincerity and skill shine through. Gently laced with audience participation, this entertaining and universally relatable performance is about finding yourself by doing what you love. See it and understand just how wondrous and transformative magic can be. European premiere.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
Choreographer Hsieh Yi-Chun makes an impressive international debut with a brand-new ensemble dance about collective ritual and individual will. Inspired by temple processions and childhood memories, her mesmerizing sextet uses a flow of dynamic movement to pose a key question: what anchors our faith in an ever-changing world? Merging past and present, sacred and secular, tradition and modernity, this sensitive and searching production surges with a heightened sense of spirituality. At the same time it is deeply rooted in communal humanity. The result is cross-cultural dance of great power and universal resonance.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
This original solo performance follows the story of a girl-woman-dancer’s experiences with the eating disorder bulimia, and the way she healed through learning psychology and expressive arts. Referring to the theories she learned during her therapy studies, and with honest artistic physical expression, Tal goes back in time and re-tells the memories and events of her life, the pain and suffering she experienced, what people around her said, and the things society tells us. This inspiring piece exposes the mind and encourages us to explore our responsibilities as human beings. ‘A thoughtful and important piece of art’ (AYoungerTheatre.com).www.talmotion.comwww.facebook.com/talmotionwww.instagram.com/tallevycohen/ Watch TrailerWatch Teaser
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
An acclaimed performer presents a vibrant, family-friendly show that blends movement and spoken word. ‘A dancer of tremendous joy’ **** (Fest, 2014). This plus-sized, 72-year-old lesbian shares intimate stories celebrating inclusivity and pursuing our dreams. With a world premiere of new work alongside beloved classics in her fourth Fringe show, Lucia inspires audiences to break free from limitations and embrace their best selves. Her performance weaves together personal narratives drawn from decades of queer experience, creating a powerful testament to living authentically while encouraging others to follow their dreams.
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
Five mermaids. Chronic people-pleasers retreat. Come witness the clam-ities as they make waves navigating perfectionism, inky anxieties, and the choppy waters between girlhood and womanhood. Dive fin-first into a hilarious coming-of-quarter-age comedy entangled in the fishnets of friendship, big feelings, and their tall "tails". Channeling spiritual silliness and mid-2000s glam, Tall Tails is for anyone who has ever felt a little lost at sea. Check out the mermaids, or don't – we want what's best for you!!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
In the early 90s, Australian comedian Tania Lacy was so famous she couldn't walk down the street without being mobbed. Dubbed the 'enfant terrible' of Aussie TV, she soon became 'enfant unemployable' for being too mouthy. Fortunately for Tania, women are quite 'in' right now, so there's a good chance she'll get away with it this time. She might have been too naughty for the nineties but that was then, this is now and she's decided she can be 'enfant' anything she wants!tanialacy.comwww.facebook.com/tania.lacywww.instagram.com/tanialacy/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
(Chaach-kee). A Blackout Sketch Show! Written by students of Second City, Tchotchke! is a marathon of short and sweet sketches, each one between 15 seconds to 1 minute 30 seconds in length, which means 45+ sketches in one show! To end the night, we will play some short-form improv games based on audience suggestions. It’s dumb, it’s fun, it’s quick – everything to love in a night out. Come play with us!
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
Ted Hill is a multimedia comedian who has just found out that he is weird. Come and watch him work out some new material about what sort of weirdo he wants to be. Nominated for Best Show – 2024 ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards. British Comedy Guide Recommended Show 2022 and 2024. 'A comic who struggles to make or maintain eye contact yet grippingly engages you with his visual and sonic blitz' (Chortle.co.uk). 'Genuinely hilarious' (BroadwayBaby.com).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
01 - 09 Aug, 18 - 23 AugGlinda the good witch is full of shit! We never had the power to go home all along… or did we? From licking Jessica Rabbit’s tits on the TV screen to falling head over heels for his straight best friend, Michael DeBartolo takes you through the pubescent anguish of his formative years, a journey that exposes the dark recesses of the queer mind. Will he ever learn that home isn't somewhere over the rainbow?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
11 - 16 AugGlinda the good witch is full of shit! We never had the power to go home all along… or did we? From licking Jessica Rabbit’s tits on the TV screen to falling head over heels for his straight best friend, Michael DeBartolo takes you through the pubescent anguish of his formative years, a journey that exposes the dark recesses of the queer mind. Will he ever learn that home isn't somewhere over the rainbow?
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
What is humanity; what is life? In this world, nothing is certain. Explores the mystery of the human body and soul. Seek the way to leave the world of worries before we die. From award-winning Butoh dancer and choreographer Emiko Agatsuma. Agaxart produces innovative Butoh performances based on Emiko’s Butoh method and aesthetics, examining the interaction between body, mind and soul. Agaxart creates Butoh performances to deliver the diversity of the physical expression that is connected to unconsciousness.agaxart.wixsite.com/agartwww.facebook.com/agao00owww.instagram.com/emiko.agatsumawww.youtube.com/channel/UCSXxrjd0qLNtUMmD5VoOTtAa Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Rose and Taylor narrate their sensations and memories in an attempt to come to terms with their relationship to one another, their past and the world at large. Set in a future dystopia where genetic predispositions to chronic illness have been triggered by a worldwide technological phenomenon, this immersive installation fuses emerging technologies and dance theatre to question the importance of personal care and connection in a world of increasing isolation. We invite you to experience this new world as they do, embody and play with the boundaries of separation in performance.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
Accordion and clarinet music from around the world, played with an infectious sense of enjoyment. Combining great skill with light-hearted and humorous interactions. 'Superb musicianship – a great double act' (Scotsman).
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Two bold and satirical dance theatre pieces, Four and Death to Duets, that confront one of humanity’s greatest mysteries – death and what lies beyond. This thematic double-bill weaves together both Asian and Western perspectives to present two strikingly different yet complementary works exploring the myths, fears and absurdities surrounding our final moments. Through a unique blend of physical theatre, contemporary dance and dark humour, The 11th Hour challenges audiences to question their own perceptions of mortality, shedding light on the universal human experience of contemplating life’s end.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Arkle's affectionate take on the Buchan classic of espionage and daring-do. Gasp as Hannay gives the baddies the slip! Shriek as he hangs from the Forth Bridge! Marvel when he solves the riddle of The 39 Steps!
The Royal Scots Club
The Hepburn Suite
Relive the music that set off the 80s most nostalgic movie scenes. From Dirty Dancing, Breakfast Club, Top Gun, Labrinth to The Never-Ending Story, 80s movies have one thing in common: iconic songs. Watch as Maia Elsy, Will Sharp and the Night Owl band bring these nostalgic moments alive in this journey through the legendary soundtrack to your 80s. Night Owl bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won awards and ovations worldwide. Get ready for the ultimate feel-good show with the festival's ultimate music collective.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
When Thiago is paired up with his prickly boss, Liam, on a crisis managing account for a venerated chef, each of them sees it as an opportunity to get ahead in their company. However, a dangerous dance of power, control and seduction ensues as both of their egos clash, bringing their innermost fears and desires to the forefront. As they struggle to complete the project, they each experience telling physical transformations as consequence for their actions. The Alchemy of Sadness is a play that explores how love and hate create bonds between people with surprising outcomes.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
This surreal tale begins with the recruitment of a hapless newcomer to a rural neighbourhood volunteer association. Responding to a complaint about noisy frogs, he goes to investigate. He encounters a supernatural world populated with yokai, mysterious supernatural entities of Japanese mythology who sing, dance and struggle to coexist with contemporary human society. The result is a funny sideways look at humans from their perspective. With wild hand-made costumes, giant sculptural origami puppets and original music, this is a unique and mind-blowing Japanese experience for all ages. Performed in Japanese with English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
Are you worthy of the Goddess’s blessings? Or her wrath? Join Mayuri Bhandari and Kali, the Goddess of Death every day as they navigate the absurdities of Western Yoga culture. Liberation, not Lululemon! This award-winning Hollywood Fringe show blends dance, drama, comedy, poetry and live percussion by renowned musician Neel Agrawal. Mayuri gives voice to the true ethos of yoga, weaving together cultural appropriation, decolonisation and community. Come peel back the yoga mat and join the revolution! PS: You don’t need to know anything about yoga to see this show!
Greenside @ George Street
Jade Studio
What stories must we tell to offer ourselves and our children the best possible future? This prequel to the Icarus myth takes us on a journey in, through and to the centre of a labyrinth. As we journey, we hear the mythical story of Icarus told through the eyes of a woman enslaved in her youth. She explores what happens when an unfathered father has a son and invites us to interrogate the stories we are told, offering an opportunity to look at how they shape our future and give weight to the past.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
As well as being world-famous for classical full-length works like The Seagull, Uncle Vanya and The Cherry Orchard, Anton Chekhov was widely renowned for his short comedic plays known as vaudevilles. Written before he achieved worldwide success, these vaudevilles were short plays with a different style of humour and dialogue than were found in his later works. They explore the human condition, and the beauty, heartbreak and loneliness people experience. When a young widow, mourning the death of her husband, is visited by the irascible Smirnov demanding payment for her husband's debts, things take a surprisingly romantic turn.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
David Harmer and Ray Globe, the irrepressible Glummer Twins, are back with an irreverent trawl through the eight decades that made them what they are today. Old. Stand-up, spoken word, comedy and music from the Beat Generation. ’You absolutely won’t regret spending an hour in their company’ (FringeGuru.com). 'A perfect double act' (Chris Neville Smith). 'A completely different take on stand-up. Seriously clever and very funny’ (Buxton Fringe).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
A compilation of some of the Beatles’ best-known songs from 1962-69. Arranged and played as you’ve never heard them before with a video gallery of rare images of the boys themselves. Researched and created by Beat Mutante over five years, the sings are performed with electronic instruments using instantly recognisable iconic sounds from the Fab Four's albums: Hohner bass, Gibson guitars, Ludwig drums, Vox organ and the Moog Modular synthesizer, played both virtually and live by the artist, Beat Mutante, with lighting effects and other surprises.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
The Bible Women's Project is a theatrical exploration of young women's true stories as they connect with the stories of women in the Holy Bible. Featuring stories from Eve to Bathsheba to Mary, the play has been described as a rollercoaster of emotion. 'You won't be ready', said one audience member. Creator Tara Brooke Watkins uses story circles and theatre to dig into spirituality and faith with women's stories from the Bible as the foundation. What remains true across different versions of the show is the fact that women find empowerment through sharing stories.
Stockbridge Church
Church Hall
Glasgow holds a music festival – The Big Day. The problem? You and your pals can’t see it, because you’re in a holding cell. The Girls have been best pals for ages. But recently, changes drive them apart. The girls watch Sheena, but when she debuts an American accent, Fiona throws a glow stick at the stage and the group is arrested. They meet Louise who was thrown in the cell earlier. The forced proximity allows the group to open up, help each other face their dilemmas and hatch an escape plan.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Journey through the life and music of the 150 million record-selling Piano Man in this uplifting show. Piano Man, Uptown Girl and Always a Woman brought to life by Angus Munro and the award-winning Night Owl Shows. They bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won them awards and sold-out shows worldwide. Munro’s incredible storytelling will take you on a journey, as he documents the songs' origins and links them to the music through his passionate interpretations of one of the greatest back catalogues.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
The Oscar-winning director, William Friedkin decided to mount a star-studded new production of Harold Pinter’s first play, The Birthday Party, in LA. It instantly sold out its first month. But its future was in peril. First, Steven Berkoff, the lead actor, loathed the director at first sight! One of them got fired in the second week, but finding a replacement is hard. The first one has health problems and the others back out. The set is built, but as the opening gets closer, panic sets in. What will happen? Will it open?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
The Black Hole by Vkinn Vats is a searing psychological drama that delves into the dynamics of cohabiting relationship and complexities of human connection. Set in a shared space, two souls are forced to coexist, but the emotional distance between them reveals deeper wounds. As desire and trauma collide, quiet moments erupt into explosive confrontations. With raw vulnerability and twisted intimacy, it unearths what it truly means to be seen – and what we risk when we expose ourselves. Can two broken souls bridge the invisible gap, or will the space between them tear them apart forever?
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
A high-octane trip through the music of one of the architects of the punk/new wave movement. Following an award-winning run at Edinburgh Fringe 2023, Reine Beau and the Night Owl Band deliver a killer blow with versions of Atomic, Heart of Glass and One Way or Another. Night Owl Shows bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won them awards, sold-out shows and standing ovations worldwide. Set to a cultural backdrop of imagery, you’ll be immersed in the moment and the music that cut through genres.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Award-winning Edinburgh band The Blueswater perform five raucous gigs in Edinburgh's best live music venue, the Jazz Bar. Influenced by gritty, old-school rhythm and blues, they blend the Chicago sound of Chess records with the earthy, droning grooves of Mississippi to create a style that is truly unique. Thick guitar riffs and frenzied harmonica solos are built around driving rhythms to create raucous, high-energy performances. Expect a wild party. ***** (ThreeWeeks). 'Wonderful' (Clare Cavanaugh, BBC). 'Definitely a band to watch' (Blues in Britain).
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
From his childhood in the Philippines – a technicolour blur of cartoons and classical music – Jeremy always knew he wanted to be a concert pianist. The Boy from Bantay takes us on his heartwarming journey of growth and self-discovery. This appearance is produced by Bantay Productions with support from Pace University.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
This raw and powerful exploration of a hard-hitting break-up will pull at your heartstrings and might even make you smile. Written and performed by singer/songwriter Tamara Williamson, with original alternative music and film, The Break-Up Diet defies traditional musical conventions to tell a gripping tale of infidelity, breakup, denial, and recovery. Tamara takes audiences on a captivating journey, with evocative storytelling and a range of emotions, that stays with them long after the show ends to offer a unique and unforgettable experience. An award-winning, powerful production from Canada.Created and Written by | Tamara WilliamsonBandLead | Tamara WilliamsonVoice,Guitar,Sax by | Sarah FazackerleyBass by | Chris WallerDrums, programs by | Stephen PitkinProduction team | Tamara Williamson, Heather Cook ScalaThanksAll the people who donated and came to watch the showRichard for creating the filmwww.breakupdiet.cafacebook.com/tamarawilliamson1000intagram.com/tamarawilliamson1000/tiktok.com/@breakupdiet Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
No Arnaud Askoy is not Brel but to hear him, to see him, one could believe it. Arnaud brings Chanson Francaise icon Jacques Brel to life. The striking resemblance, the powerful vocal imprint and the respect for Brel's fundamental tools of staging are only physical elements of the show, the necessary decor. With Roland Romanelli's original arrangements, it is indeed the personal flame of Arnaud Askoy, which gives birth to a magic comparable to that of the time. Such is the promise!
French Institute in Scotland
Salle Emilienne Moreau-Evrard
Join award-winning writer-comedian Marc Burrows for a multi-media stand up celebration of one of British music's most iconic and enduring moments, marking 30 years since the Blur vs Oasis chart war. Music journalist Marc (Guardian, The Quietus, Big Issue) dives into the stories, rivalries, OTT personalities and some of the finest music the UK has ever produced. Part nostalgic love letter, part send-up, part rock'n'roll party. DoyaknowwhatImean?. 'Funny, clever and profound... unmissable' ***** (StarburstMagazine.com). 'Utter joyful enthusiasm' (BroadwayBaby.com). ***** (ThreeWeeks). ***** (Edinburgh Reviews).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dairy Room
Two narrators attempt to recreate all 209 fairytales of the Brothers Grimm in a wild, fast-paced extravaganza. To make it more difficult, they attempt to combine them into one gigantic fable using Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and other more obscure stories like Lean Lisa and The Devil's Grandmother. The results are complete mayhem that will leave audiences falling out of their seats!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
Colourful and whimsical clown Bubblegum Gumdrop returns to the Fringe with an adventure filled with games, and physical comedy. This year, there’s just one problem… she’s lost her voice! But that won’t stop her from delivering a spectacular show bursting with slapstick humour, interactive moments and original music as she discovers new ways to communicate and connect. This high-energy family entertainment is designed for children who love to wiggle, giggle and get involved. More than just entertainment, it empowers children to use their voices – through words, movement and laughter – while fostering creativity and imagination.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Join Undone Theatre for a sharing of their 'engaging and humorous' (BroadwayBaby.com) show, The Butterfly Project. A Japanese stewardess and a British pilot walk onto a plane. 25 years later, their son Joey is thinking of ending things with his Italian boyfriend. Turning to his parents' interracial relationship for guidance, he embarks on a journey to connect with his roots. But as Joey learns more about his family, a pattern begins to emerge: the notes of Puccini's Madama Butterfly underscore a century of Asian misrepresentation, orientalism and exoticisation.
Summerhall Festival
The Library Gallery
The award-winning endurance-based dance work to the booming techno album Nocturbulous Behaviour by Suburban Knight is the atmosphere and culture of a three-day rave condensed into an hour. Relentless movement, seamless without pause, detailed down to every beat. Exploring the movement used in techno and rave culture, witness the destruction of three humans. Indulge in the pain, the sweat: a display of pure endurance to achieve a goal. A spectacle of the human body as a victim to music, to passion, to our endless desire to achieve more. To win and win again.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Back by popular demand! The C Word is a radical awakening to the extreme objectification, competition, and overall nonsense women face today. This play explores the hypothesis: All women Hate themselves with a capital H. Trapped in a museum while waiting to interview for an Associate Curator position, five young women must select a tribute to fight a terrifying C-word monster. In a reality where women are constantly pitted against each other, what must we learn about ourselves to truly know and love one another?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Bennett Cooper Sullivan, gentleman adventurer and rakish raconteur, returns with an astonishing tale of derring-do (and don'ts!), that puts the cad back in cadaver. Hearts will flutter. Monocles will plummet. Corsets may become strained. Combining the finest elements of a Sherlock Holmes novel, an Oscar Wilde soirée, and the best night between the sheets you've ever had, The Cadaver Palaver is a ripping yarn, sumptuously told by a master storyteller. 'Erudite, eloquent and deliciously fast and funny... a rollicking, rousing one-man show' (WeekendNotes.com). 'A master of his craft' ****½ (TheBarefootReview.com.au).
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Experience unforgettable, high–energy acts in this original, real–life story of exceptional talent emerging from car showrooms. The world’s first car-dealership poet delivers a one–of–a–kind automotive solo performance featuring song parodies, poetry, monologues and comedy. A celebration of car upmanship and musical theatre. Headlining is Supercali–Lotus, arguably the best parody in 60 years of iconic musical hits, alongside acts inspired by popular comedy culture, including the uniquely performed, Gloria Gaynor–inspired parody I Will Drive.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Journey through these two remarkable, intertwined careers. I Feel The Earth Move, Natural Woman, You've Got A Friend and more presented by Will Sharp and Hannah Richards. Night Owl bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has gained them international recognition. This remarkable show links every song with stories that demonstrate the importance of love and friendship in not only Carole and James’ lives but all our lives! You’ll leave with a tear in your eye and a heart full of joy.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
Join us on the happiest musical journey of your life as a restless caterpillar meets a rock’n’roll black bird who will make all of her dreams come true. As the blackbird guides the young caterpillar around the woodland, he introduces her to a variety of creatures, from a nervous fox to an eco-frog, a timid hedgehog, diva cow and a wise old owl, alongside a troupe of playful squirrels. Along the way she will learn important life lessons. But the greatest lesson of all is the value of true friendship.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Pick of the Week, Adelaide Fringe 2024. The Ceremony returns... Welcome. Thank you. You're welcome. An improvised, interactive ritual – part sermon, part group therapy, part comedy show. Not a cult. Crafted afresh from audience responses, the show is completely different every night. Who are we? What are we doing? Does this mean anything? What does meaning mean? Hmm. Let The Ceremony begin… 'Exhilarating' ***** (BingeFringe.com). 'Brilliantly funny' ****½ (GlamAdelaide.com.au). 'Quintessential Fringe experience' **** (List). **** (Scotsman). 'If I were not being held to a demon schedule, I'd book to see The Ceremony every night' (Lyn Gardner, Stage).
Summerhall Festival
Former Womens Locker Room
Irish madman John Spillane is back with his 100% improvised stand-up show! As seen on BBC, RTE, WWE, Comedy Central and host of Ladbible Ireland. Best Performer and WIT award nominee Dublin Fringe 2024. 'One of the country's most energetic performers' ***** (Pick of Fringe RTE.ie). 'The maddest man on the Irish Scene' ***** (Ranked #1 Comedian on IrelandBeforeYouDie.com). 'John may be the most talented and naturally funny performer at the Fringe' ***** (Distractify.com).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 5
Michael is a man who has decided that the best thing to do is to end his life. He feels this because of how destructive his OCD has been for him and his family. However, we get introduced to how Michael really feels, as he takes the audience through all the crazy ups and downs that come along with having 'severe and enduring' OCD! He'll take you on the journey from getting his OCD to spending four months in hospital getting peer-pressured by his therapist to have a wank! Join him for the decision.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
As a high school basketball coach for over 30 years, I use my passion for sports to create a show that captivates and entertains my audience. Each routine not only will amaze but tell a story! Perfection is unattainable but when you chase perfection, we catch excellence. I will give it my best shot! Thanks for your consideration. Coach Neal.
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Helen Duncan Room
After last year's success this fantastic show is back. Two sisters appear in court as one accuses the other of murdering their mother but was it a mercy killing? You decide the outcome. Pie and pint included. Cathy and Mary are in a fight to discover if Cathy deliberately murdered her mother for money or if it was a mercy killing. Join the jury and cross examine the two protagonists or sit back and watch proceedings. A fantastic show that people chat about and argue over days later. A must see in this year's Fringe. Brilliant!
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Committee Room
After rave reviews last year, The Court is back with a new case. Was it murder when George Geddes was pushed over the cliff? You decide! Join the jury or just watch. Pie and pint included. Brilliant! Did George stumble or was he pushed? Who did the pushing? You listen to the evidence, you decide the outcome in this fantastic audience participation play. If chosen, you can become part of the jury and cross examine the suspects to get to the heart of the case or, you can sit back and decide. A must see.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Dunedin Theatre
Comedian and crisp connoisseur Adam Evans returns with a brand-new show telling the story of the birth of his very own crisps. Join Adam and award-winning snacks brand Serious Pig as they combine culinary excellence with nearly five years of carb-based criticism to launch their vision of the perfect crisp. Expect live comedy, scathing reviews and a mockumentary detailing their journey from concept to creation. Free packets will be provided for the audience to enjoy! 'The Crisp Review is a seasoned treat' **** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk). 'Quirky and fresh... A crowd favourite' (The Stand Comedy Club).
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
The Salem Witch Trials told through dance. This story of fear and power, fiction and humanity, is as important as ever today. Arthur Miller's classic re-imagined in a captivating blend of movement and narrative. The physicality of this production produces an impressive impact, heightening the emotional vulnerability of each of the characters. Ten dancers from California who are all incredible storytellers, directed and choreographed by Jacob Gutiérrez-Montoya, artistic director of Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theatre.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Odysseus is trying to get home after ten long years of war. Instead of fresh supplies and helpful locals, he finds a murderous monster and a band of rakish immortals on this mysterious island. Join us for a new hilarious (and very Scottish) adaptation of the world's first satire. Inspired by the work of the great Athenian writer Euripides, this adaptation keeps the spirit of the chaotic Greek pantheon while reframing this famous myth through the lens of Scottish folklore. Warning: you may meet wayward heroes, drunken mythic figures, and a one-eyed giant. If you're lucky.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
The Brazilian Piper Pipe band was founded in 1999 by Pipe Major Jose Paulo Pereira as a social project using the discipline of a pipe band to train underprivileged teenage boys to become responsible citizens. They have performed their music including Brazilian samba tunes all over South America – always guaranteeing a standing ovation. Over 30 years, Iain MacPhail provided the music for Caledonian Balls all over South America and the Ghillies' Ball for the Royal Family at Balmoral Castle. We met the Edmonton RCMP Pipe Band at Montevideo – who have adopted the boys.
Ross Bandstand
Stage
The hilarious tragedy of unachievable dreams. Stuck in a rural town in the middle of nowhere, two sisters fight against the calamity of their circumstances to win The Xfactor.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Get ready to groove to the beat! Follow the journey of a duckling who dreams of dancing but struggles to fit in with the other birds. When the disco DJ appears at the pond, it opens up a whole new world of rhythm. Can the duckling find their groove and lead their flock in a spectacular, unforgettable boogie? Colourful characters, catchy songs and feel-good energy, The Disco Duckling will have all ages dancing in their seats! Perfect for the whole family, a feather-flapping, beat-bumping celebration of finding your unique rhythm in a world full of possibilities!
PASS Theatre
Theatre
Meet young wizard Hugo Listworth, who discovers he has a skill in seeing into the future… A storytelling adventure with beautiful props, music and theatre-magic, The Divination Tent is an immersive and interactive experience for young audience members encouraging creative play between children and their grown-ups. They will get hands on with crystal balls, tea-leaf-reading, tarot cards and astronomy to actively influence the story. The untold story is one of finding pride in your differences. In a world where there's pressure on children to succeed, The Divination Tent is an opportunity to enjoy creative play and discovery.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
They’re sisters! They’re lovers! They’re cross-dressing murders! Two maids play out a sadomasochistic wet dream of killing their boss… until the line between their fantasies and reality blurs. Two actors swap parts each performance, role-playing servant and master, indulging their fantasies of control and wealth while on the clock as housemaids. Inspired by anti-capitalist metatheatrical play The Maids, Jean Genet’s response to the Papin murders in 1930s France which he saw as an act of political and social rebellion. Drag performance, audience interaction and gender-f*ckery are utilized to explore rituals of repression and revolt.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Hilarious and thought provoking in equal measure, The Drop of a Hat is a three-man comedy about an unlikely friendship formed in occupied France. When the naive Monty is paired with the world-weary Schulz on a special mission, a series of challenges force them to question their loyalty and beliefs, and to ask themselves how they can carry on in such a broken world. With a cast of colourful supporting characters, this is a play sure to make you laugh, cry and consider what makes life worth living.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Discussion, conversation and debate about the arts, society and life. In the digital world there's no greater joy than talking face to face. 300 years ago, a club was set up in Edinburgh to support artists and poets. A centre of curiosity and debate, where horizons were broadened, it heralded the Scottish Enlightenment. It was called the Easy Club, and it lives again in this series of discussions inspired by C’s festival programme. Topics, speakers and artists will differ daily but always provoke thought and further chat. Free afternoon tea (and coffee) provided. See website for listings.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
library
The alternative late-night Fringe experience returns. A unique blend of comedy, circus, burlesque, bands, live art and speciality acts from across the Fringe. With a different line-up every night this is a chance to see some of the Festival’s most exciting new artists. ‘A smorgasbord showcase of the wonderful delicacies... wacky, weird and wonderful’ (AYoungerTheatre.com). ‘One of the most fun variety cabarets around... Explosive and adaptable’ ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). See website for listings.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
The awe-inspiring journey of one of the all-time musical greats delivered by one of the UK’s finest, Angus Munro and Night Owl Shows. Night Owl bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won them awards and sold out shows worldwide. Angus Munro and Night Owl’s incredible Night Owl Band will light up your Fringe with piano-led, full-band renditions of the anthems that made Reg Dwight one of the world’s biggest stars. You’re promised an incredible show of singing along and dancing in the aisles.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
Anja is a 19-year-old college student who just can’t f@%$ing take it anymore. Honest, sardonic and hopeful, The End is an eccentric one-woman coming of age comedy navigating Anja’s fateful semester studying in Dublin, and the epic realisation that anything can be funny – even when you are knee-deep in an identity crisis and your mother is neck-deep in relapse. Written and directed by Anja Schwarzbauer. Starring Anja Schwarzbauer. About Anja Schwarzbauer.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
‘Incredibly funny and genuine in its expression of human connection’ (TheBroadOnline.com). A psychic, a musician and a politician walk into a… train. No, it’s not the start of a bad joke but it is the beginning of the end. Of the world. Join six strangers stuck on a tube (literally) dancing with death. 80s hits and nuclear disaster! Sounds like a laugh, right? Packed with old loves, last wishes and a healthy dose of existentialism, maybe at the end of it all, people are all we have.
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
A phantasmagorical imagining of our possible future, confronting the big problems facing the world in which we live: war, hunger, artificial intelligence. With a collection of technical effects, a solo live musician creates his own original wall of sound. Drawing inspiration from artists like Orbital and the Chemical Brothers, this uplifting experience has a serious message. A tribute to the poorest on the planet, to the children who suffer in conflict and to the flora and fauna of our ecosystem. In aid of the International Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders. Free DVD.Created and Performed by | Henry Davisyoutube.com/@solotronik1 Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Immerse yourself in the soul-stirring tunes of the iconic Everly Brothers in this unique acoustic show, brought to life by performers from London's West End and internationally touring shows. Experience the magic of candlelight as we weave a tapestry of the Everly Brothers' greatest hits from their earliest days as a country act on US Radio stations with their parents, to their rise to stardom in the late 1950s. A show filled with nostalgia, emotion and the timeless beauty of their music.
Le Monde
Shanghai
Written and produced by a remarkable 19-year-old, this true story delves into deeply personal experiences of depression, anxiety, eating disorders and self-harm, offering a compelling journey of hope, community and resilience. The play's moving narrative resonates with teenagers who are battling their own mental health issues or supporting their friends, parents concerned about their children's well-being, and educators seeking insights into safeguarding students. Set against the backdrop of the growing mental health crisis among teenagers, the writer hopes to create an open dialogue, greater awareness and support for all, with plenty of tears and laughter.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
A Tenant's life is uprooted when a Squatter boldly declares her living space as his own, exploring colonisation, occupation and displacement through a microcosm of Britain. Playwright Kara Hardie explores this allegory through themes of power and resilience against the backdrop of historical and contemporary conflicts. Drawing from her connection to the 1974 invasion of Cyprus, the play engages viewers through dark comedy, audience interaction, physical theatre and shadow work. The Exterminator transforms the stage into a symbolic battlefield for space and power to encourage audiences to reflect on ownership and the cyclical nature of injustice.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
The hedgehog lives quietly in the shade of the great oak, enjoying his life. One day his peace is disturbed by the arrival of a kind, mischievous and playful squirrel. Their living together won’t always be easy. We will find out about an unfriendly and protective hedgehog, and a squirrel wanting to know and share more. This piece asks us to think about difference and mixing. The hedgehog and the squirrel are very different, but they find myriad opportunities to learn and share together. From multi-award-winning Catalan company La Baldufa.www.labaldufateatre.comwww.facebook.com/LaBaldufaTeatrewww.instagram.com/Labaldufateatrewww.youtube.com/user/Baldufateatre Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
An intimate, one-on-one multimedia piece inspired by the novel Fahrenheit 451. Based on Kyle Yamada’s play, this new immersive experience leads you into a world where words survive through spoken transmission. As you lie on a bed, distant landscapes and voices surround you. Wrapped in a quilt, you discover another’s memories through a multimedia montage of whispers, warmth and deep personal connection. More than a performance: you are invited to join the Alliance. When you leave, the cycle continues: you record your own voice and images, to send back to be shared with someone, somewhere.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
bow
Original multimedia performance inspired by Kyle Yamada’s play The Fahrenheit Alliance. Actors trapped in their room by Covid-19 organise a secret, invisible alliance on the cloud, transcending walls and distance. The play poses a secret way of gathering during an emergency time when we are forbidden to assemble in one place. One person records a voice for someone else. that someone listens and performs along with the recording. The performer then records their voice for another person, thus passing the baton.The 2022 Edinburgh Fringe sees the third literation of this series!Live-stream performances on 7 and 14 August 2022 at 13:00 Edinburgh/UK (BST) [21:00 Toyko/Japan].Also available on-demand from 8 August 2022.www.mitsukohirai.comwww.facebook.com/mitsuko.hirai.5www.instagram.com/hiraimitsuko/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
72 years after a solar superflare destroyed civilisation and sent the human race spiralling toward extinction, a ragtag troupe of post-apocalyptic performers brings sensuality and sequins to the few survivors left on Earth. Their goal? To reignite the spark of humanity (and libido) through a risqué, slapstick, raunchy burlesque show. But while the audience gets glitter, camp and cabaret, things behind the curtain aren’t so glamorous. Feuds boil over, secrets threaten to tear the family apart, and the biggest questions loom: Why carry on? Should we? What happens if we don't?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
The Feminine Urge to Disappear is a hot pink play about the lengths that women have to go to feel safe in the workplace. Two women, X1 and X2, sip oat milk lattes at their favorite organic cafe as they #WorkFromHome. They are happy and safe in their girly existence, blissfully indulging in distractions, until the presence of [him] jolts them from their peaceful playfulness. As the danger increases, they plunge deeper into frivolous distractions; their reality is too much to bear.
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
One-woman shows are typically very tight, polished and one woman. This is not that. In The First Two-Woman Show, best friends Hannah and Carolina will act out scenes from their lives and attempt to share the spotlight. It’s going to get ugly, which women usually aren’t allowed to be. Eventually, they will have to decide between saving the show or saving their friendship – and both appear to be completely unsalvageable.
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
After three consecutive sold-out runs, the celebration of the 120-million-album selling supergroup returns to Fringe. Features The Chain, Everywhere, Dreams and more delivered by Alex Beharrell, Maia Elsy, Sara Leane and the Night Owl Band. Night Owl bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won awards and standing ovations worldwide. Experience the emotion and euphoria of Fleetwood. Don't miss Night Owl's flagship show which is sure to sell out with every show ending in a rapturous standing ovation. Winner of the Adelaide Fringe Weekly Music Award.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
An autobiographical one-woman drama-comedy show blending comedy characterisation and football performance to tell the unique journey of Lucia Mallardi, a Berlin-based Italian former semi-professional footballer and artist. Travelling the world as a street artist with her football and her hat, she has created poetic dialogue between two seemingly distant worlds: football as an art and art as a discipline of sacrifice and passion. Inspiring audiences across Europe and beyond from the football field to the stage, Lucia's story is empowering – challenging boundaries, merging sports and theatre in a way that only she can.Written, created and performed by | Lucia MallardiPhoto credit | Pino Montisci
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
For two decades Ron Low helped over 65,000 circumcised men undertake non-surgical foreskin restoration using TLC Tugger devices he invented. Enjoy Ron's fun and poignant musical memoir and slide show. He keeps you laughing while you learn what the foreskin is and does, how and why men restore, why we need to protect healthy male, female and intersex children from forced genital cutting, what efforts have succeeded and what could happen next. Ron performs on an exotic stringed instrument called a Harpejji, accompanied by backing tracks, while wearing one of his tugging devices under his kilt.
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Upstairs
A gripping solo performance that plunders the murky depths of human psychology, exploring themes of rebellion, power and moral ambiguity. Hitchens, forged from the crucible of a controlled upbringing and law-enforcement training, must now confront the ghosts of his past and the dangerous allure of radical ideologies. As the lines between hero and villain blur, the audience becomes the jury that must decide Hitchens’ fate. How will he be judged? Where does righteousness end and extremism begin? A thought-provoking exploration of guilt, reckoning and the quest for justice and identity prevalent in today’s socio-political climate.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
In an era where migration, exile, and political oppression remain urgent global issues, Büke Erkoç plays a young immigrant woman caught in the currents of history, as she grapples with choices that define her existence. A shape-shifting single suitcase transforms into a high-rise building, a bed, a consulate kiosk, even a coffin, as this visually striking piece of object theatre brings to life a story of exile, memory and resistance. Devised from Turkish writer Sebnem Isigüzel’s novel Hanene Ay Dogacak. ‘A poetic physicality runs through Büke Erkoç’s veins’ (Erdem Avsar, UNESCO Resources Blog and Briefings).
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Step into a world of vibrant sound as Celtic violinist Elsa presents her latest stage show, The Gael. This dynamic performance showcases the anthems of Scotland and Ireland like never before, blending traditional music of the Gaels with a contemporary twist. Armed with her electric violin, Elsa captivates audiences by infusing each beloved melody with modern effects and an electrifying energy. Experience the rich cultural heritage of Scotland through a fresh lens, designed to engage both traditionalists and new fans alike. Don’t miss this unforgettable celebration of music that promises to leave you inspired and exhilarated!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
As their approval ratings fall to an all-time low, Sir Prime Minister Kevin and his Junior try to make some decisions the people will actually like. Meanwhile, two Gen-Zers rehearse a play about political futures, but they aren't checking the news. As events become increasingly surreal and violent, ideas become vaguer, and the future looks bleaker. A play that interrogates our choices of resistance, survival and self-progress in crises, The General Will is bombastic, anxious, stupid, lyrical and melancholy as it explores a future of our country, our politics, and our generation. And they're all clowns.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Future world-renowned artist, Bertrand Brambles, has buried himself in a dirt hole for decades to craft the greatest play ever written, uninfluenced by the world around him. His brother, Boris, has spent that time sitting in his chair attempting to read every newspaper ever written. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, the world outside has ended. The two brothers embark on the journey to mount this magnum opus with the only survivor they can find, a young girl, Beatrice. An absurdist comedy exploring the sacrifices we make for art and understanding the balance between creation and living your life.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
The true story of the most evil book ever written and its horrifying legacy. Innsbruck, 1485. A witch trial sees Helena become the obsession of a religious zealot. The consequences would doom women for centuries. Now Helena confronts her accuser one final time with her soul on the line and the kindling still lit. ArtsGroupie blends its acclaimed portrayal of historical events with contemporary drama and a frightening narrative worthy of their annual sell-out performances of Ghost Stories by Candlelight, featured in the New York Times.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
A series of political interviews and debates at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. With the Holyrood election looming, we speak to First Minister John Swinney, Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes and leading pollster Professor Sir John Curtice, among others. Herald journalists and columnists will lead the discussions, asking big questions about the future of Scotland, the shape of UK politics and the international forces reshaping our world. Expect sharp analysis, lively conversation and a chance for the audience to have their say.
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
Magicians are professional liars. But can they still amaze you… while being 100% truthful? Fresh from his sold-out show in Manchester, Cavan Booth attempts just that! This is a magic show unlike any you’ve seen. An unforgettable hour of jaw-dropping miracles, miraculous mind reading and world-class sleight of hand, with thrills and laughs in equal measure! Highly interactive and impossibly entertaining, allow The Honest Magician to take you on a journey behind the curtain... that will still leave your mind blown!
Greenside @ George Street
Mint Studio
The Infinity Repertory Theatre company presents a new musical from George Griggs and Paul Andrew Perez. Simon Walker, an angst ridden teenager, struggles to find his purpose in life. Questioning his existence, ability to love and be loved, and his weird school lunch. Simon struggles with understanding his purpose in life, how he fits in. Together with his friends, Quentin Bean and Sandy Dachowski, Simon relives the high and low points of his life. Join Simon in this new pop rock musical that promises to be a funny and gut-wrenching.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Thistle Theatre
After last year's sell-out run, they're back and still the best in the business! Ian Coppinger (Dublin Comedy Improv), Stuart Murphy (Stu and Garry's Improv Show) Stephen Frost and Richard Vranch (guest spots) and other special guests (last year Marcus Brigstoke, Phill Jupitus, Pippa Evans, Rufus Hound) provide an hour of guaranteed laughs based on your suggestions. The troupe have appeared all over the world in the show where you shout it out and they act it out. 'Naturally irredeemably hilarious' (Metro). 'Top notch improvised mirth making comic alchemy' (Herald).
Frankenstein Pub
Bier Keller
A child has been murdered. His catatonic young mother now sits before two officers, awaiting her interrogation in 1974 Arkansas. Opposite her sits June, a psychic interrogator tasked with uncovering the truth behind this reprehensible crime. As June uses her abilities to gain visions of the event, a startling revelation takes the investigation in an entirely new direction. Her psychic mind is tested as she faces a terrifying question – can she truly be certain that her reality is the objective one? More importantly, can you?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
18 - 23 AugThe Invisible Spirit is award-winning journalist Kenneth Roy's searing yet witty dramatisation of Scotland – its people, places and politics – from 1945 to 1975. We open on VE night in Glasgow’s George Square, celebrating the end of one of the darkest chapters in British history. But the conclusion of WW2 marks the beginning of a 30-year hangover for Scotland during which its people fight off poverty and disease in tenement slums, watch scandal engulf the powers that be and live in fear of serial killers. Starring Chris Alexander, Fergus John McCann and Elaine Stirrat.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
01 - 09 AugThe Invisible Spirit is award-winning journalist Kenneth Roy's searing yet witty dramatisation of Scotland – its people, places and politics – from 1945 to 1975. We open on VE night in Glasgow’s George Square, celebrating the end of one of the darkest chapters in British history. But the conclusion of WW2 marks the beginning of a 30-year hangover for Scotland during which its people fight off poverty and disease in tenement slums, watch scandal engulf the powers that be and live in fear of serial killers. Starring Chris Alexander, Fergus John McCann and Elaine Stirrat.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
11 - 16 AugThe Invisible Spirit is award-winning journalist Kenneth Roy's searing yet witty dramatisation of Scotland – its people, places and politics – from 1945 to 1975. We open on VE night in Glasgow’s George Square, celebrating the end of one of the darkest chapters in British history. But the conclusion of WW2 marks the beginning of a 30-year hangover for Scotland during which its people fight off poverty and disease in tenement slums, watch scandal engulf the powers that be and live in fear of serial killers. Starring Chris Alexander, Fergus John McCann and Elaine Stirrat.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
When a group of school children crash land on a deserted Indonesian island and all adults are killed. They try to establish order, but things turn very badly quickly, and tribalism and chaos ensues. A must-see show. Based loosely on Lord of the Flies, we watch as the group descends into chaos and fighting with groups trying to take over and dictate to others. This talented Edinburgh cast showcase their talents in a disturbing and thought-provoking way which questions humanity's rules and standards. Will they survive and will they be rescued?
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Alba Theatre
John Smith, Britain's first Deaf comedian, is celebrating an incredible milestone... 20 years of stand-up comedy! Known for his quick wit, engaging storytelling and ability to connect with diverse audiences, John has become a trail-blazer, inspiring others with his resilience and creativity. Through his comedy he has not only entertained but also sparked important conversations about accessibility, representation and the power of laughter. If you are in Edinburgh, don't miss this chance to watch John and experience a night of laughter, reflection and outstanding comedy!
Deaf Action
Blackwood Bar
Debuting at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe is another ambitious show from master arranger, Mike Kearney and his 7-piece ‘funk colossus’ and Fringe stalwarts – The Katet. Sing along to world-class arrangements of the top of the pops, reinvented for a modern audience with a jazz-funk twist, in this charismatic and high-octane performance by award-winning Edinburgh session musicians with over a decade of Fringe experience. Get transported back to the glory days of the 90s with non-stop mashups of Oasis, Blur, Radiohead, Take That, Seal, Green Day and many more... What were you listening to in 1995?
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Returning to this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the hugely popular show from 'Northern Ireland's answer to Stevie Wonder' – Maestro Mike Kearney and his 7-piece ‘funk colossus’ and Fringe stalwarts – the Katet. Sing along to world-class arrangements of classic hits, reworked and re-energized for a modern audience with non-stop mashups and surprises, in a charismatic and high-octane performance by award-winning Edinburgh session musicians with over a decade of Fringe experience. Expect all your favourites, from Superstition, Sir Duke and Signed, Sealed, Delivered to I Wish and Isn’t She Lovely. Everybody loves Stevie!
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
August 2005: 20 years ago, Hurricane Katrina forever changed New Orleans, LA, and the entire Gulf Coast region of the United States. The Category Five storm brought devastation, heartbreak, anger, and despair. The Katrina Project: Hell and High Water features a diverse group of characters who take audiences on an emotional journey into the hearts and souls of Katrina's survivors. Through interviews, collected stories, and found texts, these characters give voice to one of the greatest natural disasters in US history and show how our city ultimately discovered the true meaning of community.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Remember the Kids from Fame? It's time to meet the Kids with Nae Hame. Experience what it's like to grow up in care in the 1980s, where songs from the American hit series represent a lifeline that helps the kids cope with their ever-changing environment. Witness first-hand the process of some of the kids having to adapt to independent living. And see how they are faring now as the show looks at the effects the care system has had on these kids – and what is currently being done to assist the care-experienced community.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Before Tom Cruise, Cary Grant or Clark Gable, Douglas Fairbanks was the King Of Hollywood! Doug was a remarkable actor and gifted visionary. Alongside his wife Mary Pickford and his best friend Charlie Chaplin, he is responsible for the movie industry as we know it today. Doug single-handedly invented the action movie and was instrumental in the creation of the Oscars, Beverley Hills and even Batman! The King Of Hollywood tells the story of his rise and fall which is more astonishing than any movie!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Time to get you glow on as the Ladyboys Glow Up the Edinburgh Fringe! A show like no other show performed by “show girls” like no other girls. It’s a night of pure escapism releasing audiences from the humdrum of everyday life in a euphoric bubble of laughter, glamour, glitz and music. The entertainment is fast and unrelenting as the eclectic mix of music effortlessly flows from movie hits to superstar pop favourites and tributes add a load of laughs and it’s going to be a night to remember!
Theatre Big Top
The Sabai Pavilion
God created mankind in seven days, but twelve children drifting at sea take the same seven to become murderers. Inspired by Géricault’s painting and Georg Kaiser’s play The Raft of the Medusa, this contemporary re-telling unfolds through image-based vignettes – a chimpanzee with painted nails, an ignored petition, a missing doll. Who are the figures on the raft? When we look again, do we see ourselves reflected? Alienation doesn’t knock – it drifts in. And by the time we feel the tide, we are already far from the shore. Performed in Mandarin.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
1914. The Great War rages. Britain recruits 30,000 men between 5’ and 5’3" to fight. These men come from all over Britain, Ireland and Canada. Known as Bantams after the small, aggressive rooster, they're formed into special Bantam battalions. 1918. Bouzincourt, France. A group of reporters visit the front to write about the Bantams. One Bantam remains: Patrick Michael Wolfe, a teacher from Dublin. This is his story, from the battlefields of France to rebellion in Dublin. Inspired by real events. ***** (BritishTheatreGuide.info). ***** (UKTW.co.uk). *****(@moreishtv) **** (PlaysInternational.org.uk). 'Hidden Gem' (FringeReview.co.uk). Spirit of the Fringe, Derek Awards.
Greenside @ George Street
Mint Studio
In the not-too-distant future, ecological catastrophe has ripped society’s flesh clean off and civilization is nothing but a rancid husk. From the ashes, one survivor rises. An advertising copywriter. Join a stark raving adman at the end of the world as he tries to rebrand… the end of the world. What do we call this new dystopia? Who’s it for? What’s our why? As he takes the audience on a gonzo brainstorming session, our protagonist faces his own existential crisis: What’s a copywriter without a client?
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
Are emotional shackles holding you back? Join Tamás on a journey from childhood in an overprotective family in conservative Hungary to standing on his own feet as an adult in liberal Sweden. How can he manage after such a change? Is he willing to try the unfamiliar just because it is possible? Mixing stand-up comedy, clowning and other visual storytelling methods, this solo show touches on deeply personal stories about loneliness, belonging, low self-esteem and a kissing bench, as well as insights into the Hungarian and the Swedish cultures. Ready to free yourself from those emotional bonds? ‘A hilarious and skilled performance… should definitely be at the top of your to-watch list’ (EdFringeReview.com).www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participants Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Take a regal journey through the incredible music of one of the greatest rock groups of all time with Peter Marchant and the incredible Night Owl Band. Includes hits Bohemian Rhapsody, Radio Gaga, Don’t Stop Me Now and so many more. Night Owl bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won awards, sold out shows and standing ovations worldwide. Watch multi-instrumentalist Peter Marchant display his infectious stage presence coupled with a voice that can carry some of the biggest songs of all time.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Set against a stunning deep-sea dreamscape, The Legend of Shanhai is a magical musical blending fantasy, adventure and the bittersweet journey of growing up. In the whispering waves of the North Sea, young Beiming dreams of the skies beyond his island home. Swept into a mysterious undersea world, he meets Kun – a mighty fish longing to soar. As they brave whirlpools and sea beasts, Beiming learns that true freedom lies in embracing both roots and wings. Inspired by ancient Chinese mythology, this lyrical tale is a soaring ode to family, dreams and self-discovery.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Sue Caton will provide a personal insight into her uncle and tell the story of the famous Scottish Olympian who was born in China. Sue will use a variety of items to tell Eric's story, including family photos and recordings. All monies raised will go to The Eric Liddell Community Care charity and local hub.
Eric Liddell Community Hub
Robertson Suite
I’m a framer who has been trying to be a good person all my life, but as a result, my wife betrayed me, my son died, and I switched to the police force to survive… In a production that celebrates Bejing's cultural heritage, Lao She's 1950s novella is performed in traditional Bejing musical style by a Chinese troupe famous for interpreting his work. The story takes the perspective of a common man who, despite his personal struggles of loss and pain, continues to find love for the world. English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
What if the perfect photograph wasn’t in an album but hidden in life itself? The Light Catcher follows a celebrated Indian photographer, Kanika, who’s on a quest to find her favourite portrait. As she revisits portraits of women from Ethiopia to Pakistan, India to UK, their stories come alive on stage – some heartwarming, some hard-hitting, all unforgettable. Performed by Ritika Shrotri, who transforms into 10 dynamic characters, written by Niranjan Pedanekar and directed by Sanket Parkhe. Book your tickets now and step into a world where every frame tells a story!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
In this one-act play, a young woman in a liminal space confronts a series of famous men whose poor adaptations of Lolita have done Nabokov's story, and women at large, a great disservice. Stanley Kubrick, Steve Martin and more take turns in the hot seat, as our narrator is forced to reckon with her own relationships with men and if healing is truly possible. Every woman deserves an apology.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Muse
Famous one-hit wonders The Femme Fatales are back in the news for the wrong reasons. The pop-star sensations keep turning up dead. Former member and current PI Justin McGuffin finds himself embroiled in a tale of mysterious women, fame-hungry police and a sore throat. Will he survive or will it be The Long Goodbye Bye Bye. Pazus Productions' second Fringe outing sets its sights on the worlds of true crime, film noir and pop music.
Laughing Horse @ Freddy's
Band Room
01 - 09 AugThe Lost Priest is a deeply personal, one-person show exploring the complexities of growing up Jewish in America. Through poetic monologues, ritual reenactments and moments of raw reflection, the performer grapples with identity within an ethnicity divorced from religion. Blending humour and heartbreak, the play delves into themes of cultural alienation, family legacy and resilience. Intimate childhood memories, historical anecdotes and societal observations intertwine, creating a poignant narrative that captures the universal search for belonging.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
11 - 23 AugThe Lost Priest is a deeply personal, one-person show exploring the complexities of growing up Jewish in America. Through poetic monologues, ritual reenactments and moments of raw reflection, the performer grapples with identity within an ethnicity divorced from religion. Blending humour and heartbreak, the play delves into themes of cultural alienation, family legacy and resilience. Intimate childhood memories, historical anecdotes and societal observations intertwine, creating a poignant narrative that captures the universal search for belonging.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
A comic cabaret in five movements, about love, loss and pies. The Lounge Suite is written and performed by Chris Murphy as the glittering, yet poignant Estar, with Joanna Weinberg as Kiki on the keys and dramaturgy by Deborah Pollard. Estar is off the couch and back into the light! Estar is the alter ego of NZ/Australian performer Chris Murphy, who has been treading the boards for 35 years. A journey over the past five years, The Lounge Suite brings you brilliant, funny songs and the very best of Estar; pluck, pathos and pith.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Tom McNab returns to give rare insights into the making of the famous Oscar-winning film, Chariots of Fire. Tom was technical advisor on the project and helped bring the stories of famous athletes, Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams to life. All monies raised will go to The Eric Liddell Community Care charity and local hub.
Eric Liddell Community Hub
Robertson Suite
The inspiring true story of the cheerful Edinburgh factory girl with a big heart for Jesus and for helping others, who could be Scotland's next canonised Saint. This down-to-earth model of everyday sanctity is brought vividly to life onstage by Rachel Callaghan – her actual living relative (second cousin). Stephen Callaghan's funny and moving play was first performed at the 2016 Fringe in the Edinburgh church where the venerable Margaret's body is interred and he directs the revival marking 100 years since her death. 'The response of the audience lining the pews… is undeniable' (Scotsman).
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
In this family-friendly show created by Parlapatões, a renowned Brazilian theatre and circus company, four clowns, called 'Dias' (Portuguese for 'days'), embark on a journey through the day, filled with laughter and surprises. They break the rules of everyday life, discovering endless possibilities. Ordinary moments turn into hilarious adventures in their world, inspired by Edward Lear, the poet and illustrator who coined the term 'nonsense'. This show blends pantomime and clowning, featuring a performance rich in visuals and sound effects.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
Somebody in the audience will have eaten the most toast, and we will find them.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 1
Experience the enchanting sounds of jazz as The Music of Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass takes the stage at this year's Edinburgh Fringe. The music of Fitzgerald and Pass is both beautifully simple and yet complex to convey. Carleton and Crighton have dedicated countless hours to transcribing highlights from their extensive catalogue, including emotive melodies and virtuosic guitar mastery on iconic songs like My Ship, Moonlight in Vermont and On Green Dolphin Street. Enjoy a brief musical history lesson of this iconic duo.
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
Experience the enchanting sounds of jazz as The Music of Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass takes the stage at this year's Edinburgh Fringe. The music of Fitzgerald and Pass is both beautifully simple and yet complex to convey. Carleton and Crighton have dedicated countless hours to transcribing highlights from their extensive catalogue, including emotive melodies and virtuosic guitar mastery on iconic songs like My Ship, Moonlight in Vermont and On Green Dolphin Street. Enjoy a brief musical history lesson of this iconic duo.
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Paul’s about to be a dad, but doubt clouds his excitement. A night at the pub should be a distraction, yet Cammy’s suicide still lingers, unspoken but heavy. Struggling to move forward, the lads throw themselves into fundraising in his memory, desperate to make a difference. But when Paul finds a lump, fear grips him – fatherhood is no longer his only concern. Inspired by real events, The Naked Neds follows a group of Glasgow lads facing loss, life and NHS waiting lists. With nothing left to lose, they decide to bare all – the full monty!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
In the nest, a birth is danced. In this dance piece, a blank body surrenders to the continuous cycle of birth and death. Thrown into gravity, lifted by vital force. A body dancing between heaven and earth. Breaking the shell, leaving the darkness, bidding farewell to the aquatic life, opening the gaze, coming into the world. Pleasure, discomfort, slowly… breathe… hold me... enjoy... silence. Walk, fall, listen, fight, laugh, scream… dance. Silence.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Hey, did your mum ever hide sweets from you when you were a kid? Mine too! All types of sweets, but Nutella especially. We were immigrants and we were poor, and Nutella was for rich kids. The Nutella Wars is choc full of stories about growing up in war (hilarious, I promise) and moving to Australia. Also featuring a beat-up station wagon named Bertha. Vida Slayman has performed all over Australia and the UK. The Nutella Wars is her third solo show. Bring your tablespoons. 'A genuinely funny show' (GlamAdelaide.com.au).
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
What do you see? What do you want to see? Is it real? Is it complete? Dive into the decaying layers of oneself, and keep peeling the onion. This fresh dance piece explores layers of identity and questions the different stages of one’s personality, the need to belong, and to understand others and ourselves in our society. As ephemeral as a kiss and as strong as an embrace, the layers peel themselves off, leaving one never looking the same, and giving space for endless beginnings. Created by Renato González, Pascal Marty, Sarah Matry-Guerre.www.hekatombe.orgwww.facebook.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/hekatombe.produccionhttps://www.facebook.com/WE-Cie-102827021843721 Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Come along and enjoy the German Beer Hall experience with sing-a-longs, great music and immersive fun. Drink from your free stein and dance along to our live DJ and dancers for a fun night! Games and sing-a-longs make a great night out in the style of Oompah music which will help you end a great night at the Fringe. Free stein glass included as you drink beer, sing and dance along to popular chart hits played in the German beer hall style. A fun filled night with great entertainment and laughs.
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Grand Hall
The Oxford Belles, Oxford’s original female and non-binary a cappella group, proudly present Saved by the Belles, an hour of empowering, feminist a cappella. We’re celebrating our 30th year of performing songs written by women and non-binary artists to uplift, engage and entertain our audiences. With music spanning decades, from the iconic Madonna and Gloria Gaynor to rising stars like Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter, Saved by the Belles is bound to captivate, delight and leave you singing along. Join us for an unforgettable hour of music and inspiration!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Oxford University's hottest lower voices a cappella group is debuting in Fringe, with a show that leans into the stereotypes of student life in Oxford and brings a light-hearted approach to understanding the enigma that is this prestigious institution! Following our successful tour to Germany last year, the Commas are ready to wow Edinburgh with our dazzling and eclectic range of contemporary pop, R&B and close harmony arrangements, featuring legendary hits from Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons, Justin Timberlake and many, many more. Book tickets now and get ready to clap along!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
The Malignant Humours are back at the Fringe, and this year, we’re off to see the wizard! The Physician of Oz is the medical comedy sketch show sure to leave you in stitches – no magic required. With 12 sell-out shows behind us, you won’t want to miss out before tickets vanish! Our cast of healthcare students are certified in emergency laughter procedures, so follow the yellow brick road to Surgeons’ Hall for 45 minutes of award-winning comedy. Wickedly funny and magically absurd – you won’t need a brain, heart or courage to enjoy!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
How will history remember you? As the person you are or, the person you want to be? It’s 1939, Philomena is on her way from Dublin to London to join the British war effort. But can she live true to the poetry inside her when she is constantly being defined by her role in the war? Philomena McGuinness is a poignant and hilarious one-woman play, infused with poetry and inspired by the true stories of Irish nurses in WWII. 'From captivating to sublime' ***** (TheWeeReview.com). ***** (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk). ***** (BroadwayBaby.com).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
On Christmas Eve, bartenders Kat and Tom endure a night of bad music, difficult guests and endless Pornstar Martinis. When a male guest harasses Kat, tensions rise, forcing them to confront gender dynamics in hospitality and their impact on identity and relationships. As they question their roles and what they owe each other, they also reflect on how these experiences shape their perceptions of self. When the bar closes, they must decide what they truly mean to each other.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
An earthy, delicate and devastating concept album about things that vanish; a strange, rich and lyrical exploration of ritual and the underland. Fringe First-winning writer Casey Jay Andrews and musician Jack Brett fuse spoken word and urban legend with music and experiments in sound. It's a descent into the darkness of a cave in South Wales, an attempt to piece together broken fragments of porcelain, and a rite of closure. 'Into the underland we have long placed that which we fear and wish to lose, and that which we love and wish to save' (Robert Macfarlane).
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
Play On Productions invites you to step into a day in the life of modern Australia with The Real Australia, a new work inspired by the best moments of Australian reality TV. From house-hunting at open inspections to nail-biting dance competitions, blissful spa days and wild house parties, this fast-paced production captures the highs, lows and laughs of an average Saturday Down Under. A unique celebration of Aussie life that’s as real as it gets – surprising, relatable and utterly entertaining!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
The dead have risen! But that won’t stop our seven Housewives from hashing out their drama in the most high-body-count reunion episode yet! Will these OGs of reality TV survive the hordes, and each other, and self-produce their way to the end? An original musical from Clydebuilt Theatre Company, following five-star reviewed Vote Macbeth! in 2023.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Thistle Theatre
The chilling words of HG Wells are brought to life in this one-woman storytelling show. Could you spend the night in the infamous haunted chamber of Lorraine Castle? Armed with a single torch, our sceptical narrator attempts to do just that. Ignoring the warnings of its three eerie custodians, she soon learns for herself why the room has such a dark reputation... and the grim fates which befell previous occupants. Gripping and often darkly funny, this show will send chills down your spine and stir your imagination. ***** (TheWeeReview.com). **** (Scotsman). ****½ (TheReviewsHub.com).
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
Track The Eagles from their early days as Linda Ronstatd’s backing band to their crowning as the 70s biggest band. Take It Easy, Hotel California, Desperado and more from Alex Beharrell and the Night Owl Band. Night Owl bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won awards and sold out shows worldwide. Take one of the wildest rides in rock culture as you join Alex and his band on this meteoric journey from humble beginnings to one of the most important bands of the decade.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
The Rising brings the music of Springsteen to the Fringe in the most dynamic and energetic way. Celebrating 16 years at the Fringe, this nine-piece band including brass section will deliver the back catalogue and the hits with precision and authenticity. From Back Streets to Born to Run and Dancing in the Dark this show is a must for Boss fans and fans of live music.
The Liquid Room
Liquid Room
Folk melodies are expert time travelers – superimposing the past on the present, constantly straining forward and circling back in their passage through different hands and traditions. Some Strange Harmony (harmonium, violin, vocals) joins in these meandering journeys, intertwining inspirations from around the world with our own compositions and re-imaginings. We’ve been told our music sounds medieval, hymnal, funereal, and our favourite, ‘like you’re about to sacrifice a goat’. Our show questions received notions of time and freedom, exploring the complexities of nostalgia, the untraceability of origins, and the unknowability of end-points. No goats actually sacrificed!
The Royal Oak
Lounge
Step into the enchanting world of Ray Bubbles, international Bubbleologist and Guinness World Record Holder! Witness his stunning bubble sculptures, effects and magical displays, all inspired by his work with schools and science centres. Marvel as Ray creates a volcano bubble, a soap bubble carousel and even a tornado inside a bubble! Join him for an unforgettable, inclusive experience filled with excitement, wonder and engagement. Ray Bubbles is the leading professional soap-bubble artist working with special needs schools in the UK and Ireland.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
New physical drama that weaves together the longings and fears of five characters: a witch, a bitch, a goldfish, a sleepwalker and a salaryman. These worlds collide and collapse into one another, painting a picture of both the particular and the universal condition of being human. A rollercoaster-ride of a piece, containing moments of beauty, comedy, surrealism, pathos and passion. The drama is expressed through movement and text (both Japanese and English), accompanied by an eclectic soundtrack that includes original music and soundscapes.www.tarinainanika.comwww.facebook.com/tarinainanikawww.instagram.com/tarinainanika Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Kenny Sinclair returns with his solo show full of comedic storytelling about the madness of generational gaps, glorious misunderstandings and the timeless chaos of growing up in a different era. Fearless, funny and wildly relatable – from Boomers through to Gen Zs – this show dives into the hilarity and heart of what happens when generations compare and contrast in an effort to try to understand each other. Kenny regularly opens shows due to his energy and enthusiasm, and has gigged in Australia, Malaysia, Spain, Brighton Comedy Festival, Glasgow Comedy Festival and Aberdeen Comedy Festival.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 6
Sell-out event with a new line-up! On the outskirts of Edinburgh, hidden away at the end of a winding driveway, lies one of Edinburgh's secret treasures – Lauriston Castle. Imagine timeless tapestries, ornate silverware but also a world of clandestine laboratories, hidden passages and secret rooms... Three expert magicians animate the castle's intriguing past with stories and illusions related to the history of Lauriston and her owners. A High Court judge-cum-surreptitious alchemist, a gambler who nearly lost everything, what other mysteries does this wonderful castle conceal? Featuring Lewis Barlow, Brendan Dooley and Kevin Quantum.
Lauriston Castle
Various Rooms
Join actor-poet-clown-director-sexpot, Matt Leazer and sexy-power-ranger-Elton-John-jumpsuit-wearing-music lady, MJ Hughes for a late-night talk show! Matt and MJ had three options: skydiving, marriage or Scotland. And well… here we are! We’re doing a brand-new show every night featuring local artists, musical comedy, sketches and improv. Join us as we explore the hilarious and happy accident that is living. Together we’ll uncover mysteries of the cosmos and find your dad. We’ll leave you feeling befuddled, bewildered and embezzled. It's live from New Yor– Matt, stop, we’re in Scotland now. ...Oh, yeah.
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
Eccentric chess prodigy Silly William finds himself on a train bound for Hell (or Philadelphia, as it is known in some circles). When a mysterious entity that only plays the four-move checkmate attack hears of Silly William’s skill, it offers him his freedom if he can manage to defeat the entity in a best of seven chess matches. Fortunately for Silly William, he has dedicated his entire chess career to specifically refuting the four-move checkmate attack. And he will teach it to you now like his soul depends on it.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
When the rain stopped falling, we returned to the beginning. A drought has been plaguing the crops of Tobias's farm for five years. He believes that the answer to where the water went lies in the soil. Katherine believes the answer lies in the desert and canyons surrounding the farm. One night, Katherine goes into the canyon in search of the missing water, but what happens when a flash flood comes and washes everything away?
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
Step into a world of flappers, cocktails, and jazz as you embark on an enchanting time travel adventure to the Roaring Twenties. Whisper the secret password at the door and slip through the hidden entrance of an exclusive bar, where the atmosphere is electric with the sounds of smooth jazz and the clinking of vintage glassware. This is not merely a night out, it's a passport to a time when elegance ruled the night.
Summerhall Festival
Summerhall Distillery
This Aberdeen Academy of Performing Arts amateur production of The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition is presented in arrangement with Concord Theatricals. This hour-long edition of the hit Broadway musical is brilliantly adapted from the iconic Nickelodeon series. Plunge into this all-singing, all-dancing dynamic stage show. Can SpongeBob and friends come together to save Bikini Bottom from a soon-to-erupt volcano? Suitable for all ages. SpongeBob SquarePants (2023 Viacom International inc) created Stephen Hillenburg. Book by Kyle Jarrow. Musical production conceived by Tina Landau.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Angus Munro and Night Owl Shows present this award-winning show with classics Every Breath You Take, Roxane, Message in a Bottle, Fields of Gold and more. Night Owl Shows bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won them awards worldwide. Experience the raw energy of the early Police, their passage to superstardom and Sting’s solo journey. All brought to life by the charismatic Angus Munro, who will wow you with his 4-octave range. Adelaide Weekly Music Winner and Derek Awards Best Voice.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
A contemporary Kunqu opera adaptation of the Chinese classic Dream of the Red Chamber. Jia Baoyu, once a sentient stone, is reborn and guided by Buddhist and Daoist forces to realise the world is empty of permanent identity and intrinsic independence. Wang Pushi, a fourth-generation actor of the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre, mirrors this awakening through his performance, discovering a generative and empowering transcendence of emptiness. A dynamic fusion of classic Kunqu with modern experimental theatre, immersive media and slow rock music. Performed in Mandarin and English, with English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
An avant-garde performance, created from three elements: words, dance, and projection mapping. With the rapid development of technology, we can instantly exchange words with someone far away. How will language change as we confront each other as anonymous bodies with no physical connection? Based on the mythical Tower of Babel, this work uses excerpts from Yasunari Kawabata’s One Arm, Mimei Ogawa’s The Black Tower, and automatic transcription of the breaking news of the 2001 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers. Take a peek through the camera at the dismemberment and reconnection of body and words.www.mitsukohirai.comwww.facebook.com/mitsuko.hirai.5www.instagram.com/hiraimitsuko/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
The Suit is a story of acceptance, self-discovery and magic. When George comes across a mysterious suit with extraordinary powers, he embarks on a transformative journey that will challenge his doubts, reshape his destiny and reveal his true potential. As the suit grants him the ability to become the greatest showman in the world, George must navigate the fine line between ambition and authenticity, learning that true greatness comes not from the magic of the suit, but from within himself.
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Helen Duncan Room
The finest instrumental Parisian swing you'll hear this side of the River Seine. Hear Django Reinhardt, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington and more. The Swingaholics are: Dick Lee (clarinet), Uri Stav (guitar), Iain McNally (guitar) and Owen MacDonald (bass). 'Sinuous, swooping and impeccably syncopated' **** (Scotsman).
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
'I can hear someone out there. They're singing to me.' Whale sings into the deep blue sea... but no one sings back. Just as he's about to give up, a mysterious voice calls through the waves! Determined to find the singer, Whale sets off on a thrilling adventure – diving through glowing coral caves, dodging wibbly jellyfish and facing wild-eyed sea monsters! Join Hoglets Theatre for a deep-sea adventure packed with beautiful puppets, hilarious creatures, original songs and audience interaction! A heartwarming show about friendship, difference and the beauty of being yourself. www.hoglets.org.uk
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
Step into a world of mystery and wonder with The Telepath and The Conjuror. This extraordinary show blends mind reading, magic and breathtaking illusions in a spellbinding performance that will leave you questioning the boundaries of reality. Watch as The Telepath delves into the minds of the audience, revealing thoughts and secrets with uncanny precision, while The Conjuror astounds with impossible magical feats and sleight of hand. Together, they create an unforgettable experience full of amazement, intrigue and edge-of-your-seat excitement. Prepare to be astonished as the ordinary transforms into the extraordinary right before your eyes.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Censored. Prosecuted. Defiant. In 1970s Portugal, three women’s groundbreaking book New Portuguese Letters sparked a historic trial. The Three Marias brings this compelling narrative to life, exploring the clash between art, oppression, and freedom. Bold and poetic, this urgent play delves into the courage of women who dared to speak out during a time of political and social upheaval. Through passion, rebellion and resilience, their voices continue to resonate today. Don’t miss this powerful exploration of revolution, identity and the enduring strength of women’s voices in the face of censorship.
Greenside @ George Street
Olive Studio
In a world where resources are scarce and trust is scarcer, The Trials by Dawn King asks: who deserves to survive? This electrifying dystopian drama plunges audiences into a moral quagmire, challenging notions of justice and humanity. With razor-sharp dialogue and heart-pounding tension, this production is a riveting exploration of power, ethics and survival. Don’t miss this unforgettable theatrical event. Book your tickets today and prepare to question everything you believe in.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
When the goddess Nüwa creates the world, her twin children, Day and Night become imbalanced. Seduced by this chaos, the Night Demon disrupts the natural order, plunging the world into darkness and disarray. The spirits of the twenty-four Solar Terms awaken and join forces with the four divine beasts of Eastern mythology, restoring harmony between heaven and earth, humanity and nature. Pupils from Jingdong Primary School in Shanghai depict the twenty-four natural spirits marking the different seasons from the unique Chinese system, in this visual and auditory feast. Performed in Cantonese with English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Ray Bubbles, international bubbleologist and World Record Holder, is on a mission to master the art of bubble-making and create the ultimate square bubble! This show promises a whirlwind of excitement and surprises, as Ray uses various gases to craft stunning bubble sculptures, effects and magical displays. Prepare to be amazed as Ray creates a volcano bubble, a soap bubble carousel, a bubble ghost and even a tornado inside a bubble! The show was inspired by Ray’s work with schools and science centres. Join Ray and see if he can create the ultimate square bubble!
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
If you suddenly found yourself in an unfamiliar room with no memory of how you got there, what would your response be? If the only thing in that very room was a strange woman, how would you react? The UnderNeath is filled with mystery, humour and self-realisation. It makes you question everything you thought you already knew and poses the most challenging question we may one day ask ourselves: What is your biggest regret?
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
Ignite your curiosity with this series of fascinating talks. From the bizarre history of tinned foods to 17th-century banking; sex in the Second World War to whisky, our eclectic line-up of experts will provide intrigue, insights and the occasional innuendo. See SimplySpiffing.co.uk/whats-on/ for the full programme. When booking tickets, please ensure that you have selected the correct date for the lecture that you wish to attend.
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
The Unexpected Mayfly follows a nobody – a man struggling with the search for purpose in his monotonous life. When a delayed performance unwillingly thrusts him into the spotlight, he seizes the opportunity to entertain the audience, not considering the consequences. In this emotional dark comedy we see the hilarious struggles of a man who constantly battles with his own self, often blaming the world around him for these challenges.
Greenside @ George Street
Ivy Studio
Shakespeare’s Hamlet is reimagined through a dynamic fusion of text, movement and music. This fresh reworking explores themes of identity, agency and inner turmoil, focusing on the complex relationships between Hamlet and the women in his life – Gertrude and Ophelia. With influences from Pina Bausch’s Tanztheater, the production delves into the raw struggle between life and death, exposing the suffocating tension that societal pressure and familial love can have on a person. It is a transcendental and devastating journey through Hamlet's world that challenges us to reflect on the questions of existence, free will and love.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
'One monk fetches water to drink, two monks share the task, and three monks go thirsty.' The piece uses the parable of Three Monks to reflect the realities of modern urban life, exploring the dynamics of interpersonal relationships and the many possible outcomes that arise. It delves into themes such as order and chaos, breakdown and reconstruction, individuality and community, stability and division – examining the subtle psychological tensions and relational dynamics in various social contexts.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
From the hurt of loss to the joy of laughter, we are shaped over time. Dancers dive into the push and pull of memory, weaving together movement that tells stories of playfulness, pain and perseverance. The Weight of Then explores time’s influence on memory, the bonds that connect us and experiences that are both universal and deeply personal. Join us as we unravel how the past lingers in the present.
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
Following the sell-out success of The Addams Family at Edinburgh Fringe 2024, award-winning theatre company The Talentz returns with a vibrant new production of The Wizard of Oz, featuring an all-youth cast! Inspired by the newly released Wicked, this reimagined take on the classic tale brings fresh depth to Dorothy’s adventure as she journeys through the magical land of Oz, joined by the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion. With stunning visuals, dynamic performances and a unique twist this heartwarming production will captivate audiences of all ages. Book your tickets now for an unforgettable experience!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy and her dog Toto are whisked over the rainbow to the magical land of Oz. To return home, Dorothy must follow the yellow brick road to find the Wizard of Oz, who lives in the beautiful Emerald City! On her strange and sometimes frightening journey, she meets Glinda the good witch, a scarecrow who needs a brain, a tin woodman who is missing a heart, a lion who wants to gain courage and the Wicked Witch of the West!
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
Would you take an experimental drug to feel your feelings? The Wonder Drug examines the nature of "recovery" through the interactions of two drifters who move from strangers to frenemies to friends in this new play by Kansas-based playwright Daniel Born. The play connects two emotionally disabled men through their participation in an experiment that uses a drug to elicit empathy. But does this psychotropic drug have unintended consequences? The Wonder Drug takes a compassionate look into male social interactions and emphasises that sometimes all we need is outside our door..
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Escape to the magic of Hundred Acre Wood and join Winnie and friends as the hunt begins, if only they could remember what they were searching for. Face blusterous days, bothersome bees, worrisome woozles and maybe stop at a bridge for a game with a stick. The Wonderful World of Winnie the Pooh reimagines the beloved stories of AA Milne, bringing everyone’s favourite characters to stage in a new play with dance, original song and live music. This is a show to capture the imagination of every child or anyone who once was.
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
In the closed community of the Tower of London, an identity swap and an arranged marriage are put into play to save the head of a condemned man. A lovesick court jester and his maid stumble into the plot with heartbreaking results. Cat-Like Tread return with their ninth original production, and punch to the heart of the matter in an abridged version of Gilbert and Sullivan's operatic masterpiece. 'For careful execution and straightforward fun, it is difficult to imagine many recent productions of Gilbert and Sullivan have beaten Cat-Like Tread' **** (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
A genre-defying mix of stand-up, surreal storytelling and live techno anthems – this is comedy like you've never seen before. Writer for Netflix and award-winning comedian Theo Mason Wood delivers a punk-clown manifesto on love, identity and modern chaos, blending razor-sharp wit, rebellious energy and electrifying mayhem. Fresh from a sold-out Berlin run and a prestigious Moth Club performance, Theo's unique blend of anarchy and artistry has captivated audiences across Europe. Whether you're here for the laughs, the beats or the beautifully unhinged storytelling, one thing's certain: you won't forget this show.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
In her eightieth year, Christine wondered if she might create her first show. Who says an octogenarian shouldn't be working with stepladders, electronics... and water? A performance of persistence and joy, celebrating the beautiful functions and limits of a human body and the desire to make things happen. Assisted by her helper, Calum, Christine manipulates and raps her way along a precarious journey of movement and sound, taking us to surprising places. This is real, what happens along the way we can't be sure. Just got to keep going! Programmed by Dance Base in collaboration with Assembly. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
An all-male ensemble explores the pitfalls of masculinity. This theatre piece explores men's struggles with depression, loneliness, belonging, brotherhood, violence, peer pressure and emotional vulnerability, all while having to be a provider, lover, father, brother… Is it possible to be truly sensitive to others and still take care of number one, holding onto a solid sense of personal identity? Delve into the shifting roles, expectations and struggles of modern masculinity. Through devised performances, this show unearths the pressures, contradictions and vulnerabilities that shape the male experience. What would a healthy masculinity look like?
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
Guilty or innocent? You decide! The unmissable, award-winning, critically acclaimed courtroom roast returns to the Fringe! You accuse friends and family of crimes, and top comedians take on the roles of judge and defense lawyers, hearing testimony, cross-examining witnesses, and improvising their arguments for each case. It’s up to you the audience as jury to deliver your verdict. Never the same show twice, a must-do Fringe experience! 'A perfect bit of improv mayhem' ***** (Mirror). 'Inventive, intelligent comedy' **** (Scotsman).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 2
A brand-new, bite-sized absurdist comedy that you can really sink your teeth into! Small-time Scottish criminals, Cammy and Lee are no strangers to running into a spot of bother in their escapades – in fact, they seem to attract it. So when a lucrative opportunity involving the kidnap of the reclusive Lord Armstrong presents itself, a quick trip to the bonny Highlands has never seemed so straight-forward. However, their target harbours an ancient secret that raises the stakes of the mission and leaves the duo wondering if they have bitten off more than they can chew.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
Manhattan buskers, cockney con-men, Broadway dreams. Nina and Robert have high hopes for the big stage. But when they get mixed-up in a scam that promises them everything, they discover that money is the loudest mouth, even in art. This Side of Life is a feel-good Golden Age throwback musical from The Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society that explores the struggle for artistic recognition, the lengths people will go to “make it” and the importance of staying in love with the art you create.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
A fully-improvised narrative play in the style of William Shakespeare from Thorn and Petal Stick, alias of veteran improvisers Hal Munger and John Mistele, founders of the first UnScripted Shakespeare Festival in New York. Nothing is pre-planned! At the beginning of each show the audience is asked to provide a title, that inspires a delightful comedy in Elizabethan language unlike any Shakespearian play you've ever seen before. Love, marriage, scheming and mistaken identities abound in an entertaining improvised romp – all in the poetic language of the bard. Accompanied by Sebastian Hochman on piano.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
Erika Ehler (BBC1) and Kiran Saggu (Rolling Stone) ponder their thoughts and being daughters. Expect razor-sharp wit, unfiltered honesty and chicks being chicks. What's cooler than that? As seen/written on Cunk on Life (Netflix), Never Mind the Buzzcocks (Sky), Frankie Boyle’s New World Order (BBC Two), Late Night Mash (Dave) and Charlie Brooker's Death to 2020 and Death to 2021. Between them they have a Chortle Student Comedy Award win, So You Think You’re Funny finalist and semi-finalist placements (2019 and 2021) and second place at 2Northdown New Act of the Year.
Hoots @ Potterrow
Big Yurt
Three Bad Sisters is a cacophony of the best and darkest materials from these three female rising stars of Irish comedy. Aideen McQueen, Shinanne Higgins and Louise O'Toole are sisters, granted, not each others sisters, but they're someone's sisters! They put the fun in funeral, the rim in grim and the slag in slag heap. They are finally joining forces and accumulating their darkest material to make you laugh, cringe, get slightly aroused and get just a wee bit sick in your mouth.
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Wee Room
Top of the Hollywood Fringe 2024 nominee! It was supposed to be an easy score. Whack the mark. Stage the scene. Take the money. Retire to Cabo. At least, that’s how they planned it. But for poor Moose and Sonny, a really bad night is only just beginning. This darkly funny and twisted interactive crime thriller allows you, the audience, to choose how the story proceeds, while the anti-hero protagonists attempt to get away with murder. Literally. With multiple decision points throughout, and three different possible endings, no two performances will be the same!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Presented by the Queen of the Night and Lady Macbeth – with Cinderella as a last-minute replacement – the “concertino” designed to celebrate opera queens goes off the rails from the start. ‘Amusement: check. Delight: double check. Viva the queens in opera!’ (AllEdinburghTheatre.com). Writer and director Michael Scott brings together three formidable queens to perform his new comic opera pastiche with an eclectic mix of well-loved tunes. ‘Delightful wittiness and strong vocals’ (AllEdinburghTheatre.com). Premiering at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe! Publicity illustration by Robert Powell.
Stockbridge Church
Church Hall
Celebrated songwriter, guitarist, author and all-around badass Kristin Hersh brings the legendary Throwing Muses to Edinburgh Festival Fringe on Wednesday 20 August.
La Belle Angele
Main Room
Funk-rock experimenters Thumpasaurus bring their impressive live show to La Belle Angele this August for Fringe Festival 2025.
La Belle Angele
Main Room
Dylan Ward is autistic. He has his own way of thinking and his own way of doing things, but no one seems to understand him. How do you navigate a world which operates on a completely different wavelength to the one that you’re on? Following its critically acclaimed run at Camden Fringe last year, and based on real experiences of growing up autistic, Tides (An Autism Story) combines Monty Pythonesque humour with a touch of real-world drama to offer an insight into the wonderful, yet challenging world of autism... From one particularly silly individual.
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
When their philosophy professor, Tim Kenneth, suffers a meltdown in class, obnoxious prankster Scooter and teacher’s pet Pencil embark on an odyssey through the suburbs of New Jersey, saddled with the weight of their own existence and with complicated feelings towards their lecturer.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
More than twenty years ago, literature student David met an older man called Michael in the bar of an independent cinema. They spoke for an hour, developed a genuine connection, and never met again. Twenty years later, sitting in the same cinema with his wife, David sees a man that looks very familiar. In that moment, David goes back to the afternoon he could never forget.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Music by JS Bach (1685-1750) transcribed by Ferenc Liszt (1811-1886), and the celebrated Walsingham Variations by the Welsh composer John Bull (1562-1628).
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Time and Time Again is an exploration of migration, friendship, and identity. Zoe and Becca meet in primary school, become best friends for life, and start making big plans to live together in a pink mansion, marry a tall blonde and become dance and pop stars. As time doesn’t stand still and real life unfolds, Zoe and Becca learn to navigate the complexities of their evolving friendship across different life stages and embrace life's unpredictable twists and turns.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
A performance duet of sonic verse, dance, and audience experience that challenges the expectations imposed upon us in society. Using co-authored text, musician and playwright Karen Cecilia, and dance and visual artist Emilee Lord, break down and name the expectations they have each combatted and assert what they chose instead. While each performer’s story differs in detail and expression, a common thread between them will ring true with others who have carved their own paths in life. The audience will be asked to consider their own ideas of “shoulds” and invited to contribute to the show’s performance that day.
Dovecot Studios
Meeting Room
For as long as there has been the fairytale Princess, there has been the fairytale Prince. But, this Prince feels like he hasn’t been getting the attention he deserves. Never getting the fun songs like the princess, villain or quirky sidekick. Never being in the title of the films (unless of course he is). Never feeling like his wishes come true. Follow the Prince on his journey as he sings his very own songs and complains about what his life could be. Before maybe realising that his place in the story isn’t so bad after all.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Pickle Studio
A mesmerising piece of physical theatre, set in the maze-like train system of Tokyo. The scenes unfold like the variations of a fugue, in sequences of meticulously crafted movement. With three bodies and three chairs, the piece conjures up the dizzying experience of life in a modern metropolis. The audience is left breathless and wondering: what is it, after all, that I am chasing? At times poetic, at times comical, at times unsettling, this is theatre that speaks to the soul.www.tarinainanika.comwww.facebook.com/tarinainanikawww.instagram.com/tarinainanika Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Ever had the hiccups and wondered why? The folk of Grendel have always understood – respect Tom Hiccup and he’ll leave you alone. Anger him and who knows what may happen. The old spirits are like that. But sometimes, the indifference of Nature becomes a force for justice. When a man commits the ultimate act of cowardice, a woman’s spirit gains terrifying embodiment. This dark, twisted folk horror tale explores desire, murder and capricious Nature. This one-woman storytelling show is brought to you by the company behind The Red Room, reviewed ***** and **** at Fringe 2024.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
After losing most of his sight, Tom thought he might never become a dad. But now he is. And he's a bit scared. From nappy changing, choking hazards and losing your toddler in the park, to not being able to read to him, see his changing face or his first goal on the football pitch, this is a hilarious, heartfelt scamper through dadhood and disability. 'Deliciously talented' (Guardian). 'Sends you back out into the world with a spring in your step' (Chortle.co.uk). 'Insightful, hilarious... expertly crafted' (TulpaMagazine.wordpress.com). **** Perth FringeWorld Weekly Award winner 2020.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
'Storytelling at its best!' ***** (Playbill). This highly awarded, internationally toured, inspirational true story is about overcoming obstacles, pursuing passions, and the healing power of the arts and is told with warmth, humour and banjo music! This show has donated 100% of ticket sales to cancer and theatre charities totalling over $1,000,000 (CAD) since 2018 and all proceeds from this Edinburgh Fringe run will benefit Summerhall. Sold out run in 2023 and 2024. Mervyn Stutter's Pick of the Fringe 2023! 'A sold-out Fringe classic!' (BritishTheatreGuide.info).
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
A variety show that melds together a myriad of different genres, each connected by audience interaction. From raunchy comedies to honest confessions, each play presents its own story, statement and/or improvisation that will take you through a rollercoaster of emotions. The ensemble will both guide you and be guided by you throughout the 60 minutes of our show. Every performance will be unique and entirely dictated by you – our audience! If you sit close enough, you may even star in the show yourself...
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Audrey has everything under control... almost. Trapped in her own world of anxieties, she's reliant on her imagination, routines and very glamorous blanket fort. Enter Evelyn, her no-nonsense, perfect younger sister, who arrives with a Tupperware of bolognese and a secret of her own. As memories resurface and long-buried tensions rise, the siblings navigate love, resentment and the messy art of moving on. Top of the World is 'endearing and charming, with many laughs throughout' (The Student).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
A direct encounter with skin, flesh and breath. In current neo-liberal work conditions, where economic performance drives national identity, the body becomes a form of human capital to be disciplined for constant growth. By working with the raw processes of breath, its muscularity and affects, Pat Toh considers how a body struggles to endure a pandemic, as she examines the lived experience of being productive at such a time. In response to restrictions on in-person gatherings, this innovative digital work is a reflection on present times, and our relationship to breath and breathlessness.www.pattoh.comwww.instagram.com/pattohling Watch Trailer #1Watch Trailer #2
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Not only dancers but also monks and a tea master are born to dance. This is the story of a tea master who travels to another world within himself, and returns reborn. As he prepares Matcha tea, he meets himself. There is a deep connection between Japanese tea ceremony and Zen. Agaxart produces innovative Butoh performances based on Emiko Agatsuma’s Butoh method and aesthetics, examining the interaction between body, mind and soul. Agaxart creates Butoh performances to deliver the diversity of the physical expression that is connected to the unconsciousness.agaxart.wixsite.com/agartwww.facebook.com/agao00owww.instagram.com/emiko.agatsumawww.youtube.com/channel/UCSXxrjd0qLNtUMmD5VoOTtAa Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
mesmerising new dance piece, recorded with live electronic music, from award-winning Barcelona-based choreographer Laia Santanach. This piece of contemporary dance is a reflection on the word 'tradition': the set of knowledge, customs and beliefs that get handed down from generation to generation. The piece highlights how some western traditions sacrifice the body for belief, custom and esteem, endangering it, in the name of popular belief, love and a sense of community. Created from intensive research, Tradere was made for three formats: indoor and outdoor live performance, and video.www.laiasantanach.comwww.facebook.com/laia.santanachwww.instagram.com/laia_santanach Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Eight very different people, eight very different situations. How does £500 get passed around? Willingly or violently? As a gift? Blackmail? Payment for drugs? Beauty treatment? A scam? Car repair? Is it stolen? Or lost? In cash or online? In someone's home? A nightclub? On the street? In a theatre? Perhaps all of these or none. In a newly devised show, see money circulate in a kaleidoscope of comedy, tragedy and the mundane in Britain today.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
A true story about life through addiction to sobriety. From being young and dumb on the Glasgow gay scene, through homelessness on the streets of Barcelona, to being committed to a psych ward and then landing in recovery. It is a tragic, yet hilarious, true story about overcoming demons and finding the real meaning of what it takes to be happy.
Laughing Horse @ Boston Bar
Basement Bar
Trees talk! In a landmark study, a scientist learned everything about how trees communicate… Or did she? One tree tells the story of what really happened, reminding us that human beings and plants live in one interconnected ecosystem. The world’s first play told entirely from the point of view of a tree.To experience this site-specific audio play, find a tree near you, sit under it (or nearby), press play, and listen to the tree’s confessions.This Is Not a Theatre Company creates site-based, immersive, multi-sensory, participatory dance-theatre that can be smelled, touched, and tasted as well as seen and heard.www.ThisIsNotATheatreCompany.comwww.facebook.com/thisisnotatheatrecompanywww.instagram.con/thisisnotatheatrecompany/ Watch Company Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Best Show nominee – UK Kids Comedy Festival 2025. Embark on a hilarious and heartwarming journey into the life of a tree with Treeeeee, a captivating mix of physical comedy and environmental storytelling. This show spans the 500-year life of a tree in just 50 minutes. The performance brings the natural world to life through expressive movement, music and audience interaction, creating a magical experience for audiences of all ages. Performed by Christiaan Hendriksen, Sketch Off finalist 2025 and Best Debut Show nominee Leicester Comedy Festival 2023.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
In his first written show in a decade, expect stand-up and poetry as well as lists and suggestions from the maverick Lock as he attempts to reinvent Bingo, rewrite the English dictionary and provide concise instructions as to the correct way to imbibe a glass of H2O. 'Superbly comic writing' (Sunday Times). 'Utterly improbably, absolutely entertaining' (Independent). 'A show like no other' (Scotsman). 'Walks like Dudley Moore, talks like Peter Cook' (Kate Moss).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 5
A mysterious beast. A jungle in chaos. A tribe on the brink. When rumours of a sabre-toothed tiger spark panic, a gang of accidental heroes must crack the case, dodge disaster and avoid becoming lunch! With toe-tapping tunes and a twist bigger than the Ice Age, this high-energy musical comedy is packed with wild characters, fast-paced action and laugh-out-loud mayhem. Perfect for families, comedy fans and anyone who loves a good prehistoric caper! Big laughs. Bigger beats. Even bigger teeth.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
A darkly funny, deeply personal queer comedy about survival, identity and reclaiming the spotlight. From childhood dreams to crushing setbacks, Tristan Wolfe navigates trauma, stage fright and the absurdity of it all, finding laughter in the breaking points. Growing up, he longed to be on stage, but family pressure and rejection pushed him into silence. Years later, a near-tragic moment changed everything. Now, he shares his journey with sharp wit, original music and raw honesty. A show for anyone who’s ever felt on the edge, whether breaking down or breaking free.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
1993, Mum won't let Alice go to Funderland because Belfast is burning. 'How about Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves and Chinese chicken balls instead?' 2018, Alice falls for Tim, but can she escape the legacy of a childhood shaped by conflict or will everything blow-up in her face? A tale of love, death and division – told with tea and biscuits. Troubled blends story, projection and humour, reckoning with the past and offering hope for the future. 'An excitingly honest depiction of the power of human connection, told with daring vulnerability' (Haley McGee, Olivier Nominee, Fringe First Winner 2022).
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
When Lindsay Lucas-Bartlett was growing up in Southend-on-Sea, sharing a home with her abusive bipolar father and drug addict brother, her dreams of escaping the stereotypical Essex girl’s fate consisted of (a) marrying Prince William, and (b) running away to the magical city of Los Angeles. But Prince William started losing his hair, and besides, what’s the point of swapping one dysfunctional family for another? Which leaves the other option...
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
A unique and unforgettable flamenco experience. After two years of fantastic reception, Jara Perez and Danielo Olivera return with a fresh reinvention of their acclaimed show, preserving its essence of passion, fun and love for the art. Edinburgh Fringe regulars, they present an intimate journey through flamenco’s origins and future, blending powerful dance, soulful singing and great guitar. With elegance, humour and spontaneous complicity, this uplifting and highly entertaining performance guarantees an inspiring celebration of flamenco. Be prepared for a great night and lots of ole!
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
Tutti Orchestra: At the Movies. Performed by our community orchestra and supported by professionals, join us for an evening of classics from the silver screen. Featuring the full sound of our band, plus smaller ensembles performing a range of exciting repertoire. Our keen amateur orchestra was founded in 2017 and is looking forward to share our first venture into the Edinburgh Fringe with you!
Canongate Kirk
Canongate Kirk
Tartan, tweed and stunning landscapes! Sue will guide you to stitch a tiny tweed and tartan textile landscape using remnants of fabric and vintage embroidery threads. All fabric and equipment supplied. No experience required. Previous Edinburgh Fringe sell out!
The Royal Scots Club
The Hepburn Suite
Music is the food of love – and we needed to play on. Twelfth Night, never as seen before… Created and performed for the Rhondda Valleys community and to provide much-needed opportunities for theatre freelancers in 2020, marking 35 years since Live Aid. Directed by Matthew Bool and performed by professionals from an area of deprivation, to create opportunities and learning experiences for local actors. Avant Cymru aim to make Shakespeare relevant today. Shakespeare with a Welsh Valleys twist.www.avant.cymruwww.facebook.com/AvantCymru/www.instagram.com/avant_cymru Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Set 12 days after Christmas, perhaps the party has gone on just a little too long? Perhaps the guests are a tad hungover? Perhaps they’ve left it almost too late to find true love? Queen’s College is proud to premiere this sparkling new production, which is so full of comic energy and fizz that you’ll be celebrating all the way to the Christmas season!
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
Peter Seivewright {pianoforte} performs Passacaglia in C minor BWV 582 by JS Bach (1685-1750), transcribed for pianoforte by Glasgow-born Eugen d'Albert (1864-1932), and Ronald Stevenson's legendary Passacaglia on DSCH.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Performed in drag as the vaudevillian widow Twonketta, a lady who is somewhat late for church. This year it’s a thriller about rival rollercoasters and fairgrounds set by a smoky lagoon in a valley once owned by ex-milkman-turned-singer Shakin’ Stevens. An award-winning trailblazer of a show featuring Fringe royalty such as: the Steve Martin puppet made from sanitary towels, the pocket princess and the flugelhorn-tooting Tutti Cnutti. 'Clowning at its very best' ***** (Scotsman). 'His idiotic joy is infectious: he is a masterclass in play' ***** (NeurodiverseReview.co.uk).
Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly
Other Room
Join UCL Drama Society and an ensemble of eight actors in a supernatural story to uncover the mysteries of a classic ghost tale, where the lines of reality, biting humour and the beyond, blur into one.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
The story of the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804) in the context of the American and French Revolutions and the war against slavery. Fiery-hot poetry from a London, UK and BBC slam champion, David Lee Morgan. For previous shows: 'I am awed by Morgan's passion, his humorous, yet enraged, intellectual appraisal… An energetic, clever, passionate survey of human life' ***** (Time Out). 'One of those rare, passionate performances... bristling with energy and interesting ideas… a bracing crash course in how to read history… with a f*cking blowtorch' **** (Scotsman).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Faced with imminent starvation, two cave-people discover a C.P. Company goggle hat that enables them to see into the 21st century A.D. Will this glimpse of the future offer a way out of their desperate plight, or will it only push them deeper into misery? This drama explores the interaction between the distant past and present through the breakdown of a romantic relationship, and questions to what extent modern life has alienated us from what makes life worth living, in broken Stone Age English.
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
Join a massive line-up of comedy stars for a stupendous evening to fight against brain tumours. Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer for children and adults under 40 and increased funding for research is desperately needed. All box office income will go straight to The Brain Tumour Charity and Underbelly will match this amount as a donation to the charity, doubling the amount that we can raise. Now returning for its 7th year, last year's line-up included Dara O'Briain, Rose Matafeo, Carl Donnelly, Angela Barnes and Milton Jones. Check UnderbellyEdinburgh.co.uk for this year's acts.
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
Özen Yula's highly acclaimed play takes the audience on a journey to the Ottoman Empire in 1558. It tells the unofficial story of Roxelana, who rose from being part of the Sultan's harem to become an influential figure within the state, mastering the subtleties of state governance with her ambition for power, even to the extent of sacrificing her children. The storytelling is enhanced with shadow play and masks showcasing the unique style of Turkish theatre, as Selçuk Yilmaz's music takes the audience on a journey back in time with Ottoman melodies. English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Guy is a jobbing actor whose blind enthusiasm, sub-par ability and unhealthy obsession with Matt Damon leaves him in a rut. He can’t seem to exist anywhere except on his couch, in the pub or on the set of low-budget adverts. Can Guy survive in an industry which seems to be conspiring against him? More importantly, can the company of Unprofessional make it through opening night? Inspired in equal parts by Tim Crouch and The Play That Goes Wrong, this new ‘laugh-out-loud meta-comedy’ (DailyInfo.co.uk) by Oisín Byrne takes aim at self-serious actors, expectant audiences and everyone in between.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
There is no journey more uncertain than new parenthood, especially when you’ve never been given an example. The scatterbrained Arya and her baby discover a Voice has invaded their flat demanding Arya make an unimaginable sacrifice that will change the course of history. How might any reasonable person be convinced to complete such an unspeakable task? Where in the universe did this Voice come from? Why does he talk like an ancient god but still know the Backstreet Boys? A dark comedic drama that explores postpartum psychosis, generational trauma and self-discovery with raw emotion and sharp humour.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Unshattered Matter examines self-reflection, redemption and human capacity for growth amidst personal flaws and mistakes. The story follows Rena, a young woman caught between her carefree but reckless past and a moment of reckoning after a life-altering accident. Trapped in an introspective space between life and death, she confronts her choices, guilt and identity through conversations with her reflection, exploring the struggle to reconcile youthful escapism with the consequences of one's actions, highlighting the resilience of the human spirit. It speaks to the transformative power of acceptance and the courage to embrace imperfection while choosing to move forward.
Greenside @ George Street
Mint Studio
The number one Google search term for 2022 was climate-change – the first time that it ranked as a comprehensive yearly search term. Now many people are aware of its seriousness and are starting to think about solutions together. Creative art, from the Republic of Korea, are kick-starting this response from a uniquely artistic perspective. They use waste to make music – cellos from abandoned equipment from rural areas, stringed instruments of thrown away plastic toys – and compose piano songs based on the characteristics of endangered animals, to ask vital questions about the climate crisis.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
A one-woman show about a new mother struggling with the responsibility of caring for a tiny human. The show is rooted in comic physicality with many props mimed – most importantly, the baby. An unsuspecting trumpet player will be the onstage musician... Don't tell him there’s no singing in this production. Or that he’ll be onstage. Imagine The Play That Goes Wrong with a much smaller cast, fewer words and less murder. Ok, maybe don’t imagine The Play That Goes Wrong at all. Is this clear as mud? Please focus. Use Your Words! brings silly to Edinburgh.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
VOTE follows three middle-class women, focusing on fictional Mary Abbott, as they discover the Suffragette movement. Set around the 1908 Hyde Park rally, the story highlights Mary’s arrest, prison abuse and eventual release, leading to electoral equality decades later. Created by Phoebe Perry, who dreamed of writing a musical at 14, VOTE explores the darker sides of the Suffragette movement. It debuted with two performances in West Sussex in October 2024, inspiring its audiences. Celebrate a compelling tale of female resilience, power and empowerment, beautifully brought to life through song and storytelling.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
Valentin Taricco plays multiple instruments on a rooftop overlooking the Caribbean Sea in Tulum, Mexico. Combines poetry and the art of improvisation with rhythms, sounds and instruments from around the world in electronic beats of melodic house and downtempo. Argentinan composer, multi-instrumentalist and audiovisual producer Valentin Tarrico has merged his experience as a singer-songwriter with that of a music producer to create a show that combines the language of electronic music and live-looping with the world of songs. Recorded live, with his latest unreleased tunes. A sound journey that invites us to dance.www.hekatombe.orgwww.facebook.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.linktr.ee/valentintariccowww.facebook.com/tariccovalentinwww.instagram.com/valentintariccowww.youtube.com/channel/UCugaypal1Em4JYl54JJgudg Watch Trailer #1Watch Trailer #2Watch Trailer #3
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A double-bill of two contrasting pieces: In/visible from calligrapher and choreographer Chiharu Kuronuma, and Tranquilizer from juggler Teruki Okamoto. Chiharu Kuronuma has developed a theoretical framework for integrating 2D calligraphy into a 3D bodily expression by employing aspects of the Laban Movement Analysis. Asian Arts Award winner Teruki Okamoto has been working on the discovery of the Principle of Motion. Together they investigate choreography as a part of a research process that unites dance and juggling with perspectives of calligraphy and digital programming.Performed by | Chiharu Kuronuma, Teruki OkamotoProduced and Directed by | Chiharu KuronumaMusic | TetoteMix | Ayumi ‘Ojo’ MatsuiTechnical Operation | Takamasa YamadaVideo | Masahiro Sekiya, Hiroki NoharaProduction | Kenji MatsumaeScenography | Octanorm Japan Co, Tokyo Velludo Co)Special thanks | Online Choreographer Workshop Vol 3, Circus Laboratory CouCou, PM Juggling, Tetote, Hello1103www.io-multimediaperformance.comwww.chiharukuronuma.comwww.terukiokamoto.comwww.instagram com/chiharu.kuronuma.59/www.instagram com/terukiokamoto/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Finding the right vet is like finding the right pair of heels… Take a seat at the InFurMary Vets, where Dr Fantasy reminisces about becoming a certified vet and watch her navigate her day treating a menagerie of poorly pets. Starring Veronica Green from Ru Paul’s Drag Race, and all set within a veterinary surgery set, Vetted is a show filled to the brim with quirky comedy puppets, original songs and fabulous drag queens. You’ll love this show, I Shih Tzu not!
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
A mini-musical tells of a complex man with a ruthless drive to create and a deep-seated desire to love and be loved. Vincent, the three time Naledi award-winning musical, delves deep into the enigmatic life of Vincent Van Gogh, exploring the complexities of his relentless pursuit of artistic fulfilment and genuine human connection. Through reimagined renditions of popular musical theatre, pop, rock and jazz numbers, the musical offers a fresh perspective on Van Gogh’s unwavering desire for love and acceptance.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Vienna’s leading violinist Wolfgang David and award-winning American composer/pianist David Gompper perform a variety of Romantic Impressions: Kreisler, Debussy, Poulenc, and Gompper’s Finnegan’s Wake. Enjoy this journey through Viennese, French, and American/Irish tunes! Wolfgang David performs regularly at the most prestigious concert halls such as Carnegie Hall New York, Musikverein Hall Vienna, Suntory Hall Tokyo, and Wigmore Hall London. David Gompper is a Professor of Composition at the University of Iowa and director of the Center for New Music.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Step inside an immersive experience that fuses music, animation, AI and visual art, exploring the tension between perception and self-definition. In a world that constantly ascribes meaning to who you are, this journey challenges you to take control of your own narrative. Based on her book BrandYOUtation, author/narrator Jacqueline Strayer, invites you to explore and inhabit your composer’s role – conducting your symphony of self. Through evocative soundscapes, dynamic visuals and powerful storytelling, this journey will challenge and empower you to intentionally curate and shape how you are seen and understood, ultimately defining your own future.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
Vittorio Angelone has always denied any involvement in the Edinburgh Fringe.
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
Vox Stars, winners of the Spirit of the Fringe Award (2022) present a new show for 2025, celebrating aspiring singers through the music of their idols. Lainey Vox and her students voice a wonderful mix of iconic popular music hits from legends, retro, pop, party, Disney and film. The six-night show run features the music of classic icons from Queen, The Beatles and ABBA to modern stars such as Miley Cyrus and Adele. Our Edinburgh singing and performance studio presents a diverse mix of singers from the soulful to the powerful.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
A double bill by Brazilian choreographer Lili de Grammont. Voyeur opens the evening, inviting the audience into a charged, intimate space where private gestures unfold under the weight of being watched. Samba and Love closes with intensity – a visceral response to the burnout of modern life, where samba rhythms become a physical expression of exhaustion, desire and resistance in a world that demands too much. Both works explore vulnerability, control, tenderness and tension – revealing the impossibility of escaping from rhythm, from the gaze, or from ourselves.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
This show is about a man trying to be more than his race or sex. Vulnerable White Passing Male is a ride of pure comedic joy. It incorporates clowning, improv and American-style stand-up comedy. It explores what it means to be a man. It dares to ask the question: is my dick big enough?
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
A retrospective on the growth of individuals, in which the questioning of faith, love, anxiety and redemption is achieved away from the gaze of parents, family and usual community. This live contemporary dance performance with visual art installation was created in collaboration with choreographer and dancer Daniela Vazquez, producer and dancer Catalina Navarrete, and a team of 8 Mexican performing artists. Each unique movement is performed sequentially to the mastered recordings of Vulny Daddy, an album written by Matthew Roberta (Matthew Anderson), produced by Drake Ritter, contributed by musical artists around the world.www.hekatombe.orgwww.facebook.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/hekatombe.produccion/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
March 3, 1960. Elvis is returning to the US after completing his military service in Germany. His flight stops at Prestwick Airport for refuelling. Margaret Rutherford (the definitive Miss Marple) while waiting in the departure lounge for her London flight, meets Elvis fan Albert hoping to glimpse the King. A new play by Clara Nel Haddon. Previous productions include Noiseless & Patient: ‘Beautiful and lyrical’ (FringeGuru.com). Sisu: ‘A brilliant hidden Fringe gem’ (Joe Lycett on twitter 2016). Hive: ‘Intimate and enthralling’ (EdinburghGuide.com). When Kurt Met Thora: ‘As an imagined piece of entertainment folklore, it’s priceless’ (TheStage.co.uk).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Alan is a deadbeat stoner. Sam is his ex. Sammie is a struggling actor... and also, Alan’s ex. Samantha is an up-and-coming writer... and also, Alan’s ex. Sam is Sammie, and Sammie is Samantha... and Alan waits for all of them to come back. A story about the evolution of oneself after heartbreak, and in some cases, the lack thereof. Waiting in Love is a contained experimental drama, set entirely in Alan’s apartment, spanning the course of a year after his first real heartbreak.
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
Wakati is a Swahili word for time. The performance Wakati explores how past, present and future affect the development of a culture and the life of a human. In Wakati, the performer explores her own cultural history and heritage through time. By using her own experience of immigrating to Norway from Kenya, Shelmith examines the expectations, ideas and limits that come with being an immigrant and multicultural in Norway. The work sheds light on how identity changes and develops within the same culture and between different cultures, as well as how time, identity and culture are intertwined.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
It's William Wallace's last day on earth as he awaits his trial. Held in a London cellar he tells his story and narrates his life in this moving and passionate play Bobby Bulloch brings to life. A must see for all that are interested in Scotland and Scotland's story. You can smell the battlefield and hear the noises as Wallace takes us through his story showing the passion in this huge Scottish historical figure. Tears at the end but a must for all Scottish patriots. Five-star reviews last year for a breathtaking performance and storytelling.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Dunedin Theatre
In a land of hate and mistrust, where witches are hunted, persecuted and condemned to death, one such creature receives a hazy prophecy of her future, triggering a journey of grief, manipulation and self-acceptance that ends in flames and tears. Listen to the stories of love and loss – of mountains and oceans and of burning at the stake. Of floating, of sinking and of drawing down the moon; a story told through song, dance and magic. Be among the first to experience Cloud's debut album in its haunting entirety.
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
Crack out the pre-drinks for Shakespeare after dark. Loud, lawless, and laced with naughty bits, this is rave theatre: performance, film, stand-up and pounding basslines, dragging Shakespeare into a civil war where star-crossed love and vengeance make their scene. Darkly comic and drenched in Northern poetry, it spits in the face of tradition while reclaiming Shakespeare as the king of the nob gag. Accessible, anarchic and unapologetically alive, Watch Me Die! is here to shake up the Fringe. No quills, no corsets – just raw, riotous theatre perfect for thrill seekers. Supported by Junction Goole.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Immerse yourself in a tapestry of melodies and rhythms where traditions meet innovation. This unique collaboration unites guzheng, harp and bodhrán, blending the rich heritages of Chinese and Scottish music. Featuring reimagined folk melodies, rhythmic improvisations and contemporary compositions, the performance transcends borders, creating a fresh, evocative soundscape. From delicate harp harmonies to the expressive timbres of guzheng and the heartbeat of the bodhrán, this concert celebrates cultural exchange and musical evolution. Experience tradition flowing into new horizons, bridging East and West in a fresh and innovative performance.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Waxen Figures is an immersive audiovisual experience – a supernatural fever dream, where live contemporary dance, Gaelic singing, and cutting-edge technology collide. This Cryptic Commission by audio-visual duo Muto Major plunges into Scotland's folklore, exploring the chasm between ancient rituals and modern lives. Clay, wax, and the human form intertwine, summoning the mythic and the mystical. Projection mapping and augmented reality bring Pictish carvings to life, blurring the line between past and present. Waxen Figures invites you into a multisensory world, where innovation and tradition dance together, reawakening forgotten truths through a bold, poetic lens. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
Waxen Figures is an immersive audiovisual experience – a supernatural fever dream, where live contemporary dance, Gaelic singing, and cutting-edge technology collide. This Cryptic Commission by audio-visual duo Muto Major plunges into Scotland's folklore, exploring the chasm between ancient rituals and modern lives. Clay, wax, and the human form intertwine, summoning the mythic and the mystical. Projection mapping and augmented reality bring Pictish carvings to life, blurring the line between past and present. Waxen Figures invites you into a multisensory world, where innovation and tradition dance together, reawakening forgotten truths through a bold, poetic lens. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
Wanna get something off your chest? This is the perfect show for you. We have heard it all – people making love to their friends parent, smuggling drugs internationally and even confessing to murder... of a peacock accidentally while trying to impress a boy. The Best Weekly Comedy winner of Perth Fringe 2022 returns to Edinburgh Fringe. 1) Anonymously put your confession into the box. 2) Daniel and Cameron read them out. 3) Take a shot of buckfast. 4) The crowd counts 1, 2, 3 'We forgive you!' 5) You're absolved!
Laughing Horse @ Kick Ass Greyfriars
Fringe Room
Why is this woman named Viva applying for a job? She doesn’t even know what they do here! Bestselling author Rob Bell’s new play begins with this disruptive presence and gradually begins to reveal what happens when people own every square inch of their lives. At turns hysterically funny, deeply moving and ultimately subversive, this is a play for anyone who has had a job in the industrialised world and wonders if maybe the whole system needs a change. Directed by Tony Award nominee Kristin Hanggi (Rock of Ages).
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
Obsessed with becoming a Lord, Webber makes a Faustian pact with the eternal spirit of Ruining Everything... who looks suspiciously like Margaret Thatcher. Hilarious ear worms, laser-focused wit and no holds barred. See it before the cease and desist arrives! Impeccably well researched and somehow still incredibly funny, whilst remaining unafraid to speak truth to power, Grant Sharkey is a comedian, satirist and composer whose previous Edinburgh shows include: Are You Worthy? ('A sing-along, laugh-a-minute rallying cry!' (Scotsman), **** (NDReview.nd)) and Trollbadour (**** (ThreeWeeks)), both of which toured nationally.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Wee Man is a powerful and highly physical dance-theatre performance by award-winning choreographer Natasha Gilmore. Performed by an all-male cast of both men and teenagers, this candid and compelling work explores the shifting – and stubbornly static – rules of masculinity across generations. From 'Scotland's most successful contemporary dance companies' (TheReviewsHub.com), with evocative sound by Luke Sutherland and text created with Kevin P Gilday, Wee Man blends raw movement, humour and honest storytelling to unpack the "rulebook" of male behaviour – from everyday pressures to darker, inherited ideals.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Puppets. Friendship. Puberty? Life in Puppetsville was so peaceful until Dr Smellysocks turned the world upside down with his latest invention, the Pubinator, causing our three sweet, innocent puppets to go through the dreaded puberty! Watch as they navigate the twists and turns of their new emotions as they try to become puppets again. Join Lesley, Wesley and Jack in this handcrafted comedic puppet show that teaches friendship, compassion and self-acceptance in a manner suitable for all ages.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
In 1423 Berlin, two peasants find themselves at the center of hysteria, hypocrisy and impending doom. How… fun! As the flames of persecution rise, they must decide: will they take a stand or simply watch? A darkly comedic dive into fear, guilt and the price of inaction. Wenches! blends historical absurdity with modern relevance, revealing how easy it is to mistake performance for purpose. Fast-paced, sharp-witted and unapologetically satirical, this play will make you laugh, squirm and go 'huh?' But worry not! The wenches are right there with you. It all starts with a step into the woods...
Greenside @ George Street
Olive Studio
The town of Stubbins is plagued by a beast, one that roams at night, tearing through livestock, howling to the skies – a werewolf... aka Derek, an awkward, loveable 16-year-old. Derek doesn’t want to be a werewolf. He’s been sneaking into the woods to transform in secret. No one’s been harmed, but unless Derek finds a cure, it’s only a matter of time. Time which he doesn’t have. With a monster hunter arriving in town, Derek must find help before he’s discovered, or worse, someone is killed. But is the “help” all seems?
Greenside @ George Street
Ivy Studio
Louisiana – home of Mardi Gras, Southern hospitality, and purity culture. This autobiographical comedy explores Alice’s teenage upbringing in the thick of America’s Bible Belt. Discover her LGBTQ+ identity and experience the South beyond its cowboy boots! Hold your beers tight as Alice plays over 20 characters with more flavour than a boilin' pot of gumbo. Expect chameleon-like storytelling as Alice recounts a series of events so shocking you won’t believe they’re real! Don’t be shy now – how much can happen to one queer high schooler swimming through a flood of Southern gossip?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Jump on board and let me take you down that bumpy road that we call life. Let's face it – life is pretty funny! We'll stop off on the way to enjoy I Found God Behind the Sofa, I Didn't Know I Was a Stalker, F**k You Death, Take it Off, Funeral Songs, Sex is Funny, Man-Oh-Pause, Elon's Been a Naughty Boy to name but a few. Life is all about perspective isn't it? And this is mine, in a rhyme – so hold on tight!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
There are three rules every housewife knows: never return a dish empty, always have dinner ready on time, and some things are best kept under the table. After all, you never know who’s listening. You’ve heard whispers of absent husbands? Missing children? Spaghetti recipes? Or was it scones? You just can’t trust everything you hear through the walls these days. An absurdist queer two-hander about surveillance, American womanhood, and bodily autonomy from consecutive 2022, 2023, and 2024 Fringe First Award-winners Xhloe and Natasha.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
From media darling to public downfall, this playful and poignant new show imagines the rise and fall of a fictional icon through a vibrant blend of dance-theatre and live documentary. Surreal, daring and sprinkled with bittersweet humour, it explores how women are shaped – and shattered – by the spotlight. Tess Letham brings this idiosyncratic character to life, offering a relatable glimpse into her humanity. Combining distinctive, improvisation-based movement with sharp cultural commentary, bizarre tenderness and unique physical presence, this is an innovative and thought-provoking work from one of Scotland's boldest dance-theatre voices.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
If the world was ending, where would you go? Sam is going home, only it’s not home anymore, not since they and Jamie broke up two years ago. Still, the world is ending and it is better to be with someone who used to love you than to be alone. At least, that’s what they think. What the Flowers Think (About the Apocalypse) is a dark drama about returning, leaving and holistic horticulture. As society crumbles and relationships fracture only one question remains: where do you want to die?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Drs Katy Munro and David Kernick continue on their mission to bust some myths and improve understanding of migraine. Come and hear them chat about exciting new treatment options, children with migraine, hormones, unusual presentations and why it’s not just a headache. A chance to ask your questions too! Dr Katy Munro is the author of Managing Your Migraine and hosts Heads Up podcast. Dr David Kernick is author of the Oxford University Press Manual of Headache and a wide range of research papers on migraine.
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
Can a kiss on the mouth change everything? Could the pitch of your voice reveal your true feelings? Can dancing rekindle a lost spark? Is joy fleeting? Can the right hairdresser change your life? In the elegant surroundings of the iconic Le Monde venue, singer and award-winning writer Angela Jackson explores the highs and lows of love, through the sublime songs of Julie London, the wisdom of influential philosophers and psychologists, and the unique wit and insight of screenwriting legend Nora Ephron.
Le Monde
Shanghai
Listed as one of 'five shows not to be missed at this year's Edinburgh Fringe' (Counter Culture), this show compares the like-minded and socially-conscious lyrics of Dylan and Lennon. It addresses key questions regarding their relationship: why was Lennon in awe of Dylan only to deride him years later? And why did Dylan keep it to himself that he 'really dug the Beatles'? Irish duo Brothers Broke compare, adapt and perform a unique interpretation of songs by both artists in their own acoustic folk and blues style.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
This five-star production tells a powerful and hilarious story about the realities of gang culture and young team mentality in Glasgow during the 90s, as we follow the lives of one of the many young teams who polluted the streets of the city during a time it was known as The Murder Capital of Europe. This heartbreaking story is both a hilarious and eye-opening look back to 90s Glasgow and the notorious postcode wars.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
A solo performance, a raw cry against the brutality of our times. With indignant voices rising one after another, fragmented movements evolve into a ritual of against helplessness. A polyphonic song from the Lithuanian resistance, The Brothers of the Forest, fills the air. Collective voices amplify the individual power of the dancer, who stands steadfast, unfurling with relentless determination and strength. Unexpected and thought-provoking, Vilma Pitrinaite's (LT/BE) work features fearless movement and an intensely charged, hopeful electronic music soundscape. Uncompromising and liberating, it is vital as empowering.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
An immersive, magical and musical whisky experience. After 25 sold-out shows, the award-nominated, 5-star immersive, theatrical whisky tasting is back for their third Fringe! Immerse yourself in a captivating journey as the essence and spirit of whisky unfolds through enchanting music and storytelling. We will also unveil women's role in shaping the history of alcohol, including sharing how some were framed as witches. Join us for this 2-hour experience while enjoying five drams from our sponsor The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. The experience also includes a day pass to visit a SMWS site! Read more at www.smws.com
The Mother Superior
The Cave
Even if told with the best intentions… they’re not all harmless. Maria Tracey, a young FBI agent desperately trying to prove herself in a male-dominated workplace, is told to return to her hometown to investigate a development in a 10-year-old cold case. There's not much to go on that wasn't there before... and for her, this is a town that died a long time ago. Would anyone care if she solved this one?
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
A one-act play by a Pulitzer Prize winner. In this compelling monologue, Diane, a successful writer, has returned to her hometown to assist her aging mother. As she responds to the questions of an unseen local journalist, her answers weave a poignant tale of self-discovery. Written with typical Wilson poetic storytelling and raw emotion, it explores the flashpoints in life where choices are made and destinies are altered.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Two one-act plays by an acclaimed playwright. In the first, a married couple’s early-morning clash in a hotel room offers a witty look at the complexities of marriage. The second, a monologue, shifts to a Manhattan police station, where a tense interrogation about a mysterious crime evolves into a poignant meditation on love and commitment. Contrasting in tone yet deeply connected, these plays explore human relationships with Wilson’s signature depth and nuance.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Aubrey and her boyfriend are finally alone together. Or are they already together, alone? Is he the perfect boyfriend that any sane woman would kill to cuddle? Or is he a bearded harbinger of lost dreams? Aubrey’s not sure and since she no longer trusts herself to decide, it’s up to the audience to help her figure it out! Should she snog his face off? Dump his ass? Or sneak out of town disguised as celebrity chef Guy Fieri? In this spellbinding choose your own queer adventure, you decide Aubrey’s path. Wield this power wisely!
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Thistle Theatre
Finding love means asking questions. For Australian comedian Henry Bretz, questions like – Why did I send an explicit picture to my Dad's best mate? Why do a gang of privately educated 19-year-old boys want to kill me? And what’s this all got to do with fish? Described by critics as ‘in Edinburgh this year’, Henry Bretz will unpack three of his real text conversations to discover where his life got so stuck. Following the success of 2024’s Viva La Visa, Henry returns to Edinburgh for his solo Fringe debut.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 6
Back for a third and final year after sell-out runs and international acclaim, the multi award-winning bum flare play tells the story of ardent football fan Billy Kinley, who sticks a flare up his bum at Euro 2020 and goes viral. What follows is a funny, raw and honest look at identity, loyalty and belonging. Winner of Best Theatre Show at Adelaide Fringe 2025, this show has been a hit worldwide. Bold, sharp and unforgettable. Final Edinburgh Fringe run. One flare. One man. One bum... One story. Don't miss it!
Underbelly Bristo Square
Cowbarn
A messy kitchen, an uneaten cake, a shoe in the bath and two… friends? Why Won’t They Eat the Cake? is a raw exploration of the insecurities that shape our relationships. Written and performed by Evelina Rudasa and Keturah Peirson, this two-person play delves into self-discovery, identity and what it means to grow up. Because no matter how much you grow up, you can never really leave the past behind. Two girls. One cake. No party.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
As the world falls into chaos, humanity is looking for its path. How will humanity navigate this treacherous terrain of uncertainty? Drag, of course! How better to understand the absurdity of it all? Why, Gahd? WHY?! is a journey into the chaos and a guiding light. Two living Gahds have blessed the mortals with their presence and will share their knowledge of the universe through the ancient arts of divination and drag… which might just be tainted with pop culture references, witty banter, and a flair for the dramatic. Fresh from the 2021 OFFTA festival in Montréal.www.houseofgahd.comwww.facebook.com/HouseOfGahdwww.instagram.com/houseofgahdwww.youtube.com/channel/UCVmWjc_GWSXicSrtlJSv-9A Watch Preview – Flat EarthWatch Preview – Rosemary’s Baby
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A gloriously stupid show of bad animal impressions and a wildly playful nature safari. How do you do an Uglyface Scorpionfish? What's a Darth Vader Giant Pill Millipede? Tom and Xavi create a wickedly feral duet between body, sound and species in this nature documentary on steroids. Herald Angel award-winning Mechanimal returns to Edinburgh with a sequel to its hit show, Vigil. More animals, more madness, more soul: Wild Thing is a bittersweet meditation on life in an age of extinction. ***** (Stage). 'Beautiful, contemplative... a remarkable and urgent show' (Guardian).
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
Tír na nÓg Theatre Company are delighted to present the world premiere of Wilde, a captivating new original musical that brings to life an intimate portrayal of Constance, wife of Oscar Wilde. Through poignant songs and rich storytelling, Wilde reveals a story of courage, loyalty and love, and the resilience of the incredible woman who stood alongside one of literature’s greats. Wilde is a labour of love by a talented ensemble of college students. Their dedication and creativity promise a moving and unforgettable experience for Fringe audiences.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Lillie Langtry, celebrated British actress and consort to Edward, Prince of Wales, anxiously awaits a telegram in her backstage dressing room from her dear friend, Oscar, recently released from incarceration for 'gross indecencies'. With the help of her backstage visitors, she begins to assemble the material for their grand stage comeback, Wilde Women, featuring all the iconic playwright's illustrious ladies, from Cecily to Salome, who set the stage for the era of the strong female protagonist. Which will be the centerpiece of their creation? Mrs. Cheverly? Lady Windermere? Lady Bracknell? Oscar must decide!
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
Will and Noah's attention spans are so eroded, they can't even get to the end of their... huh... oh yeah we're doing a sketch show! In a world where comedy has become a thousand tiny weird videos on a never-ending feed, Will and Noah are investigating what the hell happened to good old-fashioned... whuh... huh... oh yeah we're doing a sketch show!! 'A must-see comedy show for all sketch lovers' *****(EdFringeReview.com). 'Brilliant, bonkers and totally Fringe' **** (BruceOnTheFringe). The Telegraph Best Jokes of the Edinburgh Fringe 2023/2024.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
It's a live YouTube recording with more jokes than you thought possible. Star of Fox's Showtime at The Apollo, BBC's Stand Up for Comic Relief and NBC's Trial by Laughter, Will Mars is 'a fearsome comedy creation' **** (Scotsman). Edinburgh Fringe Best Show Nominee (Amused Moose Awards). 'Mars is well worth exploring' **** (Metro). 'One of the highest gag rates at the Edinburgh Fringe' **** (BeyondTheJoke.co.uk). 'His delivery is brilliant; his jokes are hilarious' **** (Entertainment-Now.com). 'Comedy done right' **** (EdFringeReview.com). 'Punch after punch of great material' **** (The Student Newspaper).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Front Room
Will You Be Praying the Entire Flight? is a comedy about how a Hasidic woman and a secular woman change after a six-hour flight sitting next to each other. Sometimes you have to let people surprise you.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Award-winning actress and playwright Terra Taylor Knudson uses wit, anecdotes, and creative conjecture to weave Shakespeare’s works into her own coming-of-age story, and illustrates how the Bard shaped her life and gave her a voice. With humour, Terra explores her passion for Shakespeare, and connects classic characters with modern experiences. Accessible to all audiences. ’Throughout the all too brief 75 minutes, your head is left spinning as you experience her lifetime, British royal history, and glimpses into some of Shakespeare’s best scenes and soliloquies’ (www.Gazettes.com). ‘Highly entertaining, deeply moving. Not to be missed!’ (Hollywood Fringe Festival).www.terrataylorknudson.comwww.oliotheatreworks.orgwww.facebook.com/willyslilvirginqueenwww.instagram.com/terrataylorknudson.otw/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
In this powerful one-man drama set in 2018 at the time the Windrush controversy shook Britain, Rodreguez King-Dorset plays a young white far-right racist party leader, a black Caribbean diplomat and a white Oxford-educated Home Office official. Each explains the Windrush scandal from wildly opposing perspectives. For one, a dark secret that he struggles to come to terms with will change his life forever… A provocative unmasking of a horrific calamity in history that forced a nation to look in the mirror and reconsider its path. ‘An energetic and passionate performance’ (Guardian).
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Sometimes the world disappears in the blink of an eye. Everything is destroyed and everything recreated. In the midst of it, we forget that what matters most is home, where everything has a place to belong. Following a group of friends who stick together through their personal struggles and joys in a hostile world, Wink Wink Murder explores the darker aspects of childhood and children's reflections on death. Through fragmented narratives this new choreographic piece delves into the hidden emotional experiences and memories of youth, revealing the complexities of innocence, fear and time.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Set in a small town in Fife, Wish You Were Here follows a trio of working-class young men who are brought together for the first time in three years. Once a tightly-knit found family, time and circumstance has pulled the men apart. On the night of an engagement party, secrets are revealed and relationships are pushed to the brink. Will the group make it through this or have they been torn apart for good? This dark comedy explores themes of mental health, drug culture and homophobia in working-class areas in Scotland.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
‘When I was a boy we used to have an ‘ala’ (niche) in our old house, where we will always put something, a picture of God, or a candle, or an oil lamp. Those spaces created bigger resonance in my consciousness, to a bigger universe than my small little world.’ How does one project emotion through the physicality of the limbs and torso? This new site-specific physical piece from Oslo-based duo Nora Svenning and Sudesh Adhana, with video art from Antero Hein and music from Adun Kleive, explores the expression of almost being a sculpture.www.xproarts.comwww.instagram.com/sudeshadhanavimeo.com/user23043259 Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
The latest riotous comedy from Edinburgh’s own, The Dead Parrot Collective, who return to the Fringe this year with a few tricks up their (wizard) sleeves. As war rages across the fantasy kingdom of Armillaria, and magic itself fades, five hapless rogues launch a desperate heist to save the world. Standing in their way? Scheming nobles, arcane assassins, a box of goblins and worst of all... each other. As their most ambitious project to date, the Parrots set out to prove once again, even grand tales can be told on a meagre budget.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
A funny, moving and uplifting one-sided conversation about neurodivergence, trauma, dead bodies and other lighthearted topics. Award-winning New York City writer and Storm of a Woman Jen DiGiacomo immerses the audience in pivotal moments from her life, integrating an old-school slideshow, phone calls and voiceovers into a powerful debut of her one-woman show. Part confessional, part TED talk and part dark comedy, the show opens with the hum of a slide projector and perched upon the stage an unopened letter with Open Me written across it.
Greenside @ George Street
Jade Studio
'Buckle up! And hold on to what you can. This ride is gonna get bumpy, but them blessie’s need us'. The Red Cross nurse carries our soldiers out of sickness, out of darkness, back to the light of good health. During WWI, over 38,000 women and men worked as nurses, assistant nurses, ambulance drivers and cooks. This is their story. Over the course of a few days, we see a small glimpse of life through the eyes of a young nurse as she works with Lady Dorothy Feilding and the famous Munro Flying Ambulance Corps.
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
Journey through time alongside the great women that rocked, from the 1960s to present. Ride with the genre defining ladies Janis Joplin, Stevie Nicks, Joan Jett, Suzi Quatro, Heart, Gwen Stefani and many more. Experience the raw power of Reine Beau and the award-winning Night Owl Band as they highlight the importance of these incredible females and why there should be a higher acknowledgement in the published lists of the greats for them. You’ll leave with your soul well and truly rocked and a true appreciation of the women who fought against the tide to make it.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
A fun, educational and interactive show for babies and toddlers where wriggling is allowed. The programme of music travels the world and includes the story of the Gingerbread Man. A selection of carefully chosen music, played by a professional violinist and a professional cellist, tells a musical version of the story of the Gingerbread Man. This Fringe sell-out show is suitable for the whole family.
Stockbridge Church
Young Room
A musical soirée with professional violinist Louise Bevan and cellist Clea Friend who share music and stories about the surprising lives of some classical composers in an informal setting. Refreshments provided.
Stockbridge Church
Young Room
Rude, nude with anarchic attitude. Leave your inhibitions at the door and step into a show that teases and guarantees to please. Expect the flirty, the filthy, and the occasional full-frontal flash – never mind the bollocks! Grab a ticket to our raucous revue and experience the unadulterated Fringe.
The Voodoo Rooms
The Ballroom
Language creates awareness and reinforces stereotypes, but what if the vocabulary is not enough to describe one’s identity? Female, male, both or neither. It is difficult to describe in words what has long been a reality. The traditional gender division based on one’s sex is far outdated. However, do our language and behaviour follow this change? This interactive dance film addresses the following questions: What impact does language have on gender differentiation? How do certain meanings of a word become established? And what cultural, political and ethical influence do these have on us and our bodies?
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portal – on demand
Twelfth Night meets The Thick of It in a modern-day reimagining of what might have become of Malvolio after his fall from grace. Mal, once a ministerial adviser, now defends fraudsters in a shabby law firm. Rosie, an idealistic young lawyer, offers him a way back to his old life – but in a world where the highest ideals are sustained by the grubbiest actions, what looks like redemption might be a trap. Written by a senior political insider, Yellow is a witty, thought-provoking depiction of the realities – and compromises – of office life, law and today's politics.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Supervillain Friedrich von Fittervach dreams of ruling the world from his remote volcano base. If only his workforce, his right-hand man or his restrictive board of investors shared the vision of his five-year plan. To make matters worse, a suave and cunning MI6 intruder, Agent Blonde, has breached the security of the island compound and sparked revolution among the corporation’s ranks. Will the vertically-challenged supposed evil genius be able to rise up and regain complete control, or will the company fall into the slimy, inexperienced hands of the proletariat scum?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
We transport you to a corporate London where success is measured by profit, power and personal gain. Steve, a young businessman, is selected to compete on The Trainee, a high-stakes reality show where contestants face tough corporate challenges for a chance to work with mogul Baron Sweetener. As Steve navigates this cutthroat environment, he encounters a variety of characters, each representing different aspects of the corporate world. Through these interactions, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, learning that true happiness may not come from wealth... or does it?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
The show that brings the stories and songs of the football terraces to life. This is a show about football. It is also a show about folk music. It’s about the football songs we sing together on the terraces. Identity, family, rivalry, memory, the football chants that connect us. This show is asking what is folk music? Who gets to decide and who gets to sing it? An evocative and emotional show, but bring your mates and your singing voices. Included in Sunday Times Top 100 Records of the Year.
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
This experimental physical theatre piece boldly deconstructs the philosophical classic Zhuang Zhou, Dreams of a Butterfly and the folk-legend, Zhuang Zhou Tests His Wife, to explore the essence of humanity, love and existence. Set in the lacquer garden of the Warring States period, the work blends traditional shadow puppetry, stylised Chinese opera and avant-garde theatrical language. The surreal world, inspired by Tao philosophy, intertwines reality and illusion. The audience embarks on a philosophical journey that asks , how does one prove existence? and touches upon the true nature of life itself. Performed in Mandarin.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Created during lockdown 2020 in Mexico City, this short piece reveals an oneiric transformation through desire and loneliness. A woman shares some of the emotions of a prolonged isolation period, letting the audience travel between a sexual edge and the ironic borderline of human imagination. With the collaboration of MOC Collective, Zoon to be Other is an original video directed by Patrick Trigoso and Catalina Navarrete, filmed and edited by Sebastián Foss, with music from Héctor Guerrero.www.hekatombe.orgwww.facebook.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/catalinanhmx Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
art* / a:t / noun delves into the conflict between artistic authenticity and the desire for external validation. Through dance, media projections and thought-provoking visuals, it challenges the idea of commercial success, questioning whether one should compromise creative integrity for popularity or financial gain. We seek to find this answer alongside others who are struggling with the same question and get ready to have an advantage in this industry.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Colly, Kaia, Mercy and Theo have shared a decade of highs and lows – promotions, breakups, illness and recovery. They know the quiet strength of true love, both platonic and romantic, and the power of unwavering belief in one another. In an often unkind world, they are each other’s constant. But when someone close to them goes missing, they confront a brutal reality: survival isn’t guaranteed in a world steeped in violence against women. As grief and rage take hold, they face injustice, media bias and a society that refuses to change. Unflinching, timely and deeply moving.
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
Meet Miss Elliot – your favourite primary school teacher. Learning objective: how to understand the term baby gay. Incorporating real-life perspectives and voices from the queer community, misSfits focuses on the voices of the "baby gays" and how after coming out they must try to navigate this new community in which they still feel alien to themselves. Through the eyes of Miss Elliot and primary school nostalgia, misSfits transports us into that familiar classroom as past students find their true selves. All whilst Miss Elliot reminisces and reflects on their own sense of identity and self.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
We’re back with a brand-new show, after the dazzling run of our 2024 show that earned four stars and Pick of the Fringe from Mervyn Stutter! Journal entries come to life through the company’s unique, dynamic fusion of tap, ballet, and contemporary choreography, enhanced by spoken word, props and puppetry. pAges tells the story of what happens when you dare to pursue the life of your dreams in a world that demands conformity. Depicting a lifelong journey from childhood awe to heartbreak, resilience and the quest for self-discovery, pAges is powerful, heartfelt theatre for those who dare to dream!
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
through warm temperatures affirms castor oil's legacy as a natural remedy, an elixir and a historic source that transcends boundaries. This performance takes you on a journey of reconnection with nature and the body. Weaving vocals and dance, the work shifts from meditative gestures to unfiltered expression building towards self-acceptance. Mele Broomes' choreography and vocals, with Simone Seales' live cello and electronic soundscapes, merge as performers shift between solos, duos and collective movement. Moving towards a place of warmth. Inviting release. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Gene Morgan was an essential worker during the Covid 19 pandemic working at a grocery store. Find out the true story of how one man dealt with a global pandemic, being called a hero (and being incredibly underpaid) and all the interesting stories about working as a stock boy while everyone else sheltered in place.
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
Who are the funniest comedians? The Americans, the English... eh... probably the Scottish, but maybe it's the Arabs? Is it the Asians? Canadians? No, it's your Irish cousin... or maybe your Indian dad? Can’t forget about the Jews! The time to wonder has run out! Comics from every nation, culture and background will go head-to-head and answer the age old question: who are the funniest people? Records won't lie and there will be one champion. Join us with your face paint, show us your nips and let's get ready to rumble!
Laughing Horse @ Kick Ass Greyfriars
Fringe Room
Ain't no party like a Diddy Party – a compilation of the festival's freakiest comedians in a big party atmosphere. Bring your own baby oil. Late-night, dark humour, diverse line-ups. Produced by award-winning comics.
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
The Alcove
Have you ever dreamed of being #1? Ana Falcon's high-energy, late-night stand-up dives into her journey of becoming the #1 Mexican in Estonia. Because if you can make it in Eastern Europe, you can make it anywhere! This show premiered to rave reviews at the 2024 Tallinn Fringe: 'A powerful feat of storytelling and stand-up' (SourCreamAndDill.com). Ana Falcon, crowned the 2024 Comedy Roast Champion, is a Mexican comedian based in Estonia. She is part of Pussy Jam Comedy, a collective which creates safe spaces where LGBTQ+ people and their friends can enjoy stand-up in English.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Las Vegas
Fresh from selling out at Fringe World Perth, it's the 11th Annual Haters Ball! Four headline comedians battle for the prestigious title of Master Hater, roasting your suggestions. From pop culture to daily gripes, no topic is safe. Expect interactive chaos – no show is ever the same twice. 'Brutally funny' (Scotsman). 'Hysterical' (Dircksey.com.au). 'Perfect late-night adrenaline' (GonzoMagazine.co.uk). 'Most fun I've had compacted into one hour' (Gerard Butler, A-list movie star). Prepare to be offended, amused and part of the ultimate roast!
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 1
Do you like comedy? Do you like karaoke? If yes to both, then this is the show for you. Three comedians do a set each, followed by their favourite karaoke song with the audience deciding the winner.
Laughing Horse @ Dropkick Murphys
Main Room
Blue Rose Code presents the finest Scottish folk and roots music you'll see at this year's Edinburgh Fringe. Performing a headline set and featuring a different guest artist each evening. You'll hear songs from Scotland and beyond, as well as one-off collaborations between Blue Rose Code and the guests, specially for the Fringe. ‘Imagine John Martyn meets a young Van Morrison, shipwrecked with a crate of Chet Baker records’ (Time Out).
St James Church Leith
Church
Israel and Ireland aren't exactly hosting joint picnics right now. But Ori Halevy and Brendan Hickey decided to do a comedy show together anyway. If diplomacy won't work, maybe dark jokes will. Two comics. One hour. No politics – just sharp, silly and unpredictable stand-up. One of us even got a Scotsman quote: 'He is like no comic I have seen… and despite myself, I want to see more.' Laugh awkwardly. Clap nervously. Tell your friends you saw "that" show.
Alchemist Cocktail Bar and Restaurant
The Fallow
Zoom zoom zoom! Reigning Hoots Fringe Act of the Year award winner, Ridwan Hussain and Runner Up, Oliver Moore (who is a Chortle Student Comedy Award finalist) return with the latest iteration of their award-winning stand-up comedy show! Join the duo for brand new, never been seen before bits. It's 30 minutes of well-written stand-up comedy each, unlike anything you've seen before. Buy yourself a ticket – you deserve it!
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 6
Step right up for a fortune-telling experience that's barely accurate, but definitely unforgettable. Magdalena, the "fortune teller", combines a crystal ball, questionable predictions and a healthy dose of dark humour in a show that's as absurd as it is entertaining. Described by The Scotsman as 'unexpected, clever, ridiculous but great stuff, crystal ball and all', this interactive comedy has left audiences worldwide laughing and wondering what just happened. Some say it's life-changing, others call it pure nonsense-but no one escapes without a few laughs, some spirit summoning and answers you probably didn't want.
Alchemist Cocktail Bar and Restaurant
The Fallow
Immerse yourself in the world of 007 and the legendary voices that have accompanied Bond. Goldfinger, Skyfall, Diamonds Are Forever and more brought to life by the secret agent Maia Elsy and the Night Owl band. Night Owl Shows bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won them standing ovations worldwide. This chronological trip through the music of 007 promises all the classics with fascinating facts delivered by our own onstage agents and agent M beaming on to a screen from his bunker in London.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
1 *Irish: is a stand-up comedy show featuring Northern Irish comedian Reece Kidd. Reece has 100 million views online. Reece had two sold-out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 3
The team behind hit show 2 Guys, 3 Drams presents a special series of intimate gigs featuring superb Edinburgh singer-songwriter Nicole Cassandra Smit. Having made her name in the Scottish jazz and blues scene over the last decade – performing sell-out shows and touring with outfits including The Blueswater, Nicole & The Backup Crew, Smitten, and The Travelling Tent Show with Tenement Jazz Band – she'll present her songs alongside two delicious whiskies. 'Smit oozes soul and endless character' (Skinny). 'Expect Nicole Cassandra Smit to go far' (Scotsman).
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
A king. A traitor. A villain. Or was he? History tells us Richard III was a ruthless usurper, a murderer, a monster. But history is written by the victors – and truth is not always what it seems. In this electrifying one-man performance, Richard returns to confront the myths, the lies and the Shakespearean legend that made him infamous. Fact and fiction collide as he defends his name and forces you to question everything you thought you knew. The final verdict? That’s for you to decide.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
After a hugely successful debut Ed Fringe with rave reviews, magician and mind illusionist Sean Alexander is back with his thought-provoking magic show as he reflects on the defining moments in time that shape each and every one of us. With jaw-dropping magic throughout, each instance is intertwined with powerful metaphors and storytelling. This show is unlike anything else. Discover your moments in time all over again... 'This should certainly be on your must-see list' (BritishTheatreGuide.info). 'One of the stand-out performances at the Fringe' (NorthWestEnd.co.uk). 'Pure delight and amazement' (FringeReview.co.uk).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
What’s the worst thing someone could do if you were stuck in a packed lift? Sing a showtune, probably. An off-the-wall, laugh-a-minute musical where ten lives intertwine while dangling 10 Stories High and secrets come out when the doors are jammed shut. With a break-neck pace and songs you’ll be humming for the rest of the Fringe, Musical Theatre Bristol’s newest original show is funny, heartfelt and suitable for the whole family! Skip the stairs – take the lift with us today!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
When it comes to relationships, Shinanne is all about the D... disappointment! She's a 40-year-old, single lady on a journey of reflection. Her eggs are hanging on like contestants in Gladiators... even her cultural references are old! The show is a hilarious account of the trials and tribulations of dating in a Tinder reality after growing up in a kissing-in-the-disco world. Inevitably she begins to ask – what's wrong with me? So begins the introspective, somewhat ridiculous and comical list of "flaws" that expose Shinanne's weaknesses in the modern dating era.
Laughing Horse @ The Brass Monkey
Cinema Room
Sixth year on the Fringe! Join our comics as they battle it out, creating comedy from any thought you have. Just write them anonymously on pieces of paper we provide and watch the comics create a set on the spot, just for you! Entry without tickets is not guaranteed, as we have regulars that religiously come back every evening for a completely different show. 'Very funny but also thought-provoking' (Scotsman).
Alchemist Cocktail Bar and Restaurant
The Fallow
The UK's No1 Show Choir returns to the Fringe following their 2024 sell-out run, with an all-new show! Join us on another joyous journey through the rich history of musical theatre, in a fun-packed a cappella show for all the family. Starting in the raucous days of the music hall, you'll hear much-loved songs from genre-defining composers including: Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein – right through to big, modern day West End sensations like Kinky Boots and Miss Saigon. Join us for a glorious celebration of the very best of musical magic!
theSpaceTriplex
Big
Love stand-up comedy? Love badgers? Of course you do! This show explores how the worlds of humans and badgers collide using jokes, PowerPoint, and West Country charm. We’ll learn about the European badger and its dachshund nemesis, the presidential American badger, the world-famous internet sensation that is the honey badger and many more. 'It’s learning, it’s comedy and it’s cool... a fascinating wee treat at the Free Fringe' (MumbleComedy.net).
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
What’s the difference between expats and immigrants? Can Americans get deported from countries? Is Europe even real anymore? These global comedians are putting their lives (or at least their dignity) on the line to find out. 100% C*ntinental is a stand-up comedy mix show, unpacking the experiences of international women adjusting to life, love and immigration politics via ChatGPT. Where does Eastern Europe start? Is Estonia for sale? Will Hugo Boss have a comeback? What would happen if Emily went to Paris on minimum wage?
Laughing Horse @ The Raging Bull
Cellar
Each night sees four experienced acts performing. All our comedians have been hand-picked from an ethical, fair-trade farm where they've been grown in only the finest organic dog-poo. All our fart jokes are sustainable due to our unique carbon offset scheme. Each time one of us blows off, a tree is planted in Dagenham, Essex. 'Funny. Fast. Free' **** (ThreeWeeks). 'Picture BBC's Live at the Apollo' **** (DeadlineNews.co.uk).
Laughing Horse @ The Hanover Tap
The Wee Tap
Award-winning gag-merchant and three-time Joke of the Fringe winner, Masai Graham, delivers over 100 naughty jokes in half an hour. Expect punchy puns, outstanding one-liners and wizardry wordplay in this 3.3 laughs-per-minute bonanza. 'Annoyingly good' (Gary Delaney).
Laughing Horse @ Dropkick Murphys
Main Room
Comedians put the world to rights in this new panel show. Hosts Leslie Gold (as seen at The Comedy Store) and Tom Mayhew (as heard on BBC Radio 4) invite different guest comics each day to present ideas to improve the world at large. Imagine the opposite of Room 101, adding good stuff instead of banishing bad (in theory anyway). Whether the rules are adopted is down to an audience vote at each performance. Basically, it's an excuse for bants with a view of making the world a better place!
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
The Alcove
49 and 64 are in the room. They cannot see each other but they can talk and pass notes. All they have is questions, wedding veils and dog tags. Who are they? Where are they? What is going on? And why? And who is J Doe? And why are they watching them? 113 focuses in on the ideas of identity and memory. It asks if memory is what makes our identity, and if we were able to see ourselves objectively, could we change?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
This fast-paced, hilarious coming of age musical is back at the Fringe. Evan Goldman’s parents have split up and he is forced to leave the buzz of New York for rural Indiana. Will he find his place in the popularity pecking order? ‘Once again, the young performers in Captivate Theatre have shown they can put on a powerful and professional show that is a real joy to watch' (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).'Truly excellent musical theatre performances are rarely found on an amateur stage, but Captivate Theatre brings… energy, focus and talent to rival the professionals' (BrawTheatre.com).
The Edinburgh Academy
Magnusson Theatre
'Fantastic!' (Jools Holland). 'Boogie-woogie slide-guitar master' **** (Scotsman). 'The Fringe's most unique, inventive and soulful blues performer, a fantastic gig' **** (BroadwayBaby.com). Hunt's 13th Fringe following 12 years of full-house performances. 'Blues legend built his own cannibalised, recycled guitars from a B&Q shelf and papier-mache' **** (Herald). 'Instantly evocative of the deep south blues. Unique R'n'B take on Sinatra alongside a James Bond mash-up. Whatever Hunt plays, it feels refreshingly authentic' **** (List). 'Ingenious 21st-century blues' **** (ThreeWeeks). 'Like Seasick Steve in a science lab, a storming set' (Ian Rankin).
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
As a detective inspects a murder scene, each object he touches comes to life. A tarnished locket speaks in whispers of long-lost love. A delicate teacup chatters nervously about an argument overheard over steaming tea. A ballerina in a music box dances to a haunting melody as it recalls an ominous visitor. Each object, bound by its past and the hands that have held it, offers fragments of a larger mystery. With time running out, our detective must determine which object holds the final, damning clue – before the murderer strikes again.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
One Gen Xer's nostalgic coming-of-age tale traversing the building blocks of his identity. Each stage we walk through is a lesson, a memory, a funny antidote or a conversation with the audience. Crowd work in a theater piece? Yes, so please be ready to speak and interact with Ayindé. The play is fixed around the cleaning of old memories in an old room where all that's left is memories. A cast of characters spinning from quickies, a corner store/family business, Ayindé's second home. Lucky for us, most of this takes place in the 90s.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
A community turns on itself. Neighbour accuses neighbour. Child indicts mother. And 10 women are executed for witchcraft. Based on the true story of the Pendle witches and the frenzied trials which swept Lancashire in the seventeenth century. Led by acclaimed writer/director Rebecca Vines. ***** (1984 - BroadwayBaby.com). ***** (Chatroom - TheNewCurrent.co.uk). ***** (Punk Rock - ThreeWeeks). **** (Crime and Punishment - BroadwayBaby.com). **** (Coward Conscience - BritishTheatreGuide.info). **** (More Myself Than I Am - TheWeeReview.com).
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Edinburgh Photographic Society's first international photography exhibition was shown in 1861. This is the 161st running of this prestigious international print exhibition. A panel of invited judges select around 160 of the best photos from thousands entered. Entry is open from March until June. We have two categories: Mono and Colour, with up to four entries in each. Any genre is eligible. Images must originate as captures by light and the copyright owned by the submitting photographer. A printed A4 colour catalogue is included in the entry fee. Entry includes another two exhibitions.
Edinburgh Photographic Society
Gracie Allison Exhibition Hall
Shocking tricks, filthy laughs and jaw-dropping sleight-of-hand – this is not your average magic show. 18+ Magic: The Magic Show Your Mum Shouldn’t See is a chaotic late-night ride packed with R-rated illusions, adult humour and zero shame. No kids, no filter and absolutely no boundaries. It’s not just the rabbit that’s dirty – it’s everything. One unhinged magician, a very filthy deck and more surprises than your therapist would recommend. If you're easily offended, don't f*cking cum. If you're not, welcome to the wildest hour of your Fringe night.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Official Fringe sell-out 2024. It's the year 1954. Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James and Eartha Kitt are all at the dizzy heights of their careers. With swinging jazz, powerful soul and cheeky kitsch, these women broke new ground for all who followed. Award-winning singer/actor Melissa Western and her musicians pay tribute to this magnificent era in music and inspiring trio of pioneering singers. 50s style abounds. 'Western is a force of nature... Great storyteller, feisty, highly enjoyable' ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). 'Absolutely brilliant… Her aptitude for music is vast and versatile' ***** (ThreeWeeks). 'Oozes with charisma' ***** (Edinburgh-Reviews.co.uk).
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
The Beatles on the radio. Geoff Hurst on the pitch. British teenagers have never had it so good. With a world of adventures in front of them, a group of friends gather to cheer on the English football team. A new musical led by acclaimed writer/director Rebecca Vines. ***** (1984 – BroadwayBaby.com). ***** (Chatroom – TheNewCurrent.co.uk). ***** (Punk Rock – ThreeWeeks). **** (Crime and Punishment – BroadwayBaby.com). **** (Coward Conscience – BritishTheatreGuide.info). **** (More Myself Than I Am – TheWeeReview.com).
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength. In a world of deceit and disappeared dissidents, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. Orwell’s masterpiece imagines the reality of a boot stamping on a human face – forever. Following previous sell-out shows of 1984, this new version is led by acclaimed writer/director Rebecca Vines. ***** (1984 – BroadwayBaby.com). ***** (Chatroom – TheNewCurrent.co.uk). ***** (Punk Rock – ThreeWeeks). **** (Crime and Punishment – BroadwayBaby.com). **** (Coward Conscience – BritishTheatreGuide.info). **** (More Myself Than I Am – TheWeeReview.com).
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
An insect joke? Tick. A tartan joke? Check. Join Danny Matinee (Times and Telegraph's Best Jokes of the Fringe 2024) for at least another 197 one-liners, alongside props, pictures, facts and more. Includes a farmer joke that's corny, and an optician joke that's cornea. Suitable for all ages, especially fans of Masai Graham, Milton Jones and Tim Vine. By the writer/performer of shows at Brighton Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe and Leicester Comedy Festival, and Not So New Comedian of the Year 2024 finalist. 'Fantastic... I utterly recommend this show... loved it' (Audience Review).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Fake accents, real laughs! Five rising stars of comedy perform their stand-up sets with a unique twist: some of them are putting on a fake accent. Can you spot the dodgy accents? Comedians from all over the world take on the challenge to dupe the audience. Including undiscovered gems, Roast Battle champions and award-winners and nominees. ‘Distinctive stuff…’ (Bruce Dessau). 'an un-flashy confidence’ (Chortle.co.uk). ‘You are funny, but you’ll probably get cancelled’ (Prince Abdi). Sold out run 2024 Fringe.
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Upstairs
Two award-winning comics deal late-night craic in the mid-afternoon, a wild mix of dark, satirical stand-up and musical comedy. 'These guys are going to be huge' (David McSavage). 'Cork's finest export' (RedFM.ie).
Laughing Horse @ The Brass Monkey
Cinema Room
Tired of being called terrorists, Aisha and Hasan became something worse: comedians! After their 2024 sell-out run, featuring on STV News and BBC R4, and raising over £4000 for Medical Aid for Palestinians, the double-act nicknamed 'Antwar and Dec-ina' are back with a new show! Saturday Night Takeaway has gone Halal. Expect more crowd work, Arab-Kazakh double-act Banter and Sharia-complaint stand-up. Remember, EDL is welcome! (extremely deafening laughter). 25% of proceeds to MAP. 'Stereotype-crushing material' (Rolling Stone). 'Deliciously funny' (Guardian). 'Edgy and silly in exactly the right balance' (Sara Pascoe).
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Garden Room
Funny, but is it true? Three headline comedians step on stage. Two are telling the truth, one is a big fat liar. Can you tell who...? The award-winning interactive comedy compilation sell-out show returns to a brand-new air-conditioned venue on the Grassmarket! The perfect show for fans of BBC's Would I Lie To You? Total sell-out 2023 and 2024, so book early!
Ghillie Dhu
Auditorium
Funny, but is it true? Three headline comedians step on stage. Two are telling the truth, one is a big fat liar. Can you tell who...? The award-winning interactive comedy compilation sell-out show returns to a brand-new air-conditioned venue on the Grassmarket! The perfect show for fans of BBC's Would I Lie To You? Total sell-out 2023 and 2024, so book early!
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 1
Funny, but is it true? Three headline comedians step on stage. Two are telling the truth, one is a big fat liar. Can you tell who...? The award-winning interactive comedy compilation sell-out show returns to a brand-new air-conditioned venue on the Grassmarket! The perfect show for fans of BBC's Would I Lie To You? Total sell-out 2023 and 2024, so book early!
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 2
If 8 Mile was funny... 'One of the best events this Fringe season' (FringeFeed.com.au). Daniel Delby is an award-winning comedian who can rap, Macshane is a rapper who can make jokes. Every show is different as ADHD meets freestyle comedy in the most interactive freestyle game show ever created. Join your side of the audience to battle it out with your performer to cleverly outwit the other team using topics and suggestions to create hilarious improvised raps and fast paced word games. You've never experienced a show like this, trust us.
Laughing Horse @ The Raging Bull
Cellar
Returning after a sell-out season in Edinburgh, 2 Wongs and A White is back! Get ready for a stand-up comedy show featuring Australia’s funniest comedians. Each night, Jenny Tian, Harry Jun and one token white man bring you the best of Australian humour. They’ve been on TV, toured internationally, sold out festival runs and written for telly. 'Delivery is spot-on' ****½ (TheatreMatters.com.au). 'Making comedy look easy' ****½ (Stephanie Chin, Lilithia.net).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Chamber
What if Orpheus took a different deal? What if it all turned a bit differently, someone who could not bear to see their love pass on, in the process triggering something perhaps even more tragic than anyone could imagine. Orpheus is doomed to watch Eurydice die and reincarnate, falling in love over and over again. Eurydice is none the wiser, thinking she is falling in love with a mysterious stranger through some shenaniganry. The narrative jumps between time, telling of the journey our characters took and how we ended up here. Can Orpheus and Eurydice have a happy ending?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
In this intimate piece, a woman returns to her mother’s home to pack and clean – and discovers a trove of unheard messages on an old telephone answering machine. In a unique twist, it's audience members who read the messages aloud, becoming storytellers to the actor onstage. As the messages "play," they reveal glimpses of the woman and her mother’s life and their complicated bond, and the woman is forced to confront her own patterns and choices. A poignant exploration of generational echoes and emotional inheritance, the show premiered at Portland’s Fertile Ground Festival in April 2025.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Just took a DNA test – turns out I’m 100% not my dad’s biological daughter. In this deeply personal true story, Malia Moss unpacks a revelation that shattered the image she had come to associate herself with: a basic white fifth generation Texan. Now she grapples with the information uncovered by the DNA test, including being related to a holocaust survivor and a former Miss Universe contestant. Funny, devastating and deeply thought-provoking, this is a show that explores family secrets, identity and the miracle of human existence.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Three little pigs move to the big city, dreaming of pop stardom. They enter a talent contest run by the sly Big Bad Wolf and hosted by a fabulous presenter. With live vocals, lip-syncing, dance, and comedy, this electrifying show reimagines the classic tale. As the pigs advance through the competition, they revel in the glitz and glamour, unaware of the Wolf’s true intentions. The stakes rise as they discover the chilling truth – they’re destined to be the main course at the Wolf’s annual Feast of Champions. Can they escape before it's too late?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
In 2021, Sydney comedian Sam Kissajukian decided to quit stand-up, rent an abandoned cake factory, and become a painter. Over the course of a six-month manic episode, he created 300 large-scale paintings, unknowingly documenting his mental state through the process. In this hilarious, fascinating, and wildly original show, Kissajukian brings audiences on a rollercoaster ride that explores the ties between art, mental health, and creativity. Following last year's celebrated run at the Fringe and an acclaimed run at New York's Vineyard Theatre this fall, the show returns to the Fringe by popular demand.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
An unmissable, exclusive performance from legendary Russian-American trumpeter and Jazz Messengers alumnus, Valery Ponomarev, who dramatically escaped 70s USSR and toured the world with Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers for four years, recording 11 albums! Joined by an all-star international band, this elite quintet celebrates one of jazz’s most influential institutions, recreating their timeless music once more for the 32nd year! This is the jazz event of the Fringe!
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Australia’s most eligible (and unlucky) bachelor Daniel Delby had his first girlfriend at 33... for six weeks. Now, he's turning his hilariously awkward dating history into a night of non-stop laughter, relatable storytelling, and absolutely mind melting improv freestyle songs. Fringe World Comedy Award winner. 'Side-splitting genius' ***** FringeFeed.com.au, 2024). 'If you're a fan of Jim Jefferies, consider Delby his cheeky protege' (FringeFeed.com.au, 2025). From brutal rejections to learning how to speak girlfriend, Delby shares the highs, lows, and ridiculous in-betweens of love, dating and everything that went wrong. This will sell out, book now.
Laughing Horse @ The Raging Bull
Cellar
Three performers take on 20+ characters in 45 minutes in a performance that asks: who controls the narrative? In 2003, playwright Suzan-Lori Parks tasked herself with writing a play a day, sometimes two. We have curated ten of those pieces to present for our 21st year at the festival – featuring goddesses, exiled kings, unhinged presidents, writers, muses and some regular folks. By writing a play daily, Parks reflected on the year she lived in and on the world at that historical moment. What is amazing is how relevant many of those reflections remain today.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Ever wondered what happens when a LadBible-loving geezer, a pretentious C-List actor, a sadomasochist Wotsit-lover and an overbearing faux-liberal billionaire get thrown under the supervision of a Welsh boy-scout leader in one confined space after a catastrophic nuclear war? 4’s a Crowd is a new comedy play that follows the idiots left behind after the world ends. And with communications down and supplies dwindling, a deadly debate ensues: who's getting thrown out? Oh, and two of them are claiming to be the same person...
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
In this interactive show for kids of all ages, learn about different popular music genres and how to write a hit song. Children are invited on stage to play instruments and sing in an instant percussion band while writing an all-new song together. The show is led by international opera singer Steph DePrez, who began her career as a music teacher.
Laughing Horse @ West Nic Records
Little Cellar
Is your job actually real? Clue: if your job title is mostly abbreviations, then probably not (sorry, CEOs, PDFs and SEO optimisation wizards). The faker the job the realer the money! In this show, we will demystify how so many people make so much money from jobs that are thoroughly pointless. We’re beyond excited to humbly share these life-changing career hacks on curating your signature style for success, finding your passion for paying your mortgage and turning every email into a meeting. See you on LinkedIn!
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
Start your evening at the Fringe with this afternoon comedy happy hour. It does what it says on the tin. Sixty minutes of top-class stand-up from some of the finest acts on the Scottish comedy circuit. The show was a total sell-out at the Fringe in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Previous acts include Vladimir McTavish, Jay Lafferty, Ross Leslie, Robin Grainger, Gareth Waugh and Gill Cordiner. There are lots of exciting guests lined up for 2025. Book early for this show of world-class comedy made in Scotland. 'Nothing short of superb' (Scotsman).
Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly
Other Room
Hear some of the best artists from the 70s and what made them so unique: The Bee Gees, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Elvis, Rita Coolidge, The Doobie Brothers, The Mammas and The Pappas, and many more. Starring Rainee Blake, Oliver Harris and Sarah Omar, plus special guests.
Le Monde
Dirty Martini
Berlin's beloved opera-singing comedian Steph DePrez returns to Fringe after a year of touring Europe and opening for Michelle Wolf. Her new stand-up show features jazz, gospel and Puccini alongside tales of shattering wine glasses and glass ceilings. Featured on BBC News and Arte. Don't just take our word for it! Audiences say: 'Tears rolled down my cheeks as I laughed so hard'; 'I’ve been to scores of Fringe shows but I will remember this one' and 'I'm in awe of her talent. She combines opera with comedy and storytelling'.
Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly
Other Room
Eight teenagers take you back in time to an analogue age when telephones had wires and television was not so demanding. Square Pegs return with a brand-new, life-imitating-art play about growing up, which asks lots of questions about what it means to be human, but offers absolutely no answers whatsoever. Join Macready Theatre’s Offie-nominated Young Actors for 45 minutes of absurdist, fast-paced, fun-filled storytelling, to share time-travelling tales of nostalgia and a yearning for meaning when all seems fake. ‘A short spectacular showcase’ ***** (TheMumble.uk). ‘Another joyous bag of wild imagination, comedy and physicality’ **** (BroadwayBaby.com).
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
It’s New Year's Eve. You’re in a dingy pool bar... Why? We do not know. Your night is suddenly interrupted by a rowdy lot. After a not-so-usual service, the staff of The Windsor Arms Bistro embark on their New Year celebrations. A few beers in, a few games of pool down and some banging karaoke tunes, the team are in full swing. Navigating their interpersonal and professional relationships, with all their hopes and dreams for the New Year right around the corner, will they each find their own way to break out of their monotony?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Based within two blocks of the attacks, Sofia May takes the audience through the extremely unique and absurd experience of being a child survivor of 9/11. Within the trauma and the endless grief, shines delicious irony, which the solo explores comedic tidbit by tidbit. Though the narrative focal point is surviving 9/11, there are many other whimsical vignettes about other extremely dark topics with a delightful air of innocence and cartoonish charisma. This is the narrative of how surviving 9/11 turned an innocent baby into an innocently twisted comedian.
Laughing Horse @ West Port Oracle
Flight Club
Having been raised Catholic, I have been in “recovery” for a long time: all those prayers you didn’t actually understand, those many times in that scary confessional and the constant guilt! I’m sorry if I’m not apologising enough for it. How does a good Catholic girl navigate sex, abortion, career, mental health or… actually talking about feelings? By singing proper church hymns, of course, with none of the lyrics changed at all! This show will really get you questioning what’s in those Hail Marys!
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
Feast yourselves on an irreverent meal of a comedy sketch show. Skip the appetisers, go straight to the main course. As smooth an experience as eating a Michelin award-winning dinner from a bin in a back alley. If you want taste, style, fancy ingredients, subtle flavours... go somewhere else. Sometimes dark, sometimes silly, the show is guaranteed to tickle the wishbone. These are laughs that your mother would be ashamed of. It’s bad, but it’s so good. Offers 'belly laughs and… memorable characterisation' (SouthernArtsReviews.co.uk). Come on!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
‘Christmas Morning 2018, and I’m hiding in a graveyard from my family…’ Part disability history lecture, part autobiography, part agility course, part rant, part quiz and a whole lot of laughter. A Brief History of Neurodivergence will bust the current misunderstandings around neurodivergence – all whilst bouncing on a trampoline, skipping the alphabet, smashing the star jump challenge and occasionally pausing for breath. Join theatre-maker Fiona Moon in an embodied exploration of neurodivergence, and glimpse the chaos of a hundred-mile-an-hour mind. ‘A bold, striking voice reminiscent of an early Polly Stenham’ (The Bush Theatre).
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
RadioOctave returns to the Edinburgh Fringe for another unforgettable journey. This year, we’re taking flight with a vibrant setlist inspired by cities and countries across the globe. From smooth layovers in heartfelt ballads to exhilarating take-offs into chart-topping anthems, our show promises something for everyone. With tight harmonies, unique choreography and infectious energy, we guarantee an in-flight experience like no other. Whether you're a seasoned traveller or just passing through, join us as we embark on a musical adventure – no passport required!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Set in Budapest at the heart of the Cold War, two operatives have been tasked with a mission of seduction and espionage to swap state secrets. The two are monitored by their Wires, older agents who attempt to instill professionalism and discipline in their protégées. However, through several dates on their companies' cards, the two end up falling for each other and inadvertently give up every sensitive piece of intel they possess. Pursued by their organisations, the two must navigate a tricky tightrope of half truths and hope.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
A joker assembles a foursome for a game of cards. But the game is not what it seems, and nor are the players, who may turn out to be figments of the joker’s sinister imagination. If there were a story its moral would be: beware what you imagine – it may come back to bite you. A Dangerous Whim is fifteen minutes of cinematic poetry. Through stylised acting, surreal videography, and a quirky soundscape of music, voice and noise it conjures up a strangely compelling world of beauty and suspense.A new short non-verbal piece from tarinainanika, creators of Tokyo Fugue and The Same Boat, also showing on C ARTS.Performed by | Nozomi Fujishima, Ryuta Kawai, Yukiko Masui, Kate Montgomery, Yukio TodoDirected by | Kentaro Suyama and Tania CokeProduced by | tarinainanikaMusic | Kevin MacLeod, Victor Dance Orchestra, Mozart, Tania CokeSound design and operation | Tania CokeLighting design and operation | Kentaro Suyamawww.tarinainanika.comwww.facebook.com/tarinainanikawww.instagram.com/tarinainanika Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Immerse yourself in the world of cask-strength, single-cask whisky with The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Enjoy a guided tasting of three exceptional drams, each bursting with unique character, depth and complexity. From bold and robust to delicate and nuanced, explore a symphony of flavours that showcase the finest whisky craftsmanship. Whether you're a seasoned enthusiast or a curious newcomer, this experience promises to elevate your appreciation and transport you into the heart of whisky excellence.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Oval Room
This intimate show invites the audience into a multimedia coming-of-age story about my life growing up as a working-class girl in Edinburgh and my powerful connection to Scotland. Through storytelling and poetry, coupled with original artwork and soundscape, this show explores the complexity of family, kith and kin, the ache of leaving home, the grief of being lost and the beauty of being found. Join me for a journey that crosses borders and boundaries, over seas and time, weaving through the depths of pain unraveled and joy rediscovered.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
We're Wright&Grainger, multi award-winning, internationally acclaimed storytellers. We went to school together and grew up on some seminal albums. A Grand Don't Come For Free by The Streets is top of that list. It's inspired us to make everything we've done since. So we're gonna play it live, in full. It's full of bangers (Dry Your Eyes, Fit But You Know It, Blinded By the Lights) and it's full of love, mates, heartache and hope. We're playing it for three nights only. The dance floor will be rammed – see you at the bar.
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
It’s the nation’s favourite game of murder, exile and ridiculous twists. But when a contestant is found dead having been literally hung drawn and quartered, can the killer be proven beyond treasonable doubt? Award-winning mystery maestros Highly Suspect return to the Fringe with a hilarious new interactive murder mystery for the audience to solve! Featuring a fiendish plot, evidence to examine, and cryptic clues to crack, can you deduce whodunnit? Fun, frivolity and fatalities guaranteed! Sold out 2021-2024. ‘Prepare to have your funny bones and little grey cells equally tickled!’ (BroadwayWorld.com).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
Sherlock Holmes is dead! But can the killer really be Dr Watson, Mrs Hudson, Inspector Lestrade or Mycroft Holmes? The game's afoot in a mystery that's more than mere elementary... Award-winning mystery maestros Highly Suspect return to the Fringe with a hilarious interactive murder mystery for the audience to solve! Featuring a fiendish plot, evidence to examine, and cryptic clues to crack, can you deduce whodunnit? Fun, frivolity and fatalities guaranteed! Sold Out 2021-2024. ‘Prepare to have your funny bones and little grey cells equally tickled!’ (BroadwayWorld.com).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
You can’t have it all. And sometimes you can’t have anything at all. And as Shannon learnt the hard way, you definitely can’t have a horse. Shannon Brooke is an award-winning Australian comedian who has a gift for showing up to every situation completely unprepared. A Horseless Rodeo is a reflection on all the terrible decisions that led her to pack up her life and move to Germany. Known for her storytelling, passion and silliness, Shannon regularly hosts and headlines shows around Europe and most recently won the Roast Battle Berlin 2023/24 championships.
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Wee Room
Best Newcomer nominee Bazely performed last year's show about having a Breakdown while having more anxiety than he'd ever had. So, this year, Peter is attempting to embrace a zen "no anxiety" lifestyle. '...an exemplar of anti-comedy... Bill Bailey-esq' (Chortle.co.uk). Audiences say, 'he's either a genius or insane' and 'my favourite show of the festival'. Peter has been performing at the Fringe for over a decade now so he can probably give you directions. 'My kind of crazy!' (Richard Todd). 'Like a low energy Stewart Lee' (TheReviewsHub.com). Four-time Fringe sell-out.
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Upstairs
Boyhood is all about spit-shakes, rope swings, and playing soldiers, but only the good guys of course. Whether it’s stories around the campfire, pranks on their superior, or a prayer to their favorite president, these two scouts just want their moms to see the big strong men they’ve become. From three-time consecutive 2022, 2023, and 2024 Fringe First Award-winners Xhloe and Natasha comes an absurdist two-hander about the idealized American childhood and the boys it left behind
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
A precious and unique sari awaits the presence of a boy to pull it out of the wardrobe and drape it on his shoulders. In the meantime, the sari shares secrets with anyone who cares to hold it close to their heart.To listen to this piece: go to your closet, find a piece of clothing to hold close, and press play… 'This lyrical work elicits the perfect amount of warmth needed during a chilly winter night' (Jose Solís, New York Times).This Is Not a Theatre Company creates site-based, immersive, multi-sensory, participatory dance-theatre that can be smelled, touched, and tasted as well as seen and heard. Created by Mahesh Dattani, performed by Swati Das.www.ThisIsNotATheatreCompany.comwww.facebook.com/thisisnotatheatrecompanywww.instagram.con/thisisnotatheatrecompany/ Watch Company Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Jason Woods tackles the madcap world of Wonderland, embodying every zany character in A Mad, Mad Wonderland! – from the anxious White Rabbit to the volatile Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat (who might sound suspiciously like Jack Nicholson) to Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee (who might sound suspiciously like Jeff Goldblum and Alan Rickman). When the Queen of Hearts’ song vanishes, Alice must brave the chaos of Wonderland and its bizarre inhabitants to save the White Rabbit from a chocolate-dipped doom, rediscovering the magic she thought she'd outgrown.
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
A Shakespeare comedy telling the tale of love, magic and mistaken identities. Four young lovers and a group of actors get caught in a mythical forest where fairies play tricks, leading to chaos and eventual resolution.
The Royal Scots Club
The Hepburn Suite
It is what it is, the course of true love never did run smooth... In this summer’s Athenian villa, a bombshell has been dropped: the public have voted to split up the hottest couple in the game. Behind the scenes there’s dissent amongst the crew with the presenters’ stormy relationship on the rocks and the producers picking sides. Into this firepit of feelings and factions, the producers break their boundaries and introduce their own brand of magic that will see more sparks fly than your typical return from Casa Amor.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
This interactive children's show features the story of Highland and Lowland midges in Scotland – how they interact with their local communities within their region of Scotland, the relationships they have with humanity and human beings in warm weather seasons, how they cope with the pressures of climate change with the environmental arena plus how artificial intelligence tools are used to offer hope for the future species growth and development in both Highland and Lowland regions of Scotland. This show being workshop based, parents will participate along with children to create the story.
Broughton St Mary’s Parish Church
Drummond Room
Join the hilarious fun as Dr H revives the great satirical songs from the Monty Python era. Participation is a must, with cabaret antics, interactive patter, and lots of singalong in this piano cabaret show. Songs include: Lumberjack Song, Sit On My Face, Galaxy Song, Finland, Knights of the Round Table, Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life and many, many more… So, book your tickets, bring your friends and family, and enjoy an uplifting and fun hour revisiting the songs and stories of one of the world’s most successful comedy groups.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
01 - 09 AugA dark satirical comedy that follows four prison workers battling a fire with anything but water. As characters wrestle with existential crises, heartbreak and bureaucracy, an inevitable doom draws ever nearer, forcing this band of misfits to confront their long-forgotten responsibilities. Prepare for full speed, uninterrupted chaos from start to finish as Gaulier-trained clowns and sharp-edged comedians deliver a relentlessly funny tale of love, loss, fear and arrogance. This exciting piece of new writing is eager to push boundaries, electrify audiences and most importantly, make you laugh out loud.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
11 - 16 AugA dark satirical comedy that follows four prison workers battling a fire with anything but water. As characters wrestle with existential crises, heartbreak and bureaucracy, an inevitable doom draws ever nearer, forcing this band of misfits to confront their long-forgotten responsibilities. Prepare for full speed, uninterrupted chaos from start to finish as Gaulier-trained clowns and sharp-edged comedians deliver a relentlessly funny tale of love, loss, fear and arrogance. This exciting piece of new writing is eager to push boundaries, electrify audiences and most importantly, make you laugh out loud.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
After a murder is committed in Jacobean London by a man wearing motley, two playing fools from different productions must prove their innocence with the help of a bard, an innkeeper’s wife, a harlot and the all-knowing judge. Intertwined in guilt and innocence are the torrid affairs of the pleasure and playhouses and the love of an old fool for his actor-king… What motivated the killer? Dubious investments in the fledgling Globe Theatre? Scandalous family secrets? Syphilis? You decide! As the trial reaches its climax, it's the audience who must play jury and deliver the verdict!
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
The Christmas story, Broadway-style. You’ll be startled by Roman soldiers, witness the oppression of the Jewish people, be in awe of the Wise Men’s lavish costumes, hear yodelling shepherds, and learn to love the hilarious Herod the Great – all in 60 minutes! ‘I was completely blown away. I came not expecting that at all’ (Audience review). ‘The music, the sound, the singing, the whole production was beautiful. It was really lovely’ (Audience review). ‘I think it was wonderful. The whole play was great. Gets you in the Christmas spirit and shows you what it’s all about’ (Audience review).CastMother, Herod’s Cheeky Girl, Singing Angel | Ava BraticTownsperson, Singing Angel, Lounge Singer | Brooke BrownPharisee Father, Herod’s Singer, Shepherd | Chad CarffMary, Dancing Angel | Rose CarffManger Assistant, Student, Frankincense Girl, Dancing Angel | Isa CervantesShopper, Herod’s Fan Girl | Emily DeWoodyShopper, Herod’s Fan Girl, Dancing Angel | Mya DeWoodyTeacher, Herod’s Cheeky Girl, Singing Angel | Charissa DomizioliStreet Lady, Townsperson, Midwife, Gabriel | Lisa FarrallRoller-skater, Teacher, Herod’s Cheeky Girl, Shepherd | Lisa Hartley HillStreet Vendor, Tax Collector, Innkeeper | Guy HoenigTownsperson, Angel | Cindy IngrahamWise Men Entourage, Dancing Angel | Allison KervinTaxpaying Townsperson, Wise Man, Dancing Angel | Kim LauerShopper, Townsperson, Herod’s Cheeky Girl, Singing Angel | Laura LeeRock Thrower, Student, Wise Men Entourage | Nathan LeeRoman Centurion, Wise Man | Peter McCharlesTownsperson, Angel Dancer | Deborah MillerRoman Guard, Herod’s Guard | Jeff MillerManger Builder, Pharisee, Herod’s Singer, Shepherd | Colin PattersonJoseph, Herod, Narrator | James Arthur PattersonShopper, Narrator, Shepherd Wendy PattersonTownsperson, Sceptre-holder, Dancing Angel | Blakely PostonRoller-skater, Pharisee, Herod’s Singer, Shepherd | Austin RiosTownsperson, Angel | Jana RochetteRoman Soldier, Tax Collector Guard, Wise Man | Doug RothenbushShopper, Wise Men Entourage, Angel Dancer | Jenna RothenbushRoman Soldier, Pharisee, Shepherd | Joel ShugarsRoller-skater, Wise Men Entourage, Dancing Angel | Aiyana SivakDancing Angel | Amy SivakTownsperson, Dancing Angel | Susan SmithTownsperson, Dancing Shepherd | Aly Van IderstineTownsperson, Student, Wise Men Entourage, Dancing Angel | Brea WilkinsTownsperson, Wise Men Entourage Dancing Angel | Marla WilkinsComposed and Directed by | James Arthur PattersonChoreography by | Carina Torres-Brown, Haley Arnold, Deborah Miller, Susan Smith, Amy Sivak, and Wendy PattersonSet and Prop Design and Construction | James Arthur Patterson, Colin PattersonProduced by | Wendy PattersonStage Manager | Ian PattersonAdministration | Wendy Patterson‘Impact’ written by Eliza Vladescu, Ron Boehme, Doug Rothenbush and Wendy Pattersonwww.heartandsoulproducers.comwww.facebook.com/heartandsoulproducerswww.instagram.com/heartandsoulproducers/Part of the C ARTS Brighton Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe digital opogrammes in 2025. Watch TrailerWatch Preview
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Exeter Spotlights presents A Night at the Musicals. Exeter University’s only performance choir are returning to the Edinburgh Fringe for another musical extravaganza filled with beautiful harmonies, captivating dance and a brilliant live band! Prepare yourself for an action-filled spectacle featuring musical hits from your favourite shows whilst displaying themes of love, community and independence. This musical theatre showcase will provide a night full of energy, humour, fun and blossoming young talent. This is a performance you will not want to miss!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
‘Once upon a time, a milkmaid wished upon a star…’ Join trans artist Hunter King on his journey of gender self-discovery. This brand new uplifting queer parody musical, Maid in the Wild, Wild, North West is based on a true story. It explores themes of belonging, self-discovery and joy through storytelling and music. Expect Disney songs as you’ve never heard them before, bad puns, terrible tropes, a damsel in distress, an animal sidekick, villains galore and a hero! Feel the Pride, live the magic, and cheer as the story unfolds... ‘Pure camp, country, comedy’ (Audience review).
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
The Emmy-nominated screenwriter of King of the Hill, Beavis and Butt-Head, Just Shoot Me, Wilfred and Rules of Engagement is coming to Edinburgh! In his critically acclaimed one-man show, writer/performer Michael Jamin asks: What if the smallest, almost forgotten moments were the ones that shaped us most? Audaciously funny yet achingly poignant, A Paper Orchestra will change the way you think about life. Perfect for fans of David Sedaris and Mike Birbiglia. Based on the best-seller, which Vulture.com named Best Comedy Books of 2024.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
Set to excerpts of Glenn Gould’s rendition of Bach’s Two and Three Part Inventions, and accompanied by a luminous sound design by John Gzowski, A Perfect Day speaks to Laurence Lemieux’s relationship to dance over time, and her sense of self within it. Through a series of intimate solos, the work follows the performer as she recollects her past and grapples with the current urgency of the moment to share human emotion with an audience. Serves as a reflection on the importance of artistic practice as a daily occurrence, and the renewal of its purpose post-pandemic.‘Everything about Lemieux’s creative decisions feels organic… The style and control of a true professional’ (EdFringeReview.com)Choreographed and Performed by | Laurence LemieuxSound Design and Variations on Bach | John GzowskiWith excerpts of Bach’s Two and Three Part Inventions, performed by Glenn GouldLighting and Scenic Design | Simon RossiterCostume Design | Jim Searle and Chris Tyrell for Hoax CoutureRehearsal Direction | Danielle BaskervilleAvailable in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.www.citadelcie.comwww.facebook.com/citadelciewww.instagram.com/citadelcie_/ Watch TrailerWatch Preview
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
This one-woman play follows Faith’s battle against Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder in a moving and thought-provoking way. We follow her battle as she struggles with the illness and family relationships for over 30 years. During this time, Faith must hold on to her faith and see light at the end of the tunnel. This play is a true eye opener that highlights the profound impact of PMDD on all relationships and aspects of life. A must-see moving production that will bring light, hope and faith to the audience.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Dunedin Theatre
A Play About Feet is a dark comedy about love, ambition and terrible decisions. Meet a young woman stuck in a dead-end job, dating a useless boyfriend and spiraling into chaos after an impulsive OnlyFans venture. Between disastrous relationships, drunken karaoke and foot-themed online fame, she struggles to find direction – while everyone around her tries (and fails) to help. Hilarious, sharp and painfully relatable, this play explores modern life’s absurdities with biting humor and unexpected heart. Will she finally find her footing or will everything come crashing down?
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
In Shakespeare's classic, The Merchant of Venice, only Portia's appearance in court and her implacable logic saves Antonio from Shylock's knife. But what would happen if she never came to Venice? Bassanio's need for money to woo Portia sets in motion the events that lead to the trial, but what are his real motives? And why is there so much hatred between Antonio and Shylock? With echoes of Romeo and Juliet, events in A Pound of Flesh move remorselessly to a tragic end.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Hilarious and heartfelt story about a Russian immigrant named Natasha who moves with her son to NYC in the hopes of becoming a Real Housewife and cabaret star. Along her journey, she meets a lonely Manhattan dweller named Lyle (Tai LeClaire from Peacock’s Rutherford Falls) and crashes at his apartment. Natasha discovers that fame and happiness might look a little different than she anticipated… Features iconic Real Housewives played by Thorgy Thor and Phi Phi Ohara/Jaremi Carey from Ru Paul's Drag Race.www.asipwithvodka.comwww.facebook.com/asipwithvodkawww.instagram.com/asipwithvodka Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Having garnered millions of views and tens of thousands of followers online, Hugo Hayes is bringing his characters (and some not seen online) to the stage for the very first time. He will be joined by a different special guest stand-up comic opener every day.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 6
Join the adventures of Moody, the slowest snail in the forest, as he faces his fears and discovers the hidden power of his mind. Teased by others and facing life-threatening challenges, Moody’s journey is a celebration of courage, kindness and friendship. Originally created by theatre company Danny & Dessi in Bulgaria and newly produced for the UK by Letaniko Theatre, this puppet solo performance reminds us all that with thought and care, we can go further than we ever imagined.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Phoebe is the Queen of lists. On her fridge, her whiteboard, all over her hands and… everywhere basically. Her favourite lists are: shopping, favourite stationary, least favourite numbers, past jobs in order of wanting to staple her earlobes to the table, the missed opportunities folder in her emails. When her lists are becoming an overwhelming list-athon, a giant fluffy monster appears. She’s sure there isn’t a problem. Phoebe wonders if she needs her space, but the monster is a really good cook. So why is she suddenly listing all the ways she might die?
Greenside @ George Street
Mint Studio
A cutting-edge, immersive physical theatre experience combining live physical performance with smartphone interaction. Using La Fura dels Baus' Kalliópê app, the show transforms audience members into active participants, exploring identity, belonging and intergenerational connection. Visually striking and sonically rich, this production is designed to captivate both teens and adults. La Mecànica crafts a unique, high-impact theatrical journey that resonates with contemporary audiences. Please bring your phone fully charged!
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
Murder, arson and traumatic tragedy abound in this groundbreaking new drama by soon to be award-winning playwright Sebastian Maroun. A middle class family is pushed to the brink when their patriarch discovers he is going blind. As his vision fades, details of torrid affairs come to light which threaten to tear the family apart. The only thing that can save them is the journalistic instinct of their young daughter and a helpful stray dog who may not be what he seems. This is a normal staged reading. Everything is fine. Why wouldn't it be?
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
Step into an interdimensional musical tribute inspired by the Discworld Universe created by Sir Terry Pratchett. In the words of our own Honourabelle Mention: 'Everyone laughs, everyone cries, everyone sings and hums. Hopefully you lot will do that at the right times.' A must-see for fans, a wild ride for everyone! With one simple message: everyone feels music with their soul.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
A lyrical, haunting meditation on womanhood, loss and the weight of tradition. Woven with Irish folklore and mysticism, it moves like a dream: fluid, poetic and deeply visceral. Shadows flicker between past and present, the living and the dead, as voices rise in lament and revelation. The rhythm of firelight, water and whispered tales pulses through the piece, drawing the audience into a world both tender and unforgiving. It is a story of resilience and ruin, where grief is embodied and shame lingers like mist over the land.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Unlikely friendship blooms on a country road at night. An aging Irish deer, the last of his kind yearns for a scrap with the oncoming traffic of the nearby motorway. Worlds are forever changed when he meets Ída, a runaway farmer, trapped in tradition. What do you do when you don’t feel like yourself anymore? Contemporary, absurdist and, most importantly, Irish as muck. A story of identity, roadkill and queerness told through puppetry by Kyle Moss (he/him) and Ceilbí (they/them). Written by Ceilbí.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
The Highlands of Scotland – filled with misty moors and glens, rolling fields of heather and ghosts from Scottish history. They invite mystical ruminations, kindle existential questions, and spark the imagination to soar higher into uncharted territory. At any moment an ordinary situation can be transformed into an extraordinary one. Join Paul O'Brien and Bonnie Prince Charlie in the telling of one man's story of loss and discovery as he searches for mystery, meaning, and a lost wallet in the Highlands.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
An inexplicable curse causes Nathan to skip a year and a day into the future, whenever he falls asleep. Leaving behind a botched heist, his wife, his struggling family and a jaded criminal gang, Nathan must learn to adapt to his ever-changing existence. Spanning 65 years, this is a bold, darkly funny and poignant exploration of a man trying to right his wrongs as he rapidly skips through time. Under the careful direction of dramaturg Rosanna Mallinson, award-winning Christopher Sainton-Clark uses multi-roling to tell a beautiful story of love, loss, betrayal and crime.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
The 2024 sell-out concert returns! Come and see ABBA Odyssey – The Live Concert! This all-seated show features singers who produce the most authentic tribute to the iconic ABBA sound. With over 13 years of experience performing throughout the UK together, our Agnetha and Frida (Fran and Kat) have perfected their highly-acclaimed vocal blend. ABBA Odyssey – The Live Concert! features all the hits that you know and love, plus a few hidden gems for the most devoted ABBA fans! Suitable for all ages. Includes one interval.
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh
Greyfriars Hall
An existential PhD student hunting dark matter, a disillusioned illusionist, a medium with a secret and a murdered mathematician star in the greatest unsolved mystery of the universe. Following their acclaimed and award-winning Her Green Hell and Sisters Three, TheatreGoose presents AETHER, a show about the unknown and our insatiable desire to define it, asking why are we so desperate to know what happens behind the curtain and who gets to decide what lurks there? Part-science lab on the cusp of discovery, part-Victorian seance, part-unauthorised Nobel Prize Ceremony, AETHER explores faith, physics and magic in rich theatrical spectacle.
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Interactive science? Hip-hop programmer? Love triangle with AI? Oh... Yes! The musical that fuses diverse styles as a metaphor for AI’s evolution. An immersive journey reflects a future where true connection is vital. A programmer, Steve is hopelessly in love with Celeste. He is drawn into an experiment when his friend Aster proposes creating an AI. Soon their creation outgrows a funny toy, becoming a weapon in the wrong hands. A science-driven story exploring the bond between creator and creation, an amusing tool and an imperious threat, shaping the future and resisting new rules.
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
A mysterious message from the “future self” invites participants into an immersive space where AI unveils their projected histories. In The Waiting Room, choices shape a unique, evolving audio narrative, guiding participants through moments of dreams realised and challenges faced. As their future unfolds, from the fulfilment of deepest aspirations to a global crisis that transforms the world, participants explore a bizarre, unpredictable world where technology and humanity collide, prompting reflection on how our choices shape the future.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Weird Al Yankovic and Daniel Harry Potter Radcliffe were destined to be together onstage, and now they are (sort of)! This loving tribute to two icons of entertainment will leave you giggling as your toes are tapping. American comedian/musician Steve Goodie brings it all together with songs and accordions and guitars and visual effects that cost many dozens of pounds, all for your amusement! Plus, there's a lot of Tom Lehrer! Nerds rejoice!
Laughing Horse @ Freddy's
Band Room
Enjoy an hour of the best up-and-coming one-liner comedians on the circuit in this celebration of puns, one-liners and wordplay. Hosted by Joke of the Fringe winner 2016, 2021 and 2022, Masai Graham.
Laughing Horse @ Dropkick Murphys
Main Room
With a string of sell-out shows under his belt, one of the UK’s fastest rising stars Aaron Wood – ‘Hilarious... unique and refreshing… definitely an up-and-coming comedian to watch out for!' ****½ (The Student) – is back with his highly anticipated Fringe debut hour. Tour support for Luke Kidgell, Fin Taylor, Connor Burns and with over 100 million views online, Aaron presents a gag-heavy, relatable and heartwarming show that asks is there really more to life than this? ‘Absolutely brilliant!’ (Tim Vine). ‘A very big future in this business’ (Tom Stade). Buy tickets or else.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 3
‘The first time I heard Andrea Carlson, I was in love!’ (Charlie Silvestri, UpCloseAndAcoustic.com). Dare to be transported to another time and place! Andrea leads her Love Police jazz band with sassy, sultry, silken vocals, witty lyrics and enchanting melodies to a 21st-century speakeasy world and the Golden Age of Jazz. Award-winning Memphis, Tennessee-born songwriter/singer/guitarist Andrea blends musical adventure, intrigue and the sensitive wonders of the human heart – through the Great American Songbook, French Chanson and fabulous originals. Fall in love with hot, hip, romantic, golden-age jazz. The music will leave you Ab-so-lute-ly Jazzed!
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
In 1904, the first modern Olympic marathon was run in los Estados Unidos's deep south at the height of summer. Due to the heat, the muddy water and the dust in the air, half of the runners were hospitalised. In fourth place came humble, working-class postman Felix Carvajal, a little man with a big mustache. Abby Denton's show breaks down the politics of 1904 to explain why Felix Carvajal is, in fact, one of her favourite men ever to walk the earth, who deserves a statue in every park.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Following acclaimed productions Blush of Dogs and Hell Yes I’m Tough Enough which took London by storm, Fragen Network returns to the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time since their five-star 2016 show, 5 Out of 10 Men. Abhorrent Little Scrotum is a bold, high-energy dive into the subconscious, where computer hacking meets brain hacking. This electrifying, physical theatre piece follows one woman’s mission to rescue her friend from the depths of her own mind. Sharp, seductive and unrelenting, it’s a psychological thrill ride infused with wit, movement and raw theatricality. A must see.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
The Beached Boys are returning for a fourth consecutive year to the Edinburgh Fringe with an innovative and brand-new show. Hear the UK’s leading Beach Boys Tribute act perform an array of classic live hits including: Surfin' USA, Help Rhonda, Good Vibrations, God Only Knows and many more. So dust off your surfboards and book your tickets early to avoid disappointment.
Le Monde
Shanghai
For 15 years, Absolute Improv! has entertained sell-out audiences with off-the-cuff comedy performances from Scotland’s top improvisational comedy actors. Your ideas are shouted out to inspire side-splitting sketches, characters and tales, all created in the moment – truly you-had-to-be-there instant comedy gold. This Edinburgh Fringe, join us and the finest improv talent in Scotland once more for delightful and wacky performances that have never been seen before, and will never be seen again! You suggest, we perform, everybody laughs! Official Fringe sell-out show. ‘Absolute magic!’ ***** (Cream of the Fringe).
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
For Albert Camus, the Absurd Hero is embodied in the mythological character of Sisyphus, mayor of Corinth, sentenced by Zeus to the mundane task of pushing a boulder up a hill only to see it roll back down for eternity. In our present-day version of the Greek myth, Sisyphus (now Sid) must persuade the homeless Gods to cooperate with city hall if he wants to be mayor of Columbus. Oh, how the tables have turned for the Olympians in 2025.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
With fork-related accidents up by 7% and the teaspoon declared hazardous (size-to-injury wise), there has never been a better time to polish your cutlery safety awareness. Fear not as expert Ian Crawford is here with all the answers in his deadly serious cutting-edge training workshop presentation, carefully welding classic tips with all-new sharp material. 'Forking good health and safety-based comedy' **** (TheWeeReview.com). 'A well-honed performance that is, above all, good silly fun' **** (TheReviewsHub.com). 'What a delight this well-realised, obsessive character is!' (Comedy.co.uk).
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
Dating – brimming with possibilities for passion, romance or smashing a total stranger in the back of their Toyota Camry while they moan a name you don't recognise. How does one navigate the whirlwind of dating and relationships in the city of sin and entertainment? The answer is found with the help of comedians.
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
This poetic, critically-acclaimed retelling of the myth of Achilles returns to Edinburgh. When his lover is killed in battle, Achilles, enveloped in insatiable rage, inflicts unspeakable horrors on those around him. He fills the river with bodies and kills and mutilates the body of Hector. It's only when he realises that this will never give him compensation for his lover’s death that he stops and weeps. Directed by Kate Brown, dramaturgically supported by Kevin Scully. Written/performed by Jo Kelen. ***** (GetYourCoatsOn.com). **** (BroadwayBaby.com).
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
Returning to the Jazz Bar for the seventh year, Scottish acoustic guitar and double-bass duo, Malt and Rye will be playing classic blues and roots songs from the last 100 years. Songs like Hoochie Coochie Man and San Francisco Bay Blues will be played with the duo’s distinctive passion and humour. The hour-long set not only includes songs by the greats like Robert Johnson, Willie Dixon, Lowell Fulson, Jimmy Rogers and Memphis Slim, but also comes up to date by including songs by modern-day blues masters, like Eric Clapton and Martin Harley.
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Following successful solo shows in 2023 and 2024, Scottish blues singer/songwriter Derek Smith (from Main Street Blues and Whisky Road) returns to the Jazz Bar to perform an hour of quality, up-tempo, foot stomping acoustic blues and roots classics from many of the old blues masters, including tracks from Robert Johnson, Albert King, Jimmy Rogers, Memphis Minnie, Sonny Boy Williamson, BB King and Ray Charles, plus selected and re-arranged blues originals from his band's album back catalogue. You can expect a fun and engaging lunchtime session with the occasional surprise guest joining him on stage.
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Join BAFTA award-winning writer and comedian Adam Kay for an evening of hilarious and horrifying anecdotes, as well as a unique insight into the British healthcare system. A guest host will be your guide as Adam launches his debut novel, A PARTICULARLY NASTY CASE. Expect anecdotes from the wards and readings from the much-anticipated new medical thriller at this one-night only event. Plus Q&A with Adam, author of the global bestseller THIS IS GOING TO HURT. includes a signed copy of A PARTICULARLY NASTY CASE ahead of it being released in bookshops nationwide.
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
Jamaican-Canadian songwriter Duane Forrest presents the UK premiere of his soulful new album. It sounds like Jack Johnson, João Gilberto, and Norah Jones making music together in the Azores Islands. Blending folk, reggae and jazz, Adrift takes listeners on a journey through love, loss and self-discovery. Duane’s warm vocals, intricate guitar work and global influences create an intimate and immersive experience. Accompanied by Stephen Jack on bass and Joliyan Young on drums/percussion, this is a rare chance to hear Adrift live in an unforgettable setting. Nothing’s lost, it’s all just changing.
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Acrobatic arts. Dance, drumming, comedy, music. Stage craft for theatrical performance, street shows, workshops and educational presentations.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
Romeo and Juliet are dead. Peace has been ordered, but a tense truce holds between the Capulets and Montagues after the death of Romeo and Juliet. After bitterly blaming her cousin Juliet for her love Romeo’s death, Rosaline is bent on revenge. Torn between being voted the Capulet’s new Prince of Cats and giving into the grief and jealousy that torments her mind, this thrilling sequel shows the consequences of Romeo and Juliet’s actions. A stirring tale of love, violence and new beginnings. The order may be for peace, but the Capulets and Montagues are far from it.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
What happens to Shakespeare's best-loved heroes and most reviled villains after the curtain falls? Come and join a host of familiar Shakespearean characters as they reflect back on their lives, including: Lady Macbeth, Portia, Hamlet and King Hal (Henry V). Lexi Wolfe weaves together Shakespeare's words, historical research and her own dramatic spark as she transforms into four distinct characters, to follow their onward journeys. 'A must-see show' ***** (EdinburghGuide.com). 'One of this year's standout shows' **** (GetYourCoatsOn.com). 'Refreshing and gifted writing' **** (WestEndBestFriend.co.uk).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
The best operatic show on at the Fringe – over an hour of favourite arias and ensembles from the greatest composers, performed by the internationally-renowned bass singer Brian Bannatyne-Scott, with rising stars Emma Morwood (soprano), Catherine Backhouse (mezzo-soprano) and Magnus Walker (tenor), accompanied by the brilliant pianist Michal Gajzler in the glorious surroundings of the New Town Church in the heart of Edinburgh's New Town. Following on from last year's sell-out show, we bring more fabulous music to thrill and move you by Mozart, Verdi, Strauss and many others.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Ah-Ma – Fujianese for grandmother. Ten years ago, Ah-ma was diagnosed with dementia, struggling each day to remember the names of her loved ones. 'Ah-ma, if one day you forget everything, please try not to forget love'. Fringe First award (2023) and Hong Kong Young Artist award (2024) winner returns with a hauntingly beautiful new play, weaving together natural and social disasters, bodily deterioration and family sorrow. A lyrical, poignant tale of resilience, faith and humanity. A story of memories slipping away – only to be gently reclaimed.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
This captivating one-person show dives deep into the life of mysterious aviator, Amelia Earhart, known for her daring ambition. People fell in love with her as a romantic icon, but beyond the public persona, we see the woman behind the headlines, confronting her vulnerabilities, sexuality, insecurities and the cost of chasing the unknown. Through raw, intimate performance, this play explores her darker side – uncovering the personal fears and struggles that shaped her pursuit of greatness. A powerful reflection on what any ambitious woman might need to do and the price of a life lived on the edge.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Steely Dan redefined popular music, blending rock, jazz, Latin, R&B and blues with unmatched musicianship. Known as the perfect musical antiheroes of the seventies, they created a unique sound with jazz-influenced complexity, sophisticated lyrics and meticulous production. Aja! A Steely Dan Tribute brings their sound to life through a genre-spanning supergroup of some of Scotland’s finest musicians, with global touring experience and deep roots in the country’s vibrant music scene. Experience classics and deep cuts performed with unrivalled precision and boundless energy in this ultimate tribute to one of music’s most influential duos.
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Join us on this wonderful rags-to-riches story of ambition, loyalty and self-discovery, full of eastern promise. Let the magic of the Arabian Nights come alive through colourful costumes, backdrop, inventive story-telling and unforgettable, original songs that will have you singing long after you have left the theatre. Watch Aladdin’s dreams come true as he discovers the power of friendship, bravery and true love! Aladdin is a must-see production for children and adults alike and is brought to you by a vibrant, talented young company who brought you sell-out shows for The Wizard of Oz in 2024. **** (BroadwayBaby.com).
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Leading Scots fiddle exponent, Alastair Savage returns to the beautiful setting of the Canongate Kirk with his unique celebration of the cherished Scots fiddle tradition. Alongside him a stellar cast of the country's finest musicians, including Euan Drysdale (guitar/piano), Iain Crawford (double bass), Bronte Hudnott (flute, whistle) and Chris Gibb (border pipes). Toe-tapping strathspeys and reels combine with soulful laments, ancient and modern, for a breathtaking journey of sound. An unmissable experience of Scottish culture. 'A must for aficionados' (Herald). 'Panache, grace and affection' (Scotsman). 'Master of the instrument' (Threeweeks).
Canongate Kirk
Canongate Kirk
An exciting collaboration to begin Alastair's eclectic Fringe programme. He is joined by five-time National Mod Gold Medalist and multi award-winning composer/harpist, Ailie Robertson for their first-ever duo Fringe appearance. With both musicians steeped in traditional and classical disciplines, this promises to be a tour de force with some of Scotland's finest melodies performed on fiddle and clarsach. 'Alastair Savage is a master of the instrument' (Threeweeks). 'Flair, precision and consummate skill' (Folkwords). 'A player of Ailie's class has the ability to tear your heart out' (Maverick).
artSpace@StMark's
Church
From the 18th-century Golden Age of Robert Burns and Niel Gow, to 19th-century virtuoso James Scots Skinner, alongside classic melodies from Ireland and America, Alastair completes his diverse festival programme with an eclectic range of sound, alongside piano/accordion supremo Gregor Blamey. Steeped in traditional and classical disciplines and with a critically acclaimed back catalogue of album recordings, radio broadcasts and live performances, this promises to be a unique insight into the fiddle tradition. Unmissable for folk music enthusiasts. 'Superlative musicianship' (BrightYoungFolk.com). 'Panache, grace and affection' (Scotsman). 'Music in the moment' (Herald).
artSpace@StMark's
Church
A fascinating overview of Scots traditional fiddle. Alastair is one of the nation's most versatile instrumentalists and is joined by Orcadian piano master, Laurence Wilson, noted for his work alongside island fiddle legend Jennifer Wrigley. From the Robert Burns-inspired tunes of Alastair's Ayrshire homeland, through the geographical range of mainland Scottish melodies, to classics from the Northern Isles, this performance encompasses the essence of traditional Scotland. A captivating experience for those wanting to enjoy Scotland's rich fiddle history. 'A must for aficionados' (Herald). 'Panache, grace and affection' (Scotsman). 'Breathtaking effortlessness' (BrightYoungFolk.com).
St Cuthbert's Church
Lindisfarne Room
Enjoy a journey to the heart of Andalucia with Alba Flamenca. Experience the joy, the tragedy and, above all, the pulsating passion of an authentic flamenco performance in our intimate venue. Alba Flamenca is a truly independent venue, with one aim: to bring the best of flamenco to Scotland. Each year, for more than twenty years, it assembles a group of dedicated singers, dancers and musicians that combine together to deliver an uplifting, joyous moment of pure Fringe Flamenco. Come and savour Spain.
Alba Flamenca
Alba Flamenca
ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards and Joke of the Fringe nominee Alex Kitson follows up 2024's multi award-nominated, five-star cult hit with a brand-new unmissable hour of fast-paced, critically acclaimed stand-up. Tour support for Fin Taylor, Tom Ward and Vittorio Angelone. ***** (ThePhoenixRemix.com). **** (TheWeeReview.com). **** (Entertainment-Now.com). **** (MumbleComedy.net). **** (EdFringeReview.com). ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards nominee, 2024. U&Dave's 3rd Funniest Joke of the Edinburgh Fringe, 2024. Best Jokes of Fringe 2024 (The Times, The Telegraph, Sunday Express and Edinburgh Evening News). Best of Brighton Fringe Comedy Award nominee. Best Joke winner, Bath Comedy Festival.
Hoots @ Potterrow
Big Yurt
Alex Mitchell is on a mission to find out what it really takes to be a tough guy in modern Britain. He's had a strange couple of years – being thrust into the limelight on mainstream telly, getting into a less than healthy relationship, being abused daily online, becoming disabled, and his best friend gave birth to a now three-foot bully. But, has Alex toughened up? The easy answer is no... but he's trying. Britain’s Got Talent Finalist. 'Accomplished and intelligent' (NeurodiverseReview.co.uk). 'A natural' (Chortle.co.uk). 'Absolutely sensational' (Alesha Dixon).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
Join comedy equivalent of sunshine Alex Prescot for a delightful debut hour that's tailor-made for each audience. Expect a warm and fuzzy blend of joyful musical comedy and quick-witted improvisation. Don't expect his notably absent double-act partner. Clap Back to Reality Winner 2024, Musical Comedy Awards Finalist 2025, Chortle Hotshots Shortlist 2025, Kingston New Act Finalist 2024, Chichester New Act Finalist 2024. ***** 'Incredibly talented' (BroadwayWorld.com). ***** (LondonTheatre.co.uk). **** (PepperAndSalt.uk). **** (ThePhoenixRemix.com). Directed by Ben Target (Double Fringe First Winner and Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dexter
Voilà. Alfie serves up another helping of Fringe. This one's about friends and enemies. Bon appétit. As seen on the BBC New Comedy Awards 2024. Writer for News Quiz (BBC Radio 4). 'Effortless... a joy to sit through' (ThreeWeeks). ‘Sharply observed standup’ (Scotsman). ‘Thought-provoking and hilarious’ (WestEndBestFriend.co.uk).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dexter
Welcome to our speakeasy and a vibrant night of swinging trad jazz improvisation. 'Superbly fun' ***** (TheWeeReview.com). 'Vivacious! Brought our red carpet to life' (Everyman Cinema). Fresh new international co-op bring 1920s heat to Edinburgh, stomping old time jazz standards plus original material! The Vagabond Jacks play authentic old-time music, mixing down-home blues and rags with early brass and string jazz. Performed by top exponents of this genre, a spirited and heart-warming eve awaits. Hit show in 2024! Early booking advised for this intimate venue.
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
Ali is celebrating 30 years of pioneering jazz, blues and hokum. Award-winning vocalist, jazz historian, and an all-star band playing with authenticity. The music was bold – the musicians even more so! Come hear the bawdy music that inspired such scandalous parties. 'Masterclass in grassroots jazz/blues' ***** (Edinburgh49.org). 'Not a household name yet – she soon will be' (BBC Radio Scotland). ‘Musical storyteller’ (Scotsman). 'Astounding vocals' ***** (San Diego Union-Tribune). ‘Vivacious’ (Herald). Six-time nominee for Best Vocalist (Scottish Jazz Awards).
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
Ali is celebrating 30 years of pioneering jazz, blues and hokum. Award-winning vocalist, jazz historian, and an all-star band playing with authenticity. The music was bold – the musicians even more so! Come hear the bawdy music that inspired such scandalous parties. 'Masterclass in grassroots jazz/blues' ***** (Edinburgh49.org). 'Not a household name yet – she soon will be' (BBC Radio Scotland). ‘Musical storyteller’ (Scotsman). 'Astounding vocals' ***** (San Diego Union-Tribune). ‘Vivacious’ (Herald). Six-time nominee for Best Vocalist (Scottish Jazz Awards).
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Two nights only! Award-winning Ali, Scotland’s ‘Queen of vintage jazz’ (OC Weekly), presents a special programme – a carefully crafted selection of Lady Day's best-loved songs (including some of Billie's own favourites). 'Affleck is not a household name yet – but I think she soon will be' (BBC Radio Scotland). Best Jazz Vocalist 2014 and nominee 2017-20 (Scottish Jazz Awards). ‘A musical storyteller’ (Scotsman). 'Astounding vocals' ***** (San Diego Union-Tribune). 'Outstanding' ***** (Edinburgh49.org). ‘Vivacious stage presence’ (Herald). Sell-out show in 2018 and 2019, so early booking is advised.
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Forget 'party like Gatsby'... this is the real deal! A fresh new show featuring an international band of women who play authentic old-time music and know the history. Low-slung blues, scorching swing jazz and crossover folk hits from 1851-1933. Come discover what 'Tents, Trains and Traveling Janes' meant during this pivotal time. Wild music was created and the pioneering bandleaders were wilder still! 'Outstanding' ***** (Edinburgh49.org). ‘Vivacious stage presence’ (Herald). 'Not a household name yet – but soon will be' (BBC Sounds).
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
Forget 'party like Gatsby'... this is the real deal! A fresh new show featuring an international band of women who play authentic old-time music and know the history. Low-slung blues, scorching swing jazz and crossover folk hits from 1851-1933. Come discover what 'Tents, Trains and Traveling Janes' meant during this pivotal time. Wild music was created and the pioneering bandleaders were wilder still! 'Outstanding' ***** (Edinburgh49.org). ‘Vivacious stage presence’ (Herald). 'Not a household name yet – but soon will be' (BBC Sounds).
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Rediscover the golden age of swing jazz: Carmen McRae, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Anita O'Day, Maxine Sullivan, Peggy Lee. Award-winning Ali pays fiery homage to these trailblazing and musically vital women with her acclaimed band. Scotland’s ‘...Queen of Vintage Jazz’ (OC Weekly). 'The real deal' (Clive Anderson). ‘Stunningly expressive... Astounding vocals’ ***** (San Diego Union-Tribune). ‘Musical storyteller’ (Scotsman). 'No other singer can deliver this material with such authenticity and so swingingly' (BBC Radio Scotland). ‘Vivacious stage presence’ (Herald). 'Outstanding' ***** (Edinburgh 49). Early booking advised!
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
Rediscover the golden age of swing jazz: Carmen McRae, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Anita O'Day, Maxine Sullivan, Peggy Lee. Award-winning Ali pays fiery homage to these trailblazing and musically vital women with her acclaimed band. Scotland’s ‘...Queen of Vintage Jazz’ (OC Weekly). 'The real deal' (Clive Anderson). ‘Stunningly expressive... Astounding vocals’ ***** (San Diego Union-Tribune). ‘Musical storyteller’ (Scotsman). 'No other singer can deliver this material with such authenticity and so swingingly' (BBC Radio Scotland). ‘Vivacious stage presence’ (Herald). 'Outstanding' ***** (Edinburgh 49). Early booking advised!
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Two-woman band Finova came together in 2024 after meeting as students in Aberdeen. When aspiring singer/songwriter Ali Kova, the stage name of Rachel Allan Molotnikov, released her first single Loved Me Too that summer, she looked to Galloway girl, Erin Findlay to accompany her with masterful piano playing. The musical fusion of this new-found duo soon led to creative collaboration off-stage too, as time between classes was spent writing and rehearsing. Hear Kova’s lyrics and melodies made whole by Findlay’s moving, compositional genius in this original, acoustic night to remember!
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
Join Ali Woods, star of Comedy Central and Stand Up Sketch Show, after his third sell-out Edinburgh Fringe and sell-out UK tour, for his brand-new show. Known for his viral online sketches (@aliwoodsgigs) with millions of views, Ali Woods has supported comedy greats like Russell Kane, Axel Blake, and Adam Kay. With his unique blend of sharp wit and relatable humour, his performances are a must-see. 'Ali Woods is a simply brilliant storyteller' ***** (Everything-Theatre.co.uk). 'Thoroughly entertaining' **** (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine). 'Hilarious' **** (Entertainment-Now.com).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
A powerful, immersive journey into one woman’s struggle to reclaim her past. On the eve of her 50th birthday, Alice sets out to confront the trauma of her 10th birthday, which, instead of being a day of celebration, became the painful beginning of her abuse. Join her and her guests as her fragile reality is threatened throughout the day, as Alice fights to take back what is hers. Alice is a voice-hearer and a survivor of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA). Optional immersive element available. 'Very strong future ahead of it' ***** (BroadwayBaby.com).
Greenside @ George Street
Ivy Studio
A comedy show about writing a book about romance. Alice Fraser has fallen in love... with romance novels. She's written a delirious love letter to the genre and now she has to live with the consequences. If you love romance novels, or if you have no idea how anyone could love romance novels, this is the show for you. A show that will make you laugh, cry and rethink happily ever after. 'Breathtakingly funny' ***** (EdinburghGuide.com). 50 Best Comedians of the 21st Century (Telegraph).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
With oral history passed down over the family generations, Peter gives a stirring and passionate account of his great-grandmother’s hard-fought campaign for the right to vote over 100 years ago. A shoe machinist by trade, lifelong socialist and mother of six, centenary year 2018 marked a bronze statue unveiled of Alice together her sash, hunger-strike medal and more on display at UK Parliament. Illustrated throughout with her very own suffrage memorabilia, sister suffragette Ruth Pownall adds true theatre to an unmissable spoken word show. **** (The Student). www.alicehawkinssuffragette.co.uk
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Helen Duncan Room
Alice-India is a sweet widdle baby cherub. But, biblically speaking so was the devil... In this debut hour, Alice-India explores moral relativism and being "one of the girls". Arrested only 10 days before receiving an autism and ADHD diagnosis, often misunderstood, Alice swan dives into good and evil. Black and white. Whether good people exist at all. And, if they do, does anyone want to sleep with them anyway? Fresh from a break-up and a miraculously clean DBS, Alice-India pays the ferryman and takes you across the River Styx. See you in hell, assholes.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
The All Made Up Podcast Live is back at the Edinburgh Fringe – bigger, better and funnier than ever! Join hosts Harry, Ben and Lewis as a special guest comedian takes the reins as lead writer, crafting a story like you’ve never heard before. No scripts, no safety nets – just pure, off-the-cuff hilarity. With past guests like Netflix’s Daniel Sloss, Jason Byrne, Emmanuel Sonubi and Sooz Kempner, this is where stand-up meets storytelling in the most unpredictable way. If you love quick-thinking comedy and laugh-out-loud chaos, don’t miss it!
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 3
Sell-out show every year! More puppets! More magic! More laughter. The perfect family show to start your day – kids love the magic, mayhem and colourful puppets! Great fun for all the family from three upwards, as Leigh invites you to meet his naughty puppets, play games and marvel at his magic. Booking in advance is advised as this is the best value and funniest lunchtime kids show on the Fringe
Frankenstein Pub
Bier Keller
Join us for a post-lunch comedy tasting menu served up by seven comedians who’ll guide you on a journey from Bromley to Boston via Bangalore. Freshly prepared by Comedians By Night, this hilarious stand-up comedy variety show will take you on a whistle-stop tour through the UK, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the good old USA, as our comedians from all over the plate try to prove whose part of the world is the most deliciously funny.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
1955. Into a square little American town rides a guitar playin’, motorcycle ridin’ Elvis character who changes everything and everyone in this hip-swivelling musical comedy. Nelson Youth Theatre (New Zealand), who in 2019 'Embodied the true spirit of the Fringe' (London Times), will have you jumpin’ out of your blue suede shoes with a script that’s packed to the seams with comic one-liners and classic Elvis rock‘n’roll hits like Jailhouse Rock, Teddy Bear, Hound Dog, Devil in Disguise, Heartbreak Hotel, It’s Now or Never, One Night With You and All Shook Up.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
Almost Everything isn’t just a modern love story, it’s a timeless cautionary tale about gratitude, fate and life’s unpredictability. It reminds us to cherish what we have while we have it, yet acknowledges that life rarely follows the plans we make. Fans of One Day and Normal People will appreciate its realistic exploration of love in all its complexities: the moments of joy, heartbreak and unexpected connections that shape us. Through raw emotion and deeply human experiences, this story challenges perspectives, sparks conversation and offers an honest portrayal of love – flawed, messy and far from a fairytale.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Alba Theatre
Emily Benton, veteran actor and star of stage and screen, is back in the UK after a career that took her to Broadway and Hollywood. With her pedigree, she should be in Downton Abbey or the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, not auditioning for a role in a devised play that only become available when another, more famous, actor went to join the theatre in the sky. What cruel fate brought her here? Maybe there’s a secret she’s not revealing. From the makers of Make-up: 'A disarmingly truthful and humorous piece, adroitly constructed and beautifully performed' ★★★★ (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Would you sacrifice good food for freedom? Join Alvin Liu, a Chinese comedian who was once arrested, as he navigates the hilarities of starting anew in the UK. Love Letter to a Sandwich offers a fresh, comedic take on the quirks of cultural assimilation and unexpected surprises of viewing the West through Eastern eyes. Prepare for an evening filled with heartfelt humour, unique insights, and stories that bridge worlds. 'Potent in its imagery, authenticity, perverse logic and volatility' (Comedy.co.uk). 'Hilarious... one to watch' (Chortle.co.uk). ***** (Morning Star). Nominated – BBC New Comedy Awards.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
Alvin Bang and Eva Peroni bring a split-bill so funny it defies international law. Alvin and Eva Break the Geneva Convention is a radical split hour from two of Scotland's fastest progressing new acts who are not afraid to tackle big topics like the class struggle and international war crimes. Alvin Bang is 'one to watch' (Rosco Mcclelland). Eva Peroni is 'wonderful, a real joy to watch' (Vladimir Mctavish).
Hoots @ Potterrow
Wee Container
A solo clown show about a janitor who finds herself in front of an audience. Left with nothing but her fear, some trash and a stage, she tries to find the cure for loneliness! Always, Sometimes, Maybe is a story about desperation, feeling alone and ultimately finding a community using dance, puppetry and a sprinkle of magic. All ages are welcome to dive into the trash!
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
Ama, a female free-diver, hunts for shells unencumbered by diving equipment. This piece focuses on the 3,000-year-old culture of free-diving in Japan, now threatened by climate change. and and asks us questions. In a time when the climate emergency and oceanic pollution are major issues. Yoriko Maeno Tanztheater’s piece shows the life of the free-divers and their communion with nature – through dance, 360º video projection, and music composed by Thorsten Quaeschning (director of Tangerine Dream). Owing to the pandemic, the work is presented online as a 360° film. Here you will experience new sensations which can be only found through digital technology.www.yorikomaeno.comwww.facebook.com/yoriko.maenowww.instagram.com/yorikomaeno_dance/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Louis Pearl has been thrilling audiences worldwide for over 30 years with the art, magic, science and fun of bubbles. An Edinburgh Fringe favourite, he has sold out for the last 14 years. Louis explores the breathtaking dynamics of bubbles, combining comedy and artistry with audience participation and enough spellbinding bubble tricks to keep everyone mesmerised. From square bubbles to rocket bubbles, the Amazing Bubble Man conjures shrieks of laughter and gasps of amazement from all ages.
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
It's bingo with loads and loads of prizes. You get two bingo cards as part of your entry. If you bring a wrapped prize, you get another bingo card. Take your seats, get your dabber ready and let the winning begin. Jes is your game show host. He has crazy bingo variations like you've never seen before. Let's take the excitement through the roof! Oh, did I mention that there are loads of prizes? Just saying, because there are loads of prizes. See JesMoonBingo.co.uk for more information and customer reviews.
Royal College of Physicians
Great Hall
Live streaming from her flat in Edinburgh, a Brazilian woman unearths the untold history of her Amazonian ancestors, from those who watched the first Europeans lay claim to her land to the women fighting to defend the forest today. Discover the real Amazon (not the online shop)! Buckle up for a gripping darkly funny whirlwind new solo show by acclaimed British-Brazilian theatre maker Gaël Le Cornec. Winner of the Guimarães Rosa Institute Award 2025. Previous work: Frida Kahlo: Viva La Vida! ***** (Scotsman), Camille Claudel **** (Times) and The Other ***** (BroadwayBaby.com).
Summerhall Festival
Former Gents Locker Room
Essex comedy veteran, Paul Merryck proudly presents his Edinburgh debut. A hilarious hour packed full of short gags and tall stories, that focuses on living life to the full as the clock ticks down to the great inevitable. Remember everything in moderation. Especially moderation. And the Grim Reaper can f*** right off somewhere else for a bit. Preferably Kent. 'The Essex bloke is something of a geezer gag-focused delivery…. high laugh rate…. you’d think that the spirit of Mike Reid is alive and well' (Chortle.co.uk).
Laughing Horse @ Boston Bar
Basement Bar
New York City improv comedians present American Football: An Improv Show. I bet you have never seen this show before! And that’s because we’re making it all up as we go! Showcasing different improv styles, comedians and ways of storytelling, you can bet that every night will be something different and exciting!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Bobby Award-winning comedy following Johnny, an 18-year-old at an all-boys boarding school. He ambles through daily life, Britney in his ears, failing to fit into the school's (rather rigid) mould. Enter Harry, the rugby golden boy. To save time, Johnny and Harry shag. Constantly. This isn't a coming out story or a gay tragedy and it is definitely not porn. It is life through the lens of a young queer man, navigating Grindr, hyper-masculinity and an institution rife with shame.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons tribute act 'The False Seasons' are back at the Fringe for a third year running after previous sell-outs with an all-new show. To hear iconic hits such as Big Girls Don’t Cry, Beggin, Oh What a Night and many more, ensure you book early as tickets will sell fast!
Le Monde
Shanghai
Hear the incredible real-life stories of Marvin and others who have faced challenges and turned their lives around. Find out why a near-death experience led him to turn his back on his criminal past and what motivated him to become the reformed person he is today. Now working as a crime-prevention activist, his motivational talks aim to reduce re-offending by inspiring youth and changing lives. With guest interviewees whose lives have involved challenge, change, change and transformation. Followed by a no-holds-barred Q&A.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
A glorious spoof of the RAF. Early Doors Productions bring you the greatest parody of the most awesome escape. Join Dickie, Jackson, McQueen and Garner in their most daring and amazing flee of all time. Put a fence in front of these men and they'll… wait, what fence? Escaping is great. Your balls are in good hands.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
After a complete sell-out run in 2023 and 2024 at the iconic Edinburgh Festival Fringe (as well as performances at several festivals in Ireland and the UK), this triple-headline, pro-comic show from an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman brings a live stand-up comedy show like nothing else you've ever seen! Rick Molland, Danny O'Brien and Billy Kirkwood will take to the stage for another full festival run, bringing non-stop laughs, high-energy and hilarious banter! Don't miss this one, one of the fastest-selling shows of last year's Festival for good reason!
Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn
Beehive 2 (The Attic)
Step into a vibrant cabaret where the ancient myth of the Minotaur is reinterpreted through the eyes of Ariadne. As she unravels the truth behind the twisted legacy she’s inherited, she dares to challenge the myths that uphold patriarchal control. No mere bystander, she is a force of change, navigating the labyrinth of power, truth and identity. Driven by a genre-blending score and powerful, poetic storytelling, both psychological and political, this production transports audiences into a living labyrinth and invites them to question the stories we accept, systems we uphold and who really controls the narrative.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Enjoy musical satire at its finest: celebrating the mischievous wit of Tom Lehrer, performed by Australian entertainer, singer and pianist, Antony (Dr H) Hubmayer. This award-winning smash-hit of the Edinburgh and Adelaide Fringe includes all Tom's hits plus even more laughs, songs and games. Join the merry journey exploring the life and times of Tom Lehrer, retold through such timeless songs as Masochism Tango, Vatican Rag, Poisoning Pigeons in the Park. You’ll be laughing and singing your way through a great evening of cabaret entertainment as you experience An Unwasted Evening.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Anatomy of Pain is a powerful and unflinching exploration of the dysfunctional healthcare system, following Alex’s journey to seek a diagnosis for the rare and debilitating condition, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Through an intimate and emotional performance, the show explores the impact of clinicians’ unfamiliarity and lack of empathy when faced with rare conditions. Audiences are invited to witness the devastating impact this has on every facet of Alex’s life, from identity to relationships. Beautifully crafted and deeply moving, this interdisciplinary performance is a must-see for anyone seeking to understand the human cost of systemic failings.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
A love letter to the queers, the weirdoes, the trailblazers, the fringes and the night-walkers. An exploration of personal identity through a reflection of memories from queer and club spaces. Remembering the energy that can be drawn from these spaces and trying to sustain the sensation while understanding the longevity of a moment in time that is so communally charged. This show is a storytelling of any night, told through the use of dance, runaway show, spoken word and lip-syncing. It is an exploration of gender, queerness and camaraderie of different spaces.
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
A musical stand-up show dealing with life as an Irish male raised in a culture where emotions are things to be avoided. It’s much better to push them right down whenever they rear their ugly heads until they pop up as bigger problems down the line. A metaphysical hydra, if you will.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
The rodeo is the best place in the world. Why would anybody burn it down? Unfortunately, rodeos don’t burn down on their own. More unfortunately, everything is expensive: becoming a cowboy, finding the culprit, and even keeping the lights on. This alleged tale of arson fractures into the story of two clowns desperately trying to afford to put on a show. An absurdist Western send up of the American Dream from consecutive 2022, 2023, and 2024 Fringe First Award-winners Xhloe and Natasha.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Ukraine’s BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Winner 2019 (opera), Andrii Kymach baritone returns to Edinburgh with rising star accompanist Jâms Coleman (piano) in a new recital, Ukraine, specially devised for 2025's Day of Ukraine Independence (24th August 2025). This follows his hugely successful 2024 recital Arias, which celebrated Edinburgh and Kyiv's 35th twinning anniversary (1989-2024). The historic 2025 event is supported by the Consulate of Ukraine and the Consulate Generals of Germany and France in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Andy Chung is a captivating figure in Scottish folk music, based in Edinburgh with roots in Fife and further afield. As a folk singer Andy embodies the rich tradition of Scottish storytelling, blending the timeless words of Robert Burns with his own compositions and Scottish songs. Andy connects with the audience and brings our songs to life as he shares the emotional and historical influences and paints a vivid picture of Scottish landscapes and culture. His individual experience shapes the performance. Join our rare and cherished singer at historic Captain’s whilst experiencing Edinburgh’s folk scene.
Captains Bar
Bar
Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years takes over the upper and lower galleries in the Royal Scottish Academy building for the summer. Based in Scotland, Goldsworthy (born 1956) is internationally famous for his extraordinary work with natural materials. This exhibition showcases over 200 works including photographs, sculptures and installations. Goldsworthy will also create several major new works onsite. Sure to be one of the most talked-about exhibitions of the year – showing only in Edinburgh. Image: Andy Goldsworthy. Test for clay wall. Dumfriesshire, Scotland, June 2024. Courtesy of the Artist. © the artist.
National
Royal Scottish Academy
Get your dabbers ready for playful parodies, polished puns and surreal stories from the frontline of the UK party bingo circuit. With on-screen singalong karaoke lyrics, audience interaction and an actual game of bingo it’s unlike any other show you’ll see! Critics Choice Award winner at the 2024 Bay Fringe. Best Comedy Show nominee at the 2024 and 2023 Buxton Fringe. Mamma’s Drag Battle finalist 2024. 'A cheerily endearing persona...' (Chortle.co.uk).
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
Experience the mesmerizing energy of Indian classical rhythm as masterful tabla player Manmohan Dogra returns to the Fringe. A disciple of the esteemed musicologist and writer Pt. Vijay Shanker Mishra, Manmohan brings the centuries-old tradition of tabla to life with an electrifying solo that blends power, precision and emotion. Accompanied by Dave Beards on sitar, this performance promises a spellbinding journey through intricate rhythms and dynamic improvisation. Join us for an unforgettable evening of rhythm, melody and tradition – where the past meets the present in a breathtaking celebration of Indian classical music.
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Helen Duncan Room
It is a 90-minute live anime music concert with an interval, featuring high-achieving young musicians performing excerpts from popular anime series such as One Piece, Chibi Maruko-chan, Studio Ghibli, Sword Art Online, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Attack on Titan.
Marchmont St Giles
The Church
Voice actors bring Anime to life through games, live dubbing, and challenges! New guests daily – come back and see a different show every time! Your host: Soness Stevens, Tokyo-based voice actor, the voice you know as Hello Kitty (1999-2024), Metro announcements worldwide, Ultra Boy, Time Crisis 5, Nintendo Arms, and Bomberman. She also voiced the worst video game ever! You’re an Otaku who’s translated the lyrics to DanDaDan? Spent your childhood watching Saturday morning cartoons? You'll love this! www.animezing.games
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
It’s been a while but Captivate is bringing back this much-loved family favourite with a fantastic new cast. ‘A wonderful and family-friendly experience for anyone who knows and loves Annie, or equally for anyone who is new to the music and the story, Captivate Theatre’s production is rip-roaring musical fun... With humour, skilful choreography, and exceptionally strong vocal performances, this excellent adaptation avoids the mawkish trap and produces a first-class musical which is a joy to behold’ (Primary Times). ‘An Annie that stands tall among the shows of the Fringe, and one which is well worth seeing’ (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).
The Edinburgh Academy
Magnusson Theatre
Following the success of her critically acclaimed debut solo show Annie Are You Ok? Annie returns with Smooth Criminal. This comedic confession of her first arrest explores how the silly, the serious, and the surreal intertwine in life – and in comedy. If you'd been there, if you'd seen it... you would've done the same. As seen on RAW Comedy (State finalist), Comedy Zone and Binge's Colin From Accounts. 'The artistic concoction of deadpan meets tongue-in-cheek' (TheUpsideNews.com). '...stunning, sarcastic, blazing performance' (Louder-Magazine.com).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
A pandemic-induced trip down memory lane, featuring puppets and a treatise on The Sopranos, is put into hyperspeed when a gender non-conforming praying mantis named E appears in Kelsey’s study. This leads her down a path of discovery of the patterns that shaped who she thinks she is. Before going further, she must uncover a truth she might not be willing to face – at least, not on her own… This piece leans into the voyeuristic nature of Zoom performances, explores the binaries we occupy, and asks how we can leap past old behaviours into the possibilities of the unknown.www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participantswww.instagram.com/kelseysiepser/ Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A '...rip roaring tour de force' (TheReviewsHub.com) from the co-writer behind Two Fingers Up. Winner of Solas Nua New Voices Award at Dublin Fringe Festival 2024. Irish Twins, Sarah and Jamie, are about to hit 30. Before they do, they're reliving their greatest hits: credit crunch, austerity and free school meals... Benefits Britain never sounded so good! A soundtrack packed with Oasis, Springsteen and Sam Fender in this euphoric, working-class celebration of the power of live music, teenage angst, sibling rivalry and love. An electric and hilarious, coming-of-age anthem for anyone who ever wanted more.
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
After a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024, Mythography return with their urgent and haunting production of Jean Anouilh's Antigone. Irreverent and full of rage, this bold rewriting of an eternal myth asks questions that would shatter our world. This is a story about youth on the brink. About the splintering world we've inherited and our struggle to make sense of it all. It's a cry of absolute idealism and existential rage from a generation learning what it takes to grow up in the 21st century. Our Antigone is a beautiful and unforgiving shock to the system.
French Institute in Scotland
Salle Emilienne Moreau-Evrard
Scarlett Smith is an electroacoustic harpist and comedian. Tired of the harp's demure, classical reputation, Scarlett’s debut solo show Any Objections? defies traditional stereotyping. Instead, audiences are taken on a surreal quest to prove this unwieldy, celestial instrument has a place far beyond the orchestra pit. Blending live looping covers of popular songs, self-produced indie-pop jingles and fast-paced punchlines, the show is a playful celebration of creativity and harp innovation. Expect wedding industry musings, a fateful boat trip and an interactive gameshow in this whimsical world where chaos meets creativity.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
A Wimbledon line judge for 20 years, comedian Pauline Eyre is ready to spill the Pimms on tennis gossip from the fragrant royal box to the musty locker room, and why line judges are OUT! Expect smashing stories, ace anecdotes and a 40-love letter to the game. And there’s nobody to say ‘quiet please’. She cannot be serious… can she? 'She’s warm, wonderfully funny and you’ll want to be her pal' (Angela Barnes). Jones Bootmaker ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer nominee 2024. 'An impressive debut full of big laughs' ***** (Youngish-Perspective.net).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
A lonely karaoke jockey is the sole survivor at the end of the world, and decides to go out singing. A darkly hilarious, high-octane spectacle, where Nietzsche meets the Spice Girls, and the world ends in song. Chanteuse, comedian, and chaos enthusiast Scout Durwood (MTV’s Mary + Jane) hailed as 'brazen, brass' (Vogue), makes a powerhouse Fringe debut packed with original songs, pop bangers, audience interaction, and existential musings. This full-throttle celebration of life at the edge of the abyss asks the big question: is there time for one more song?
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dairy Room
Uma Gahd from Canada’s Drag Race Season 5, everybody’s favourite unofficial auntie, brings you her one-woman drag comedy exploring small talk and big issues: fame, family, feminism, and failed marriages! Stuffed with stand-up, lip-sync, and plenty of hysterical pathos, Uma tells the story of her life - from sneaking into bars with her childhood best friend, Margaret, to breaking into showbusiness with her growing family. Part environmental theatre, part cabaret, and part drag show. Come hear the word of Gahd!‘She is warm, slightly daft, and thoroughly loveable’ **** (List)‘A wildly entertaining way to spend 45 minutes’ (MontrealTheatreHub.com)'Montreal's #1 Drag Artist’ (CultMLT.com)
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
A recital celebrating the 100th anniversary of Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924). Sungho Kim tenor, the South Korean Winner of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Song Prize 2023, stars with his Cardiff accompanist, the virtuoso pianist Llyr Williams.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
A recital celebrating the 190th anniversary of Vincenzo Bellini (1801-25). Sungho Kim tenor, the South Korean Winner of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Song Prize 2023, stars with his Cardiff accompanist, the virtuoso pianist Llyr Williams.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Where do we sit through it all? Who are we with our friends? Six separate lives interwoven over meals. This is where we start, but also how it ends.
Greenside @ George Street
Olive Studio
Glaswegian comedian and author Iain MacDonald embraces the international aspect of the festival as he takes you on a pun-venture around the world in which he has a joke for each and every country. You tell him the country – he'll tell you the joke! And with the aid of his giant map and mini globes for the audience, there'll be plenty of opportunities to try and catch him out! ‘Scotland’s Prince of Puns‘ (BBC Radio Scotland).
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
The Alcove
Dutch composer/pianist Hermane composes beautiful songs with intricate harmonies. Before settling in Andalusia, he spent thirty years in Latin America, USA, Asia and Africa, soaking up the traditional music of each country. A meticulous composer, his goal is to create virtuoso pieces, endowed with a fragility that moves the listener – so different from the typical four repeated chords structure common to much contemporary music. While drawing inspiration from classical grand-masters, his compositions are palpably twenty-first century, offering an intricate kaleidoscope of colourful musical landscapes bearing Latin, Soul, Tango and Flamenco influences.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Award-winning guitarist Daniel Martinez presents new compositions as well as past works, where dance takes centre stage. Following the incredible success of previous productions, which have captivated over 80,000 audience members in only two years, Daniel returns with a must-see flamenco spectacle. Featuring world-class dancer Angel Reyes alongside Daniel's company, this electrifying show has already captivated over 30,000 people in 2025 alone. With original compositions performed live, the synergy between music and dance creates an unforgettable experience. Immerse yourself in the raw passion of Andalucia. Simply unmissable!
Yotel Edinburgh
Imaginex
What happens when two overly interconnected share houses go head-to-head in an epic, highly anticipated boardgame showdown? The miniature trophy prize and the prospect of a framed photo of the opposing house on their fridge seems trivial, but there’s more at stake. Simmering under the surface are tensions, hardcore competitiveness and unresolved conflicts. Six young adults with a myriad of quirks that make them either the perfect teammate or a recipe for disaster and hilarity ensues! When the chips are down and victory is near, everyone will do whatever it takes to win. What will be revealed?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
The Fringe is an Odyssey – where will your journey take you? Artist is a card-based workshop created for Fringe artists. It's a space to pause and recalibrate amidst the festival chaos. With a custom deck of conversation cards, each session sparks open dialogue on themes like community, expectations and strategy, both at and beyond the Fringe. This is not a lecture: it’s an immersive experience designed to spark reflection, connect with community and explore new perspectives. You're even invited to take the cards with you and continue the conversation into your next journey!
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
library
As We Face the Sun is a moving and uplifting exploration of friendship and the passage of time. The story follows a group of West London classmates who, after the tragic loss of a friend, hold an annual party in her honour. As they transition from teenagers into adulthood, the gatherings become a reflection of shared memories and growth. Bought to life by talented West London drama students, the narrative reminds us of why we hold onto things and how we might start to let go.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
This original Chinese campus youth musical delves into the complex emotions and struggles faced by today’s teenagers and even adults, exploring self-doubt, anxiety and the search for identity. Co-created by teachers and students, As You Wish encourages individuals to confront their fears, embrace their uniqueness and discover their own inner spark through an engaging and heartfelt narrative. More than just a school musical, this is an artistic expression of the hopes, dreams and challenges faced by today’s youth. Will leave audiences inspired by a renewed appreciation of the beauty of individuality. Performed in Mandarin with English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
After a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024 and sold-out performances at Greenwich Theatre, Ascension returns for Edinburgh Fringe 2025. Ascension is based on the 300-year-old diary of Dutch sailor Leendert Hasenbosch, who was marooned on Ascension Island in 1725 for the crime of sodomy. Isolated and surrounded only by barren rock and endless ocean, he fought to survive. He was, however, pursued ashore by his personal demons. This bold and inventive adaptation reclaims his story for the 21st century, exploring queer identity, the weaponisation of religion and the resilience to love ourselves in a sometimes unforgiving world.
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
32, single and lives with his Chinese immigrant mother. Sounds like a catch? Then join Lance on his quest to find The One during (yes, during) this dark, candid and heartfelt stand-up comedy show about a Chinese immigrant family, culture clash and first dates. Lance has always dreamed of a fairytale love story. Then why is he still single? Stereotypes? Personality? Unrealistic standards? He'll give 32 reasons why he's still single at 32. ‘One of the most honest pieces of comedy I've seen', 'Devastatingly funny’ (Audience reviews). ‘What kind of a man defames his family’ (His mum).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
Ever had a burning question about one of the world's most misunderstood professions? Join real-life, quick-witted and unshakable strippers as they peel back the stereotypes to reveal what really goes on behind the neon lights and glitter of the sex industry. Stacey Clare (author of The Ethical Stripper) and Sabrina Jade (TV reality star of Slagwars), plus special guests, dish the dirt in this hilarious, insightful and brutally honest show. Expect laugh-out-loud comedy, confessions and candid conversation – come for the laughs, stay for the stories... if you don't ask, you'll never know.
Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly
Other Room
Atomic Cabaret is a one-woman science-political musical about the existential risks of the nuclear age, starring Lynda Williams, the Physics Chanteuse. Provocative and wildly entertaining, the show exposes the reckless stupidity of the bomb, from Trident to Trinity, and explores how we can stop the madness – with science, satire and song that is smart, sexy, sassy and radical. Atomic Cabaret commemorates the 80th anniversary of the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and is a benefit for Scottish CND. 'Lynda will blow your mind!' (Kip Thorne, Nobel Prize-winning physicist). 'Williams puts the fizz in physics' (People Magazine).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
A groundbreaking music drama by Scottish New Music Awards shortlisted Joanna Nicholson, combining projections, voice, electronic soundscapes, clarinet and horn. Psychological time travel draws us into the inner world of Aud the Deep Minded, a real-life Christian Viking and conflicted yet brilliant leader in 9th century Scotland. Inspired by fragments of unreliably documented history, and reframed in the present, we explore Aud's transformatory journey from oppressed to oppressor to liberator. Soprano – Clíona Cassidy, Horn – Andy Saunders, Clarinet – Joanna Nicholson, Electronics – Alistair MacDonald, Projection art – Kirsty Anderson. #IamAud MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
theSpaceTriplex
Big
The Edinburgh comedy institution Auld Cheeky returns for its third Fringe to give you the best of all local acts every night. Brought to you by Liam Jackson, Dan McKenna, Rob Raith and Mike Sayers. 'Organic f*ck-it attitude' (Comedy.co.uk).
Scottish Comedy Festival @ Waverley Bar
The Waverley
Auntie is a sweet old dear and a jolly good raconteur. All she wants to do is regale us with tales of dear old Blighty – but her body is falling to bits. Oh dear. Best not mention it. Someone ought to clean that up. By turns an absurd and rambunctious bouffon comedy and a bloody, messy, sing-along satire on Britain and nationhood, Auntie Empire is an unmissable collaboration between award-winning Scottish companies Disaster Plan and Jordan & Skinner.
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
The smash-hit West End comedy, as heard on BBC Radio 4, celebrates its 12th glorious year at the Fringe! The all-star cast (featuring Rachel Parris, Cariad Lloyd, Graham Dickson and more) improvise a hilarious new Jane Austen novel every show, inspired entirely by a title from the audience. Performed in period costume with live musical accompaniment – it's a riotous, razor-sharp show where swooning is guaranteed. 'Hilariously bold, wickedly funny' ***** (Times). 'One of the most enjoyable 60 minutes on the Fringe' **** (Guardian).
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
Avenue Q is back for a fourth year! Our sell-out runs prove how popular this production is. Featuring actors and puppets, we follow Princeton as he struggles through life and love. Not for the faint-hearted. A fantastic show that is full of humour and witty lines as well as smacking you round the face with sex, love and deceit. Forget about the actors as the puppets take on a life of their own as you buy into their lives and struggles. A talented and dedicated cast make this show a must-see production.
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Lower Hall
A focus group. A pitch meeting. A multiverse imaginarium. Having received critical acclaim for a show about grief, addiction and mental breakdown, Maxwell is stuck on how to up the ante with her next confessional solo show. She needs you for some intensive audience research: which of her personal traumas is most fundable, marketable and ripe for TV adaptation? In an era hungry for the next smash-hit overshare, BABYFLEAREINDEERBAG kicks over the bucket of ideas Maxwell can't yet bring herself to make a show about, interrogating the risk and cynicism in telling one's own story onstage.
Summerhall Festival
Former Gents Locker Room
BOMBSHELL follows three sparkly Vegas showgirls who put up environmentally-conscious cabaret acts in a rundown nightclub called Club Fistfight. Despite their best attempts at making global warming hot, the club is closing. For their final performance, Scarlett, Jane and Eliza decide to tell the audience a love story. But as the last show at Club Fistfight reaches a peak, Scarlett takes extreme action when a shocking secret is revealed. BOMBSHELL is about how far we'll go for love, for each other and for our planet, and who is really responsible for the end of the world.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
When she discovers that her dad has stolen her identity, she has to face who she really is. A true-crime comedy about human trafficking, identity theft, cults, child actors, and the tragicomic omen of being born on the set of a Coen brothers movie to a mafia family.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Lena and Joey are having a baby. Lena has bought a pinstripe suit. Joey is soaking wet. A show about queer family making and what it takes to make one. Baby in the Mirror is the debut show of Second Adolescence, a new theatre company from Stella Marie Sophie and Sammy J Glover, Director and Co-creator of The Last Show Before We Die ***** (Guardian).
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
Organist David Hamilton performs a programme that includes Bach's Prelude and Fugue in C (BWV 547), the Fugue on the Magnificat, two different settings of Liebster Jesu and the Fugue in C (BWV 575) on Canongate Kirk's renowned Frobenius organ.
Canongate Kirk
Canongate Kirk
This talented London-based cellist returns to the Fringe to give her annual recital of all the Bach Cello Suites over three days. Come and listen and escape form the bustle of Edinburgh in August.
St Cuthbert's Church
Main Sanctuary
Famous for his beautiful sound, Vienna’s leading violinist Wolfgang David interprets Bach's Sonata No 1 and Partita No 1. Award-winning American composer/pianist David Gompper joins to perform his Répons I. This is part one of three programmes. Wolfgang David performs regularly at the most prestigious concert halls such as Carnegie Hall New York, Musikverein Hall Vienna, Suntory Hall Tokyo, and Wigmore Hall London. David Gompper is a Professor of Composition at the University of Iowa and director of the Center for New Music.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Famous for his beautiful sound, Vienna’s leading violinist Wolfgang David interprets Bach's Sonata No 2 and Partita No 2. Award-winning American composer/pianist David Gompper joins to perform his Répons II. This is part two of three programmes. Wolfgang David performs regularly at the most prestigious concert halls such as Carnegie Hall New York, Musikverein Hall Vienna, Suntory Hall Tokyo, and Wigmore Hall London. David Gompper is a Professor of Composition at the University of Iowa and director of the Center for New Music.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Famous for his beautiful sound, Vienna’s leading violinist Wolfgang David interprets Bach's Sonata No 3 and Partita No 3. Award-winning American composer/pianist David Gompper joins to perform his Répons III. This is part three of three programmes. Wolfgang David performs regularly at the most prestigious concert halls such as Carnegie Hall New York, Musikverein Hall Vienna, Suntory Hall Tokyo, and Wigmore Hall London. David Gompper is a Professor of Composition at the University of Iowa and director of the Center for New Music.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
This talented London-based cellist returns to the Fringe to perform the Preludes and Gigues from all the Bach Cello Suites in one lunchtime performance, in the stunning surroundings of St Cuthbert's Church. Come and be amazed!
St Cuthbert's Church
Main Sanctuary
Join this talented London-based cello/piano duo as they perform a series of three consecutive concerts of sonatas by these musical giants in the Georgian splendour of Edinburgh New Town Church. Not to be missed.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
They say well-behaved women seldom make history! Bad Girls of History is an audio-visual live DJ set presented by DJ Carly Gray, celebrating all the bad girls who changed the history books forever. Set to a soundtrack of remixed hits by female icons such as Taylor Swift, Chapell Roan and Whitney Houston, this immersive dance party with synchronised visuals celebrates the female rebels that paved the way for all the generations of girls after them. A purely feminist, energetic and joyful show – get ready to sing, dance and celebrate female icons of the past.
The Three Sisters
LIVE Room
Having a bad night's sleep has an effect on your whole day, having not sleep well for 30+ years changes the way you see the world. Throw in pain to keep you company and that’s enough to send you over the edge. Ian TC brings you his newly updated sell-out comedy show, exploring the world you see when you haven’t slept well. Loud and explosive, but always funny. Bad in Bed is one to see. 'Like a young Billy Connolly on Speed!' (The Stand). 'Fu*king great' (Tom Stade).
Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn
Beehive 1 (The Lounge)
The contestants on this year's Bake Off have been doing much much worse than usual. It's almost like... sabotage? Join our crew of almost-recognisable faces as they band together to defeat the world’s greatest evil: Ratt Lucas. Using the power of friendship and a predictable parody (or two), will they succeed in the endeavour? Or will there be egg on their faces? Come and find out. Returning for another year of Fringe performances, there will be puns, buns and tonnes of funs!
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
Sherlock Holmes is not at home this evening. Neither is his friend and colleague Dr Watson. Mr Holmes is rarely home unless knee-deep in a case (and unavailable anyway) or otherwise desperately waiting for a good one to come along. But on this particular evening, whatever the case, he is elsewhere. Three ladies, all with strong ties to the great detective, one after another, are drawn towards and into 221b Baker Street in the hope of finding him at home.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
This performance lecture examines the UK's colonial legacy in Palestine, focusing on Arthur James Balfour, Prime Minister (1902-1905) and Foreign Secretary (1916-1919), and his role in denying Palestinian political rights. Utilising speculative choreography and Afrofuturism, Saleh intertwines history, fiction, and fantasy, drawing inspiration from archival materials. Set in 2045, the lecture reflects on a fictive apology letter issued by the UK in 2025, promising reparations to the Palestinian people. The audience become members of the reparations' evaluation committee created on the 20th anniversary of the apology and are invited to participate in the performance. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
Bang returns to the Fringe as a one-woman play about the tragic life of Joan Vollmer, the common law wife of famed Beat writer William S Burroughs. After her murder, Joan appears to the audience to recount her life with the wildly unpredictable and ultimately dangerous literary giants of post-WWII America: Burroughs, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. Can she find redemption in her exploration of a life spent in loyalty to these violent men?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
A cheeky, hilarious, mellifluous romp through one singer’s colourful past of cult-loving husbands, wacky producers and shaggable therapists, with lusty vocals in bra busting style. 'Musical mayhem comedy: from weird uncles to zoom therapy, suffocating exes and Liza’s cabaret like you’ve never heard, Barbara had the room singing and clapping along, while also keeping them in hysterics' (Kyle Wallace, G&B Comedy). 'What a show! One of the rare performances where everyone is in stitches and you leave with your cheeks hurting' (Audience review). 'She is fearless, endearing, raunchy and unflinching' (Torrey Shine).
Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly
Other Room
It's so boring! I don't understand it! Do we have to? Join us for a rollercoaster ride through some of Shakespeare's well (and lesser) known plays as we delve into the timeless themes and modern issues contained within their pages. A little bit comedy, a little bit tragedy, Bard Education introduces audiences to Shakespeare's greatest hits in whole new light. Spend the afternoon with us and discover the answer to every English teacher's nightmare question, why bother with Shakespeare?
St Vincent's
The Undercroft
At St Cecilia's Catholic boarding school, we follow the students as they confront their awakening sexuality and all the questions and struggles that it brings. ELT brings this story to life with energy, grit and compassion. Just wow! This forceful, passionate and compelling musical deals with raw emotion and the struggle with rejection and acceptance. We see the anguish and guilt that some people struggle through as they discover who they are and where they stand in society. A heartbreaking and soulful production that you will be immersed in with this talented and energetic cast.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Alba Theatre
We cordially invite you, monster hunter, to an unforgettable night. The world-renowned paranormal expert Baron Vordenburg and his helpers, Gothic and Grotesque, give away trade secrets and expertise on hunting the unknown. The first in a series of lectures, the Baron tackles the most cunning creatures of the night. Please RSVP as seats are limited for this most-special event. Photo and book signings will be available before and after the symposium. Your safety is our concern.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Barry Morgan – Australia’s most celebrated organ salesman. Straight from the golden era of the late 70s into the 1980s and the showroom floor of Barry Morgan’s World of Organs, Barry Morgan is here to bring you the ultimate in jaunty music and comedy. Barry has toured across the world lighting up stages and people's lives! His dazzling performances are a blend of music, comedy and sheer joy, guaranteed to leave audiences feeling mesmerised by his extraordinary organ. It's the ultimate Edinburgh party – don't miss this massive cult!
Frankenstein Pub
Bier Keller
Welcome to The Brain, Inc, the tiny office that lives inside the head of every living person. It's Bea P Deigh's first day on the job and she's here to make a name for herself. This acclaimed production deftly challenges mental health stigma with humour and heart. Hailed as 'absurd and heartbreaking in equal measure' (LondonPubTheatres.com) and 'a vital and humorous insight' (AYoungishPerspective.co.uk), Bea P Deigh is an unmissable, thought-provoking theatrical experience that resonates long after the curtain falls.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Man or bear? Which would you choose? Intertwining fairytales and folklore with the viral Man vs Bear debate, Bear is about a girl who goes on a camping trip, where she is saved from a bear attack by a knight in shining armour. She is brought into a log cabin, safe, only until his true colours show... This two-hander with Man and Bear played by the same actor explores duality, manipulation and revenge, discussing one of the most profound fears for women, and the reasons why most would rather face the cruelty of an animal than a human.
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
Your chance to get thrown into a hilarious head-to-head with a top comedian. Test your wits and general knowledge as you battle for crown glory in this quiz show. Laugher guaranteed, victory uncertain.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Las Vegas
'Why do you hurt yourself?' Partial to his own methods of self-therapy, chronic overthinker Jade has all the answers. However, when unexpected news surfaces, overwhelming questions are provoked and painful memories resurrected. Suddenly thrust into an existentialist journey of self-discovery, Jade's world begins to unravel, seeing him at loggerheads with his most trusted voice of reason... himself. Written and performed by Hassan Govia, Because is an explosive solo-show that explores the long-term impact of bullying, engaging with issues of mortality, masculinity, privilege and (undiagnosed) mental illness. 'Incredibly powerful' (FringeReview.co.uk). 'Govia impresses with a captivating stage presence' (TheReviewsHub.com).
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Chronicling a moment of intergenerational exchange. Based on discussions between creator Roger White and his grandmother, Marianna Clark, about a hidden life under the Nazi regime. Blending a haunting soundscape, featuring recorded conversations of grandmother and grandson, with evocative choreography that embodies memory. A cautionary tale highlighting the perils of anti-immigrant narratives, through stories that pivot between humour and darkness, documenting the slow march toward authoritarianism. A heartwarming reminder to honor the wisdom that came before us and hold on to the memory of those we cherish most. From the creators of 2023's hit Papillon.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Alternative comedy takes over Bedlam Fringe! See the most exciting acts from all over the UK in a curated lineup of one-off weirdness. From live Scalextric tournaments to a Midlands themed brawl, there's something different every night. 'Intelligent, anarchic, format-breaking comedy' (Chortle.co.uk). Full lineup at bedlamfringe.co.uk/late or drop by the venue.
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
OCH continue their obsession with all things Captain Beefheart, re-working the music of his Magic Band for the 21st century. Tracks from all of the Captain's classic albums interpreted by Steve Kettley (saxes, vocal), Stuart Allardyce (guitar), Dave Beards (bass) and Des Travis (drums). Psychedelic rock meets free jazz meets the blues! 'Part homage, part wild-eyed evening of grand riffs and virtuoso playing' (Mark Thomas).
Bannermans
Back Cave (standing)
Parky Players founded in 2020, first performing at the Edinburgh Fringe 2022. Since then, they’ve won the 2023 World Parkinson’s Congress song competition, performing their song in Barcelona to 2000 people. In 2024 they wrote, performed and toured a new comedy sketch show, Shaken Not Stirred, culminating in six days at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024. This is a chance to hear their inspirational story through an introduction by Parky Player co-founder Janet Shipton, followed by a screening of the documentary by award-winning filmmaker Dave MacFarlane, and finally a Q&A session with cast members.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
University of Exeter’s Illuminations presents Behind Bars: Sentenced to Sing. Fifteen of the a cappella world’s most wanted have been put under lock and key in the high security prison: Acatraz. But now, they must sing for their freedom. You will decide which inmate is set free. Their fate rests in your hands. Packed with powerful vocals, unexpected twists and a whole lot of heart, it would be criminal to miss this.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Behind the Laughter is the journey of a mental wellbeing teaching course. Come and see how this comedy course has helped these six individuals (many more have benefitted!) with their own individual issues as they bring you their own original comedy performance, to show how comedy has helped them in life by improving their confidence, their mental health and to feel part of a community again. Laugh For Life Comedy charity in conjunction with Care Merseyside charity will show you how mental wellbeing and stand-up comedy work in harmony using social prescribing at its best.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Actor, impersonator, and song-and-dance man Frank Moran celebrates the characters of the Marx brothers as he dexterously weaves their lives into his own. A real ‘New York story,’ Moran spins a rollicking tale of his younger self and all his heroes, including his working-class family, the Broadway greats, and – of course – Groucho Marx. Riddled with stories both comic and tragic, Moran dances, literally, between the comic and the tragic, as he discovers how powerful wearing all these different masks has really become.www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participantswww.facebook.com/frankmoran11www.instagram.com/realfrankmoran/www.youtube.com/channel/UCQh8DpbQxDBxDU9URn9I8Tw Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A daring fusion of classical ballet and modern sensuality, Bella’s Ballerinas presents a captivating performance blending heels technique, burlesque and breathtaking choreography. An unforgettable celebration of empowerment, passion and artistic freedom.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
'An insane amount of fun' (TheWeeReview.com). Mafia-themed whodunnit CrimeLandTown returns to EdFringe. Ben Goldsmith plays every character in a hilarious and one-of-a-kind screwball comedy about a wannabe gangster who never made the grade, so ended up singing in a dive-bar. What a schmuck! Don't miss a show described as gloriously silly, epic and weird, performed with enviable vim by a versatile talent with nimble aplomb. **** (TheWeeReview.com). **** (BroadwayWorld.com). **** (TheUpcoming.co.uk). **** (EdFringeReview.com).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
As seen and heard on ITV, BBC Radio5Live and BBC Radio 4, multi award-winning musical comedian Bennet Kavanagh brings his 'unique and charmingly chaotic' (TheReviewsHub.com) brand of musical comedy to the Fringe for his debut hour! Expect songs, stand-up and whatever happens when you combine those two things. Winner of Bath Comedy Festival New Act of the Year. Winner of Amused Moose People's Champion. 'Silly, smart... Bill Bailey would have given Kavanagh his vote' (Bruce Dessau). 'Actually... that was funny' (Simon Cowell). Directed by Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominee Huge Davies.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
Need advice? We’re dancing it. Yep! The Operators have arrived, serving as the world's first dancing advice columnists. It’s giving, writing, re-righting, rites of passage through our resume of soft skills. We’ve got decades of antidotes for the bodies becoming mother-lovin' wisdom. Tired of outsourcing all your questions to the dive bar echo chamber that is the internet? Try insourcing them with some real-life dancers. Join us as we relocate, protest, undermine and go on the offensive! The Operators will work to connect you to the best worst advice we can give!
Greenside @ George Street
Jade Studio
Best in Class is an award-winning showcase of working-class comedians from across the UK. Sponsored by waste grounds, knock-off trainers, spam, weed, the unions, crap schools, bunking off, failed MOTs, failed GCSEs, bus stops, payday loans, fierce mums, tired dads and empowerment. 'A fantastic crowd-funded initiative which brings working-class comics to the Fringe' **** (Scotsman). 'A great showcase of genuine talent' **** (TheWeeReview.com). 'Wonderfully funny' **** (BroadwayWorld.com). Edinburgh Comedy Award and ISH Award winners.
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Chamber
A revolving line-up of the best established and up-and-coming comedians at the Fringe in a show full of fun and laughter. 'The best thigh-slapping, cackling laugh of a time I’ve ever had ... something for everyone' ****1/2 (FringeFeed.com.au). 'A comedy smorgasbord' **** (GreatScottMedia.com). 'Hilarious comics ... a solid comedy show well worth the ticket price' **** (FringeFeed.com.au). 'A fine set of comics, who entertained everyone in the room' (Rip It Up).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Chamber
A revolving line-up of the best established and up-and-coming comedians at the Fringe in a show full of fun and laughter. 'The best thigh-slapping, cackling laugh of a time I’ve ever had ... something for everyone' ****1/2 (FringeFeed.com.au). 'A comedy smorgasbord' **** (GreatScottMedia.com). 'Hilarious comics ... a solid comedy show well worth the ticket price' **** (FringeFeed.com.au). 'A fine set of comics, who entertained everyone in the room' (Rip It Up).
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Garden Room
A revolving line-up of the best established and up-and-coming comedians at the Fringe in a show full of fun and laughter. 'The best thigh-slapping, cackling laugh of a time I’ve ever had ... something for everyone' ****1/2 (FringeFeed.com.au). 'A comedy smorgasbord' **** (GreatScottMedia.com). 'Hilarious comics ... a solid comedy show well worth the ticket price' **** (FringeFeed.com.au). 'A fine set of comics, who entertained everyone in the room' (Rip It Up).
Laughing Horse @ Kick Ass Greyfriars
Fringe Room
1939: Bette returns home knowing she’s to lose, as the press leaked the Oscar winners. Bette takes us on a bumpy ride, as the tenacious actress fights her way to the top. Witness Bette triumph over misogyny, to win roles and compensation on par with male counterparts. Through conversations with her mother, her friendship with Olivia de Havilland, her four failed marriages and her feelings of regret about her groundbreaking court case, we experience Bette’s most defining moments; Bette at her most vulnerable. See what happens when someone who always wins… loses. ‘Magnificently witty’ (List).www.BetteDavisAintForSissies.comwww.facebook.com/jessica.sherr.5www.instagram.com/bettedavisaintforsissies Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
‘Many times I wanted to step off the train of life, but faith and hard work kept me tethered to my seat.’ Cambridge-educated eye-surgeon Sola Amure returns to the fringe with an interactive presentation of his inspirational memoir Beyond the Horizon Might Be Better. The book tells the story of his life, from an abusive childhood divided between Nigeria and England to confronting prejudice from both NHS staff and patients as a medical professional. His presentation is followed by a Q&A.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Australia's award-winning favourites cross the seas with another hilarious cabaret packed with sharp wit, feminist flair and original anthems. When a Disney Princess wishes to see the most beautiful beaches in the world, she unexpectedly lands in the clutches of Australian customs officers. In this far-off land of sunburn and strange wildlife, security is so tight that not even the magic of a Fairy Godmother can break through. With nothing but a song in her heart, her given name and a confused entourage of illegal animal friends, our Princess begins to fight for her Australian working visa.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
Celebrating 21 years at the Edinburgh Fringe, the record-breaking Scottish big band brings you a night of music and song from the golden age of swing. Be transported back to a time when swing was king, with sensational songs and memorable melodies made famous by Ellington, Basie, Miller and the Rat Pack. Fabulous singers and a 15-piece big swing band guarantee to make it a night to remember. If swing's your thing, don't miss it. ‘That Swing Sensation are first and foremost a nostalgia trip, and it’s an act they play well.’ (ThreeWeeks).
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Billy Banana's Brilliant Bingo returns after last year's smash hit! Fun for all the family! A high energy interactive extravaganza of a show. Expect jokes galore, plenty of prizes, music, games, routines and much more. Join children's entertainer and panto legend Billy Banana for an action packed show where bingo comes to life! Get tickets while you can for this five star sell-out show! 'As far as children's entertainment goes, this has been the best!' ***** (audience review). 'Highly recommend, kids will love it and so will the adults' ***** (audience review).
Laughing Horse @ West Nic Records
Main Cellar
Written and performed by Jason Woods, Bing! captivated New York audiences and critics, and received a 2023 Off-Broadway Alliance Award nomination for Best Solo Performance. Woods morphs into Jasper, Casper, the witch, the ghost, the dragon, the herald, the henchman, the witch’s mother and more with rapid–fire dexterity and heartfelt authenticity in this razor–sharp magical comedy about family and fantasy, and the lines we blur with both. In addition to writing and directing, Woods is also the composer of the John Williams–esque orchestral score for Bing!
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
18 - 23 AugThe Neurodiverse Review Bounce Emerging Artist Award 2023 recipient, Bipolar Badass, is a dark comedy that tells the story of Mari being diagnosed with bipolar. Mari likens her illness to a fire-breathing dragon that she needs to tame, passed down through genetics. Her late grandmother who endured unethical medical treatment hands her the dragon's leash. Mari has no desire to be chained to a terrifying dragon for the rest of her life, which is her inevitable fate. She embarks on the journey to learn how to live with her forever altered identity. Directed by Nadiya Atkinson.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
11 - 16 AugThe Neurodiverse Review Bounce Emerging Artist Award 2023 recipient, Bipolar Badass, is a dark comedy that tells the story of Mari being diagnosed with bipolar. Mari likens her illness to a fire-breathing dragon that she needs to tame, passed down through genetics. Her late grandmother who endured unethical medical treatment hands her the dragon's leash. Mari has no desire to be chained to a terrifying dragon for the rest of her life, which is her inevitable fate. She embarks on the journey to learn how to live with her forever altered identity. Directed by Nadiya Atkinson.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Mia and Amber never had their spitting, screaming bitchfight, but would it have been better for everyone if they had? Five years since their friendship fizzled out, Amber appears on Mia's doorstep, wedding dress on and suitcase in hand. Five years on, and can Mia stand up to the abusive best friend she thought was consigned to the past? Bitchfight is a play about toxicity in friendships: the sort of toxicity comprising years of slights and comments which, in isolation, sound mad to label as abuse, but still leave deep scars that cannot be healed.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Fringe favourites, the Black Blues Brothers are back with a brand-new show! Having wowed over 50,000 Fringe spectators the Brothers return to McEwan Hall. Set in a smoky train station against a soundtrack of unforgettable rock'n'roll music, witness breathtaking acrobatic stunts, human pyramids, somersaults and fire routines. Featuring songs by Glenn Miller, Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, get ready to go wild as the Brothers get ready to astonish and delight. Following four successful Fringe seasons, appearances at the Royal Variety Show and Moulin Rouge, don’t miss out. A show for the whole family!
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
This award-winning play explores the cultural, social and political significance of Black women’s hair. Through dynamic storytelling and music, it delves into themes of identity, self-esteem, race and resilience, offering a profound commentary on beauty standards, history and empowerment. The success of Black To My Roots since its 2002 debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, including its 25th Anniversary production in 2024, showcases its enduring relevance. With upcoming global tours and adaptations, these African American tales clearly continue to resonate deeply with audiences worldwide.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
The University of St Andrews’ sexiest, funniest and incidentally only improvisational comedy group is back at the Fringe, this time with a late night slot guaranteed to keep you awake. Blind Mirth: Past Our Bedtime promises to bring more of the trademark humour which has earned us three years of five star ratings and two awards for Best Improv from the Derek Awards. Every night is different and dependent on audience suggestions, so put down your pajamas and join us for some late-night-lunacy!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
After a tough conversation with his dad, Tom discovers a newly-opened portal in his bathroom mirror. In a vibrant expression of clowning, physical comedy and vulnerability, Tom stumbles through memories of his father and his childhood. Blip dives into the funny, tough and tender moments that can shape a father-son relationship. This one-man show is a playful journey through memory and identity, with plenty of humour, heart and self-reflection. Blip is performed by Tom Bass and directed by Ren Roberts.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Pickle Studio
Following a sell-out 2024 run, the award-winning social deduction game Blood on the Clocktower returns to EdFringe as a live comedy show. Hosted by Jon Gracey (Werewolf: Live, No Rolls Barred) and featuring a revolving cast of comedians, Blood on the Clocktower: Live is a night of gothic chaos and carnage. Will the townsfolk of Ravenswood Bluff finally destroy the demon – or will they only destroy each other?
Underbelly Bristo Square
Jersey
Bluebell Swing bring the enchanting sound of the 1940s to life with their sparkling renditions of Great American show tunes. Their unique fusion of manouche jazz and swing captures the essence of a bygone era.
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Blues, burlesque and blistering satire collide in Sellout – a bold, bawdy and brilliant new show from Fringe favourites Pete Saunders (Dexys Midnight Runners) and Belle de Beauvoir (The Sparkling Diamond of burlesque – BBC Radio). With sizzling burlesque, soulful songs and razor-sharp wit, all backed by Pete’s brilliant blues piano. From London’s cabaret scene to international stages, this dynamic duo delivers a night of music, mischief and mayhem. Will they sell out? Will they sell their souls, their bodies, their grandmother, their kidneys or just tickets to that weird little show they do.
The Voodoo Rooms
The Ballroom
String Cheese Theatre brings you to the dust-choked town of Bluffstone, where farmers are grappling with a famine that plagues their settlement. Amidst the hardship, farmhand Isaiah hopes to win the hand of Clarence’s daughter, Dolly. However, the arrival of two drifters brings new competition and new mouths to feed… Follow these cowboys Noah and Durlin through the west, all brought to life by our live saloon band and original score. A black tragicomedy full of love, betrayal, and a bad pantomime horse costume.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Uncover the world and music of Dylan in this celebration of one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Hits Blowing In The Wind, Don't Think Twice, Rolling Stone and many more. Night Owl bring you more than just the music with a new take the tribute genre that has won awards, sold-out shows and standing ovations worldwide. In this show Night Owl's sublime Kiah Spurle and The Night Owl band take on a truly legendary set of songs as she seeks to uncover the enigma that is Bob Dylan.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
After last years sell-out full debut run at the Fringe, comedy legend Davro returns with a brand-new show. Laughter guaranteed! Audience reviews from last year: 'He tells jokes!! Laughing from start to finish. Get a ticket for this if you can'; 'Couldn't stop laughing from start to finish. Old school entertainer at his best. Ability to ad lib and involve and react to audience is class'; 'Great to see Bobby live on stage – the gags kept on coming with perfect timing, and the audience loved them!'
Frankenstein Pub
Bier Keller
What would you do for love? Go back in time? Or look underwater? And how far would you go for answers when the man of your dreams died 2,000 years ago? When the grieving Petra begins to trawl through the lonely marshes of Lindow Moss, she finds far more than she bargained for. She finds him. An experimental dark comedy from women-led Itchy Feet Theatre, Bog Body is a solo piece about love, death, decay and desire: the four are closer than we realise.
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
The Trial of God, Moscow, 1919, and subsequent execution: the search for one’s own identity, the dynamics of power, and the methods by which we are manipulated by the state. Through dance, theatre and humour, we talk about power and the search for referents when God is dead. inclusive, intergenerational, humorous poetic, compelling, dance-theatre epic. Created by professional performers and performers of diverse abilities. directed by Vero Cendoya and Israel Solà, director of the company La Calòrica. Nominated for Spanish MAX awards for best choreography, best show and best original music. Winner of the Derek Award for Best Physical Theatre, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021.www.verocendoya.com/bogumer-or-children-of-lunacharskiwww.facebook.com/ciaverocendoyawww.instagram.com/ciaverocendoya Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
The impossible true survival story of Titanic stoker Frederick Barrett. Working in the boiler rooms of the maiden voyage, Barrett’s fight for survival is one of the most devastating accounts of the last few hours of Titanic. Boiler Room Six gives a voice to the sacrifice of the working men below deck who kept the ship afloat for as long as possible, saving hundreds of lives, whilst knowingly giving up on their own. Returning after a sell-out run in 2024. 'Electrifying' ***** (Edinburgh Guide). Winner: Best Overall Show of the Festival (Derek Awards, 2024).
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
Two dancers specialised in acrobatics and floor technique have become tools of the classical artist's genius, but inspiration is running low and the choreography is not progressing. The pressure is high, and emotions are heating up as they struggle to create something final. The work atmosphere is tense, the humour is dark and the dance is dangerous. The Bolero duet is built on the foundations of Kinetic Orchestra's partner technique and the performers' extensive skill set. It is a combination of black comedy and skilled, fast-paced dance, full of techniques from different acrobatic disciplines.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
Starting from the idea of bondage as a metaphor, the piece of physical theatre Bond-Age explores pain and pleasure, bonds and restrictions in relationships, not only between lovers but also between family members, between an individual and his/her home country or the society, between one and his/herself or gender role, etc. Are we tied down to/by anything or anyone? Would it be better to be tied down or to be completely free? We are bound to play, characterized by multi-genre dance and original music, the play is bound to be sensuous, symbolic and experimental.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Muse
Looking for the perfect tan or a fresh manicure? Visit Princess and Pandora’s Perfect Parlour and Stacey’s Salon. They’ll fit you in, somewhere between the fried body and a killer on the loose. Stacey and Destiny have had some bad news; the tanning inspector is coming today, and there’s a strange smell coming from the tanning bed. Pandora and Princess are in financial difficulty, then a mysterious stranger enters asking for the full works. What could possibly go wrong? Start your day with a mildly disturbing laugh, suitable for the not-too-little littluns and the youthful biguns.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Fresh from supporting the legendary Bill Bailey on tour, the Jennifer Ewan Band bring us their stirring and richly-layered mix of compelling original songs, Louisiana blues and old-time Cajun dance music with a Celtic tint. Jennifer’s distinctive Scots voice soars over the Bayou grooves supported by an intricate interplay of accordion, flute, acoustic guitar, bass and percussion. 'Jennifer is a Scottish rising star' (Janice Forsyth Show, BBC). ‘A sassy cocktail of Cajun and modern sounds’ (Metro). 'Reminds me of one of the best songwriters I’ve ever known' (James Allan, Glasvegas).
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Wes McClintock was born a different colour than most due to a strange occurrence at birth. Although he survived this first hurdle seemingly unscathed, he often wonders if this event changed his brain chemistry. Wes takes you on a musical and comedic journey through his unique life: from his odd family members, to performing stand-up comedy, to participating in drug studies to make ends meet. Reflecting on the traumas that formed him at a young age, he hopes that instead of hiding, we can share our pain openly and heal together.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
Trapped in a bleak, cold, featureless room utterly devoid of natural light, A is a young woman teetering on the brink of collapse. Perpetually torn between hatred of her surroundings and abject terror of ‘the world outside’, any chance of escape or salvation seems to be beyond her grasp. With nothing to occupy her racing mind, she whiles away the hours reliving the mishaps, setbacks and agonies of her past. All this would be bad enough, even without the presence of a small, brown wooden Box with far too much to say for itself, for her liking...
Greenside @ George Street
Olive Studio
Like all women, Jo has been called her fair share of things, many not so flattering. She reflects on the labels society has given her from ages 5 to 50, deciding which to accept, and which to jettison like yesterday’s fish. Equal parts comedic and heart-wrenching, this show is meant for anyone who wonders who they are, enjoys pop culture, has sought love, has been a teenager, is worried about ageing, or likes the Ramones (you’ll need to see it to understand). The stories in this show may be fully true, untrue, or something in-between.www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participantswww.facebook.com/dellapinawww.instagram.com/dellapina/www.vimeo.com/dellapina Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
‘Brain rot occurs when a person habitually replaces themself with easily consumable content. The environment we inhabit online is hostile, feeding on our engagement.’ Welcome to the Oswald Space Programme. The next step in human. Our crew are jetting away in the latest spaceship, bound to find adventure with the whole universe at their fingertips. Your time is a gift... Give it to us. Expect an eclectic mix of people, media, movement, a musical number, guttural screams, timely poetics, unintelligible jargon, looking at cheese, eating light and fighting the grip of the Bestia Uwagi.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Experience the vibrant energy of dance through the centuries in an extraordinary brass ensemble concert! Journey across 400 years showcasing the evolution of the music from Baroque elegance to lively jazz and modern grooves. Marvel at the powerful sound of brass instruments bringing minuets, waltzes, tangos and more to life in this dynamic performance. Whether you’re a fan of classical masterpieces or contemporary rhythms, this event promises a captivating blend of styles and eras. Join us for an afternoon celebrating the universal language of movement and music in a bold, exhilarating way. Don’t miss this unforgettable, one-performance-only, show!
artSpace@StMark's
Church
A magical winter adventure from the author of Shrek. When dressmaker Mrs Bobbin falls ill, her daughter Irene volunteers to deliver a beautiful ballgown to the duchess before her evening party. But as Irene steps into the winter afternoon, a blizzard descends. Battling treacherous winds, deep snow and her own fears, Irene embarks on an extraordinary journey that will test her courage and determination. This enchanting musical tells a heartwarming tale of perseverance, featuring mesmerising movement and songs to delight audiences of all ages. A magical adventure that proves even the smallest person can overcome the biggest obstacles.
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
One of Ireland’s most celebrated singing stars, songwriter and interpreter. A phenomenal 35-year career, enjoy his exceptional vocal talents from his 1990 debut The Great War of Words to his latest Joni Mitchell tribute, whom he toured with. Music is his lifeblood, constant gigging from Ireland, UK to Asia as a Secret Garden guest, the first international artist to record the globally famous anthem You Raise Me Up. Van Morrison recruited him to join his now unforgettable blues and soul revue tour as guest lead singer and featured on five of Van's albums.
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh
Greyfriars Hall
Brief Tales, a memoir in underpants. South African/Australian actress Joanna Weinberg uses female undergarments to tell her intimate stories. Hilarious, moving and enormously skillful, this show was a hit in the boudoirs and salons of Sydney. Being born female gifted her a flasher in a park, periods at the piano, first time sex with a notable British writer, breastfeeding on an Edgar Allen Poe filmset and hot flushes while leaping out of a cake in Borneo. Joanna is a multi-talented international performer who will literally charm the pants off you.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Poppy and Rubina have sex and aren't ashamed to talk about it. In this fierce, funny and frank show, they explore messy realities, fantasies, sexpectations and navigating life and relationships as British Asian women. Their award-winning, groundbreaking BBC Sounds podcast Brown Girls Do It Too, now in its sixth series, has amassed fans who love their honesty and openness, and faced backlash for breaking the silence on sex in Asian communities. With songs, sketches and some graphic content, this is a celebration of brown British women and genital warts.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Cowbarn
Bringing the magic of the West End to your morning at the Edinburgh Fringe! This charming vocal duo serve up lush harmonies with rich guitar and bass accompaniments, breathing new life into your favourite Broadway hits. From heart-melting ballads to show-stopping classics, every note is delivered with warmth and flair. Singing along is not just allowed – it’s encouraged! Whether you're a seasoned musical lover or just fancy a joyful start to your day, this feel-good show will leave you smiling and musically nourished. Grab a coffee and join us!
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
Step back in time to experience the pleasure of an hour with Bruntsfield Baroque, as Vickie Hobson (viola da gamba), Sheena Jardine (violin), John Sampson (recorders) and Frances Scott (keyboard) introduce a programme of 18-century trio sonatas. In a concert reflecting an evening with the celebrated Edinburgh Musical Society, hear how European musicians were drawn to make Edinburgh their home, mixing with Scots composers such as William McGibbon and James Oswald and embracing native songs and tunes. The Athens of the North was a melting pot – come and enjoy a concert from the Age of Enlightenment.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Emmy-winner Bryan Safi (star of ABC's 9-1-1, Netflix's You, Attitudes!) brings his distinctive voice to this solo comedy spiral all about queerness, confidence and the art of being unapologetically too much. A beloved comedian, podcaster and performer, Safi dives deep into big laughs, big feelings, terrible flirting and one aggressively horny apartment that might just steal the show. It’s a hilarious and heartfelt journey from one of comedy’s sharpest voices. After sold-out shows in LA and NYC, the spiral continues. If you've ever felt like "a lot", this one's for you.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
Join Bugsy, Fat Sam, Tallulah, Blousey and Dandy Dan for a fun time full of laughs, songs and lots of splurge! A great show for all the family and is sure to inspire younger members of the audience to tread the boards! 'Bugsy Malone by Captivate Theatre is a fantastic way to spend 80 minutes. The talented young cast kept us captivated for the duration as the story of gangsters, speakeasies and splurge guns was played out. The dancing and singing was top notch, and the action non-stop' (Primary Times). Splurge-tastic!
The Edinburgh Academy
Magnusson Theatre
Burnley. Now. A group of teenagers are tasked with reaching through time, as they arrive at fateful milestones where decisions must be made. Some thrive while others are left behind. Burnley. Soon. Taking a stand against a looming wrecking ball, a group of hopeful young people come together to confront a bleak reality. Timelines splinter as both groups look towards their hurtling futures, asking the question: when did it all go wrong? FirstByte Theatre returns to give a voice to a generation, navigating an uncertain world in search of hope. 'Outstanding youth theatre' (FringeReview.co.uk, 2024).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
The home of Scottish burlesque for 18 years, The Voodoo Rooms will take you on a journey through the wonderful world of burlesque! Showcasing homegrown talent and our international friends, expect everything from classic striptease and ethereal fan dances to raucous bump’n’grind and cutting-edge neo-burlesque. With a new cast each night, join us for a fun and flirty evening as we celebrate the best of burlesque!
The Voodoo Rooms
The Ballroom
Following their sold-out show, acclaimed novelist Alastair Sim and award-winning pianist Matthew Shiel celebrate the life of Robert Burns with a community sing-along including Loch Lomond, Skye Boat Song and Auld Lang Syne. Kilts, sporrans and a dramatic reciting of Rabbie Burns’ great Tam O'Shanter meet Scottish folk music and masterpieces inspired by the beauty of Scotland, including favourite strathspeys and reels, Farewell to Stromness and a special musical arrangement of Burns' epic ghost story Tam O’Shanter – by candlelight. 'Masters of their craft... ripping good yarn' ***** (BingeFringe.com).
St Vincent's
The Chapel
An oasis of peace and calm in a sea of festival chaos. Burst is a sensory escape from the intensity of the Fringe. Designed with, and for, neurodivergent families and their friends, Burst aims to explore and soothe anxiety. Creative Electric's bubble doctors prescribe a short stay in one of their infamous bubble beds where you will listen to a track over wireless headphones... slowly throughout your experience bubbles will appear and you'll feel your anxiety float away. In collaboration with Refuweegee, Burst is available in Arabic, Farsi, Ukrainian and English. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Decking
Europe is not what it used to be. And things are changing too fast for AJ and Beibhinn. Stuck in patriotic slogans and the fear of being left behind, the girls start ranting against the "foreigners”. But when Beibhinn loses everything and is forced to move town, the two need to reconsider what home really is, what being right means and how far they are willing to go to keep things as they were. But We’re Right is a politically provocative two-hander interrogating the question: why do more and more young Europeans vote right?
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
A wildly original uproarious comedy that brings the absurd to life. Follow Klein and Calvin, two anthropomorphic butt cheeks with big dreams, as they navigate culture shock, friendship and the perils of studying abroad. Packed with sharp humour, unexpected depth and yes – plenty of fart jokes – this play is a fresh take on identity, belonging and the universal struggle of finding your place in the world. Whether you love witty banter, heartfelt moments, or just a good laugh, this is a theatrical experience not to miss. Come for the absurd premise, stay for the surprisingly moving story!
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Hand-picked shows from our digital performance programme and highlights from our critically acclaimed short film programme. Pop in for quirky shorts; linger longer for a moving moment. Features curated work from UK, Europe, Americas, Asia, worldwide. The destination for discerning digital and film audiences. Winner, LiveWire Innovation and Excellence Award for Digital Arts Programme of the Year. ‘Both weird and wondrous’ (ThreeWeeks). ‘Exceptional films’ (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘Delightful… perfect’ (TheWeeReview.com). A much-needed pocket of escapism’ (ThreeWeeks). ‘Spectacular’ (Scotsman). Programme runs continuously. Screenings can be any length (typically 30min-1hr). Some screenings at other times. See website for listings.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
library
The American dream meets the American nightmare on a bench in Central Park. As the United States grapples with uncertainty over its place in the world, this debut work by Edward Albee feels all the more prescient today. Deadword Theatre is a Fringe company based out of Boston, Massachusetts who specialise in producing new takes on classic works. This show has been a passion project of Henry and Frank Schuth for several years, and they are proud to bring it to life with the support of Deadword. We hope you enjoy the show!
Greenside @ George Street
Olive Studio
Alex's Jigsaw journey started as a bit in 2023 when she binge watched SAW I through IX to prepare for the release of SAW X. It was during this period that Alex began to lose sense of where she ended and Billy the Doll began. Her neighbours began noticing their tools missing and strange traps set up in their mailboxes and sheds. COME. SEE. SAW. is an absurd character-based show about the untold “true” story of Billy the Doll. Who was Billy before SAW, and where is Billy now? Are you ready to play the game?
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
No one knows who the killer is, not even the cast! Following multiple five-star sell-out runs, CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation returns with another rip-roaring crime comedy made up entirely on the spot. Leicester Comedy 2023: Best Improv Show Award. Colchester Fringe Comedy Award 2024. Who? What? How? The choice is yours in this fully improvised, witty and absurd murder mystery where the audience creates the crime. 'Quick thinking and fast paced. A spectacular must see' ***** (Bunbury Magazine). 'Hysterical murder mystery and a tight witty improv show' **** (FringeBiscuit.co.uk).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Ermintrude
Come inside the Cabaret of Filth and indulge in a night of pure debauchery, burlesque and drag in this comedy riot! Will contain nudity, adult content, anti-establishment rebellion and all the good swear words. Come and join in the revelry. 'Hysterically funny' **** (TheRealChrisparkle.com).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Front Room
Step into an evening of musical magic with a night at the cabaret, where the setlist is in your hands! We are an a cappella choir, renowned for our original arrangements and engaging performances. We invite you to direct our setlist in real-time. From pop hits to timeless classics, our diverse musical range ensures a captivating experience for all. Our commitment to high-quality, off-score performances, combined with our signature mashups and medleys, guarantees a night of entertainment that’s both unique and interactive. Don’t miss this chance to influence the show and see us live!
Dynamic Earth
The Stratosphere
After a sell-out Fringe run in 2024, Fresh !nk Theatre Company returns with a sky-high spectacle! This must-see two-person show is a hilarious theatrical journey set 30,000 feet above the Atlantic. Join us on an unforgettable flight from London Heathrow to LAX, where two actors seamlessly shift between the disruptive passengers to the pilots in the cockpit. This relatable comedy takes turbulence to a whole new level, showcasing universal travel experiences we are all too familiar with! From unexpected friendships to in-flight shenanigans, buckle up for an unmissable joyride delivering an uproarious experience as the characters' stories unfold.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Highly skilled Scottish duo, Elsa McTaggart and Gary Lister, return to the Fringe to bring you the best of Scotland's folk and Celtic music. With their warmth and laughter, they create an atmosphere of ceilidh and craic, introducing music of old and threading it through modern arrangements and compositions with their many Celtic instruments and styles. Interspersed with storytelling and video footage, this is another gem of a show which will not disappoint. Garnering five-star reviews for every new production they have brought to the Fringe over the last 11 years, don’t miss this gem.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
When Annie's husband John dies of leukaemia, she and best friend Chris resolve to raise money for a new settee in the local hospital waiting room. They manage to persuade four fellow WI members to pose nude with them for an "alternative" calendar, with a little help from hospital porter and amateur photographer, Lawrence. The news of the women's charitable venture spreads like wildfire, and hordes of press soon descend on the small village of Knapeley in the Yorkshire Dales. The calendar is a success, but Chris and Annie's friendship is put to the test under the strain.
Inverleith St Serf's Church Centre
Main Hall
An immersive trip through California when a collective of legends changed the world. Hits from The Eagles, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and The Byrds are brought to life by Dan Clews and Hannah Richards Night Owl bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won them awards and sold-out shows worldwide. In this journey back in time every song is linked to the last with insightful stories that thread the artists of Laurel Canyon together into a show of spellbinding performances of your favourite hits. Sell-out show in 2021-2024.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
Willkommen to Weimar Germany, where our nameless narrators draw you into the haunting show of Caligari and their sleepwalker and servant Cesare who does their every bidding. A darkly comedic tale of love, friendship and fear awaits...
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Call Me Crazy is for anyone wondering how many times people can call you crazy before you lose your f*cking mind. After the medical system fails to find the cause of a woman's pain, she is driven to extremes to be heard and is forced to question the world around her. A complex look at a woman from the inside out as she risks it all deciding what is better: to disappear, be tossed aside or give in and completely explode.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
One of the 20th Century’s most impressive but overlooked figures is revived in this powerful, compelling tour-de-force. When Paul Robeson, actor, singer and civil rights campaigner gets too radical and outspoken for the establishment’s liking, he is branded a traitor, harassed, and denied opportunities. This rollercoaster journey through Robeson’s remarkable life highlights how his pioneering and heroic activism led many to see him as the forerunner of the civil rights movement. Features some famous songs (including a dramatic rendition of Ol’ Man River), speeches, and Robeson’s spectacularly defiant testimony to the Un-American Activities Committee. **** ‘First-rate’ (Guardian).www.tayoalukoandfriends.comwww.callmrrobeson.co.ukwww.facebook.com/TayoAlukoandFriendswww.facebook.com/callmrrobesonwww.instagram.com/tayoalukoinliverpool/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Lost in life, a man from Down Under walks across Spain and stumbles his way out on top! Join gentle Steve Wilson for his inspiring travel story about finding love, saying sorry and rediscovering his smile on the Camino del Norte pilgrim trail. Told through story and slideshow, Wilson shares his tale of meeting people on the way to Santiago de Compostela who help him make sense of his experiences of becoming single, losing his job and being physically assaulted while walking home one afternoon. A weekly award winner from Perth Fringeworld and Adelaide Fringe.
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
A captivating one-woman show that explores the concept of home through personal anecdotes, original music and snippets of familiar songs. This heartfelt performance delves into finding one's place in the world, offering an opportunity to laugh and reflect on what it means to belong. Through poignant storytelling and musical elements, Sophia Wolbrom recounts tales of people and places that shaped her view of the world, highlighting the universal quest for connection and identity. This intimate performance promises to leave viewers with a renewed perspective on the spaces and relationships that shape our sense of home.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 5
Step into a realm where candlelight dances with defiance. Among 1,000 flames, Blue Violin shatters musical boundaries, breathing fierce new life into rock's greatest anthems. Watch as contemporary dancers emerge from shadows and smoke, their movements painting emotional landscapes through AC/DC's Thunderstruck and Lynyrd Skynyrd's Free Bird. This is no ordinary performance – it's a rebellion against convention, where violin virtuosity collides with rock's raw energy. As smoke swirls and music soars, immerse yourself in a spellbinding fusion of movement and sound that will leave you breathless.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
Our award-winning Cantonese opera adventure is back! Join Captain Dic Dic and Chang Chang at the Cantonese Opera Playground in Edinburgh, where the Cantonese Opera Fairy teaches them skills to outwit the Boring King. But they can't do it alone – they need you, the audience, to become secret agents in this interactive spectacle. Imagination unlocks mysteries, challenges come to life and families enjoy laughter, adventure and excitement. Experience the beauty of Cantonese opera and be part of this fun-filled mission. Book your tickets now!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Aggy isn’t worried. The hospital will ring in forty-five minutes, and then she’ll know... Can’t Talk Right Now is a new musical charting forty-five minutes when Aggy doesn’t know if she’ll live. Her life comes into focus as she wonders: if she died now, could she say that she died happy? Fleabag meets The Last Five Years in this show which is sure to make you laugh and cry. A woman in her twenties comes face to face with her hopes and ambitions – her many failures – and who she is and wants to be.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
A contemporary response to J G Ballard’s blistering dystopian novel High Rise. A totally compelling and heartbreaking distillation of young people’s fury about the state of the world they have inherited and the rapidly escalating housing crisis. Award-winning artists Nigel Barrett and Louise Mari were invited by Arts University Bournemouth to devise a show with final year acting students. The University responded to the strict Covid restrictions by commissioning a series of artists to make digital work with their students that was innovative and original and could not be experienced any other way. Recorded live from the UK, Croatia and India.www.nigelandlouise.com Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Witness the classic Captain Dencade in this special sci-fi screening. Hosted by Thomas and Monty, the sons of the original stars that bear an uncanny resemblance to their fathers. Almost like they're the same people! The eccentric duo will bring facts, secrets and on-screen props, celebrating the newly restored episode of Captain Dencade. These two hope to bring the 60s original to a whole new generation. What could go wrong?
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Captain Narwhal's happy band are at it again, stealing treasure from the local town. Only this time, they’ve taken more than they bargained for... Join them in their quest to right their wrongs whilst battling Captain Ouioui and his prehistoric crew! Swashbuckling has never been as swashbuckled as this! This new, interactive show from Gatepost Theatre Company is suitable for all ages. All children who join our pirate crew will also take away a piece of pirate treasure to remember the adventure forever.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Bond is dead. Craig's out. To revive the world’s most famous spy we must return to the very beginning. But who’s brave enough? Who has the courage to bring Bond back? Known for his ethnically ambiguous bone structure and dynamic physicality, Carlos Sandin is bringing a Bond that obliterates all others. A new undercover hero we never knew we needed. Forget Connery, Moore and Brosnan, Sandin is here to take the world on the most epic journey 007 has ever ventured: rebirth. Expect action, drama and live music, a fresh take on a modern classic.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
In Earth Prayers, Carol Ann selects nature poetry from across the ages, from John Clare to Lucille Clifton and Kathleen Jamie, that reflects the fragility of our world and the urgent need for thoughtful stewardship. Encompassing anger at greed and destruction, alongside celebration of the profound and joyful, Carol Ann complements her own writing with voices from around this small planet. The poetry interplays with music from virtuoso John Sampson, who brings an engaging wit as well as sparky tunes on diverse brass and woodwind instruments, creating a unique and inspiring afternoon.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Casino? follows the lives of four restaurant workers down on their luck struggling in a minimum wage job in a capitalist world gone mad. A comedic tale on one of societies unfunny topics. From drunken nights at the casino to hungover shifts, the staff pine for the days the graft will have been worth it. The play offers a comment on capitalism and how when you do reach the top, the system can’t change so people do. Is materialism worth the sacrifice of who you are? Will a drunken night change their lives forever?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Caspar returns to showcase his renowned sleight of hand with an all-new Fringe show. Stunning magic. Unbelievable skill. Elegant performance. Pure close-up magic and sleight of hand, with no stooges, no electronics, no camera tricks! All presented in style by an understated showman. ‘You won't see this level of skill anywhere else in the world. He should be charging £100 per ticket’ (Jerry Sadowitz). ‘Master of sleight of hand… Caspar drew the audience in to the point where he had them eating, almost literally, out of his hand’ (FringeReview.co.uk).
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
Wild World, Father and Son, How Can I Tell You, The Wind and more... The works of Cat Stevens reinterpreted by New York vocalist Jess Abrams, who 'finds her own meaning in each lyric and makes it her own' (UKJazzNews.com) and 'invites you in and makes you feel so good you won't want to leave... A stone delight' (Jazzwise). Jess, accompanied by piano and bass, will surprise and enchant you with unique interpretations of the songs and stories of one of the most beloved songwriters of the 1970s. Join us, it's a wild world...
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
I’m L3NT1L, robo-kitty, taxidermy survivor and leading feline life coach. My hapless human and I recently clawed through Japan, NZ and Australia in search of enlightenment. Now it’s Edinburgh’s turn to come through the spiritual cat flap. Are you struggling with love, loss or weird wiring? I'm your solution. Barely functioning and fully judging! 'It’s comedy, high art and sci-fi all rolled into one' (Sara Robinson, Western Mail). 'You’ll never even know you’re alive until you understand reality can easily accommodate something like this' (Martin Rowson, Guardian). 'What's even happening here?' (Diggity Dog, Daily Mail reader).
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
God won't give up on Cecilia Gentili. Unfortunately, neither will the devil. Follow a young trans girl as she navigates the hilarity of rural Argentina during the 1900s. Part stand-up, part camp and (almost) all true, Red Ink is an irreverent romp in searching for faith while trans. Presented by Elliot Page and PAGEBOY Productions, Sara Ramirez, Breaking the Binary Theatre, Queer Arts Coalition and Nic Cory, Red Ink is the late writer, activist and icon Cecilia Gentili's autobiographical work. The play's off-Broadway 2024 premiere received a Special Recognition GLAAD Media Award.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Jersey
Join a fun and family-friendly ceilidh with live and lively traditional Scottish music and dancing. No prior experience is necessary as all the dances will be taught there and then by our expert caller and no need to bring a partner. Everyone is welcome, so come as a group, come as a family or come by yourself.
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
Family workshop suitable for children aged 3-7 with parents or carers, but all welcome to participate in whatever way they feel capable. We involve everyone; skip, clap and march together to traditional Scottish music. Enjoy simple (often simplified) dances that you might find at a ceilidh or Scottish country dance. Hugely popular with local families, now it's your turn. Bring mum or dad along to partner you under the chandeliers! Children should be accompanied by an adult who is willing to join in; one adult can dance with two children.
Laughing Horse @ The Counting House
The Ballroom
Jasmine Alice is an internationally acclaimed vocalist who will take you on a thrilling musical journey through the life of the iconic Celine Dion. Witness dazzling vocals, show-stopping costumes and let yourself be transported on a musical journey of emotions with this charming homage to one of the most treasured divas of all time. Sing along to your favourite Celine hits and immerse yourself in pure vocal magic. After her success at the Fringe last year, Jasmine is returning with her new Celine Experience this year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Don't miss out.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
North East Scotland-born international singer Kevin Littlejohn takes his audiences through a musical journey of some of his favourite Celtic songs that remind him of his family, his heritage and his home. Kevin's endearing stage presence and impressive talent for storytelling makes for a truly captivating experience. Featuring Kevin's mesmerising vocals and a live fiddle player, Celtic Roots celebrates heritage through familiar classics and newer melodies that will evoke fond memories and connect us all to our own roots and the places we call home.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
'This has never been done before. No person, no woman, no young woman has ever admitted to being the Centre of the Universe.' Fifteen year-old Mary has no discernible talent but she can't ignore the glaring signs that she is destined for greatness. When a TikTok influencer comes to her school, she embarks on a journey. By the age of twenty-three, she will make it to the top. No matter the cost. Centre of the Universe is a laugh-out-loud search for meaning in a success-obsessed society.
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
You find a mysterious door that you have never seen before. Do you open it? If yes – buy a ticket to see this show. If not – why not? Join Cerys Bradley (Actually Autistic Excellence Award 2022, as seen on Comedy Central, UKTV, BBC One Wales) for their wonderful, expansive, interactive choose-your-own-story comedy show. 'AUTISM!' ***** (NeurodiverseReview.co.uk). 'A great storyteller' (Guardian).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
Chairs is a dynamic, unscripted theatrical experience where actors and chairs transform into a surreal, ever-evolving world. Directed by Italian visionary director/actor Ettore Nicoletti, this innovative performance blends comedy, physical theatre and improvisation. With no script to follow, the actors create spontaneous stories using only their bodies, voices and the simple yet boundless possibilities of chairs. The show bursts with mind-blowing transformations, exploring freedom, creativity and human connection as it pushes the limits of imagination. Full of humour and surprises, Chairs is a groundbreaking, unpredictable adventure that turns everyday objects into extraordinary moments, offering a truly unforgettable theatrical journey.
Greenside @ George Street
Ivy Studio
Bienvenue to Chansons, the musical intercultural cabaret. ‘Soul-touching’ stories performed in ‘brilliant showmanship’ (Audience Reviews) about life and passion, from Ne me quitte pas (Brel) to Milord (Piaf). Live life the French way. Experience the joie de vivre. Created by the award-winning musical theatre actress Stefanie Rummel. Spoken in English, and sung in French, English. This piece inspires our own lives by looking at other cultures. As seen in theatres and cabarets in France, Germany, Iceland, Finland, US.‘Great chansons... passionate feelings’ (Rheingauer Echo)‘Quality, legendary songs with the deep meanings attached give gift of genuine benefit. As an educational music tour… anywhere’ Dall Wilson‘Rummel’s voice is outstanding… real moments of joie de vivre’ **** (TheReviewHub.com)‘Fascinating’ **** (LondonTheatre1.com)Written and Performed by | Stefanie RummelAccompanied by | Bogdan Pieleanu, Tom Schlueter, Bob EganAvailable in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season. www.stefanierummel.comwww.chansons.showwww.facebook.com/RummelShowswww.facebook.com/CHANSONS.showwww.instagram.com/stefanierummel1/ Watch TrailerWatch Highlights TrailerWatch Interview TrailerWatch Preview
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Cinderella wants a divorce?! Prince Charming’s already trying day is about to get worse. Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother has presented him with a list of demands that Prince Charming must agree to in order to change Cinderella’s mind. Is the Prince willing to change? Are Cinderella’s demands even reasonable? Is divorce even possible in the realm of fairytale? Can the Prince remain charming even when Cinderella’s Evil Stepmother barges in with her own list of demands? Stay tuned for the answers to these and other questions as this comedy unfolds!
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
What if your anger just simmers underneath? If it never quite reaches boiling point, but it's present, burning your insides? Combining spoken word, football chants, live art and theatre, Chat Sh*t, Get Hit dives into women's anger: how it fuels, how it festers and how it is swallowed. A funny and uncompromising new show about recovery, solidarity and the suppression of women's rage. Edinburgh Fringe debut from Martha Pailing. Directed by Ursula Martinez with dramaturgy by Annie Siddons.
Summerhall Festival
Former Womens Locker Room
A wild, hilarious solo show about grief, love and mommy issues. Candice Fox dives into the chaos of loss and a complex mother-daughter saga, blending raw storytelling with striking visuals. She explores grief in its messy glory, awkward moments and accidental wisdom, navigating the strange ways we stumble forward. This show isn’t just about death, it’s about mourning someone still alive, dealing with estrangement and how addiction distorts family history. Deeply intimate, darkly funny, it's cathartic, relatable and unexpected. You’ll laugh, cry and probably text your mom something unhinged afterward!
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
Drawing from the classic Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare and romantic-themed songs by the 'king' Roberto Carlos, in a back-and-forth between the plagiarised love story and the unauthorised music, the show is critical, acerbic, tragicomic... it is almost ridiculous! In its title, the company, originally from São José do Rio Preto in the countryside of the state of São Paulo, alludes to how the combination of these two ingredients is curiously known in Brazil, uniting traditional British literature with the cuisine from its homeland, with some sweetness and a touch of saltiness.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Chickens is a sharp comedy-drama that explores the chaos of love, life and obsession. Set in a cozy Edinburgh flat, the story follows Jay, an eccentric British enthusiast, and Weronika, his pragmatic partner, as they grapple with clashing priorities and cultural differences. From egg-centric lectures to impulsive chicken coop projects, their relationship begins to crack under the weight of unbalanced expectations. With humour, tenderness and unflinching honesty, Chickens unravels the delicate fabric of love and asks: can unilateral decisions ever be justified by good intentions and the pursuit of happiness? Where is the line between care and control?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Elisa Riddington’s Child of Sunday is an intimate and poignant solo performance that weaves together personal storytelling and music to reflect on themes of faith, resilience and the search for connection. Drawing from real-life experiences, she highlights the struggles and quiet strength of ordinary individuals navigating life’s hardships. Her evocative vocals and heartfelt narratives paint a rich emotional tapestry, capturing moments of vulnerability and triumph. Through humor, honesty and powerful musicality, Riddington invites audiences into a deeply personal journey that resonates universally, celebrating the courage and perseverance of those who often go unheard.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
A knockout solo show about one woman's love of pro wrestling. Part confessional, part exuberant oral history of sports entertainment's greatest matches and most loved characters. Acclaimed comedian Tegan Verheul leaves no Stone (Cold) unturned in her unflinchingly raw autobiographical debut that grapples with heartbreak, friendship and the healing power of bloodsport. Riotously funny, unexpectedly touching, brilliantly human. You will leave a wrestling fan. 'Exceptional' ***** (Mervyn Stutter's Pick of the Fringe). 'An inspiringly fearless performance' ***** (GetYourCoatsOn.com). 'Fantastic, heart-wrenching, raw' ***** (SimplyStagey.co.uk). 'Takes solo performance to new heights' **** (CorrBlimey.co.uk).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
I grew up playing classical piano, but failed my conservatory audition at 18. After some time focusing on MDMA, I started stand-up in 2011. During the pandemic I came back to the piano and now I've combined them. It's my favourite piece, Chopin's Nocturne in Eb Major, presented with jokes by a bald, Australian dickhead with a beard. Best Comedy Adelaide Fringe (Weekly). 'This should not work, but it does' ***** (List). 'Punchlines that will leave you laughing for days on end... This is what a well-crafted comedy set looks like!' ***** (Advertiser, Adelaide).
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
Concert pianist Ailsa Aitkenhead presents a moving rendition of Chopin’s virtuosic Ballade No1 in G Minor, and the profound Sonata in B flat D960 by Schubert. These pieces combine the sorrows of our shared humanity, along with profound hope in the power of connection and togetherness. This is also a unique opportunity to hear the live premier of Ailsa’s own composition, inspired by Chopin and Satie, and Chopin's glittering posthumous Nocturne in C sharp minor.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Chris Griffin brings his gag-filled debut solo show to the Edinburgh Fringe. Now 40, and with the confidence to talk about himself in the third person, Chris has put his big boy pants on and decided to start parenting his inner child... and thinks you should too (yours, obviously; not his, that would be weird). A story about hope, self reflection and working out the positives from life's trauma. 'He gets laughs from the most unexpected sources. Always a joy to watch' (Vladimir McTavish). 'Gifted with affable charm and endless enthusiasm (George Fox).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 5
Best Newcomer nominee at the Scottish Comedy Awards and hand-picked support act for Fringe favourite Susie McCabe and Emmy winner Alex Edelman, Chris Scott presents his debut solo show. Bringing unflinching punchlines and a bit of devilment to the stage, his why not attitude has seen him appear in an underwear ad, perform at an S&M club and host shows on a boat for indie-music darlings Belle and Sebastian. Chris has had a pretty fun life, but after a recent run of setbacks, has the fun stopped?
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 6
Cum one, cum all. This show is for everybody. Partnered, single, friends, lovers. Think Sex and the City meets Book of Mormon. Sing the praises of goddesses. Listen to clit hits. Rejoice in mound sermons. Two smart, unapologetically funny, post-menopausal women in an immersive, laugh-out-loud show, satirising power and institutions and tackling anatomy and sexuality. An experience both joyful and subversive. There will be confessions. Multiple five-star orgasmic reviews. 'It’s always a pleasure worshipping at The Church of the Clitori' (Sydney Morning Herald).
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Get your dessert spoons ready for this delicious new musical for the whole family! Over the last four decades, Cinderella's has become the kingdom's most beloved ice cream company. But how did a humble ice cream maker with not a penny to her name end up as a multimillionaire with her own ice cream empire? Perfect for the whole family, this exciting musical retelling of a fairy tale classic promises a delightful blend of storytelling, stunning live music and theatrical magic that will capture your heart and tickle your taste buds.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Ermintrude
Experimental piano-troupe performs finger-gymnastics and rarely heard music for three pianists, playing one piano together! This piano-orchestra, assembled from award-winning alumni of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is a captivating spectacle pushing the limits of what a piano can do! Programme includes a toy piano and six-hand arrangements of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, Mozart’s Rondo alla Turka, Scottish folk songs and a comic performance of Sousa’s All-American Stars and Stripes Forever. 'Masters of their craft' ***** (BingeFringe.com). 'Director Matthew Shiel shone' **** (ThreeWeeks).
St Vincent's
The Chapel
Researched and designed by best-selling historical author and multi award-winning novelist J A Henderson, our walks combine the weirdest stories, wickedest humour and wildest history – with sole access to the Covenanters' Prison and the Mackenzie Poltergeist – the world's best documented supernatural case. City of the Dead has been named Britain’s Best Ghost Walk (Scare.com, Yahoo.com) and Edinburgh's Best Ghost Tour (LonelyPlanet.com). We are the only Scottish attraction ever to be shortlisted for the prestigious Screamie Awards (three times) and are the winners of ScareTour’s Best Ghost Tour Award.
The Tree of the Dead
Outside St Giles' Cathedral
In this concert you will hear a variety of piobaireachd, the classical music of the great Highland bagpipe, Scotland’s national instrument. The musicians, Alasdair Henderson, John MacDonald and Brodie Watson-Masse, are all leading exponents of this wonderful music. The tunes will be played in continuous fashion, giving a unique musical experience. Most piobaireachd are composed using pentatonic scales or variations thereof, so although the pipe has a limited number of notes, a wide variety of tonal mood is possible, as you will hear at this concert.
St Cecilia's Hall
The Concert Room
Jonathan, winner of the Buxton Fringe Solo Instrumentalist Award 2024, is back with a new show at St Columba's by the Castle with its superb acoustics. The Programme this year includes preludes by Bach and Gerschwin, a gorgeous study by Sor and Turlough O' Carolan’s Italian-influenced Irish music. Vincent Lindsey Clark’s rousing 'Pulsar' ends this thrilling programme. ‘Absolutely recommended’ (Herald). ‘…exquisite, intricate music’ (ThreeWeeks).
St Columba's by the Castle
Church
A videographic tour inside Museo de la Cencillería, Mexico, where four bodies in action generate the entire path of the piece. One of them is the viewer who, through the camera's point of view, lets us contemplate art itself, and the dancers in motion. Original idea by Marlene Coronel, with cinematography by Erik Jonguitud and original score by Alejandro Preisser, performed by dancers Tiffany Orozco, Bryant Pineda, Marlene Coronel.www.hekatombe.orgwww.facebook.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/marlene.ctzwww.instagram.com/bryantpinet Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Blowjobs, bleach and beef bourguignon. A women's domestic life crumbles as she is pushed to the breaking point by her boyfriend's relentless domestic incompetence... and you've been cast as the boyfriend. She navigates the full weight of cooking, cleaning, planning and hosting while questioning how much more she can take. Clean Slate doesn't let you sit comfortably in the dark, it drags you into the mess. You're not merely watching, you're a witness, confidant, unwilling participant. One moment, you're laughing, the next, the air's thick with something unspoken. How many plates can pile before they start being thrown?
Summerhall Festival
Former Gents Locker Room
Aged four, Augustin never finished his food. Now he has a terrible habit of always cleaning his plate, and lecturing people on how they should eat. Today is his thirtieth birthday, and he's cooking dinner. The ratatouille is on the stove, his friends are arriving soon and everything seems under control. But that's without counting on an unexpected visit, and some unwelcome memories. Around the simmering pot, he is forced to examine his relationship with food, as well as his relationship with himself. Funny solo show about hunger, who we are, and the mess of growing up.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
A one-of-a-kind alternative comedy showcase straight from the Windy City itself. Join us in getting unhinged at Fringe for a show featuring some of the weirdest and most hilarious comedians from Chicago's indie comedy scene, that have been delighting audiences in clubs, back rooms of bars, improv theatres and elevated train cars for years. Clever Comedy features expertly crafted jokes, zany characters, musical guests and more. At Clever Comedy we embrace weird, because people are strange.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Distinguished guests, sweethearts and scoundrels, dreamers and ghosters, welcome. Tonight, your ever-optimistic emcee Razmatastic invites you to share the saga of her love life and the twisted world of modern dating. In this debut clown show, see bygone exes brought to the stage for their very final performance, each taking the spotlight with improbable charm and debatable talent. A vaudevillian spoof and emotional exorcism in one, hold on tight as we try to let go; at the Closure Cabaret, we summon the spirits of romantic misadventures and dance on the smouldering ashes of love lost and longed for.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Cobin Millage and Pete Carson bring their critically acclaimed compilation show back to the Fringe for the third year. Alternately hosted and headlined by two of the (alleged) best friends to have ever lived, it features some of the best guests on the local circuit, rising stars and some television personalities who stop by for an unmissable show. 'Touching tips? I love it. It’s going to be an institution. Touching tips is my favorite thing to do. I cannot wait to touch my tip with their tips every year' (Jack Traynor).
Scottish Comedy Festival @ Waverley Bar
The Waverley
Cobin Millage is attempting to sow the seeds of his past to prepare the seeds of his future. Unfortunately, those seeds grew an awful lot of uncontrollable, unweildy grass (Bermuda grass, to be specific) and he has unfortunately discovered that it has little to no intrinsic value, leaving him fighting tooth and nail to sort his sh*t out and get this f*cking grass under control. 'Cobin Millage has become an expert' (Chortle.co.uk). 'This is anti-comedy... Inside baseball for freaks of the stand-up form' (Comedy.co.uk).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Wee Room
It's the week before the Cockaigne high school drinking society fundraiser and something's gone terribly wrong, if only everyone could agree on what that something was. Was it that the wrong band was booked? Was it the escaped murderous convict stalking the place? Or was it the Tesco's meal deal on sale? Cockaigne Drinking Society is a satirical farce that boils down the most despised aspects of the UK education system. This short lecture-length comedic play contains the most relatable and unbearable periods of school life: student politics, underaged drinking and being hunted by a serial killer.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
11 - 16 Aug Cody and Beau have two things on their mind: becoming cowboys and... winning spelling bees?! Enthralled by extraordinary tales of Billy the Kid, the two plan to escape and fulfill their outlawin' destiny. But away from the security of their imagination, the boys soon find themselves up against the harsh reality of the old American West... From the Edinburgh-based creative team of Dylan and Will comes a vibrant, immersive coming-of-age tale, inspired by the lasting legacy of the Wild West.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
01 - 09 AugCody and Beau have two things on their mind: becoming cowboys and… winning spelling bees?! Enthralled by tales of Billy the Kid and Butch Cassidy, the two plan to escape and fulfill their outlawing destiny. But when the boys find themselves against the hostile backdrop of 1889 Texas, the imagined starts to become all a bit too real. From the Edinburgh-based creative team of Dylan and Will comes a vibrant, immersive coming-of-age tale, inspired by the lasting legacy of the Wild West.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Colin has moved to Cornwall. Below his new home stands a shed. Forgotten. Unloved. Ideal for growing in – and according to one curious stranger, soon to be blown up. A post-modern gothic comedy about rural communities, isolation and the dangers of obsessively trying to fit in, Cold, Dark Matters follows a new resident’s rural retreat into the murky underwaters of a community in Cornwall, where everything is not as it seems... 'Beautifully written, structured, and performed. Loved it!' (Mark Jenkin, BAFTA-winning film director). 'A show that delights in storytelling tools and Russian-doll trickery‘ (LPTSA Nomination).
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
'I loved this brilliant new working-class play' ***** (Edinburgh Evening News). It's Derby Day. A violent Hibs football casual returns home to tell his brother something bad has happened. But has something far worse happened in their past? A new gritty dark comedy by BBC Scottish Voices writer Mikey Burnett. Directed by Grace Ava Baker. Produced by Staci Shaw. Starring Ruaraidh Murray and Sean Langtree. Supported by Traverse Theatre and Royal Lyceum Theatre.
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
The Comedian's Quiz is a laugh-filled quiz show blending comedy and questions, stand-up routines and jokes mixed with interactive rounds, witty banter and hilarious moments, it's the ultimate funfest for quiz lovers hosted by professional quiz host and comedian James Beatty. Taking the quiz to a whole new level!
Hoots @ Potterrow
Big Yurt
Join three comedians who almost certainly have no idea how to play Dungeons & Dragons, as they attempt to go on a live fantasy adventure! Questing ain't easy however, especially when the audience can mess with their dice rolls and even cast spells on them! Will our adventurers survive? Based on previous audiences, almost certainly not! No knowledge of D&D or anything like it required (rules lawyers absolutely welcome though), all you need is to be able to enjoy a bit of chaos. So come and watch some ridiculous fantasy characters make some very poor decisions!
Laughing Horse @ The Raging Bull
Cellar
Stand-up Comedy Brunch returns after last year's amazing run. A delightful compilation show featuring top comedians serving you up a hilarious feast. Join us for a side-splitting experience where the laughs are bottomless… featuring new and different comedians every day, booked by @OnlyJokingComedy.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
One of Edinburgh's longest-running gigs now runs nightly at the Fringe! One of our top resident MCs introduces two headline-level acts doing extended sets in our boutique comedy club above the iconic Beehive Inn. Grab a pint at one of the oldest pubs in Edinburgh, climb the stairs past the original death cell door of Calton Jail and enter our purpose-built boutique comedy club for a perfect way to round off your night at the Fringe. Over 100 five-star reviews and counting on Tripadvisor and Google Reviews. Don't miss out!
Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn
Beehive 2 (The Attic)
Comedy Queers is a spicy mix of outrageous queer comedians, cabaret and drag acts. A sell-out Fringe phenomenon since 2018. Looking for diversity? It's what we do best, babe! If you’ve seen enough cis, straight dudes with the same haircut / t-shirt / jokes / toxicity, come and party with the kings, queens and royal thems of comedy. Expect chaos, drag, stand-up, glitter, queer joy and an ever-changing line-up of LGBTQIA+ acts to grace our stage. Comedy Queers is a big queer party. Every. Single. Night! **** (DeadlineNews.co.uk).
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Garden Room
Catch the best comedians Wales has to offer in explosive secret lineups of hilarity, including a token non-Welsh person* (who will also be funny). A nightly showcase featuring TV names, circuit headliners and rising stars filling an hour with guaranteed laughs! Previous acts have appeared on Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, Comedy Central, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Have I Got News For You and pretty much every show BBC Wales has ever made. *but they have to talk about Wales.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
Comedian and storyteller SJ brings a bittersweet, interactive show about how Doctor Who helped them come to terms with being a bipolar, queer, neurodiverse, wannabe activist. Out of the closet into the TARDIS. SJ is a bisexual, bipolar, geeky queer activist. Each of these things have a coming out story. SJ and the audience create SJ’s coming out experiences as an episode of Doctor Who. Wyatt and the audience, using heavily bejewelled props, create sound effects, shape the narrative and choose their own monster. Viva la revolution! Unless it clashes with Doctor Who.
Laughing Horse @ The Brass Monkey
Games Room
Waking up having witnessed a brutal murder – by his own hand, incapable of stopping the madness, he stood and watched. Dr Seward plunges himself into work, feasting on the madness of his prized prisoner, following his rejection by Lucy. Whilst in his confinement, Renfield grows closer to Lucy, and Dracula sets eyes on her new prey. They say you make a deal with the devil – but have you ever made a deal with Dracula? An adaptation of Dracula set in 1890s Scotland – is anyone safe from the darkness in these walls?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Charlie and Vic are a married couple living in the suburbs, trying to keep themselves secluded from the outside world. However, their life is changed when nosy neighbour Annette attempts to befriend the couple. Will they manage to keep their way of life a secret? Is this truly the life the couple wants? What happens if Annette finds out about their alternative diet? A fun, mysterious and ultimately cautionary tale of what happens when you try and hide who you are and what you are up to!
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
When Mickey, Joey and Drew realise they’re in financial dire straits, they hatch a plan to find the next big thing in boxing. At an amateur night, they find a promising young boxer called Sid. Taking him under their wings, his success leads to a life of glitz and glamour. But is success and a winning streak the best thing for the young boxer? Do the coaches really have his best interests at heart? Join us for a show packed with charm, comedy and thought-provoking moments that are sure to have you laughing, and thinking.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Coming up on Corrie: yet another scene in the local pub, someone’s up the duff and two Kiwis figure out if they got their Manchester accents down in time! Five episodes, two actors, 50 minutes of action-packed mundanity. Performed by Kiwi comedic delights Nina Hogg (Ginge & Minge) and Austin Harrison (PopRox), Corrie is a fast-paced comedic treat that is Fringe in all the best ways. 'Austin Harrison – everything he touches turns to gold!' (Wellingtonista.com). '...with veteran improv queen Hogg on the stage, you know you’re in for a treat!' (TheatreView.org.nz).
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Pickle Studio
An energetic, heartwarming show that celebrates the rich history of country music while spotlighting contemporary hits. The show takes the audience on a captivating musical journey as we bring to life timeless classics with heartfelt renditions, alongside modern-day anthems that resonate with today's country music lovers. With a dynamic performance by American singer-songwriter Lars Pluto and its seamless fusion of past and present, Country Jukebox is a must-see for anyone who loves the storytelling magic of country music as we recreate the feeling of a real American juke-joint.
Le Monde
Dirty Martini
You become the choir! For two nights only, this crowd-participatory sing-along show turns a roomful of strangers into an epic, harmonised pop-up choir! Learn a pop/rock anthem in gorgeous harmonies, in only an hour. You won’t believe the sound you’ll make and we’ll film you to prove it! Can't sing? No worries! We'll expertly and (im)politely guide, cajole and if necessary, heave your voice out of you! With lyrics on a big screen and guitar accompaniment, you won’t need anything except your voice, your ears and maybe a few drinks!
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
The twenty-first century has seen the rise of a chrysalis society in continuous and accelerated transformation, from which a new consciousness emerges to face the future, and not-so-future challenges of humanity, climate and environment. Donallop are the Majorcan duo Pere Bestard and Joana Pol, who perform as a trio with drummer Josep Servera. Their music fuses pop minimalism and poetic prose, and explores the textures of trap, the rhythms of house and the beat of slowcore. Experience isolation, detention and courage in modern society. Recorded live at the Teatre Principal, Palma. ‘Compositional inspiration’ (El Temps). ‘Undeniably beautiful’ (Mondo Sonoro).www.donallop.comwww.facebook.com/DONALLOPbandwww.instagram.com/donallop/www.soundcloud.com/donallopofficial Watch Trailer | Dos ditsWatch Trailer | Aubons
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
When viewership tanks for the latest season of a survival TV game show, the producers realise they must go to extreme lengths to make sure the show doesn’t get cancelled – no matter the cost. After all, the contestants signed a contract, they can’t back out now… Follow the final five contestants, guided by the show’s eerily vivacious host, as they slowly realise that this reality show just got a whole lot more "real" than they bargained for. Crocodile Tears is a new satirical comedy play about surveillance, authenticity and the ethics of reality TV.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
When the ghost of her father returns seeking revenge, Hamlet has to choose: play along, or break the cycle? When she makes her choice, the ghost makes his and haunts her coat. Crownless fuses Shakespeare’s text with contemporary female poetry in a bold exploration of grief and power. It's a ghost story, a coming-of-age tale and a stylish love letter to saying 'no’. With sharp dialogue, unexpected laughs and a coat full of unresolved trauma, this show walks the line between comedy and heartbreak. If you’ve ever argued with a parent’s voice in your head, this one’s for you.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
A regular sell-out at Edinburgh Fringe (including 2022, 2023 and 2024), Curmudgeon are an Edinburgh-based trio who play (mostly) Scots folk songs and tune sets, and are popular Fringe regulars. They are: Laurie Brett on vocals and guitar, Andrew Macintyre on vocals, Scottish small pipes and whistles, and Donald Gorman on fiddle, mandola and backing vocals. As always, sweetie-packet rustlers will be ejected; joiners-in on choruses are encouraged. Light-hearted banter assured!
artSpace@StMark's
Church
DARKFIELD presents DOUBLE, VISITORS and ETERNAL. Three award-winning 360-degree sound experiences, from the DARKFIELD Radio project. DOUBLE is a troubling exploration of the Capgras delusion, an uncommon condition in which the sufferer is convinced a loved one has been replaced by an evil replica. VISITORS explores why the dead find so little comfort in the world of the living. Experienced lying down in bed, ETERNAL asks what price would you pay for eternal life? Choose your story: three shows play out in the same space, allowing audiences to choose which world unfolds around them.
Summerhall Festival
Old Lab
Dance Base's in-house companies showcase new work in a double-bill. Youth company LYDC will present work by Marc Brew and Disconnect by Abby Warrilow. Now in its 10th anniversary year, over 60s company PRIME will showcase commissions by Tony Mills, Robbie Synge and Steinvör Palsson.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Ever wondered what turns your favourite stars into household names? The exact conditions that formed their rise to the top? Take a peek into the outrageously elite world of prestigious drama training, where talent is polished, egos are inflated and bank accounts drained. Equal parts sharp satire and painful realisations, Drama Girls invites you to laugh, cry and cheer for three women chasing dreams in a world that promises everything, but guarantees nothing.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
James Willstrop, cynical and driven only by his sporting success, is on the verge of becoming world number one in squash. A chance meeting leads to an agonising dilemma which threatens everything he has worked so hard for. Through tender recollections of his mother Lesley who died when he was 17, and by undertaking the hardest training session of his life in real time, he learns lessons about ambition, success and love. Daddy is a musical ode to beautiful mothers, sporting ambition and fatherhood.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Daisy Meredith is the first scholarship student to attend the Grangewood School for Girls. The privileged students are determined to make Daisy look bad in the eyes of the administration. The administration has its own problems, financial ones. Daisy wins over her chums and saves the school when she cracks a secret code, finds a treasure and saves the life of her chief nemesis all on the same night! This amateur production of Daisy Pulls It Off by Denise Deegan is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Set in 1977, Damn the Dark follows five women navigating Soho's vibrant discotheque scene. Jean, a night-shift nurse, spends time with her sister Daphne, an aspiring housewife, and Daphne’s friend Layla, an ambitious journalist. The club’s regulars, Margot, a Gogo dancer, and Kim, a punk enthusiast, are each chasing their dreams. Amid rising violence and fear in the 1970s, these women unite through courage and activism, joining the Reclaim the Night march. This immersive production celebrates disco, punk and empowerment, inviting the audience to dance in solidarity with the characters.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
The Rock pub has seen better days, more recently, it has seen damp. Tucked away in Lochhaven, a group of misfits find themselves trapped during a storm with no escape. Tensions are high and the walls are talking. They’re stuck. With tales, stories, a strange black slime, songs of spooky ghosts and supernatural goings-on, a fair bit of drinking, some insults for good measure, a spot of Monopoly, the odd jump scare and a sacrificial death. Will this unlikely group of idiots work out the antidote to control... the damp?
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
Following sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2023 and 2024, Dan Bastianelli brings a brand-new magic experience which uses sleight-of-hand, personal stories and honest deception to help explore the simple question: How can you know anything when you don't even know yourself? 'Bastianelli is a very skilled performer' **** (WorldMagicReview.com). 'Dazzling' (Edinburgh Evening News).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
12 AugTake a journey through Director of Night Owl, Dan Clews’ solo career with a collection of self-penned songs from his critically acclaimed catalogue. His songs have been described by Mojo as 'folked picked pearls' (****) and the Guardian as 'songs of sweetness and promise (****) with Sir George Martin stating he is 'too great a talent to ignore'. Journey to the weird and wonderful places that inspired his material through to the birth of Night Owl Shows in a personal trip into a landscape of transatlantic folk and country.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
11 AugTake a journey through Director of Night Owl, Dan Clews’ solo career with a collection of self-penned songs from his critically acclaimed catalogue. His songs have been described by Mojo as 'folked picked pearls' (****) and the Guardian as 'songs of sweetness and promise (****) with Sir George Martin stating he is 'too great a talent to ignore'. Journey to the weird and wonderful places that inspired his material through to the birth of Night Owl Shows in a personal trip into a landscape of transatlantic folk and country.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
Three Gen Z Hong Kong actors hustle for stardom – will they shamelessly scam your ticket by just lying flat or will they blow your mind and shine? A daring, hilarious rollercoaster where ambition meets absurdity. Critically-acclaimed director Eugene Ma invites you to a smart, witty play where young people navigate the chaos of hustle and quiet quitting. Watch as these dreamers wrestle with their voices, their pasts and the unpredictable journey ahead. A thrilling blend of sweat, rage, burnout and moments of hope – come along for a wild, unforgettable ride!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Ireland's dance theatre vanguards, CoisCéim [kush-came] are back with David Bolger's latest hit, Dancehall Blues as part of Culture Ireland’s Edinburgh Showcase. Nominated for Best Production and Best Design, the show captivated audiences and critics when it premiered to sold-out houses at Dublin Fringe 2024. This 'expertly ingenious' (Irish Times) duet unfolds in a surreal dancehall at dusk, blurring the lines between reality and imagination. Two performers dance with fearless abandon, their powerful movements cutting through chaos to ignite hope in a world where dreams and nightmares collide. Bold, gripping, unmissable.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Multi award-winning Irish comedian Danny O'Brien is back with his brand-new stand-up show! Mortgage-approved, childless millennial O' Brien has sold out the last three years straight at the Fringe festival. From buying in a housing crisis to trying Keto for a month plus a defiant allergy to ice baths/saunas despite the "multiple health benefits". He has toured over 70 tour dates globally this past year, sold out Liberty Hall Theatre in Dublin, released a TV special and headlined at various international comedy festivals. Don't miss his hilarious new comedy hour about adulting/existing in 2025!
Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn
Beehive 2 (The Attic)
This vibrant performance weaves Bharatanatyam's intricate footwork and expressive storytelling with the soul-stirring melodies of bagpipes and the lively pulse of traditional reels. Choreographer Priya Shrikumar's artistry reflects her dual heritage creating a dialogue between cultures. The production also honours pieces from Martyn Bennett's groundbreaking music – a powerful blend of Scottish tradition and modern energy – symbolising unity through rhythm. Dansa Rickshaw is more than performance, it's a journey of connection, resilience and shared humanity. By merging ancient traditions with contemporary innovation, Dance Ihayami invites audiences to experience the universal language of movement and music.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
Daphne, the muse of Apollo, Ovid, Lorenzo Bernini ... of us. As Bernini begins to craft his tribute to Ovid’s Metamorphoses, he becomes enchanted by one of his subjects. He places himself within the chase as his desire for Daphne takes over. But what does Daphne desire? Does she want to be pursued? Does she want to be silenced? The play offers an alternative outcome to the myth. Watch as she steps out of the narrative that silenced her, and reclaims her own story.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Diana Stewart and Damian Corcoran perform as different older couples in four romantic tragi-comedies by Edinburgh writer Malcolm Windsor. Anne and John are celebrating their 27th wedding anniversary, but somehow the taxi driver and the waiter are involved. Carol and Steve meet online and date for the first time but are they compatible? Sue and Dave discuss what they might want to improve their marriage, but do they have the same ideas? Sylvia, the moustache stalker, tracks down Martin 40 years later, but is it too late? Fun, games, tragedy. Life itself!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Lily, an imaginative 11-year-old, and her dad explore the musical eras of her life (so far). This family-friendly musical comedy celebrates the different stages of Lily’s life through banter and songs and takes a musical journey from Elmo to Elsa to Elphaba and beyond. Together, they perform hits from Frozen, Matilda and Wicked, to pop tunes from Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Pharrell Williams and other artists, as well as original songs. This Los Angeles-based father-daughter duo performs regularly. You can see Lily starring in over 25 Disney Princess Club episodes on the official Disney Princess YouTube channel!
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
50 years a folk singer, storyteller, poet and songwriter. Raise your voice, join in and sing Australia's musical story with Dave. It will be great mate, that's for sure. Songs from Down Under. From Four Little Johnny Cakes, Bushranger ballads to politics, environment and love. My concertina, guitar and mellow tones are waiting to embrace you.
Laughing Horse @ West Port Oracle
Flight Club
Join David, a 40-something retired twink, as he takes you on a journey from humble beginnings as a young, fatherless, introverted gay boy growing up in a small Scottish town in the 80s and 90s, to international flight attendant and stand-up comedian. There’ll be ups and downs, there’ll be tops and bottoms. He’ll be laying himself bare in order to find the answer to that age old question – in his life, just exactly who is the daddy?
Laughing Horse @ West Port Oracle
Flight Club
You’re cordially invited to the second wedding of David and Katie: confidently codependent, deliriously devoted to a dangerous degree and fully qualified to flaunt a flawless approach to marriage; with music, exotic rituals and, a unity volcano. Bear witness as the world’s worst couple celebrates the (second) happiest day of their lives. Starring David Carl (Trump Lear, The Tender Bar) and Katie Hartman (Netflix’s The Week Of, The Other Two), David and Katie Get Re-Married is a glorious celebration of love, dysfunction and doing it all over again. This time it’s forever. For realz! Probably?!?
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
David and Me is a one-person show theatricalising aspects of the life of artist David Wojnarowicz and the artist’s own life. Wojnarowicz (1954-1992) created a prolific body of work across visual arts, performance, non-fiction writing, music, film and queer activism while the AIDS epidemic upended arts and queer communities under a federal government that criminally neglected the marginalised. Performance includes text, movement and projection. Immersive experience – the audience chooses moments/stories performed by the actor in an organic/chance-based order, creating a fireside, communal feel.
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
An unsent letter to my Dear A. How many years have you been here? A love song of Chinese immigration and global diaspora. The letter A – Asian, artist, amour, abandonment, affection, apology, acceptance... or simply a name never dared to be said aloud.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Dear America is a heartfelt, sharp and original musical exploring the hopes, fears and frustrations of a generation coming of age in a divided world. With humour and honesty, these students ask big questions about the future they’re inheriting – and the country they call home.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Jaja has done everything right. First class degree, ICAN certified, determined. Yet all he has earned is seven years of waiting and unanswered CVs. From exploitative interviews to absurd job offers, his journey exposes the broken and corrupt system facing many young people. One company wants him as a bouncer, another wants free labour. Through sharp humour and raw honesty, Dear Applicant explores the frustration, desperation and quiet resilience of a generation promised everything but handed nothing. Still, Jaja keeps pushing. Because if no one sees you, are you even there?
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Elaine Liner’s unapologetically satirical play takes liberties for laughs, with the biographies of famous political rivals Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton. What if they’d known each other since the age of eight, assigned to be pen-pals as second-graders? In these heretofore undiscovered personal missives spanning half a century, right up until November 2020, we see their awkward friendship wax and wane in letters that borrow liberally (but not conservatively) from Trump and Clinton’s actual public dialogue. You might be surprised who gets the last word! Watch Trailer #1Watch Trailer #2Watch Letter #1Watch Letter #2Watch Letter #3Watch Letter #4
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A Scottish folk tale murder mystery, based on the legend of the Bean Nighe, also known as the Washerwoman. A wee village on the river Clyde is rocked by a death on the night of Samhain (Halloween). A soldier, a doctor, a priest... and two musicians desperately try to uncover the truth. Is all as it seems or is there something supernatural afoot? Is the spirit of the Bean Nighe to blame? Enter a realm of Scottish fantasy and folklore, where a night of music, mystery and murder awaits.
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
Following last year’s sold-out show, romantic piano pieces meet candlelit Venetian masked balls as award-winning pianist Matthew Shiel exposes the scandalous love affairs of the great composers. Features a new romance composed specially for tonight's artist by Dr Alfredo Caponnetto – Notturno VI, alongside digital animations by acclaimed Shanghai artist and Disney illustrator Emma Yitong Shen. An immersive musical experience designed to wind you down, find romantic inspiration and open your heart to live and to love. 'Enchanting' ***** (EdinburghGuide.com).
St Vincent's
The Chapel
Scottish stand-up comedian and singer, Erin McKinnie, is excited to back at Edinburgh Fringe with more banter, mixing some comedy songs and chortle-worthy stories in 50 minutes worth of laughs. A rising star on the UK comedy circuit, she'll be bringing stories of working 'below deck' on cruise ships, longing for a sugar daddy, and moving to London with a bag full of dreams. Honest, raw, fun and just plain silly. 'Great stories, excellent music, and a charismatic comedian' (One4Review.co.uk).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
Definitely Maybe is a split-bill comedy show bursting with Essex charm, chaos and charisma. Join the cheeky duo – bad boy James Beatty and golden boy Harry Pettitt – as they swap stories (not standards) in an hour packed with big laughs, sharp wit and unforgettable banter. With their fun, chatty style and effortless chemistry, this hilarious pair delivers a high-energy show full of outrageous tales, quick-fire gags and all-round comedy gold. @JamesBeattyComedian @HarryPettitt
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 2
A powerful exploration of how stepdance, Scotland’s percussive dance, was lost... and how its revival became woven into a lifelong friendship. Experience a compelling journey across centuries of tradition told through fiddle, feet, Gaelic song and story, in an immersive performance which draws you in to the heart of our heritage. Deiseil means ready in Scottish Gaelic: be ready for a mesmerising reflection on how issues of culture, identity and connection still resonate through society today. Groundbreaking new work from award-winning director Gerry Mulgrew (six Fringe Firsts), dancer Alison Carlyle and musician Amy Geddes.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
A contemporary circus solo that embarks on a trans woman's journey. The show explores the haunting feeling of having murdered one's former self, a common experience for many trans people when leaving their assigned gender behind. Through a multidisciplinary repertoire such as aerials, dance, singing and physical theatre, Diana Salles invites us to reflect on the physical and emotional strength it takes to honour one's truth. The combination of aerial silks, beautiful images and mesmerising music makes you want to hug the artist. A heart-stopping circus show that unravels the beauty of self-discovery.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Come for the music, stay for the existential crisis. Genre-blurring jester, Karen Hall peels back the layers of formality leaving you with only the humanity and insanity of the artist behind the instrument. Featuring Bach's Cello Suite No. 1. Winner – Tour Ready Award, San Diego Fringe; Winner – Best of the Broadwater encore, Hollywood Fringe; Winner – Weekly Judges Pick, Sydney Fringe; Top 10 LA Theatre Pick – Stage Raw Los Angeles. **** (Everything-Theatre.co.uk ). **** (SydneyArtsGuide.com.au). **** (Tagg.com.au). Sold-out at Vancouver Fringe.
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
A murder in a small Fife town has shaken the community to its core. A lifelong friend is gone, the investigation drags on, but does someone know more than they are telling? On the day of the Edinburgh Derby, secrets are revealed, the scars of the past burn anew and relationships are pushed to the breaking point. Derby Day, a new writing drama from Without Compromise Theatre, addresses the damage caused by sexual abuse and the consequences of unbroken cycles of violence in communities throughout Scotland.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Dark, theatrical comedy meets nostalgia in Goblin, written and performed by Derek Mitchell. Set in 2007, it tells the story of Eliot, an emo kid with an imaginary goblin who just wants to be loved. Peppered with period details, Eliot's life takes a series of turns when he meets a much older reality TV star and begins transforming into something truly horrifying... the co-owner of a spin studio. Named one of The i Paper's best shows of the 2024 Fringe.
Summerhall Festival
Former Gents Locker Room
A digital live dance-theatre performance designed for Zoom Webinar format that explores space, presence and connection in one ground-breaking event. Conceived and developed during the lockdown in Chile, Deshacer el Rostro (To Undo the Face) is performed entirely from the artists’ homes, and streamed to audiences online. Inspired by French philosopher Gilles Deleuze’s idea of 'undoing the face' as a gesture toward imagining other possible worlds, the piece examines the digital medium’s capacity to cultivate meaningful encounters and shared experiences, regardless of geographical location. New, dynamic and immersive.Directed by | Paulina MelladoMusic by | José Miguel MirandaVisual Artist | Nury GonzálezAssistant Director | Gonzalo VenegasProduced by | Cristián HormazábalInterpreters | Marcela Retamales, Camila Jiménez, Macarena Pastor, Cristián Hormazábal, Vannia Villagrán, Matías Carvajal, Hugo Castillo, Manuela Perea, Verónica Canales
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Ailsa and Sean are a young couple, at the height of bliss – for now. While on a romantic hiking trip up the mountain known as Devil's Point, shadows darken, tensions rise and someone – or something – makes its presence known. Paranoia and skepticism work together to ask a disturbing question: who is to blame for the whispers on the mountain? Devil’s Point is an experimental folk horror play weaving together folklore from the Cairngorms region of Scotland and the pressures of modern-day relationships. Cutty Sark Theatre returns from their acclaimed run at last year's Fringe.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
From the critically acclaimed comedian behind How to Get Away with Marriage comes a brand new hour of laughter and legal loopholes. In May Divorce Be With You, Devin Gray explores what happens when "forever" has an exit clause. With his signature mix of wit, warmth and downright silliness, Devin turns the highs and lows of his relationships into comedy gold as he navigates his way back into the real world.
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
The Alcove
What does it take to satiate a heartbroken 20-something homosexual with a penchant for deep-diving into the sensory stimuli he finds along the way? In this hour-long piece, Michael lets us into his private world, and invites us to confront and ruminate on the beautiful, the icky, and the confusing together. This show is about sex. This show is not about sex. This show is for anyone who’s ever felt lost at sea and exhausted themselves swimming to shore. Dive underneath the raunch of this show and you’ll find a universally relatable, tender underbelly.Two versions of this piece are available, the film edition, first shown in April 2022 as part of the Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season on C ARTS, and the theatre edition, first shown at the Hollywood Fringe in June 2022.www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participants Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Four ladies, one Costa coffee, a bleached moustache and a dream. It’s 2008, the Sugababes are at number 1, side-fringes are everywhere, and skinny jeans are in! Step inside the world of Avon’s beauty pyramid scheme and join an eclectic gaggle of Woking’s hottest pyramid schemers as they prepare for the “bonanza of the century!” Bring your prosecco and a mini quiche, this soiree is about to get messy! How will new girl Frankie (not Frankie Bridge from the Saturdays) disrupt this pecking order, as we unveil the cracks beneath the polished surface of the beauty industry?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
A dynamic, fast-paced musical about desperation, deception and a daring prison break. Failed entrepreneur Luke lands himself in catastrophic debt to a some very bad people after a dreadful business idea ruins his life. Now the world’s sleaziest billionaire is promising half of their fortune to anyone who can break them out of prison. Assembling a team of old friends, Luke leads a heist fuelled by lies, ambition and a promise of unfathomable riches.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Why was the Wolf in Grandma's bed? Did Sleeping Beauty have an opinion on consent? Were the Ugly Sisters’ feet really that big? How does a goose inspire revolution? Find out in this sexy, subversive cabaret. Join vivacious Madame d’Aulnoy in her 17th century Paris salon. Best Show, Newcastle and Dubbo Fringe Festivals, Best 18+ Show, Young-Howze Awards, 2021. ‘so sharp, talented, clever, mesmerising, funny and what a vocal range!’ (Audience Member). ‘Funny, naughty and sharp… magnifique’ (ChuckMooreReviewsAbout.tumblr.com). ‘I didn't know I needed a raunchy, operatic Into The Woods, but I did!’ (RndYoungHowze.tumblr.com).www.elianemorel.com/disenchanted-a-cabaret-of-twisted-fairy-taleswww.facebook.com/DisenchantedACabaretOfTwistedFairyTaleswww.instagram.com/elianedavismorel/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A revue of Disney hits, following a group of trainees on their first day at a fictional Disney Imagineering Studio. They help each other discover their dreams working together to unite, inspire and believe. Join us for a century of Disney magic in a theatrical celebration of music, creativity, and the dreams that live inside us all.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Aberdeen Academy of Performing Arts presents Disney's Finding Nemo Jr – a musical adaptation of the 2003 Pixar movie. With new music by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Marlin, an overprotective clownfish, lives with his kid Nemo who longs to explore the world beyond their home. Featuring memorable songs such as Just Keep Swimming and Go with the Flow, this show will delight audiences young and old. The book is adapted by Lindsay Anderson with musical arrangements by Myrna Conn. This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Aberdeen Academy of Performing Art's production of Disney's Frozen Jr is based on the Disney film written by Jennifer Lee and directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee. Music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. This show will delight audiences young and old as it brings Elsa, Anna and the magical land of Arendelle to life on stage! Frozen Jr is sure to thaw even the coldest of hearts. This amateur production is presented by Musical Theatre International. All authorised performance materials are also supplied by MTI (mtishows.co.uk).
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Get ready for a high-energy, show-stopping musical performed by our incredibly talented young cast! Newsies Jr tells the inspiring true story of young newspaper sellers who stand up against injustice, featuring unforgettable songs, thrilling choreography, and a heartwarming message of resilience and unity. This dynamic production brings the streets of New York to life with powerful performances, stunning vocals, and electrifying dance numbers. Filled with passion, determination, and youthful energy, this is a show you won’t want to miss. Join us as we Seize the Day and bring this Broadway hit to life!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
The cinematic re-imagining of Akeim Toussaint Buck’s one-man dance theatre piece, Windows of Displacement. This energetic dance-cinema adaptation translates the acclaimed stage piece into a new medium. Featuring kinetic dance and a myriad of location switches, Displaced pushes the boundaries of dance storytelling. This memorable piece uses explosive dance and deep poetic text to tell an untold story from a place of humanity and love, transcending despair and turmoil. A journey of reflection, calling for global change. Created and co-directed by Ashley Karrell, Displaced explores contemporary challenges such as culture, place, race and imperialism.‘A compelling example of how to reimagine theatre and dance in a digital medium to reach a greater audience… Toussaint Buck proposes radical joy and collective action in the face of these forces. This joy reveals itself in quicker, polyrhythmic movements and the communal triumph of the others singing and dancing with him’ (Theatrereview.org.nz)‘This is a beautiful and powerful show… A powerful and positive film which gives a fresh perspective on the depressing mantra that immigrants automatically equal bad’ (LouReviews.blog)Displaced is a deceptively simple piece, mixing the personal with the public to tell a universal story through dance, poetry and film. Visually beautiful’ (WellingtonReviews.co.nz)hrough dance, poetry and film. Visually beautiful’ (WellingtonReviews.co.nz)Written and Performed by | Akeim Toussaint BuckWith | Arthur France MBE, Khadijah Ibrahiim, Pariss Elektra, Azizi Cole, Cleve ‘Rev Chunky’ Freckleton, Solomon Charles-Kelly, Lorina Gumbs, Giovanna Faith Paul, Acacia Paul, Kaya Moore, Cleo Stoute, Chescot Clark, Aida Fofana, Jimmy Cooke, Jordan Marcus, Kadeana Holding, Jessica Holding, Andre Johnson, Jacob Macima, E Wallace, Azhar Miah, Omari Swanston-Jeffers, Ali Akhtar, Wassi, ByramDirected by | Akeim Toussaint Buck and Ashley KarrellCinematography by | James WilliamsEdited by | Ashley KarrellMusic Composition by | Otis JonesSound Design by | Ashley TendekaiSound Recordists | Rob Wingfield and Liam GilchristCostume Design by | Audrey MaeMakeup Design by | Cleo Stoute ArtistryVisual Design by | Akeelah BertramLighting Design by | Matthew RoseProduced by | Ashley KarrellExecutive Producer | Akeim Toussaint Buckwww.toussainttomove.comfacebook.com/ToussaintToMoveinstagram.com/toussainttomove/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
In a school music club, a group of students wrestles with the frustrations of youth. But, when they’re asked to perform alongside a divisive political commentator, they’re forced to confront their own beliefs. Featuring live music, youth theatre company Lund presents this energetic and sharp exploration of youth, politics and moral dilemmas.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
BBD Productions return to the Fringe with their five-star show, winner of Best Theatre Production (TheatreScotland.co.uk, 2022 and 2023). Join a live band and cast of fierce beltresses to celebrate music, movies and musical theatre. From Anastacia to Adele, Carole King to Cher and Sabrina Carpenter to Shirley Bassey, we can guarantee there will be something for everyone in this high-energy, fast-paced celebration of the greatest divas of all time. ‘Everything is sung to such an incredibly high standard... delivered with passion and verve throughout’ (LondonTheatre1.com).
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
Join former Pointless contestant and Cambridge Footlight Diya Shah for her Edinburgh Fringe debut one-woman show! Aged just 22, she’s faced enough humbling events to last a lifetime, which she’s processing through the healthy medium of stand-up comedy. Don’t miss the opportunity to laugh with (and definitely not at) Diya as she weighs up her highest highs, lowest lows and greatest humiliations, and debates whether or not these warrant an early retirement from comedy. It’s time for her to decide once and for all to Shah or to Shahn’t. ‘Born for this stage’ **** (Varsity).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
Vibrant hot club jazz laced with Celtic spirit from the treasure trove of Scotland’s musical heritage. Exciting new project experimenting with gypsy jazz and Scottish/Irish folk influences. Paul Paterson is one of UK’s leading gypsy jazz guitarists, playing recently at the Django Reinhardt Festival in France. Jim Mackay is a noted guitarist in both gypsy jazz and Celtic styles, as is John Carnie, who is the author of The Scottish Guitar Book. Charlotte Paterson is an in demand gypsy jazz double bassist, recently back from the Django Reinhardt Festival in France.
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
In an overpopulated Britain, a law called the Parental Act requires everyone to obtain a license to have children. This electric dark comedy follows charming young couple Lily and Gareth, who after falling pregnant, must attend a week long “retreat" where their baby’s fate is decided by the State. Failing the retreat means a forced abortion, but they’re confident it’ll be a breeze. Once inside, however, cracks begin to show. Secrets surface and amid intense scrutiny, their love is pushed to the limit as they fight for their license and their future.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
Does anyone else smell curry? It was said by a friend. A joke. I said nothing. Worse. I laughed. Why did I laugh? Meet Kiren. British. Punjabi? Sikh? In that order? And more? Through spoken word, movement, media, verbatim and lip sync, this show explores the British South Asian experience in all its confusing complexity. How do we see ourselves? How do others see us? Are we not more than curry?! Join us for what audiences have described as a ‘raw’, ‘relevant’ ‘reclamation of pain’ which ‘deserves a wider audience and a bright future’.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Lavinia Draper, alcohol-soaked performer of a certain age, maintains her dream despite the struggle. The strife of ageing artists, most particularly women, facing unrepentant discrimination and harassment, and the resultant dysphoria and substance use, is profound. But Lavinia is the rare hopeful dreamer who never gives up on herself and inspires the audience to do the same. A one-woman show performed by Susan Campanaro that shatters genre as deftly as the title character severs the comic/tragic line. Brimming with hysterical comedy, dark sensitivity and harsh reality, the play features a moving score by Lynn Portas.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
A beautifully warm and moving human connection. Don’t Stop Me Now challenges the taboos surrounding ageing and is a celebration of the superb stories and lives of The Flames until this moment in time. Don’t Stop Me Now promises to be fresh and real. Using performance, film and specially composed music, this show highlights the resilience of these performers and explores their stories behind why they are such an unstoppable force. The Flames is Tricky Hat’s performance company for people aged 50+, with participants from across Scotland and beyond.
The Royal Scots Club
The Hepburn Suite
In this laid-back cabaret filled with vocal impersonations, live singing and bluesy banter, drag king Mr Brake Down pays tribute to the wit and wonderment of the iconic Tom Waits. Gloriously odd and experimental, the show takes audiences on a musical journey through some of Waits' seminal works, whilst Brake expounds on just how much a drag king from South Wales might have in common with the California-born performer. Expect to be bemused in a highly enjoyable fashion by a show that must be seen to be believed! Available in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.mrbrakedownbooking.wixsite.com/mrbrakedown/doom-and-glitterlinktr.ee/mrbrakedownwww.instagram.com/mrbrakedown/www.soundcloud.com/mr-brake-down/heartattack-and-vinewww.soundcloud.com/mr-brake-down/the-piano-has-been-drinkingwww.soundcloud.com/mr-brake-down/grapefruit-moon Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
In this laid-back cabaret hour filled with vocal impersonations, live singing and bluesy banter, drag king Mr Brake Down pays tribute to the wit and wonderment of the iconic Tom Waits. Gloriously odd and experimental, the show takes audiences on a musical journey through some of Waits' seminal works, whilst Brake expounds on just how much a drag king from South Wales might have in common with the California-born performer. Expect to be bemused in a highly enjoyable fashion by a show that must be seen to be believed!
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
A striking and stylised imagining of Oscar Wilde’s gothic masterpiece: the picture of Dorian Gray transforms into a malevolent horror as its inspiration remains untouched and beautiful. This supernatural gift begins a dark descent for Dorian as he recklessly pursues pleasure and vice, leaving destruction in his wake. Thrilling drama, daring movement and music combine to bring this visceral new production to life. KCS Theatre Co have established themselves as an Edinburgh Fringe favourite with their unique brand of fearless theatrical storytelling and sparkling talent. ‘Theatre at its most effective’ (BritishTheatreGuide.info).This event will be joining our digital programme soon. Advance bookings for digital viewing are now availablewww.facebook.com/KCSTheatreCowww.instagram.com/kcstheatreco/
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Nominated for IATCHK Performer of the Year and HK Theatre Libre Outstanding Lead Actress. Annie masterfully blends tragedy and comedy in Dots, a critically-acclaimed solo performance that lays bare the struggles of a high-achieving, yet insecure mind. Bold, moving and darkly humorous, it delves into high-functioning depression, the psychology of insecure overachievers and the relentless battle against inadequacy and hopelessness. 'This dark, autobiographical piece of theatre is brutally honest, extremely relatable and full of humour' **** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk). 'Beautiful, raw and real. Taps into universal human feelings and experiences whilst being courageously personal' (StageDoorApp.com).
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Award-winning fiddle/guitar duo, described as 'utterly enchanting' by Songlines magazine. Their folky approach to composition weaves in influences from klezmer, jazz, old-time and more. Songs and tunes which both captivate and make you move your feet.
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Juul, anxious and plagued by compulsions, discovers their fetish for choking. Ashamed, but desperate for euphoric relief, Juul retreats into their hole beneath the tree. With Juul hiding away, echoing the dark path of their late father, loneliness and worry creeps up on their mum, Annette. Constricted within the bounds of their arboreal home, Annette and Juul unravel the messy and absurd lengths we go to understand ourselves – and each other. Written and performed by Ilja van Ravels, this is a dark comedy about shame, identity, desire, belonging and the ties that bind us.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
When solicitor Jonathan Harker sets off for Transylvania to sell the mysterious Count Dracula a Gothic mansion, his bride-to-be, Mina, begs him to stay. Now her sister Lucy – newly-engaged to Harker's friend, Dr Seward – is becoming pale and thin. In Seward's lunatic asylum in London, a madman named Renfield babbles about his master who is coming. As a midnight storm rages, a black ship heads towards the English coast... This modern retelling of the Victorian classic explores what drives Dracula’s victims to invite him in and submit to his embrace. Suspenseful, chilling and suffused with dark eroticism.
The Royal Scots Club
The Hepburn Suite
Dragon Song Productions is a specialist early-years theatre company based in Edinburgh. Their shows are a must for new babies, as they integrate an interactive age-appropriate props bag into the 40-minute production along with live music and beautiful tactile puppets. The performers are incredibly experienced working with young audiences, so that everyone feels comfortable and happy. The shows are carefully structured to keep the energy and entertainment moving for adults and children alike. Perfect for the whole family, this is a brilliant introduction into theatre for young audiences.
LifeCare Centre
George Young Hall
Will you draw the nude body in front of you? Or will you draw from the life that has been stitched and stuffed inside the nude body? Experience a contemporary performance life drawing class which isn't skin deep. Art materials will be provided for those who wish to draw, and a performance will be provided for those who wish to spectate. You may even wish to join the nude body and unpick some of your own stitching...
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Come and dream with me. Going through an emotional journey of a dream landscape, the one that we see during the night in our sleep. We are going to encounter spirits, people, places, sounds and move through a myriad of diverse events that leave us questioning about the previous one or gives a clue about the next one. The illogical nature of dreams – or is it that illogical? Is there an underlying emotional logic to all of it? Real life and real dream. Which one is more real? What is real?
Greenside @ George Street
Olive Studio
How do individuals react to the same event? To what extent does your life, your mistakes, your hopes and dreams, affect your perception of reality? And do you need a bath to publish a report? Dreamliner is the attempt at answering these questions and more, brought to you by the minds of the Situationalists. Part-written, part-devised, Dreamliner is a surreal exploration of individual experience and the uselessness of British crisis management. Originally performed at the Act II and Homecoming festivals and at the Edinburgh Fringe 2022. See the play that they’re all dreaming about.www.thesituationalists.comwww.instagram.com/thesituationalists23_3/ Watch TrailerWatch Preview
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
In its 75th anniversary year, we have forgotten why we have the ECHR. A living commemoration of a living law, this beautiful song cycle offers a new way to view the Convention, telling its story through the words of its British artisan, Edinburgh-born David Maxwell Fyfe. It shows how the seeds of ECHR grew in the wasteland of the evidence of the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials. Firmly rooted in humanity, David's personal papers, Sue Casson’s music and archive film blend in this powerful celebration of the Convention's protections. ‘Magnificent work about freedom, democracy, liberty’ (MusicalTalk.co.uk).
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
A powerful combination of film, text, sung and spoken word, exploring the birth of modern human rights, told through the eyes of Nuremberg prosecutor and champion of the ECHR, David Maxwell Fyfe. His words intertwine with Sue Casson’s musical settings of the poets who inspired him on his journey along his stream of natural law. Conceived and performed by members of the next generation of Maxwell Fyfe’s family. ‘Tells a very necessary story of not only an amazing man, but also the hopelessness of man and mankind's hope for the future. Brilliantly performed’ (Derek Awards). ‘Richly layered… celebrates the concept of natural law’ (LouReviews.blog).A companion piece to the staged version of this work, Dreams of Peace and Freedom: The Streams of Natural Law. www.englishcabaret.co.ukwww.facebook.com/EnglishCabaretwww.instagram.com/streamsofnaturallawwww.youtube.com/channel/UCKh0R1gZ6GQ7c_tgs4ebpBgsoundcloud.com/english-cabaret/sets/dreams-of-peace-and-freedomWatch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A powerful combination of film, text, and performance exploring the birth of modern human rights, told through the eyes of Nuremberg prosecutor and champion of the ECHR, David Maxwell Fyfe. His words intertwine with Sue Casson’s musical settings of the poets who inspired him on his journey along his stream of natural law. Conceived and performed by members of the next generation of Maxwell Fyfe’s family. ‘Tells a very necessary story of not only an amazing man, but also the hopelessness of man and mankind's hope for the future. Brilliantly performed’ (Derek Awards). ‘Richly layered… celebrates the concept of natural law’ (LouReviews.blog).A companion piece to the film version of this work, Dreams of Peace and Freedom: The Human’s in the Telling.Available in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.www.englishcabaret.co.ukwww.facebook.com/EnglishCabaretwww.instagram.com/streamsofnaturallawwww.youtube.com/channel/UCKh0R1gZ6GQ7c_tgs4ebpBgsoundcloud.com/english-cabaret/sets/dreams-of-peace-and-freedom Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Former Chelsea FC trainee Alfie Cain delivers a raw and powerful solo performance in Dropped, exposing the brutal reality of football’s unforgiving system. With 99% of young players failing to make it pro, Alfie relives his harrowing journey through rejection, shattered dreams and a world that offers little support once the game moves on. Told with unfiltered honesty and dark humour, this gripping 60-minute play reveals what happens when football is all you know – until it's gone. A must-see for fans and dreamers alike, Dropped is a searing indictment of the football factory that leaves so many behind.
Easter Road Stadium
Behind The Goals
Multi award-winning 'sensational' ***** (Time Out), clown Dru Cripps brings his rapidly selling out ad hoc and critically acclaimed Loopstation based shenanigans to a cargo container. Improvised songs. Spontaneous audience musings, Cripps really has to be seen to be misunderstood. Winner of a British Comedy Guide award, an Offie Award (as apart of Sophie’s Surprise 29th) and comedy competitions up and down the UK, it’s time to get in the container with Cripps. 'Incredible' **** (TheRendition.co.uk). 'Hilarious' **** (BroadwayWorld.com). 'Show stealing' ***** (TheNewCurrent.co.uk).
Hoots @ Potterrow
Wee Container
Hit comedy podcast Drunk Women Solving Crime is back! After sell-out runs in 2019, 2022 and 2023, hosts Hannah George and Taylor Glenn welcome a guest to "solve" a crime over a glass or two, plus invite an audience member to share their own tale for a prize. Past guests include: Katherine Ryan, London Hughes, Rosie Jones and James Acaster. Every show is unique – 10 dates only, book early!
Underbelly Bristo Square
Cowbarn
Step into the world of Dunhuang, where the ancient Silk Road meets the present, and centuries-old murals come alive. Follow A-Lai, a modern-day student, as she uncovers the secrets of Dunhuang's ancient caves and is thrust into a mystical journey alongside Liansheng, a mysterious figure from the past. As they delve deeper into the history of the murals, they are faced with life-altering choices that test the limits of sacrifice and destiny. Blending history, art, and spiritual exploration, Dunhuang offers a visually stunning and emotionally compelling journey that explores what we leave behind for future generations.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Back again after a stellar run in 2024, Durham Dynamics proudly presents their new show Durham Dynamics: A Decade in Harmony – an a cappella showcase of beloved and catchy songs from the vinyl all the way to the TikTok famous variety. If you’re looking for an opportunity to sit back, relax, and get tunes stuck in your head for the rest of the day, this is the show for you. From Billie Eilish to John Lennon, there will be a song for everyone to love – we dare you to resist singing along!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Blistering musicality, razor sharp political satire and spectacular masks collide as a prison band of dictators and traitors takes you on an exhilarating journey from tyranny to enlightenment. Touchy Trump, Polonium Putin, and Kim Jong Elvis join Beldon Haigh to provoke, satirise and entertain in this immersive, multimedia rock opera by acclaimed singer/songwriter Justin Skelton. Epic songs, bold storytelling, audience participation and raucous power ballads fuel this must-see show with raw grip on the zeitgeist. 'Political, angry, thought-provoking, always entertaining…' ***** (MustSeeTheatre.com). 'A rollicking rollercoaster show' ***** (LouderThanWar.com). ***** (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk).
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Grand Hall
Come along to participate in a wine tasting and quiz! The event will include: a welcoming drink, a tasting of 6 wines with the quiz and tasty snacks as an accompaniment. There will be a raffle too...
Eric Liddell Community Hub
Robertson Suite
Winner: Best Drama, Greater Manchester Fringe. Why does misogyny still thrive in 2025? Enough is a bold drama following new police recruit Irie as she battles systemic injustice within the Met. Inspired by real events, it holds a mirror to the institutions meant to protect us, exposing the societal complacency that enables discrimination. Drawing from the Met’s response to the 2021 Sarah Everard vigil, this gripping play challenges power, accountability, and the cost of speaking out. With standing ovation nominations and critical acclaim, Enough is a must-see theatre experience that gives voice to those who refuse to be silenced.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
EULOGY is a surreal, otherworldly journey through a dreamlike, labyrinthine hotel that exists entirely in your mind. How you arrived is a mystery and why you're there remains unclear. Just make sure you read the pamphlet. Performed in complete darkness, this exhilarating ride uses binaural sound and speech recognition technology to deceive the senses and transport audience members through the bowels of this strange hotel. How your dream unfolds is, in part, up to you. EULOGY premiered as part of the London BFI Film Festival 2021 and has toured venues in the UK and Australia.
Summerhall Festival
The Terrace
Latin class: Loved it or hated it? The Hopkins School’s Shoestring Ensemble stages all 27 chapters of this classic Latin textbook’s narration in English! Wolves! Soldiers! A ditch! What becomes of the family Cornelii? Seriously, we’re asking! Told in the Fringe First award-winning Shoestring style, this ensemble of New Haven teens create all the needed scenic elements through colourful and cheeky living tableaux. Suitable for families, lovers of Latin and those who despised this book! www.hopkins.edu has more information about the Shoestring Ensemble at Hopkins School where Latin has been taught since 1660!
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
So good he wants to do it again. The show the mainstream media refuses to review repeats its 2024 dual four-star-reviews show. Meet Milligan! Patricia Highsmith! Ed D Wood Jr. Edith Stillwell and others. With Quentin Crisp as your master of ceremonies. Before being called Neurodiverse, Autistic, having lots of character and just plain being bonkers came Eccentricity. Paul Wady explores his first identity before Neurodivergency/Neurodiversity. Warning: Scouser (Funny). Autistic Elder. Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Neurodiverse review 2023. A book of all the Guerilla Autistics shows is coming out this year.
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
The Alcove
This compelling new music theatre piece, inspired by the Wei-Jin era’s Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, reimagines the legendary final moments of Ji Kang. Before his execution in 263 CE, he played the guqin, a traditional Chinese musical instrument. In Echoes, this zither becomes a spiritual vessel, through which his companions confront grief, freedom and existential meaning. Blending music, drama and physical theatre, the narrative intertwines metaphysical dialogue with poetic defiance, mirroring the struggle of the sages to reconcile idealism with a chaotic world. Performed in Mandarin with English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Experience a captivating evening as Finnish pianist Mianoora Kosonen unveils rarely heard piano works by Finnish composers Jean Sibelius, Leevi Madetoja and Selim Palmgren. This program explores Finland’s rich musical heritage, from Madetoja’s delicate lyricism to Palmgren’s virtuosity and Sibelius’ atmospheric beauty. Kosonen’s expressive interpretations bring these hidden gems to life, offering a journey through a lush forest of Nordic soundscapes.
Stockbridge Church
Church Hall
Echoes of Ghost Lake tells of photographer Ah-Hua and Rukai youth Daru meeting in the Ghost Lake tribe. Initially clashing due to cultural differences, they gradually bond through elder Vuvu's wisdom. The play highlights Rukai rituals, Ghost Lake legends and cultural displays, exploring cultural identity and natural relationships. The music blends Rukai chants, Minnan Nanguan and modern electronic music, contrasting traditional tribes with modern cities. It culminates in a duet of traditional and modern dance, symbolising cultural inclusiveness and modern civilisation's inheritance.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
When Nüwa created humanity, she believed they would live in joy and harmony forever. She mended the sky with five-colored stones, halted the great Catastrophe and ascended – confident her work was complete. But thousands of years later, BOOM! Humanity obliterated itself. Nüwa never returned. Instead, she left her three minions, the Muddy Lolos, to take on the task of rebuilding. Through endless experiments, they tinker with the dimensions of humanity, searching for a version that can truly cherish life. After countless failures, one question remains: does humanity have a future?
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Never underestimate the power of a lesbian in love. Edie is based on the fabulous life of Edith Windsor and her sexy and tumultuous relationship with Thea Spyer. Edie sues the United States of America and convinces the Supreme Court to recognise the love that she and Thea share, changing the very definition of marriage. In her ground-breaking, decades-long journey, Edie struggles with the pain and joy of being herself while proving, once and for all, that love is love. This remarkable one-woman show stars award-winning actor, Jessica Toltzis.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Entirely improvised comedy tales from Edinburgh's untold Victorian past. Join Edinburgh-based improv troupe KinkyFish as they take the audience back in time to Victorian Edinburgh and spin a previously untold tale based entirely on audience suggestion. Against the backdrop of foggy streets and ivory towers, scientific advancement and haphazard medicine; join urchins, lords, apothecaries and publicans as they act out hilarious, untold tales from Edinburgh's forgotten past.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
The world is over: rancid eels reign! Intrepid Fools unleash their freakishly fanciful third Fringe show. A disgraced eel scientist and his hopelessly hungry lab assistant are humanity’s last, least qualified hope. Will they prevent the Eel-pocalypse or pledge allegiance to our new slimy overlords? Will you be on the right slippery side of history? High-stakes absurdity, deep-sea conspiracies, and an alarming amount of eel facts in this eel-ectrifying, surr-eel and frantically fishy farcical comedy. 'Captivate us from start to finish' ***** (DeadlineNews.co.uk). 'Fast-paced, hilarious and utterly charming' **** (The730review.co.uk). 'Lots of action... plenty of laughs throughout' **** (One4Review.co.uk).
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
Princess Effie Jean has made a bargain with Proteus, the Old Man of the Sea and now she’s stuck in Tahiti guarding his jewels. Boring! Even worse, she’s supposed to kill any strangers that land on the island and the first one who shows up is her own brother. So, she and her brother have to find a way to trick Proteus. Along the way, they’re helped by vain Cassiopeia (Queen of the Night Sky), a school of flounder and some good old-fashioned song and dance.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
'If I'm in a lesbian relationship when I'm older, I want you to be the sperm donor' a woman says to her best friend, while drunk at a birthday party in uni. 'Okay, it's a deal', he says. Flash forward ten years and the two friends are making good on their promise. She is in said relationship, and he's just got a girlfriend. Having your best friend be your sperm donor – what could go wrong? A queer rom-com about having a baby in the modern world.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Jersey
18 - 23 AugSelf-love. Self-awareness. Self-sabotage. Two Jewish girls in their 20s are on a mission to achieve feminist perfection, but a series of man-shaped obstacles make their journey almost impossible. Admirable in their attempts, we see two sister-like girls do everything within their power to become the best versions of themselves.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
11 - 16 AugSelf-love. Self-awareness. Self-sabotage. Two Jewish girls in their 20s are on a mission to achieve feminist perfection, but a series of man-shaped obstacles make their journey almost impossible. Admirable in their attempts, we see two sister-like girls do everything within their power to become the best versions of themselves.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Carnaby House is an eight-storey tower block. On the day our story enfolds, the lift is "out of order". The residents of Carnaby house come together to create a community carry to enable octogenarians, Harry and Mabel, to reach their top floor flat. Each resident has their own story which is told through the mesmerizing words of Paul Heaton and The Beautiful South.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
Following last year’s sold-out show, award-winning pianist Matthew Shiel returns to lead you towards musical enlightenment. Japanese anime Spirited Away, Ludovico Einaudi’s contemplative piano pieces and Philip Glass’s soundtrack to the Academy award-winning film The Hours meet Japanese Zen stories, alongside digital animations designed by acclaimed Shanghai artist and Disney illustrator Emma Yitong Shen. Beautiful and life-affirming music is interwoven with Japanese storytelling, inspired by the wisdom and philosophy of Zen Buddhism to create a hypnotic and profound musical experience. 'The audience was indeed spirited away... meditative' ***** (EdinburghGuide.com).
St Vincent's
The Chapel
Embark on a journey through the four natural elements – Air, Water, Fire and Earth – brought to life through the artistry of contemporary dance. Experience the breathtaking beauty and terrifying force of these elements as they are embodied on stage, guided by the celestial energies they represent. From serene breezes to roaring flames, this performance will captivate your senses and leave you in awe. With influences drawn from contemporary, hip-hop and glimpses of folk dance, Elements weaves a story of harmony, power and darkness. A chillingly beautiful artwork, prepare to be compelled as the essence of nature unfolds.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
The wonderful talent of Sarah Omar opens the iconic songbook of arguably the greatest jazz singer of all time, Ella Fitzgerald. Accompanied on piano, Sarah sings many wonderful songs including: My Funny Valentine, Night and Day, and many more. Sarah Omar is a Malaysian-born mezzo-soprano with a passion for classic American jazz music. A scholar of Wells Cathedral School and Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London.
Le Monde
Dirty Martini
Elliot Wengler presents his most personal show, about relationships, night terrors, operations and adventures. He's had one hell of a few years, from the depths of nightmares that broke his relationship to winning medals at his new gym. He's a changed man. Honest. Don't be frightened, let's go. Malcolm Hardee Comic Originality Award nominee in 2024. 'Likeable performer, nice ideas' (BroadwayBaby.com).
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
Elliot Wengler presents his comedic and chaotic history of the monster-hunting franchise with a joke for every Pokémon! Following its smash-hit run at the 2024 Fringe, and having taken the show around the UK and the USA, the Malcolm Hardee Comic Originality Award-nominated 2024 show returns. Will we finally catch 'em all and become Jokémon masters? Full of puns, clowning and chaos, this is not to be missed. For all ages (12 and up advised). 'Likeable performer, nice ideas!' (BroadwayBaby.com). 'Truly funny stories' (Concrete Comedy). 'Enviable performing abilities' (TheTab.com).
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
Elon is on his way to Mars. The man-boy, sci-fi geek blasts off into space, but he’s about to get a call from The White House that will send his universe into a spin. An action-packed, satirical epic that looks inside the scary mind of Elon Musk to find out what’s really going on in there. Starring Ben Whitehead (voice of Wallace in Wallace & Gromit), with Sarah Lawrie as the ship’s computer, and featuring Donald Trump, Patrick Moore and Arthur C Clarke. Directed by Olivier Award nominated John Nicholson (Peepolykus). Written by David Morley.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
The sensational Oliver Harris returns to the Fringe for a 10th year! An hour of pure Elvis classics performed by an award-winning artist. All the great songs from The Wonder of You, to Heartbreak Hotel, Suspicious Minds, Blue Suede Shoes, and many, many more. A rare chance to hear the incredible Oliver Harris.
Frankenstein Pub
Bier Keller
Join Edinburgh poet Ken Cockburn on this walk through the literary sights of the Royal Mile. Ideal for those who like strolling the city to see its historic closes and green spaces, and hearing about its great writers. If you're new to Edinburgh you'll see some of the main sights and if you know the city you’ll experience it afresh through the words of poets down the centuries. 'A privilege… to enjoy the poetry and discover places and features that I didn’t know down the Royal Mile. I would never have explored them on my own' (Audience Review 2024).
Outside Scottish Poetry Library
Meeting Point
An absurdist one-man show which follows a radio host through the apocalypse as he descends into isolation and madness. A high octane, dark comedy on the encroaching sense of dread that is polluting our doom scrolling timelines. Imaginary guests, satire-filled news commentary and a meditation on how we recover after disaster strikes. A cross between Black Mirror, Mock the Week and Tim Key. Winner of Best New Writing at Wandsworth Arts Fringe 2023.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
English Ako finds a fresh way to celebrate the experience of growing up in different cultures – embracing being born in Manila, raised in England. The protagonist Boy goes on a journey to look for his older brother who ran away. While searching, he invites us inside his world: his school detentions, his Hinge dates and his universal credit meetings, all whilst turning the people in his life into Shakespearean characters he’d read about. English Ako shows us that we have more similarities to laugh about and that the things that make us different can also be celebrated.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Welcome to The Restaurant where Chef's final service goes up in flames. While he melts down, he'll prepare actual food and drink – if he can serve you before he's cooked. Cavin is a two-time Emmy award-winning comedian. Credits include Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Bon Appetit Test Kitchen, and Epicurious. He created Late Night Eats, a cooking series featuring Anthony Bourdain, David Chang, Nick Offerman, Alton Brown, Questlove, Giada De Laurentiis and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and has worked with chefs like José Andrés, Ina Garten and Binging with Babish.
Summerhall Festival
Former Womens Locker Room
Eric Barry is a straight man. Well, as straight as you can be as a former gay-for-pay escort. This raunchy and provocative stand-up hour details Barry's time as a poor student paying his way through college while working the seedy underbelly of Craigslist's erotic services. From being stiffed by a client with cerebral palsy to explaining his work to the women in his life, No Homo is a hilarious and edgy stand-up hour that examines gender dynamics, Bible masturbation and taking the cock out of your mouth to shout to the world 'I'm not gay!'
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Upstairs
Eric returns with more fast paced, topical and highly enjoyable parody, poetry and blether. This is my 18th year on the bounce performing with SpaceUK at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It is always a thrill to perform at the city of my birth in August. It's the audience that makes it special. Being so upfront, close and personal with them helps create such an electrifying atmosphere. The very reason that keeps me coming back, year after year. Oh, plus Donald Trump. 'Davidson’s niche is assured' (Chortle.co.uk). 'Superbly entertaining and cleverly structured comedy (FringeReview.co.uk).
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
After celebrating the centenary of Eric's Olympic gold, Grant examines Liddell's extraordinary life and legacy. All monies raised will go to The Eric Liddell Community Care charity and local hub.
Eric Liddell Community Hub
Robertson Suite
A fun, engaging show featuring puppets and bubbles. Our hero, Bubbles, leaves the mundane bubble tub behind to embark on an exciting adventure across the globe! From deserts to volcanoes, the North Pole to the ocean depths, and even the night sky, our hero encounters jaw-dropping bubble tricks and meets a cast of puppet animals along the way. You will see a bubble volcano, a tornado inside a bubble, a jellyfish bubble and a bubble snowman, as we explore the world together. Can you help Bubbles on their first adventure into the big wide world?
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Step into a dark world of dreams with Iphigeneia in Tauris. A land where sacrifice and fate are intertwined. This chillingly romantic tale of exile, deception and escape will ask you to search for hope in the face of doom. In the heart of danger, an exiled priestess torn between duty and family must confront her past. Experience the haunting history, the unbreakable bond of family in separation and the power of destiny. This production will immerse you in the lives of some of Euripides most renowned characters.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Join us for an enchanting evening as vocalists Elsa and Jaz take to the stage in a breath-taking tribute to the legendary Eva Cassidy! Combining their exceptional vocal talents and shared passion for Cassidy's music, this show promises to be a memorable experience. Delight in the exquisite harmonies that will fill the air, as they breathe new life into timeless classics. With each note, Elsa and Jas will transport you into a world of emotion and beauty, showcasing their professional delivery and deep connection to the music. Don’t miss this extraordinary celebration of songs.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
The show was born from the necessity to translate onto the stage human frailty in the face of imposed patterns. It also takes us toward the rediscovery of nature (the deepest human one). Evelyn, the protagonist, finds herself living in an extreme situation, locked inside a cramped space, manipulated and bombarded by a constant and pressing presence of messages and information. She cannot be herself – she is alone and induced, transformed to the point of being comic and funny, but also tragic at times. An ironically dramatic journey through a daily life, punctuated by fake rituals.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
A comic storytelling show, based on the 1924 British Mount Everest expedition. It follows Mallory on the SS California to India, on a train across to Darjeeling, and on ponies across Tibet. In tow is Stanley from the Mad Hatter's town of Stockport, Manchester. All of this is new to Stanley, who has barely been up Helvellyn in the Lake District! Once reaching Mount Everest, they must tackle it with feet, ropes, and possibly some oxygen. Knowing his own limitations, Stanley absolutely does not make a summit attempt, alongside Mallory and Irvine...
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
Do you believe in love at first sight? Oscar doesn't. Alex wants to. Then, they meet at a mutual friend's wedding and time stands still, except Oscar has a girlfriend. When they say goodbye and go back to their lives, Alex and Oscar struggle with the feeling the day left inside them. As time goes on, they begin to wonder if it was all in their heads. Years later, they meet again, and the natural order feels like it has been restored. Has time moved them on, or will they pick up where they left off?
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
Evolution at the Fringe is a celebration of dance, uniting Scotland and Estonia's next generation of talent. Presented by YDance, this international collaboration features the National Youth Dance Company of Scotland (choregraphed by Anna Kenrick and directed by Philippa Clark), ETA Kompanii, and the 2025 Project Y Evolution Company (choregraphed by Dr Mitul Sengupta and Dr Shambik Ghose from Rhythmosaic Dance Company). Experience bold, dynamic performances that push creative boundaries and showcase the power of dance to connect and inspire. Don't miss this vibrant fusion of movement and culture in an unforgettable performance of innovation, energy and global collaboration.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Join us for a tilt-a-whirl trip through the mind and letters of Vincent Van Gogh. A terrible spinning wheel controls the manic, blissful, bitter artist as he frantically relives the constant struggle and turbulence of his life. Disoriented, out of control, reeling from idea to idea, the soul-crushing, chaotic randomness of creation shapes a deep and dark vision of Van Gogh, a man who was so much more than a severed ear.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Extra Ordinary is a comedy show about a man who’s ordinary in every way except for his ideas. One of India’s biggest comedy stars, but he’ll never sell as many tickets as his father – a bus conductor. A first-generation graduate, he hilariously stumbles through language, wokeness, post-colonial confusion and life’s biggest inconsequential debates. With clueless confidence, he takes on questions nobody asked – like whether Unstoppable by Sia is just Indian motivational wisdom or which language truly came first. His thoughts are sometimes revolutionary, sometimes reductive. Come watch a man catch up to modernity, badly.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Pickle Studio
FATAL FLOWER, an ode to the hysterical woman. In this tragicomic musical and over-the-top one-woman show, Valentina explores the boundaries and clichés of the female image in society. With a mix of opera, theatre, musical, cabaret, classical music and comedy, she introduces various hysterical women, including the Queen of the Night, a vengeful bride-to-be, and a strict Russian piano teacher (or is that her mother?), all leading to Valentina herself. Armed with remarkable musicality, humour, social criticism and larger-than-life characters, Fatal Flower keeps the audience on edge, evoking either sympathy or bewilderment – either way, it's a triumph.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Ivy and Jones, two deadbeat, dead-end 20-somethings are looking for a way out. Ivy knows that suicide is the answer but doesn’t want to die alone. Jones is cool with being dead, but doesn’t want to die a virgin. Four going on five tries in and they're still breathing; I guess sometimes the universe has other plans for you. As Ivy’s frustration mounts and their tenuous relationship degrades, a violent solution finally materialises. What follows is a pitch-black comedy about escaping your ugly, rotten, nasty, little life by finding a gun and finally pulling the trigger.
Dovecot Studios
Meeting Room
A mysterious new musical in which three strangers are summoned to a secluded seaside manor on New Year’s Eve by the enigmatic Mr Dellamort, who leads them through an evening of revelations and eerie delights. Exploring themes of unrequited love, mortality and deception, this theatrical gem features an original pop score, live theremin and vintage Foley sound effects. Gothic, quirky, and delightfully unpredictable, it’s a uniquely immersive experience that balances heart, humour, and haunting surprises. 'Will keep you guessing right up to the dramatic conclusion!' **** (NorthWestEnd.com).
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
In False Tongues, Britt Fishel and Artists will share narrative pathways of the women accused of witchcraft globally in the 17th century. The work focuses around the women's peril, while navigating their place as scapegoats within their community. Through dance and performance, we hope to share truth where there are misconceptions, find empathy though lived experiences and examine a cautionary tale of mass hysteria, the dangers of superstition and the consequences of societal paranoia.
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
The legendary magician The Great Baldini tells the story of his and Baldwin the magical dog’s life from their first tricks to the height of their careers: attempting Houdini’s greatest escape. The show is packed with magic, sweets, puppetry, sweets, water, sweets, eggs, sweets and escapology. It’s hilariously silly… with sweets. Come and see two true magical superstars (Baldini and Baldwin) at the very pinnacle of their powers. The Great Baldini is an award-winning member of the Magic Circle and the Bristol Stage Magic Champion. 'Incredible' (Front Row, BBC Radio 4). 'Charming, engaging and charismatic. A pleasure' (FringeReview.co.uk).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
A down-on-his-luck impressionist, desperate for a meaty role that will satisfy his artistic cravings, is hired by a man on the run to swindle his blind, dying mother with the ultimate deception. Then: dates with Myra Hindley, glam rock gods, charity-cheque-sized death certificates, unexpectedly Cajun long-lost sons, street heroin, proctology appointments, Strava, misguided mobsters and a bit of bird-spotting, all held together by one man and his microphone…
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Join us for a feisty, funny, physical take on Roald Dahl's cast-iron classic fable and watch our three foul farmers get their fiendish, foxy comeuppance in intriguing new ways... Twisted Tales return to the Fringe after last year's mischievous take on Rapunzel and their sell-out version of Grimms' Tales (Once Upon A Crime) with another colourful, knockabout take on the well-known tale. A perfect treat for families or just anyone who would like an early, bracing blast of fun in their Fringe adventure!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
The music of Sinatra, Goodman, Ella, Nina, Tony and Nat, Glenn Miller, Andy Williams, Sammy Davis Jnr; plus by request, Stevie Wonder, Lennon and McCartney. Abundant musical nostalgia, fascinating tales, pure joy!
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Kyle is just like any other wannabe stand-up star. Handsome, charming, complex relationship with his dad. He's also made up of dead bodies. Get to know “Frankenstein’s Monster” like you've never been able to before. Face to face with only a mic and some stage lights between you and him. Maybe you're more alike than different, but only time will tell.
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
Come and share our love for the magical, intimate world of French song with Caroline Salmon (soprano) and Anne Evans (piano). Escape to these enchanting and poignant mini soundscapes with us.
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
The St Andrew Camerata returns to the Fringe with these atmospheric, late-night performances of Gabriel Fauré's much-loved Requiem and Cantique de Jean Racine. Taking place in the heart of the city in the beautiful setting of Old Saint Paul’s, the choir will be directed by Robert Dick and accompanied by orchestra. These shows are the perfect way to wind down from a day at the festival and have proven incredibly popular with festival-goers since first appearing in 2006. Book early to avoid disappointment!
Old Saint Paul's Church
Church
Faustine: A Dissertation. A Confession. A Mental Breakdown. Faustine is excited to share her dissertation with you, but all is not what it seems. She’s sold her soul to the devil in exchange for her brilliant thesis. Faustine lied, cheated and murdered to get here, and she won’t go back. This solo musical critique of academia, ambition and class (coming to you from a sold-out NYC run) is equal parts Xiu Xiu and Sondheim, Heathers and Hedda Gabler, pedestrian and academic, and hilarious and horrifying.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Led by Colombian-American Felipe Schrieberg, Feli y Los Malos is a latin-pop quartet blending together funk, boogaloo, blues and Cuban son into something altogether unique playing original Spanish-language songs. The result is a heady cocktail of latin influences held together by slick songwriting. They will be playing five late-night latin dance parties at Edinburgh's best live music venue, The Jazz Bar. 'Excellent! That was so great I bashed myself against the microphone' (Clive Anderson, BBC Loose Ends).
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Before sliced bread, there was the hot dog! Actor, playwright, historian and former Feltman’s hot dog brand owner Michael Quinn brings this true story to life, performing every role in a dynamic one-person show. Travel to 19th-century Coney Island as German immigrant Charles Feltman rises from struggle to revolutionize street food. Quinn, who himself successfully revived the legendary brand before facing his own challenges, weaves a powerful parallel between past and present. Blending humor, heart and history, this must-see performance tells the story of resilience, reinvention and the food that changed the world!
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
Jive along to jazz, party to punk rock, cavort to classics and experience electropop with our cherry-picked musical assortment. A powerhouse of bands and soloists from across the globe. Enjoy the warmth of the world through a hand-picked selection of of bands, singers and instrumentalists, and soak up their sound! Discover new artists from five continents! We’ve got bangers, beats, bass and Brahms! Come enjoy jazz, blues, world music, electronica, pop, classical music and more. See website for listings.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
Playful and poetic, Fields (Extract) draws the audience into a textured landscape of stone, where patterns of dwelling are made and unmade, shaped by land, time and human hands. The performance's episodic narrative offers snapshots of lives lived out amidst stony ground, taking in the enduring labour of ages past, present and perhaps yet to come. Layered with detail and played out to an intermittent sound score, images emerge of agricultural labouring, the toil of turning stony ground, and at the end of the day, the scraping of boots and laying down to rest on pillows of stone.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
The powerful true story of Verity, a teenage girl institutionalised after a mental health crisis and later sent to Broadmoor, where she could only be released with permission from the Home Secretary. This gripping play explores the complexities of mental illness, the struggle for identity, and the devastating impact on both Verity and those around her. Find Me confronts society’s treatment of mental health, exposing the isolation, misunderstanding and failures of the system. A deeply moving and thought-provoking production; a true story that packs a punch.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Do you believe in magic? Bev does, but after the death of her son Jess she thought she’d never find her magic again. This remarkably uplifting true story of personal survival and triumph shows how she survived her grief and found new hope. Beverley uses storytelling, film, clowning and magic to introduce and demonstrate her new reality of unpredictable triggers, clichés and flashbacks. The audience are invited to share the new-found surreal humour she deploys to find peace after bereavement. Equal parts moving and magical, Finding Magic is a captivating story of loss, longing, love, laughter and solace.‘An intensely personal tale of coping with grief... a deeply personal statement and quietly inspirational’ (British Theatre Guide)‘Bishop is a friendly and open performer who also has a gift for close-up magic’ (LouReviews)'Possibly one of the most authentic, inventive and inspiring pieces of new work I have seen in a long time' Natalie Jode, Creative Arts East (UK)Created, Written and Performed by | Beverley BishopAvailable in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.www.beverleybishop.com/finding-magicwww.facebook.com/finding_magic_cic Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Experience a bold theatrical adaptation of one of Japan’s most powerful war novels: Ōoka Shōhei’s classic Fires on the Plain reimagined for the stage. This solo performance brings to life the harrowing journey of a soldier lost in the chaos of World War II. Through multiple roles, one actor explores the depths of war, solitude, and human survival. Explores themes of faith, dignity and humanity through the loneliness, hunger and moral dilemma of the Philippine front. A visceral, intimate take on Ooka’s classic, confronting the darkness of war with haunting clarity.Original text by | Ōoka ShōheiAdapted and directed by | Horikawa HonohPerformed by | Nagai HidekiPhoto | Igaki Photo Studio (use courtesy of Toyooka Theatre Festival, Japan)
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Jon, a lonely fisherman sailing the seas, catches something unexpected… unbeknownst to Jon, this catch will change his life forever. An evocative and beautiful clown-odyssey told by a loveable idiot discovering the true power of love. This critically acclaimed show is brought to you by an award-winning performer. Bevan's accolades include the Fulwell 73/Comedy 50:50 Award and finalist spots in Funny Women and the British Comedy Guide's Talent Awards. 'Unique blend of heartfelt storytelling and surreal humour' (TheReviewsHub.com).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dexter
Due to popular demand, we proudly present our flamenco production designed especially for children. If your child enjoys music or dance, this is a unique chance to explore the vibrant world of Spanish culture and flamenco art. The show introduces rhythms, dance movements, clapping, guitar, singing, castanets, percussion and language expressions in an engaging and educational way. Created and performed by TuFlamenco’s talented artists, the show guarantees an original, dynamic and interactive experience – perfect for all ages. Join us for an unforgettable journey into the passionate world of flamenco. Prepare yourselves for lots of fun! Ole!
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Daniel Martinez launches a new venture: Flamenco Fringe. Each year, Daniel will bring world-class flamenco artists from Spain for a thrilling, authentic flamenco tablao. 2025's edition will feature Daniel himself joined by sensational singers, Inma Montero and Danielo Olivera and world-class dancers, Angel Reyes, Carmen Ureña and Gabriela Pouso. This exceptional ensemble unites on stage for a show-stopping, unmissable celebration of flamenco culture, music and dance. Experience the artistry and beauty of flamenco in its purest form through breath-taking footwork, fiery energy and mesmerising choreography. This gorgeous venue also offers additional tapa and drinks packages to enjoy!
Yotel Edinburgh
Imaginex
Philip Adie presents a spellbinding solo performance, capturing the evocative essence of Andalusian flamenco with his wonderful playing. He passionately seeks life's essence and magic through his playing. Adie, a Seville-based Scotsman clearly steeped in his adopted culture, shares captivating and vivid stories that accompany the music he plays, offering insight into the rich culture and history of flamenco guitar. Adie is a brilliant musician. Don't miss this! 'His musicianship is a love letter to Andalusia. A performance that (within minutes) became one of my all-time favourites of The Fringe' (Rosie Morton). ****½ (ScottishField.co.uk).
Alba Flamenca
Alba Flamenca
TuFlamenco Academy presents an entirely new edition of Flamenco in Scotland, a vibrant celebration of flamenco’s passion and artistry. Directed and choreographed by Inma Montero, this powerful showcase unites international dancers driven by their love for flamenco. With a fresh repertoire, exceptional live music and the authentic Andalusian spirit, the performance promises to captivate both aficionados and newcomers, offering an unforgettable journey into the essence of flamenco.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
An inspired, powerful and elegant piece with Flamenco dance and guitar. Aylin Bayaz’s contemporary flamenco dance combines strength, elegance and beauty. Raul Mannola's music draws on Flamenco, Brazilian music and jazz, giving depth and colour. Bayaz’s dance and Mannola’s music fuse together to produce an unique show of beauty and inspiration.‘Flamencodanza is more than just a show – it’s a breathtaking journey, with its fusion of tradition and contemporary flair… leaving an enduring impression on every fortunate spectator’ (Dancelife.com.au)‘Flamencodanza is hot, and you won’t see anything else like it’ (TheStageRaw.com)‘Mannola is amazing to watch. He does not “play” the guitar, he dominates it’ (TheTVolution.com)'An audience favourite' (Hudson Theatre, Hollywood)‘Pure artistry and emotional tour de force’ (LouReviews.blog)Best Dance and Physical Theatre, Hollywood Fringe 2022Award for Artistic Merit, Hollywood Fringe 2023Choreography and Dance by | Aylin BayazMusic by | Raul Mannolawww.eflamencodanza.comfacebook.com/aylinbayazinstagram.com/aylinbayaz/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Award-winning flamenco dance from an international duo based in Spain. Flamenco, Brazilian music and jazz fuse in this inspirational showcase of strength, elegance and beauty embodied in Aylin Bayaz’s dance and Raul Mannola's guitar music. The shared passion and synergy of this five-year collaboration produces a unique experience of beauty and inspiration. ‘Flamencodanza is more than just a show – it’s a breathtaking journey, with its fusion of tradition and contemporary flair… leaving an enduring impression on every fortunate spectator’ (Dancelife.com.au). ‘Flamencodanza is hot, and you won’t see anything else like it’ (TheStageRaw.com). ‘Manola is amazing to watch’ (TheTVolution.com).
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
After selling out last year, Transatlantic Ensemble return to The Queen's Hall by popular demand. Performing the iconic Rumours album in its entirety, plus loads of other Fleetwood Mac classics, experience one of the greatest albums of all time, lovingly and accurately recreated live, by this stunning ensemble of gifted young musicians. There’s something so evocative about the Rumours album... something that strikes a chord with every music fan. It has sound-tracked the lives of multiple generations. Ask anyone who has seen this phenomenal band, these shows are now an annual Edinburgh tradition.
The Queen's Hall
Auditorium
Flick is a nurse, Mark has cancer, the kind you can't come back from. He's also dangerously attractive. When Mark asks Flick for a favour it doesn't take long for boundaries to blur and lives to intersect. From award-winning writer/performer, Madelaine Nunn, Flick is a darkly funny thriller about life, death, and really bad decisions. Shortlisted for the 2022 Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award. 'Brilliantly written, with a humanly comedic through-line' ***** (WhatsTheShow.com.au). 'Nunn is outstanding' ***** (StageWhispers.com.au). 'One of the best single actor shows... her comic timing is impeccable' (TheatreTravels.org). **** (List). Director, Emily O'Brien-Brown. Sound Design, Christian Biko.
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
In the eerie confines of an airport terminal, five strangers become ensnared in the grip of a violent storm, severing all connections to the outside world. While the tempest rages, reality is distorted within the terminal as the passengers begin unwittingly to repeat their actions and words with eerie precision. Only Lucy, a psychologically troubled woman, seems to notice the time-loop pulling at the other passengers like marionettes. Unsure of whether or not this phenomenon is a product of her own fractured brain’s design, Lucy must face the demons of her past if she ever hopes to escape.
Laughing Horse @ Freddy's
Band Room
'Best of the Festival and Fringe: Riveting Highland tales fresh from the Gaelic' (Independent). Presented by James MacDonald Reid in the traditional manner, with Gaelic songs and antique Highland bagpipes. James MacDonald Reid 'is a hugely accomplished teller of tales, quietly humourous and learnedly respectful of his craft. This is a rare Fringe opportunity to plug into ancient currents and it should be grabbed at by anyone who sees the arts as more than just a series of transient events' (Scotsman).
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Comedy! Music! Fractured classics! Drama! And more! Do you like to be surprised? Is variety what you crave? We have just the ticket for you. The Flying Solo! Follies features short excerpts and vignettes performed by Fringe artists and companies from across the States showcasing new work, current Fringe shows and maybe even gems from their repertoire. Be adventurous and join us for 60 minutes of fun, laughter, tears and amazement. Two performances only; completely different line-up of performers for each show.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Join Raymond Mearns and his Fool On Comedy Crew for a brilliant hour of original sketches and stand-up comedy. FoolOn.co.uk is a charity based in Lanarkshire whose mission is to improve the mental health and wellbeing of people through artistic engagement. The Fool On Comedy Crew is a group of people who have been coming along to Raymond's comedy workshops for the past 18 months and this is the result of all their hard work. All profits go directly to FoolOn.co.uk, so come along, watch a great show and do your bit for charity as well.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
A multitalented, multilingual singer, actor and stand-up comedian you might recognise from the Fantastic Beasts movie franchise, brings her solo stand-up show to the Fringe! Calling herself The Foot Putter because of her graceful ability to often say things that others might find a bit unusual (at the very least!), permanent outsider Maja Bloom will delight you with her energy, her jokes, some useful tips for other 'foot-putters' and frank social observations of an immigrant Brit that is just never British enough…
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Footloose is back! Enjoy this fantastic show and cast as they blast their way through this great musical. Ren ends up in this small town from Chicago and meets problems everywhere including a dance ban! It's about listening to younger people and helping them through their problems with great music and choreography. This dynamic show is brought to life by the talented cast. If you want a great afternoon out, then book this quickly.
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Lower Hall
11 - 16 AugMake sure you bring an offering for the shopkeeper – he plans to barter his way out of this place by any means. It matters not who visits him, or what he stands to lose. A picture, a memory, a hand. All looks like good currency to me, anything to fuel trade, to keep the business going. Meet the cast of strange characters that spend their days and nights browsing this dreamscape of a market in Will Oliver's newest, strangest one-person horror comedy, constructed almost entirely from found objects. Songs, stories, dismemberment: there's something for everybody here.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
18 - 19 AugMake sure you bring an offering for the shopkeeper – he plans to barter his way out of this place by any means. It matters not who visits him, or what he stands to lose. A picture, a memory, a hand. All looks like good currency to me, anything to fuel trade, to keep the business going. Meet the cast of strange characters that spend their days and nights browsing this dreamscape of a market in Will Oliver's newest, strangest one-person horror comedy, constructed almost entirely from found objects. Songs, stories, dismemberment: there's something for everybody here.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Through everything, through their speech, their body, the lights, the barn, the staging and memories of before they were born, Cray tries to express what they mean. Out of fear of anything new and indulgence in the safety of their own anxiety, they have confined themselves to a barn, the people they allow to come and leave only a part of their attempt to describe this experience. They have caved themselves in as they refuse to answer the question of whether they want to start healing, all the while struggling to contend with what they cannot articulate.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Could you go on a reality dating show? Could you and your useless friends convince the producers that you’re actually cool and marketable? Could you be honest with yourself about how much you want the attention? What if it was all For the Plot? This is the true story of two friends who fell in love in front of the nation. But their televised romance is just as real as Romeo and Juliet's – it’s entirely fictional. Can they keep a handle on the lie or will reality slip from their grasp?
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
Orange is the New Black’s Julie Lake and songwriter Annie Macleod join forces in Forget-Me-Not, a true story of motherhood, lost love and hauntings set to original music and heart-exploding harmonies. Two estranged childhood best friends reconnect in midlife – both mothers, stifled by traditional roles and longing for more creative freedom, adventure, sexual liberation and a deeper sense of self. Through storytelling and song, they rediscover the power of their bond, finding the healing and freedom they’ve been searching for all along. A moving, magical celebration of motherhood, creativity, resilience and the transformative power of female friendship.
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
Two young people fall for each other with a strange sense of déjà vu in a story of love, loss and intimacy. Exploring the beautiful power of imagination, Isla Hall's poignant new play challenges perceptions of love and relationships and examines the fragile and complex nature of human connection. Forget-Me-Nots was originally written for the National Theatre's New Views competition and premieres at the Fringe 2025.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Formosa Viva Dance Theater narrates Taiwan's 500-year history, spotlighting key historical events through 12 selected musical pieces. From indigenous cultures to Dutch, Ming, Qing and Japanese influences and the Republic of China's governance post-1949, it highlights the transition from martial law to democracy. The performance emphasises recent advances in gender equality and cultural diversity. This dynamic presentation vividly brings to life Taiwan's rich cultural evolution for the audience, showcasing its significant milestones and transformations over the centuries.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
When Pestilence accidentally kills Death, the whole world stops. The people of Earth become immortal, and it is up to the remaining three horsemen to track down a replacement Death. They think they have found one when they discover the last person on Death's list, but training a new Death is more difficult than it sounds.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
An unmissable journey through history, where science, superstition and myth collide. From 19th-century Parisian hysteria to the Radium Girls of the 1920s and the sedative ads of the 1950s, Hannah Rose Platt illuminates the shocking fight for women’s bodily autonomy. With gripping stories like Anne Greene’s miraculous survival of execution and the trailblazing Edinburgh Seven – performed at the Surgeons' Hall where these women made history – Platt exposes the ongoing battle for women’s health and equality. This powerful show uncovers the enduring gender health gap and celebrates the unyielding spirit of women throughout the ages.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
This contemporary dance-theatre piece delves into the emotional tension between the yearning for connection and the fear of intimacy in human relationships. Drawing from psychological theories and personal experiences, it explores the ways in which attachment shapes our behaviours and emotional responses blending movement, psychology, and visual storytelling. Fragmented in structure, each section of the piece portrays different emotional moments, conveying the subtle shifts between desire, rejection, fear and longing. This delicate balance between connection and separation creates a rich narrative that invites the audience to reflect on their own experiences with attachment, vulnerability and emotional complexity.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Brand new play about the rare neurological illness narcolepsy from a true-life perspective. A coming-of-age story to transform your world and prove just how much fight is required to beat the fatigue. Created by newly formed theatre company Crak'd Mirror Productions, a group of recent graduates from London who believe that theatre in its rawest form is the most compelling and rewarding. Who want to not only entertain but to decentre and connect people through the power of dialogue, movement and collaboration. Written by and starring Kerri Chester.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Step into the joyful and absurd world of Francisco de Nata – A giraffe. In a G-string. With a job to do. In this non-verbal clown show featuring audience interaction, puppetry and yes, a very special Portuguese custard tart, Francisco invites you on a playful journey where nonsense, vulnerability and wonder take centre stage. Tasked with painting a ceiling, his world soon unravels into beautiful chaos, but as the clock ticks and the paint dries, a tender and ridiculous story unfolds about this giraffe's love for his Avó (grandma). Will it come together before time runs out?
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
As the world teeters on the brink of global annihilation, who better to restore a new world order than the ultimate swinging dictator himself? Frank Sanazi storms back into Edinburgh to deliver his signature mix of darkly hilarious tunes and extreme comedy. Joined by his right-hand man Dean Stalin and a special guest despot, expect reimagined classics, razor-sharp wit and a night of laughter in the face of a global meltdown. Sinatra meets satire, dictatorship meets decadence – are you ready to heil with laughter?
Le Monde
Shanghai
Celebrate the songs and stories of Frank Sinatra with award-winning international piano cabaret entertainer Antony (Dr H) Hubmayer. The show features all his classic hit songs spanning over 50 years of recording and includes plenty of singalongs, laughs and colourful background stories retold and sung 'our way'.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
What if the story didn’t have to end? Just imagine what would have happened if the Doctor and his creation had lived… Frankenstein: Afterglow is a neon-gothic battle of self-determination between man and monster. We might get to choose how our lives are lived, but what about how they end? An original take on a familiar theme which elaborates on Mary Shelley’s famous novel, this is quite literally a matter of life and death. Think you know how the story ends? Think again.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
From Leith to Las Vegas, Frankie Mack’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Inspired by legends like Dean Martin, Elvis, Freddie Starr and Robbie Williams, his high-energy show blends swing, rock'n'roll and modern classics to make every audience member feel part of the experience. More than just a performance, this is a night of powerful vocals, laughter and pure entertainment. A previous sell-out sensation – this is your chance to witness the next stage. Don’t miss it!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
From Leith to Las Vegas, Frankie Mack’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Inspired by legends like Dean Martin, Elvis, Freddie Starr and Robbie Williams, his high-energy show blends swing, rock'n'roll and modern classics to make every audience member feel part of the experience. More than just a performance, this is a night of powerful vocals, laughter and pure entertainment. A previous sell-out sensation – this is your chance to witness the next stage. Don’t miss it!
Easter Road Stadium
Behind The Goals
Join us for our genuinely free, small group walking tours of Edinburgh's historic Old Town and enjoy stories of the many colourful characters who lived here. Since Edinburgh's first festival in 1947, our trained local guides, all volunteers who love their city, have shared their knowledge with visitors from all over the world. Our tours leave from the City Chambers Courtyard on the High Street at 10.30am and 2pm, lasting about 90 minutes. Step with us into Scotland's rich history. Tripadvisor awarded us the Travellers' Choice award in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Edinburgh City Chambers (Meeting Point)
Courtyard
Produced by Dance Base, Fringe Fragments is a new pitching platform showcasing dance talent from around the world. Designed as a public event and industry showcase, audiences can see excerpts from tour-ready performances by international and UK artists. As well as enjoying a jam-packed hour of new choreography and there will also be an opportunity to hear from and get to know the artists. Fringe Fragments brings different dance perspectives together in one event, where you can see fresh insights into new international dance. The place to be for industry professionals and dance fans. See you there!
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
After 3.5 billion years, Dr David Jones has evolved –– research biologist by day, stand-up comedian by night. He’s set himself the gargantuan challenge of telling the complete story of life on Earth. In one hour. Can he squeeze the origins of life, the evolution of millions of species, the extinction of millions more, and Homo sapiens’ rise to dominance, into a 60-minute show? Probably not. But it’s still very funny. Warning: Contains scenes of death, genetic drift and existential dread.
Dovecot Studios
South Gallery Annexe
Frozen Love: A Buckingham Nicks Story, is the true story of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham’s rocky road to joining Fleetwood Mac. The creators of the piece, Georgie Banks and Jake Byrom, intertwine songs from Stevie and Lindsey’s scarcely-known debut duo album Buckingham Nicks and also show how some of the world’s favourite Fleetwood Mac songs came about. Their relationship during their time with Fleetwood Mac is infamous, but before that performance of Silver Springs, at the heart of it, they were madly in love and would do whatever it took for the music.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
When May and Bea experience writer's block for an upcoming poetry competition, they decide to use personal information about their flatmates as inspiration. What ensues is a messy confrontation within the flat, causing the girls to reckon with their own fears about the future, missing out on their youth and past mistakes. Set during the lockdown, Fruitcake is a tender and comedic exploration of how the pandemic affected young people and their relationships. With a mixture of poetry, dance, conversation and improvisation – Fruitcake is a messy and vibrant homage to the intimacy, strength and hilarity of close friendships.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
You’d boater believe it because Full Score are bringing barbershop back to the Edinburgh Fringe for a 5th year following last year’s five-star rated, sold-out show! You’d Boater Believe It! promises to be an afternoon of classy quartets and outstanding full chorus numbers. Packed full of musical theatre, jazz, pop and Disney like you’ve never heard them before, there is bound to be something for everybody. Look out for their boaters and braces because you don’t want to miss this one-of-a-kind show!
theSpaceTriplex
Big
Berlin Open Theatre presents Fun at Parties: an electrifying new play set in the underbelly of Berlin’s legendary club scene. While local partygoers seek hedonism, freedom, and true euphoria, organisers must battle to keep the dream alive for future generations. With a diverse, Berlin-based cast, Fun at Parties is a must-see for party lovers, culture seekers, and anyone who’s ever longed to dance till dawn in one of the world’s most vibrant cities.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Returning to the Fringe by popular demand! See Edinburgh on two wheels. Escape the crowds and join us on a family-friendly cycle tour to see Edinburgh beyond the tourist trail! Bikes, helmets and qualified guide included. We have a vast network of cycle paths in this beautiful city and our tours are mostly all off-road. Did you know we even have a beach? Come ride with us for an ice cream on the beach or even a dip in the North Sea! Discover Edinburgh beyond The Royal Mile!
Bridgend Farmhouse
Meeting Point
After death, your soul will be…? In the past, the Japanese imagined the soul was like a fireball floating in the air. Now, they don’t believe it anymore because they know it is superstition. In 1,000 years, can we still believe something invisible in the world of full of information and plastic garbage? From award-winning Butoh dancer and choreographer Emiko Agatsuma. Agaxart produces innovative Butoh performances based on Emiko’s Butoh method and aesthetics, examining the interaction between body, mind and soul. Agaxart creates Butoh performances to deliver the diversity of the physical expression that is connected to the unconsciousness.agaxart.wixsite.com/agartwww.facebook.com/agao00owww.instagram.com/emiko.agatsumawww.youtube.com/channel/UCSXxrjd0qLNtUMmD5VoOTtAa Watch TrailerWatch Preview
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A mysterious investigation of the great American writer, inspired by his scandalous life and the Black and White ball he hosted at the Plaza Hotel. A provocative journey through success, sabotage, addiction and true crime, from Garden City to New York. This adaptation, with original music, plunges the audience into a dangerous conflict where art and life are intertwined. Social hypocrisy, class power, gossip and murder are the guests of honour at a garden party worthy of Truman Capote. A new work by Kulturscio’k International Live Art Collective.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Gavin Lilley, the well-established deaf comedian, will be returning to bring you a new set of hilarious stories! Drawing on his experiences as a sign language user, traveller and weary father of three – his cringing moments of embarrassment and experiences during his encounters throughout his eventful life will make you chortle. Gavin has performed all over the UK and Europe, bringing laughter to deaf and hearing alike. Looking at the world today, it’s an opportunity to get a hilariously unique perspective of our diverse cultures (and the habits we’d rather keep to ourselves).
Deaf Action
Blackwood Bar
Princess Gayatri seeks to preserve her father’s legacy and the survival of her people. Can she attain her dreams? Epic new opera, the first in a three-part series from Mhyajo, based on Mpu Prapanca’s 13th century Javanese manuscript Nagarakertagama, with music composed by Franki Raden, a professor in ethnomusicology, and co-directed by Bona Palma.‘Fascinating and brilliantly scripted’ **** (TheatreAndArtReviews.wordpress.com)‘A brave and deeply ambitious spectacle’ **** (LouReviews.blog)‘Its combination of contemporary and traditional, of history, music and movement, is unexpectedly compelling’ (SeeingDance.com).‘A stunning story and artform… am now desperate to see more!’ (TheArtsBusiness.com)Highly Commended for Outstanding Production, Asian Arts Awards, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024OnComm finalist, 2022Highly Commended, Asian Arts Awards, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021Written and produced by | MhyajoDirected by | mhyajo and bona palmaMusic by | Franki RadenSopranos | Christine TambunanTraditional Singer | Satya CiptaMale Narrator | Rendra Bagus PamungkasExecutive Producer | Alexander TriyonoLine producer | Patar Pribadi and IGN Wira Satyadharmawww.7evenotes.comwww.mhyajo.comwww.facebook.com/gytr.artwww.instagram.com/gytr.art/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Fast-paced, racy and full of youthful zest, this high-energy musical addresses the disillusionment of the disenfranchised Z and A Generations with comedy, dance and song. Satirically depicting how they view their over-reliance on technology, influencers, career aspirations, social media and non-traditional learning, Gen Z.A! offers a no-holds-barred take on racial and social injustice, sexuality, feeling marginalised and being unemployed in a world overshadowed by economic injustice. With humour, pathos, love and anger, it's interactive, and (like the issues) in your face! Entertainment with a capital E! Not to be missed.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
New national tour for star of Have I Got News For You, Is University Really Worth It?, The Last Leg, Would I Lie to You?, Live At The Apollo, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Backstage With Katherine Ryan, The News Quiz, Geoff Norcott's Working Men's Club and many more! This will be Geoff's first UK tour under a Labour government, so he's got plenty to get off his chest. Not least because there's nothing quite so British as being promised a brave new dawn then realising it's as crap.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
Self-proclaimed hedonist and queer performance legend Katy Baird has spent the last decade documenting her pursuit of pleasure and figuring out what to do with her time and the time she has left. Through trademark humour and an existential haze of last night’s pounding techno, intimate home videos and sessions with life coach Stephen, Get Off offers a raw and uncensored look at our need for distraction. In a world obsessed with purpose and progress, this intimate late-night show explores the depths of our desires and what really gets us off.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Get thee to a… nursery? In this original comedy, a gang of four-year-olds are cursed by the spirit of Shakespeare for shredding his beloved Folio. Formerly inarticulate and screen addicted, the feral children awaken to find themselves fluent in the Bard’s language and conceiving character thoughts not their own. As the nursery politics magically weave through various Shakespearean subplots, the children bicker, fight and age through the Bard’s world and words. Debuting to rave reviews at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, this imaginarium returns in 2025 performed by young adults channeling their inner infant.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
The flickering flames wake spectral shadows of the past. Is the mind playing tricks or do these shapes come with a sinister purpose? It’s almost the witching hour, dare to come into the candlelight. The late-night sensation that revived a time-honoured tradition, according to the New York Times. ArtsGroupie blends classic frights for modern nights. Following three years of sold-out performances in the North West of England, don’t miss this spine chilling spectacle.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
For fans of Rocky Horror, Beetlejuice, and Ghosts, Ghosted! is a hauntingly hilarious new musical! Struggling with accepting the death of his best friend Mia, Henry attends a paranormal support group with the hopes that he can communicate with her ghost, and maybe bring her back... but a mischievous, poetry-loving Spirit already haunts him. Along with Lydia, an amateur exorcist, the quad embarks on a journey of grief, the supernatural, and some much-needed musical therapy (because the real kind is expensive). Who says we ever truly leave the place we call home?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Welcome to comedian Bailey Swilley's ghost tour, complete with tales of haunted tampons, magical spells and life lessons on family expectations, grief and growing up. Gimme a Sign! is a storytelling comedy, based on a family tragedy and the strange but funny antics that ensued after. Join Bailey as she reflects on the stages of grief and her endless search for signs from the universe!
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
Newly-crowned First Queen of the Majapahit Kingdom, Princess Gitarja must ensure the growth and safety of her people and find freedom from her powerful mother Gayatri. This brand new Javanese traditional historical narrated opera, the second in a series of three pieces, is conceived by Indonesian artist Mhyajo, and adapted from Mpu Prapanca’s manuscript Nagarakertagama. UNESCO designated the manuscript as the Memory of the World. This epic piece features music composed by Franki Raden, a professor in ethnomusicology.Highly Commended for Outstanding Production, Asian Arts Awards, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024The trilogy’s first episode, Gayatri, was Highly Commended in the Asian Arts Awards 2024 and 2021, and was a 2022 OnComm FinalistWritten, directed and produced by | MhyajoMusic by | Franki RadenTraditional Singers and Sopranos | Satya Cipta and BethuLighting Designer | Iwan HutapeaCostume Designer | Kleting TItis WigatiTechnical Manager | Risdo SinagaArtistic Manager | KarissaArtist supports | creative tech, motion beastExecutive Producer | Alexander TriyonoLine Producer | IGN Wira Satyadharma and Patar Pribadiwww.7evenotes.comwww.mhyajo.comwww.facebook.com/gytr.artwww.instagram.com/gytr.art/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
In 200 AD, Emperor Septimius Severus decreed that women could no longer compete in the Gladiator Games. What happens when an empire mandates how women use their bodies? Gladiatrix brings this untold story to life through passionate vocals and gripping stage combat. Inspired by true events, this electrifying production explores the strength, sacrifice and resilience of the women left behind. Her story, lost in history.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
There is a desert and there is a map, and there is a veterinarian and a dog. There is a diary and an obituary, and there is somebody else out there. An absurdist mapping of legacy, sunshine and fervent hope. From Irish company AIMSIR, this is a piece about the end of something. We’re going to teach you a dead language. We’re going to send you down a famine road. It’s all going to turn out fine.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Gabe is a perfectly average teenager, with perfectly average problems... except he is best friends with God and the Devil. Gabe will have to manage adolescence with two omnipotent beings in tow. Revelations will be made, loyalties will be tested, and the greatest reveal may not be world-shaking, but reveals more about Gabe himself. GCSE stress? If only!
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
A train grinds to a halt after a suicide. With the temperature rising, a neurotic professor on her way to an environmental protest and a nihilistic nomad wasting his days on this train spiral into a heated battle over our existence. Is it a joke, a tragedy, or just going nowhere? Inspired by the works of Anton Chekhov, Going explores the individual’s role in the environmental emergency. Born from the same frustrations experienced by four individuals from four countries, this one-act play explores themes of purpose, responsibility, and sacrifice. With the planet on fire, how do we keep going?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Two native singer-songwriters return to the Fringe with their five-star, sell-out show featuring original and traditional songs of Edinburgh and Scotland. 'This charismatic pair can easily hold a spotlight' (Prague Fringe, 2019). ‘Quality voice!’ (Edinburgh Evening News). ‘Rock-solid quality song writing’ (Andy Lang). 'Nicholson's songs are funny, often with a political edge or element of social commentary' (ThreeWeeks). 'Gore is a knock-out – his songs balance beauty with fierce rallying cries of social justice' (Fest).
The Royal Oak
Lounge
'I knew this place would ruin my life, I just didn’t see it happening like this.' When a law firm is rocked by a sexual misconduct scandal, the office’s most coveted personal injury case is up for grabs. A decision made in the "spirit of equality" pits Jeanie, Zara, and Summer, three qualified women attorneys, against each other, causing them to plot, scheme and strategise about how to triumph over the others. Can they look past their insecurities and work towards progress? A fast-paced drama about office politics and women who think they hate other women.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
The story is about a daily routine, the ritual of a lady. Everything happens after she wakes up in the morning: she makes herself a cup of coffee and looks down the street from her room, soaking herself in the chill and easy vibes before she starts dressing, doing her makeup and sharing a little, intimate moment with herself. This is the preparation and self-soothing she performs before heading out to face real life.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
After the death of a commune's spiritual leader, its people must gather to crown a successor. Presented in collaboration with students from Loyola Marymount University and UCLA, this show makes its international debut and invites the audience to join the ensemble as they perform a seance and come face-to-face with the pressure of power and the burdens of grief. Join us for an immersive theatrical seance exploring characters who haunt the narrative and shape the story in profound ways despite being physically absent.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Goodbye Postie follows the story of two lads, Postie and Sparkie, living in Dumfries together. Sick of the small town, Postie decides to fly the nest and Sparkie feels left behind. With reasons to stay and go, together they explore why some people leave and some stay, risking their friendship in the process. This dark comedy by Alexander Artis debuted at the Edinburgh Free Fringe in 2023 to much audience acclaim, described as heartfelt, funny and honest and an inspired bit of writing.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Goodness Me is a one-woman-and-a-Furby dramedy about millennial struggles, unexpected consequences and the crushing weight of responsibility. Celeste is in her early 30s. She is also lonely, broke and utterly lost – but when life starts unravelling in bizarre ways, she’s forced to face her problems head-on. With only Lulu, a snarky yet oddly wise Furby, as her guide, she must navigate heartbreak, identity and the pressure to fix everything. Quirky, heartfelt and deeply relatable, Goodness Me is a hilarious and poignant look at responsibility, resilience and the messy, unpredictable journey of adulthood.
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
Award-winning violinist, vocalist and BBC broadcaster, Seonaid Aitken, and top jazz guitarist Conor Smith present a swingin’ show to celebrate two Jazz icons – French violin master Stéphane Grappelli and First Lady of Song vocalist Ella Fitzgerald.
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
1959, Chicago. Join Sandy and Danny, alongside the Pink Ladies and Burger Palace Boys, as they navigate love, friendship, and identity, plus the all-important hand jive! With classic tunes and unforgettable characters, this iconic musical is full of grit, heart, and authenticity. Grease is the word! Grease is presented through special arrangement with and all authorised performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW). Book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Film songs used by arrangement with Robert Stigwood.
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
1554. The Tower of London. Lady Jane Grey, the 'Nine Days Queen,' awaits execution. The walls whisper the stories of the women who came before – and those yet to come... Battling sleep and the horrors that lurk within it, Jane retraces her short, tumultuous life. Can she reclaim her own legacy? Grey unearths the humanity behind infamous names: who was Bloody Mary? What does it mean to be remembered? A haunting, thought-provoking journey through grief, fear and hope, woven with a modern, emotive soundtrack. 'Do you think people would write about my love story?' – Lady Jane Grey.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
Picture this: you’re seventeen. You’re a twink. You’re the hottest 17-year-old twink that’s ever existed. And then bam! You get it. A Grindr notification. From a blank profile. A 26-year-old man... Oh what the universe has in store... Now, four years, copious amounts of weed, a gender transition and several high doses of psychedelics later, Ryann Lynn Murphy tells a story about a girl who got groomed.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Finlay McGowan, consultant, has woken up tied to a chair. Being unable to leave, his captors, two civil servants, explain his situation. After years of development, HM Government had perfected The System, an electronic, economic Nostradamus, whose word is law and always, always knows the path to economic growth. There’s just one problem, according to The System, for the economy to grow, Finlay has to kill himself. He cannot be made to do it and cannot be coerced. Gross Domestic Product is a dark comedy that asks the question: how much is a human life really worth?
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
Growing Pains is a comic look at the best and worst of the British education system. Tessa isn't built for much... A failed play at the Fringe, a sponging screen-writer for a partner and a bumbling middle-class persona hardly qualifies her as a teacher. But, finding herself with few alternatives, at 25 Tessa is tasked with inspiring the future. Her rag-tag GCSE drama group are more focused on Tessa's demise than their exams, but this year will be a year of learning for all. Mid-twenties angst is real and, with no answers, can Tessa really teach anyone anything?
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
Mina (Comedy Central, STOMP, MTV) returns with her highly acclaimed multimedia show weaving together hilarious and heartfelt stories from her New York upbringing as the daughter of an Italian-American boxing promoter. From wise guys to Muhammad Ali, broken bones and mended Broadway hopes, all the way to present day in Dubai where she pioneered a comedy scene while adjusting to a whole new Arabian world. Combining comedy, 360-degree projections and rhythm she'll make you laugh then cry through a raw and heavy-hitting mixed-cultural lens. This special live recording was filmed in Dubai.Created and Performed by | Mina LiccioneDirected by | Ali Al SayedDramaturgy and Stage Management by | Liz BainsProduced by | Dubomedy ArtsDedication | The show is inspired by and dedicated to Mina's parents, Tony and Patty Liccionelinktr.ee/minaliccione Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Navigating youth is a universal challenge, but with the threat of firearms, American students face their mortality before they stop wearing tutus to school. Fortunately, these kids don’t face this horror alone: meet the guardian angels of America’s youth – dragons. Guns in Dragonland, written, created and performed by Ithaca College students, is a series of vignettes exploring American school society and its overlap with gun culture. Witness as these children and their dragon guardians grapple with the dangers of gun violence with humour, bravery and compassion. 'Surprising and extraordinary' (David Henry Hwang).
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Guru Dudu and the team returns to Edinburgh with our hilarious and engaging tours. Special themes (Queen, Abba, 80s, 90s) listed at www.gurududu.org/fringe. Daily tours of spontaneous flash–mobs through the streets, interpretative dance around local landmarks, group singing and lots of fun interactions with onlookers. Everyone wears headphones (supplied) and can hear the hilarious commentary and dance-mix of uplifting favourites from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s. Accessible for all ages and ability. Come prepared if raining. Tickets available on the door if not sold out. Warning: cheeks may hurt from smiling!
Cockburn Street at corner of Fleshmarket Close
Meeting Point
Guru Dudu and the team returns to Edinburgh with our hilarious and engaging tours. Special themes (Queen, Abba, 80s, 90s) listed at www.gurududu.org/fringe. Daily tours of spontaneous flash–mobs through the streets, interpretative dance around local landmarks, group singing and lots of fun interactions with onlookers. Everyone wears headphones (supplied) and can hear the hilarious commentary and dance-mix of uplifting favourites from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s. Accessible for all ages and ability. Come prepared if raining. Tickets available on the door if not sold out. Warning: cheeks may hurt from smiling!
Outside Appleton Tower, Crichton Street
Meeting Point
The five-star, sell-out cabaret Guys Sing Dolls is coming to the Fringe! BBD Productions have gathered four professional male vocalists from across Scotland to perform some of the most iconic diva anthems of all time from music, movies and musical theatre. Having previewed in 2024 at The Dirty Martini, Guys Sing Dolls is back with more stories, laughter and singing that will get your hands clapping, feet tapping and leave you singing in the streets. ‘For an evening of top-quality vocal entertainment, look no further than BBD Productions’ (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
A triple-bill by three artists. Taking different approaches to navigate conflict, similarity, vulnerability and beauty. Re-Do Re-Do by Blue Ka Wing – How can we create changes in repetitions? Can we find certain routines in a series of change? Does My Body Represent My Whole Self by Justyne Li – A work of exploration and whispered secrets unfolds in delicate collaboration with the choreographer. Beautiful Chaos by Panda Waack – Panda tries to anchor herself in different cultural and social contexts through exploring the beauty of disorder and confusion.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
One of Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular shows – HMS Pinafore is a comedic operetta. On a British naval ship (the HMS Pinafore) the Captain's daughter, Josephine, rejects her betrothal to a Lord, as she has fallen in love with lowly sailor, Ralph. Trapped between social expectation and true love with nowhere to run, chaos ensues on a ship filled with sailors, secrets and hidden agendas. As the truth becomes exposed, will Josephine be able to stay with her true love, or will rank triumph? After all, neither the ocean nor true love's course ever did run smooth.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
I am the voice of the dead, cast upon the dry shores by the sea. The voice of the dead is the ever-present voice that collects and remembers the stories and conditions of life of the unjustly killed and innocent victims of humanity. At a time of humanity’s greatest development, we have commited the most dire crimes of war and live in moral paradox. Ha highlights the ambivalence of attitude, the ignorance of guilt, and the pleasure of comfort. An uninterrupted performance built on the performer’s voice and depth of breath.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
Experience a captivating reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic, blending original musical numbers with dark humour. Devised by a talented ensemble of Hong Kong performers, intertwining the struggles of contemporary Hongkongers with Hamlet's timeless tale. Follow three storylines: Wong Ka Kee, a masters student in 2058; Hamlet, the iconic Danish prince; and Mr Cheung, an everyday man in 2025. Together, they confront the eternal question: to be or not to be? Nominated for the IATC(HK) Critics Awards for Script / Playwright of the Year and Director of the Year, this show invites you on a powerful journey of laughter and sorrow!
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
The BTMR Project presents a captivating music performance inspired by Black women and their hair. Featuring Adra Boo and Blake Madden, this evening of music explores the social, personal and political significance of Black women’s hair. This will be the show's debut at the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, running Aug 5-9 2025 at the prestigious thespace @ Surgeons' Hall (Venue 53). Join Adra Boo and Blake Madden for an unforgettable evening of music, storytelling, and cultural exploration.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Meet Magenta. This 20-something icon is confident, creative and incredibly hairy – particularly on her face. Tonight she's going on a date – perhaps he'll be the love of her life! Or perhaps he'll just stare at her moustache. Either way, its time to pop a pill (birth control), wax ya eyebrows and throw on a primarni dress, because tonight – this hairy bastard is hitting the town! This semi-autobiographical play is based around the writer's experience with hirsutism and PCOS. Full of lots of interactive, challenging and comedic moments – this one woman show is hair-raising!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Tortured by his own conscience, the young prince of Denmark must overcome the betrayal of those closest to him and take revenge for his father's murder. A vibrant young cast of 10 actors presents a stripped-back telling of Shakespeare's profound tragedy, making innovative use of chorus to create Hamlet's world in this high-energy and haunting production. Raiser Theatre returns to the Fringe following their previous sell-out successes of The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth and Love's Labours' Lost.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Fringe First and Total Theatre award-winning Song of the Goat Theatre present an exploration into the origins of Hamlet. With groundbreaking polyphonic vocal technique, this Shakespearian vigil turns pagan ritual, honouring spirits of the dead.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Folk and pop classics, traditional and contemporary gems from Scotland and beyond, plus self-penned songs in a genre-defying show from '…one of the best singers in Scotland…' (Tom Paxton). brucedavies.com
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Two armed robbers have interrupted Billy and Elise’s morning to steal... well, they aren’t sure yet.. Hands Up! is a witty, high-tension comedy with an ever-present looming threat of the Big Boss. An unlikely friendship blooms as two inept robbers hold these housemates/exes at gunpoint for a painfully uncertain amount of time. After all, while the people robbing you await further instructions, why not bond over a weirdly emotional round of Never Have I Ever? Existential realizations unfold as the group endure the most cordial house invasion of the century in Izzy Higgins’ Fringe debut.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Inspired by the film Interstellar (2014), our show time-warps cinema history, intersplicing modern film music with silent cinematography as we travel through cinema history. With live music including Hans Zimmer’s film scores for Batman and The Da Vinci Code; John Williams’ Jurassic Park, Jaws, Star Wars, Harry Potter and Schindler’s List; Ennio Morricone’s Cinema Paradiso and Gabriel’s Oboe and Joe Hisashi’s Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. Includes digital cameos from Hollywood icons Charlie Chaplin and Greta Garbo. 'Enlightening' ***** (EdinburghGuide.com). 'Artistic director Matthew Shiel shone' ****(ThreeWeeks).
St Vincent's
The Chapel
It’s time the bottom of the food chain fought back… with our lasses. Bonnie, Pearl and Frances, three sex workers trapped on the once-thriving Happy Ending Street, dream of escape. With stolen cash in hand and the odds stacked high, breaking free won’t be easy. But their sisterhood is unshakable. Bold, razor-sharp and unapologetically feminist, this dark comedy tackles patriarchy, power and survival in a world that refuses to see them. Written by real women about real women, a rallying cry for those who won’t be silenced. An original play by Jenna Stones produced by DollsnRags Productions.
Leith Arches
Ground Level
After a stunning sell-out run and a host of hot reviews in 2024, Harry Stachini returns with plenty of relatable, honest and hilarious stand-up. Stachini's WIP shines a spotlight on the life changes we all feel. For Stachini, it's been a big year of change from receding hairlines to travelling the world and even becoming housemates with his dad! It's a jam-packed show with tales and jokes that will leave you feeling better than when you arrived. 'His anecdotes are funny as they're outrageous' (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine). 'Modern observational storytelling at its best' (OnTheMic.co.uk).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
The hilarious follow-up to Alan Cochrane's play Ne'er the Twain performed by EPT, the only company to have been at every Edinburgh Festival Fringe ever! It is 1924, one year after Parliament decreed that Edinburgh and Leith should become one town, but old rivalries still fester. An impending marriage between two families – one Leith working class, the other Edinburgh upper middle class – is in jeopardy when an unmarried mother-to-be turns up at the door. The complications are added to by the ghost of a Newhaven Fishwife with a few scores to settle.
Newington Trinity Parish Church
Church Hall
Edinburgh is known as one of the most haunted cities in the world. Listen to its tales and discover a host of terrifying stories of hauntings from the city’s dark past. From the House of Horrors in the West Bow to Greyfriars Kirkyard and the infamous George Mackenzie, the servant boy of Queensberry House, and some of the haunted closes on the Royal Mile. These are just a few of the tales.
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Sanctuary
A solo monologue from aspiring writer/performer Frank Conlan, who has a passion for combining comedy and hard-hitting, thought-provoking drama to audiences. This short takes the audience on a rollercoaster of emotions as drag artiste Miss Fit comes offstage from her local gig, and addresses the audience as she talks about her weeks shenanigans. Slowly transforming into her true self, s/he reveals a scare encountered when 'tucking'… a lump! Will this be something that is taken seriously, or is it that Miss Fit hasn't got the balls? Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A joyous dance, irreverent and innocent at the loss of memories. Featuring internationally renowned Cirque du Soleil clown conceptor Daniel Passer and co-created and directed by award-winning director Beth F Milles, this immersive solo performance of spontaneity investigates losing track of one’s past while discovering and cherishing one’s present. The audience embarks on a surreal journey, finding hilarity, joy and unexpected revelations in the ironies of fading memory. Passer’s beautiful, whimsical performance breathes life into moments that challenge the mind, an unforgettable experience where humour transcends the challenge of forgetting.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Merging concert dance and social dance, high-art and pop cultures, Heat is an ongoing piece that changes with each new performance and venue, offering a poetic journey from calm contemplation to ecstatic party. Choreographer Kari Hoaas, dancers, DJs and designers engage local artistic communities to take part and transform a post-apocalyptic installation into a participatory dance party, creating a unique experience grounded in the communities at each performance location. An environmentally-friendly alternative to the traditional dance company touring model, seeking ways to meet the challenges of more sustainable live international artistic exchange.karihoaas.com/2018/08/18/heat-2018www.facebook.com/karihoaasproductionswww.instagram.com/karihoaassoundcloud.com/niwin_music Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Heather got hit by a car and she’s never, ever going to shut up about it! Infused with honesty, wit, and dark humour, this show is a unique perspective on almost dying. Told by doctors that she would recover well because of her model “positive attitude,” Heather spent nearly a month hospitalized and over a year recovering. Combining stand up with dramatic reenactments and visual aids, Heather weaves an entertaining yarn about getting knocked down but being tough enough to still get up.
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
Join us in celebrating the success of Hebridean Fire, a captivating sell-out show featuring multi-instrumentalists Elsa and Gary as they enchant audiences with the spirit of the Scottish Highlands and islands. This dynamic duo masterfully blend heartfelt ballads, high-energy jigs, reels and traditional Gaelic songs, creating an unforgettable musical experience. Their seamless storytelling transports listeners to the rugged beauty of Scotland, showcasing the rich culture and heritage of the region. With each performance, Elsa and Gary ignite the stage, leaving audiences inspired and craving more. Don't miss your chance to experience this extraordinary celebration of Scottish music.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Halò! Bonjour! Hello! Have you seen the Heebie Jeebies? They are all around you, but you've probably never seen them – until now! Take a journey through the seasons with these tiny creatures and their insect puppet pals and help them save the day, before it's too late! This visual performance, created for children under 6 and their carers, combines multilingual storytelling (Scottish Gaelic, French, English), puppetry and original live music to inspire a deeper connection to nature and to each other, and to raise awareness of environmental issues for young audiences.
French Institute in Scotland
Salle Emilienne Moreau-Evrard
Helen Shapiro Walkin’ Back is based on the early life of UK singer Helen Shapiro. By age 15 in 1961, she had two No 1 singles selling 40,000 records a day. By 16, she had five top ten hits and toured the UK with The Beatles as her support. This premiere has a talented young Scottish cast for award-winning Kingdom Theatre Company with a sold-out Fringe 2024. With original songs plus the hits of the day like You Don’t Know and Walkin’ Back To Happiness, this will whisk you back to the 1960s with authentic music.
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
18 - 23 AugThank god you're here! A dead mime needs help. A highly interactive clown experience for fans of old school point-and-click adventure games. Leo Lion, an NYC actor-director known for interactive and game-based theatre experiences (Metamorphosis, Insomnia, Scandalton!, DICE: A Midsummer Night's Dream) appears as the sole performer in Help Me!!!!, directed by Yev Gelman, who last directed the solo performance piece Justus for WhiteBox NYC’s election night festival End Game.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
01 - 16 AugThank god you're here! A dead mime needs help. A highly interactive clown experience for fans of old school point-and-click adventure games. Leo Lion, an NYC actor-director known for interactive and game-based theatre experiences (Metamorphosis, Insomnia, Scandalton!, DICE: A Midsummer Night's Dream) appears as the sole performer in Help Me!!!!, directed by Yev Gelman, who last directed the solo performance piece Justus for WhiteBox NYC’s election night festival End Game.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Henry has brought up twins (with his wife of course!) and now Henry is bringing his learnt life lessons to the next generation… his grandson. His parenting skills are still valid despite him getting older. His daughter may think differently as she has her own ideas of bringing up his grandson. He won’t be silenced. Listen to his top tips for life, learn how as a sexagenarian he deals with eating out at restaurants, the world of social media, his daughter's pregnancy and his medical procedures.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Here Comes Gudong! Where mystery roars and legends soar! This summer, unleash curiosity in a whirlwind adventure where myths collide and laughter rules! When a thunderous Gudong rattles the jungle, join Explorer Monkey and her quirky crew to crack the code. Is it Jingwei’s ancient cry, Nordic trolls’ burps or clock factories exploding? Dive into a sensory symphony of puppetry and live-camera wizardry, weaving east Asian folklore with western fables. Bursting with heart, humor and hands-on magic, this interactive quest turns families into myth-busters. Don’t just watch... sleuth, solve and soar. Curiosity is calling – Gudong!
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
Not a confession, but a way to let our entrails speak… Punk, heavy metal, movement, poetry and video art create an environment that stimulates the senses. Three women struggling to raise their voices against contemporary repression discover the suffering of their forbears. Exposes taboos and shines a light on the treatment of those dubbed 'witches'. Hexe reclaims the pain of countless scorned and scorched female voices. It breathes life into tortured bodies consumed by fire centuries ago, returning colour to long-dead ashen cheeks… It gives voice to their truths, long ago ignored and demolished by a rigid, patriarchal society. Winner of the Derek Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021.www.conchavidal.netwww.facebook.com/devalicourtwww.instagram.com/conchavidalvalicourt Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
There aren’t as many spectators in life as you think. This powerful interdisciplinary performance, influenced by the dance-theatre style of Pina Bausch, integrates physical expression and symbolic installations to challenge perceptions of social anxiety. Are we really being watched? Or is it all in our heads? This fear can stem from a distorted sense of self, but as Hey Stop!!! shows, there is often a significant gap between perception and reality. Contrasting exaggerated fears with actual social interactions, the piece breaks this misconception and ultimately challenges the fear of “being watched”. A profound reflection on modern social psychology.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Isla Brae is a mother of two young women, Alba and Elspeth, who have come to see their mother for the very last time. Elspeth is more familiar with their mother’s state than Alba, leading to heads butting as they work together to find a way to say goodbye. Hi Mum! is about two daughters who come to a funeral home viewing room to see their mother before her cremation. The show begins when the funeral director leaves the daughters with their mother’s body, surrounded by the audience in an intimate stage setting.
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
For Edinburgh Fringe 2025, Angus Baskerville is back after last year's hugely successful, 5-star reviewed, award-winning debut at theSpace on the Mile. His all-new show Hidden Powers is a fascinating, continuing exploration of the connection between the power of the mind – certainly of Angus’ mind – as well as his own, very personal, story of growing up with (Angus’ words) neurodivergent superpowers. Informative and entertaining, poignant but funny. You will never leave a Baskerville show without having had both your mind blown, and an appreciation of growing up autistic advanced.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
An intriguing, soul-searching masterclass into the personas of jesters, jokers, and clowns, through the lens of the theatrical mask. From Greek trickster gods to Japanese Noh Theatre, commedia dell’arte and opera to slapstick and cartoons, join Professor Rosemary George on a rollercoaster through the joys and sorrows, comedies and tragedies of life, which probes hidden identities in human behaviour.‘The professor’s range and extent of research is clearly apparent’ (EdinburghGuide.com).‘A densely packed piece of work which successfully steers a course between the jagged rocks of academic dryness and the coral reefs of mundanity' (EdinburghGuide.com).‘Brilliantly and eloquently written… Thoughtful… Extraordinarily well-researched’ (Audience Review, Edinburgh Fringe).‘Quite unique… Informative and fun’ (Audience Review, Edinburgh Fringe).‘A truly thoughtful, educational and enjoyable presentation of the deep symbolism in the masks that we as human beings are required to wear. Loved it’ (Crowd Pleasers Audience Review, Melbourne Fringe).'Lively… wide-ranging… George’s extensive research is apparent in the breadth of examples provided… Those with an interest in the history of opera and theatre will enjoy George’s lecture, particularly the innovative linkages she makes between mediums… Charming delivery… Excellent' (TheatreReview.org.nz).This is a masterclass in how we become what we are not, from the 'tears of a clown to the masks of traditional Japanese Noh. It considers the jester as the communicator of the soul... It both touches on many different forms and places where the mask appears.' (Lou Reviews)www.rosemarygeorge.comPart of the C ARTS Brighton Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe digital opogrammes in 2025. Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
East High is back! Troy, the school jock, tries to win and woo Gabriella, as Sharpay and Ryan try to plot their downfall. A fantastic musical which will conjure up memories or create new ones. Fantastic! This hugely talented cast brings back to life East High and the story of Troy and Gabriella. This high energy show with great vocals will get you remembering the iconic songs and routines from the show and have you wanting more. Great family fun and a great show for Fringe 2025. So come along and get your head in the game!
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Grand Hall
Tall Child is an hour on the impossibilities of being alive right now. In this age of insecurity, in a cost-of-living crisis, we're all stuck in the shit so let's wade through it together. Armed with nothing but a little red loop pedal and her ever-growing rage, Holly Spillar is looking for the catharsis only art (made by low-income people, working two bad jobs on minimum wage) can provide. 'Otherworldly... the love child of Kate Bush and Bo Burnham' ***** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk). 'A riveting performer' **** (Chortle.co.uk).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dexter
A new play set in the mixing pot of a writer’s room. With the anniversary of the beloved soap opera Holly Street on the horizon, how will the writing team craft a story worthy of the green light? What happens when given a wacky whiteboard that seems to bring ideas to life? Follow them through a bizarre brainstorming session that leads them into the heat of the action. Will the wayward team of writers combine their two braincells to piece together the beat sheet? Or will their differences prove too much for even the soaps?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
A speed dating event at a church turns queer in more ways than one. One night. One Catholic church. Nine singles who are far from ready to mingle. Watch this religious rom com unfold as the secrets, parish tensions and flaws of sinners, saints and everything in between begins to rise to the surface. There will be comedy, cream buns, queerness and hopefully catharsis from religious trauma. Join our singles at Our Lady of Perpetual Grimace to find out!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
A tragicomic one-woman show about the absurdity of searching for a home today. Miriam, a street artist, waitress and actress, takes the audience through a series of absurd and often hilarious encounters with real estate agents and landlords, highlighting the struggles of a young person trying to navigate an overpriced and increasingly inaccessible housing market. Facing the harsh reality that without a home, there’s no mental stability, Miriam explores the difficulty of growing up and finding a sense of belonging in a seemingly hostile world.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
Ricardo Malerbi and Rudi Solon present a unique kind of game in which every player expects to be deceived and finds joy in it. If you accept the challenge and embrace the deception, you will leave more exhilarated than when you arrived. This show explores the fine line between what is real and what merely appears to be, turning illusion into an act of pure honesty and celebrating the paradox at its core. A decision will feel entirely yours – until you realise it never was. Telepathy, after all, is not about reading minds, but about guiding them.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dairy Room
Glimpsed through the curtain of Hamlet’s story, scrawled in the margins of Shakespeare’s play, adrift and in love, Horatio draws his breath in pain and laughter to tell the story of someone strange, fractured and jangled out of tune – himself. Is it weird to follow your situationship home for Christmas break? How can you keep your flight risk best friend safe when they make you swear a blood oath not to interfere? Can anyone see how much you’re breaking apart when they’ve decided you’re their rock to cling to?
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
A thrilling, witty, superhuman coming-of-age story about the quest to find your place in the world. When a mysterious cosmic event hits, a group of unsuspecting teenagers are suddenly granted superpowers and together they must work out what to do with their newfound abilities. But their new world of endless possibilities soon starts to crumble as trust is shaken, lines are drawn and conflicts erupt. Can they pull together in time to save themselves – and the world? Horizon is a family-friendly fun mix of school banter, superhero fantasy and conspiracy story.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Gen Z, try-hard, pick-me Ebeth gets dumped by the man of her dreams the day before everyone realizes the world is going to end. With the short time she has left to live, Ebeth obsesses over her humiliating past relationships and unhinged personal philosophies. This apocalyptic anti-romcom follows Ebeth on her journey of unintentional self-reflection.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Hot Dog has just been dumped by her girlfriend, Dumpling, and now she must candidly examine what it means to live in a post-Dumpling world. Part love letter, part hate mail, this short confessional wrestles with the difficulties of accepting oneself and living life bravely. Who is responsible for who we are and how we are? How do we discover our authentic self? How do we accept ourselves when we are filled with things we don't understand? Join Hot Dog as she figures out what it means to reconcile with living a life encased.www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participants Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
The problem: Gwen and Charlie are strapped for cash. Their wedding is coming up and they have no way to pay for the honeymoon of their dreams. Not in this economy. The solution: Break into Aunt Robyn’s house and steal the mysterious treasure that she is always bragging about but no one has ever seen. This is how Charlie and Gwen find themselves outside Aunt Robyn’s house holding a rock, wondering if they should throw it through her window and really hoping that she is definitely on holiday.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Last year I snuck into the biggest stadiums across Canada wearing a hidden camera, then redistributed the ticket value to those in each city that could really benefit. As I released these videos on my YouTube channel (Matt Watson Comedy), security started hunting me, resulting in a need for more creative sneaks. When I discovered the concert of the year was coming to Toronto in Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, I was determined to pull off my biggest heist yet...
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Front Room
How To Kill Your Landlord is a fatal comedy of errors focusing on three young housemates... Burke, a former student activist, living from paycheck to paycheck. Harriet, a freelance yoga instructor desperate to corner the yummy mummy market. And Joq, a crypto bro forever on the hunt for his new side hustle. Though seemingly polar opposites, all three are united in their contempt for chauvinistic landlord Archie, who has just decided to evict them! Taking a lead from Crime and Punishment, the trio put dark plans into motion, with hilarious and deadly consequences...
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
Felix Culpa Theatre Company successively produced The Woman He Lived With **** (One4Review.co.uk), and The Bad Daters ***** (TheReviewsHub.com) at the Edinburgh Fringe. This year's Fringe premiere, How to Become a Movie Star? is a joyous comedy about an actress with a unique plan to become a movie star by training to be a schoolteacher. She bases her career on an out-of-print biography, moves to New York, lives in a decrepit hostel in London and attends the strictest drama school ever while working in a pub. Based on a life well lived.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
A sexy, sassy, orgasmic two-woman musical comedy show, made for you! Yes, you! Created by Mimi Meier and Holly Hart, this show features vignettes about the insanity of womanhood through the lens of toxic women’s magazines and mixes relatability, musicality, vulnerability, and above all, humour. With sketches including a history lesson, a steamy infomercial, a beauty pageant, an influencer skincare routine, and five original musical numbers about everything from Twilight to the joys of living with female roommates, this show will make you laugh, cry and get abs in 10 days!
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
My name is Terry Whinnett. I have been a mental health nurse in the NHS for 15 years and this it... Welcome to the end... Join me as I take you through the story of how I lived my childhood dream of becoming a mental health nurse with CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) and why, after 15 years, I’m now ready to try something new. Take a risk, bet on myself. There’s no plan. So if anyone’s got a job going…
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Pickle Studio
In the seemingly peaceful town of Little Heath, the shocking murder of a local boy pulls seven unsuspecting residents into an emergency meeting. The twist? Everyone is a suspect – the teacher, the vicar, the schoolboy, even the doctor. Secrets are about to unravel in Little Heath’s town hall, and nothing is as it seems. Human Nature is a gripping murder mystery full of twists, perfect for cosy crime lovers who enjoy a good whodunit. With descriptions of gore, bullying, and moderate language, this play is intended for audiences 12+.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Fragen Network, acclaimed for producing fun, heartfelt, uncompromising theatre, presents a bold and hilarious new adaptation of Knut Hamsun’s Hunger, reimagined as an experimental, immersive theatrical experience. This innovative production brings a world-renowned novel’s psychological intensity to life, following a struggling writer as he battles starvation, isolation and the self-sabotaging habits of his own mind. Blending comedy, movement, sound and striking visuals, Hunger offers a fresh perspective on one of modern literature’s most haunting works. Thought-provoking, visceral and deeply human, this is a must-see for audiences looking for daring and original theatre.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
In the heart of Louisiana where hurricane parties are a way of life, three high school friends, a decade after graduation, find themselves in their hometown as a hurricane rolls in. What follows is a night of revelry and revelations as they navigate the storm both outside and within. With parts of the performance improvised, each show will present a unique exploration of the characters and their journeys. Get swept away by the humour and heart of this Southern tale of friendship.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Breakin', rap, experimental dance, beatboxing, ballroom community, art and community: all in one event. Featuring a breakin' battle, a member of UK Breakin', beat box and band shows, rap cyphers with Laryn Entertainment and demonstrations of community activity including the workshops from the Welsh Ballroom Community. A climate-friendly jam, filmed in the Rhondda Valleys South Wales, connecting the hip hop and local communities. Made with Welcome to Our Woods, which provided power generated from streams and converted into electricity by a hydro powerstation. The stage was built from wood and new trees planted. Lots of fun.www.avant.cymruwww.facebook.com/AvantCymruwww.instagram.com/avant_cymru Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Meet the ageing Jake ‘Mental’ Hughes, a psychiatric patient who believes he is the real Muhammad Ali. His voice shows anger, rage and sometimes indifference as he introduces us to his interpretation of a mental health system that has subjected him to 25 years of the painful effects of anti-psychotic drug Zuclopenthixol. In the face of government bungling and in the absence of essential support he takes on the world over his right to live life without ‘the Zuc or the needle’!
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Kaitlyn has spent the past two years soaking in the magic of Paris, but her time is running out. In a twist of fate, her grandfather might be the key to extending her stay. As Kaitlyn uncovers an almost-forgotten piece of her family’s history, she learns that borders and identity aren't what she had imagined. Will her newfound heritage provide the answers or is true belonging deeper than native soil? This Offie-nominated show blends fast-paced comedy with gut-wrenching revelations about borders, self-worth and what it means to come from somewhere you’ve never been.
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
'You're fighting for equal rights or some such shit, and that's the problem: I'm still fighting for the right to exist'. Sophie has a choice: surgically remove her one remaining eye containing a tumour, or risk eye cancer. Again. No brainer, right? But her parents have done everything to save this one eye. Can she start valuing herself this time? A semi-autobiographical one-woman show from Jasmine Thien; a fully blind writer, poet and comedian. 'A mesmerising feat of storytelling' ***** (BingeFringe.com). Directed by Max Percy (Baklâ). Produced by The Project People.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
Lily Casson invites you to join her in a world of songs and stories from a century of musical theatre. Sharing her favourites – some familiar, some exciting new discoveries – she takes you on a journey of how they came to be and why she hearts them. Lily has always loved musicals. Growing up in a theatrical family, she has experienced musical magic from both sides of the velvet curtain. As she shines a spotlight on the wonder of escapism, Lily makes musicals the star of the show. ‘Delightful, and beautifully sung cabaret’ (BroadwayBaby.com).
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
Do you ever feel like the worlds conspiring to annoy you? Meet Liv whose anger issues are put to the ultimate test by her nightmare roommate. From the daily struggle of dodging slow walkers to dealing with clueless GP receptionists who keep losing her stool samples, every mundane Monday is a trigger for her rage. In this one-woman comedy show follow Liv as she navigates the hilariously infuriating moments of every day life, turning anger into riotous laughter. Did she ever find inner peace, or did she finally snap? Come and find out.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Inimitable stand-up, brimming with great jokes, from the UK's favourite and funniest Jewish comedian. **** (Scotsman). **** (Mirror). **** (Guardian). ***** (BroadwayBaby.com), ***** (ThreeWeeks). They say Jews are funny, Ivor Dembina proves it!
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
The Alcove
In 2015 Matty Grey, kids comedian, accidentally insulted a child in passing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. What happened next would see the brief interaction go viral and Matty's Fringe turn upside down. On its 10 year anniversary and in the hopes it will be picked up like Baby Reindeer, Matty has decided to tell the story.
Laughing Horse @ West Nic Records
Little Cellar
After being pushed over the edge by the most popular kids at school, four-eyed wallflower Nancy Miller cries to the heavens for help! But it is Satan who hears her cry. The Devil transforms Nancy into a big-haired, foul-mouthed, sex bomb rocker who's hungry for souls, and sweet revenge is on the menu! Who will save Nancy? And will the power of love for who she really is break the spell before its too late?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Acclaimed Edinburgh singer-songwriter Lorna Reid, and band of Scotland's finest jazz and blues musicians perform classic jazz and songs from Lorna's new self-penned album I Will Tell Your Story. Perfect pre-dinner show. A firm favourite at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with full houses last year at The Jazz Bar, the city's only dedicated jazz venue. Influences include: Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Krall and Melody Gardot, and smoothly crosses genres jazz, blues, soul and latin. 'Fabulous repertoire from easy listening to hot vintage swing' (BBC Radio Scotland).
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
A physical theatre comedy about brothers transformed into AI! This play explores humanity's path through human-AI conflicts. Plot: Hyun-jun is surprised to see his brother Ki-jun become AI, but adapts to a life where everything is cared for. However, Hyun-jun begins to question whether a life dependent on AI is good. When Hyun-jun expresses dissatisfaction with Ki-jun's solutions, Ki-jun becomes violent. Feeling threatened, Hyun-jun eliminates Ki-jun (AI) by causing a short circuit. Award-winning Korean theatre: Grand Prize at Gwangju International Peace Theater Festival, Best Acting Award at Changdong Performing Arts Festa.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Lauren, Nat and Chloe are young adults. They are going through big changes in their lives. And they are autistic. Lauren is a uni student who discovers she may be autistic when researching for an essay. Nat has been unlucky in love, until he meets the neurotypical Sophie who is everything he wants in a girl. Chloe is struggling with bullying at school, and the strain on her relationship with her best friend Liv, because of Liv’s sudden rise in popularity. We encounter love, loss, friendships, mental health and more in this new musical.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
Cecelia’s comedic foray into therapy invites you to consider that your way may not be the best way. Revelations abound, like: we all grew up with different rule books and communicating with other humans is like playing a game of telephone. ‘Trust no-one’ is easier said than done, and being in charge is not all it’s cracked up to be. Cecelia learns that being a mother has changed her understanding of everything she believes, loves and trusts, and that she must grow an ultra-thick skin to survive.www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participants Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Violence against women is declared a national emergency, and celebrity politicians with their absurdist policies are at an all-time high. Aspiring leaders Maud and Agnes take to a Saturday night chat show to… ban men. What starts as small, radical ideas escalates into a chaotic spectacle of smeared makeup and drenched mayhem. Blending absurdist flashbacks and sharp dialogue, this satirical comedy offers a provocative commentary on the rise of celebrity politicians. If people can elect Donald Trump, would they trust two women dressed as clowns?
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
A quadruple-bill of four short pieces, Flow and Gravity from calligrapher and choreographer Chiharu Kuronuma, and Coordinated Distance and Part of Empties from juggler Teruki Okamoto. Together they investigate choreography as a part of a research process that unites dance and juggling with perspectives of calligraphy and digital programming. Chiharu Kuronuma has developed a theoretical framework for integrating 2D calligraphy into a 3D bodily expression by employing aspects of the Laban Movement Analysis. Teruki Okamoto has been working on the discovery of the Principle of Motion.io-multimediaperformance.comterukiokamoto.com/iowww.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086313156221www.instagram com/chiharu.kuronuma.59 Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A quadruple-bill of four short pieces, Flow and Trajectories of Transitions from calligrapher and choreographer Chiharu Kuronuma, and Coordinated Distance and Part of Empties from juggler Teruki Okamoto. Together they investigate choreography as a part of a research process that unites dance and juggling with perspectives of calligraphy and digital programming. Chiharu Kuronuma has developed a theoretical framework for integrating 2D calligraphy into a 3D bodily expression by employing aspects of the Laban Movement Analysis. Asian Arts Award winner Teruki Okamoto has been working on the discovery of the Principle of Motion. from calligrapher and choreographer Chiharu Kuronuma, and Coordinated Distance and Part of Empties from juggler Teruki Okamoto. Together they investigate choreography as a part of a research process that unites dance and juggling with perspectives of calligraphy and digital programming. Chiharu Kuronuma has developed a theoretical framework for integrating 2D calligraphy into a 3D bodily expression by employing aspects of the Laban Movement Analysis. Teruki Okamoto has been working on the discovery of the Principle of Motion.io-multimediaperformance.comterukiokamoto.com/iowww.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086313156221www.instagram com/chiharu.kuronuma.59 Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A quadruple-bill of four short pieces, Flow and Trajectories of Transitions from calligrapher and choreographer Chiharu Kuronuma, and Coordinated Distance and A Part of Empties from juggler Teruki Okamoto. Together they investigate choreography as a part of a research process that unites dance and juggling with perspectives of calligraphy and digital programming. Chiharu Kuronuma has developed a theoretical framework for integrating 2D calligraphy into a 3D bodily expression by employing aspects of the Laban Movement Analysis. Asian Arts Award winner Teruki Okamoto has been working on the discovery of the Principle of Motion.io-multimediaperformance.comterukiokamoto.com/iowww.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086313156221www.instagram com/chiharu.kuronuma.59 Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A storm is breaking. IV (4) is a quartet bringing together bodies in movement and stillness, in light and in darkness, to create a series of tableaux that unfold and fracture into moments of blissed out dancing. IV considers cycles, time, divination and decomposition. A system of loose dancing emerging from tight structure; a choreographic machine; a meditative play between instinctive rhythms and clock time. SERAFINE1369 is an artist, dancer and body-focused researcher working with dancing as a philosophical undertaking and political project. Part of the Here & Now showcase.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
11 - 16 AugAt first glance, Iago Speaks appears to follow the events immediately after Shakespeare's Othello. But this meta-theatrical, comedic romp quickly turns, introducing us to Iago’s hapless jailer, always landing in Shakespeare plays, but with no lines. His quest, as he languishes by Iago’s dungeon cell, is to discover the true purpose for his life, and – ultimately – theatre. A classic comedy duo, Iago and his jailer descend into a mad adventure, its ultimate purpose only revealed at the end. The play is boundless, ridiculous and constantly winking at the audience and yet, manages to make us think.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
01 - 09 Aug, 18 - 23 AugAt first glance, Iago Speaks appears to follow the events immediately after Shakespeare's Othello. But this meta-theatrical, comedic romp quickly turns, introducing us to Iago’s hapless jailer, always landing in Shakespeare plays, but with no lines. His quest, as he languishes by Iago’s dungeon cell, is to discover the true purpose for his life, and – ultimately – theatre. A classic comedy duo, Iago and his jailer descend into a mad adventure, its ultimate purpose only revealed at the end. The play is boundless, ridiculous and constantly winking at the audience and yet, manages to make us think.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
If You Don’t Laugh, you’ll cry. So we better start laughing. At least that’s Carl and Buzz’s view as they visit their mate in a coma to update him on all the happenings he is missing. A gender-bent exploration of the humorous tales that arise from two lads living life to the fullest. From run-ins with girls, to getting their cousin Arson Carson off the hook; Carl and Buzz will make sure their mate misses none of it, even if he isn't awake to join in.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
Ignacio Lopez (Live at the Apollo, Have I Got News For You) creates an hour of blisteringly funny stand-up right in front of your very eyes! Mining his unique and hilarious upbringing, as well as suggestions from the audience, Ignacio crafts an intricate story of mystery and suspense from nothing. Expect sarcasm and silliness in this captivating comedic experiment from the Spanish/Welsh humourist. 'Charming, charismatic, hilarious. Will have you leaving with a smile on your face' (DeadlineNews.co.uk). 'A comedic genius at work. Sharp wit mixed with a dose of the ridiculous. A must see' (One4Review.co.uk).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 3
From Caroline’s on Broadway to Mozarthaus in Vienna, Polish pianist Igor Lipinski returns with his one-of-a-kind show of piano and magic at the stunning St Mark’s Unitarian Church. Featuring flutist Anna Chenoweth Lipinski. Directed by Paul Christman. ‘Igor is an original. He thrills you on the piano. He mystifies you with magical illusions. And he keeps you laughing with his impudent, charismatic charm’ (Teller of Penn & Teller).
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Ill Behaviour: an anomaly in the habits of the well and able, an act of de-habituation towards the rhythms that the body sends. Delve into qualia, embodied and disembodied states and experiment with auscultations and the body uncanny. The sonic (ill) body becomes both instrument and archive – of beauty and repulsion, ecstasy and rest, violence and intimacy, pleasure and risk. Amplifying the body's interior transmutes the act of listening inwardly into an act of care and intimacy. Ill Behaviour holds an unanswered question: how do we live in and listen to the (ill) body we are given?
Summerhall Festival
Former Gents Locker Room
Explore environmental icon Rachel Carson’s nature in this wildly inventive solo show from fellow Pittsburgher Elise Robertson, who uses puppets, found objects, and stage wizardry to interweave her own messy coming-of-age with Rachel’s, as they struggle with their identities as artists, mothers, and truth-tellers. ‘An act of performance and activism’ (WellingtonReviews.co.nz). 'Robertson is a gifted storyteller’ (LouReviews.blog). ‘An Alice in Wonderland for nature exploration’ ***** (Audience Review). ‘This one will stay with you. A reflection on science, the fragility and vibrance of the environment, sexism, parenting, and the complexities of human relationships’ ***** (Audience Review). Available in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participantswww.eliserobertson.com/imaginingrachelwww.facebook.com/ImaginingRachelwww.instagram.com/ImaginingRachel/ Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Edinburgh Fringe 2022Watch Trailer | Rachel CarsonWatch Trailer | Crop sprayingWatch Trailer | When you're doing all the jobsWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
At a party in their hometown, Charlie is confronted by fragmented memories and a growing mystery: who is Max? Inspired by lived experiences, Imprints explores underrepresented aspects of memory loss, queer identity and the fragile process of piecing together the past. Through live cinema, puppetry, spoken text and dreamlike soundscapes, the Palimpsest Project reconstruct memories in real time to create a haunting, coming-of-age mystery about rediscovering self amid uncertainty. It's a story that is both personal and universal – a meditation on nostalgia, identity, and the delicate threads that shape who we are.
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Musical mayhem abounds in a show that has to be seen to be believed. You suggest a title and seconds later the curtains open on a brand-new musical for the first, last and only time. Everything is made up on the spot. You'll be on the edge of your seat throughout as Australia's finest improvisers create a musical full of hijinks, harmonies and hilarity. It's unrehearsed. It's unpredictable. It's Impromptunes. 'Improv gold. You'll leave with sore cheeks from laughing' (Herald Sun).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Ermintrude
Box of Frogs, Birmingham’s award-winning Improv Group, brings you a night of high-octane improvised comedy nonsense, based entirely on your suggestions. Expect the unexpected as quick-witted players conjure up hilarious spontaneous songs, sketches and scenes on the spur of the moment! 'A Box of Stars Here' ***** (Derek Awards). 'Hilariously funny – highly recommended' ***** (Morish TV). 'Guarantee you’ll be laughing throughout' (@midlandstheatre). 'The brilliant and bouncy Box of Frogs is definitely a group to see at least once before you croak' (BumOnASeat.com).
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
In a world where movie plots are getting too predictable, one award-winning improv show dares to break the mould. You choose the genre, the subgenre, the setting and the title and they will do the rest, creating a totally improvised show brimming with all your favourite movie tropes. This '...understandable Fringe favourite' (FringeReview.co.uk) features live musical accompaniment, with songs and soundtrack all made up on the spot. Will you be lucky enough to grab one of the four famous Improvabuzzers, allowing you to direct the action as it happens?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Bottoms Up Theatre is back with their trademark devising process, taking aim at masculinities past and present. What do you think made a man 400 years ago? And how do you think he’d survive Scottish society today? Based on director Ashley Brown’s PhD research and the cast’s own experiences, In His Own Image puts Scottish masculinity under the spotlight. Expect egos, conflicts and some truly questionable decisions from our host of historically-inspired and hopelessly-opinionated characters. Maybe Scotland’s past isn’t as left behind as we think. Come see what happens when rigorous scholarship meets creative abandon.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Glynis Traill-Nash lives a double life: fashion writer by day, jazz singer by night. Now the two collide in this soirée of chic! Dressed to thrill and accessorised with a set list of stylish chansons, Glynis will take you from the suburbs of Perth to the front rows of Paris to unpick the world of fashion in alarmingly relatable fashion. 'An absolute romp of fun' (OutInPerth.com). **** (Advertiser, Adelaide). 'Even Anna Wintour might manage a smile at this mix of fashion and fun' (SydneyTravelGuide.com.au). Adelaide Fringe Weekly Award Winner 2025.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dairy Room
Left alone while her family searches for the missing herd, a Neolithic girl seeks comfort in imaginary friends. As she fills the cave with stories about her family, dreams and ideas, the reality of isolation starts to take its toll, all while The Thing Without a Face is drawing closer… This piece premiered at the National Student Drama Festival 2021 as an audio play. It was adapted for live performance for Brighton Fringe 2022, where it was nominated for the Brighton International Fringe Encore Award. ‘King’s script is simply sublime’ (Mark Smith, Noises Off). www.rebekahkingwriter.comWatch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Every wolf starts as a cub... some just have to claw their way up. In The Black is a gripping, dark comedy solo play about an ambitious Black accountant fighting for a seat at the table in the high-stakes world of Wall Street. Torn between love, identity and the relentless pursuit of success, he must navigate power, class and identity in a system that was never built for him. How far will he go to survive... and who will he become in the process?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
One of Europe's most exciting female choreographic voices comes into its own, in this uncompromising and surrealistic piece. Plunged into an absurd world, In the Bushes celebrates the incomprehensible and magnificent contradictions of life. Quirky and witty, it mocks the idea that we are exceptional and questions our humanity with ferocious joy. 'Masterfully choreographed’ (BroadwayWorld.com) 'Powerful' (WritingAboutDance.com).
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
As a father prepares for life-altering surgery, his estranged daughter keeps reluctant watch. Time stretches, tensions rise and memories begin to bleed through the walls. The daughter he remembers is not the woman beside him now. In the space between what's said and left unsaid: what's still possible?
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
Experience the beauty of Indian classical music with an evening concert featuring sarod virtuoso Suhas Mitra and tabla maestro Vijay Kangutkar. Set in the beautiful Helen Duncan room at the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Centre Edinburgh, the concert promises a captivating journey through the intricate world of raga and rhythm. A rare opportunity to experience the evocative soundscapes of the sarod, known for its deep resonant tones and soulful expression.
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Helen Duncan Room
History repeats itself, but so does nature. What happens when humans mirror the survival mechanism of one of the oldest organisms in the world? Follow the steps of bacterial infection told in parallel with a manipulatory relationship. See how this relationship effects friendships and how our friends are our immune system in life. And maybe learn a thing or two about microbiology on the way.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Inspired by Romulus and Remus' legend and the symbolic meaning of Rome's city walls, Inlet explores the significance of borders throughout history. Raising thought-provoking questions about walls and their timely relevance, Inlet examines their role as boundaries, fortifications and barriers that influence human interactions and perceptions. Through raw movement and compelling visuals, the dancers capture the essence of separation, confinement and yearning for freedom. Without distraction, their bodies convey universal truths that resonate deeply with our present society. Inlet is more than a performance: it's an immersive experience, an invitation to reflect, feel and break free.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Heavenly timing, earthly advantage and human harmony shape the path to success in Chinese tradition. Zhuge Liang’s tale of borrowing the east wind embodies this deep unity between nature and humanity. His calm mind, seizing of opportunity and firm belief continue to inspire today. Based on this story, the work unfolds into six poetic wind realms: Wind Arises, Wind Ceases, Wind Against, Wind With, Wind Swift and Wind Leisurely. May each person, through their journey, borrow their own east wind and ride it toward their aspirations.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
1561. Scotland. Returning from France to rule her country, Queen Mary is faced with hostility from the Protestant lords. Seen as more French than Scottish, she has much to overcome as Queen, especially as a Catholic woman. The lords choose Henry Darnley for her husband, but as the marriage frays both Mary and Darnley find respite in Italian secretary David Rizzio. Flitting between comedy and tragedy, Into Thy Hands explores the bond between the Queen, her husband and lover. This tale examines homophobia and relationships, and questions: Who decides our fate?
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
A brutal bildungsroman soaked in love and blood, featuring a story of self-fulfilling prophecy, a friend group corrupted by artistry and two girls who give their best to love each other. As their former innocence is cruelly annihilated, they are forced to move on but are unable to when the gravity and monstrosity of adulthood finally arrives and they are confronted with the unbearable ugliness and horrors of growing up. It is a journey that’s creative and destructive, from girlhood to womanhood, through the joys and anxiety of motherhood, exploring the tenderness and rage of female sexuality.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
A happy couple on their anniversary. An unwelcome visitor. A bombshell that changes everything. An original Fringe premiere written by James Cumming, Intrusion is all about the past catching up with us and dealing with the consequences. The debut play of Scottish emerging theatre company, Locked In Thought.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
Invisible Lover is an interdisciplinary contemporary dance theatre performance exploring self-construction and the interplay between visual arts and movement. 'I have never been just myself; I am a product of both myself and the people around me,' the piece navigates relationships, memory and the invisible forces that shape us. Blurring the boundaries between body, space and visual expression, Invisible Lover invites audiences to experience identity as a dynamic, ever-evolving creation.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
In a tragedy of greed and deception Iphigenia is torn from her mother and sacrificed to make the Trojan war possible. But her life after death is where it gets really interesting. An original, rebellious, feminist retelling of a young princess's murder and her surprising rise to power in its wake.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
The best Irish acts at Fringe available to see in the same place with different comedians featured each day!
Laughing Horse @ Dropkick Murphys
Main Room
Following its four-star debut at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024, award-winning storyteller Ansa Edim returns with Is This Normal? A shockingly true, uncomfortably cringe storytelling show drawn from her real-life dating disasters, heartbreaks, and hard-won lessons. With humour and vulnerability, Is This Normal? unpacks the highs and lows of love, societal expectations, and the messy path to self-acceptance. Is This Normal? is a compelling, unforgettable journey of embracing power, breaking free from norms and finding joy in a beautifully imperfect story.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Island Spirit is a captivating musical where a young Polish woman returns to Scotland to trace her roots. She takes a job at a whisky distillery on a remote Scottish island, discovering the story of her mother, and the father she never knew. This Fringe-style performance offers original songs from the musical, in between which the tale unfolds as she learns about her family’s past and her own identity. The show features soulful melodies with Scottish musical influences, weaving together powerful storytelling and emotive songs. Beyond the Blue return to the Fringe with this heartfelt performance.
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
Stand-up comedian Richard Pulsford (three-times Top 10 Funniest Jokes of the Fringe) hosts this show for history fans, its fifth year at the Fringe. Three guest comedians and history buffs perform short stand-up sets based ‘on this day’ in history before exploring some possible alternative histories of Edinburgh's people and events. Recorded for the It Just So Happened history podcast. Up-to-date details on the podcast website www.itjustsohappened.co.uk and @ItJustSo1 on Twitter. ‘A fascinating and funny history podcast’ 3.3 * (Edinburgh-Reviews.co.uk). ’A quirky history podcast with a friendly splash of humour’ 3.5 * (TheReviewsHub.com).
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Muse
An amnesiac time traveler needs the audience's help to recover the defining moments of his life. A lighthearted and sentimental exploration of the beauty of human relationships. Who is worth remembering and who would you rather forget?
Hoots @ Potterrow
Wee Container
Two trios of Trio Sonatas! J S Bach’s six organ trio sonatas, ebullient and unique in their difficulty and musical perfection, played in two concerts by David Goodenough on the sublime Frobenius Opus 1000 organ in Canongate Kirk on the Royal Mile. These sonatas require the hands to play independent melodic lines on separate keyboards, whilst the feet play the basso continuo. Hear these masterpieces of the organ repertory in the inspiring surroundings of Canongate Kirk.
Canongate Kirk
Canongate Kirk
Jack is a queer, gothic and punky new musical based on the tale of Jack the Ripper – the unidentified serial killer who terrorised London in 1888 – and the women he targeted. This hard-hitting production follows his final victim, Mary Kelly, throughout the police investigation led by the determined PC Alfie Foster. This immersive show captures the essence of Victorian London in a chokehold of frenzied fear. Come with us as we uncover: who is Jack the Ripper?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
A young girl named Martha lives with her evil stepmother and two ugly stepsisters. Though the similarities to Cinderella are undeniable, part of what's so enchanting and satisfying about Jack Frost are the ways in which it borrows from the classic story while reimagining it, infusing it with a spirituality and a central character who takes charge of her own destiny. Because of her heroic determination and passion for living, Martha warms the heart of crafty Jack Frost. Join Stage Door Enigma as they weave an enchanting traditional story of how kindness and generosity have their own reward.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
A journey back in time to autumn 1745 – the most dangerous, dynamic and exciting weeks in Edinburgh's long history, when it was occupied by Prince Charlie's Army. How did the Jacobites breach Edinburgh's walls? Why wasn't the city better defended? How did Prince Charlie's army secure its money and arms? What happened during the Battle of Lawnmarket? What became of the Lord Provost? What was the fate of the Marquis of Montrose? Mysteries solved through eye-witness testimony, CSI techniques and old-fashioned detective work and shoe leather...
Outside the World's End
Meeting Point
It’s Jacqui Randa season! She’s drop dead gorgeous, a talented singer and pianist and has escaped her small country town of Tambo in Central Queensland, Australia. Self-proclaimed as Australia's Next Diva she has big dreams to brush shoulders with her idol Tina Arena and is enduringly delusional when it comes to finding love! Relatable? Expect sparkle, laughter, heart, vulnerability and exceptional musicianship through songs such as Dancing Queen, WAP, Lilac Wine and Chains.
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
Jain isn't like other girls. She's worse. But she's finally ready to Lean In (and receive a little forehead kiss from hubby). She-Devil is a show about conspiracy theories, autism and men turning on you. Expect silly, subversive comedy from literally the best comedian. 'Pleasingly offbeat' (Guardian). 'Hugely talented' (Skinny). 'Get in early to catch a rising talent' (ShortCom.co.uk).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
Brand new stand-up comedy from 2024 BBC New Comedy Award finalist Jake Donaldson, packed with nostalgia, punchy jokes and stories about finding your place in the world. All set to the soundtrack of the 2000s. 'Phenomenal' ***** (@edfringecomedy, X). 'Truly brilliant humour' **** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk). 'A fibrous hour' **** (@EdinburghEye).
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
The life of a mathematician is one that most people outside of the sphere don't understand. The mathematician is a shy reclusive animal, so says Joe Public. Imagine my shock when I realised I was one after walking off stage as Othello. Welcome to the life of a mathematician who isn't a recluse, has social skills and apparently likes being on stage. Come join me and work out how on earth this happened and maybe I'll tell some stories of other people just like me.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Stutter Island by James Beckett (So You Think You're Funny and Laughing Horse New Act semi-finalist, Beat the Frog and Mr Bens Winner) explores navigating life as somebody with a stutter and his 12-year break from the comedy scene. Also featuring a guest appearance from another Fringe performer (changes each day)! ‘An engaging and memorable performance’ (RockCentralPromotions.com).
Laughing Horse @ Boston Bar
Basement Bar
One of Scotland's most exciting new comedians, James Gardner returns with a show about his love of football, the differences of living in London, and turning 42. With over 40 million views online, James has emerged as one of the most popular comedians in the UK from viral stand-up clips, sketches and live performances. 'Really, really funny' (BBC Scotland). 'This fella is gonna kill it as a comedian' (TalkSport.com). 'Absolutely hilarious' (Sunday Mail). 'Class' (Amos Gil). 'Definitely worth going to see' (One4Review.co.uk).
Le Monde
Shanghai
'Magic is in his bones. Disbelief. Flabbergasted. Stunned' ***** (HenleyHerald.com). Dare to believe in magic, in a brand new show where the impossible becomes possible. James Phelan – star of The Dreamer, the UK's most successful touring magic show – presents this dazzling five star show that will leave you aching with laughter and dizzy in disbelief. 'One to watch in the world of magic' (List). This magic show is nothing like you've ever seen. It's uplifting, heartwarming, amazing. Tickets likely to sell out, don't miss it!
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
Sue will guide you to create a Boro-inspired textile art work, by slow stitching with beautifully curated blue fabrics. Fabric, thread and all equipment provided. No experience required. Suitable for all. Previous Edinburgh Fringe sell-out event.
The Royal Scots Club
The Hepburn Suite
Join PROFESSIONAL actor Jason Thurston for a lesson in learning the act of acting. Jason's had a fabulous career in short film classics, Death Strikes Us All, F*ckless, and Mothers for Justice, and even in the feature films, Massacre 700 and Little Joe starring Ben Whishaw. Now he wants to impart his wisdom onto you (yes, YOU!), through the medium of trailblazing anecdotes, powerful acting exercises, and some good old-fashioned talking at people. He doesn't need validation, but he would like it, so please join him. Special guests also join Jason Thurston. Bonanza.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Blessed with beauty, wealth and charisma, the Flawless Four – Courtney, Julie, Marcie, and Liz – are the most popular girls in Reagan High school. Courtney, Julie, and Marcie decide to prank Liz for her birthday, but it goes horribly wrong – and ends with Liz choking to death on a jawbreaker. Based on the cult classic 1999 film, Jawbreaker: The Musical brings murder, lies, and delicious drama to the stage with a book from its original writer, Darren Stein, music by Jeff Thomson, and lyrics by Jordan Mann.
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
Dynamic renditions of great jazz tunes from all eras from two award winning performers, Brian Kellock (piano) and Dick Lee (reeds). 'Intimately convivial... fine playing, with some deliciously liquorice-toned clarinet... [Kellock is] habitually ebullient' (Scotsman).
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Peter Seivewright performs Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and music by the Austrian jazz composer Friedrich Gulda.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Sell-out shows since 2004. Saxophone and piano duo playing jazz standards and melodic originals in a comfortable, intimate jazz club setting. Good food. Good music. Good atmosphere. Buy lunch, or just listen! Photographs and tales, following a jazz saxophone and piano duo from Scotland as they tour around the UK and beyond in their tour bus (a converted ambulance). More info at millarandspencer.co.uk
Novotel
The Tap
We invite you to our quaint Brass-erie for a sumptuous supper of only the choicest cuts of traditional jazz. You, our audience, select from the musical menu for our evening together in this intimate venue. (No food included). Scotland's own Tenement Jazz Band have been delighting audiences across the UK with their hot brand of acoustic traditional jazz, ragtime and blues since 2018. With special guests from across Scotland, join them for this musical teatime treat in the bar where the band began. 'The future of traditional jazz is in good hands' (Bert Thompson, MusicWeb-International.com).
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
The island of Jeju draws everyone with its charm and beautiful Korean dialect. So why couldn’t Sodam go? This captivating play invites you to experience the soul of Korea through the beauty of its language, culture and sounds. Delving into universal themes of love, loss and human connection, it offers a rare opportunity to experience Korea's distinct theatrical style, merging tradition with modern expression. The universal themes of grief and relationships transcend cultural boundaries, making this raw and poetic performance deeply resonant. Korean and English blend seamlessly, with Jeju dialect accompanied by English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
Join ex-con Jimmy as he brings you along to get ready for his first date since he got out of prison that morning. Along the way he’ll introduce you to a cavalcade of crooked characters, talk you through a smorgasbord of shady schemes, and entice you with a variety of vices. Writer Charles Edward Pipe has previously had success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with Five Short Plays Loosely Linked by the Theme of Crime – ***** (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk) – and Four More Short Plays Loosely Linked by the Theme of Crime: ***** (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk). ***** (VoiceMag). ***** (One4Review.co.uk).
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
Stand-up comedy from an actual couple… what could possibly go wrong? After a previous sell-out run at the Fringe, viral sensation Joe McTernan and star of Britain’s Got Talent Abi-Carter Simpson bring you a hilarious hour of comedy... relationship style! From love to mishaps to a whole lot of honesty, this show is bound to leave you head over heels. ‘Genuine star quality’ (Simon Cowell). ‘I was crying with laughter pretty much throughout this entire performance’ ***** (ThreeWeeks). ‘A must-see for those who enjoy comedy with a heart’ ***** (One4Review.co.uk).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 2
As seen on Hypothetical, Roast Battle and various apps on your phone. You know the ones. As he embarks on his first international tour, Joe 'could have been a dancer' Sutherland is bravely talking about something that, until recently, he's suffered with in silence: being a total hunk. Now that being really sexy is finally accepted in society, Joe is ready to share his story. Groundbreaking stuff from one of the most in-demand comedians in the UK. 'Oozing star power from every pore' (Mirror). 'Drooling cynicism, punchy jokes and shrewd sarcasm' (VoiceMag.uk).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Jersey
Hi, hope you're ok. My show is about hope. It's also about mental illness, good liars, bad ideas, Lorraine Kelly and a gang lord forcing me to hold a raw chicken. But it's mostly about hope. I live with a complex mental illness called borderline personality disorder (BPD) and I started writing this, about that, in January 2020. It's been a long 5 years, but I'm finally here. Please come. I wrote it for you. 'Searingly funny... informative and surprisingly moving' (Telegraph).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Ermintrude
Fresh from his sold-out 2024 run, his new show tackles accepting responsibility for life’s disasters with sharp, self-deprecating humour. From therapy struggles to awkward relationships and common frustrations, the hilarious Irishman will have you laughing non-stop. One of the most exciting stand-ups emerging in the Irish comedy scene. Winner of the Best New Act Award at the 2019 Bray Comedy Festival, he has performed with top comedians such as Michelle Wolf, Joanne McNally, David O’Doherty and Neil Delemare. 'So funny' (Wendy Liebman). 'Classic stand-up' (Ruben Rajah).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 5
It's the stand-up chat show where comedians sell their jokes. We're the only stand-up show in the world where if you like a joke enough, you can buy it. Every show introduces a top-secret line-up of the absolute best comedians at the Fringe – all offering their jokes to the highest bidder. All profits from the show are donated to Comedy Support Act, the charity set up to provide emergency funds to support Comedians that find themselves in times of financial hardship.
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Chamber
It's comedy set swapping live! The cult-hit show where comedians perform their own jokes, then each other's. Chortle Award winner for Best Club Show London. 'Top 5 comedy shows of the year' (List). 'Top 10 shows at the Fringe' (Time Out). 'Top 25 shows at the Fringe' (Comedy.co.uk). Featured on BBC Radio 4 Extra. 'A brilliant format' (Guardian). 'An undoubted hit' (Chortle.co.uk). 'Spontaneous and anarchic' **** (Fest). 'A truly electric night' **** (Scotsman). 'Action-packed and chaotic' **** (BroadwayBaby.co.uk). 'Deserves more than one visit' **** (One4Review.co.uk). Piloted for Comedy Central (US) and BBC2 (UK).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Chamber
A compilation show featuring four of the funniest comedians from across the Edinburgh Fringe! The line-ups are shuffled daily so you're always sure to get dealt the very best of all the jokers! Expect storytelling, one-liners and a little bit of naughtiness! Every show is different, so make sure you check out a Jokers in the Pack show! It's always loads of fun and you're guaranteed a great night's entertainment!
Laughing Horse @ The Hanover Tap
The Wee Tap
A compilation show featuring four of the funniest comedians from across the Edinburgh Fringe! The line-ups are shuffled daily so you're always sure to get dealt the very best of all the jokers! Expect storytelling, one-liners and a little bit of naughtiness! Every show is different, so make sure you check out a Jokers in the Pack show! It's always loads of fun and you're guaranteed a great night's entertainment!
Laughing Horse @ Boston Bar
Basement Bar
Ivo’s Edinburgh Fringe debut offers a playful dive into the chaos of our modern world through a show full of absurdist jokes. A semi-comprehensive investigation – possibly with a few detours – into how to stay focused amidst endless distractions and whether we should even try. Featuring unpredictable one-liners, surreal sketches and maybe a poem or two. We will discuss everything from being in the present moment to the struggles of riding a seahorse.
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Wee Room
An intimate concert experience featuring Joni Mitchell's most iconic songs and the stories that inspired them. The concert is set in 1976. An award-winning show. Songs include: Both Sides Now, A Case of You, Big Yellow Taxi, Woodstock, Blue, California, and many more. Rainee accompanies herself on guitar and dulcimer.
Le Monde
Dirty Martini
Suburbia is Jonny Woo's most personal show to date. A return to his spoken word, story-telling and performance art roots, Suburbia is a poetic memoir about his life from childhood in the Medway Towns, to discovering ecstasy in the 90s, the clubs of New York and a queer community in London. Now in his fifties, Woo is more reflective and honest about the secrets he harboured and the lessons he learnt. Woo's wit is as sharp as ever and his desire to shock and surprise is evident throughout. Suburbia is everything but suburban.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Josh Elton's brand of barnstorming comedy is the perfect show to start the day. Razor-sharp jokes, unshakeable confidence and an award-winning comedy mind. A Welshman, a Jew and a damn fine comedian, Josh Elton takes a sidewise look at life, the universe and why Swansea is a bit rough. 'Rocks every show' (Ignacio Lopez). 'Really really funny' (David Baddiel). Winner: Welsh Unsigned Stand-Up Award.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
A sweaty man runs to a building with a paper full of ideas. This building is a place for those who are lost in life as bartenders, hotel clerks, waiters, performers and more. We have the time and skills to do it, but when and where can we do it? Bathrooms, bar counters, sofas, anywhere can be a great stage. We can all perform together with people living overseas! Always keep on moving. Light a candle with hope. Its flame reaches people and spreads from person to person. Now a new life begins…Cast | Itsuro Suwa, Aya Terasoma, Mai Kagimoto, Kotori Sasago, Katsuki Kakinohana, Ikki, Tamaki Suzuki, Mikarin, Motoi Sano, Miyako, Yui SekiMusicians | Haruna Minato (vocals), Ogaching (bass), Sho (guitar), Shiori Sugaya (keyboard), Ryo Arayama (drums)Directed and choreographed by | YamatoCinematography by | Yu NimiyaoProduction Design by | Masashige LidaSet Design by | Chikako Suzuki (daVinchi)Lighting Design by | Noriyuki MoriMusic by | Nozomated RecordsSet Decorator | Mizuki Yasuda, Tomomi EmoriStylist | Shuhei KaiHair Stylist | Bassy (Number Seven)Makeup | KahoRiAssistant Cinematographer | Ayaka NagakariAssistant Stylist | Noriko KasaiProduced by | Hiromi Kubota (Manohara Co) and Hiroko Sato (Paralleldrive)International Coordinator | Eri NakaneMix Engineer | Akihiro IizukaMastering Engineer | Moe KazumaSound Recording | Akifumi YokotaPublicity Design | Mari TachibanaPhotographer | Mitsuo OtsukaLighting Crew | Hironori ikura, Hiroko Ikura, Yuki MiyazakiProduction Crew | Yumi Fujii, Sue Kim (Sue's Special Effects Makeup), Catherine Hassall (CfAT)Thanks | N-cafewww.facebook.com/marubatsusankaku2020www.instagram.com/m_b_3kaku/ Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
Experience the immersive Viking journey! Travel to the Viking Age as the renowned Scandinavian band Jotunger takes the stage, clad in full Viking gear. With their ancient instruments, they open a door to the past through original compositions, familiar Viking songs and tales from the Sagas. You won’t go hungry or thirsty on this journey either, as the experience includes three small courses and two drinks – including a selection of mead from the Danish company Mjødgård! From the Viking Age, Scotland and Scandinavia have been connected and we will demonstrate how.
The Mother Superior
The Cave
Journey to Stolen Identity is a multi-art performance that explores women’s rights through a blend of musical genres, starting with classical but evolving into jazz and rock. The performance is delivered in Farsi, English and Italian, giving it a multicultural and dynamic feel. Additionally, aerial dance is a key element that has drawn in many audiences, creating an immersive and visually striking experience, alongside live musicians and multimedia storytelling.
Saint Stephen's Theatre
Ian McKellen Theatre
Journey to the West: A 15-minute epic blindfolded adventure blends Shanghai and London through scent, sound, and touch. Lose yourself in a disorienting odyssey where migrants' dreams clash with reality – where every step echoes the heartache of belonging nowhere. Experience the ultimate sensory paradox: familiar yet foreign, promised land or endless void?
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Sanctuary
Join Live at the Apollo’s Ignacio Lopez (aka Juan Solo) on a daring journey through the galaxy, in his rust bucket of a ship, the Millennial Falcon! Juan has been tasked with recruiting and transporting 100 humans to try out the Galactic Holiday Empire’s latest resort! Every passenger gets full space safety training and onboard entertainment. Expect sarcasm, stand-up comedy and silliness in this chaotic, interactive sci-fi adventure show. 'Finely crafted silliness. Highly relatable. Hilarious. Go to this if you want to give your kids a pretty first rate introduction to stand-up comedy' (ThreeWeeks).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 2
Judy and Sally perform traditional and contemporary folk music and songs on Scottish smallpipes and English concertina. Their playing explores how these two very different instruments can complement and support each other and Judy’s vocals, whilst also maintaining the integrity and essence of traditional music. Drawing on a wide range of sources from across the UK, their focus is on finding songs and tunes which show these two instruments at their best, both individually and together.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
After enduring torture in the Ministry of Love, Julia is finally released and reunited with her sister. The two women rejoice but they are closely monitored by a telescreen and are unable to speak freely. Nonetheless, Julia is determined to seek revenge and wants to find out who reported her and her lover Winston to the police a year ago. To discover the truth, she returns to her ex-torturer, Thought Police officer O'Brien, but things take an unexpected twist, and she finds herself entangled in a dangerous mind game.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Juliet and Romeo is a vibrant, high-energy reimagining of Shakespeare’s legendary love story. This dynamic production blends the classic tale with music, dance and modern twists, delivering an unforgettable theatrical experience. With a talented young cast breathing new life into the star-crossed lovers’ fate, expect humour, heart and a fast-paced, electrifying performance. Whether you’re a Shakespeare fan or completely new to the story, don’t miss this production – where tragedy meets comedy, and romance meets rhythm in a show bursting with youthful energy!
theSpaceTriplex
Big
June Helen Tuesday is a toxic trans mess and she’s trying to get away with it. Her parents don’t accept her, she's in trouble with the law and she’s not turned into the sort of woman she wished she’d be. This is a 45 minute show about taking HRT from the gutter. Performance includes opening support act. Leicester Comedian of the year Nominee, 2025. Welsh New Act Finalist, 2024. As Heard on BBC Radio Wales. 'Oodles of chaotic energy' (Chortle.co.uk).
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
As the British Empire struggles to keep its colonial possessions, Nigerian lawyer Tunji Sowande quietly breaks through multiple barriers to become Britain’s first Black judge. A fine concert singer and keen cricket follower, he muses on international politics and history as they affect the Black world from Africa to the USA and Britain, from the point of view of one who would rather watch sports, and spread love and peace through the medium of song. Recalling heroic sporting achievements alongside epoch-defining political events, Tayo Aluko delivers ‘a masterclass in performance art, research and history’ (EdFringeReview.com).Available in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.www.tayoalukoandfriends.comwww.justanordinarylawyer.comwww.facebook.com/TayoAlukoandFriendswww.facebook.com/justanordinarylawyerwww.instagram.com/tayoalukoinliverpool/ Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
Stirring, electrifying soundscapes usher you through the cosmos as K Mak fuses live cello, violin, synths, beats and vocals with sumptuous, tailored visuals. Continually selling out homeland Australia, her arresting show now comes to Edinburgh where a legendary festival venue becomes an enthralling, immersive planetarium. 'I had an outer body experience at K Mak'. 'Truly immersive and cathartic'. 'It was really good except it made Mum cry'. 'We’ve travelled the world and never experienced anything like it'. 'I’d go again in a heartbeat'. 'K Mak is AMAZEBALLS' (Audience Reviews).
Summerhall Festival
Demonstration Room
Life is filled with the queerest things, none more so than the machinations of a mind like KC Finn’s. In this high-energy exploration of modern LGTBQIA+ life, the multi award-winning writer delivers poetry for the soul, along with the ideas and inspirations which helped these verses spring to life. Tackling puzzling topics from the perils of queer dating to taking up activism, working through difficult times and the tricky business of gender identity, the show promises emotional highs and poignant humour. A unique perspective in well-chosen words for queer kindred souls everywhere. Available in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.k-c-finn-free-agent.webflow.io/linktr.ee/mrbrakedownwww.facebook.com/AuthorKCFinnwww.instagram.com/authorkcfinn Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
Sam and his dead grandpa have a conversation about everything from fighting fascism to growing up with mobsters – all with the help of a mystical creature from Yiddish folklore. Developed from the private journals of Saul N. Sherman, a Jewish WWII veteran blended with the writings from his grandson, Sam Sherman Kaddish (How to be a Sanctuary) explores what our ancestors can teach us about the messy path towards standing up for what is right.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
An immersive 50 minute dance performance created in Shetland and inspired by the migration of birds. Through mesmerising choreography, live music from Jenny Sturgeon and stunning projected visuals, Journey of Flight creates a thought-provoking journey of arrivals, departures, the nostalgia of place and the notion of flight itself. Set against a backdrop of flowing white sheets, the dancers move through ever changing spaces, exploring new states of being and new homes. This visually stunning piece invites audiences to reflect on the delicate balance between nature, movement and our emotional ties to place and each other.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
In this fast-paced, cabaret-style solo musical comedy, one actress plays six vibrant characters to tell the story of Tomi – a luxury-obsessed teen whose world flips when she discovers she’s the heir to the Kazakh throne. Thrust into a remote village, Tomi faces intense culture shock, eccentric relatives and a journey of hilarious, chaotic self-discovery. Featuring original music blending jazzy and theatrical styles, Kazakh Princess Diaries is a bold, heartfelt exploration of identity, privilege and what it really means to belong, told through the eyes of a Kazakh performer reclaiming her narrative with humour and heart.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Winner: Best Comedy, Newcastle Fringe Festival 2023! Retirement? More like a weekend off to die. With AI stealing her job, Kel eyes her son's sex-fuelled Euro trip and wonders: why not cash in? Fresh off an award-winning run, this no-BS Aussie tackles work, family and the cost-of-living crisis with brutal honesty and big laughs. If life’s a hustle, Kelly’s ready to play! The perfect accompaniment to a boozy lunch, because day drinking is best served with comedy. 'Australia’s next comedy genius' (Tim Ferguson). 'Lively, impudent, raucous' (TheatreTravels.org). 'Motor-mouthed vixen! A top-class standup comedian' (FringeFeed.com.au).
Le Monde
Shanghai
Join us in the comedy yurt for an hour of killer comedy packed with laughs. Don't miss Harry Stachini, ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Show nominee and Mervyn Stutter Pick of the Fringe 2024, Lewis Coleman, a fast-rising star with a charismatic storytelling style, and Ben Hart, delivering northern English humour with aggressive charm, leaving audiences in stitches across the UK and beyond. With plenty of special guest appearances from the best acts on the comedy circuit, it's a no-brainer choice for a guaranteed giggle!
Hoots @ Potterrow
Big Yurt
Killian Sundermann, one of Ireland's most exciting new comedians, always dreamed of being a rock star. Though his shower renditions of Bohemian Rhapsody haven't quite catapulted him to fame, his comedic talent certainly has. Join him for a night filled with stand-up, sketch and song as he takes his sold-out Irish tour show to the Fringe. With rave reviews, Sundermann has gained recognition across platforms, including appearances on RTÉ, Virgin Media Ireland and the Young Hot Guys Podcast. He also boasts a massive following of over half a million online fans.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Jersey
Acclaimed Edinburgh-based songwriter Kim Edgar performs an uplifting evening of songs for peace. These include her own songs and favourites from other songwriters, performed on grand piano and acoustic guitar. Feel connected, uplifted and hopeful! Kim will be joined by a scratch choir who have learned some of the songs with her during an afternoon workshop that day. 'Heart-stopping' (Sunday Herald). 'Very special' (Fatea-Records.co.uk). 'An inspired empathy... her gentle personality and relaxed interaction would melt the stoniest of hearts' ***** (FringeReview.co.uk). 'Probably one of the best songwriters in Britain today' ***** (SpiralEarth.co.uk).
Stockbridge Church
Church Hall
Join experienced choir leader and acclaimed songwriter Kim Edgar to form a scratch choir! You'll learn and then perform uplifting, inspiring songs in Kim’s Songs Of Peace concert (7-9 pm): her own songs and favourites from other songwriters, performed on grand piano and guitar. Feel connected, uplifted and hopeful! All welcome – no sight-reading required. 'Heart stopping' (Sunday Herald). 'An inspired empathy… her gentle personality and relaxed interaction would melt the stoniest of hearts' ***** (FringeReview.co.uk). 'Probably one of the best songwriters in Britain today' ***** (SpiralEarth.co.uk). Email kim@kimedgar.com for advance materials.
Stockbridge Church
Church Hall
King tells the story of Geok Yen, a public relations executive who seemingly has it all – a stable job and a boyfriend who is about to propose. This safe stable life gets upturned when on impulse, she attends the party in the guise of a man, Stirling da Silva. Emboldened by the alter ego, Yen discovers a newfound confidence to speak her truth and be whatever she could be without self-judgement. In this one-woman show, Jo Tan delivers a tour de force performance playing multiple characters, navigating expertly through a host of social stereotypes.
Summerhall Festival
Former Gents Locker Room
Young King Arthur is ready for a wizardly lesson in the erotic arts. Buoyed by Merlin’s teachings, he pulls Excalibur from the stone, marries the powerful Lady Guinevere and presides over the Knights of the Round Table. Lancelot, his closest friend and Knight, may just be more than a manly object to drool over. After years of unfulfilled desire, Guinevere, Lancelot and King Arthur give way to their repressed passions! With Merlin providing a wizardly perspective on this story’s relevance in these turbulent times. A queer comedy retelling of the Arthurian legend.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
Seven men are trapped in toilet cubicles within purgatory. Will this punishment prepare their souls for the afterlife? Struggling with their unresolved sins, they anonymously share their frustrations and desires experiencing conflict, reflection and confession. Each man is challenged by the contrasting personalities that are also trapped. On top of the absurdity, this new comedy concentrates on deep themes of male health and existential reflection, challenging the view of male tropes in the modern age. Kings on Thrones is an absurd comedy about self-realisation, transformation and the messy journey towards redemption.
Greenside @ George Street
Olive Studio
A real-life ghost story from award-winning writer-comedian, Kirsty Mann. Do you believe in ghosts? No? You will. 'Heart-racing' *****(Scenestr.com.au). 'Un-missable' ***** (FringeFeed.com.au). 'A rising star in the comedy world' ***** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk). 'See it now – you'll be claiming you were there in years to come anyway' (Mix 102.3 Adelaide). 'Charming' **** (Chortle.co.uk). 'A joy to watch' **** (List). 'Incredibly engaging' **** (Fest). Winner Best Comedy, Fringe World 2024. Winner Weekly Comedy Award, Adelaide Fringe 2025.
Summerhall Festival
Former Gents Locker Room
Join disgraced monks Tamothy and Brother Jack on their quest to becoming knights, after being banished from their monastery for starting an underground ‘Knightclub’ with only one rule... Can the holy pair put their training to use in the real world? Can they win the king's favour, and outsmart the dastardly French? A hilarious new comedy play packed full of tomfoolery, tournaments and temptation, by former Footlights regulars and the creators of Pirates: You Wouldn’t Steal A Boat, ***** (TheWeeReview.com).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Samuel Beckett's unique take on life is performed by award-winning Fringe veteran Kevin Short. The protagonist, Krapp, revisits his younger self via audio tapes he has recorded over the years. The younger Krapp was full of hope and idealism. The older Krapp is full of woe and torment. The play is thought to be Beckett at his most autobiographical. Krapp reflects on his failed love-life, his heavy drinking and where things might have gone wrong. His appetite for bananas is nevertheless still ever present. This haunting humorous piece will live on in the mind beyond its enactment.
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
Leicester Comedy Festival 2023 Best Show Nominee, Kuan-wen is back with a new show. The mischievous Taiwanese comic wants to raise public awareness of the dangers posed by Andrews, including – but not limited to – Prince Andrew, Andrew Tate, Julie Andrews and the two pieces of human garbage he once dated. Andrews are of course welcome to come make your case. Kuan-wen as seen/heard on Comedy Central, BBC Three and BBC Radio 4. Channel 4 Sean Lock Comedy Award nominee 2023.
Hoots @ Potterrow
Big Yurt
Sick of swiping? Channel 4’s First Dates meets comedy talk show in this hilarious and unpredictable night of on-stage speed dating. Simply put your name down for the chance to enjoy a one-minute date on stage with a mystery match from the audience (or just watch from the crowd). When time’s up we throw to our panel including a dating expert and comedians – to chat about your love lives, how the date went and if we all hear wedding bells. Participation is voluntary. All relationship statuses, orientations and genders welcome!
Laughing Horse @ Coco Boho
Main Room
Experience the beauty of Italian and Neapolitan love songs and the enduring classics of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin in a captivating 30-year musical journey with Philip Contini and his six-piece Be Happy Band!
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Absurdist take on philosophy and language. A present-day student and activist, Sheela joins Ludwig Wittgenstein, Paul Shepard and Walter Benjamin for a spirited game of mahjong. As they play, her energy conjures Joseph Beuys as a mythological hare. Invisible to the players, he interjects cultural incantations, while the players contemplate how language evolved from naming animals to representing them with signs, and how myths serve the human need to imagine. Physical chair-play creates an escalating rhythm as tensions build… As the chair-e-ography builds to a crescendo, Sheela pushes back against male aggression and wins the game.www.peculiarworks.org/languagegameswww.facebook.com/peculiarworks Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
Revered Tyneside ensemble Lanterns on the Lake head to Edinburgh for a special performance at this years Festival Fringe.
La Belle Angele
Main Room
An intimate story in search of the tomb of ancient Egypt's most beautiful woman told through an inventive meld of history, performance and song. From an English country castle, where the quest began, to the heat of Luxor, where dreams of a dig were realised, this film is a personal impression of one man in pursuit of the find of his life. Interviews and eye-witness material from four seasons in the Valley of the Kings are threaded with cabaret interludes from Sue Casson and the Brannick Academy. ‘Bold… slightly mad, with a creative brio that is very infectious’ (Storyville).www.englishcabaret.co.ukwww.facebook.com/EnglishCabaret Watch Trailer
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portal – on demand
Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares is a one-woman comedy show from the mind of Tony Award winner Laura Benanti. Known for her dazzling Broadway performances and razor-sharp wit, Benanti takes the stage to share her hilarious, heartfelt, and sometimes brutally honest takes on getting older, people-pleasing, and the absurdity of it all. Blending side-splitting storytelling with original songs, New York Times Critic's Pick Nobody Cares is a love letter to recovering ingenues, mothers, and anybody working on themselves. 'Benanti communicates more with one raised eyebrow than most actors can with a lengthy monologue' (New York Times).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Ermintrude
This internationally acclaimed, award-winning musical follows Elle Woods' inspiring journey as she challenges stereotypes, snobbery and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. Equal parts hilarious and heartwarming, it's a riotous ride that’s almost too much fun to be legal! Featuring unforgettable songs like Omigod You Guys, What You Want and So Much Better, this production is bound to have people dancing in their seats. Captivate Theatre is a local, vibrant, community-driven theatre company known for producing high-quality, engaging performances. ‘With so little, Captivate creates so much spectacle’ (TheWeeReview.com).
The Edinburgh Academy
Magnusson Theatre
Performed entirely by very talented students, Captivate’s production has been seen by an estimated 22,000 people, with sell-out crowds, standing ovations and multiple five-star reviews. Les Mis is the story of love, compassion and redemption, featuring hit songs I Dreamed A Dream, Bring Him Home and many more. Don’t be put off by School Edition. 'From beginning to end, the show is faultless... Captivate's production of Les Misérables blows every other musical at the Fringe completely out of the water. A musical masterpiece – book your tickets now before it's too late' (TheReviewsHub.com).
The Famous Spiegeltent
Spiegeltent
A new show from your favourite (she hopes?!) London-based, 6’3 Canadian, existential, green-haired, silly, spooky, formerly imaginary, formerly cursed, alternative comedian. 'Funny and insightful, she is one to keep an eye on as she inevitably rises through the comedy scene' (The Only Culture Vulture, Facebook). '… her slightly chaotic nature and gimmicks made it feel like I was down the pub with a friend telling me some stories' (CarlyMay.co.uk). 'Your brain genuinely can’t predict the twists and turns in the punchlines she crafts' (BlizzardComedy.co.uk).
Hoots @ Potterrow
Wee Container
Two comedians, two cultures, two fresh perspectives – what could go wrong? Laura (UK) and Irene (Italy/Switzerland) bring their sharp wit and unique experiences to this split-hour comedy experiment. From millennial struggles, nostalgia (remember MSN?) and language mishaps to life’s absurd expectations, career chaos and aging. They navigate it all with punchlines, stories, and unexpected twists. They don’t have all the answers, but they’re figuring it out – live, on stage and with you. A show full of laughter, surprises and maybe even some accidental wisdom.
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
A lighthearted comedy about university student Sophie, and her journey of discovering what it means to be a woman in this world. Whether that's being viewed as a sexual object, being judged on your appearance, or even having another woman in Ann Summers glare at you for buying a vibrator, nothing is what Sophie was expecting. Written and performed by Danie McIntyre and directed by Ethan Peters.openmouththeatre.wixsite.com/openmouthwww.instagram.com/openmouththeatre Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
In 1956 Brooklyn, an aspiring playwright falls in love, her letters brimming with desire and ambition. Decades later, her granddaughter, a writer herself, uncovers them – tracing the arc of a love story cut short and a dream left unfinished. Between a summer alive with possibility and a present-day American diner steeped in nostalgia, past and present blur. She sits across from the man who once held her grandmother’s heart, wrestling with the choices that shaped two lives. Explores the dreams we chase, the ones we abandon and the longing for the life that might have been.
Greenside @ George Street
Mint Studio
Can those who overthrow idols avoid becoming what they once despised? In a rehearsal room an actor prepares for the role of Magistrate Wu, questioning the character’s moral motivation and in doing so, confronts his own relationship with performance, authority, and self-deception. Inspired by Pu Songling’s Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, this piece invites the audience into a world where actors become ghosts, gods are bureaucrats, and belief itself becomes a performance. Traditional Yue Opera, classical Chinese instruments, and stylised historical costume create a layered meditation on power, identity, and legacy. Performed in Mandarin.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
When they were four years old, Anna and Lily promised to be best friends for life, to sit side by side next to each other in their wheelchairs in the nursing home. But can a childhood promise survive the forces of time and space? Life Cycle of a Star presents the friendship of Anna and Lily 'against the life of the stars,' taking us on a journey through time, from prom to the nursing home, on cross-country and intergalactic space expeditions. Life Cycle of a Star asks: can you really promise someone a lifetime?
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Sex? Yes, please. Raves? Absolutely. MDMA? A dabble. Illegal raves find me high, staring at vaginas in abandoned museums. Meet Bex, a fortysomething woman struggling with expectations. A twist of fate, she rejects safe and abandons herself to life. Consequences be damned, embracing a reality that’s messy, exhilarating, cruel and wild. Showing you the world through her imperfect lens of love, loss and heartbreak, so you can make the leap and live intentionally – whatever that means. A rip-roaring, naughty, funny tale that will have you laughing into the dark.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Three troubled queers walk into a dressing room: a seasoned veteran of the drag runway, a jaded queen cursed to always play second-fiddle and a newbie on the scene with a bold, confrontational attitude... What could go wrong? As these three queens clash whilst preparing for the finale of a popular drag reality TV competition, their producer tries desperately to get them runway ready. Will they be able to confront their traumas in time for their show stopping performance? It’s the most important night of their careers, and shit’s about to hit the fan.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Lights Out By Nine bring their live show back to the Jazz Bar for the seventh time, playing a variety of original soul, blues and funk tracks along with their interpretations of classic songs. Expect to hear album tracks from their extensive back catalogue plus the songs of friends and collaborators who they have worked with over the years. The last six years of presenting this show at their beloved Jazz Bar has resulted in a high number of sell-out shows. Do not miss out, this will be better than ever before!
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Lili Redman (formerly La Scala) is back with seductive Siren, blending dark eclectic songs and life stories in a frank, funny and melancholic musical voyage. Having achieved international success, and award nominations with her previous shows, War Notes and Songs to Make You Smile (Best Vocal Performance, Buxton Fringe 2012), AFVS Lili Redman returns, somewhat later than planned, with Siren. Gathering some of the most haunting music from both the classical and cabaret worlds, as well as new music by Michael Roulston, she has created a mysterious, enigmatic musical experience. 'Hilarious, graceful and spellbinding' (BroadwayBaby.com).
The Voodoo Rooms
The Ballroom
Just a game? An Amazon All or Nothing documentary – but without the sponsorship money. Or men. Goalkeeper Marnie juggles a second job, Twitter trolls and a Premier League striker boyfriend over the course of a WSL Championship season. Navigating periods, penalties and pressure, and with her team battling relegation, can the newly-appointed captain save them – and her career – from the drop? A one-woman comedy drama exploring confidence, fan culture and the footballing gender pay gap. Think Dear England meets Derry Girls – with hefty sprinkles of North London grit, heart and attitude.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
An award-winning solo show by Joann Condon (Little Britain). Join Joann on a joyous and cathartic journey exploring a lifetime's worth of "boxes": the hopes and dreams of a child, the frustrations of an acting career, the tensions of being a parent, the grief in losing loved ones, the fear of being... herself. A story of breaking free from constraints and living life to the fullest. 'A show with profound heart... all need to see it' ***** (TheatreAndTonic.co.uk). 'Hilarious, moving, sad and uplifting' ***** (TheSpyInTheStalls.com). 'Condon’s comic timing is impeccable' **** (LondonTheatre1.com).
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Little Parts is a clown. She is also pregnant. And has always been. So, she's not really sure she'll ever give birth. But despite this conundrum, she is determined to find a good father for her Maybe-Baby; she is certain that at least one of the six applicants who applied online will be the perfect fit. Part confessional, part Bachelorette-wannabe, part puppet show – the selection process swings from absurdly funny to brutally honest as the identity of the real Baby-Daddy dares to come into view.www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participants Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
When the plants come to take over the world and achieve world domination watch out. This fantastic comedy musical is a huge Fringe favourite as Seymour and Audrey try to survive their encounter with Audrey II. This talented and hard-working cast bring this classic musical to life with their stage delivery and great singing. Audrey II needs feeding and it just won't stop. Has Seymour created a monster just to win the girl? This musical has it all and audiences will leave the theatre singing the tunes and rushing to rebook the show.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Alba Theatre
Feeling unsafe? Award-winning comedian Alice Frick proposes an off-the-wall solution: If you can’t beat them, join them! In her brand-new solo show, the once-innocent Austrian abroad tests traditional and unconventional ways to achieve her ultimate goal of feeling safe. A show filled with high energy and out of the box problem solving. www.alicefrick.com
Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly
Other Room
A stand-up comedy drawing on anecdotes and stories linked to my autobiography, showing that despite being visually-impaired and a wheelchair user, one can get round most barriers in life! I relate tales about my many experiences and funny events and challenges that could only happen to a person like me! I've climbed Snowdon, done wing walks and been skiing amongst other crazy things, none of which have passed without incident!
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
Orange Works is proud to present Locusts – a compelling mix of drama and northern humour – in which love, family and faith are put to the test. Locusts tells the story of Stephen, whose past resurfaces as Pete, a once-trusted church leader, reappears asking for Stephen’s help in repeating damaging mistakes. Stephen’s partner, Jeff, is facing problems of his own, and knows nothing of this part of Stephen’s past. Now, they must all face the truth. Locusts masterfully weaves together real-life experiences of gay conversion therapy within an evangelical church into a gripping and sensitively performed play.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Lolo lands a dream-come-true European tour. But when it gets cancelled after just a few weeks, she’s forced to pack up her funky costumes and drag them back to her mum’s house in suburbia. Lolo thought she’d be famous by now. Her psychic told her she would be. Instead, she’s stuck in her childhood bedroom tormented by the ghosts of many failed relationships. Irreverent and soul-baring, Lolo captivates audiences as she journeys from self-harm to self-redemption. Lolo won Audience Choice at the NYC Fringe and rocked Off-Broadway at Playhouse 46. Lolo is dying to meet you!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Are you angry? This punk clown musical comedy show is very, very angry, and if you’re not, then you’re not paying attention. And Loose T doesn’t want to be alone. So with improvised interactions with the audience, short clown skits and punkish songs she will make you angry too – with men in suits, fossil fuels, fascists, plastic, Brexit, labels... until you scream, dance and sing along with her. And hopefully laugh too. ‘She surprises once again, making the listener have fun, reflect and sing along’ (RoadieMusic.com). ‘A highly intelligent and politically-charged performer’ (YorkCalling.co.uk).
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
You shall not pass... up this opportunity to see some great Kiwi comedy! The last Lord of the Rings movie came out in 2003 and these NZ comics are still riding that wave. They don't have a single joke about hobbits or any opinions on the works of Peter Jackson, they're just using this as a marketing ploy. Although, they're travelling all the way to Edinburgh so, in a way, their journey is like Frodo and Sam taking the ring to Mordor - we assume, we haven't actually seen the movies.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
After years of living in a world where music has been banned and instruments were destroyed, have we lost the soundtrack to life? When The Sweet Nothings find a hidden recording, a whole new explosion of sound begins to rock their lives. They are left with the only instrument that cannot be destroyed, their voices. Together, they embark on a journey of recreating lost harmonies on their search for sound. Performed by Exeter's premiere female and gender non-conforming A Cappella group, The Sweet Nothings, this show is not to be missed.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Set on a morning tram commute, Lost Property is a one-woman show following Alice, an unrelenting optimist, on a quest to reclaim a lost possession. Retracing her steps over the past year, she's forced to confront recent decisions and untangle her morphed view of womanhood to recover what she's lost. Blending absurd comedy with poignant reflections on solidarity, Lost Property asks: what do women truly owe each other? ***** 'An extraordinary and vital piece of theatre' (StageWhispers.com.au). ***** 'Clever, hilarious, and poignant' (Tagg.com.au). **** 'A smart, sensitive treatise on how we relate to each other' (TheatreMatters.com.au).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Get lost in a new musical every night. Give us a location and we'll provide the rest. Expect glittering harmonies and gut-wrenching drama... all made up entirely on the spot! After a sold-out series of shows at their ongoing residency at the Omnibus, Clapham, Lost the Plot are thrilled to bring their whirlwind of laughter to Edinburgh. Featuring a cast of seasoned improvisers and West End performers.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Jay Sodagar's intelligent comedy returns, but this time he talks about love of all kinds. How getting a dog reframes how you approach and love others. But what about the others? Half politics with topical commentary, the other half social commentary on love. Don't bring tissues, it's not that kind of show. The show is not Love Actually and not soppy, but a funny, intelligent, truthful insight. Is love a projection of your soul or is it a spiritual vibration or a different feeling to everything else in life?
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
Welcome to the weird world of Loveless. With misogyny and incel culture on the rise, Loveless takes a satirical and surreal look into the reality of the perception of women in society, and the complexities and nuances of modern-day love. The play episodically explores many different characters and their worlds of relationships, intimacy and connection. Join us as we delve into all of the disturbing yet hilarious storylines, guaranteed to make you squirm... in every way!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Lucy Churchill (aka the leggy blonde with cracking t*ts) brings you her debut one-woman show. A lesson in self-love, feminine rage and the subtle art of not giving a f*ck, taught through original songs, high kicks and a whole load of rambling. At the age of 10, Lucy said a prayer to God one night, vowing she would do no wrong for the rest of her life if she received the most phenomenal pair of b**bs. Well, be careful what you wish for.
Greenside @ George Street
Ivy Studio
A comic tour of the medieval world with daft professor of medieval studies Luke Connell and his games, props and songs. Get to know creatures like sea-centipedes and manticores, dogs with names like Havegoodday, and characters like Eilmer the flying monk. Discover the old world’s taste in tourist tat and, expect to leave convinced that medieval medicine was better than the modern kind. Or maybe not. 'A lovely stage presence… this is awesome” (One4Review.co.uk). As heard on BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time.
Laughing Horse @ The Brass Monkey
Cinema Room
Tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 1999. Join the greatest party band of all time for an epic 90s sing-along in McEwan Hall – 2 weekends only! Expect everything from rock to rave, girl power to grunge and Britpop to boybands.
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
Addict to icon: the story of Miles Davis and the biggest selling jazz album of all time. Presented by acclaimed theatre company :DELIRIUM: and Lauren Reed Productions, this show delves into the life of the famous jazz trumpeter Miles Davis through the making of his seminal 1959 album Kind of Blue which changed the course of music forever. With live music from the UK's foremost jazz trumpeter, Jay Phelps, colliding with DELIRIUM's multi-disciplinary theatrical style, this new piece of theatre is a smokey, atmospheric, fever dream route in the Birth of the Cool.
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
Join Scottish artist and musician Lomond Campbell for a unique live performance of MUO, an audiovisual experience powered by the universe itself. Using muon detectors, MUO captures cosmic radiation from deep space, transforming it into reactive sound and entrancing live visuals. Performing with his one-of-a-kind handmade instrument, the Muonophone, Lomond creates a constantly evolving sonic landscape, joined by special musical guests throughout the festival. Blending art, science and sound in a way you've never seen before, MUO is a cosmic journey not to be missed. Presented in partnership with Sonica and the University of Glasgow. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
French Institute in Scotland
Salle Emilienne Moreau-Evrard
The story of a mixed-race Liverpudlian great-grandmother of Nigerian and Irish heritage celebrating her birthday, recalling a rollercoaster of memories – from her childhood in a Welsh convent to meeting her Nigerian Husband. Going on a journey to Nigeria only to discover 'In England I'm black. In Africa I'm white. It’s a funny, bloody world'. Celebrating life's triumphs and tragedies, and observing Liverpool’s social, economic and political life, from her uniquely humorous perspective. You think you know Scouse, well you’ve never tasted it like this before! Come have a natter in Ma Joyce's Parlour.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Dunedin Theatre
Is this a real knife? Is this just fantasy? Enjoy Shakespeare's spooky tragedy like never before, as six actors deploy wittily rewritten pop classics and uproariously silly comedy to recount the saga of Scotland's most murderous king. Expect queens and witches, Queen and B*Witched, ABBA, stabbers and much more besides! With gloriously repurposed numbers from Broadway, the charts and the Golden Oldies, Macbeth: the Musical is a hilarious ride, suitable for buffs and beginners, wee ones and wizened ones, and Scots and Sassenachs alike! No bagpipes were harmed while making this musical. **** (TheWeeReview.com).
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
'Think of a suave, urbane style that reigned in theatre and the movies during the 20s and 30s. Think of cigarettes, smoking jackets and cocktails. Think of cynical epigrams and sexy, witty, world-weary songs. This ode to the quintessential Englishman Noel Coward, dapper American playboy Cole Porter and debonair Welshman Ivor Novello, is stylish entertainment at its best, a series of vignettes of each of the 'Boys' and, of course, the songs that made them immortal. 'It is a sophisticated and simply elegant' (Billy Suter).
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
(Gender)queer disabled storyteller, visual artist and Mr Gay GB 2025 finalist Jude FireSong revives his show about intersections of identity, transcendent love, found family and surviving a decade-long breakdown through creative practice (and sheer stubbornness). 'Such clear, truthful poetry, beautifully sequenced… enriching, honest and will stay with you for a long time' (Audience Review). A powerful love letter to the odd ones out, delivered with an unplaceable accent against a backdrop of original paintings, drawings and photographs. Based on a hybrid collection long listed for new word press's Chapbook Competition 2024.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Three men walk into a bar – a Dane, a Swain, and a Thane. Tired of their tragic lives and nightly deaths, Hamlet, King Lear and Macbeth seek to escape their storylines. As they conspire to be free of their creator and flee their destinies, they are interrupted by none other than the author himself, Will Shakespeare. The tragedy escalates into mayhem and mischief once Mercutio arrives… Will the plotting protagonists prevail? Can Shakespeare stop his conspiring characters and save himself? It may end in murder, but whose? High energy, fast-paced comedy and the right amount of drama’ ***** (BroadwayBaby.com).www.shhh.media/#/theatrewww.facebook.com/TheMusicFirmHQwww.instagram.com/staceyhaberofficial Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
From 1519 to 1522 Fernando de Magallanes set off to circumnavigate the globe. Magallanes succumbed to a poisoned arrow, but his expedition was successful. This historical science-fiction play explores the first round-the-world voyage and Ferdinand Magallan’s relationship with church, state, his co-explorer Juan Sebastián Elcano, and indigenous people from five continents. During a 500-year confinement, Magellan strikes up dialogues with Shakespeare, stars and stones in his efforts to stay sane. He time-travels from evolution to globalisation, forcing us to ask ourselves exactly what the first circumnavigation of the earth has brought to us, five hundred years later.www.tshock.orgwww.facebook.com/tshockemocionalwww.instagram.com/tshockculturaemocional/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Irish comedy magician Alex J Byrne brings his show Magic Mic back to Edinburgh Fringe following a successful run in 2024! Magic Mic is a comedy magic show that is suitable for all ages and has been toured around Europe to great fanfare over the last couple of years. If you like clean comedy, silly observations and a lot of magic tricks, this is the show for you!
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Las Vegas
Beverley Bishop creates performances and films that are thought-provoking and personal, quirky and embedded in humour. ‘Bishop is a friendly and open performer who also has a gift for close-up magic’ (LouReviews). Available in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.www.beverleybishop.com/finding-magicwww.facebook.com/finding_magic_cic Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
In 1936 Spanish Republican troops disembarked on the shores of Majorca to recover the island, which had been taken over by the military. The operation was a failure, and soon the Republicans were defeated in retreat, leaving many comrades behind on the ground. Survivors were made an example of, tortured, and executed. Mar de fons explores the consequences of these events and the following repression, and how it has affected Majorcan society. Documentary theatre based on real testimonials of people involved in the Spanish Civil War and the repression that followed. The Trial of God, Moscow, 1919, and subsequent execution: the search for one’s own identity, the dynamics of power, and the methods by which we are manipulated by the state. Through dance, theatre and humour, we talk about power and the search for referents when God is dead. inclusive, intergenerational, humorous poetic, compelling, dance-theatre epic. Created by professional performers and performers of diverse abilities. directed by Vero Cendoya and Israel Solà, director of the company La Calòrica. Nominated for Spanish MAX awards for best choreography, best show and best original music. Winner of the Derek Award for Best Online Show, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021.www.iguanateatre.com/index.php/ca/mar-de-fonswww.facebook.com/iguanateatreciawww.instagram.com/iguanateatre Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Marble Cake is a new play which takes a snapshot look at the relationship between a mixed-race brother and sister, Kumi and Keisha, as they reunite for the first time in months. Over the course of one evening, Keisha returns to visit Kumi in their family home and issues that they have not previously explored together come to the surface for the first time. The impact is huge. The curtain is drawn back and the audience is brought into this intimate and difficult moment between them, where they try to navigate conversations of race, abandonment and mental health.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
One week. Six decades. 12 songs. Margot and Martha take you on a journey from mixtapes to Spotify wrapped, celebrating pop music through what was in the charts on the 18th of August – the very week they’re performing at the Fringe. With unique arrangements of hit songs, they tell the stories behind the artists and bands that have ruled the charts over the years: from the 60s when The Beatles reigned supreme, to Blur and Oasis’ legendary battle for number 1 in 1995. The perfect nostalgic show for pop fanatics and chart aficionados!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Lose yourself in the hypnotic world of the marimba – probably the biggest xylophone you’ve ever seen. In his new solo show Marimba Mirage – Sounds in Motion, the Swiss marimba artist Manuel Leuenberger blends rhythm, melody and movement into a mesmerising performance, featuring his own compositions, cloned friends, rolling blackouts and whirring mallets. From delicate whispers to thunderous waves, this show transforms the wooden bars of the marimba into a dynamic soundscape. With every strike, emotions resonate, creating a journey of sound, space and illusion. Prepare to hear the unexpected.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Alba Theatre
A show all about the highs and lows of fame, by a man with zero experience of it... Although, he was once recognised in his local fish and chip shop! Following a very successful debut of this show in 2024, Mark Row returns to Edinburgh with a show he refuses to stop performing until absolutely everyone knows who he is! Expect silliness, niche references and very big questions like: who is the worst famous person ever? What should you do if you encounter the paparazzi? And who on earth is Mark Row?
Laughing Horse @ Boston Bar
Basement Bar
Leave the kids at home (if you bothered to have them) for this interactive improv, sketch and naughty game show. This production features a real-life married comedy couple (winners of the 2017 National Sketch Comedy Championship in Los Angeles) who explore relationship dynamics, emotions and sexual positions. Audience members can even compete to win a titillating title! You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. And you’ll invest in birth control. Erin has been described as ‘fiercely funny’ and Andrew as ‘utterly silly’ (ArtsTalkMagazine.nl). ‘Their chemistry is enviable’ (SketchReview.com). ‘Wonderfully twisted and absurdist’ (Chicago Tribune).
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
‘Powerful call to arms… three remarkable women’ (ThePegReview.com). Centuries after their deaths, 18th-century radical Mary Wollstonecraft reunites with daughters Mary Shelley and Fanny Imlay to come to terms with their wounds, their writing and their reverberations through history. Through this feminist ghost story we hear the tireless writings of a genius out of her time, two sisters trying to reconcile wounds only families can create, and the birth of an iconic monster on the shores of lake Geneva. This new piece of writing is a rallying cry for a world that centers radical kindness above all things.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
The Queen of Rock is back! The year is 1561. The Scottish Reformation has enforced an outright ban on rock'n'roll. Cue the arrival of Mary Stuart, one of the world's biggest and most iconic musical artists... who happens to be the undisputed Queen of Rock! With the Scottish nobles and her cousin in England against her, can Mary get the country rocking? Or will heads roll? ***** (AllEdinburghTheatre.com). ***** (StageToPage.co.uk). **** (BroadwayBaby.com). **** (List). **** (WestEndBestFriend.co.uk). **** (MusicalTheatreReview.com).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Cowbarn
Love, laughter, and life’s unexpected turns! Comedian Mat Wills delivers a brutally honest, yet heartwarming hilarious take on family, love, social taboos, the absurd realities of growing old and the lengths we go to for the people who matter most. Packed with fun, no subject is off-limits in this unfiltered tribute to family. An underground hit of the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe.
Laughing Horse @ The Hanover Tap
The Wee Tap
Enter the world of Matilda, the extraordinary girl with a love of books and a mind as sharp as her wit. Featuring electrifying songs, thrilling choreography and a cast of young stars, Matilda Jr brings Roald Dahl’s timeless tale to life. Join Matilda and her friends as they stand up to the fearsome Miss Trunchbull in this inspiring, heartwarming musical packed with laughter, rebellion and a touch of magic. A dazzling theatrical experience for all ages – don’t miss your chance to witness the power of imagination!
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Join Matt Holborn and his quartet for a concert dedicated to jazz violin legends Stephane Grappelli and Stuff Smith. Major figures in jazz from the 1930s onwards, Grappelli played with Belgian guitarist Django Reinhardt and Stuff was a leading jazz violinist in the US from the 1930s onwards. The set features selections from Stuff and Steph's repertoire alongside original music from Matt’s upcoming album, For Stuff, inspired by Smith's style and legacy. Swinging jazz violin with top London band. Fraser Urquhart – piano, Simon Read – bass and Joe Dessauer – drums.
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
Join Matt Holborn and his quartet for a concert dedicated to jazz violin legends Stephane Grappelli and Stuff Smith. Major figures in jazz from the 1930s onwards, Grappelli played with Belgian guitarist Django Reinhardt and Stuff was a leading jazz violinist in the US from the 1930s onwards. The set features selections from Stuff and Steph's repertoire alongside original music from Matt’s upcoming album, For Stuff, inspired by Smith's style and legacy. Swinging jazz violin with top London band. Fraser Urquhart – piano, Simon Read – bass and Joe Dessauer – drums.
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
What exactly is the difference between a medieval monk and a modern-day academic? Shockingly, nothing. Or at least that's the conclusion Mary, a troubled new student at Cambridge University, has come to after a shockingly traumatic first few weeks of term. Raunchy, irreverent, and biblically brilliant, Me and My Year of Casual Monasticism invites audiences to question if they really are both a Madonna and a whore. Join Emily Knutsson as she offers a shockingly fresh and innovate approach to sex, 'that' ex, and the Middle Ages in her debut one-woman show.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Pickle Studio
Who truly holds power in the theatre? The writer, the director, the producer, the actor – or the audience? This genre-defying new work is not just a show: it's a conversation that tears apart the comfortable distance between stage and audience. Why do we come to the theatre? To escape, to feel, to be seen, or to be changed? In this bold, chaotic and thought-provoking work, audiences are invited to question the invisible forces that keep theatre in motion. As the lights fade, you might wonder: was I just watching, or was I part of something bigger all along?
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
You can dance if you want to but don't leave your friends behind as iconic 80s hitmakers Men Without Hats bring the party to La Belle Angele on Fri 22 Aug as part of the Fringe.
La Belle Angele
Main Room
In Merrily Merrily Merrily, three friends gather for a boozy night of laughter and existential debates, unraveling the mysteries of love, the universe, God, and the proper way to eat a chocolate soufflé. But beneath the drunken chaos, one of them harbours a sinister agenda. As the night spirals into absurdity and revelation, the boundaries between humour and horror blur, exposing the fragile beliefs that keep us tethered to hope. Darkly funny and unnervingly sharp, this play is a wicked exploration of love, faith, and the hope we cling to when the soufflé collapses.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
'How did you get to be here?' EUSOG returns after their triumphant 2024 Fringe run with this captivating musical by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth. Told ingeniously in reverse, Merrily We Roll Along follows the lives of three estranged best friends as they navigate the soaring highs and crushing lows of their careers in the world of Broadway. Carried by one of Sondheim’s best scores, this show masterfully redefines traditional showbiz narratives, offering a dazzling exploration of the seductive power of success – and what it costs.
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
Think you know your Shakespeare? Think again! This is Shakespeare as you’ve never seen him before – ‘trippingly on the tongue’… Migrant actors take on the Bard, reinterpreting his words in alien environments you will never have imagined before. They give his iconic characters a new life, migrating them into the roles assigned to outsiders by society. Hamlet is a meat-packer, King Lear a construction worker, Caliban a hotel cleaner, Lady Macbeth a housewife looking after children, and Shylock washes the dishes in a restaurant. This is no one Bard: Shakespeare belongs both to no-one and to everyone.’Migrant Shakespeare and Seyyar Theatre are a gift… Even hindered by an English that I’m sure they struggle for, their Shakespeare is pretty damn good’ (British Theatre Guide)‘A fascinating look at how those whose first language is other than English treat the words and meaning of the Bard’ (LouReviews.blog)‘Highly dramatic… These people grasp the undercurrents so well… It made me think’ (FringeReview.co.uk)Monologues by | William Shakespeare Adapted and Directed by | Naz YeniThe Players Hamlet (Hamlet) | Tuana Arayici Jacques (As You Like It) | Zülfü KaplanEdmund (King Lear) | Gözde IșikLady Macbeth (Macbeth) | Gülİstan SarbasLauncelot Gobbo (The Merchant of Venice) | Semba TekİnKing Lear (King Lear) | Tuncay AkpinarCaliban (The Tempest) | Seda ÇelİkKatherine (The Taming of the Shrew) | Eser RüzgarShylock (Merchant of Venice) | Denİz OkuProspero (The Tempest) | Özlem TașDramaturgy | Stephanie TillotsonMusic | Jan ÇIitakSinging | Hüseyİn ErdoǧanVideo Editor | Asli Tokmanwww.seyyar.companywww.facebook.com/seyyarcompanywww.instagram.com/seyyarcompanywww.youtube.com/channel/UClJlJDJKbTGUEb2hxv1pf-Awww.tiktok.com/@seyyarcompanyopen.spotify.com/user/3b0cyl3st83fthn2aubq6awklsoundcloud.com/seyyar-company Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Baristas Amy and Callum are back from a sell-out show at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival but they’re still stuck navigating the coffee-ground trenches. Serving up coffee, songs and laughs to their customers (audience), they ask: is this really low-skilled labour? And what does Harry Styles and a smashed avocado have to do with it? 'Funny, light-hearted and relatable... a bespoke and inventive performance' (Glasgow University Magazine), this interactive comedy musical will give you food for thought to discuss over coffee afterwards.
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
North London Jewish comedian and soccer fan, Ivor Dembina (**** (Guardian)) presents his bitingly funny account of why he now supports south London's most notorious football club, Millwall FC. They say Jews are funny, Ivor Dembina proves it!
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
The Alcove
Milly comes from a world without music. But when she comes across a magical book on a trip to the bookshop with her Gran, she falls into a whole new world. Milly will meet feathered, furry and spiky friends who all have a song to share with her. However, she must get back home with her now found music before a sneaky snake gobbles her up. Experience magical illustrations and amazing new music as you follow Milly’s adventure over the course of 45 minutes.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Thistle Theatre
Extravagant musical satire about young migrants surviving in a place that no longer welcomes them. Meet real people facing the consequences of Brexit and how it's affected their future. What does it take to become Miss Brexit? Who is capable of erasing their identity in order to talk, think and live like a Brit? Who is willing to exchange their national cuisine for mashed potato? Danail Chirpansky New Work Award Winner. 'Vibrant, colourful, loud and unashamedly partisan **** (PlaysToSee.com). 'Outrageous, uproarious musical romp' **** (WestEndBestFriend.co.uk). 'Smart, riotous comedy' **** (ShadowsOnTheWeb.blogspot.com).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Ermintrude
With music based on the 2000 comedy classic, Gracie Hart is a clumsy yet brilliant FBI Special Agent who must go undercover as a beauty pageant contestant! Come hear the original songs inspired by the movie as the cast retell the story of this cult classic.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
What would you do if your home away from home of 30 years was gone tomorrow? As the heart of its local community, Southside Bar has seen just about everything. So why should its last day before demolition be any different? A beautifully touching slice of life story, this new student-written folk musical from Northwestern University immerses audiences into 1997 rural Kentucky. As locals and visitors alike navigate relationships old and new, unrequited love and small-town drama, they must also figure out what the future holds: for Southside, their community and themselves.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
When, years ago, a teenage Mitch discovered American comic songwriting legend Tom Lehrer, the course of his life was changed forever. Mitch looks at the legacy of the elusive Lehrer, the creative debt owed to him by all those who mix humour and melody, and performs some of the more Lehreresque of his own songs. Since Mr Lehrer (at time of writing, still slogging obstinately along at the age of 97) recently placed his entire catalogue in public domain, expect a few Mitch Benn-ified covers of some of Tom's most famous creations as well.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Jersey
Irina, Masha, and Olya are bored, homesick, and wildly over-educated. Mom and Dad are dead. Only one thought keeps them going in this remote, military town: ‘Get the F*@k out of here and back to Moscow!’ A fast-moving, high-spirited contemporary riff on Chekhov's Three Sisters. Devised by the company and filmed in the historic Ellen Theatre in Montana, this adaptation of the Russian classic is a high-spirited meditation on grief, longing, and (miraculously) hope. Winner of the Derek Award for Special Merit, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021. ‘A spiked vodka shot wrapped in a production that magnificently captures the essence of live theatre' (FrontMezzJunkies.com).www.nervoustheatre.com/mommys-deadhttps://www.facebook.com/nervoustheatrecohttps://www.instagram.com/nervous.theatre/a> Watch Trailer #1Watch Trailer #2
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Following sold-out spectacles across London, multi award-winning cabaret artist Aidan Sadler teams up with Soho virtuoso Natasha Panas to present a crazy little modern love letter to two of the most iconic disruptors of our generation. Featuring heartfelt renditions of both the top hits and more obscure earworms, they bring you more than just the music with a celebration of their brilliant lives. Journey through the life and work of these enigmatic artists back to the place when you first heard the remarkable sounds of David Bowie and Freddie Mercury.
The Voodoo Rooms
The Ballroom
Leanne, Lucy and Richard spent their childhoods wondering about the moon and promised to one day live there, together. As their lives play out before our eyes, we see them grow, always together and always under the watchful gaze of the moon. With time racing past them, will they ever fulfill their promise and make it to the moon? Celebrating 10 years at the Edinburgh Fringe, Simply Surreal return to their debut play. Updated and reworked, Moonswing returns as magical, sweet and touching as ever. Join us as we celebrate 10 years and look forward to the next 10.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
'By the receding of my gums... something wicked this way comes.' A comedic and farcical retelling of Macbeth from the witches' perspective... if the witches were a bimbo shot-boy, a klepto DJ and a drag queen. Set on an imaginary strip in Edinburgh, colleagues of Club Limbo, Mother, Maiden and Crone, are confronted with McBride and her heinous hen party who are soon to find out the dos and don’ts of queer spaces.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
This solo multimedia performance celebrates the raw power of creation and destruction embodied by a volcano, as it explores parallels between the cyclical movements of the earth and the emotional landscape of humanity. Through a series of vignettes, a combination of expressive dance, recorded narration, video, music and scent, immerses the audience in the essence of an evolving mountain. Performed on a set crafted from recycled and natural materials, Mountain Woman showcases the sacred feminine spirit, embodying growth, self-destruction and balance as a call to reconnect with the cycles of the earth.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Combining the spooky, silly and sentimental, this brand-new musical is about confronting the past and knowing when to let go. When Mortimer Removals, managed by three hapless siblings, are tasked with clearing out the possessions of someone they once knew, they discover there’s more to the house than it seems... With help from the resident ghosts, can the trio figure out what is causing these bizarre accidents, and prevent it from happening again? This bone-chilling and heart-warming tale blurs the boundaries between the living and the dead in surprising and often hilarious ways.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Alba Theatre
A special school assembly harking back to the grand old days of the bawdy British boarding school, hosted by drag king and self-proclaimed "Head" Master Mr Brake Down. It's a right carry-on in this St Trinian-esque show as you, the student body, experience the academy announcements, receive a highly stimulating motivational speech from the Head, and hear parables, hymns and storytime as you've never heard them before. This cheeky character comedy show offers drag, debauchery and a dry wit that's sure to suit fans of classic British humour. Available in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.mrbrakedownbooking.wixsite.com/mrbrakedown/the-headmaster-will-see-you-nowlinktr.ee/mrbrakedownwww.instagram.com/mrbrakedown/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
It's a solo show. A mockery and celebration of performance. Absurd. Simple. Outrageous. Stupid. Fun. It's terrible. An important waste of your time. It's great. Please strongly consider all of this information before coming. John Norris is a man whose absurd comedy is singular and oozes mountains of stupidity and silliness. Based out of Los Angeles and Las Vegas, John brings his word-of-mouth cult hit, sold-out, five-star, award nominated debut show back to the Edinburgh Fringe. Also, in 2009, he ate and digested an entire Kia Forte.
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Our story is human, that of a company built on the road, created through encounters, personal tragedies, and destinies. Who are we? Musicians? Clown-puppeteers? Madmen or poets? Why does nothing we say seem believable? And above all, why do we continue to play? We have been travelling for two centuries, attached to each other, storytellers from another time. We are those who were found, those who were lost before we were found, and those who stood in the shadows all along. Not really from yesterday, do we wander from one scene to another. We are the Lost Children.Mr Moon is a dreamlike cabaret that brings together musicians, clowns, divas and puppeteers in a riotous, order-less and borderless explosion, featuring artists from the Netherlands, Mexico, Scotland, Italy, Ecuador and France.Moon Cabaret, the theatrical branch of Snowapple, creates and tours captivating, immersive shows that draw on opera, physical theatre and cabaret with a touch of hallucinatory surrealism. The company has experimented with cinema, music, theatre and puppetry, engaging audiences at festivals including the International Festival of Music and Humour, Festival Off d’Avignon, Gavazzana Blues, Vondelpark Theater, Cervantino Festival and El Café Berlin.‘Mr Moon blur the boundaries between theatre, cabaret and concert… it is the music that drives the production, the physical contortions transform the songs into an almost ritualistic fever dream’ (EU Contemporary Puppetry Platform).‘Mr Moon makes for a bewitching, hypnotic experience...(it) embraces a variety of artforms that bring out the best in its eclectic, eccentric group of artists’ (TheWeeReview.com).‘Take a break… roam free in the endless fields of the imagination’ (La Croix).www.mooncabaret.com/shows-mrmoon-theatrewww.facebook.com/MrMoonCabaretwww.instagram.com/moon.cabaretwww.soundcloud.com/moon-cabaret Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Mr P from HR is an interactive drag-king performance, taking audiences down “recruitment road” and welcoming them to their new job induction day at luxury department store Gayrods (pronounced 'Gah-rods', not 'Gay-rods'... that would be absurd). Mr P has written songs, quizzes and NDAs for the amazing new sales team who will soon call the store hell... I mean home! But could this all be a ruse to conceal the secrets lying in the tunnels beneath the store's shiny floors? Don't be late and remember to be ready in full Gayrods attire upon arrival!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
An evening of good, old-fashioned Scottish entertainment, featuring some of Edinburgh's best-known performers. Join Wendy Weatherby (cello, vocals), John Sampson (trumpet, crumhorn, recorders), Sandy Brechin (accordion), Andy Cannon (storyteller), Allan and Rosemary McMillan (vocals, guitar), Pete Baynes (ukulele, vocals) and Lawrence Dunn (fiddle) for a cheerful, poignant or nostalgic jaunt through our favourite songs, tunes and stories. From Scotland's rich, dramatic folk traditions to the lighthearted fun of its variety theatres, come along, sing along – there's something for everyone at our party!
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Gilbert and Sullivan meets Shakespeare in this song/dance/play mash-up, developed and performed by multiple National School Theatre Award winners. This time it is Jonathan who is leaving the Pirate King to become a Shakespearean actor. 'Parting is such sweet sorrow – here today, gone tomorrow'. What would Queen Victoria say? Our aim is that somebody's amused, even if it's not Her Majesty. Our previous productions include: Les Miserables, 'Tear-jerking... extraordinary teamwork' [s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s] (BroadwayBaby.com), Sweeney Todd 'Highly talented boys' [s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s] (BroadwayBaby.com), Waiting for OFSTED 'Serious, witty' [s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s] (ScotsGay.co.uk), 14-18 Cyrano 'Stylish, original' [s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s] (BroadwayBaby.com).
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
It's back after last year's success! Mr John Winner is found dead at his house on the anniversary of his huge lottery win. But was it murder? Who bears a grudge? Who has the motive? Was it the estranged wife, the eccentric sister, perhaps the dodgy financial advisor or simply the family friend? Or did the butler actually do it? You become the detective and you solve the case in this interactive murder mystery show that's back after last year's rave reviews. Now it's your chance to solve the case.
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Committee Room
After last year's success, a new case! Carry on dying! Professor Stiff has been found dead in the gynaecology department. Who had the motive for murder? You decide and work it out in cross examination. Through listening to evidence and cross examining the suspected candidates, it will take all your private investigator and Miss Marple knowledge and experience to solve this murder case. Brilliant comedy expertly acted out by the talented cast, delve into the world of intrigue and murder in this great show. A must see for the amateur sleuths in the audience.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Dunedin Theatre
The 2024 sell-out returns with a brand-new interactive murder mystery event. 1927, prohibition is in full swing, but you can still get a drink if you know where to look. Join the party at illegal speakeasy The Snapper, run by notorious British duo the Fisher sisters. Meet their rag-tag collection of staff and performers while witnessing fights, rivalries and wrong-doings aplenty. When the inevitable happens, follow the clues and interrogate the suspects to work out whodunnit. A glamourous and immersive evening of suspense and sleuthing with 1920s dress encouraged.
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
A one-woman play about falling in love with your boyfriend's murderer. Can this connection go the distance? You should see this show if romantic relationships confuse you (the show will not help you be less confused), if you consider yourself to be a party girl/boy, or if you like the idea of some random lady from Los Angeles running around back and forth for an hour. With music, dancing and plenty of kissing.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
Experience the power and beauty of the movies and music in this unique solo piano recital by acclaimed concert pianist Ailsa Aitkenhead. Ailsa offers an emotional journey through some of the most moving and inspirational pieces written for films. Enjoy these iconic pieces in the beautiful setting of St Mark’s Unitarian Church. Featuring music from Studio Ghibli's Joe Hisaishi (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle), Einaudi (Nomadland), Yann Tierson (Amelie), Chopin (The Pianist) and many more.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
24 July 1943. Rome. The Grand Council of the fascist government convenes to discuss the removal of the Duce. Inside a small study-room of Palazzo Venezia, the authoritarian leader, tired and overwhelmed by the failures of the Italian army, reflects on how destiny drove him from poor and humble origins to be crowned Italy’s supreme leader – and how much of his sanity he lost along the way. This solo tour-de-force by Tom Corradini offers a satirical journey into the mind of the sentimental and deeply human man who became Italy's greatest modern statesman.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
My Brother Was a Vampire delves into the haunted heart of sibling bonds tangled in love, trauma and the supernatural. Told in reverse, it exposes Skye and Callum’s raw, messy attachment, entwined with secrets, sharp humor and pain. Skye’s eerie abilities blur the line between control and illusion as they grapple with abuse and family dysfunction. This ghostly, suspenseful puzzle asks: Can we escape our past, or are we forever marked by it? Minimal staging and dark humor pull audiences into this unflinching exploration of survival and unbreakable family ties.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Set in 1969 in the Suntree Bar, My Sweetheart and Me is a light-hearted romantic comedy stage musical that follows three couples navigating love, heartbreak and hilarity in the fictional sleepy town of Cheerysville, Northern Ireland. Yvonne is fed up with her reckless husband Sammy, while Ruby and Cyril's marriage faces collapse. Geeky Bookworm Bob woos Sheena but faces competition from charming rogue Dandy Dan. Unless Sheena's best friend Barbara intervenes! As barman Frank keeps the drinks flowing, romance and chaos unfold. Featuring fantastic original songs, this feel-good show is sure to leave you smiling!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Niusia was a Holocaust survivor. Her granddaughter, Beth, only remembers an angry, dying woman. She's ready to learn her stories, but what she discovers is all the questions she didn't know existed and wasn't allowed to ask. Through NIUSIA, Beth weaves together memories, handed-down stories and interviews to examine the precarity of identity and the haphazard cultural legacy second, third and fourth generation immigrants are handed. It asks: what does remembrance look like when all I remember is the space where questions should go? ***** (List). ***** (StageWhispers.com.au). ***** (SeeDoEatReview.com).
Summerhall Festival
Former Womens Locker Room
NOEUD is the proposal by dance company DAB, in which we delve into the working methodologies shared by Eduardo Chillida and Cristóbal Balenciaga. The creation of spaces and curvilinear figures are the concepts of both artists that guide the movement of their time towards freedom. The period in which they lived has also served as inspiration for us: we have observed the political, social and cultural situation of their time and positioned three dancers on stage with the intention of finding the path from constraint to freedom.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
NORMAL is an interdisciplinary art project merging dance, storytelling perspectives and film. The production at its core, embodies the physical expressions related to affection, care, intimacy, togetherness and its collective power within bodies that exist and live outside of the norm. NORMAL is about people, bodies and stories that do not belong to mainstream society. It is also about the interactions and intersections that exist between disabilities, sexuality and gender identity.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Performance is a metaphor and allegory of the world we live in, of interconnections, of incommunicability. We live in the era of global communication, but it has never been so difficult to be understood. We do not listen with the intention of understanding, but with the intention of answering. In empathic listening, the situation is reversed: ears are used, but also eyes and heart. What if we look for the silence within us: silence that allows us to perceive without distortions, and to truly understand the heart with our ears and eyes?www.saramarinelli.comwww.facebook.com/compagnia.freefallwww.instagram.com/freefall_dance_company Watch Trailer #1Watch Trailer #2
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A stand-up comedy competition featuring only the very best comedians at the Edinburgh Fringe. All battling it out for the title of Edinburgh Fringe Comedian of the Year and a cash prize of £1000. The shows will feature a handpicked selection of over 100 of the finest acts at the festival all competing in a series of knockout rounds. Every night will showcase six comedians performing their best stand-up for a chance of progressing to the prestigious finals.
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Live Room
A stand-up comedy competition featuring only the very best comedians at the Edinburgh Fringe. All battling it out for the title of Edinburgh Fringe Comedian of the Year and a cash prize of £1000. The shows will feature a handpicked selection of over 100 of the finest acts at the festival all competing in a series of knockout rounds. Every night will showcase six comedians performing their best stand-up for a chance of progressing to the prestigious finals.
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Front Room
Join NYC@theFringe for an Artist Talk and discussion on the 2021 Edinburgh Festival Fringe from the perspective of New York City theatermakers who created shows in Scotland’s big event. Join the artists live afterward to discuss their work and their Covid-fringing experience – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Moderated by NYC writer and producer Anthony J Piccione of Indie Art Today. From 8 NYC Artists:Melissa Center www.melissacenter.comSarah Lazarus www.sarahrlazarus.comRalph Lewis & Barbara Yoshida www.barbarayoshida.comPeter Michael Marino www.petermmarino.comSarah Norris www.sarahnorris.orgTlaloc Rivas www.tlalocrivas.comJessica Sherr www.jessicasherr.com/bioCrystal Skillman & Megan Hill www.crystalskillman.com These artists perform in the following shows:Bette Davis Ain’t for Sissies (75 minutes)Hitler’s Tasters (90 minutes)Language Games (20 minutes)Marrying Jake Gyllenhaal (70 minutes)Open (65 minutes)Planet of the Grapes (60 minutes)The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano (55 minutes)A Sip With Vodka (25 minutes)Moderated by Anthony J Piccione:www.anthonyjpiccione.com/podcast1www.facebook.com/indiearttodaywww.instagram.com/indiearttoday
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A compilation of jokes, poems, and songs about a breakup, breakdown, breakthrough, and everything in-between. In his debut solo show, Mosher chronicles a failed relationship, bipolar diagnosis, and a year-long breakdown and recovery. His true true-life tale is told through stand-up, music, poetry. This well-rounded yet grounded storytelling extravaganza displays Mosher’s penchant for rhyme and rhythm, and the power of the spoken word to heal. A night of laughter, sorrow, reflection, and ultimately hope. ‘Brave, bitingly funny, hilarious, endearing, brutally honest, and BRILLIANT’ (Tod Kimbro). ‘Accessible and revealing’ (Daily Bruin).Available in our digital on-demand programme and was performed live in our Edinburgh Fringe 2022 season.www.nathanmosherisgoodenough.comwww.facebook.com/nathanmosherisgoodenoughwww.instagram.com/nathanmosherisgoodenough/open.spotify.com/artist/1LLskhIYNNVqFasmHmKtzmsoundcloud.com/nathanmosherisgoodenough
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Naughty Cabaret is back after a sold-out run at Edinburgh Fringe in 2024. A queer feminist extravaganza full of energy, absurdity and ridiculousness with an ever-changing line up of clown, character comedy, boyband, burlesque, music and more. Previous guest performers include Sophie Zucker, Josephine Lacey, Siblings, Lara Ricote, Madeleine Rowe, Amando Houser, Frankie Thompson, Elf Lyons, Lucy Hopkins and Gogo Bumhole. Hosted by 'queens of the ridiculous' Anna Marie Simonsen and Marie Kallevik, **** (TheWeeReview.com). Naughty Cabaret has been performed in Australia, Edinburgh, London and Norway. 'The most irresistibly silly, fun and unexpected cabaret show' **** (@InstaFestReview).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
Nearlyweds is a brand-new musical comedy that will have you laughing, crying and singing along! We follow Lily, a people-pleasing Scottish bride as she runs away from her wedding, and Jake, an arrogant, jilted groom whose life isn’t as glamorous as it seems. Along the way they meet an array of vibrant characters each with weird quirks and have hilarious scenarios to overcome. Will Lily learn to stand up for herself and will Jake finally stop the awful puns? This relatable musical comedy by Jasmine Alice has extremely loveable characters and way too many puns!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Née is a work that moves us, gives roots to the human, caresses loneliness, stratifies loss, accompanies disillusionment, emancipates disenchantment, energises absence, fights for love, virtualises the nearby, sustains magic, frightens off demons, humanises the inanimate, returns from the dark, attacks the imagination, separates fears and puts them in order, crosses the air and strives. With elegance, it builds a journey far removed from noise. It is told in the first person, thoughtful and transformative.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
This new musical comedy dives into the deeper connection (and no, not just the Bluetooth kind) between two of the most iconic inventors of the digital age. Witness the geniuses behind the tech revolution like never before, as Bill Gates, the mastermind behind Microsoft, meets Steve Jobs, the innovator of the smartphone. The show chronicles their journeys from humble garage beginnings to shaping the world as we know it. Watch as these two trailblazers clash, create and rise to greatness.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Cowbarn
This quirky new musical follows New York newbie Joe on his journey from Ohio to the big city, where he meets long lost friend Bonnie after many years. When Joe’s luck finally runs out, he turns to Bonnie to try and navigate his new life in New York. After years of being stuck in New York as a failing actress, can Bonnie find new freedom on her journey to becoming a star or will she stumble yet again and make her back to Ohio.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
Disney's Newsies Jr is a 60-minute version of the 2012 Broadway musical, based on the 1992 film. Inspired by the rousing true story of newsboys in turn-of-the-century New York City, Newsies Jr features a Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman and a book by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein. When powerful newspaper publishers raise prices at the newsboys' expense, the charismatic Jack Kelly rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions. Together, the newsies learn that they are stronger united and create a movement to fight for what's right.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Nick Hornedo is so convinced he's the main character that he made his high school girlfriend a break-up movie (it was not well reviewed). A decade later, Nick and his ex reunite to rewatch the movie and find some closure. Will they succeed? Or will Nick make this just another performance? Find out (and see the video for yourself) in this debut stand-up hour about love, art and the perils of chasing the impossible plotlines we write for ourselves. Nick Hornedo is a New York stand-up previously featured on PBS and Vulture.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
Nick it for Munich is a hilarious one-person show about Jamie, a dreamer determined to make it to Euro 2024. With nothing but a Scotland top and wild spirit, he embarks on a chaotic journey across Europe, facing outrageous challenges and unexpected friendships. As his plans go hilariously awry, Jamie's resilience shines through, proving that the pursuit of dreams knows no bounds. This heartwarming tale celebrates optimism and the joy of chasing what you want, making it a must-see for everyone, whether a football fan or not! Join the ride and cheer for Jamie!
Greenside @ George Street
Mint Studio
Is it scary? We all reach that crossroads in life. What choice do we make? Does it lead us to the realm of peaceful dreams? Or the realm of nightmares? What scares you? After the success of The Wheel Of Misfortune in 2023, Nightmares returns to the Fringe almost seven years later with a new coat of paint. A surreal/horror anthology from local creative, and HorrorTok creator Sandy Jack. Inspired by the works of David Lynch, The Twilight Zone and the history of horror.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Champions of the filmmaking talent the mainstream ignores, Nightpiece is a portal to the reality of independent filmmaking. In 2025, Nightpiece Film Festival, with no funding or external sponsorship in sight, enters its 12th season. We've screened over 370 short films from the UK and rest of the world since 2014 and usually we're premiering a feature or two on launch. We schedule thematically with five nights of curated programming sourced from submissions entered via FilmFreeway. Hosted by prolific film director Al Carretta – come and support the Fringe's premier independent short film festival.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
The best-reviewed comedy show of the 2024 Fringe returns! The virtuoso ventriloquist, BAFTA nominee and British Comedy Award winner presents an unparalleled, unscripted show that delves deep into who we are, hijacking faces to spark a bold, hysterical reality warp. Fresh from sell-out runs in the West End and New York, and a sold out national tour. 'Sublime silliness' **** (Guardian). 'Genius' ***** (Telegraph). 'Superb' **** (Times).
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
Was Kurt Cobain trans? Was Kurt Cobain a trans woman? What if? No Apologies delves deep into internet discourse and classical mythology – radically mis-remembering Nirvana's iconic 1993 MTV Unplugged concert. It fights back against the pressure to mould ourselves into images that are acceptable to society and the danger that lies when we are not able to live as our full, vibrant selves. 'Emma Frankland is the punk rock angel of your dreams and nightmares...' (Stage).
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
Was Kurt Cobain trans? Was Kurt Cobain a trans woman? What if? No Apologies delves deep into internet discourse and classical mythology – radically mis-remembering Nirvana's iconic 1993 MTV Unplugged concert. It fights back against the pressure to mould ourselves into images that are acceptable to society and the danger that lies when we are not able to live as our full, vibrant selves. 'Emma Frankland is the punk rock angel of your dreams and nightmares...' (Stage).
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Speckle cannot shake the feeling that something is not right. Could it be that chickens are not, in fact, all-powerful gods, as she has been led to believe? We watch as a group of young people, raised their entire life on the remote chicken farm Poultrion, begin to question their wacky way of life. But with Reverend Rooster's iron fist ruling over the farm, can Speckle and the others find the answers they are looking for, and perhaps even a higher purpose in their lives? An extravagant, heartfelt and totally brand new musical.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
No More Bull is a bold reimagining of the myth of the Minotaur, exploring the complex dynamics of power, resistance and political autonomy. Ariadne, caught between the monstrous Minotaur and the celebrated hero Theseus, unravels the truth behind her family's tragic fate. As she challenges the glorification of patriarchal ideals, the production critiques the societal structures that perpetuate them. With an innovative blend of ancient and modern musical styles, dynamic lighting design and a powerful score, No More Bull invites audiences to consider the legacy of power and hero worship within both mythology and contemporary culture.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Feel... Connections... Recovery... ENSEMBLE. Devised through a somatic approach, this piece illuminates the dynamic bodies of individuals in Hong Kong, revealing the intricate relationship between movement and environment. With a focus on breath and rhythm, this piece documents the music and fast-paced life of the city, exploring how economic pressures and cultural influences shape our daily existence. Through the artistry of performance and ensemble work, we invite audiences to experience the subtle textures of human connection amidst the neon backdrop of urban life, highlighting the unique stories that emerge from this populated, vibrant landscape – Hong Kong.
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
Grouchy innkeeper Isaac isn’t expecting anymore guests. So, when two angels appear to prepare him for the arrival of a certain, divine couple, things don’t exactly go to plan. Can he change his cold-hearted ways? Or will there be No Room at the Inn? Purpose is flipped on its head and wit is aplenty in this absurd comedy.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
Inspired by a true story, this meta-theatrical dive into Italian culture follows desperate actors scrambling to stage a Fringe show. Experience the beauty of Italian literature and the terror of looming deadlines. Performed in Italian with English subtitles.
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
After last year's smash hit performance, Edinburgh's hugely popular community wind band returns with its unique blend of musical genres. A magical myriad of mesmerising melodies guaranteeing contagious excitement. Unmissable festive fun for all the family and friends.
Broughton St Mary’s Parish Church
Main Hall
Love comes in all forms – sweet, messy, unexpected – and The Houghtones are here to sing you through it. Making history as LSE’s first a cappella group at Fringe, this debut show brings you a rom-com told entirely through harmony. Following love stories from meet-cutes to heartbreaks to happily-ever-afters, expect tight vocals, raw emotion and a whole lot of charm. Whether you're a hopeless romantic or just here for the riffs, this is a feel-good, fun-filled celebration of love in all its chaos and glory. No strings attached.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
It's opening night of a brand new play. With the cast and crew missing, can one actor perform every role and bring the performance to life? Well, Noah is going to try! No props, no costumes, no help when things get weird. Just one performer who won't quit until curtain call. Each performance, Noah turns an audience suggested title into a spontaneous work of theatre. Fringies Week 1 Front-Runner (audience award) at the 2024 Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Audiences say: 'Very quick witted', 'made up fun', 'a true delight'. Noah says: 'Where'd the rest of the cast go?'
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
East of the sun and west of the moon comes a tale of finding your courage and staying true to yourself. Nocturne is a new original musical rooted in Norwegian folklore and folk music, inviting you on a mysterious and inspiring journey filled with enchanting music, puppetry and physical theatre. Join our protagonist Solveig as she delves into the forest of ancient fairytales, encountering familiar characters and dark mysteries. Get lost in the magical fables we often forget as we grow older.
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
Shakespeare sits in his script, costume and prop-strewn attic amending his Will, when his muse magically materialises. ‘Why are you here?’ She points to the audience. ‘I’ve come to prove to them you wrote the plays’. ‘How?’ ‘By getting you to reveal where you “signed them”’. ‘Screw you’. What follows is a heart-warming, at times tragic, often heated debate between them – the Muse hurling Will’s own lines in his face – that ultimately reveals the truth and the urban legends that make up Will’s life and works, allowing him to adopt the motto: Not Without Right.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Shakespeare sits in his script-, costume- and prop-strewn attic amending his Will, when his Muse magically materialises. ‘Why are you here?’ She points to the audience. ‘I’ve come to prove to them you wrote the plays.’ ‘How?’ ‘By getting you to reveal where you “signed them”.’ ‘Screw you.’ What follows is a heart-warming, at times tragic, often heated debate between them – the Muse hurling Will’s own lines in his face – that ultimately reveals the truth and the urban legends that make up Will’s life and works, allowing him to adopt the motto: ‘Not Without Right’. www.willsplayers.org
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
When two childhood friends, distant strangers to each other now, find themselves trapped in the classroom of their least favourite teacher at a 10 year high school reunion, they can’t resist the urge to poke their noses where they don’t belong. Following clues left by their former teacher, they begin to unravel a life forgotten. A game of hide and seek, some horny classmates and some punishment exercises brings about nostalgia and some hard truths that neither was prepared for. Is this the rebirth of their friendship? Or are certain things better left in the past?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Hellfire gets in the habit in this original comedy rock musical. The Nuns of Fury are a trio of righteous ass-kickers, plundering relics in the name of the Lord! But have these holy hell kittens met their match? The Nuns are about to meet their greatest challenge yet, facing evil, loose morals and their own demons. Join the Nuns and everyone's favourite gadgeteer, Father Q, as they pit sisterhood against villainy – the most important commandment? Faith in yourself!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Rewrite her stories. Write her. A one-of-a-kind multidisciplinary performance rooted in Nüshu, the secret script of Chinese women. In this ritualistic solo work, writer and performer Jiayi Chen uses her body as a living scroll, inscribing ancient characters onto her skin with traditional ink. Through live body calligraphy, inspiring contemporary dance and an original soundscape, the piece becomes a haunting altar of memory, grief and feminine resistance. The piece is a tribute to the missing women in Jiayi’s life and a bold act of rewriting silenced histories through the body and voice.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
This dance-on-film follows the epic journey of Odyssea, a curious sea traveller, as she encounters flora and fauna in fantastical realms. New York-based Quicksilver Dance perform with only their hands, painted to become vibrant characters. Across biomorphic landscapes of sculptures and fabric and set to original music, Odyssea offers a feminist take on the concept of an odyssey: she makes her way by helping fellow travellers, building relationships and trading, rather than through the mythologically typical (male) approaches of strength, trickery or intrigue. This playful and poignant tale of encountering difference promises to make the familiar feel excitingly unfamiliar again.‘Odyssea is clever, vibrant, and poignant storytelling captured at its very best’ (LouReviews.blog)‘Fabric makes a landscape, a seascape, to host boats made from driftwood and other coastal pieces. It all appears so simple but it's obvious deep thought has gone into every choice. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts’ (WellingtonReviews.co.nz)Created, Choreographed and Performed by | Mariah SteeleVideography and Editing by | Hans RinderknechtOriginal Musical Score by | Yoshiko Arahata3-D Mixed Media Artwork by | Raphaela McCormackAdditional Performances by | Lia Nelson and Anna Remuswww.quicksilverdance.comfacebook.com/QuicksilverDanceCompany Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Rejected by Hillary Clinton at Yale, he now trashes her nightly on Fox News! When ‘Mommy’ announces her presidential run, conservative pundit Chet Bigsley's carefully constructed reality implodes in spectacular fashion. Watch one man's obsession spiral into a whiskey-soaked, saxophone-interrupted breakdown that asks: is cable news just revenge porn for the politically rejected? This late-night satire from Oh No Theatre serves up sex, politics and delusion with a shot of irreverence. Perfect for anyone who enjoys their comedy with teeth and their commentary uncensored. ‘I don't like theatre, but I like this!’ (Audience review).
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
An uproariously inaccurate portrayal of a party amidst the smallpox epidemic in 1810 England. The show is a mix of scripted and improvised dramedy that explores what happens when a group of young people in the regency era decide to get together for a night of debaucherous fun. However, their night of fun quickly spirals into a night of gossip and shortly after a night of full-on chaos, courtesy of a government-enforced quarantine in response to a smallpox epidemic. Let’s see if these young people can get a grip!
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Rated 4.5 stars by NYC audiences, Kaila Galinat’s queer solo show navigates the humour, grief and wisdom of personal rejection through sketches, parodies, character monologues and direct address. Directed by Jasmine K Bernard, Kaila invites you on a hilarious journey of a self-discovery as they're repeatedly rejected by friends, lovers, therapists and even a cat. 'A genre-bending queer romp about self-acceptance in the face of personal rejection' (AllAboutSolo.com). 'Kaila Galinat wins you over with dark humour wrapped in unbridled optimism, taking life’s big and little rejections and treating them with retroactive hilarious kindness' (Gabe S Dunn).
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
She’s undercover. She’s overwhelmed. She’s bad at everything. Fresh off her Off-West-End sold-out debut, this electric comedy tells the true story of Liv’s classified mission evaluating NYC hospitals... in 2020. She's Patient 0, using her ‘acting skills’ to pretend to have Covid and save the American healthcare system. And that’s showbiz, baby. So buckle up. ‘Terrific storytelling’ ***** (FringeReview.co.uk). ‘Excitable, manic, vivid’ ***** (TheReviewsHub.com). ‘Hurricane composite of top-class acting’ **** (MumbleComedy.net). ‘Crazily funny’ ***** (Derek Awards). Winner: Best Solo Show, What The Fringe?! Nominee: StageCrafts Selects, Hollywood Fringe 2024. Hollywood Fringe Spotlight Series 2024.
Greenside @ George Street
Jade Studio
Looking for love? So is Liv. But she’s a professional matchmaker – her 9-5 is doing just that... for other people. She’s got some stuff to say: advising clients on their unfortunate photos, talking down grandpas in their 70s who want to date women in their 30s, and making matches she immediately wishes she could undo. Come behind the scenes at your least favorite dating apps and meet the girl who's pulling the strings. ‘Terrific storytelling’ ***** (FringeReview.co.uk). ‘Standout comedic timing’ (Time Out). Winner: Best Solo Show, What the Fringe?! 2024. Hollywood Fringe Spotlight Series 2024.
Greenside @ George Street
Ivy Studio
A funny show, guaranteed. This show is a trial of routines for my 2026 tour and even though this will be new material, I'll still promise a really funny show. Wanna bet? You wager £10 and give me 50 minutes to make you properly belly laugh. If not, double your money back in cash. 2024 Best Reviewed Show list. 2024 ISH Comedy Award nominee. 2024 British Comedy Guide Recommended. 2025 Best of Edinburgh Fest Australia Cast. 'Howling laughter' ***** (TheWeeReview.com). 'It's impossible not to like Ollie Horn' ***** (MumbleComedy.net).
Scottish Comedy Festival @ Waverley Bar
The Waverley
Dark comedy about Stockholm syndrome and class difference. Posh, nepo-baby-turned-socialite Bambi is kidnapped by closed off, working lad Oliver and falls in love with him despite his best efforts. Bambi and Oliver are polar opposites, but they are both stuck in their situation, through no fault of their own, and need a way out – one more so than the other. He shows her how to enjoy the little things in life and despite her circumstances she remains optimistic (entirely delusional) throughout. A story about finding love in the most surprising place.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
World-famous Russian playwright Anton Chekhov is best known for his major works including: Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters and The Seagull. However before writing these, he was responsible for highly-acclaimed short comedies called vaudevilles. These explored the human condition including the beauty, heartbreak and loneliness people experience. On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco embodies all of these themes. Ivan Ivanovich Nyukhin is told by his wife to deliver a lecture on the dangers of smoking to one's health but digresses somewhat and begins laying bare his unhappiness and his failed dreams. A short comic masterpiece.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
A tale for a modern age: early one morning on Putney Bridge, three strangers' lives collided for one fleeting second. Inspired by real events, Once Upon a Bridge weaves a tale about human triumph and frailty, about the power of destiny and chance, and why sometimes we choose to hate and other times, we choose to dance. Sonya Kelly's critically acclaimed play was premiered in The Mick Lally Theatre, Galway in February 2021. This adaptation from the Lace Market Theatre was met with critical and public acclaim following a UK tour.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
It was the faeries who taught the witches, the wise women, all that they know. Women spun faerytales on their tongue to spread the word among adult ears. Wise words made infantile by men. Come meet a real-life Faery. Let her whisper her words into your ears. Hear her tale of truth. For it’s true, faeries cannot lie. This, I promise you. This faery has a story that’ll make your hair curl and your eyes sparkle. She’ll change you, transport you, introduce you to a whole new world and show you a view brand new.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
Join a fairytale princess with her sing-a-long show of your favourite animated characters! With enchanting vocals and gorgeous gowns, this new show emulates the magic of the animated movies. Jasmine Alice is a professional singer/actress who has toured internationally with her engaging shows. Sing along to the most acclaimed Disney songs and you’ll discover a world of magic unfold in front of your eyes and ears. This Edinburgh Fringe show is certainly the best way for the whole family to start the day! This creative, dynamic children’s show is not one to miss!!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Alice is bored and loves to daydream. One day unexpected events lead her into the magical Wonderland, ruled by the Red Queen. Home of the mysterious Jabberwocky, it’s a place of friends and frenemies, but who is which? Why is the Mad Hatter mad, the White Rabbit always late and all the roses painted red? Was Humpty pushed or did he fall? Meet quarrelling Tweedledum and Tweedledee, a grinning Cheshire Cat, and a tea-drinking Dormouse. Join Alice as she tries to work out what an earth is going on and why she is here?www.lightsoflondon.blogwww.facebook.com/LightsofLondonProductionswww.instagram.com/lolondonprods/www.youtube.com/channel/UCWQpBbhee1Wbv0sF_7Tw3FQ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
An old book, What It Means to Be a Woman, given to Georgia on her sixteenth birthday, becomes the thread connecting three women’s lives: Georgia, now a woman in an unhappy marriage to a brutish man; Shirley, her long-lost best friend, now a nightclub singer in New York; and Maud, Georgia’s mother, the orchestrator of their downfall. From childhood to motherhood, the book’s secrets are passed from hand to hand, revealing the choices we make and the chances we miss. One Voice Theatre Company proudly presents this one-woman musical, with eight original songs.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
To commemorate the 175th anniversary year of his death, immerse yourselves in two macabre Edgar Allan Poe classics. Arguably Poe's darkest tale, The Black Cat documents an alcoholic's last confession on the eve of his death. A story not for the faint-hearted. Then, the poem that made Poe famous: The Raven. In the midnight hour, as an elderly man laments the loss of his love, an ominous visitor is heard tapping on his chamber door. One Man Poe by award-winning storyteller Stephen Smith brings Poe's words to life as never before.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
A marathon of the macabre. Using Edgar Allan Poe’s original text from the 1840s, award-winning storyteller Stephen Smith faithfully brings to life two of the most terrifying examples of the gothic genre from the pioneering Godfather of Gothic Horror. In The Tell-Tale Heart, we meet a madman, trying his hardest to convince us of his sanity, whilst explaining the meticulous details of a murder he committed. Then, in The Pit and the Pendulum, we join a prisoner trying to escape the various torture devices of the Spanish Inquisition.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
Someone has dropped an atom bomb on Copenhagen. With all-out war looming, an underqualified junior staffer in the British government must somehow stimulate a response from his idiotic superiors. There is just one thing standing in his way: Microsoft Teams.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Set following the Strangeways Prison Riot, meet recovering addict Frankie, played by renowned political comedian Mark Thomas as he enters the brave new world of a liberal prison experiment. None of Frankie's fellow convicts are what they seem. In the most unexpected of places he discovers: the revolution is not dead. It's just sleeping. A new play from the writer of Fringe First-winning England & Son and A Political History of Smack & Crack, Ed Edwards and Mark Thomas tell a tale of freedom, revolution and messy love. Directed by Charlotte Bennett.
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
Follow a young bookworm and a Persian cat as they relive Zhang Qian’s epic journey – braving the Xiongnu, seeking the Yellow River’s source and bringing exotic wonders east. His story, intertwined with young heroes like Emperor Han Wudi and Huo Qubing, reflects youth shaping a nation's destiny. The play blends poetry, guqin and traditional culture, linking ancient dreams to modern visions. From the Silk Road’s origins to today’s Belt and Road, it celebrates China’s ongoing role in global connection and cooperation.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Dave is single. He's stood at the bar. Eurydice is a tree nymph. And Bruce Springsteen is on the karaoke. Enter a world of dive bars, side streets and ancient gods. Internationally acclaimed storytellers Wright&Grainger weave a tale of impossible, death-defying love told through hair-raising spoken word and soaring acoustic soul music. Originally made to play five performances, 600 shows later it still feels as fresh and exhilarating as when it began. After touring the world for almost a decade, Orpheus returns to Edinburgh. 'Theatrical magic. I laughed, I cried, I loved it' (GlamAdelaide.com.au).
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
The most advanced Japanese tea party. Break down the prejudice and reconstruct traditional forms. Don't be afraid to go beyond the borderline. Don’t forget the primitive energy that happened in the past. We are walking at the top of history. From award-winning Butoh dancer and choreographer Emiko Agatsuma. Agaxart produces innovative Butoh performances based on Emiko’s Butoh method and aesthetics, examining the interaction between body, mind and soul. Agaxart creates Butoh performances to deliver the diversity of the physical expression that is connected to the unconsciousness.agaxart.wixsite.com/agartwww.facebook.com/agao00owww.instagram.com/emiko.agatsumawww.youtube.com/channel/UCSXxrjd0qLNtUMmD5VoOTtAa Watch TrailerWatch Preview
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
When reality fails to answer desire, the fictional world becomes home. They are the gangsters on screen, forbidden lovers to some, the perfect souls that never existed in reality. The overlooked, East Asian female creators project their emotions onto the imaginary, weaving intimate connections beyond the limits of the real world. When patriarchal narratives attempt to define love, desire and existence, these women reshape them through imagination – not just as passion, but as identity, as a profound connection known as fictosexuality. Fanfiction is not just fantasy, it is love that the world has yet to understand.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Like watching Whose Line Is It Anyway masquerading as a theatrical play. 45 minutes of controlled chaos as comedians are pitted against challenges determined by the audience and a spinning wheel. Each night has a surprise immersive theme! Hot off a hit-run in Washington DC, this show will leave you feeling like you just saw Chappell Roan come out of a life-sized apple bong dressed as the Statue of Liberty for the first time; overcome with awe and disbelief. It pushes the boundaries between performance art, improv, sketch and game show. More is more.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
After two decades, thousands of shows and countless miles, Chris Brooker has decided to become an overnight success story and it's coming Out of Nowhere! An epic all-new show from the UK comedy circuit's hidden gem. What is success? What does it mean to succeed? Chris Brooker first set foot on a comedy stage in 2001 with nothing but his nerves and three fully formed jokes. Now he has over 20 years of experience and at least seven of them. Has he succeeded? What is success? Is this the year he writes an eighth?
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 3
This family-friendly comedy show is packed with surprises as Darryl and his mysterious box take you on a whirlwind of wonder. Every time the box opens, it's a new adventure: trick shots, circus performances and laugh-out-loud moments that invite everyone to join in the fun. Darryl's mission is to make you the star of the show (no embarrassing moments here, just pure joy!). With Darryl's gentle, non-verbal clowning, everyday objects transform into the extraordinary. This show is a joyous celebration of play throughout your life, whatever your age, bringing generations together through seriously skilful silliness.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Jersey
Don't miss out on all Aussie late-night laughs at Outback Comedy! Catch the best and brightest stand-up comedians on the Australian circuit in one place. With a new line-up each night, you're guaranteed a dose of our famous laid-back, self-deprecating humour. Who doesn't love a laugh with a room full of Aussies? Grab your tickets now as they're sure to sell out and join us for a ripper night! For line-up announcements follow @brightsidepresents.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dairy Room
Jamie's girlfriend is expecting a proposal. His best friend's expecting him to come out as gay. One way or another, the truth will out... After their successful debut with Slush Pile **** (WestEndBestFriend.co.uk) – Unseen Theatre returns with a heartfelt comedy about sexuality, friendship and secrets. Outing explores the confusing grey area between friendship and romance, love and longing, truth and lies, tackling what it means to be queer, straight and completely and utterly confused. Join Jamie, Ella and Adam for a fun-filled five years in 50 minutes – an Outing you'll never forget!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
PAINKILLERS delves into physical and emotional pain through magic tricks and romantic memories. Mamoru, a magician's assistant who enjoys her large knitted body, is at the mercy of knives, saws and guns, on and off stage. 'So much wily humour and visual wit. An incarnation of what is raw, visceral and unprotected about the selves we harbour behind clothes, relationships, even the names we assume' (Mary Brennan, Herald). 'Plenty offbeat charm as (s)he(!) treats a booty load of themes... showbiz magic/gender metamorphosis/penetration/death' (Donald Hutera). Award-winning performance maker returns to Summerhall with his acclaimed show.
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Daddy's hired the venue, paid the deposit and organised the photoshoot. Our first fringe show in six years. So, this is fate. This is our PHILOSOPHY OF THE WORLD – inspired by the best worst band of all time, The Shaggs. We'll play the band. You play the audience. It'll be perfect. Load up on guns, bring your friends. (Free soda on admission.) Previous reviews: 'Late night theatre... a bit like a party and a bit like a nightmare?' (ExeuntMagazine.com). 'Anarchic, unclassifiable performance' (TheStage.co.uk). 'Might be brilliant or might be shit' (Fest).
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
Celebrating their 10th anniversary year, Dance Base's in-house company for over 60s will showcase new commissions by Tony Mills and Robbie Synge alongside a revival of sections of Steinvör Palsson's Carry on Dancing which premiered in 2016.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
The show that NoHo Arts District calls 'absolutely genius' (NoHoArtsDistrict.com), recipient of Best Musical Comedy Off-Broadway at United Solo in NYC, and SOLOFEST Best of Fest 2024. When a know-it-all NYC comedian seeks help for diffuse midsection issues, she quickly learns how little she knows about her body’s most basic functions – in spite of her OB/GYN father. Veltman shares it all in this raw and ridiculous extravaganza featuring unhinged characters, music, videos, and a medically unsanctioned chart. If you're reading this, you have a pelvic floor; you'll leave this brisk comedy knowing why it matters.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Step into the club. It's hot, it's dirty, it's sweaty. You feel his hands creeping up your body. You feel sexy, desired, on edge. Pump drops you in the middle of a nightclub dance floor in a desperate search for validation, intimacy and identity. Following successful seasons at Melbourne Fringe (2024) and Adelaide Fringe (2025), emerging artist and VCA graduate Isabella Gilbert makes her Edinburgh Fringe debut with this immersive and explosive solo show. Pump is an honest and shameless exploration of club culture, vulnerability and the artist experience. **** (TheClothesLine.com.au).
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
After losing two family members in the same week, Eve wonders if God is a sadistic prick or if life holds deeper meaning. Embarking on an ayahuasca ceremony for answers, she meets God and her G-spot and becomes convinced that she may be the next Jesus. Determined to heal others, she attempts to save a woman dying of cancer, but her efforts unravel into an unexpected lesson of humility and acceptance. A true story about the chaos of existence and surrender.
Greenside @ George Street
Ivy Studio
Megan and Kevin are close friends bonded by their love of takeaways, Rick and Morty and Jeremy Paxman – a match made in adult heaven. But after a desperate one night stand is unwittingly caught on camera, Kevin and Megan realise that perhaps there's something more to their friendship... Written and created by BAFTA Rising Star Winner David Jonsson, Paldem explores the amateur porn industry from the perspective of those who produce it. An anti-romantic comedy that crosses the murky lines of interracial dating, fetishisms and hook ups in the digital age.
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
What starts as an innocent search quickly escalates for 16-year-old Pandora, as the world of online porn unfolds before her. Conflicted yet drawn in by what she sees, Pandora begins to feel the impact on her real-world relationships. Drawing inspiration from the Greek myth of Pandora’s box, Pandora explores the dangers of defining oneself through the prism of the internet, and the importance of remaining plugged into the real world.‘Unlike almost any show I’ve seen… barefaced and unapologetic in its language and themes. Yet it’s also poetic, suggestive and nuanced, a clever variation on the Greek myth of Pandora and her monster-filled box’ Now Magazine ‘Berthiaume’s script is remarkable in raising many important issues in our attitude towards cyberspace through its open-ended nature and allegorical features’ TheTheatreReader.com‘The text is laced with metaphor, the staging highly stylized and the context surreal. Such a combination could have spelled disaster in less capable hands. But [the] world premiere of Pandora, a Youtheatre play about a teenage girl’s troubling encounter with online pornography, was an unmitigated success’ Montreal Gazette ‘Unflinching, Vital and Important Theatre for Young Audiences’ MooneyOnTheatre.comWritten by | Sarah BerthiaumeTranslation | Nadine DesrochersCastPandora | Cara RebeccaAlex/Firefox | Gabriel RichardsonDirection | VéaDirector of Photography | Martin AmiotProduction Manager | Maude LafranceTechnical Director & Assistant Director | Emlyn VanBruinswaardtEditing & Colour | Elodie Lorrain-MartinMakeup & Hair | Maude LafranceAssistant Camera | Ivan PeloquinSound Operator | Samuel CarrierTechnicians | Andrew Scriver, Emily SoussanaFrench Subtitles | Elodie Lorrain-MartinSet Documentation | Théo GagnéSet Designer | Martin SiroisCostumes & Props | Ariane ValadeSound Designer | Guillaume LévesqueSound Editing | Thierry GauthierSound Mix | Pako MamouniProduced by | Productions UPExecutive Producer | Youtheatrewww.youtheatre.cafacebook.com/YoutheatreMontreal instagram.com/youtheatremtl/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Inspired by Alan Bennett's Talking Heads, this is a play about a woman's survival and a bowl called Pandora. Told through recaptured memories of childhood, and the experience of motherhood, as a daughter, mother and grandmother, our story will resonate with people of all ages as they sit and remember their own special memories. After all, everyone has their own washing up bowl... don't they? Starring Niki Mylonas (The Seagull, Othello) and written and directed by Wendy Reynolds (An Evening with Sir Thomas More, Survivors).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
A classic tale of boy meets girl. Except she’s got a mysterious box that can destroy the world. The town Neapolis is shocked when an outsider named Pandora washes up on its shores. Enchanting and powerful, she awakens jealousies that overturn the townspeople’s lives. They suspect the answers to their problems are inside Pandora’s sole possession, a beautiful box she warned them never to open. They never suspect Pandora is a test from Zeus himself, with humanity’s survival at stake. Myth meets madcap comedy in a story about gods, monsters, love, and betrayal.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Now that the dust (and lawsuits) from last year’s adventures have settled, things are (finally) looking up for the St Andrews Pantomime Club. Oh, no they aren’t! With a divided cast, a series of increasingly complex love triangles and a four-hour show squeezed into fifty minutes, it’ll take more than a Fairy Godmother to ensure that success isn’t just a Midsummer Night’s Dream... Wait, wrong Shakespeare.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Thistle Theatre
Scotland’s roots folk/Americana trio Paper Sparrows captivate with their twin-guitar, harmonies and double bass. 'Highly recommended' (Celtic Connections). 'Infectious' (Americana-UK.com). RnR Magazine said 'the epithet ‘debut album’ belies the depth of skill and experience behind the band members'.
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Paradok Platform presents: Unwelcome: Andrew's carefully curated London life is upended when his sharp-tongued little sister Tracy shows up unannounced. A raw, funny and heartfelt play about identity, belonging, shame-and hiding parts of yourself… badly. A Cats Parasite, inspired by the stranger-than-fiction Jeremy Thorpe scandal, a forgotten tale of love and murder, set in the twisted, queer chaos of 1960s London. Finally, Russian Roulette, a brand spanking new dark comedy about a never ending game of Russian Roulette, this intimate and absurdist two hander promises to answer: why oh why won't one of them just die already?
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
Musical memories from a Parisian cafe. A journey through the vibrant swing scene of the 20s, 30s and 40s. Relive the songs, clubs and atmosphere of Paris in the Jazz Age, told by Eloise DeFleur, (Airlie Scott) and her talented band as she sifts through the music, her love story and tales of her Parisian life. A hot jazz blend of gypsy jazz, early swing, French chanson, blues and American songbook classics popular in Paris from the roaring twenties through occupation to liberation at the end of WWII.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
In possibly the first show of the dead supermarket comedy genre, Paul looks at how, as a socially isolated sixth former, he found solace in the aisles of 00s supermarket Somerfield. Paul spent up to two hours a day relaxing in his beloved Stretford branch but when the store closed, Paul expererienced the five stages of Supermarket Grief. The show features original cassette recordings from 2007 of Paul discussing his heartache. 'Paul Campbell is the kind of genius the fringe needs. A true original, hilarious and accessibly odd' (Joe Kent Walters).
Hoots @ Potterrow
Wee Container
Clearing out their late mother’s belongings, two siblings in Kenosha discover a package containing a record, suggesting a possible hidden romantic link between their grandmother and African-American singer and activist Paul Robeson, dating back to 1949. Watching coverage of protests at the latest police shooting happening in their city, they recall her story of racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Communist protests at a Robeson concert outside Peekskill, NY. The tense and uncertain run-up to the November 2020 elections reveals the best and the worst of their country in violent conflict, in a repeat of that hot summer of 1949.This is an imagined story based around the Peekskill and Kenosha happenings.‘A political and cultural feast, delivered with panache, humour and plenty of sumptuous baritone’ ***** (Morning Star)‘The writing was authentic and the dialogue delivered incredibly well by the cast. [An] emotional and powerful piece of theatre’ (Number9Reviews.blogspot.com)‘Thoroughly compelling and highly educational’ (Writebase.co.uk)Written by | Tayo AlukoCast in order of appearanceAdele Spears | Ananda Bena-WeberGeorge Simons | Bob WeickPaul Robeson | Tayo AlukoCharlie Daniels | Nils SwansonBenjamin Winger | Michael BiasJessica Winger | Lisa MerrillEssie Robeson | Leslie McCurdyPaul Robeson, Jr | Mark AtkinsonLloyd Brown | Darryl Van LeerHelen Rosen | Michelle PaulsSidney Danis | David RovicsPianist | Dennis NelsonDirected by | Olusola Oyeleyewww.tayoalukoandfriends.comwww.robesonslovesong.comwww.facebook.com/TayoAlukoandFriendswww.instagram.com/tayoalukoinliverpool/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Paul Savage has renting trauma. Greedy landlords, internet scammers and a very broken canalboat. The 2024 sell-out, critically acclaimed show returns for even more house share nightmares. ***** (TheatreThoughtsAus.online). ***** (TheatreScotland.co.uk).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
This whimsical allegorical fairytale from China is about the world of food. It follows a peanut’s fantastical journey to avoid its destiny of being eaten, and so reflects the universal human experience of struggling against fate. Through its adventures in the Delicious Metropolis (the restaurant kitchen), the Food Refugee Camp (the leftover bowl), and the Flavourless Hell (the garbage can), the peanut meets a colourful cast of condiments! Along the way, it comes to realise the truth: although death is unavoidable, it can be faced in a way that brings inner peace. Performed in Chinese with English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
What would you do if your best friend murdered someone? For Penelope Quadrangle, the answer is simple: hide the body. Sure, her bestie Natalie doesn’t talk much, or invite her to birthday drinks, and might be a serial killer, but without Natalie, she’d be nothing. So when Natalie brutally murders a client at their workplace, priority number one is make sure nobody ever finds out. Ever. If Penelope is one thing, it’s loyal. (And extremely well dressed. And absolutely, definitely, not lonely).
Greenside @ George Street
Ivy Studio
A wildly quirky piece of physical theatre from Japan. Watching PeoplePeople is like peering into the minds of its five characters: a professor, a punk, a pierrot, a patient and a pupil. The experience is strangely humanising and somewhat mad. The movements are carefully crafted and highly stylised through the unique theatrical language of Corporeal Mime. The characters speak in their native tongue (Japanese, Chinese, English). There is no story. There is no set. Just five people, being people, in their own surreal way.Created and performed by | Tomoki Nonaka, Ruxun Dai, Teruya Sugimoto, Masaya Tsujimoto, Harry DeanDirected by | Kentaro Suyama, Tania CokeAssistant direction | Yukiko MasuiMusic by | Tania Coke, Henry Morse, DreamylapseProjected images by | Kentaro SuyamaLights by | Kentaro SuyamaProduced by | tarinainanikawww.tarinainanika.comwww.facebook.com/tarinainanikawww.instagram.com/tarinainanika Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A wandering theatre show, inspired by T.S. Eliot's poetry, follows a contemporary everyman through a single day. Using striking visuals, dynamic choreography and grotesque humour, it reveals the traps of modern life, where many lose their individuality without reflection. The performance, blending satire and spectacle, questions our fate: does the collective possession of the Peregrinuses ever end? Are we victims of the dybbuks, or do we become them? This journey forces us to confront whether we still control our identities or if we surrender to the forces shaping us. A thought-provoking, visually captivating experience.
Summerhall Festival
Courtyard
Two girls find themselves trapped in limbo following their sudden deaths, only to discover that they are not alone. Someone else is here, watching them, determining who gets to leave and who gets left behind. Haunted by their deaths and the lives they've lost, the two must battle each other and their own demons to face what they’re truly willing to do to escape. A gruesome yet tender exploration of girlhood, this collage of memories, music and Y2K pop culture questions how young women survive in a system that asks them to tear each other down.
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
Amelia Crotchet is a semi-failed classical musician in a double-act with her violin. She’s about to play the most important concert of her career, but it’s far from straightforward. For a start she’s easily distracted and must explain her relationship with Violin, the practical uses of opera and Violin’s latest business ventures before the music even begins. She’s got two guest comedians to help her through it, but will they be up to the task? Expect silliness, historically questionable facts about Bach and, if Amelia gets round to it, some beautiful classical music.
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
Dive into one man’s poignant journey through his struggles with addiction and perfectionism. With original music and story, protagonist Leo Grant navigates his identity as a gay man through the mediums of drag cabaret and musical theatre. Catapulted by grief and torn between the showman and the offstage persona, with a rollercoaster tale using song, comedy and drama, he finally finds acceptance through the solace of faith and the healing power of music.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
After a life in the UK, Pernille Haaland (Netflix, HBO, NRK, Discovery) flipped her world upside down during lockdown, trading London's gritty streets, sewers and foxes for the cold, dark fjords of Norway. She's settled in surprisingly well, made friends with the local wolves and seems to be thriving, which is great timing given that the world seems to be unraveling. With far-right extremism on the rise, wars erupting and women's rights under attack, it's truly a golden age for a single, childless lady in her 30s.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
Peter Doherty (legendary co-frontman of The Libertines) brings his brilliant new album Felt Better Alive to La Belle Angele.
La Belle Angele
Main Room
Hi, I'm Peter Jones. I'm an Australian comedian. I've performed stand-up on the TV series Comedy Up Late. I also appeared on the Netflix series Why Are You Like This? and I wrote for a few TV shows in Australia. Since moving to the UK I've won the 2023 Beat the Frog World Series and I've been gigging at comedy clubs across the country. Most importantly though, this show is funny and you should come along. I'll see you there!
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Upstairs
Stories of five fictional women, fundamentally different and unconnected, but sharing the same core: the pain of living on when something essential is taken away. Human trafficking, family separation, suicide, depression, and rape are some of the themes explored in this original piece. Based on true events, accounts and testimonies. A reminder of the human stories behind news and statistics, told through poetry, dance, and monologues. In 1936 Spanish Republican troops disembarked on the shores of Majorca to recover the island, which had been taken over by the military. The operation was a failure, and soon the Republicans were defeated in retreat, leaving many comrades behind on the ground. Survivors were made an example of, tortured, and executed. Mar de fons explores the consequences of these events and the following repression, and how it has affected Majorcan society. Documentary theatre based on real testimonials of people involved in the Spanish Civil War and repression that followed. Winner of the Derek Award for Best Overseas Show, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021. Writer/performer: Lennora Esi. Producer: Rzgar Hama. ‘A powerful piece! There are many levels displayed through the performance of these powerful stories’ (George Belliveau). ‘What a profoundly important piece of work’ (Marvin Westwood).www.skytheatregroup.com Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Open the door to No 19, where love hits the rocks like gin and tonic… In Eva’s world, time has eclipsed. Control is her vice and to be forgotten is her greatest fear. Meet David, her forever child. All he wants is to meet a nice lady and start a life of his own. But will Mammy ever let him go? Pheromone spits fire, glamour, and the wrath of God into 1950s Ireland. ‘Just pure theatre in its look and style… dramatically Pheromone hits all the right notes’ **** (Everything-Theatre.co.uk). ‘Chilling’ (LouReviews.blog). ‘Clear vision… thought-provoking… engaging characters’ (OughtToBeClowns.com).www.lipzinctheatre.comwww.facebook.com/LipZincwww.instagram.com/lipzinc_theatrewww.tiktok.com/lipzinc_theatre Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Man of Few Words is a show from Bristol comedian Phil Wathern. Expect joke-packed routines on life, death, and football, delivered with a deceptively charming and laid back stage presence, from a finalist in Stand Up For Cider and Philly Cup New Act competitions, and Bristol Comedy Chest Audience Vote winner. 'A very skilled writer... his material was strong throughout' (NottsComedyReview.wordpress.com). 'I absolutely love his material and stage presence. Audience warm to him immediately' (Chappers Comedy).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Wee Room
'Funny, silly, moving, ukelele' best describes The Phil Monty from award-winning South African comedian Phil de Lange. With a blend of music and stand-up, Phil unpacks his early onset midlife crises, grief and the politics of WhatsApp groups.
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Wee Room
01 - 09 AugEdith Piaf and Jacques Brel: two French musical icons who sang of romance and heartbreak and lived passionate, dramatic lives. But they didn't ever appear onstage together – until now! This impossible concert features internationally acclaimed singer Melanie Gall. With Amsterdam, Milord, La Vie en Rose, and other French classics. Piaf and Brel has been performed in over 12 countries. Chosen to be part of the Fringe Encore series and awarded an off-Broadway run at SoHo Playhouse in New York City. 'Impeccable performance!' ***** (GlamAdelaide.com.au) ***** (Winnipeg Free Press). Sold-out Edinburgh Fringe runs 2017-2018.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
11 - 16 AugEdith Piaf and Jacques Brel: two French musical icons who sang of romance and heartbreak and lived passionate, dramatic lives. But they didn't ever appear onstage together – until now! This impossible concert features internationally acclaimed singer Melanie Gall. With Amsterdam, Milord, La Vie en Rose, and other French classics. Piaf and Brel has been performed in over 12 countries. Chosen to be part of the Fringe Encore series and awarded an off-Broadway run at SoHo Playhouse in New York City. 'Impeccable performance!' ***** (GlamAdelaide.com.au) ***** (Winnipeg Free Press). Sold-out Edinburgh Fringe runs 2017-2018.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
New Zealand concert pianist Charles Whitehead makes his sixth solo appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The 2025 Piano Masterworks Recital features an exciting array of music including works by Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Messiaen as well as the Prokofiev Piano Sonata No. 6 in A, Op. 82. Come and prepare to be entranced by the beauty and power of these timeless classics in mesmerising live performances!
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
The pianist's dead. There's a room full of pianos. And one of 'em ain't playing straight. It's a case only 'the Fringe's favourite pianist' (List) can get to the bottom of. Two nights only. No encores.
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
Piano Smashers is a new play by Rupert Page and Rob Thompson in which a mother bequeaths a precious piano to her children in her will, insisting they keep it. They do not want it because of what it represents to them, yet they can not bring themselves to dispose of it. Nominated Best Performance – The Actors, Brighton Fringe, 2024. 'Such hidden gems add greatly to the Fringe experience and remind us that there are superb ones which don’t get the audiences they deserve. Piano Smashers is one such show' (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk). https://www.pianosmashers.co.uk
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
A cri de coeur from author/performer Sandra Laub, wrestling with characters like Golda Meir and a Palestinian mother of martyrs, to make sense of the insane horror of October 7th. Can a progressive Jewish woman reconcile her Zionist heart with her liberal conscience? This tour de force, many-voices solo show, dares to ask for peace while grappling with war, whose antecedents and repercussions continue to shape our world. Hailed as a remarkably balanced and compassionate portrayal, the play respects the facts while standing firmly on personal, humanistic ground.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Welcome to the jar. Here, tragedy floats and the wail of an abandoned tomato cuts through the salty atmosphere. Come hear the lament of lives not lived, watch the chaotic energy of the search for meaning and find connections between these decaying vegetables and your own existence. Be prepared, bring a hankie, will you laugh or cry? Who knows. You'll leave stirred up but none the wiser. A surreal theatrical cabaret for adults with puppetry, masks, and perhaps a poem that promises more vegetables per pound than any supermarket. Don't worry about inflation when there is disintegration. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
When his son’s history class gets a face-full of stormtrooper erotica, gay artist Cal fights to stay true to his queer identity and role as a single parent. Developed and performed by an ensemble from UCLA, Loyola Marymount University and Northwestern University, this world premiere from Los Angeles Theatre Initiative explores the complexities of queer parenthood. Supported by his team of queer icons, Cal navigates the shifting nature of raising a teenage boy while reentering the romantic world of West Hollywood after 13 years and no d***. Cal must answer the question: does love truly win?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Scott is taking a day off work. A quest begins that will take him through an array of quirky characters and situations as he attempts to answer the question: where does one find hope today? Pilgrim of Hope is an uplifting story of an everyday man, Scott Adams, who goes in search of hope. Trouble is – where does one find hope today? A funny, poignant fable about life, death, air-fryers and one man’s search for hope. A third Fringe solo show from versatile writer-performer Stephen Callaghan (Pew With a View 2018, and Oggie! Oggie! Oggie! 2023).
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
AcadePitch Productions presents a fantasy swashbuckling adventure filled with music, conflict and an unlikely romance. The pirates are in search for a long-lost artifact: the golden pitchpipe, but the British navy are hot on their tail. Will the pirates be successful or will they be brought to justice? Find out in our a cappella jukebox musical that is full of wonderful soloists and beautiful harmonies designed to get those goosebumps going. Our comedy show is accessible to all ages, so bring the whole family along for a sea-faring adventure!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Vocalist Christine Adams cooks up another helping of dirty blues and swing from the era of joint-jumping, boisterous Harlem rent parties. With trumpeter Colin Steele, reedman Dick Lee, guitarist Phil Adams and bassist Jerry Forde.
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Often used in clinical trials, the Placebo is renowned for its power of illusion, whether through the form of a sugar pill, a sham injection or an empty procedure dressed as a cure. Placebos thrive on one thing: belief. They can heal, deceive and manipulate, miraculously working against all odds to blur the line between medicine and illusion. Belief can be a powerful drug, and in a world coming undone, it’s all Stoner has left. This belief is fuelled by trust, dependent on perception – powerful when upheld, devastating when exposed. So when the mirage shatters, what will remain?
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Play On is a dark comedy following two estranged siblings forced to complete an escape room together after attending their mother's funeral, in order to receive her last will and testament. Tensions rise as the two siblings uncover past hurts that have never been dealt with, while balancing grief for their mother, along with exposing the breach of their relationship. Clues about their personal lives, weighted retaliations and an inability to work together may cause the siblings to never uncover their mother's final wishes. Blood is thicker than water, but will it be enough?
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
Proposal Day – four theologians at a sleepy seminary are soon to be ordained. In an apartment living room only yards away from the campus, these students on the brink of maturity find themselves caught in a sexual square-dance where feelings run riot, intelligence is victim to desire and games of wit, chance and smarts can bring time to a deafening standstill. Playing Love is a comedy of manners – about faith, devotion, sex and luck – taking on the Fringe after a sold-out run in St Andrews. What d’you say? Heads or tails?
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
A site-specific, immersive, and participatory experience that takes place in your own bathtub. (Theatre-stayers may substitute a foot bath, if desired.) Join us for poetry, singing, and dances for small appendages. Has been performed in over 34 countries in multiple languages. ‘Incredibly soothing’ (Guardian). ‘Turns the limitations of quarantine into a precious gift’ (TheTheatreTimes.com). ‘Gives a new literal meaning to immersive theater’ (Jonathan Mandell, www.NewYorkTheater.me).This Is Not a Theatre Company creates site-based, immersive, multi-sensory, participatory dance-theatre that can be smelled, touched, and tasted as well as seen and heard.Conceived and directed by EB Mee, materials by Jenny Lyn Bader, Jonathan Matthews-Guzman, Juan Ortiz, ee cummings, and Rumi. Performed by Lynnette R Freeman, with piano by Lucy Yao.www.ThisIsNotATheatreCompany.comwww.facebook.com/thisisnotatheatrecompanywww.instagram.con/thisisnotatheatrecompany/ Watch Company TrailerListen to Show Trailer (English)
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Enter the fevered final moments of a literary legend. Poe is a chilling descent into the mind of Edgar Allan Poe as it fractures under the weight of memory, guilt and imagination. Through shifting shadows and whispered confessions, his most macabre tales – The Tell-Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, The Pit and the Pendulum – bleed into reality. As his pulse quickens and time runs thin, the line between story and storyteller begins to dissolve. Poe’s life was shrouded in mystery. So was his death. This is not a biography. This is a haunting. Venture, if you dare.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Poetry Without Words is a programme with primarily classical and romantic content, in a sense a nod to Schumann's song cycle Dichterliebe, from which songs will be performed in an interpretation for viola and piano, combined with works of the classical, romantic and slightly more modern period. Song is the focus of our performance; we have added Britten's Lacrymae which circles around John Dowland's song If My Complaints Could Passions Move, one of Beethoven's beautiful song-like romances, Pärt's haunting piece Fratres and Weber's cheerful Andante e Rondo Ungarese to the mix.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Pop is a gig-style musical about a songwriter who leaves their hometown and moves to London to pursue their dream of being heard on the biggest stages. This fast-paced show explores the highs and lows of being an aspiring creative and mixes this relatable sincerity with catchy songs and amazing vocals. The cast of five combines the energy and fun of a pop concert with the intimacy of musical theatre storytelling.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
Practice of Zen theatre movie, produced and shortlisted: Highly Recommended (Asian Arts Award). Now, we perform in-person! A kid with his superhero blanket cape was brought to a realm of Wuxia. He took in the tangling of impermanence with resentment and lust with karma in the martial world. The story tells how a heroine copes with circumstances. Spirit of Wuxia is brought in contemporary theatrical language. Wuxia's a fairytale for grownups and a medium to evoke personal and social thinking. Continuing the creative spirit, Theatre Ronin recreates folklore and emotional landscapes. A practice of Zen awaits you.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Growing up in a patriarchal family, Prashasti naturally had one dream – to become a patriarch herself. Inching towards 40, but pretending to be 30, Prashasti can finally mark this dream complete. But instead of happiness, she finds herself pondering: was the ascent worth the price? Spend an hour with Prashasti as she questions all her life choices and meticulously assigns blame to the women and men who shaped her into this being. As seen on Netflix's Ladies Up, Comedy Premium League and Amazon Prime's Comicstaan. 'Fantastic, one of the leading comedic voices in India' (Deadant.co).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dexter
Warren Martin, the architect of his own troubles, strives to be a perfect father but barely manages to be adequate, a fact obvious to everyone except for himself. Story after story of incompetence and struggle will make you wonder how he’s even got this far. He tells the story of his life from the birth of his children to their teenage years, covering his work and interview misunderstandings, family holidays and oblique observations of life. This window into his existence will reveal the funny side of life to all, except him.
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
After eating from the tree of the Fruit of Knowledge and leaving Paradise, Adam dreams that Lucifer shows him the entire history of humanity and its unavoidable failure. As Adam travels through time, and tries to find ways to prevent this, the values that dominated society at different times in history are brought to life with everyday objects. Hungary’s classic philosophical play Az Ember Tragédiája (The Tragedy of Man) by Imre Madách is given a new treatment in this original non-verbal object theatre re-telling with original music, written, directed and performed by actress Flora Novak with music and masks.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
Prudence Play is a one-woman-many-voices serio-comedy starring a young catholic nun having an identity (gay-as-hell) crisis. From her fever dream of tap dancing, or her hot and heavy thoughts during the Lenten fish fry, you understand… she’s having a moment. She’s waking up to feelings for a fellow sister, wrestling with her every belief, and confessing a lot (perhaps too much) to the order’s new priest. As memories from her past resurface and her dreams get more sinful, Prudence begins to question the voice in her head and is forced to confront her (horny) (gay) demons.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
Following a bumpy few years of job loss, breakups and pandemic related dramas, Briyah needs a fresh start. She drives across the USA in her purple car to wash dishes at an oceanside retreat centre with hot springs on site. It goes pear-shaped. She returns to NYC and admits herself to the psych ward before embarking on a worldwide healing journey, with the help of psychedelics. It's time to turn her inherited trauma into comedy, and she documents it all on the podcast 2 Paleys on a Pod, alongside her dad, a Budapest based Rabbi.
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
After experiencing loss, a solo neuroscientist spirals inward, journeying through memory, mysticism, science and the mind in this poetic exploration of altered states. Blending scientific logic with surreal storytelling, this bold new work merges monologue, movement and sound to explore the liminal space between loss, healing and transformation. Visually evocative and emotionally resonant, it invites audiences into a deeply personal yet universal psychedelic experience. Created by multimedia company PolyXo, this is theatre for curious minds and open hearts – perfect for those drawn to bold new writing, experimental form, and stories that sit between reality and dreams.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
A special preview of Puff, by choreographer Alice Ripoll and performer Hiltinho Fantástico. Disguise is an element present in dances of the African diaspora meant to transmit silenced cultures. 'Puff' in Portuguese can mean when something magically disappears. Hiltinho began dancing Passinho, an urban dance style born in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. He carries the ancestry of Brazilian dance, starting in Africa, moving through samba and capoeira. The show explores techniques such as extremely speedy steps and the dissociation of body parts, which promote illusion effects, and suggest that something is being hidden from our eyes.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Four top comedians try to beat the punchlines in this comedy gameshow. But, you can win prizes too by playing the comedy bingo! All you need to do is cross the words off your card as the comics say them to win prizes! It's Bingo – but comical.
Laughing Horse @ West Port Oracle
Flight Club
After years of adventure, Puss in Boots finds himself alone and lonely, so embarks on an exciting journey back to his past! Along the way, he meets new pals and learns what it means to find friendship again. StoryMakers Theatre creates innovative, interactive and exciting performances for young audiences. Filled with original music, interactive fun and exuberant characters, this show is the purrfect treat for the whole family. 'Wow, what a magical, fun packed show! Loved the songs and hilarious characters. The kids had a blast... storytelling at its best' (Audience review).
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
PUSSY RIOT need little introduction, the Russian protest art collective have one of the most important voices of the last 10 years; lyrical themes include feminism, LGBT rights, and opposition to Vladimir Putin. Gaining global notoriety in 2012 when three members, Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Yekaterina Samutsevich were imprisoned for 'hooliganism motivated by religious hatred' for their performance inside Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The accompanying piece to Alyokhina’s memoir of the same name (Penguin Books), the touring play RIOT DAYS ('Revolution') merges punk, electronica, theatre, documentary footage and protest.
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
Inspired by the allegorical Chinese myth of Pangu, and choreographed by Kuik Swee Boon (Singapore) and Kim Jae Duk (Korea), this contemporary dance piece presents the idea of transculturation as a convergence of cultures across geographical, historical, social and physical boundaries. Created in collaboration with award-winning Taiwanese musician Wang Yu-jun, the performance is hosted and co-performed by two disabled artists Wheelsmith (Danial Bawthan) and Tung Ka Wai. Produced by The Human Expression (T.H.E) Dance Company and commissioned by Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, the full-length dance show premiered live in Singapore in May as part of the Cultural Extravaganza Festival 2021.www.the-dancecompany.comwww.facebook.com/THEDanceCowww.instagram.com/thehumanexpressionwww.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxsEW_SZ9suwsfjRrADMqCy5AD5tb28xGAccess Audio DescriptionPlease note that audio description includes pre-show notes, and the show video should only be played when you hear the bell at the 5-minute mark Watch TrailerWatch Trailer – SeungMuWatch Trailer – The Notion of Transculturation
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Quartet is a brutal 75-minute piece for two. Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont engage in an escalating series of role plays in a war for love, sex and power. Heiner Müller's reduced 1980 play adapts Dangerous Liaisons, the classic 1782 French novel that exposed the decadence of pre-revolutionary France, and that was turned into multiple movies and TV series.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
Kromatik Ensemble perform Messiaen's masterpiece for violin, cello, clarinet and piano, the Quartet for the End of Time, and works by Debussy for solo piano and voice. Full programme at kromatikensemble.com.
Greyfriars Kirk
Main Church Sanctuary
Kromatik Ensemble perform Messiaen's masterpiece for violin, cello, clarinet and piano, the Quartet for the End of Time, and works by Debussy for solo piano and voice. Full programme at kromatikensemble.com.
Stockbridge Church
Church Hall
Rock on with the greatest Queen piano cabaret tribute singalong show ever! All the hits, fun stories and lots of laughs as you transform from an audience into the world’s greatest Queen cabaret singers… This is a high-energy, interactive show that will have you singing, laughing, dancing and generally having one of the best nights of your life. International piano cabaret entertainer Antony (Dr H) Hubmayer will lead the celebrations as we sing all the best bits from Bohemian Rhapsody, Somebody to Love, Don’t Stop Me Now, and many more.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Today our clothes are kept waiting to go out and vibrate again in the streets. A videographic piece born from imagining the life-cycle of the textiles in which we live our lives, and from fantasising about the longing of our clothes to feel the skin again. Explores issues of ecology, humanity and quotidian habits. Created by award-winning Mexico City-based duo Daniela and Sergio Vázquez.www.hekatombe.orgwww.facebook.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/danielavazcowww.instagram.com/sergiosearchvimeo.com/user21628450 Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
01 - 09 AugEvery autumn, Runyon Grammar teams up with the neighbouring boys' school for their annual musical. This year, it's Guys and Dolls. At the final rehearsal before the dreaded tech week three principals, Sky Masterson, Benny Southstreet and Miss Adelaide, sneak away from rehearsals to check on their costumes. But when the door to the costume cupboard locks behind them, they find themselves trapped. Forced to pass the time together, they decide to play an impressions game with the costumes around them. But as the game goes off the rails, they end up sharing much more than they bargained for.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
11 - 16 AugEvery autumn, Runyon Grammar teams up with the neighbouring boys' school for their annual musical. This year, it's Guys and Dolls. At the final rehearsal before the dreaded tech week three principals, Sky Masterson, Benny Southstreet and Miss Adelaide, sneak away from rehearsals to check on their costumes. But when the door to the costume cupboard locks behind them, they find themselves trapped. Forced to pass the time together, they decide to play an impressions game with the costumes around them. But as the game goes off the rails, they end up sharing much more than they bargained for.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
On the 31st October 2019, Cosmo was hit by a car in an act of transphobic hate and violence. This show is not about getting hit by a car. This is a show about sex. This is a show about period sex. This is a show about working at Tesco. This is a show about living with your parents. This is a show about the Rocky Horror Picture Show. This is a show about trans euphoria, sexuality and survival.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
Rachel explores the vast chasm between her British roots and her adopted Dutch home, providing a humorous insider's perspective on the cultural quirks that define expat life in the most tolerant and liberal country in the world. Expect hilarious stories about her life in the Netherlands as a British fish out of water, engaging audiences regardless of where they are from. Known for her friendly, chatty and relatable comedic style, Rachel has firmly established herself as a prominent figure within the European comedy scene. In 2021, she was awarded Best Stand-Up by WorldWideComedyAwards.com.
Laughing Horse @ The Raging Bull
Cellar
A recital of Hindustani classical music. Sitarist Et Bartholomew pays tribute to Vilayat and Imrat Khan’s historic performance at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1965 by revisiting their compositions in Raga Ahir Bhairav. Accompanied by Dave Beards on tabla.
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Helen Duncan Room
Grab your fedora, holster your puns and come join Raiders of the Local Adventure. Renowned archaeologist Dr Grones and his assistant Milo will take you on an interactive expedition through Holyrood Park in search of a mysterious lost artifact, spoofing your favorite pulp adventure stories along the way. Watch out for cryptic clues, derring-do, deception, dangerous wildlife, meddling academics and more in this wacky adventure!
Holyrood Park
Meeting Point at Information Centre
Raul Kohli is an award-winning comedian from Newcastle, England who has gigged all over the World. Having been the star of his own BBC Sounds podcast (Comic Sanskrit), he is fluent in meditation and mindfulness but as a Brit he knows God can also be found in a beer or a one night stand. In this show, Raul attempts to balance western culture with eastern philosophy. Will he find God or lose his mind? Edinburgh Fringe ISH Award nominee ***** (Guardian).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Front Room
Raul Kohli returns for a fifth year with his sell-out cult hit! No material, no plan, no sad bit at the 45th minute where his pet chinchilla dies... Just one hour of straight improvised comedy based on what the crowd tell him. ***** (Guardian).
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Garden Room
Rave is set in a night club where we meet Colin and Rosie. They are attending a rave at the end of their relationship and there are decisions to be made. A great interactive show and story line. The characters are battling through their own worlds of crisis using the music of the rave club to help, encourage and solve their problems. A great chance to dance to the rave classics and watch the story unfold before your eyes. Brilliant performances set this story apart and the live DJ is the icing on the cake. Exquisite!
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Grand Hall
Ray Fordyce is back once again to host a variety show filled with comedy and entertainment from across the world. Featuring many different acts each day, this show is a must for any Fringe goer.
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Garden Room
Quincunx is Ray Fordyce's favourite word. It means a pattern of five and there are five areas of his life he want's to talk about and how they all connect.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
A brilliant mix of audience interaction and stand-up from a master of the craft. All over social media you see comedians posting videos of crowd work. Raymond Mearns has been doing great crowd work for years as one the best MCs in the country! Within the comedy industry, he's regarded as one of the best there is! Come and witness Raymond live onstage and see why he sells out his show every year. All will get roasted, but nobody gets burned in this sensational comedy show. 'Raymond Mearns is an improvisational genius!' (Frankie Boyle).
Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn
Beehive 2 (The Attic)
How can we inhabit landscapes that are transforming due to climate change? Re-Shape-Land-Scape is a dance-theatre performance that delves into the ephemerality of transforming landscapes. Original choreography devised to evoke the numbers of the coordinates with movement in multimedia live-digital performance, takes audiences on an eco-journey through three geographically diverse landscapes looking for answers: the windswept shores of the Norfolk Coast in East Anglia (52.96691, 0.532), the historic Panagia Chrysopolitissa Church in Cyprus (35.3413, 4.6333), and the bustling Wan Chai Reclamation in Hong Kong (22.2803, 4.1141). An exploration of the impact of human interaction on ever-changing terrains.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
When the BBC directors try to hold auditions for the channel, disaster happens as they put the auditionees through their paces. A great, funny show that showcases the talent of Edinburgh youngsters. A must-see for families. The directors take the applicants through a series of sketches, and we see just how bad the directors are until the twist at the end reveals how some acting contracts are actually handed out. A very fast, lively, full of energy show that starts your Fringe day off the right way. The Scottish Theatre and Music School kids truly shine.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Alba Theatre
Lia and Bryn have built a relationship rooted in the belief they are forever. As this promise begins suffocating Bryn, roommate Carter invites Ellie, a seductive, enigmatic force, to stay. Ellie’s openness inspires Bryn and Carter to confront buried desires, while Lia grows increasingly suspicious of the newcomer. Her paranoia deepens, dreams blur with reality, and she becomes convinced Ellie is a malevolent creature manipulating their world. As Lia fixates on Ellie, she misses the real betrayal: Bryn and Carter’s growing bond. A violent confrontation shatters everything. Was Ellie just a guest... or something far more sinister?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
This innovative interdisciplinary short film and performance piece weaves together contemporary lyrical dance, archive footage, animation and storytelling, to tell the stories of generations of displaced people in their own words. Created by a collaboration of Liberty EU Portfolio artists – choreographer and storyteller Akeim Toussaint Buck, filmmaker Ashley Karrell, animator Benedetta Fasson and writer mandla rae – from the Reckoning with Refugeedom archives held at the University of Manchester.‘A call to action’ (WellingtonReviews.co.nz)Choreographer, Storyteller and Performer | Akeim Toussaint BuckFilmmaker, Editor and Sound Mixer | Ashley KarrellAnimator | Benedetta FassonWriter | mandla raeProduced by | ArtReachwww.toussainttomove.comreckoningwithrefugeedom.wordpress.comfacebook.com/ToussaintToMoveinstagram.com/toussainttomove/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Reconstruction is an unmissable new one-man play about the process of grief leading to eventual emotional growth. Have you ever chosen to forget? Looking to escape his stagnant home life, James finds himself on a train with only his thoughts, his camera… and some old photos. Through analysing pictures of his life, Yorkshire teenager James takes the audience on an intimate journey through his memory, confronting his past to find hope in his future. On the surface, this moving performance confronts vulnerability and loss but dig deeper and you will find a life-affirming journey of strength and determination.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
In a discordant world, minds keep moving, too active for rest, bustling, sizzling all the time. Three performers strive to relax the mind – they exercise Chinese Qigong, physical movements and sound healing to detach from the thinking mind, achieving a peaceful balanced state where yin and yang, the sun and moon elements, are harmonised. The body can relax and not do anything apart from just be.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
'Superb' (Hot Press, Ireland). Winner of Best Performance: International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival. Embark on a retrospective journey with Annmarie, a seasoned musician who leaves her life in LA for love in Barcelona. Trading music for a corporate job, she loses herself, her connection to music, and ultimately, her wife. Reeling from the breakup, Annmarie returns to her native Dublin after 25 years away to start over. With on-screen cameos by Naimee Coleman and comedian Gearoid Farrelly, this inspiring, mixed-media, one-woman musical is a must-see for anyone at a crossroads in life.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
A drunk, a clown, a disabled soldier, an old crone. A moth, a mirror, a muse. Welcome to the world of Rey Camoy, Japanese painter of the human soul. tarinainanika’s latest production shows the artist in his studio, surrounded by the characters from his creations. The drama unfolds without a word, with intricate ensemble-work and breath-taking physicality. It’s a gut-wrenching love song to beauty – the kind worth living and dying for.‘One of the most exquisite pieces I have seen in a long time’ ***** (BritishTheatre.com).‘A tour de force of physical theatre’ ****(*) (Salterton Arts Review).Cast | Kentaro Suyama, Tania Coke, Ryuta Kawai, Yukiko Masui, Teruya Sugimoto, Masaya TsujimotoDirected by | Kentaro Suyama and Tania CokeMusic by | Tania CokeVideo by | Kentaro SuyamaFilm version directed and edited by | Taro MizunoFilm version planning and production by | SCS Osakawww.tarinainanika.comwww.facebook.com/tarinainanikawww.instagram.com/tarinainanika Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Award-winning pianist-conductor Matthew Shiel leads his acclaimed jazz band on a swinging, toe-tapping odyssey through blues, Berlin cabaret, ragtime and New York jazz piano improv with poignant storytelling – by candlelight. Programme includes Joplin’s The Entertainer, Brubeck’s Take Five, Gershwin’s showstopper Rhapsody in Blue and cabaret music by the Jewish composer Erwin Schulhoff (1894-1942) – who was murdered by the Third Reich for the "crime" of composing jazz. 'Enchanting... amusing, enlightening stories' ***** (EdinburghGuide.com). 'Artistic director Matthew Shiel shone' **** (ThreeWeeks). 'Ripping good yarn' ***** (BingeFringe.com).
St Vincent's
The Chapel
2025 60-minute solo piano recital includes Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, American Gospel medley, sweet home Chicago blues, Count Basie medley (my youngest influence), Scott Joplin Ragtime and original jazz and blues compositions by Tim. This may seem like a lot, but 60 minutes of piano beauty divided up between these great styles gives you a very nice flowing musical program. Imagine a few pieces from each style to remind you of great music in your life! Let Tim 'don't call me burton' Barton play for you!
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Helen Duncan Room
Last year's hit-show returns! Lars was born in Atlanta, Georgia to a southern Baptist gospel bluegrass family and starred in international smash-hits such as The Everly Brothers tribute show Walk Right Back, Nashville Live and Legends. He also played Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash in West End productions. The show includes hits Wichita Lineman, Galveston, By The Time I Get To Phoenix and Rhinestone Cowboy. 'Stunning vocals, Lars sounds as good as he looks' (StageSideUK.co.uk). 'A powerful tribute. There was roaring cheers as the curtain fell' (Glasgowist.com).
Le Monde
Shanghai
In 2011, fresh out of a psychiatric facility, Rich Hardisty flies to NYC with no money or plan, hoping to find his biological father. Desperate, he searches everywhere, helped by endearing strangers along the way. Unfortunately for Rich, when he does finally find his father, it doesn't go as anticipated. POP is a hilarious and heartbreaking exploration of family trauma and redemption. A nostalgic, emotional rollercoaster that leaves you believing dreams can come true... just sometimes not in the way we imagined. 'Eye opening, deeply affecting, hilarious' **** (Scotsman). 'A thrilling life story... brilliantly told' (Richard Gadd).
Summerhall Festival
Former Gents Locker Room
Quality one-liners, puns and light-hearted jokes! UK Pun Championships winner, 2022. Scottish Comedian of the Year runner-up, 2021. You Must Be Joke King winner, 2024. Nominated Best Stand-up Buxton Fringe, 2023. Dave's Top 10 Jokes of the Fringe 2019, 2021 and 2022. As seen on Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch. ‘A barrage of one liners... exudes confidence and charm’ [s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s] (Lancaster Guardian). ‘Quick, original and funny’ [s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s] (BroadwayBaby.com). 'Immediately establishing himself as a safe pair of hands, reminiscent of a master like Milton Jones, his (justified) confidence in his material shone through' (Scotsman).
Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn
Beehive 2 (The Attic)
Which is the true home of heroes – Marvel or DC? In this interactive show, kids battle it out on behalf of their heroes in games and challenges designed to assemble the greatest superhero team! Join comedian Rik Carranza for an action-packed hour filled with tests of speed, strength and knowledge (aka all the things that make a hero). Whether you’re team Ant-Man or team Aquaman, team Storm or team Supergirl, team Spiderman or team Batman, just be ready to champion your hero! Dressing up is strongly encouraged.
Laughing Horse @ The Counting House
The Lounge
Button lives in an alleyway surrounded by cardboard boxes and items rescued from the bin. With sidekick Chawana, a sprouting seedling, he shares the absurdity of modern consumerism and over-development, while reflecting on the importance of meaningful relationships. Created by eleven artists from Mexico and Chile, fusing clown, gestural theatre and live illustration in a show for audiences of all ages. ‘Excitement, of laughter and tenderness that would be a pity to miss’ (Vaucluse Matin). ‘Pure visual and gestural poetry for this burlesque and graphic show, both funny and touching’ (LibreTheatre.fr). ‘Uplifting! We love it!’ (La Provence). www.circonciente.comwww.facebook.com/circonciente.circo.teatrowww.instagram.com/circonciente/Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
What can we learn from ancient cultures regarding climate adaptation, and how can we fuse this with technology and AI? Ash went on an adventure from Ireland to Australia and came back a Solar Punk. This is his story. A show exploring Celtic knowledge, forest life, Off Grid ideas and how technology is bringing like-minds together. Perfect for urbanites looking for answers. Without deviation from the norm progress is not possible – Future Artists.
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
Inspired by shamanic journeying and altered states of consciousness, this electrifying healing ceremony is a meditative ritual celebrating the human experience. Six powerful male dancers surrender to instinct, moving through a trance-like ritual that blurs the line between isolation and connection. Through movement, Rite offers a unique opportunity to contemplate your humanity, ignite a release of what weighs you down, and emerge with a newfound clarity: a personal and collective spiritual catharsis. Witness the intensity of energy, surrender to the movement and dynamically explore the profound connections between body and soul.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Portia and Alison are driving home from a wedding. They hit a deer. Portia dies. Portia and Alison are driving home from a wedding. They hit a deer. Portia dies. The deer gives a philosophy lecture. Portia and Alison are – wait what? They hit a deer. Portia dies. Forced to relive a car accident over and over, Portia must confront uncomfortable truths about her relationship while she tries to escape the surreal time loop. A thoroughly queer dirge for the imagined future, Roadkill Bambi asks how we make decisions while caught in the headlights of disaster.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Captivate Matilda is back after a sell-out run in 2024. Get your tickets to root for the 'revolting children' who will teach the grown-ups a lesson. ‘A truly charming show presented by one of Captivate’s young companies, whose version of the classic Roald Dahl, using Tim Minchin’s fantastic musical score, is a delight. Energy and commitment abound in the show about the girl with a very unique brain, making it a great show to watch… This is a really charming and likeable show, a satisfying and accomplished piece from this prolific community theatre company' (AllEdinburghTheatre).
The Edinburgh Academy
Magnusson Theatre
When Rob got on his ship, he didn't know he would never reach his destination. But maybe fate had a place reserved for him: an island where all he will find is himself. When life drifts, imagination becomes our only lifeboat. Dear audience, thank you for coming to join Rob in his solitude. But don't yell at him, don't call him: he won't be able to hear you. Even though his island seems to be on the outside, it actually resides inside him. Sit back, relax, and have a pleasant shipwreck…www.teatredelabast.es/robwww.facebook.com/TeatreDelAbastwww.instagram.com/teatre_abast_oficial/webaddress Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Cult classic comedy horror movie Beetlejuice retold through the songs of The Beatles. What more do you need to know? From the same genius mind who brought you The Elvis Dead. (At the end of that show, there was a throwaway joke about one day doing this show... and it appears that saying it over and over has summoned this into being). Work in progress. It's (not yet) SHOWTIME!
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 3
A chilling tale of greed, guilt and the macabre, The Body Snatcher exposes one of the darkest truths in history – the grisly pursuits of the so-called Resurrection Men. When medical student Fettes is recruited to assist the enigmatic scholar Wolfe Macfarlane, a chilling chain of events is set in motion. To what lengths will they go for the advancement of medical knowledge? This stunning adaptation brings to the stage Stevenson’s masterfully-weaved story of suspense and morality – exploring the dark depths of human ambition and its terrifying consequences.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Robin Morgan (Mock the Week) hosts a comedy show for kids and adults alike. Robin has a story to tell. But he needs some help telling it. Using helpful members of the audience (who will NOT be paid), Robin will tell you a story, acted out by some of the most gifted young actors who are present in the room at the time. He'll also teach you how stories work, so you could argue it's educational. Can we get Arts Council Funding for this? Another question for another time. Best Kids Show nominee (Leicester Comedy Festival 2025).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Live Room
Join Rock Choir, the award-winning national phenomenon, for a spectacular concert of uplifting songs! Throughout August, more than 3000 Rock Choir members will light up the stage with feel-good hits from Aerosmith to Phil Collins. Rock Choir promises an exhilarating experience, blending the excitement of pop music with the magic of choir performances. Join us for an unforgettable night of singing, dancing and celebrating the power of music, which will leave you on a high note! Love pop? Love singing? Love the thrill of a choir? Then you'll love Rock Choir – the ultimate musical celebration!
theSpaceTriplex
Big
An electrifying, non-verbal, a cappella theatre experience by Hong Kong’s pioneering troupe. A group of scouts embarks on a hiking trip, their voices echoing through time as they relive the city’s past, myths and dreams. Without words, only pure vocal expression and movement, the production unveils Hong Kong’s history – reflecting on the past, embracing the present and looking to the future. Merging tradition with innovation, Rock Hard is a captivating, genre-defying performance that resonates with audiences. Step into this unique world of a cappella theatre where every note tells a story.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
Following a string of five-star, sell-out productions, Bare Productions return with the electrifying hit Rock of Ages! This high-energy, feel-good musical is packed with powerhouse vocals, epic guitar solos, and all your favorite 80s rock anthems. Set on LA’s iconic Sunset Strip, it tells the hilarious and heartfelt story of love, dreams, and the fight to save a legendary rock‘n’roll nightclub from ruthless developers. With larger-than-life characters, outrageous comedy, and unforgettable tunes, Rock of Ages is a must-see celebration of the power of music. Get ready to rock – this show will blow you away!
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
A moving piece of contemporary physical dance theatre drawing on testimonies of the Spanish Civil War. Cia Miquel Barcelona create a visceral piece which is as powerful as it is haunting. Rojos grew from a 2-year research project on the post-Civil War period. The language of dance allows the company to bring the period to life using the performance and research as a way to listen and learn about the past. The piece also seeks to highlight untold stories, making them visible to audiences for the first time.www.miquelbarcelona.comwww.instagram.com/miquelbarcelona/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Romance on Repeat: Lizzie has always dreamed of a whirlwind romance like in the movies. Her dream comes true when she is sucked into her TV set to be the star of her own romcom. Everything is perfect: falling for the hometown hunk, denying her big-city boyfriend and reconnecting with her childhood best friend. In fact, it’s too perfect. Is this everything Lizzie really wanted? Will she find true happiness? Or will she break under the control of the omnipotent TV god? Turn on, tune in and glitch out.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
In the fluorescent glow of a conference hall, two PhD souls collide – entwined by love, yet divided by rival labs. Will their love spark a groundbreaking tardigrade gene discovery worthy of a Nobel Prize, or will it fade into obscurity, lost in the ruthless tides of academic rivalry? The Awesome Potatoes from Uni-Heidelberg (Germany) invite you to a whimsical science-theatre spectacle, inspired by real events straight out of their research labs.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
What would’ve happened if Romeo and Juliet didn’t die? If Romeo went off and found himself? This upbeat modern coda to the tragic events of Shakespeare's famous play follows what happens when Juliet stumbles across a new-styled Romeo. Romiet follows the star-crossed lovers as they meet again and this time, Romeo is doing a very different job. Will they get back together now that Romeo is a drag queen? Can Juliet put her beliefs aside for the love of her life? Join us as we discover if Romeo and Juliet can rekindle their love in a modern age!
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
For over 30 years, a great family secret remained hidden. Now thanks to modern technology, a nosy teen and some beautiful happenstance, all can be revealed. An autobiographical brand-new hour that will blow your socks off. Some pit stops to talk about mental health, tragedy, suicide and Scotland's drugs culture. 'Ross Leslie, though, is one of those rule-proving exceptions. A bossman who can do the do. His comedy is biographical and original, unpredictable and vividly fresh' (EdinburghLaughterBulletin.substack.com, 2024).
Laughing Horse @ West Port Oracle
Flight Club
Choro 25 give two performances of this glorious masterpiece described by the composer as 'the last sin of my old age'. Directed by Neil Metcalf with Stuart Hope (piano) and Matthew Beetschen (organ).
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Jazz cabaret written and performed by Malcolm Windsor tells, in songs and stories, of his adventures in America in the 1960's. He is accompanied by two fine musicians Jeremy Thorp (piano) and Nick Gent (guitar) with songs of the era by Sinatra, Ella, Nat King Cole. Who knew that starting work at sixteen in the lab of a chocolate factory would lead to a scientific job in California, thanks to Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, and an international diplomatic post in Edinburgh? A fascinating, entertaining story told with lovely songs, fun and joy.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
The remarkable award-winning Oliver Harris returns as Roy Orbison. All the great songs from his iconic songbook: Oh, Pretty Woman, In Dreams, A Love So Beautiful, I Drove All Night, Crying, You Got It, She's a Mystery to Me, and many more.
Frankenstein Pub
Bier Keller
A comedy set in a post office using carrier pigeons in the run-up to a debate on whether to keep the pigeon post alive or not. Tensions run high between two employees on opposing sides of the debate, as the very fate of pigeon mail is in the balance. Come on down to help save our pigeon mail (or do it in), this short play invites us into a novel yet familiar world.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Experience the rich traditions of Scottish piping with The Royal Scottish Pipers' Society and friends at this special Fringe event. Featuring fine piping with guest performers to showcase the rich heritage and powerful melodies of Scotland's national instrument. Whether you're a lifelong piping fan or experiencing it for the first time, this is a great opportunity to enjoy authentic Scottish music in a welcoming setting.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Pigeon conspiracies. Unexpected war heroes. Die Hard with a Vengeance. Just some of the topics covered in this hilarious and wide-ranging show from a regular crowd favourite on the Scottish comedy circuit. Ruaridh has compiled his various stand-up routines from comedy clubs across the country into one show and tried to find a common theme, reaching an awful conclusion. Shortlisted for 2024 BBC New Comedy award and a regular joke contributor to BBC's Breaking the News. 'Great jokes... Landed one after another' (CityLiveGlasgow.com). 'Sharp writing [and] natural charisma' (Comedy.co.uk).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 5
Celebrity designer Mat Sanders’ fabulously designed existence implodes spectacularly when sudden betrayal triggers a hysterical, one-man meltdown. Rugburn explores what happens when you’ve built a glittering life on a foundation of unresolved shame and perfectly upholstered defences begin splitting at the seams. Hollywood gossip, popper-fuelled confessions and impeccably appointed interiors collide in this fast-paced, filthy, deliciously deranged neo-vaudevillian spectacle. From the highs of styling A-listers and hosting makeover TV to the lows of underground sleaze and spectacular self-destruction, watch Sanders shape-shift through the dazzling wreckage of his life as style spirals into chaos. Brace yourself for Rugburn.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
Have you heard the gossip? The improvised story of a small town where a rumour ruins all: romance, reputation and petty revenge! With audience suggestions setting up the action, a single rumour is born. Chaos erupts, relationships implode, reputations shatter and the quest for revenge turns hilariously petty. From misplaced love letters to scandalous secrets, no one is safe, proving that in a tight-knit community the juiciest gossip is always the most destructive. As heard on BBC Radio, seen at Hoopla Impro, Camden Comedy Club, Barons Court Theatre, and sold out at Brighton and Cambridge fringes.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Nik Narain's debut hour is a synthesis of science facts, embarrassing stories, and dad jokes following the life of a 21-year-old queer Indian-American "physicist", highlighting the power of tea-biscuits as trans metaphors. Narain is a recent graduate of Duke University who has performed his witty, energetic, and insightful comedy around the states. An award-winning screenwriter, Nik holds a background in neuroscience research and K-12 science engagement. He is committed to telling entertaining and accessible science stories for the stage and screen firmly grounded in LGBTQ+ and AAPI experiences.
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
Ryan Mold returns to the Edinburgh Fringe. He takes a heartfelt and hilarious look at life after losing his grandparents. His well-received four-star 2024 show was a tribute to being brought up with grandparents. But what now? Expect moments of laughter, nostalgia and some genuinely touching reflections on the impact loss can have on shaping our lives. This show is a deeply personal, yet universally relatable journey through love, loss and finding humour in the toughest moments. 'Absolutely brilliant' (Nick Helm). 'Full of very funny and original jokes, a laugh-a-minute' (LondonTheatre.co.uk).
Laughing Horse @ The Hanover Tap
The Wee Tap
Shame. That uncomfortable, ugly thing that we all carry around, but rarely look closely at. So what happens if we stage it, and by doing so, reclaim it and take away its power? Six women from across the UK – and 10 hours of virtual rehearsal – bring you this experiment in building shame-resilience through devised, digital performance art. The cast confronts the unspoken and the uncomfortable with care, humour and creativity in this original new piece.www.sheadonovan.org/indigo-arts-collectivewww.facebook.com/theindigoartscollectivewww.instagram.com/indigoartscollective Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
1995. Holidaying on the Isle of Skye, Annie and her siblings glimpse their father across the beach. Which seems impossible, because he died four years ago. What follows is a relentless search for the truth, on a rugged island where real people and ghosts seem to walk hand in hand among the mountains and lochs. A chilling, propulsive debut thriller by Sunday Times bestselling author and Olivier-nominated producer, Ellie Keel, whose Summerhall hits include SAP, An Interrogation, Bullring Techno Makeout Jamz and The Last Show Before We Die. Winner: The Stage Producer of the Year 2024.
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
It’s about nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing. For tonight, here, together, we are free – we promise. From the creators of 2023’s cult-hit CREEPY BOYS (***** (Fest), ***** (SomewhereForUs.org), ***** (InDaily.com.au), ***** (WhyNow.co.uk), ***** (ToDoList.org.uk), **** (BritishTheatreGuide.info), join us for a technocolour acid trip where you’ll meet puppet Joni Mitchell, a two-person horse and every body part we have. A techno-punk concert, a play, a clown show, a basement puppet nightmare all rolled into one, SLUGS is about trying to have a good time while the world burns.
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
A glitter-soaked cabaret meltdown from a fallen icon with nothing left to lose – except the will to perform, her accoutrements and possibly her marbles. Join Star Dust as she rises like a gold-sprayed phoenix to reclaim her legacy: one power ballad, emotional spiral, and audience singalong at a time. Fringe debut from Punchdrunk’s Kat McGarr, 'witty, mad, hilarious' (Time Out), transforming grief into something absurd, funny, profound. Expect glamour, chaos, clowning, a confetti of catharsis, and a show-stopping finale of hope. Think: Gloria Swanson meets Fleabag at a wake. Sprayed gold. With snacks.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
In this brilliant but little-known silent film from 1923, Charlie Chaplin plays an escaped convict who steals a minister's clothes. This disguise leads him into a series of misadventures when he has to keep playing the part of a parson, including conducting a wedding and improvising a sermon. The screening of this unique film will be introduced by Richard Kendall.
St Vincent's
The Undercroft
First published in Edinburgh in 1650, the Scottish Metrical Psalter remains in use to this day. This celebration of its remarkable contribution to sacred music includes Edinburgh composer Chris Hutchings' new setting of Psalm 24, and three commissions from winners of last year's young composers competition, as well as music from the period of the Psalter’s publication. The evening includes an opportunity for the audience to join in singing some of very best known Scottish psalms.
Sacred Heart Church
Church
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) was employed as Maestro di Capella at the Ospedale Della Pieta in the great mercantile city of Venice. The strikingly simple interior of Edinburgh’s historic Canongate Kirk provides the Howe Street Ensemble, directed by Les Shankland, with a fine acoustic in which to sing some of Vivaldi’s most exquisite pieces. The programme includes the famous Gloria in D major, as well as Lauda Jerusalem, and the Vesper Psalm Beatus Vir.
Canongate Kirk
Canongate Kirk
Compositions by the winners of the 2025 Sacred Music Scottish young composers competition will be performed by the Sacred Arts Festival Singers, director Calum Robertson. The recital includes additional music by Paul Mealor LVO, principal adjudicator of the competition and celebrated royal composer, who will talk about composing sacred music and comment on both the winning and the highly commended pieces.
Canongate Kirk
Canongate Kirk
This groundbreaking event brings together Ian Bradley, author of The Message of the Musical (2004) and Music of the Night (2025), and the renowned Schola Cantorum to uncover the search for the divine in shows like The Sound of Music, South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof, Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables and more. Be prepared – you'll never hear these musicals in the same way again!
St Mary's Catholic Cathedral
Cathedral Nave
Emma Morwood, soprano and Ingrid Sawers, piano. Samuel Barber, Hermit Songs; Schubert, Litanei; Howells, King David; Strauss, Morgen and Allerseelen; Rachmaninov; Two Sacred Songs. Emma Morwood’s recent concert highlights include appearances as a soloist with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Edinburgh Royal Choral Union. Ingrid Sawers is equally at home in instrumental and vocal repertoire. She has performed at numerous venues throughout the UK, Europe and Canada and broadcast live on BBC radio arts channels.
Old Saint Paul's Church
Church
The bible verse 'we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses' provides the inspiration for this musical celebration of great Christian saints and martyrs. Interspersed with poems reflecting the same theme, the highly acclaimed choir of Old Saint Paul's (director John Kitchen, Edinburgh City Organist) will perform a selection of music, drawn from many centuries and reflecting the lives and deaths of some of the greatest witnesses to Christian faith.
Old Saint Paul's Church
Church
This multimedia presentation is designed to uncover the origins, novelty, artistic content and pervasive influence of this remarkable book. Organised in conjunction with the Scottish Church Service Society, the event combines short talks and video presentations from experts, with a chance for everyone to sing. Original copies of the Psalter and other related artefacts will be on display.
St Vincent's
The Chapel
War, peace and reconciliation. Duruflé Requiem and other choral works. Robin Chapel Choir director Paul Gudgin. Edinburgh’s Robin Chapel is a memorial to Lt Robin Tudsbury of the Royal Horse Guards, who was killed in action in the final months of World War II. The acclaimed Robin Chapel Choir mark the 80th anniversary of his death with a selection of choral works from the aftermath of the war including Duruflé’s exquisite Requiem.
St Vincent's
The Chapel
Contemporary Sacred Song. Following their Sacred Arts Festival debut in 2024, Sam Madden, an international tenor from Dunedin, New Zealand, currently singing as a lay clerk at Ely Cathedral and Will Sims (piano) Director of Chapel Music at Robinson College, Cambridge return to Edinburgh with a recital of sacred song by contemporary composers. The programme includes works by Errollyn Wallen (Master of the King’s Music), Thea Musgrave, Roxanna Panufnik and the festival’s patron Paul Mealor LVO.
St Vincent's
The Chapel
The winners of the competition will be announced and invited to read their poems alongside two celebrated Scottish poets. Robert Crawford is the author of the newly published Old World, his ninth collection of poems, and Shetlander Christine De Luca was Edinburgh's Makar (poet laureate) from 2014 to 2017. Organised in conjunction with the Scottish Poetry Library.
Canongate Kirk
Canongate Kirk
‘The dark well from which we draw’. Poets Grahame Davies and Rowan Williams explore Welsh religious poetry to mark 25 years since the death of RS Thomas. Readings and conversation, together with verses set to music by composer Paul Mealor, and sung by the Sacred Arts Festival Singers under the direction of Calum Robertson. Organised in conjunction with the Scottish Network for Religion and Literature.
St John's Church
Main Church
A fun, educational and interactive show for babies and toddlers where wriggling is allowed. The programme of music has a theme of water and tells a musical version of Hans Christian Anderson's story of the Lucky Toy Soldier. A selection of carefully chosen music is performed by a professional violinist and professional cellist. Instruments are provided to join in with familiar songs. Suitable for the whole family.
Stockbridge Church
Young Room
Sometimes good girls don't go bad, they go sad! This one-woman show is a glimpse into the mind of former prude and purity culture devote Syd King. She is a little sexually repressed and a little bit rock and roll. So, if you have been personally victimized by Catholic school... you are entitled to compensation!! Buttt you're gonna have to settle for some singing, dancing, puppetry, clown and a cartwheel. More fun than youth group, it's Saint Sydney! Directed by Saturday Night Live alum Vannessa Jackson.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
This reinterpretation of The Crucible juxtaposes the story of the Salem Witch Trials with a current day trial by social media. In a world of persecution, isolation and fear, the pressure to conform overrides individual integrity, the work asks the question what are we willing to sacrifice to save our reputation? The production will combine physical theatre, text, dance and an original sound score, creating an engaging drama that transports the audience between 1692 and current day as the stories of young women are told in parallel. A tale of coercion.
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
Saloon Girls is a dark comedy set in a 19th-century saloon and brothel of the Great American West. Story unfolds in one room (the dressing room) where the women doll themselves up, debrief their evenings, and scheme to navigate a male-dominated lawless land. The narrative delves into relationships between the painted ladies and their Madam, whose status quo is thrown to bits by the arrival of a long-lost sister in search of her sibling. Journey with us to the Wild West to learn the bawdy and boisterous stories of six soiled doves, woven in a colorful historical tapestry.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
What advice did the Guinness World Records' Oldest Man have for Sam Michael and how did it change his outlook on life? Sam Michael's debut solo hour show, World's Oldest Man hilariously explores feeling older than your years (even in childhood!) and nostalgically looks back on those just-missed adventures of 'youff' whilst trying to relive them (before it's too late!). But what happened when Sam actually met the Guinness World Records' world's oldest man and what was the "life-changing" advice that he gave him?
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
Lucifer, the fallen angel, begs God’s permission to return to Heaven: ‘You forgave everyone, but me. Why not me? I was first.’ Are Satan and God within the eyes and deeds of humankind? Is Satan responsible for all he is accused of? Have we ever heard him testify? Labelled ‘Father of Lies’ and ‘Prince of Darkness’, Satan puts forward his case: ‘Who says your way is right? They have forgotten you.’ This original piece explores and opens a conversation about religion, faith and humanity that is normally taboo or censored. A solo tour-de-force with music and movement.Winner of the Derek Award for Spirit of the Fringe, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021Winner of the Derek Award for Best Drama, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023Offie Award nominated, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023‘Original… fresh’ (LouReviews.blog)‘Mesmerising, seductive and powerful… hauntingly beautiful… I’m blown away by the quality of the writing… Deaon is an electric performer… His words get under your skin and stay there’ (NicsReviews2021.wordpress.com)satanvsgod.comwww.facebook.com/satanvsgod.officialwww.instagram.com/satanvsgod.official Watch Trailer #1Watch Trailer #2Watch Trailer #3
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Dan works at the UK's most successful and infamous gay sauna. A place where men from all walks of life come to relax, socialise and most importantly... f*ck. Join Dan as he navigates a hidden world of lust, friendship and unorthodox working relationships. From multi award-winning writer and performer, Dan Ireland-Reeves, comes a semi-autobiographical look behind the curtain of one of the world's most secretive and seductive industries. Pulsing with frenetic energy and laced with sexual tension, Sauna Boy is guaranteed to touch you in more ways than one. Winner of Oscar Wilde Award for Best Writing 2024.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
A London flat: a suitcase, sofa, coffee table, half-eaten tuna sandwich on it... and the dead body of Charlie Matthews sprawled across the floor, gunshot wound in her chest... In this Tarantino-inspired comedy-thriller epic... bumbling hit-people comedy-duo Jack and Jill stumble upon the score of a lifetime when they cross paths with the epic, the badass: Alix Jones a one-woman-army on a revenge quest to save her sister Sophie... Who is Alix? Why is she here? Who killed Charlie Matthews? What's in the suitcase? And is it morally okay to eat a dead woman's tuna sandwich?
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Thistle Theatre
New Year's Eve, 2007. A fraud scandal has gone public and hit The Company like a ton of bricks. The Company scrambles to recover, meaning massive layoffs for low level employees and possible prison time for the higher ups. The accounting department need to choose amongst themselves who will take the blame, as well as deal with their imminent divorce. Join us for a productive, efficient, synergised, motivating and challenging 45 minute shift.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Written by Justin Butcher. On Millenium Eve, a 100-year-old clown comes offstage after his final ever performance to tell the story of his life: epic, hilarious and tragic. Performed by Fringe legend Thom Tuck (Penny Dreadfuls, Horrible Histories, Play What I Wrote). Tuck presented this play at the Fringe 2005 and 2015, and plans to revive the piece every decade as he approaches the age of the character. 'To this near-poetry Tuck gave glorious voice' (Observer). 'Intense as it is intoxicating' (Skinny). 'Perfectly balanced hour of storytelling' (ThreeWeeks). 'Inhabits the role with real humility and wisdom' (BroadwayBaby.com).
Hoots @ Potterrow
Big Yurt
Fife Opera cordially invites you to Mozart’s the Marriage of Figaro, presenting the well-known music and beloved characters in about 90 minutes with no interval. This delightful comedy is updated to the first half of the 20th century. Our cast of Scottish-based soloists and chorus will be accompanied by a chamber ensemble of piano and strings. Scenes will be costumed, semi-staged and the story joined together with narration. Sung in English with English surtitles. Musical Director Derek Clark, Production Director Rosemary Nairne.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Forth Children's Theatre return for their 44th Edinburgh Fringe production with the rockin' Andrew Lloyd Webber stage adaptation of School of Rock. Dewey Finn, an amateur rock enthusiast, slyly takes up his friend's job by posing as a substitute teacher. Bearing no teaching qualifications, he instead starts training the students to form a band. Previous FCT productions include The Sound of Music, Everybody's Talking About Jamie (**** AllEdinburghTheatre.com) and The Addams Family – A New Musical (***** CorrBlimey.co.uk). Now we're ready to climb to the top of mount rock for Fringe 2025!
Broughton High School
Main Theatre
A hilariously bonkers, award-winning show where children (and maybe even a few parents) take to the stage to share their favourite jokes. Best Children's Show, Buxton Fringe 2024. Best Children's Show, Morecambe Fringe 2023. Leicester Comedy Festival Best Kids' Show nominee. Created by comedian Philip Simon during lockdown to entertain children (and give parents a well-deserved break), this is the hilariously silly joke show where your kids are the stars. ‘The comedy world's Joe Wicks’ (BBC Radio London). Expect silliness, cheeky laughs and almost certainly a few references to poo!
Le Monde
Dirty Martini
Science communication that engages the heart and the mind. Two scientists turned performers, Giulia and Richard, share their passion for the fun, wild ideas hiding in science’s back catalogue. From fire to water, thermodynamics to the Twin Paradox, five stories will materialise to kickstart scientific wonder. Our stories anthropomorphise the scientific world, giving atoms personalities to explain their behaviour, adding emotions to chemical reactions and inserting the idiosyncrasies of science into the day-to-day. Full book of stories available to buy at the end of the show. We will reawaken the curiosity that your science teacher crushed.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Score explores the impact of technology on nature and human life. Using electric muscle stimulation (EMS), three performers' muscles are involuntarily activated, allowing choreography to be driven by computational code. The piece examines the relationship between the human body and technology, questioning how advancements meant to simplify life may disconnect us from free will and cognitive abilities. It raises ethical concerns about technologies that challenge the human body's relevance in society.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Peter Seivewright {pianoforte} performs the masterpiece of American Transcendentalism Concord Sonata by Charles Ives (1874-1954) and music by Scottish composers Eddie McGuire and Tommy Fowler.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Join us for Scots o' the Pops – a lively, interactive music show that celebrates the best of Scottish pop! Sing along to your favourite hits from iconic Scottish singers and bands, as we pack in as many chart toppers as possible. This engaging experience invites everyone to participate, creating a vibrant atmosphere filled with laughter and joy. Whether you're a fan of classic favourites or contemporary sensations, there’s something for everyone. Bring your friends and family for a night of unforgettable music, fun and camaraderie. Don’t miss out on this musical celebration of Scotland’s finest!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
When the sun goes down the weirdos come out to play... Surreally Good is an absurd foray into the wonderful world of award-winning surrealist and comedy nincompoop Scott Turnbull. Expect live, lo-fi animations on an old overhead projector, catchy songs played badly on a miniature Casio Keyboard and a series of unexpectedly tender moments of storytelling linked together with love, dark humour and felt tip pens. Bring booze and friends. 'Teesside surreal is a thing, Scott Turnbull is its King' (North East Reviews).
Summerhall Festival
Former Womens Locker Room
Put a finger down if one day you looked at the world around you and said there has to be another way – a better way. Welcome to the void, a pure pristine world of divine minimalism. We love the void, we worship the void, in the void everything is exactly as it should be. Our three disciples will guide you through your day from the moment you wake until you scroll away: you need them! And they need you. Kira Mason’s new absurdist piece Screaming Into the Void explores the internet’s relentless grip on womanhood.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Sean Mearns Band present... Country Music All Stars. Join us for a night to remember covering classics from Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, CCR, Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs and many more. Sean and the band are Edinburgh locals who are passionate about live music and everything country! Get your cowboy boots and Stetsons at the ready for a night of country music that you won't forget. This show is a must for country music lovers!
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Grand Hall
A bold, witty and moving autobiographical solo performance exploring queer identity, diaspora, racial injustice and the search for belonging. Krishna, a queer Indian-Malaysian man, attends a gay speed-dating event in Berlin. Through five-minute conversations, his regret and grief at never coming out to his late mother emerge. With raw storytelling, multimedia projection and poetic honesty, the piece weaves together personal memories, political insight and humour to challenge dominant narratives and celebrate the voices of the marginalised. It speaks to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider, because of their skin, sexuality, culture or class.‘Once in a while you see something that takes your breath away, something so perfectly formed and delivered that you would happily see it again and again… Second Class Queer made me laugh… and cry. It made me feel guilt and shame, it made me feel uncomfortable and then proud. It made me want to be a better man and it made me want to see this important piece of theatre be shown to young people and old, worldwide’ Andrew Kay, TheLatest.co.uk
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
Seconds delves into the complexities of heartache, loneliness and redemption through two women’s stories as they grapple with new beginnings. Sandra is a first-time mother living rurally, her vision for motherhood not working out, marred by colic and harbouring a secret. Jenny is heartbroken and cynical, reeling from a failed romance she thought would last forever. Her day-to-day dealings are interrupted by gut punching realisations that she is once again alone and navigating life as a single woman. The play follows both characters as they play the cards dealt, unaware of each other's part in the same game.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
A typical rehearsal quickly deteriorates when the actors find themselves unable to depict the difference between fiction and reality. A play within a play.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Sekoya is an interdisciplinary trio, harmoniously combining European music with American jazz, to create a sincere genre-defying musical entanglement uniquely their own, focusing on energy and improvised interplay. 'A beautifully crafted piece of work' (Scotsman).
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Finally, a one-man show that's brave enough to ask the question: why can't we, as humans, get enough of fizzy beverages? On a sweltering summer day, Seltzer Boy can only find relief with an ice-cold seltzer. With zero calories and countless flavours, it’s the perfect way to assuage his feelings of bodily inadequacy. Or is it? Join Seltzer Boy on his carbonated journey exploring his delicate relationship with his body, what he puts in it, and why. Ultimately, he has to ask: How can one accept their body when all they know is how to hate it?
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
At the Smits' family home, Christmas Eve is all about stories from the past. Grandpa usually leads the way, but this year everything is different. Dementia is loosening his grip on time. His memories, once vivid, start to make no sense, fading like a photo exposed to light. Sense is a musical journey through time and memory: an intimate and moving story about the power of family, love and loss. With a powerful Belgian professional cast and original songs, it's a warm, hopeful, unforgettable experience for the whole family.
theSpaceTriplex
Big
A brand new relatable and comedic monologue following Lara, a creative writing graduate, hoping to write the next best-selling fantasy romance novel. There’s only one thing standing in her way: her casual waitressing job that keeps the money coming in. We’ve all been there, but Lara wasn’t ready for the stressful and chaotic reality of working in the service industry. Can Lara keep her sanity and get her big writing break, or will she crumble under the pressure of under-staffed shifts, creepy comments and customers who say their only food allergies are women...?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Get ready for an unforgettable night with Mrs C – she’s calling you to join the fun! Prepare yourself for a whirlwind of laughter, infectious tunes, and a good old-fashioned roasting you won’t soon forget. It’s an emotional rollercoaster you’ll be eager to ride time and time again. Mrs. C dives into anything and everything, with the occasional song (or six!) thrown in for extra flair. Her goal? To connect with as many of you as possible. What will she say? Honestly, even she doesn’t know! So grab a seat, relax, and most importantly... Settle!
Planet Bar
Planet Bar Stage
Step into the captivating world of this powerful and provocative play by Linda McLean. This unflinching exploration delves into the complexities of faith, desire and human connection. Through gripping performances and thought-provoking dialogue, Sex and God challenges the boundaries of love, religion and identity. Don’t miss this unforgettable journey into the heart of what it means to be a woman, in every version of society.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Sex, Drugs and...? An exclusive interview sheds light on the formative years of Scotland's biggest punk, alternative (fictional) band, revealing how their drug addiction and musical passion clashed together to give way to sobering success. Tackling issues of the pressures of modern life, three addict punks recount how their love of music and creative passion saved them from a pitfall of coke and broken dreams, allowing them the worldwide success they have today. A powerful new piece of writing about celebrating creativity and fighting for your friends, written by Samara Telford and directed by Andrew Nimmo.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
The five-star, multi sell-out, Fringe phenomenon is back! With its hilarious combination of an entirely serious adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and an absolutely sh!t-faced actor! It just wouldn't be the Fringe without it. With a genuinely inebriated cast member each night, no two shows are ever the same in this raucous, riotous rampage through one of Shakespeare's most mischievous plays. Featuring a rotating cast of the finest classically trained actors, partial nudity, foul language, acts of a sexual nature, and actual Shakespeare. Please remember to always #EnjoyShakespeareResponsibly.
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
On a soundstage at the 1970 MGM studio auction, Ann Miller revisits the Golden Age of Hollywood and discovers her second act as a Broadway star. A love letter to entertainment, starring Kayla Boye (Call Me Elizabeth, 2023 Fringe sell-out).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
The Bardic Breakfasters are back with a brand-new show, with breakfast included! A pleasing plethora of pentameter, puns and pastry. A sensational Shakespearience, perfect for hardened fans and blank-verse virgins alike.‘A bouncy and boisterous take on Willie’s work’ (List).‘Well worth getting out of bed for’ (Independent).‘No holds Bard‘ (FringeGuru.com).‘Irreverent humour… clever’ (Stage).‘Side-splitting… glorious’ (BroadwayBaby.com).‘Full of fun’ (RemoteGoat.com).‘Sizzling’ (Scottish Daily Express).Free coffee and croissants! Fringe favourite since 1992. Book early.www.ctheatre.comfacebook.com/ctheatreedinburghinstagram.com/c_theatre/
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
The perfect introduction to Shakespeare’s beloved characters for children and their families. Discover brave adventurers, spell-binding suspense and laughs aplenty. ‘Hidden gem’ (FringeReview.co.uk). ‘Capturing the emotional heart’ **** (List). www.ctheatre.com
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Imagine the most well-loved Shakespeare characters plopped into the same Tudor world where Shakespeare's rival Robert Greene rewrites history in the style of a British pantomime. Boo for our baddie, watch out for people "behind you" and sing along with our three cast members (who play everyone!). Featuring Romeo and Juliet, Midsummer's Night's Dream and... The Scottish Play. Dun dun duuun! Whether a lover or a casual liker of Shakespeare, you're bound to have a laugh. To be or not to be ridiculous?... It's seriously got "to be".
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
Shakespeare's extraordinary ability to understand and articulate the diverse thoughts, emotions and experiences of his characters has imbued his words in our everyday language and imprinted his stories on our minds. Shakespeare: Master of the Mind is an enchanting mentalism show that celebrates the genius of William Shakespeare through the art of psychological illusion. Watch in awe as two members of the audience are impossibly connected over the story of Romeo and Juliet, marvel at the power of premonition as we summon the three witches of Macbeth.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
A disembodied artificially intelligent voice awakens August deep in space. In a daze, she confronts her reality – one of the last human beings floating in the void, guiding the archive of civilisation towards its destination in the far beyond. Frozen blood. Coolant in your veins. Every moment of human history preserved in digital hyperspace. Memories become data. Routine becomes regimen, yet somehow, your limbs feel… wrong? A new trans sci-fi body horror play exploring humanity's legacy in the stars. Praise for Elastic Fantastic's previous work: 'Absolutely Flawless' ***** (EdFringeReview.com). 'Mesmerising' **** (AllEdinburghTheatre.com). 'Genuinely Exciting' (Scotsman).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Dublin darling Shane Daniel Byrne is back, just about. The award-winning stand-up has become a leading act in Ireland at breakneck speed. Shane is the boy from school who was capable of more, the kid who could do better. Just try catching him now. Expect rapid-fire craic and big-hearted feelings in his brand-new show about bellies and bullies. 'He storms rooms... a flare' (Tommy Tiernan). 'My favourite new Irish comedian for many years' (David O'Doherty). 'Shane Daniel Byrne is my favourite' (Irish Examiner). **** (BroadwayWorld.com). 'Superb as always' ***** (GCN.ie).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Jersey
My name is Shaun Guff and I’ve hit rock bottom so you don’t have to. My sensational, self-funded seminar promises* to give you the metaphorical hammer to start nailing your life. (*No promises) Join Clementine Bogg-Hargroves with her 'Yorkshire-based robustness and sunny charm' **** (Scotsman), in this very serious seminar filled with pyrotechnics, PowerPoint presentations and personality. Creator and star of Skank and The Times Critics Choice Edinburgh Fringe 2021. Creator and star of Please Love Me, 2023. 'Winning humour and infectious irreverence' **** (TheStage.co.uk). 'Infectious wit' **** (List). 'Nothing is perfect' ***** (BroadwayBaby.com).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 5
Why do people write ghost stories? Is it to explain away the fear, or to reveal the ghosts inside? Shirley is a dark and intimate one-person play, inspired by the life of Shirley Jackson and the ghost stories of M.R. James. Shirley has felt haunted her entire life. Haunted by her responsibilities, her husband and a story that’s been with her since childhood. But will writing a novel finally release the horror that has been manifesting in her for a lifetime? Praise for previous work: ***** (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk). ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). **** (Scotsman). **** (Skinny).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Get ready for Shit Show: Improvised Soap Opera, where audience suggestions create three outrageous dramas, and three wild party scenes compete for the spotlight. One lucky audience member holds the power of the Salsa Card, ready to flip the script and send the story spiralling in unexpected directions. Packed with laughter, drama and spontaneous twists, this interactive improv experience guarantees a night of unforgettable chaos. Will your favourite party win? Will the Salsa Card save or sabotage the story? Join us for a hilarious, unpredictable, and downright good time!
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
Why is it easier to talk about a bowel disease than mental illness? Darkly comedic and life-affirming, this one-person play reveals the reality of living with chronic mental and physical health conditions. We follow a young genderqueer person through a Crohn's Disease diagnosis, hypo-manic episode, colostomy bag fears, queer sex, group sex, morality, mortality, blood, shit, laughter and tears. Hayley Edwards brings their multi award-winning debut play to Summerhall with the Edinburgh Touring Award after two highly acclaimed, sold-out, extended seasons in Melbourne. Think Fleabag but with more queer shit (literally). ***** (Lilithia.net). **** (Age).
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
A rock/pop musical inspired by a true life shoe theft. Emily the shop owner has the ability to heal customers' issues through song, but is it real or illusion? 11 songs – varying from uplifting pop and comedy through to heart-wrenching ballads – see Emily healing customers of their life issues one by one. Everyone leaves the shop fulfilled, except for Emily. Emily heals broken hearts, imposter syndrome, a family break-up and a cut in funding, but can she solve the case of the stolen shoes?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
In 2023, like a Dickensian protagonist, BBC shortlisted comedian Lizzie Simpson lost her beloved uncle. Leaving behind paper towels, many a spicy VHS and a flat in the capital, Lizzie found herself with £20,000 and a dream. Should she invest in her future or a Fringe show? You decide! After toiling the London open mic scene, finally with the means to bring her vision to the unsuspecting public, this oversharer with a dry, yet likeable edge asks whether her uncle's retirement fund is being put to good use.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
Two of Newcastle's brightest rising stars, Joe Casey and Shay Raper, bring a split-bill hour of award-winning stand-up comedy to Edinburgh after a successful run last year. Shay is the FeltNowt New Act of the Year winner 2023 and the Stockton Gong winner 2024. Joe Casey is the 2024 Stockton Gong runner-up and winner of the Cavendish Arms Mini Gold Plastic Crown. 'Genuine belly laughs' (Northern Echo). 'Super big hitter, nailed it' (The Stand Comedy Club).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 6
A hilarious fantasy tale where you choose the adventure! Come merry folk from yonder to craft an original tale, with aid from your Story Master and a sprinkle of imagination. Fill in a character sheet, then watch your creations spring to life as they embark on an epic quest – or go way off track. Will they fight a dragon? Save a village of pixies? Get stuck in a dungeon and eat their shoes? Anything can happen! Your characters, your locations... their fate is in your hands. Come and roll the dice. A fantasy fun-filled show for all.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
From their years as the most successful duo of all time and beyond to their solo hits, journey through the careers of two all-time greats. The Sound of Silence, The Boxer, Bright Eyes, 50 Ways, Call Me Al and more. Presented by Dan Clews (endorsed by Sir George Martin) and Night Owls latest recruit, Peter Marchant, two artists with spellbinding instrumental and vocal mastery. A perfect match to express the ethereal music of the greatest pop duo of all time and the music they created beyond their celebrated duo years.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
The world’s a mess and Simon doesn’t know what to do. Surely telling some jokes will help, right? Join Simon for his Edinburgh debut and get ready for clever, quirky and really original stand-up comedy. His antics probably won’t save the world, but they just might save your night. Don’t miss this fresh act – all the way from New Zealand, just like Hobbits, splitting the atom and women getting the right to vote.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
From Wimbledon Music Hub comes this youthful double-focus show: a cappella and strings. You’ll hear pop, gospel-ballad, alternative rock songs from the 60s: Viva La Vida, the 80s: Hallelujah, through to the 00’s Scientist, 10s: Budapest and 2020 World Soundtrack Award song: Stand Up. And from our string group: folk, classical, film music, jazz and popular music too: From Ashoken Farewell and Shostakovich Jazz Waltz, to Pirates of the Caribbean, the theme from Up and of course Sing, Sing, Sing! All songs have been specially arranged for the group.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
In a ruined theatre, an actor tumbles onto a dark stage. His fellow actors have disappeared – arrested – and only their torn costumes remain. The actor defiantly sings into the chaos, recreating his friends' acts and proving how celebration and humour, rage and delight, can be acts of resistance. Performed around the world and winner of a dozen best-of-fest awards. 'Breathtaking' ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). 'Laughter and jaw-dropping physicality... a must see' (TheaterJones.com). 'Fringe theatre, nay theatre itself, doesn’t get much better' (CalgaryHerald.com). 'Incredible one-man show' (PBS). 'Stunning theatrical accomplishment' (InTheVue.com).
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
Dementia-friendly interactive cabaret celebrating music and memories from musicals, film, the good old days of the dance hall and more! Expect lots of laughs, a hearty singalong and a chance to dance the cobwebs away in an inclusive and fully accessible space. Hosted by Queen of Cabaret, Miss Annabel Sings (MAS). All monies raised will go to The Eric Liddell Community Care charity and local hub.
Eric Liddell Community Hub
Myreside Suite
Jim is dying. With his son Mark at his bedside, he's expected to pass away in his sleep. It is the ideal way to go... except for the fact that he refuses to die. When the Devil arrives to collect his soul, she assumes it will be a run of the mill damnation... but she didn’t expect Jim’s family to put up such a fight. In this black comedy, family tensions are exposed, regrets are laid bare, and the Devil is forced to confront her very own demons, all alongside the ticking clock of eternal damnation.
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
Based on the hit film and Broadway show, this feel-good musical comedy will have audiences jumping to their feet! Discover the story of disco diva Deloris Van Cartier, who is placed in protective custody at a convent after witnessing a crime. Struggling with the strict lifestyle, she soon transforms the choir with her disco flair, bringing new life to the church and community. However, her newfound sisterhood is threatened when her cover is blown... Packed with powerful music, energetic dancing, and a heart-warming message of friendship, Sister Act Jr is an uplifting show for all!
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
In a world still healing from isolation and digital saturation, this compelling performance offers a quiet but powerful invitation: to stop; to feel; to be seen, if you choose. This raw, immersive work about human connection movingly explores our physiological need for touch. At the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time since its Herald Angel award-winning premiere in 2007, Little Dove Theatre Art's groundbreaking live artwork returns: stripped back, immediate, more relevant than ever. Come and experience this unmissable work for yourself – and please do touch.***** Guardian***** ThreeWeeks***** Herald**** ScotsmanWinner of Herald Angel Award, Edinburgh Fringe 2007Winner of Scotland on Sunday Best Director Award, Edinburgh Fringe 2007Winner of Best Dance Award, Melbourne Fringe 2009Winner of Best Interactive Performance, Sydney Fringe 2023
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Get your dabbers at the ready! It’s bingo! But instead of numbers, it’s hilarious comedy sketches, and the fun keeps rolling until someone gets bingo! Three-time Funny Women Award nominees Quirks & Foibles present their debut comedy show. No show is the same and there's a winner every time. Fun for all the family with an eclectic range of silly sketches... and who doesn’t love a bit of bingo!? Quirks & Foibles consists of Katie Bennett, Amy McCann and Amelia Stephenson. As featured on BBC Comedy, DMs Are Open, British Comedy Guide and Comedy Crowd Chorts finalists.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
It's comedy sketch swapping live! The cult-hit show where sketch groups perform their own sketches, then each other's. Chortle Award winner – Best Club Show London. 'Top 5 shows of the year' (List). 'Top 10 shows at the Fringe' (Time Out). 'Top 25 shows at the Fringe' (Comedy.co.uk). Featured on BBC Radio 4 Extra. 'Brilliant format' (Guardian). 'An undoubted hit' (Chortle.co.uk). 'Spontaneous and anarchic' **** (Fest). 'Truly electric' **** (Scotsman). 'Action-packed and chaotic' **** (BroadwayBaby.com). 'Deserves more than one visit' **** (One4Review.co.uk). Piloted for BBC Two (UK) and Comedy Central (US).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Live Room
It's more than a word – it's a societal chokehold. A lifelong battle with scales, shapewear and shifty surgeons. But there's an alternative! Backed by a powerhouse band, multi-award-winning vocalist and cabaret performer Michelle Pearson dishes up a stunning blend of pop anthems, soaring ballads and raw, real storytelling. With stunning vocals and eye-opening interviews, this inspiring work unpacks society's toxic obsession with diet culture urging us to rethink what beauty truly means. Heartfelt, relatable and uplifting, it's a celebration of every shape, every size and every person who's ever looked in the mirror and wondered: is this slimming?
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
Soil is a powerful dance performance about identity, language and belonging. Through movement and the rhythms of Kalaallisut (Greenlandic language), it explores how we connect to culture: beyond words, across borders and through the body. A poetic and physical journey of self-discovery, Soil delves into language and the search for self and recognition. It invites audiences to experience the beauty and challenges of communication in new ways. A dance of belonging and becoming. Part of #DANISH
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
This performance seamlessly blends the physical language of traditional Chinese opera with the expressive symbolism of modern dance. Through the reinterpretation of objects such as shoes and shopping bags, it explores the repetitive dilemmas of contemporary life, while embodying the cultural transition of Chinese women from tradition to modernity. By bridging different eras and societal contexts, the work highlights the evolving roles and identities of women, offering a profound reflection on how traditional symbols adapt and transform to resonate within modern narratives.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
In this evocative performance, bodies and characters collapse, separate and reform in a constant search for meaning, attachment and understanding. Voices extend from these bodies as they navigate busy streets, seeking comfort in their unique landscapes. This exhausting yet familiar quest for connection unfolds through moments of humour, intimacy and longing. From karaoke bars to restaurants, this contemporary dance work combines text, movement and situational absurdity. Solitude without Loneliness invites empathy through the cyclical endurance of the performers, reminding us of the universal desire for union with one another and with ourselves.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Three solo dance works based on Gibson’s affordance theory performed in three spaces by international Japanese choreographer Akiko Ono. A white classroom is the setting for Gestures; a black room sets the scene for Meditation; in a space among delicate floating sculptures created by Tomoyo Hirairwa, she explores The Bottom of the Sea. Each space evokes a different physical and emotional response in the dancer as she uses her body and original ideas to perform three contrasting solos devised in collaboration with award-winning Canadian choreographer, Takako Segawa. This thought-provoking triple-bill questions the effect of the environment on our well-being.www.akikodanceproject.comwww.facebook.com/taichidancewww.instagram.com/akikodanceproject/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
The cult hit returns to the Fringe! Don’t miss an interactive screening of the classic Murder, She Wrote episode, A Fashionable Way to Die, following last year’s riotous presentation of Paint Me a Murder. Jessica Fletcher is invited to Paris to visit a designer friend, but soon gets caught up in a murder mystery only she (or you!) can solve. See the show that has wowed audiences across the UK, Ireland, Australia and the Murder, She Wrote Festival 2025 in Mendocino (Cabot Cove). ***** (BroadwayWorld.com). ***** (Everything-Theatre.co.uk) 'It has the BEST host' (Time Out London).
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
Man-meat meets mental health in this dark comedy. In a dark corner of the internet, two men find each other. They meet in a coffee shop, chat, make plans... Think you know where this story is going? Think again. Using a queer lens to reimagine one of the most shocking crimes in modern memory, Some Masterchef Sh*t eats taboo for dinner (literally!) as it examines the idea of living life by default in a fast, funny and tender story between two men, struggling to exist. ‘Delightfully unpredictable and darkly hilarious’ (ILoveManchester.com). ***** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk).
Greenside @ George Street
Jade Studio
Trapped in a manor house, two hapless Glaswegian detectives must investigate the deaths of each family member, but try not to become victims themselves… A time-warp murder mystery, wrapped in a comedy set in Edinburgh. If you like thrillers, time travel, warped comedy and Edinburgh, you'll love this new piece. In the best tradition of the Fringe, Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid warps your brain, tickles your ribs and celebrates Scotland. Written and directed by Justin Goldstein.www.shhh.media/#/theatrewww.facebook.com/TheMusicFirmHQwww.instagram.com/staceyhaberofficial Watch Trailer – MysteryWatch Trailer – Bromance 1Watch Trailer – Bromance 2Watch Trailer – Frederick’s Decline
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Speakbeast are doing a tribute act – and we think we’re doing a pretty convincing job. Paul is telling everyone how to stand. George keeps quitting and coming back. And nobody knows what Ringo’s on about. And if you really squint, we almost look like the real thing. But something is missing. And he keeps trying to get in. From Binge Fringe Queer Performer's Award winners Speakbeast, SHGTBJ is a fever dream we've been having about transmedicalism. About breakups. About separating reality from realness. And about separating The Beatles from John.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
On what should be the happiest day of her life, a bride mysteriously disappears, leaving chaos in her wake. Her best friend and wedding planner struggle to keep things together, the mothers of the bride and groom clash over blame, the groom spirals into doubt and the bride’s best friend, who hides a deeper connection, knows more than they’re saying. As the search intensifies, secrets come to light, forcing everyone to confront uncomfortable truths. But when the reason for her disappearance is revealed, will they be able to handle the fallout—or was this wedding doomed from the start?
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
01 - 09 Aug, 18 - 23 AugSLAB is a two-man 50-minute comedic catastrophe starring Nathan Hatfield and Eryn Rafferty. Laugh, cry and throw tomatoes while enjoying sketches, puppets and poorly choreographed, but earnest, dance numbers. From humble beginnings in Chicago as a college podcast exploring the trans experience and a love of comedy, SLAB has grown into a variety show bursting with character. If you’ve ever wanted to see two grown men throw comedic spaghetti at a metaphorical wall for nearly an hour, now’s your chance. (Please don't throw actual tomatoes at the performers, we promised them not to worry about it).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
11 - 16 AugSLAB is a two-man 50-minute comedic catastrophe starring Nathan Hatfield and Eryn Rafferty. Laugh, cry and throw tomatoes while enjoying sketches, puppets and poorly choreographed, but earnest, dance numbers. From humble beginnings in Chicago as a college podcast exploring the trans experience and a love of comedy, SLAB has grown into a variety show bursting with character. If you’ve ever wanted to see two grown men throw comedic spaghetti at a metaphorical wall for nearly an hour, now’s your chance. (Please don't throw actual tomatoes at the performers, we promised them not to worry about it).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
Deep in the heart of the mysterious Song Society, memories and feelings are filed away to make room for new ones. But when a stubborn case resists being archived, the Songkeeper is pulled into a journey that challenges everything she knows about the stories that make us whole. A one-person musical by award-winning writer/performer Florencia Iriondo, woven with an original acoustic folk-pop score that echoes long after the final note. 'At the center is the radiant presence of Iriondo, an engaging performer with a flavorful story to tell... An aural hug to the audience' (TheaterMania.com).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dexter
Two of Scotland’s foremost acoustic guitarists, Simon Kempston ('A master of fingerstyle guitar' (Scotsman)) and Paul Tasker ('one of the leading guitarists of his generation' (Maverick)), present their collaboration of original instrumental music. After two sell-out runs, the duo now proudly present their debut album. Drawing on elements of classical, folk and contemporary styles, the show blends intimate story-telling and masterful compositions which invite audiences to explore the expressive power of music beyond language. An essential show, not to be missed by any lover of the guitar, or newcomers seeking an experience beyond traditional performance.
The Royal Oak
Lounge
A recital in celebration of Ian Hamilton Finlay’s groundbreaking garden south of Edinburgh in his centennial year. Including music by Handel, Purcell and Vaughan Williams, as well as a new commission by John Hails. Soprano Alison Bishop and pianist Stuart Hope take you on a journey through the gardens many glooms, with narration by head-gardener George Gilliland.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Philip Contini brings to life the timeless love songs of Italian composer Francesco Paolo Tosti (1846-1916) in a heartfelt hour of enchanting 19th and 20th-century Italian melodies, accompanied by Anne Evans on piano.
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Our parents worked to live. In this economy? We're killing ourselves to work. With her post-uni gap year closing in on its fourth birthday and no closer to… well, anything, it's clear Eddie's life is a non-starter. But before she can try again, we've got to put the first one to rest and in Soul Sucking, you're invited to the funeral. There'll be music, requiems and a baptism just to die for. Three friends, two new/old lives and one teeny tiny urn. Free food at the wake sounds unlikely...
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
A journey from electro-mechanical computation to electro-acoustic composition, this piece uses the beauty of music to celebrate scientific evolution and revolution. Featuring computational machines and mechanisms that are musical equivalents of the enigma and bombe machines, hear the musical enigma machines' encrypted musical pitches, melodies, harmonies and forms being decoded in real time! Highlighted within this work are recordings of the mechanical noises made by the original enigma and bombe machines from the National Museum of Computing UK.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
01 - 09 AugSped Kid is an award-winning, high-energy, genre-defying one-man show that blends comedy, music and storytelling in a raw and heartfelt performance. It tells the powerful true story of Adam Linn, a twelve-year-old boy going blind in 1984 Boston, a city divided by long-simmering racism, but alive with new music and breakdancing. In this gripping, autobiographical journey, Adam’s failing vision forces him to leave an all-white Catholic school and board a special education short bus to an inner-city public school, where he and his new friends find strength, humour and triumph through their shared love of music and dance.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
11 - 23 AugSped Kid is an award-winning, high-energy, genre-defying one-man show that blends comedy, music and storytelling in a raw and heartfelt performance. It tells the powerful true story of Adam Linn, a twelve-year-old boy going blind in 1984 Boston, a city divided by long-simmering racism, but alive with new music and breakdancing. In this gripping, autobiographical journey, Adam’s failing vision forces him to leave an all-white Catholic school and board a special education short bus to an inner-city public school, where he and his new friends find strength, humour and triumph through their shared love of music and dance.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Darkly-comedic Korean social satire with innovative staging and colourful physicality. Exhausted by his job and his noisy neighbour keeping him up at night, the man in apartment 709 picks up a parcel for 109 by mistake. This wakens a thrill and he begins to steal other parcels intentionally. He takes one of his neighbour’s parcels, wanting to get revenge for her inconsiderate behaviour. But inside the box is the body of the neighbour’s cat… 2019 Asian Arts Awards: Best Technical Production and Best Direction. From Korean Theatre Directors’ Association 2018 Director of the Year, Cheong-euy Park.blog.naver.com/sanghy72/222162759048www.facebook.com/pg/chointheatrewww.instagram.com/chointheatre Watch TrailerWatch Trailer – The Making of Spray
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Springboard ‘25 is a curated programme of work created by emerging artists and recent graduates, produced by PASS at Edinburgh College. Witness the talent of creators working in theatre, dance and physical theatre. The platform has been curated by a panel of artists currently working in the dance sector. PASS is delighted to be showcasing this work as part of the Fringe 2025.
PASS Theatre
Theatre
A circus performance delivered as an interactive home experience. Three jugglers, a visual artist and a warm poetic voice will take you on a tour of your own home. Guided from space to space, reminiscing on the beautiful memories you find there, this magical experience will leave you seeing your home in a completely new light. Created from research by visual artist Don Satijn and Tall Tales Company, gathered together in a series of short, enchanting scenes that take inspiration from the patterns of nature and our daily lives. Ready for circus in your living room?www.talltales.nlwww.facebook.com/TallTalesCompanywww.instagram.com/talltalescompany Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Join MAS and the Squidz Puppet Gang. Cilla the cellar spider has a party to get up into the attic of MAS mansions! Who and what will she meet on the way? Expect a fast-paced hour of silliness, interactive storytelling, performance and puppet making! All monies raised will go to The Eric Liddell Community Care charity and local hub.
Eric Liddell Community Hub
Myreside Suite
ROSE is an AI chatbot that gives advice for the end of the world, powered by a black box of memories from people whose worlds have already ended. Tonight, ROSE unboxes her training data of human memories (and fabricates some in true AI fashion), to learn about the woman who created her. Stampin' in the Graveyard is an immersive headphone experience fusing physical theatre and live music to draw audiences into an ephemeral, apocalyptic world. Developed by the critically acclaimed and award-winning Elisabeth Gunawan and Kiss Witness behind Unforgettable Girl: ***** (Stage). ***** (TheReviewsHub.com). ***** (TheatreWeekly.com).
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
Stand Out – a show created to help our students do just that! Join The Performance Academy Scotland as we welcome you to a variety show to remember! Enjoy a show packed full of drama, song, musical theatre and more! A show for all ages to enjoy. Performed by the talented young performers from The Performance Academy, a Scottish award-winning performing arts school. Returning again for 2025, after four years of previous sell-out shows!
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Adam, a social media moderator, witnesses a man kill himself on a livestream. Haunted by his numb reaction, he spirals into a reckoning with his own desensitisation. On a night out with his oldest friend, Ben, they confront brutal questions: What if we’re not the good people we desperately hoped we were? At what point does that begin to affect our relationships with each other? This fearless new writing grapples with a defining modern insecurity: in a world where tragedy is constant and compassion fades, how do we hold on to our humanity?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
Award-winning Stefania Licari, expat and medic-turned-comic, promises to make the audiences a little bit more Italian, 10% sexier and 100% happier in her new show. After sell-out runs of her previous work at Edinburgh Fringe 2022, 2023 and 2024, Stefania has established herself as a rising star and one of the most exciting international acts in the circuit. This is your unique chance for comedy, pizza and endless love all rolled into an authentic Italian drama. 'A never-to-be-forgotten experience' (BroadwayBaby.com). 'Thoughtful and inspiring comedy' (LondonTheatre.co.uk).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dexter
Welsh optimist Steffan Alun finally presents his hilarious debut hour. As seen on BBC Wales, S4C, supporting Elis James on tour and performing slightly less than an hour of stand-up at the Fringe every year since 2015. Steffan returns to Edinburgh to work through his latest identity crisis with an hour of excellent comedy about sexuality, pop culture and, of course, all the best things about Wales.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 4
Stepping in… Spilling out: across your parent’s carpet, stepping into the cypher, stepping in solidarity, stepping with strangers in the club. Collaboration with French percussionist Rémy Gouffault, this work takes a walk along the personal history of Mark's dance practice through the foundational act of stepping; the different people, communities, histories and politics that collide with Mark's body through these movements. Beginning on an oversized drawing of his family home carpet, using movement, conversations, participation and music, Mark and Rémy guide you through layers of landscapes stepping through; parties, protests, rituals, mosh pits and gas clouds.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
More than a year after the UK general election, the political mood feels very different from last summer… Keir Starmer’s government has had a wobbly start, but so has Kemi Badenoch, Reform makes hay, the SNP dares to hope again and Trump is back. Time to make sense of all the new epic dramas and characters in this legendary festival show. A different show every day, including unreliable predictions, Question Time and much more.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
Steve's Big Dumb Show is part stand-up, part ridiculous songs, part multimedia, part improv and all hilarious! American comedian/musician Steve Goodie has been bringing the biggest, dumbest collection of nonsense to the stage for years, and now it's Edinburgh's turn! Pre-pandemic Steve played all over the US, and even continued virtually when we all shut down. And now it's back, live, and you don't want to miss this!
Laughing Horse @ Freddy's
Band Room
Trapped in a school locker room during a zombie invasion, three misfit field hockey players face a chaotic, unforgettable night of dark humour, secrets, unlikely friendships and romances. Forced to confront personal demons and an impending undead threat, they discover that survival isn’t just about dodging zombies – it’s about trusting each other and forging bonds through adversity. With hilarious banter, heartfelt musical numbers and unexpected twists, this coming-of-age musical challenges them to redefine what it means to be brave. Will their newfound unity be enough to overcome the night’s madness and change their futures forever?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
A site-specific theatrical performance combining movement and text, featuring two women and two couches in two different cities. One in Berlin, the other in Montréal: two performers united through the magic of video to create clumsy and crazy choreography. In a seemingly banal space, a surreal universe appears to offer a comical and absurd look at the world around us. Claude Breton-Potvin and Chantal Dupuis are French-Canadian actresses. Together, they explore how the simple and the mundane can turn into joy and transcendence. Still Life premiered at the OFFTA festival in Montréal in 2021.www.facebook.com/Projet.Still.Lifewww.instagram.com/projet_still_life Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Excitement! Drama! Romance! And... knitting? An award-winning hour of lost wartime knitting songs. Bring your knitting (or crochet) and stitch along to toe-tapping, needle-clicking tunes. Come out and have a "ball"! During the World Wars, millions of women knitted for the soldiers. Mere days after the first bullet was fired, dozens of knitting-themed songs began to appear. After the wars these songs were lost, but this cabaret concert, this music – a clever, sweet and entertaining footnote in history – has been preserved and given a chance to live again. 'Amazing!' (Guardian). ***** (GlamAdelaide.com.au).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Tired of Tinder? Once upon a time, we trolled Craigslist Casual Encounters for the 'M seeks F for DL meet-up' ads. Long before we learned to swipe, we made up our own rules, the hotel was on him, and… we got catfished. Set your phones to do not disturb for the most peculiar and intriguing game of f*ck, marry, kill. All bets are off the table when the oxytocin and endorphins are released. Named by the Washington DC City Paper as one of five women-created shows to see at the Capital Fringe Festival.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
'People can be strange and scary and complicated, up and down like the tides…' Zodwa and Malcolm, two Zimbabweans in London who meet for their first date in unusual circumstances: at Malcolm’s house. They size each other up, connecting and debating over shared cultural understandings and experiences, ultimately revealing more about themselves than they bargained for once they start to uncover deep, staggering truths about the other. The debut play by Zimbabwean playwright Chiedza Rwodzi, Strangers and Revelations is a striking and provocative exploration of relationships (between men and women), mythology and trauma through an African lens.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Streets Paved with Gold is a long-running, successful solo play by Victor Richards, set during the Windrush era. Through the story of Augustus Cleveland Johnson, who arrives at Tilbury Docks in 1948, the play explores the experiences of African-Caribbean migrants navigating life in a new and unfamiliar Britain. With themes of hope, resilience and identity, this poignant performance captures the struggles and triumphs of those seeking opportunity and belonging. Rich in storytelling and emotional depth, Streets Paved with Gold offers an intimate and moving reflection on a pivotal moment in British history, resonating deeply with audiences.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Dunedin Theatre
A farmer. A Taco Bell employee. A makeup artist. A landlord/influencer. It can only be this season's cast of Summer Fling, Channel 6's hottest dating show! Get ready for a summer of sand, short shorts and semen, as young people with concerningly low IQs and concerningly high body counts make fools of themselves for your viewing pleasure. A satirical comedy, Summer Fling explores the humorous, absurd and somewhat exploitative aspects of dating shows and the society we exist in.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
A laugh-out-loud stand-up comedy show that dives into the messy, magical madness of motherhood. From giving birth to surviving sleepless nights, toddler tantrums and the "romance" of marriage after kids, this high-energy special blends sharp storytelling, brutally honest truths and original ukulele songs. Whether you’re a parent, thinking about becoming one or just enjoy watching others struggle with tiny humans, this show is for you. Hilarious, heartfelt and totally relatable, Super Mama proves that not all heroes wear capes… some just carry 17 bags and never drink hot coffee.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Supermarket 86 follows five girls who get stuck in a supermarket overnight, all connected in ways they may not yet realise. Before the power goes out, the cashier's ex-girlfriend walks in. Set in 2007 Upstate New York, the show is a character-driven dramedy featuring five complicated, lonely young women pushed to confront their unwanted realities and uncertain futures. Fundamentally, the show is about the desire to connect and how, sometimes, you are forced to find connection in places that initially seem mundane and stagnant.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Svaneborg Kardyb and Vega Trails team up for a massive night of experimental Scandinavian Jazz as part of Festival Fringe 2025.
La Belle Angele
Main Room
Captivate Theatre is thrilled to bring Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd to the Edinburgh Fringe: a show that extends the stage to the audiences and draws them into its storytelling in a way that is as much felt and shared as it is enjoyed and appreciated. Its ghoulish coaxing draws us into an unforgettable experience. The dark streets of Victorian London come to life in this thrilling production of Sweeney Todd by Captivate Theatre. ‘With so little, Captivate creates so much spectacle’ (TheWeeReview.com). ‘Bloodily brilliant’ (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).
The Famous Spiegeltent
Spiegeltent
The gods descend, banishing evil and clearing life’s burdens. Incense smoke rises with wishes, as drums and flutes echo. Mighty deities unite, exuding divine majesty to bring blessings and peace to all.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
When you think of me, do you think of me? Or the me you made up in your head? The one who's words you write… A self-destructive writer struggles to construct a play that unfurls the secrets of her broken friendship. But as passion blurs into obsession, she loses grip on the narrative. Should she let truth get in the way of a good story? Mind-bending and heart-wrenching, this romcom meets psychological thriller is a nonlinear love-letter to the creative process. Handcrafted by award-winning, multidisciplinary artists, heartbreak and hyperreality spiral in Hannah Caplan's unmissable debut.
Summerhall Festival
Former Womens Locker Room
Marimba meets tap dance in a thrilling fusion of rhythm and melody. Experience how this Swiss duo turns music into motion with dazzling foot percussion and virtuosic marimba playing. Wooden Impact blends groove, melody and percussive artistry into a dynamic, genre-defying performance. Tap shoes become instruments, seamlessly interacting with the marimba’s rich tones in a captivating visual and auditory spectacle. From intricate footwork to delicate musical moments, every piece tells a story through rhythm, movement and pure artistry. Perfect for music lovers, dance admirers and anyone seeking a show full of passion, innovation and surprise!
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Alba Theatre
Magic seamlessly meets theatre in Lin Lu-Chieh's engaging autobiographical solo show. Confident and captivating, this young, self-taught master of prestidigitation offers up a true and touching coming-of-age story that couples delightful 'How did he do that?' sleight-of-hand with warm-hearted observations on the sometimes painful yet often humorous process of growing up. His sincerity and skill shine through. Gently laced with audience participation, this entertaining and universally relatable performance is about finding yourself by doing what you love. See it and understand just how wondrous and transformative magic can be. European premiere.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
Choreographer Hsieh Yi-Chun makes an impressive international debut with a brand-new ensemble dance about collective ritual and individual will. Inspired by temple processions and childhood memories, her mesmerizing sextet uses a flow of dynamic movement to pose a key question: what anchors our faith in an ever-changing world? Merging past and present, sacred and secular, tradition and modernity, this sensitive and searching production surges with a heightened sense of spirituality. At the same time it is deeply rooted in communal humanity. The result is cross-cultural dance of great power and universal resonance.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
This original solo performance follows the story of a girl-woman-dancer’s experiences with the eating disorder bulimia, and the way she healed through learning psychology and expressive arts. Referring to the theories she learned during her therapy studies, and with honest artistic physical expression, Tal goes back in time and re-tells the memories and events of her life, the pain and suffering she experienced, what people around her said, and the things society tells us. This inspiring piece exposes the mind and encourages us to explore our responsibilities as human beings. ‘A thoughtful and important piece of art’ (AYoungerTheatre.com).www.talmotion.comwww.facebook.com/talmotionwww.instagram.com/tallevycohen/ Watch TrailerWatch Teaser
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
An acclaimed performer presents a vibrant, family-friendly show that blends movement and spoken word. ‘A dancer of tremendous joy’ **** (Fest, 2014). This plus-sized, 72-year-old lesbian shares intimate stories celebrating inclusivity and pursuing our dreams. With a world premiere of new work alongside beloved classics in her fourth Fringe show, Lucia inspires audiences to break free from limitations and embrace their best selves. Her performance weaves together personal narratives drawn from decades of queer experience, creating a powerful testament to living authentically while encouraging others to follow their dreams.
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
Five mermaids. Chronic people-pleasers retreat. Come witness the clam-ities as they make waves navigating perfectionism, inky anxieties, and the choppy waters between girlhood and womanhood. Dive fin-first into a hilarious coming-of-quarter-age comedy entangled in the fishnets of friendship, big feelings, and their tall "tails". Channeling spiritual silliness and mid-2000s glam, Tall Tails is for anyone who has ever felt a little lost at sea. Check out the mermaids, or don't – we want what's best for you!!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
In the early 90s, Australian comedian Tania Lacy was so famous she couldn't walk down the street without being mobbed. Dubbed the 'enfant terrible' of Aussie TV, she soon became 'enfant unemployable' for being too mouthy. Fortunately for Tania, women are quite 'in' right now, so there's a good chance she'll get away with it this time. She might have been too naughty for the nineties but that was then, this is now and she's decided she can be 'enfant' anything she wants!tanialacy.comwww.facebook.com/tania.lacywww.instagram.com/tanialacy/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
(Chaach-kee). A Blackout Sketch Show! Written by students of Second City, Tchotchke! is a marathon of short and sweet sketches, each one between 15 seconds to 1 minute 30 seconds in length, which means 45+ sketches in one show! To end the night, we will play some short-form improv games based on audience suggestions. It’s dumb, it’s fun, it’s quick – everything to love in a night out. Come play with us!
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
Ted Hill is a multimedia comedian who has just found out that he is weird. Come and watch him work out some new material about what sort of weirdo he wants to be. Nominated for Best Show – 2024 ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards. British Comedy Guide Recommended Show 2022 and 2024. 'A comic who struggles to make or maintain eye contact yet grippingly engages you with his visual and sonic blitz' (Chortle.co.uk). 'Genuinely hilarious' (BroadwayBaby.com).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
01 - 09 Aug, 18 - 23 AugGlinda the good witch is full of shit! We never had the power to go home all along… or did we? From licking Jessica Rabbit’s tits on the TV screen to falling head over heels for his straight best friend, Michael DeBartolo takes you through the pubescent anguish of his formative years, a journey that exposes the dark recesses of the queer mind. Will he ever learn that home isn't somewhere over the rainbow?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
11 - 16 AugGlinda the good witch is full of shit! We never had the power to go home all along… or did we? From licking Jessica Rabbit’s tits on the TV screen to falling head over heels for his straight best friend, Michael DeBartolo takes you through the pubescent anguish of his formative years, a journey that exposes the dark recesses of the queer mind. Will he ever learn that home isn't somewhere over the rainbow?
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
What is humanity; what is life? In this world, nothing is certain. Explores the mystery of the human body and soul. Seek the way to leave the world of worries before we die. From award-winning Butoh dancer and choreographer Emiko Agatsuma. Agaxart produces innovative Butoh performances based on Emiko’s Butoh method and aesthetics, examining the interaction between body, mind and soul. Agaxart creates Butoh performances to deliver the diversity of the physical expression that is connected to unconsciousness.agaxart.wixsite.com/agartwww.facebook.com/agao00owww.instagram.com/emiko.agatsumawww.youtube.com/channel/UCSXxrjd0qLNtUMmD5VoOTtAa Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Rose and Taylor narrate their sensations and memories in an attempt to come to terms with their relationship to one another, their past and the world at large. Set in a future dystopia where genetic predispositions to chronic illness have been triggered by a worldwide technological phenomenon, this immersive installation fuses emerging technologies and dance theatre to question the importance of personal care and connection in a world of increasing isolation. We invite you to experience this new world as they do, embody and play with the boundaries of separation in performance.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
Accordion and clarinet music from around the world, played with an infectious sense of enjoyment. Combining great skill with light-hearted and humorous interactions. 'Superb musicianship – a great double act' (Scotsman).
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
Two bold and satirical dance theatre pieces, Four and Death to Duets, that confront one of humanity’s greatest mysteries – death and what lies beyond. This thematic double-bill weaves together both Asian and Western perspectives to present two strikingly different yet complementary works exploring the myths, fears and absurdities surrounding our final moments. Through a unique blend of physical theatre, contemporary dance and dark humour, The 11th Hour challenges audiences to question their own perceptions of mortality, shedding light on the universal human experience of contemplating life’s end.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Arkle's affectionate take on the Buchan classic of espionage and daring-do. Gasp as Hannay gives the baddies the slip! Shriek as he hangs from the Forth Bridge! Marvel when he solves the riddle of The 39 Steps!
The Royal Scots Club
The Hepburn Suite
Relive the music that set off the 80s most nostalgic movie scenes. From Dirty Dancing, Breakfast Club, Top Gun, Labrinth to The Never-Ending Story, 80s movies have one thing in common: iconic songs. Watch as Maia Elsy, Will Sharp and the Night Owl band bring these nostalgic moments alive in this journey through the legendary soundtrack to your 80s. Night Owl bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won awards and ovations worldwide. Get ready for the ultimate feel-good show with the festival's ultimate music collective.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
When Thiago is paired up with his prickly boss, Liam, on a crisis managing account for a venerated chef, each of them sees it as an opportunity to get ahead in their company. However, a dangerous dance of power, control and seduction ensues as both of their egos clash, bringing their innermost fears and desires to the forefront. As they struggle to complete the project, they each experience telling physical transformations as consequence for their actions. The Alchemy of Sadness is a play that explores how love and hate create bonds between people with surprising outcomes.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
This surreal tale begins with the recruitment of a hapless newcomer to a rural neighbourhood volunteer association. Responding to a complaint about noisy frogs, he goes to investigate. He encounters a supernatural world populated with yokai, mysterious supernatural entities of Japanese mythology who sing, dance and struggle to coexist with contemporary human society. The result is a funny sideways look at humans from their perspective. With wild hand-made costumes, giant sculptural origami puppets and original music, this is a unique and mind-blowing Japanese experience for all ages. Performed in Japanese with English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
Are you worthy of the Goddess’s blessings? Or her wrath? Join Mayuri Bhandari and Kali, the Goddess of Death every day as they navigate the absurdities of Western Yoga culture. Liberation, not Lululemon! This award-winning Hollywood Fringe show blends dance, drama, comedy, poetry and live percussion by renowned musician Neel Agrawal. Mayuri gives voice to the true ethos of yoga, weaving together cultural appropriation, decolonisation and community. Come peel back the yoga mat and join the revolution! PS: You don’t need to know anything about yoga to see this show!
Greenside @ George Street
Jade Studio
What stories must we tell to offer ourselves and our children the best possible future? This prequel to the Icarus myth takes us on a journey in, through and to the centre of a labyrinth. As we journey, we hear the mythical story of Icarus told through the eyes of a woman enslaved in her youth. She explores what happens when an unfathered father has a son and invites us to interrogate the stories we are told, offering an opportunity to look at how they shape our future and give weight to the past.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
As well as being world-famous for classical full-length works like The Seagull, Uncle Vanya and The Cherry Orchard, Anton Chekhov was widely renowned for his short comedic plays known as vaudevilles. Written before he achieved worldwide success, these vaudevilles were short plays with a different style of humour and dialogue than were found in his later works. They explore the human condition, and the beauty, heartbreak and loneliness people experience. When a young widow, mourning the death of her husband, is visited by the irascible Smirnov demanding payment for her husband's debts, things take a surprisingly romantic turn.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
David Harmer and Ray Globe, the irrepressible Glummer Twins, are back with an irreverent trawl through the eight decades that made them what they are today. Old. Stand-up, spoken word, comedy and music from the Beat Generation. ’You absolutely won’t regret spending an hour in their company’ (FringeGuru.com). 'A perfect double act' (Chris Neville Smith). 'A completely different take on stand-up. Seriously clever and very funny’ (Buxton Fringe).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
A compilation of some of the Beatles’ best-known songs from 1962-69. Arranged and played as you’ve never heard them before with a video gallery of rare images of the boys themselves. Researched and created by Beat Mutante over five years, the sings are performed with electronic instruments using instantly recognisable iconic sounds from the Fab Four's albums: Hohner bass, Gibson guitars, Ludwig drums, Vox organ and the Moog Modular synthesizer, played both virtually and live by the artist, Beat Mutante, with lighting effects and other surprises.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
The Bible Women's Project is a theatrical exploration of young women's true stories as they connect with the stories of women in the Holy Bible. Featuring stories from Eve to Bathsheba to Mary, the play has been described as a rollercoaster of emotion. 'You won't be ready', said one audience member. Creator Tara Brooke Watkins uses story circles and theatre to dig into spirituality and faith with women's stories from the Bible as the foundation. What remains true across different versions of the show is the fact that women find empowerment through sharing stories.
Stockbridge Church
Church Hall
Glasgow holds a music festival – The Big Day. The problem? You and your pals can’t see it, because you’re in a holding cell. The Girls have been best pals for ages. But recently, changes drive them apart. The girls watch Sheena, but when she debuts an American accent, Fiona throws a glow stick at the stage and the group is arrested. They meet Louise who was thrown in the cell earlier. The forced proximity allows the group to open up, help each other face their dilemmas and hatch an escape plan.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Journey through the life and music of the 150 million record-selling Piano Man in this uplifting show. Piano Man, Uptown Girl and Always a Woman brought to life by Angus Munro and the award-winning Night Owl Shows. They bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won them awards and sold-out shows worldwide. Munro’s incredible storytelling will take you on a journey, as he documents the songs' origins and links them to the music through his passionate interpretations of one of the greatest back catalogues.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
The Oscar-winning director, William Friedkin decided to mount a star-studded new production of Harold Pinter’s first play, The Birthday Party, in LA. It instantly sold out its first month. But its future was in peril. First, Steven Berkoff, the lead actor, loathed the director at first sight! One of them got fired in the second week, but finding a replacement is hard. The first one has health problems and the others back out. The set is built, but as the opening gets closer, panic sets in. What will happen? Will it open?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
The Black Hole by Vkinn Vats is a searing psychological drama that delves into the dynamics of cohabiting relationship and complexities of human connection. Set in a shared space, two souls are forced to coexist, but the emotional distance between them reveals deeper wounds. As desire and trauma collide, quiet moments erupt into explosive confrontations. With raw vulnerability and twisted intimacy, it unearths what it truly means to be seen – and what we risk when we expose ourselves. Can two broken souls bridge the invisible gap, or will the space between them tear them apart forever?
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
A high-octane trip through the music of one of the architects of the punk/new wave movement. Following an award-winning run at Edinburgh Fringe 2023, Reine Beau and the Night Owl Band deliver a killer blow with versions of Atomic, Heart of Glass and One Way or Another. Night Owl Shows bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won them awards, sold-out shows and standing ovations worldwide. Set to a cultural backdrop of imagery, you’ll be immersed in the moment and the music that cut through genres.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Award-winning Edinburgh band The Blueswater perform five raucous gigs in Edinburgh's best live music venue, the Jazz Bar. Influenced by gritty, old-school rhythm and blues, they blend the Chicago sound of Chess records with the earthy, droning grooves of Mississippi to create a style that is truly unique. Thick guitar riffs and frenzied harmonica solos are built around driving rhythms to create raucous, high-energy performances. Expect a wild party. ***** (ThreeWeeks). 'Wonderful' (Clare Cavanaugh, BBC). 'Definitely a band to watch' (Blues in Britain).
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
From his childhood in the Philippines – a technicolour blur of cartoons and classical music – Jeremy always knew he wanted to be a concert pianist. The Boy from Bantay takes us on his heartwarming journey of growth and self-discovery. This appearance is produced by Bantay Productions with support from Pace University.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
This raw and powerful exploration of a hard-hitting break-up will pull at your heartstrings and might even make you smile. Written and performed by singer/songwriter Tamara Williamson, with original alternative music and film, The Break-Up Diet defies traditional musical conventions to tell a gripping tale of infidelity, breakup, denial, and recovery. Tamara takes audiences on a captivating journey, with evocative storytelling and a range of emotions, that stays with them long after the show ends to offer a unique and unforgettable experience. An award-winning, powerful production from Canada.Created and Written by | Tamara WilliamsonBandLead | Tamara WilliamsonVoice,Guitar,Sax by | Sarah FazackerleyBass by | Chris WallerDrums, programs by | Stephen PitkinProduction team | Tamara Williamson, Heather Cook ScalaThanksAll the people who donated and came to watch the showRichard for creating the filmwww.breakupdiet.cafacebook.com/tamarawilliamson1000intagram.com/tamarawilliamson1000/tiktok.com/@breakupdiet Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
No Arnaud Askoy is not Brel but to hear him, to see him, one could believe it. Arnaud brings Chanson Francaise icon Jacques Brel to life. The striking resemblance, the powerful vocal imprint and the respect for Brel's fundamental tools of staging are only physical elements of the show, the necessary decor. With Roland Romanelli's original arrangements, it is indeed the personal flame of Arnaud Askoy, which gives birth to a magic comparable to that of the time. Such is the promise!
French Institute in Scotland
Salle Emilienne Moreau-Evrard
Join award-winning writer-comedian Marc Burrows for a multi-media stand up celebration of one of British music's most iconic and enduring moments, marking 30 years since the Blur vs Oasis chart war. Music journalist Marc (Guardian, The Quietus, Big Issue) dives into the stories, rivalries, OTT personalities and some of the finest music the UK has ever produced. Part nostalgic love letter, part send-up, part rock'n'roll party. DoyaknowwhatImean?. 'Funny, clever and profound... unmissable' ***** (StarburstMagazine.com). 'Utter joyful enthusiasm' (BroadwayBaby.com). ***** (ThreeWeeks). ***** (Edinburgh Reviews).
Underbelly Bristo Square
Dairy Room
Two narrators attempt to recreate all 209 fairytales of the Brothers Grimm in a wild, fast-paced extravaganza. To make it more difficult, they attempt to combine them into one gigantic fable using Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and other more obscure stories like Lean Lisa and The Devil's Grandmother. The results are complete mayhem that will leave audiences falling out of their seats!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
Colourful and whimsical clown Bubblegum Gumdrop returns to the Fringe with an adventure filled with games, and physical comedy. This year, there’s just one problem… she’s lost her voice! But that won’t stop her from delivering a spectacular show bursting with slapstick humour, interactive moments and original music as she discovers new ways to communicate and connect. This high-energy family entertainment is designed for children who love to wiggle, giggle and get involved. More than just entertainment, it empowers children to use their voices – through words, movement and laughter – while fostering creativity and imagination.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Join Undone Theatre for a sharing of their 'engaging and humorous' (BroadwayBaby.com) show, The Butterfly Project. A Japanese stewardess and a British pilot walk onto a plane. 25 years later, their son Joey is thinking of ending things with his Italian boyfriend. Turning to his parents' interracial relationship for guidance, he embarks on a journey to connect with his roots. But as Joey learns more about his family, a pattern begins to emerge: the notes of Puccini's Madama Butterfly underscore a century of Asian misrepresentation, orientalism and exoticisation.
Summerhall Festival
The Library Gallery
The award-winning endurance-based dance work to the booming techno album Nocturbulous Behaviour by Suburban Knight is the atmosphere and culture of a three-day rave condensed into an hour. Relentless movement, seamless without pause, detailed down to every beat. Exploring the movement used in techno and rave culture, witness the destruction of three humans. Indulge in the pain, the sweat: a display of pure endurance to achieve a goal. A spectacle of the human body as a victim to music, to passion, to our endless desire to achieve more. To win and win again.
Summerhall Festival
Main Hall
Back by popular demand! The C Word is a radical awakening to the extreme objectification, competition, and overall nonsense women face today. This play explores the hypothesis: All women Hate themselves with a capital H. Trapped in a museum while waiting to interview for an Associate Curator position, five young women must select a tribute to fight a terrifying C-word monster. In a reality where women are constantly pitted against each other, what must we learn about ourselves to truly know and love one another?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Bennett Cooper Sullivan, gentleman adventurer and rakish raconteur, returns with an astonishing tale of derring-do (and don'ts!), that puts the cad back in cadaver. Hearts will flutter. Monocles will plummet. Corsets may become strained. Combining the finest elements of a Sherlock Holmes novel, an Oscar Wilde soirée, and the best night between the sheets you've ever had, The Cadaver Palaver is a ripping yarn, sumptuously told by a master storyteller. 'Erudite, eloquent and deliciously fast and funny... a rollicking, rousing one-man show' (WeekendNotes.com). 'A master of his craft' ****½ (TheBarefootReview.com.au).
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Experience unforgettable, high–energy acts in this original, real–life story of exceptional talent emerging from car showrooms. The world’s first car-dealership poet delivers a one–of–a–kind automotive solo performance featuring song parodies, poetry, monologues and comedy. A celebration of car upmanship and musical theatre. Headlining is Supercali–Lotus, arguably the best parody in 60 years of iconic musical hits, alongside acts inspired by popular comedy culture, including the uniquely performed, Gloria Gaynor–inspired parody I Will Drive.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Journey through these two remarkable, intertwined careers. I Feel The Earth Move, Natural Woman, You've Got A Friend and more presented by Will Sharp and Hannah Richards. Night Owl bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has gained them international recognition. This remarkable show links every song with stories that demonstrate the importance of love and friendship in not only Carole and James’ lives but all our lives! You’ll leave with a tear in your eye and a heart full of joy.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
Join us on the happiest musical journey of your life as a restless caterpillar meets a rock’n’roll black bird who will make all of her dreams come true. As the blackbird guides the young caterpillar around the woodland, he introduces her to a variety of creatures, from a nervous fox to an eco-frog, a timid hedgehog, diva cow and a wise old owl, alongside a troupe of playful squirrels. Along the way she will learn important life lessons. But the greatest lesson of all is the value of true friendship.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Pick of the Week, Adelaide Fringe 2024. The Ceremony returns... Welcome. Thank you. You're welcome. An improvised, interactive ritual – part sermon, part group therapy, part comedy show. Not a cult. Crafted afresh from audience responses, the show is completely different every night. Who are we? What are we doing? Does this mean anything? What does meaning mean? Hmm. Let The Ceremony begin… 'Exhilarating' ***** (BingeFringe.com). 'Brilliantly funny' ****½ (GlamAdelaide.com.au). 'Quintessential Fringe experience' **** (List). **** (Scotsman). 'If I were not being held to a demon schedule, I'd book to see The Ceremony every night' (Lyn Gardner, Stage).
Summerhall Festival
Former Womens Locker Room
Irish madman John Spillane is back with his 100% improvised stand-up show! As seen on BBC, RTE, WWE, Comedy Central and host of Ladbible Ireland. Best Performer and WIT award nominee Dublin Fringe 2024. 'One of the country's most energetic performers' ***** (Pick of Fringe RTE.ie). 'The maddest man on the Irish Scene' ***** (Ranked #1 Comedian on IrelandBeforeYouDie.com). 'John may be the most talented and naturally funny performer at the Fringe' ***** (Distractify.com).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 5
Michael is a man who has decided that the best thing to do is to end his life. He feels this because of how destructive his OCD has been for him and his family. However, we get introduced to how Michael really feels, as he takes the audience through all the crazy ups and downs that come along with having 'severe and enduring' OCD! He'll take you on the journey from getting his OCD to spending four months in hospital getting peer-pressured by his therapist to have a wank! Join him for the decision.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
As a high school basketball coach for over 30 years, I use my passion for sports to create a show that captivates and entertains my audience. Each routine not only will amaze but tell a story! Perfection is unattainable but when you chase perfection, we catch excellence. I will give it my best shot! Thanks for your consideration. Coach Neal.
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Helen Duncan Room
After last year's success this fantastic show is back. Two sisters appear in court as one accuses the other of murdering their mother but was it a mercy killing? You decide the outcome. Pie and pint included. Cathy and Mary are in a fight to discover if Cathy deliberately murdered her mother for money or if it was a mercy killing. Join the jury and cross examine the two protagonists or sit back and watch proceedings. A fantastic show that people chat about and argue over days later. A must see in this year's Fringe. Brilliant!
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Committee Room
After rave reviews last year, The Court is back with a new case. Was it murder when George Geddes was pushed over the cliff? You decide! Join the jury or just watch. Pie and pint included. Brilliant! Did George stumble or was he pushed? Who did the pushing? You listen to the evidence, you decide the outcome in this fantastic audience participation play. If chosen, you can become part of the jury and cross examine the suspects to get to the heart of the case or, you can sit back and decide. A must see.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Dunedin Theatre
Comedian and crisp connoisseur Adam Evans returns with a brand-new show telling the story of the birth of his very own crisps. Join Adam and award-winning snacks brand Serious Pig as they combine culinary excellence with nearly five years of carb-based criticism to launch their vision of the perfect crisp. Expect live comedy, scathing reviews and a mockumentary detailing their journey from concept to creation. Free packets will be provided for the audience to enjoy! 'The Crisp Review is a seasoned treat' **** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk). 'Quirky and fresh... A crowd favourite' (The Stand Comedy Club).
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
The Salem Witch Trials told through dance. This story of fear and power, fiction and humanity, is as important as ever today. Arthur Miller's classic re-imagined in a captivating blend of movement and narrative. The physicality of this production produces an impressive impact, heightening the emotional vulnerability of each of the characters. Ten dancers from California who are all incredible storytellers, directed and choreographed by Jacob Gutiérrez-Montoya, artistic director of Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theatre.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Odysseus is trying to get home after ten long years of war. Instead of fresh supplies and helpful locals, he finds a murderous monster and a band of rakish immortals on this mysterious island. Join us for a new hilarious (and very Scottish) adaptation of the world's first satire. Inspired by the work of the great Athenian writer Euripides, this adaptation keeps the spirit of the chaotic Greek pantheon while reframing this famous myth through the lens of Scottish folklore. Warning: you may meet wayward heroes, drunken mythic figures, and a one-eyed giant. If you're lucky.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
The Brazilian Piper Pipe band was founded in 1999 by Pipe Major Jose Paulo Pereira as a social project using the discipline of a pipe band to train underprivileged teenage boys to become responsible citizens. They have performed their music including Brazilian samba tunes all over South America – always guaranteeing a standing ovation. Over 30 years, Iain MacPhail provided the music for Caledonian Balls all over South America and the Ghillies' Ball for the Royal Family at Balmoral Castle. We met the Edmonton RCMP Pipe Band at Montevideo – who have adopted the boys.
Ross Bandstand
Stage
The hilarious tragedy of unachievable dreams. Stuck in a rural town in the middle of nowhere, two sisters fight against the calamity of their circumstances to win The Xfactor.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Get ready to groove to the beat! Follow the journey of a duckling who dreams of dancing but struggles to fit in with the other birds. When the disco DJ appears at the pond, it opens up a whole new world of rhythm. Can the duckling find their groove and lead their flock in a spectacular, unforgettable boogie? Colourful characters, catchy songs and feel-good energy, The Disco Duckling will have all ages dancing in their seats! Perfect for the whole family, a feather-flapping, beat-bumping celebration of finding your unique rhythm in a world full of possibilities!
PASS Theatre
Theatre
Meet young wizard Hugo Listworth, who discovers he has a skill in seeing into the future… A storytelling adventure with beautiful props, music and theatre-magic, The Divination Tent is an immersive and interactive experience for young audience members encouraging creative play between children and their grown-ups. They will get hands on with crystal balls, tea-leaf-reading, tarot cards and astronomy to actively influence the story. The untold story is one of finding pride in your differences. In a world where there's pressure on children to succeed, The Divination Tent is an opportunity to enjoy creative play and discovery.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
They’re sisters! They’re lovers! They’re cross-dressing murders! Two maids play out a sadomasochistic wet dream of killing their boss… until the line between their fantasies and reality blurs. Two actors swap parts each performance, role-playing servant and master, indulging their fantasies of control and wealth while on the clock as housemaids. Inspired by anti-capitalist metatheatrical play The Maids, Jean Genet’s response to the Papin murders in 1930s France which he saw as an act of political and social rebellion. Drag performance, audience interaction and gender-f*ckery are utilized to explore rituals of repression and revolt.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Hilarious and thought provoking in equal measure, The Drop of a Hat is a three-man comedy about an unlikely friendship formed in occupied France. When the naive Monty is paired with the world-weary Schulz on a special mission, a series of challenges force them to question their loyalty and beliefs, and to ask themselves how they can carry on in such a broken world. With a cast of colourful supporting characters, this is a play sure to make you laugh, cry and consider what makes life worth living.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Discussion, conversation and debate about the arts, society and life. In the digital world there's no greater joy than talking face to face. 300 years ago, a club was set up in Edinburgh to support artists and poets. A centre of curiosity and debate, where horizons were broadened, it heralded the Scottish Enlightenment. It was called the Easy Club, and it lives again in this series of discussions inspired by C’s festival programme. Topics, speakers and artists will differ daily but always provoke thought and further chat. Free afternoon tea (and coffee) provided. See website for listings.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
library
The alternative late-night Fringe experience returns. A unique blend of comedy, circus, burlesque, bands, live art and speciality acts from across the Fringe. With a different line-up every night this is a chance to see some of the Festival’s most exciting new artists. ‘A smorgasbord showcase of the wonderful delicacies... wacky, weird and wonderful’ (AYoungerTheatre.com). ‘One of the most fun variety cabarets around... Explosive and adaptable’ ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). See website for listings.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
The awe-inspiring journey of one of the all-time musical greats delivered by one of the UK’s finest, Angus Munro and Night Owl Shows. Night Owl bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won them awards and sold out shows worldwide. Angus Munro and Night Owl’s incredible Night Owl Band will light up your Fringe with piano-led, full-band renditions of the anthems that made Reg Dwight one of the world’s biggest stars. You’re promised an incredible show of singing along and dancing in the aisles.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
Anja is a 19-year-old college student who just can’t f@%$ing take it anymore. Honest, sardonic and hopeful, The End is an eccentric one-woman coming of age comedy navigating Anja’s fateful semester studying in Dublin, and the epic realisation that anything can be funny – even when you are knee-deep in an identity crisis and your mother is neck-deep in relapse. Written and directed by Anja Schwarzbauer. Starring Anja Schwarzbauer. About Anja Schwarzbauer.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
‘Incredibly funny and genuine in its expression of human connection’ (TheBroadOnline.com). A psychic, a musician and a politician walk into a… train. No, it’s not the start of a bad joke but it is the beginning of the end. Of the world. Join six strangers stuck on a tube (literally) dancing with death. 80s hits and nuclear disaster! Sounds like a laugh, right? Packed with old loves, last wishes and a healthy dose of existentialism, maybe at the end of it all, people are all we have.
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
A phantasmagorical imagining of our possible future, confronting the big problems facing the world in which we live: war, hunger, artificial intelligence. With a collection of technical effects, a solo live musician creates his own original wall of sound. Drawing inspiration from artists like Orbital and the Chemical Brothers, this uplifting experience has a serious message. A tribute to the poorest on the planet, to the children who suffer in conflict and to the flora and fauna of our ecosystem. In aid of the International Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders. Free DVD.Created and Performed by | Henry Davisyoutube.com/@solotronik1 Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Immerse yourself in the soul-stirring tunes of the iconic Everly Brothers in this unique acoustic show, brought to life by performers from London's West End and internationally touring shows. Experience the magic of candlelight as we weave a tapestry of the Everly Brothers' greatest hits from their earliest days as a country act on US Radio stations with their parents, to their rise to stardom in the late 1950s. A show filled with nostalgia, emotion and the timeless beauty of their music.
Le Monde
Shanghai
Written and produced by a remarkable 19-year-old, this true story delves into deeply personal experiences of depression, anxiety, eating disorders and self-harm, offering a compelling journey of hope, community and resilience. The play's moving narrative resonates with teenagers who are battling their own mental health issues or supporting their friends, parents concerned about their children's well-being, and educators seeking insights into safeguarding students. Set against the backdrop of the growing mental health crisis among teenagers, the writer hopes to create an open dialogue, greater awareness and support for all, with plenty of tears and laughter.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
A Tenant's life is uprooted when a Squatter boldly declares her living space as his own, exploring colonisation, occupation and displacement through a microcosm of Britain. Playwright Kara Hardie explores this allegory through themes of power and resilience against the backdrop of historical and contemporary conflicts. Drawing from her connection to the 1974 invasion of Cyprus, the play engages viewers through dark comedy, audience interaction, physical theatre and shadow work. The Exterminator transforms the stage into a symbolic battlefield for space and power to encourage audiences to reflect on ownership and the cyclical nature of injustice.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
The hedgehog lives quietly in the shade of the great oak, enjoying his life. One day his peace is disturbed by the arrival of a kind, mischievous and playful squirrel. Their living together won’t always be easy. We will find out about an unfriendly and protective hedgehog, and a squirrel wanting to know and share more. This piece asks us to think about difference and mixing. The hedgehog and the squirrel are very different, but they find myriad opportunities to learn and share together. From multi-award-winning Catalan company La Baldufa.www.labaldufateatre.comwww.facebook.com/LaBaldufaTeatrewww.instagram.com/Labaldufateatrewww.youtube.com/user/Baldufateatre Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
An intimate, one-on-one multimedia piece inspired by the novel Fahrenheit 451. Based on Kyle Yamada’s play, this new immersive experience leads you into a world where words survive through spoken transmission. As you lie on a bed, distant landscapes and voices surround you. Wrapped in a quilt, you discover another’s memories through a multimedia montage of whispers, warmth and deep personal connection. More than a performance: you are invited to join the Alliance. When you leave, the cycle continues: you record your own voice and images, to send back to be shared with someone, somewhere.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
bow
Original multimedia performance inspired by Kyle Yamada’s play The Fahrenheit Alliance. Actors trapped in their room by Covid-19 organise a secret, invisible alliance on the cloud, transcending walls and distance. The play poses a secret way of gathering during an emergency time when we are forbidden to assemble in one place. One person records a voice for someone else. that someone listens and performs along with the recording. The performer then records their voice for another person, thus passing the baton.The 2022 Edinburgh Fringe sees the third literation of this series!Live-stream performances on 7 and 14 August 2022 at 13:00 Edinburgh/UK (BST) [21:00 Toyko/Japan].Also available on-demand from 8 August 2022.www.mitsukohirai.comwww.facebook.com/mitsuko.hirai.5www.instagram.com/hiraimitsuko/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
72 years after a solar superflare destroyed civilisation and sent the human race spiralling toward extinction, a ragtag troupe of post-apocalyptic performers brings sensuality and sequins to the few survivors left on Earth. Their goal? To reignite the spark of humanity (and libido) through a risqué, slapstick, raunchy burlesque show. But while the audience gets glitter, camp and cabaret, things behind the curtain aren’t so glamorous. Feuds boil over, secrets threaten to tear the family apart, and the biggest questions loom: Why carry on? Should we? What happens if we don't?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
The Feminine Urge to Disappear is a hot pink play about the lengths that women have to go to feel safe in the workplace. Two women, X1 and X2, sip oat milk lattes at their favorite organic cafe as they #WorkFromHome. They are happy and safe in their girly existence, blissfully indulging in distractions, until the presence of [him] jolts them from their peaceful playfulness. As the danger increases, they plunge deeper into frivolous distractions; their reality is too much to bear.
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
One-woman shows are typically very tight, polished and one woman. This is not that. In The First Two-Woman Show, best friends Hannah and Carolina will act out scenes from their lives and attempt to share the spotlight. It’s going to get ugly, which women usually aren’t allowed to be. Eventually, they will have to decide between saving the show or saving their friendship – and both appear to be completely unsalvageable.
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
After three consecutive sold-out runs, the celebration of the 120-million-album selling supergroup returns to Fringe. Features The Chain, Everywhere, Dreams and more delivered by Alex Beharrell, Maia Elsy, Sara Leane and the Night Owl Band. Night Owl bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won awards and standing ovations worldwide. Experience the emotion and euphoria of Fleetwood. Don't miss Night Owl's flagship show which is sure to sell out with every show ending in a rapturous standing ovation. Winner of the Adelaide Fringe Weekly Music Award.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
An autobiographical one-woman drama-comedy show blending comedy characterisation and football performance to tell the unique journey of Lucia Mallardi, a Berlin-based Italian former semi-professional footballer and artist. Travelling the world as a street artist with her football and her hat, she has created poetic dialogue between two seemingly distant worlds: football as an art and art as a discipline of sacrifice and passion. Inspiring audiences across Europe and beyond from the football field to the stage, Lucia's story is empowering – challenging boundaries, merging sports and theatre in a way that only she can.Written, created and performed by | Lucia MallardiPhoto credit | Pino Montisci
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
For two decades Ron Low helped over 65,000 circumcised men undertake non-surgical foreskin restoration using TLC Tugger devices he invented. Enjoy Ron's fun and poignant musical memoir and slide show. He keeps you laughing while you learn what the foreskin is and does, how and why men restore, why we need to protect healthy male, female and intersex children from forced genital cutting, what efforts have succeeded and what could happen next. Ron performs on an exotic stringed instrument called a Harpejji, accompanied by backing tracks, while wearing one of his tugging devices under his kilt.
Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
Upstairs
A gripping solo performance that plunders the murky depths of human psychology, exploring themes of rebellion, power and moral ambiguity. Hitchens, forged from the crucible of a controlled upbringing and law-enforcement training, must now confront the ghosts of his past and the dangerous allure of radical ideologies. As the lines between hero and villain blur, the audience becomes the jury that must decide Hitchens’ fate. How will he be judged? Where does righteousness end and extremism begin? A thought-provoking exploration of guilt, reckoning and the quest for justice and identity prevalent in today’s socio-political climate.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
studio
In an era where migration, exile, and political oppression remain urgent global issues, Büke Erkoç plays a young immigrant woman caught in the currents of history, as she grapples with choices that define her existence. A shape-shifting single suitcase transforms into a high-rise building, a bed, a consulate kiosk, even a coffin, as this visually striking piece of object theatre brings to life a story of exile, memory and resistance. Devised from Turkish writer Sebnem Isigüzel’s novel Hanene Ay Dogacak. ‘A poetic physicality runs through Büke Erkoç’s veins’ (Erdem Avsar, UNESCO Resources Blog and Briefings).
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Step into a world of vibrant sound as Celtic violinist Elsa presents her latest stage show, The Gael. This dynamic performance showcases the anthems of Scotland and Ireland like never before, blending traditional music of the Gaels with a contemporary twist. Armed with her electric violin, Elsa captivates audiences by infusing each beloved melody with modern effects and an electrifying energy. Experience the rich cultural heritage of Scotland through a fresh lens, designed to engage both traditionalists and new fans alike. Don’t miss this unforgettable celebration of music that promises to leave you inspired and exhilarated!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
As their approval ratings fall to an all-time low, Sir Prime Minister Kevin and his Junior try to make some decisions the people will actually like. Meanwhile, two Gen-Zers rehearse a play about political futures, but they aren't checking the news. As events become increasingly surreal and violent, ideas become vaguer, and the future looks bleaker. A play that interrogates our choices of resistance, survival and self-progress in crises, The General Will is bombastic, anxious, stupid, lyrical and melancholy as it explores a future of our country, our politics, and our generation. And they're all clowns.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Future world-renowned artist, Bertrand Brambles, has buried himself in a dirt hole for decades to craft the greatest play ever written, uninfluenced by the world around him. His brother, Boris, has spent that time sitting in his chair attempting to read every newspaper ever written. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, the world outside has ended. The two brothers embark on the journey to mount this magnum opus with the only survivor they can find, a young girl, Beatrice. An absurdist comedy exploring the sacrifices we make for art and understanding the balance between creation and living your life.
Paradise in The Vault
The Annexe
The true story of the most evil book ever written and its horrifying legacy. Innsbruck, 1485. A witch trial sees Helena become the obsession of a religious zealot. The consequences would doom women for centuries. Now Helena confronts her accuser one final time with her soul on the line and the kindling still lit. ArtsGroupie blends its acclaimed portrayal of historical events with contemporary drama and a frightening narrative worthy of their annual sell-out performances of Ghost Stories by Candlelight, featured in the New York Times.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
A series of political interviews and debates at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. With the Holyrood election looming, we speak to First Minister John Swinney, Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes and leading pollster Professor Sir John Curtice, among others. Herald journalists and columnists will lead the discussions, asking big questions about the future of Scotland, the shape of UK politics and the international forces reshaping our world. Expect sharp analysis, lively conversation and a chance for the audience to have their say.
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
Magicians are professional liars. But can they still amaze you… while being 100% truthful? Fresh from his sold-out show in Manchester, Cavan Booth attempts just that! This is a magic show unlike any you’ve seen. An unforgettable hour of jaw-dropping miracles, miraculous mind reading and world-class sleight of hand, with thrills and laughs in equal measure! Highly interactive and impossibly entertaining, allow The Honest Magician to take you on a journey behind the curtain... that will still leave your mind blown!
Greenside @ George Street
Mint Studio
The Infinity Repertory Theatre company presents a new musical from George Griggs and Paul Andrew Perez. Simon Walker, an angst ridden teenager, struggles to find his purpose in life. Questioning his existence, ability to love and be loved, and his weird school lunch. Simon struggles with understanding his purpose in life, how he fits in. Together with his friends, Quentin Bean and Sandy Dachowski, Simon relives the high and low points of his life. Join Simon in this new pop rock musical that promises to be a funny and gut-wrenching.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Thistle Theatre
After last year's sell-out run, they're back and still the best in the business! Ian Coppinger (Dublin Comedy Improv), Stuart Murphy (Stu and Garry's Improv Show) Stephen Frost and Richard Vranch (guest spots) and other special guests (last year Marcus Brigstoke, Phill Jupitus, Pippa Evans, Rufus Hound) provide an hour of guaranteed laughs based on your suggestions. The troupe have appeared all over the world in the show where you shout it out and they act it out. 'Naturally irredeemably hilarious' (Metro). 'Top notch improvised mirth making comic alchemy' (Herald).
Frankenstein Pub
Bier Keller
A child has been murdered. His catatonic young mother now sits before two officers, awaiting her interrogation in 1974 Arkansas. Opposite her sits June, a psychic interrogator tasked with uncovering the truth behind this reprehensible crime. As June uses her abilities to gain visions of the event, a startling revelation takes the investigation in an entirely new direction. Her psychic mind is tested as she faces a terrifying question – can she truly be certain that her reality is the objective one? More importantly, can you?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
18 - 23 AugThe Invisible Spirit is award-winning journalist Kenneth Roy's searing yet witty dramatisation of Scotland – its people, places and politics – from 1945 to 1975. We open on VE night in Glasgow’s George Square, celebrating the end of one of the darkest chapters in British history. But the conclusion of WW2 marks the beginning of a 30-year hangover for Scotland during which its people fight off poverty and disease in tenement slums, watch scandal engulf the powers that be and live in fear of serial killers. Starring Chris Alexander, Fergus John McCann and Elaine Stirrat.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
01 - 09 AugThe Invisible Spirit is award-winning journalist Kenneth Roy's searing yet witty dramatisation of Scotland – its people, places and politics – from 1945 to 1975. We open on VE night in Glasgow’s George Square, celebrating the end of one of the darkest chapters in British history. But the conclusion of WW2 marks the beginning of a 30-year hangover for Scotland during which its people fight off poverty and disease in tenement slums, watch scandal engulf the powers that be and live in fear of serial killers. Starring Chris Alexander, Fergus John McCann and Elaine Stirrat.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
11 - 16 AugThe Invisible Spirit is award-winning journalist Kenneth Roy's searing yet witty dramatisation of Scotland – its people, places and politics – from 1945 to 1975. We open on VE night in Glasgow’s George Square, celebrating the end of one of the darkest chapters in British history. But the conclusion of WW2 marks the beginning of a 30-year hangover for Scotland during which its people fight off poverty and disease in tenement slums, watch scandal engulf the powers that be and live in fear of serial killers. Starring Chris Alexander, Fergus John McCann and Elaine Stirrat.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
When a group of school children crash land on a deserted Indonesian island and all adults are killed. They try to establish order, but things turn very badly quickly, and tribalism and chaos ensues. A must-see show. Based loosely on Lord of the Flies, we watch as the group descends into chaos and fighting with groups trying to take over and dictate to others. This talented Edinburgh cast showcase their talents in a disturbing and thought-provoking way which questions humanity's rules and standards. Will they survive and will they be rescued?
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Alba Theatre
John Smith, Britain's first Deaf comedian, is celebrating an incredible milestone... 20 years of stand-up comedy! Known for his quick wit, engaging storytelling and ability to connect with diverse audiences, John has become a trail-blazer, inspiring others with his resilience and creativity. Through his comedy he has not only entertained but also sparked important conversations about accessibility, representation and the power of laughter. If you are in Edinburgh, don't miss this chance to watch John and experience a night of laughter, reflection and outstanding comedy!
Deaf Action
Blackwood Bar
Debuting at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe is another ambitious show from master arranger, Mike Kearney and his 7-piece ‘funk colossus’ and Fringe stalwarts – The Katet. Sing along to world-class arrangements of the top of the pops, reinvented for a modern audience with a jazz-funk twist, in this charismatic and high-octane performance by award-winning Edinburgh session musicians with over a decade of Fringe experience. Get transported back to the glory days of the 90s with non-stop mashups of Oasis, Blur, Radiohead, Take That, Seal, Green Day and many more... What were you listening to in 1995?
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Returning to this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the hugely popular show from 'Northern Ireland's answer to Stevie Wonder' – Maestro Mike Kearney and his 7-piece ‘funk colossus’ and Fringe stalwarts – the Katet. Sing along to world-class arrangements of classic hits, reworked and re-energized for a modern audience with non-stop mashups and surprises, in a charismatic and high-octane performance by award-winning Edinburgh session musicians with over a decade of Fringe experience. Expect all your favourites, from Superstition, Sir Duke and Signed, Sealed, Delivered to I Wish and Isn’t She Lovely. Everybody loves Stevie!
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
August 2005: 20 years ago, Hurricane Katrina forever changed New Orleans, LA, and the entire Gulf Coast region of the United States. The Category Five storm brought devastation, heartbreak, anger, and despair. The Katrina Project: Hell and High Water features a diverse group of characters who take audiences on an emotional journey into the hearts and souls of Katrina's survivors. Through interviews, collected stories, and found texts, these characters give voice to one of the greatest natural disasters in US history and show how our city ultimately discovered the true meaning of community.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Remember the Kids from Fame? It's time to meet the Kids with Nae Hame. Experience what it's like to grow up in care in the 1980s, where songs from the American hit series represent a lifeline that helps the kids cope with their ever-changing environment. Witness first-hand the process of some of the kids having to adapt to independent living. And see how they are faring now as the show looks at the effects the care system has had on these kids – and what is currently being done to assist the care-experienced community.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Before Tom Cruise, Cary Grant or Clark Gable, Douglas Fairbanks was the King Of Hollywood! Doug was a remarkable actor and gifted visionary. Alongside his wife Mary Pickford and his best friend Charlie Chaplin, he is responsible for the movie industry as we know it today. Doug single-handedly invented the action movie and was instrumental in the creation of the Oscars, Beverley Hills and even Batman! The King Of Hollywood tells the story of his rise and fall which is more astonishing than any movie!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Time to get you glow on as the Ladyboys Glow Up the Edinburgh Fringe! A show like no other show performed by “show girls” like no other girls. It’s a night of pure escapism releasing audiences from the humdrum of everyday life in a euphoric bubble of laughter, glamour, glitz and music. The entertainment is fast and unrelenting as the eclectic mix of music effortlessly flows from movie hits to superstar pop favourites and tributes add a load of laughs and it’s going to be a night to remember!
Theatre Big Top
The Sabai Pavilion
God created mankind in seven days, but twelve children drifting at sea take the same seven to become murderers. Inspired by Géricault’s painting and Georg Kaiser’s play The Raft of the Medusa, this contemporary re-telling unfolds through image-based vignettes – a chimpanzee with painted nails, an ignored petition, a missing doll. Who are the figures on the raft? When we look again, do we see ourselves reflected? Alienation doesn’t knock – it drifts in. And by the time we feel the tide, we are already far from the shore. Performed in Mandarin.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
1914. The Great War rages. Britain recruits 30,000 men between 5’ and 5’3" to fight. These men come from all over Britain, Ireland and Canada. Known as Bantams after the small, aggressive rooster, they're formed into special Bantam battalions. 1918. Bouzincourt, France. A group of reporters visit the front to write about the Bantams. One Bantam remains: Patrick Michael Wolfe, a teacher from Dublin. This is his story, from the battlefields of France to rebellion in Dublin. Inspired by real events. ***** (BritishTheatreGuide.info). ***** (UKTW.co.uk). *****(@moreishtv) **** (PlaysInternational.org.uk). 'Hidden Gem' (FringeReview.co.uk). Spirit of the Fringe, Derek Awards.
Greenside @ George Street
Mint Studio
In the not-too-distant future, ecological catastrophe has ripped society’s flesh clean off and civilization is nothing but a rancid husk. From the ashes, one survivor rises. An advertising copywriter. Join a stark raving adman at the end of the world as he tries to rebrand… the end of the world. What do we call this new dystopia? Who’s it for? What’s our why? As he takes the audience on a gonzo brainstorming session, our protagonist faces his own existential crisis: What’s a copywriter without a client?
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
Are emotional shackles holding you back? Join Tamás on a journey from childhood in an overprotective family in conservative Hungary to standing on his own feet as an adult in liberal Sweden. How can he manage after such a change? Is he willing to try the unfamiliar just because it is possible? Mixing stand-up comedy, clowning and other visual storytelling methods, this solo show touches on deeply personal stories about loneliness, belonging, low self-esteem and a kissing bench, as well as insights into the Hungarian and the Swedish cultures. Ready to free yourself from those emotional bonds? ‘A hilarious and skilled performance… should definitely be at the top of your to-watch list’ (EdFringeReview.com).www.unmutedparticipants.comwww.facebook.com/unmutedparticipantswww.instagram.com/unmutedparticipants/www.vimeo.com/showcase/c-arts-unmuted-participants Watch TrailerWatch Trailer | Unmuted Participants Solo Flight season
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Take a regal journey through the incredible music of one of the greatest rock groups of all time with Peter Marchant and the incredible Night Owl Band. Includes hits Bohemian Rhapsody, Radio Gaga, Don’t Stop Me Now and so many more. Night Owl bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won awards, sold out shows and standing ovations worldwide. Watch multi-instrumentalist Peter Marchant display his infectious stage presence coupled with a voice that can carry some of the biggest songs of all time.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Set against a stunning deep-sea dreamscape, The Legend of Shanhai is a magical musical blending fantasy, adventure and the bittersweet journey of growing up. In the whispering waves of the North Sea, young Beiming dreams of the skies beyond his island home. Swept into a mysterious undersea world, he meets Kun – a mighty fish longing to soar. As they brave whirlpools and sea beasts, Beiming learns that true freedom lies in embracing both roots and wings. Inspired by ancient Chinese mythology, this lyrical tale is a soaring ode to family, dreams and self-discovery.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Sue Caton will provide a personal insight into her uncle and tell the story of the famous Scottish Olympian who was born in China. Sue will use a variety of items to tell Eric's story, including family photos and recordings. All monies raised will go to The Eric Liddell Community Care charity and local hub.
Eric Liddell Community Hub
Robertson Suite
I’m a framer who has been trying to be a good person all my life, but as a result, my wife betrayed me, my son died, and I switched to the police force to survive… In a production that celebrates Bejing's cultural heritage, Lao She's 1950s novella is performed in traditional Bejing musical style by a Chinese troupe famous for interpreting his work. The story takes the perspective of a common man who, despite his personal struggles of loss and pain, continues to find love for the world. English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
What if the perfect photograph wasn’t in an album but hidden in life itself? The Light Catcher follows a celebrated Indian photographer, Kanika, who’s on a quest to find her favourite portrait. As she revisits portraits of women from Ethiopia to Pakistan, India to UK, their stories come alive on stage – some heartwarming, some hard-hitting, all unforgettable. Performed by Ritika Shrotri, who transforms into 10 dynamic characters, written by Niranjan Pedanekar and directed by Sanket Parkhe. Book your tickets now and step into a world where every frame tells a story!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
In this one-act play, a young woman in a liminal space confronts a series of famous men whose poor adaptations of Lolita have done Nabokov's story, and women at large, a great disservice. Stanley Kubrick, Steve Martin and more take turns in the hot seat, as our narrator is forced to reckon with her own relationships with men and if healing is truly possible. Every woman deserves an apology.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Muse
Famous one-hit wonders The Femme Fatales are back in the news for the wrong reasons. The pop-star sensations keep turning up dead. Former member and current PI Justin McGuffin finds himself embroiled in a tale of mysterious women, fame-hungry police and a sore throat. Will he survive or will it be The Long Goodbye Bye Bye. Pazus Productions' second Fringe outing sets its sights on the worlds of true crime, film noir and pop music.
Laughing Horse @ Freddy's
Band Room
01 - 09 AugThe Lost Priest is a deeply personal, one-person show exploring the complexities of growing up Jewish in America. Through poetic monologues, ritual reenactments and moments of raw reflection, the performer grapples with identity within an ethnicity divorced from religion. Blending humour and heartbreak, the play delves into themes of cultural alienation, family legacy and resilience. Intimate childhood memories, historical anecdotes and societal observations intertwine, creating a poignant narrative that captures the universal search for belonging.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
11 - 23 AugThe Lost Priest is a deeply personal, one-person show exploring the complexities of growing up Jewish in America. Through poetic monologues, ritual reenactments and moments of raw reflection, the performer grapples with identity within an ethnicity divorced from religion. Blending humour and heartbreak, the play delves into themes of cultural alienation, family legacy and resilience. Intimate childhood memories, historical anecdotes and societal observations intertwine, creating a poignant narrative that captures the universal search for belonging.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
A comic cabaret in five movements, about love, loss and pies. The Lounge Suite is written and performed by Chris Murphy as the glittering, yet poignant Estar, with Joanna Weinberg as Kiki on the keys and dramaturgy by Deborah Pollard. Estar is off the couch and back into the light! Estar is the alter ego of NZ/Australian performer Chris Murphy, who has been treading the boards for 35 years. A journey over the past five years, The Lounge Suite brings you brilliant, funny songs and the very best of Estar; pluck, pathos and pith.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Tom McNab returns to give rare insights into the making of the famous Oscar-winning film, Chariots of Fire. Tom was technical advisor on the project and helped bring the stories of famous athletes, Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams to life. All monies raised will go to The Eric Liddell Community Care charity and local hub.
Eric Liddell Community Hub
Robertson Suite
The inspiring true story of the cheerful Edinburgh factory girl with a big heart for Jesus and for helping others, who could be Scotland's next canonised Saint. This down-to-earth model of everyday sanctity is brought vividly to life onstage by Rachel Callaghan – her actual living relative (second cousin). Stephen Callaghan's funny and moving play was first performed at the 2016 Fringe in the Edinburgh church where the venerable Margaret's body is interred and he directs the revival marking 100 years since her death. 'The response of the audience lining the pews… is undeniable' (Scotsman).
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
In this family-friendly show created by Parlapatões, a renowned Brazilian theatre and circus company, four clowns, called 'Dias' (Portuguese for 'days'), embark on a journey through the day, filled with laughter and surprises. They break the rules of everyday life, discovering endless possibilities. Ordinary moments turn into hilarious adventures in their world, inspired by Edward Lear, the poet and illustrator who coined the term 'nonsense'. This show blends pantomime and clowning, featuring a performance rich in visuals and sound effects.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Friesian
Somebody in the audience will have eaten the most toast, and we will find them.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 1
Experience the enchanting sounds of jazz as The Music of Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass takes the stage at this year's Edinburgh Fringe. The music of Fitzgerald and Pass is both beautifully simple and yet complex to convey. Carleton and Crighton have dedicated countless hours to transcribing highlights from their extensive catalogue, including emotive melodies and virtuosic guitar mastery on iconic songs like My Ship, Moonlight in Vermont and On Green Dolphin Street. Enjoy a brief musical history lesson of this iconic duo.
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
Experience the enchanting sounds of jazz as The Music of Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass takes the stage at this year's Edinburgh Fringe. The music of Fitzgerald and Pass is both beautifully simple and yet complex to convey. Carleton and Crighton have dedicated countless hours to transcribing highlights from their extensive catalogue, including emotive melodies and virtuosic guitar mastery on iconic songs like My Ship, Moonlight in Vermont and On Green Dolphin Street. Enjoy a brief musical history lesson of this iconic duo.
The Jazz Bar
Partially Seated
Paul’s about to be a dad, but doubt clouds his excitement. A night at the pub should be a distraction, yet Cammy’s suicide still lingers, unspoken but heavy. Struggling to move forward, the lads throw themselves into fundraising in his memory, desperate to make a difference. But when Paul finds a lump, fear grips him – fatherhood is no longer his only concern. Inspired by real events, The Naked Neds follows a group of Glasgow lads facing loss, life and NHS waiting lists. With nothing left to lose, they decide to bare all – the full monty!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
In the nest, a birth is danced. In this dance piece, a blank body surrenders to the continuous cycle of birth and death. Thrown into gravity, lifted by vital force. A body dancing between heaven and earth. Breaking the shell, leaving the darkness, bidding farewell to the aquatic life, opening the gaze, coming into the world. Pleasure, discomfort, slowly… breathe… hold me... enjoy... silence. Walk, fall, listen, fight, laugh, scream… dance. Silence.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Hey, did your mum ever hide sweets from you when you were a kid? Mine too! All types of sweets, but Nutella especially. We were immigrants and we were poor, and Nutella was for rich kids. The Nutella Wars is choc full of stories about growing up in war (hilarious, I promise) and moving to Australia. Also featuring a beat-up station wagon named Bertha. Vida Slayman has performed all over Australia and the UK. The Nutella Wars is her third solo show. Bring your tablespoons. 'A genuinely funny show' (GlamAdelaide.com.au).
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Hollywood
What do you see? What do you want to see? Is it real? Is it complete? Dive into the decaying layers of oneself, and keep peeling the onion. This fresh dance piece explores layers of identity and questions the different stages of one’s personality, the need to belong, and to understand others and ourselves in our society. As ephemeral as a kiss and as strong as an embrace, the layers peel themselves off, leaving one never looking the same, and giving space for endless beginnings. Created by Renato González, Pascal Marty, Sarah Matry-Guerre.www.hekatombe.orgwww.facebook.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/hekatombe.produccionhttps://www.facebook.com/WE-Cie-102827021843721 Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Come along and enjoy the German Beer Hall experience with sing-a-longs, great music and immersive fun. Drink from your free stein and dance along to our live DJ and dancers for a fun night! Games and sing-a-longs make a great night out in the style of Oompah music which will help you end a great night at the Fringe. Free stein glass included as you drink beer, sing and dance along to popular chart hits played in the German beer hall style. A fun filled night with great entertainment and laughs.
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge
Grand Hall
The Oxford Belles, Oxford’s original female and non-binary a cappella group, proudly present Saved by the Belles, an hour of empowering, feminist a cappella. We’re celebrating our 30th year of performing songs written by women and non-binary artists to uplift, engage and entertain our audiences. With music spanning decades, from the iconic Madonna and Gloria Gaynor to rising stars like Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter, Saved by the Belles is bound to captivate, delight and leave you singing along. Join us for an unforgettable hour of music and inspiration!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Oxford University's hottest lower voices a cappella group is debuting in Fringe, with a show that leans into the stereotypes of student life in Oxford and brings a light-hearted approach to understanding the enigma that is this prestigious institution! Following our successful tour to Germany last year, the Commas are ready to wow Edinburgh with our dazzling and eclectic range of contemporary pop, R&B and close harmony arrangements, featuring legendary hits from Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons, Justin Timberlake and many, many more. Book tickets now and get ready to clap along!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
The Malignant Humours are back at the Fringe, and this year, we’re off to see the wizard! The Physician of Oz is the medical comedy sketch show sure to leave you in stitches – no magic required. With 12 sell-out shows behind us, you won’t want to miss out before tickets vanish! Our cast of healthcare students are certified in emergency laughter procedures, so follow the yellow brick road to Surgeons’ Hall for 45 minutes of award-winning comedy. Wickedly funny and magically absurd – you won’t need a brain, heart or courage to enjoy!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
How will history remember you? As the person you are or, the person you want to be? It’s 1939, Philomena is on her way from Dublin to London to join the British war effort. But can she live true to the poetry inside her when she is constantly being defined by her role in the war? Philomena McGuinness is a poignant and hilarious one-woman play, infused with poetry and inspired by the true stories of Irish nurses in WWII. 'From captivating to sublime' ***** (TheWeeReview.com). ***** (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk). ***** (BroadwayBaby.com).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
On Christmas Eve, bartenders Kat and Tom endure a night of bad music, difficult guests and endless Pornstar Martinis. When a male guest harasses Kat, tensions rise, forcing them to confront gender dynamics in hospitality and their impact on identity and relationships. As they question their roles and what they owe each other, they also reflect on how these experiences shape their perceptions of self. When the bar closes, they must decide what they truly mean to each other.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
An earthy, delicate and devastating concept album about things that vanish; a strange, rich and lyrical exploration of ritual and the underland. Fringe First-winning writer Casey Jay Andrews and musician Jack Brett fuse spoken word and urban legend with music and experiments in sound. It's a descent into the darkness of a cave in South Wales, an attempt to piece together broken fragments of porcelain, and a rite of closure. 'Into the underland we have long placed that which we fear and wish to lose, and that which we love and wish to save' (Robert Macfarlane).
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
Play On Productions invites you to step into a day in the life of modern Australia with The Real Australia, a new work inspired by the best moments of Australian reality TV. From house-hunting at open inspections to nail-biting dance competitions, blissful spa days and wild house parties, this fast-paced production captures the highs, lows and laughs of an average Saturday Down Under. A unique celebration of Aussie life that’s as real as it gets – surprising, relatable and utterly entertaining!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
The dead have risen! But that won’t stop our seven Housewives from hashing out their drama in the most high-body-count reunion episode yet! Will these OGs of reality TV survive the hordes, and each other, and self-produce their way to the end? An original musical from Clydebuilt Theatre Company, following five-star reviewed Vote Macbeth! in 2023.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Thistle Theatre
The chilling words of HG Wells are brought to life in this one-woman storytelling show. Could you spend the night in the infamous haunted chamber of Lorraine Castle? Armed with a single torch, our sceptical narrator attempts to do just that. Ignoring the warnings of its three eerie custodians, she soon learns for herself why the room has such a dark reputation... and the grim fates which befell previous occupants. Gripping and often darkly funny, this show will send chills down your spine and stir your imagination. ***** (TheWeeReview.com). **** (Scotsman). ****½ (TheReviewsHub.com).
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
Track The Eagles from their early days as Linda Ronstatd’s backing band to their crowning as the 70s biggest band. Take It Easy, Hotel California, Desperado and more from Alex Beharrell and the Night Owl Band. Night Owl bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won awards and sold out shows worldwide. Take one of the wildest rides in rock culture as you join Alex and his band on this meteoric journey from humble beginnings to one of the most important bands of the decade.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
The Rising brings the music of Springsteen to the Fringe in the most dynamic and energetic way. Celebrating 16 years at the Fringe, this nine-piece band including brass section will deliver the back catalogue and the hits with precision and authenticity. From Back Streets to Born to Run and Dancing in the Dark this show is a must for Boss fans and fans of live music.
The Liquid Room
Liquid Room
Folk melodies are expert time travelers – superimposing the past on the present, constantly straining forward and circling back in their passage through different hands and traditions. Some Strange Harmony (harmonium, violin, vocals) joins in these meandering journeys, intertwining inspirations from around the world with our own compositions and re-imaginings. We’ve been told our music sounds medieval, hymnal, funereal, and our favourite, ‘like you’re about to sacrifice a goat’. Our show questions received notions of time and freedom, exploring the complexities of nostalgia, the untraceability of origins, and the unknowability of end-points. No goats actually sacrificed!
The Royal Oak
Lounge
Step into the enchanting world of Ray Bubbles, international Bubbleologist and Guinness World Record Holder! Witness his stunning bubble sculptures, effects and magical displays, all inspired by his work with schools and science centres. Marvel as Ray creates a volcano bubble, a soap bubble carousel and even a tornado inside a bubble! Join him for an unforgettable, inclusive experience filled with excitement, wonder and engagement. Ray Bubbles is the leading professional soap-bubble artist working with special needs schools in the UK and Ireland.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
New physical drama that weaves together the longings and fears of five characters: a witch, a bitch, a goldfish, a sleepwalker and a salaryman. These worlds collide and collapse into one another, painting a picture of both the particular and the universal condition of being human. A rollercoaster-ride of a piece, containing moments of beauty, comedy, surrealism, pathos and passion. The drama is expressed through movement and text (both Japanese and English), accompanied by an eclectic soundtrack that includes original music and soundscapes.www.tarinainanika.comwww.facebook.com/tarinainanikawww.instagram.com/tarinainanika Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Kenny Sinclair returns with his solo show full of comedic storytelling about the madness of generational gaps, glorious misunderstandings and the timeless chaos of growing up in a different era. Fearless, funny and wildly relatable – from Boomers through to Gen Zs – this show dives into the hilarity and heart of what happens when generations compare and contrast in an effort to try to understand each other. Kenny regularly opens shows due to his energy and enthusiasm, and has gigged in Australia, Malaysia, Spain, Brighton Comedy Festival, Glasgow Comedy Festival and Aberdeen Comedy Festival.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 6
Sell-out event with a new line-up! On the outskirts of Edinburgh, hidden away at the end of a winding driveway, lies one of Edinburgh's secret treasures – Lauriston Castle. Imagine timeless tapestries, ornate silverware but also a world of clandestine laboratories, hidden passages and secret rooms... Three expert magicians animate the castle's intriguing past with stories and illusions related to the history of Lauriston and her owners. A High Court judge-cum-surreptitious alchemist, a gambler who nearly lost everything, what other mysteries does this wonderful castle conceal? Featuring Lewis Barlow, Brendan Dooley and Kevin Quantum.
Lauriston Castle
Various Rooms
Join actor-poet-clown-director-sexpot, Matt Leazer and sexy-power-ranger-Elton-John-jumpsuit-wearing-music lady, MJ Hughes for a late-night talk show! Matt and MJ had three options: skydiving, marriage or Scotland. And well… here we are! We’re doing a brand-new show every night featuring local artists, musical comedy, sketches and improv. Join us as we explore the hilarious and happy accident that is living. Together we’ll uncover mysteries of the cosmos and find your dad. We’ll leave you feeling befuddled, bewildered and embezzled. It's live from New Yor– Matt, stop, we’re in Scotland now. ...Oh, yeah.
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
Eccentric chess prodigy Silly William finds himself on a train bound for Hell (or Philadelphia, as it is known in some circles). When a mysterious entity that only plays the four-move checkmate attack hears of Silly William’s skill, it offers him his freedom if he can manage to defeat the entity in a best of seven chess matches. Fortunately for Silly William, he has dedicated his entire chess career to specifically refuting the four-move checkmate attack. And he will teach it to you now like his soul depends on it.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
When the rain stopped falling, we returned to the beginning. A drought has been plaguing the crops of Tobias's farm for five years. He believes that the answer to where the water went lies in the soil. Katherine believes the answer lies in the desert and canyons surrounding the farm. One night, Katherine goes into the canyon in search of the missing water, but what happens when a flash flood comes and washes everything away?
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
Step into a world of flappers, cocktails, and jazz as you embark on an enchanting time travel adventure to the Roaring Twenties. Whisper the secret password at the door and slip through the hidden entrance of an exclusive bar, where the atmosphere is electric with the sounds of smooth jazz and the clinking of vintage glassware. This is not merely a night out, it's a passport to a time when elegance ruled the night.
Summerhall Festival
Summerhall Distillery
This Aberdeen Academy of Performing Arts amateur production of The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition is presented in arrangement with Concord Theatricals. This hour-long edition of the hit Broadway musical is brilliantly adapted from the iconic Nickelodeon series. Plunge into this all-singing, all-dancing dynamic stage show. Can SpongeBob and friends come together to save Bikini Bottom from a soon-to-erupt volcano? Suitable for all ages. SpongeBob SquarePants (2023 Viacom International inc) created Stephen Hillenburg. Book by Kyle Jarrow. Musical production conceived by Tina Landau.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Angus Munro and Night Owl Shows present this award-winning show with classics Every Breath You Take, Roxane, Message in a Bottle, Fields of Gold and more. Night Owl Shows bring you more than just the music with a new take on the tribute genre that has won them awards worldwide. Experience the raw energy of the early Police, their passage to superstardom and Sting’s solo journey. All brought to life by the charismatic Angus Munro, who will wow you with his 4-octave range. Adelaide Weekly Music Winner and Derek Awards Best Voice.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
A contemporary Kunqu opera adaptation of the Chinese classic Dream of the Red Chamber. Jia Baoyu, once a sentient stone, is reborn and guided by Buddhist and Daoist forces to realise the world is empty of permanent identity and intrinsic independence. Wang Pushi, a fourth-generation actor of the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre, mirrors this awakening through his performance, discovering a generative and empowering transcendence of emptiness. A dynamic fusion of classic Kunqu with modern experimental theatre, immersive media and slow rock music. Performed in Mandarin and English, with English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
An avant-garde performance, created from three elements: words, dance, and projection mapping. With the rapid development of technology, we can instantly exchange words with someone far away. How will language change as we confront each other as anonymous bodies with no physical connection? Based on the mythical Tower of Babel, this work uses excerpts from Yasunari Kawabata’s One Arm, Mimei Ogawa’s The Black Tower, and automatic transcription of the breaking news of the 2001 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers. Take a peek through the camera at the dismemberment and reconnection of body and words.www.mitsukohirai.comwww.facebook.com/mitsuko.hirai.5www.instagram.com/hiraimitsuko/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
The Suit is a story of acceptance, self-discovery and magic. When George comes across a mysterious suit with extraordinary powers, he embarks on a transformative journey that will challenge his doubts, reshape his destiny and reveal his true potential. As the suit grants him the ability to become the greatest showman in the world, George must navigate the fine line between ambition and authenticity, learning that true greatness comes not from the magic of the suit, but from within himself.
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
The Helen Duncan Room
The finest instrumental Parisian swing you'll hear this side of the River Seine. Hear Django Reinhardt, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington and more. The Swingaholics are: Dick Lee (clarinet), Uri Stav (guitar), Iain McNally (guitar) and Owen MacDonald (bass). 'Sinuous, swooping and impeccably syncopated' **** (Scotsman).
Valvona & Crolla
Caffè Bar & Restaurant
'I can hear someone out there. They're singing to me.' Whale sings into the deep blue sea... but no one sings back. Just as he's about to give up, a mysterious voice calls through the waves! Determined to find the singer, Whale sets off on a thrilling adventure – diving through glowing coral caves, dodging wibbly jellyfish and facing wild-eyed sea monsters! Join Hoglets Theatre for a deep-sea adventure packed with beautiful puppets, hilarious creatures, original songs and audience interaction! A heartwarming show about friendship, difference and the beauty of being yourself. www.hoglets.org.uk
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
Step into a world of mystery and wonder with The Telepath and The Conjuror. This extraordinary show blends mind reading, magic and breathtaking illusions in a spellbinding performance that will leave you questioning the boundaries of reality. Watch as The Telepath delves into the minds of the audience, revealing thoughts and secrets with uncanny precision, while The Conjuror astounds with impossible magical feats and sleight of hand. Together, they create an unforgettable experience full of amazement, intrigue and edge-of-your-seat excitement. Prepare to be astonished as the ordinary transforms into the extraordinary right before your eyes.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
Censored. Prosecuted. Defiant. In 1970s Portugal, three women’s groundbreaking book New Portuguese Letters sparked a historic trial. The Three Marias brings this compelling narrative to life, exploring the clash between art, oppression, and freedom. Bold and poetic, this urgent play delves into the courage of women who dared to speak out during a time of political and social upheaval. Through passion, rebellion and resilience, their voices continue to resonate today. Don’t miss this powerful exploration of revolution, identity and the enduring strength of women’s voices in the face of censorship.
Greenside @ George Street
Olive Studio
In a world where resources are scarce and trust is scarcer, The Trials by Dawn King asks: who deserves to survive? This electrifying dystopian drama plunges audiences into a moral quagmire, challenging notions of justice and humanity. With razor-sharp dialogue and heart-pounding tension, this production is a riveting exploration of power, ethics and survival. Don’t miss this unforgettable theatrical event. Book your tickets today and prepare to question everything you believe in.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
When the goddess Nüwa creates the world, her twin children, Day and Night become imbalanced. Seduced by this chaos, the Night Demon disrupts the natural order, plunging the world into darkness and disarray. The spirits of the twenty-four Solar Terms awaken and join forces with the four divine beasts of Eastern mythology, restoring harmony between heaven and earth, humanity and nature. Pupils from Jingdong Primary School in Shanghai depict the twenty-four natural spirits marking the different seasons from the unique Chinese system, in this visual and auditory feast. Performed in Cantonese with English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Ray Bubbles, international bubbleologist and World Record Holder, is on a mission to master the art of bubble-making and create the ultimate square bubble! This show promises a whirlwind of excitement and surprises, as Ray uses various gases to craft stunning bubble sculptures, effects and magical displays. Prepare to be amazed as Ray creates a volcano bubble, a soap bubble carousel, a bubble ghost and even a tornado inside a bubble! The show was inspired by Ray’s work with schools and science centres. Join Ray and see if he can create the ultimate square bubble!
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
If you suddenly found yourself in an unfamiliar room with no memory of how you got there, what would your response be? If the only thing in that very room was a strange woman, how would you react? The UnderNeath is filled with mystery, humour and self-realisation. It makes you question everything you thought you already knew and poses the most challenging question we may one day ask ourselves: What is your biggest regret?
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
Ignite your curiosity with this series of fascinating talks. From the bizarre history of tinned foods to 17th-century banking; sex in the Second World War to whisky, our eclectic line-up of experts will provide intrigue, insights and the occasional innuendo. See SimplySpiffing.co.uk/whats-on/ for the full programme. When booking tickets, please ensure that you have selected the correct date for the lecture that you wish to attend.
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
The Unexpected Mayfly follows a nobody – a man struggling with the search for purpose in his monotonous life. When a delayed performance unwillingly thrusts him into the spotlight, he seizes the opportunity to entertain the audience, not considering the consequences. In this emotional dark comedy we see the hilarious struggles of a man who constantly battles with his own self, often blaming the world around him for these challenges.
Greenside @ George Street
Ivy Studio
Shakespeare’s Hamlet is reimagined through a dynamic fusion of text, movement and music. This fresh reworking explores themes of identity, agency and inner turmoil, focusing on the complex relationships between Hamlet and the women in his life – Gertrude and Ophelia. With influences from Pina Bausch’s Tanztheater, the production delves into the raw struggle between life and death, exposing the suffocating tension that societal pressure and familial love can have on a person. It is a transcendental and devastating journey through Hamlet's world that challenges us to reflect on the questions of existence, free will and love.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
'One monk fetches water to drink, two monks share the task, and three monks go thirsty.' The piece uses the parable of Three Monks to reflect the realities of modern urban life, exploring the dynamics of interpersonal relationships and the many possible outcomes that arise. It delves into themes such as order and chaos, breakdown and reconstruction, individuality and community, stability and division – examining the subtle psychological tensions and relational dynamics in various social contexts.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
From the hurt of loss to the joy of laughter, we are shaped over time. Dancers dive into the push and pull of memory, weaving together movement that tells stories of playfulness, pain and perseverance. The Weight of Then explores time’s influence on memory, the bonds that connect us and experiences that are both universal and deeply personal. Join us as we unravel how the past lingers in the present.
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
Following the sell-out success of The Addams Family at Edinburgh Fringe 2024, award-winning theatre company The Talentz returns with a vibrant new production of The Wizard of Oz, featuring an all-youth cast! Inspired by the newly released Wicked, this reimagined take on the classic tale brings fresh depth to Dorothy’s adventure as she journeys through the magical land of Oz, joined by the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion. With stunning visuals, dynamic performances and a unique twist this heartwarming production will captivate audiences of all ages. Book your tickets now for an unforgettable experience!
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy and her dog Toto are whisked over the rainbow to the magical land of Oz. To return home, Dorothy must follow the yellow brick road to find the Wizard of Oz, who lives in the beautiful Emerald City! On her strange and sometimes frightening journey, she meets Glinda the good witch, a scarecrow who needs a brain, a tin woodman who is missing a heart, a lion who wants to gain courage and the Wicked Witch of the West!
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
Would you take an experimental drug to feel your feelings? The Wonder Drug examines the nature of "recovery" through the interactions of two drifters who move from strangers to frenemies to friends in this new play by Kansas-based playwright Daniel Born. The play connects two emotionally disabled men through their participation in an experiment that uses a drug to elicit empathy. But does this psychotropic drug have unintended consequences? The Wonder Drug takes a compassionate look into male social interactions and emphasises that sometimes all we need is outside our door..
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Escape to the magic of Hundred Acre Wood and join Winnie and friends as the hunt begins, if only they could remember what they were searching for. Face blusterous days, bothersome bees, worrisome woozles and maybe stop at a bridge for a game with a stick. The Wonderful World of Winnie the Pooh reimagines the beloved stories of AA Milne, bringing everyone’s favourite characters to stage in a new play with dance, original song and live music. This is a show to capture the imagination of every child or anyone who once was.
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
In the closed community of the Tower of London, an identity swap and an arranged marriage are put into play to save the head of a condemned man. A lovesick court jester and his maid stumble into the plot with heartbreaking results. Cat-Like Tread return with their ninth original production, and punch to the heart of the matter in an abridged version of Gilbert and Sullivan's operatic masterpiece. 'For careful execution and straightforward fun, it is difficult to imagine many recent productions of Gilbert and Sullivan have beaten Cat-Like Tread' **** (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
A genre-defying mix of stand-up, surreal storytelling and live techno anthems – this is comedy like you've never seen before. Writer for Netflix and award-winning comedian Theo Mason Wood delivers a punk-clown manifesto on love, identity and modern chaos, blending razor-sharp wit, rebellious energy and electrifying mayhem. Fresh from a sold-out Berlin run and a prestigious Moth Club performance, Theo's unique blend of anarchy and artistry has captivated audiences across Europe. Whether you're here for the laughs, the beats or the beautifully unhinged storytelling, one thing's certain: you won't forget this show.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
In her eightieth year, Christine wondered if she might create her first show. Who says an octogenarian shouldn't be working with stepladders, electronics... and water? A performance of persistence and joy, celebrating the beautiful functions and limits of a human body and the desire to make things happen. Assisted by her helper, Calum, Christine manipulates and raps her way along a precarious journey of movement and sound, taking us to surprising places. This is real, what happens along the way we can't be sure. Just got to keep going! Programmed by Dance Base in collaboration with Assembly. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
An all-male ensemble explores the pitfalls of masculinity. This theatre piece explores men's struggles with depression, loneliness, belonging, brotherhood, violence, peer pressure and emotional vulnerability, all while having to be a provider, lover, father, brother… Is it possible to be truly sensitive to others and still take care of number one, holding onto a solid sense of personal identity? Delve into the shifting roles, expectations and struggles of modern masculinity. Through devised performances, this show unearths the pressures, contradictions and vulnerabilities that shape the male experience. What would a healthy masculinity look like?
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
Guilty or innocent? You decide! The unmissable, award-winning, critically acclaimed courtroom roast returns to the Fringe! You accuse friends and family of crimes, and top comedians take on the roles of judge and defense lawyers, hearing testimony, cross-examining witnesses, and improvising their arguments for each case. It’s up to you the audience as jury to deliver your verdict. Never the same show twice, a must-do Fringe experience! 'A perfect bit of improv mayhem' ***** (Mirror). 'Inventive, intelligent comedy' **** (Scotsman).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 2
A brand-new, bite-sized absurdist comedy that you can really sink your teeth into! Small-time Scottish criminals, Cammy and Lee are no strangers to running into a spot of bother in their escapades – in fact, they seem to attract it. So when a lucrative opportunity involving the kidnap of the reclusive Lord Armstrong presents itself, a quick trip to the bonny Highlands has never seemed so straight-forward. However, their target harbours an ancient secret that raises the stakes of the mission and leaves the duo wondering if they have bitten off more than they can chew.
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
Manhattan buskers, cockney con-men, Broadway dreams. Nina and Robert have high hopes for the big stage. But when they get mixed-up in a scam that promises them everything, they discover that money is the loudest mouth, even in art. This Side of Life is a feel-good Golden Age throwback musical from The Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society that explores the struggle for artistic recognition, the lengths people will go to “make it” and the importance of staying in love with the art you create.
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
temple
A fully-improvised narrative play in the style of William Shakespeare from Thorn and Petal Stick, alias of veteran improvisers Hal Munger and John Mistele, founders of the first UnScripted Shakespeare Festival in New York. Nothing is pre-planned! At the beginning of each show the audience is asked to provide a title, that inspires a delightful comedy in Elizabethan language unlike any Shakespearian play you've ever seen before. Love, marriage, scheming and mistaken identities abound in an entertaining improvised romp – all in the poetic language of the bard. Accompanied by Sebastian Hochman on piano.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
theatre
Erika Ehler (BBC1) and Kiran Saggu (Rolling Stone) ponder their thoughts and being daughters. Expect razor-sharp wit, unfiltered honesty and chicks being chicks. What's cooler than that? As seen/written on Cunk on Life (Netflix), Never Mind the Buzzcocks (Sky), Frankie Boyle’s New World Order (BBC Two), Late Night Mash (Dave) and Charlie Brooker's Death to 2020 and Death to 2021. Between them they have a Chortle Student Comedy Award win, So You Think You’re Funny finalist and semi-finalist placements (2019 and 2021) and second place at 2Northdown New Act of the Year.
Hoots @ Potterrow
Big Yurt
Three Bad Sisters is a cacophony of the best and darkest materials from these three female rising stars of Irish comedy. Aideen McQueen, Shinanne Higgins and Louise O'Toole are sisters, granted, not each others sisters, but they're someone's sisters! They put the fun in funeral, the rim in grim and the slag in slag heap. They are finally joining forces and accumulating their darkest material to make you laugh, cringe, get slightly aroused and get just a wee bit sick in your mouth.
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
The Wee Room
Top of the Hollywood Fringe 2024 nominee! It was supposed to be an easy score. Whack the mark. Stage the scene. Take the money. Retire to Cabo. At least, that’s how they planned it. But for poor Moose and Sonny, a really bad night is only just beginning. This darkly funny and twisted interactive crime thriller allows you, the audience, to choose how the story proceeds, while the anti-hero protagonists attempt to get away with murder. Literally. With multiple decision points throughout, and three different possible endings, no two performances will be the same!
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
Presented by the Queen of the Night and Lady Macbeth – with Cinderella as a last-minute replacement – the “concertino” designed to celebrate opera queens goes off the rails from the start. ‘Amusement: check. Delight: double check. Viva the queens in opera!’ (AllEdinburghTheatre.com). Writer and director Michael Scott brings together three formidable queens to perform his new comic opera pastiche with an eclectic mix of well-loved tunes. ‘Delightful wittiness and strong vocals’ (AllEdinburghTheatre.com). Premiering at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe! Publicity illustration by Robert Powell.
Stockbridge Church
Church Hall
Celebrated songwriter, guitarist, author and all-around badass Kristin Hersh brings the legendary Throwing Muses to Edinburgh Festival Fringe on Wednesday 20 August.
La Belle Angele
Main Room
Funk-rock experimenters Thumpasaurus bring their impressive live show to La Belle Angele this August for Fringe Festival 2025.
La Belle Angele
Main Room
Dylan Ward is autistic. He has his own way of thinking and his own way of doing things, but no one seems to understand him. How do you navigate a world which operates on a completely different wavelength to the one that you’re on? Following its critically acclaimed run at Camden Fringe last year, and based on real experiences of growing up autistic, Tides (An Autism Story) combines Monty Pythonesque humour with a touch of real-world drama to offer an insight into the wonderful, yet challenging world of autism... From one particularly silly individual.
Greenside @ George Street
Lime Studio
When their philosophy professor, Tim Kenneth, suffers a meltdown in class, obnoxious prankster Scooter and teacher’s pet Pencil embark on an odyssey through the suburbs of New Jersey, saddled with the weight of their own existence and with complicated feelings towards their lecturer.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
More than twenty years ago, literature student David met an older man called Michael in the bar of an independent cinema. They spoke for an hour, developed a genuine connection, and never met again. Twenty years later, sitting in the same cinema with his wife, David sees a man that looks very familiar. In that moment, David goes back to the afternoon he could never forget.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
Music by JS Bach (1685-1750) transcribed by Ferenc Liszt (1811-1886), and the celebrated Walsingham Variations by the Welsh composer John Bull (1562-1628).
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Time and Time Again is an exploration of migration, friendship, and identity. Zoe and Becca meet in primary school, become best friends for life, and start making big plans to live together in a pink mansion, marry a tall blonde and become dance and pop stars. As time doesn’t stand still and real life unfolds, Zoe and Becca learn to navigate the complexities of their evolving friendship across different life stages and embrace life's unpredictable twists and turns.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
A performance duet of sonic verse, dance, and audience experience that challenges the expectations imposed upon us in society. Using co-authored text, musician and playwright Karen Cecilia, and dance and visual artist Emilee Lord, break down and name the expectations they have each combatted and assert what they chose instead. While each performer’s story differs in detail and expression, a common thread between them will ring true with others who have carved their own paths in life. The audience will be asked to consider their own ideas of “shoulds” and invited to contribute to the show’s performance that day.
Dovecot Studios
Meeting Room
For as long as there has been the fairytale Princess, there has been the fairytale Prince. But, this Prince feels like he hasn’t been getting the attention he deserves. Never getting the fun songs like the princess, villain or quirky sidekick. Never being in the title of the films (unless of course he is). Never feeling like his wishes come true. Follow the Prince on his journey as he sings his very own songs and complains about what his life could be. Before maybe realising that his place in the story isn’t so bad after all.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Pickle Studio
A mesmerising piece of physical theatre, set in the maze-like train system of Tokyo. The scenes unfold like the variations of a fugue, in sequences of meticulously crafted movement. With three bodies and three chairs, the piece conjures up the dizzying experience of life in a modern metropolis. The audience is left breathless and wondering: what is it, after all, that I am chasing? At times poetic, at times comical, at times unsettling, this is theatre that speaks to the soul.www.tarinainanika.comwww.facebook.com/tarinainanikawww.instagram.com/tarinainanika Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Ever had the hiccups and wondered why? The folk of Grendel have always understood – respect Tom Hiccup and he’ll leave you alone. Anger him and who knows what may happen. The old spirits are like that. But sometimes, the indifference of Nature becomes a force for justice. When a man commits the ultimate act of cowardice, a woman’s spirit gains terrifying embodiment. This dark, twisted folk horror tale explores desire, murder and capricious Nature. This one-woman storytelling show is brought to you by the company behind The Red Room, reviewed ***** and **** at Fringe 2024.
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Clover Studio
After losing most of his sight, Tom thought he might never become a dad. But now he is. And he's a bit scared. From nappy changing, choking hazards and losing your toddler in the park, to not being able to read to him, see his changing face or his first goal on the football pitch, this is a hilarious, heartfelt scamper through dadhood and disability. 'Deliciously talented' (Guardian). 'Sends you back out into the world with a spring in your step' (Chortle.co.uk). 'Insightful, hilarious... expertly crafted' (TulpaMagazine.wordpress.com). **** Perth FringeWorld Weekly Award winner 2020.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
'Storytelling at its best!' ***** (Playbill). This highly awarded, internationally toured, inspirational true story is about overcoming obstacles, pursuing passions, and the healing power of the arts and is told with warmth, humour and banjo music! This show has donated 100% of ticket sales to cancer and theatre charities totalling over $1,000,000 (CAD) since 2018 and all proceeds from this Edinburgh Fringe run will benefit Summerhall. Sold out run in 2023 and 2024. Mervyn Stutter's Pick of the Fringe 2023! 'A sold-out Fringe classic!' (BritishTheatreGuide.info).
Summerhall Festival
Red Lecture Theatre
A variety show that melds together a myriad of different genres, each connected by audience interaction. From raunchy comedies to honest confessions, each play presents its own story, statement and/or improvisation that will take you through a rollercoaster of emotions. The ensemble will both guide you and be guided by you throughout the 60 minutes of our show. Every performance will be unique and entirely dictated by you – our audience! If you sit close enough, you may even star in the show yourself...
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Audrey has everything under control... almost. Trapped in her own world of anxieties, she's reliant on her imagination, routines and very glamorous blanket fort. Enter Evelyn, her no-nonsense, perfect younger sister, who arrives with a Tupperware of bolognese and a secret of her own. As memories resurface and long-buried tensions rise, the siblings navigate love, resentment and the messy art of moving on. Top of the World is 'endearing and charming, with many laughs throughout' (The Student).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
A direct encounter with skin, flesh and breath. In current neo-liberal work conditions, where economic performance drives national identity, the body becomes a form of human capital to be disciplined for constant growth. By working with the raw processes of breath, its muscularity and affects, Pat Toh considers how a body struggles to endure a pandemic, as she examines the lived experience of being productive at such a time. In response to restrictions on in-person gatherings, this innovative digital work is a reflection on present times, and our relationship to breath and breathlessness.www.pattoh.comwww.instagram.com/pattohling Watch Trailer #1Watch Trailer #2
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Not only dancers but also monks and a tea master are born to dance. This is the story of a tea master who travels to another world within himself, and returns reborn. As he prepares Matcha tea, he meets himself. There is a deep connection between Japanese tea ceremony and Zen. Agaxart produces innovative Butoh performances based on Emiko Agatsuma’s Butoh method and aesthetics, examining the interaction between body, mind and soul. Agaxart creates Butoh performances to deliver the diversity of the physical expression that is connected to the unconsciousness.agaxart.wixsite.com/agartwww.facebook.com/agao00owww.instagram.com/emiko.agatsumawww.youtube.com/channel/UCSXxrjd0qLNtUMmD5VoOTtAa Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
mesmerising new dance piece, recorded with live electronic music, from award-winning Barcelona-based choreographer Laia Santanach. This piece of contemporary dance is a reflection on the word 'tradition': the set of knowledge, customs and beliefs that get handed down from generation to generation. The piece highlights how some western traditions sacrifice the body for belief, custom and esteem, endangering it, in the name of popular belief, love and a sense of community. Created from intensive research, Tradere was made for three formats: indoor and outdoor live performance, and video.www.laiasantanach.comwww.facebook.com/laia.santanachwww.instagram.com/laia_santanach Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Eight very different people, eight very different situations. How does £500 get passed around? Willingly or violently? As a gift? Blackmail? Payment for drugs? Beauty treatment? A scam? Car repair? Is it stolen? Or lost? In cash or online? In someone's home? A nightclub? On the street? In a theatre? Perhaps all of these or none. In a newly devised show, see money circulate in a kaleidoscope of comedy, tragedy and the mundane in Britain today.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
A true story about life through addiction to sobriety. From being young and dumb on the Glasgow gay scene, through homelessness on the streets of Barcelona, to being committed to a psych ward and then landing in recovery. It is a tragic, yet hilarious, true story about overcoming demons and finding the real meaning of what it takes to be happy.
Laughing Horse @ Boston Bar
Basement Bar
Trees talk! In a landmark study, a scientist learned everything about how trees communicate… Or did she? One tree tells the story of what really happened, reminding us that human beings and plants live in one interconnected ecosystem. The world’s first play told entirely from the point of view of a tree.To experience this site-specific audio play, find a tree near you, sit under it (or nearby), press play, and listen to the tree’s confessions.This Is Not a Theatre Company creates site-based, immersive, multi-sensory, participatory dance-theatre that can be smelled, touched, and tasted as well as seen and heard.www.ThisIsNotATheatreCompany.comwww.facebook.com/thisisnotatheatrecompanywww.instagram.con/thisisnotatheatrecompany/ Watch Company Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Best Show nominee – UK Kids Comedy Festival 2025. Embark on a hilarious and heartwarming journey into the life of a tree with Treeeeee, a captivating mix of physical comedy and environmental storytelling. This show spans the 500-year life of a tree in just 50 minutes. The performance brings the natural world to life through expressive movement, music and audience interaction, creating a magical experience for audiences of all ages. Performed by Christiaan Hendriksen, Sketch Off finalist 2025 and Best Debut Show nominee Leicester Comedy Festival 2023.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Daisy
In his first written show in a decade, expect stand-up and poetry as well as lists and suggestions from the maverick Lock as he attempts to reinvent Bingo, rewrite the English dictionary and provide concise instructions as to the correct way to imbibe a glass of H2O. 'Superbly comic writing' (Sunday Times). 'Utterly improbably, absolutely entertaining' (Independent). 'A show like no other' (Scotsman). 'Walks like Dudley Moore, talks like Peter Cook' (Kate Moss).
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 5
A mysterious beast. A jungle in chaos. A tribe on the brink. When rumours of a sabre-toothed tiger spark panic, a gang of accidental heroes must crack the case, dodge disaster and avoid becoming lunch! With toe-tapping tunes and a twist bigger than the Ice Age, this high-energy musical comedy is packed with wild characters, fast-paced action and laugh-out-loud mayhem. Perfect for families, comedy fans and anyone who loves a good prehistoric caper! Big laughs. Bigger beats. Even bigger teeth.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Fleming Theatre
A darkly funny, deeply personal queer comedy about survival, identity and reclaiming the spotlight. From childhood dreams to crushing setbacks, Tristan Wolfe navigates trauma, stage fright and the absurdity of it all, finding laughter in the breaking points. Growing up, he longed to be on stage, but family pressure and rejection pushed him into silence. Years later, a near-tragic moment changed everything. Now, he shares his journey with sharp wit, original music and raw honesty. A show for anyone who’s ever felt on the edge, whether breaking down or breaking free.
Laughing Horse @ City Cafe
Nineties
1993, Mum won't let Alice go to Funderland because Belfast is burning. 'How about Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves and Chinese chicken balls instead?' 2018, Alice falls for Tim, but can she escape the legacy of a childhood shaped by conflict or will everything blow-up in her face? A tale of love, death and division – told with tea and biscuits. Troubled blends story, projection and humour, reckoning with the past and offering hope for the future. 'An excitingly honest depiction of the power of human connection, told with daring vulnerability' (Haley McGee, Olivier Nominee, Fringe First Winner 2022).
Summerhall Festival
Anatomy Lecture Theatre
When Lindsay Lucas-Bartlett was growing up in Southend-on-Sea, sharing a home with her abusive bipolar father and drug addict brother, her dreams of escaping the stereotypical Essex girl’s fate consisted of (a) marrying Prince William, and (b) running away to the magical city of Los Angeles. But Prince William started losing his hair, and besides, what’s the point of swapping one dysfunctional family for another? Which leaves the other option...
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
A unique and unforgettable flamenco experience. After two years of fantastic reception, Jara Perez and Danielo Olivera return with a fresh reinvention of their acclaimed show, preserving its essence of passion, fun and love for the art. Edinburgh Fringe regulars, they present an intimate journey through flamenco’s origins and future, blending powerful dance, soulful singing and great guitar. With elegance, humour and spontaneous complicity, this uplifting and highly entertaining performance guarantees an inspiring celebration of flamenco. Be prepared for a great night and lots of ole!
The Argyle and Cellar Bar
Cellar Bar
Tutti Orchestra: At the Movies. Performed by our community orchestra and supported by professionals, join us for an evening of classics from the silver screen. Featuring the full sound of our band, plus smaller ensembles performing a range of exciting repertoire. Our keen amateur orchestra was founded in 2017 and is looking forward to share our first venture into the Edinburgh Fringe with you!
Canongate Kirk
Canongate Kirk
Tartan, tweed and stunning landscapes! Sue will guide you to stitch a tiny tweed and tartan textile landscape using remnants of fabric and vintage embroidery threads. All fabric and equipment supplied. No experience required. Previous Edinburgh Fringe sell out!
The Royal Scots Club
The Hepburn Suite
Music is the food of love – and we needed to play on. Twelfth Night, never as seen before… Created and performed for the Rhondda Valleys community and to provide much-needed opportunities for theatre freelancers in 2020, marking 35 years since Live Aid. Directed by Matthew Bool and performed by professionals from an area of deprivation, to create opportunities and learning experiences for local actors. Avant Cymru aim to make Shakespeare relevant today. Shakespeare with a Welsh Valleys twist.www.avant.cymruwww.facebook.com/AvantCymru/www.instagram.com/avant_cymru Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Set 12 days after Christmas, perhaps the party has gone on just a little too long? Perhaps the guests are a tad hungover? Perhaps they’ve left it almost too late to find true love? Queen’s College is proud to premiere this sparkling new production, which is so full of comic energy and fizz that you’ll be celebrating all the way to the Christmas season!
theSpace @ Venue 45
Venue 45
Peter Seivewright {pianoforte} performs Passacaglia in C minor BWV 582 by JS Bach (1685-1750), transcribed for pianoforte by Glasgow-born Eugen d'Albert (1864-1932), and Ronald Stevenson's legendary Passacaglia on DSCH.
artSpace@StMark's
Church
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Performed in drag as the vaudevillian widow Twonketta, a lady who is somewhat late for church. This year it’s a thriller about rival rollercoasters and fairgrounds set by a smoky lagoon in a valley once owned by ex-milkman-turned-singer Shakin’ Stevens. An award-winning trailblazer of a show featuring Fringe royalty such as: the Steve Martin puppet made from sanitary towels, the pocket princess and the flugelhorn-tooting Tutti Cnutti. 'Clowning at its very best' ***** (Scotsman). 'His idiotic joy is infectious: he is a masterclass in play' ***** (NeurodiverseReview.co.uk).
Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly
Other Room
Join UCL Drama Society and an ensemble of eight actors in a supernatural story to uncover the mysteries of a classic ghost tale, where the lines of reality, biting humour and the beyond, blur into one.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
The story of the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804) in the context of the American and French Revolutions and the war against slavery. Fiery-hot poetry from a London, UK and BBC slam champion, David Lee Morgan. For previous shows: 'I am awed by Morgan's passion, his humorous, yet enraged, intellectual appraisal… An energetic, clever, passionate survey of human life' ***** (Time Out). 'One of those rare, passionate performances... bristling with energy and interesting ideas… a bracing crash course in how to read history… with a f*cking blowtorch' **** (Scotsman).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Faced with imminent starvation, two cave-people discover a C.P. Company goggle hat that enables them to see into the 21st century A.D. Will this glimpse of the future offer a way out of their desperate plight, or will it only push them deeper into misery? This drama explores the interaction between the distant past and present through the breakdown of a romantic relationship, and questions to what extent modern life has alienated us from what makes life worth living, in broken Stone Age English.
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
Join a massive line-up of comedy stars for a stupendous evening to fight against brain tumours. Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer for children and adults under 40 and increased funding for research is desperately needed. All box office income will go straight to The Brain Tumour Charity and Underbelly will match this amount as a donation to the charity, doubling the amount that we can raise. Now returning for its 7th year, last year's line-up included Dara O'Briain, Rose Matafeo, Carl Donnelly, Angela Barnes and Milton Jones. Check UnderbellyEdinburgh.co.uk for this year's acts.
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
Özen Yula's highly acclaimed play takes the audience on a journey to the Ottoman Empire in 1558. It tells the unofficial story of Roxelana, who rose from being part of the Sultan's harem to become an influential figure within the state, mastering the subtleties of state governance with her ambition for power, even to the extent of sacrificing her children. The storytelling is enhanced with shadow play and masks showcasing the unique style of Turkish theatre, as Selçuk Yilmaz's music takes the audience on a journey back in time with Ottoman melodies. English surtitles.
C ARTS | C venues | C alto
studio
Guy is a jobbing actor whose blind enthusiasm, sub-par ability and unhealthy obsession with Matt Damon leaves him in a rut. He can’t seem to exist anywhere except on his couch, in the pub or on the set of low-budget adverts. Can Guy survive in an industry which seems to be conspiring against him? More importantly, can the company of Unprofessional make it through opening night? Inspired in equal parts by Tim Crouch and The Play That Goes Wrong, this new ‘laugh-out-loud meta-comedy’ (DailyInfo.co.uk) by Oisín Byrne takes aim at self-serious actors, expectant audiences and everyone in between.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
There is no journey more uncertain than new parenthood, especially when you’ve never been given an example. The scatterbrained Arya and her baby discover a Voice has invaded their flat demanding Arya make an unimaginable sacrifice that will change the course of history. How might any reasonable person be convinced to complete such an unspeakable task? Where in the universe did this Voice come from? Why does he talk like an ancient god but still know the Backstreet Boys? A dark comedic drama that explores postpartum psychosis, generational trauma and self-discovery with raw emotion and sharp humour.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Unshattered Matter examines self-reflection, redemption and human capacity for growth amidst personal flaws and mistakes. The story follows Rena, a young woman caught between her carefree but reckless past and a moment of reckoning after a life-altering accident. Trapped in an introspective space between life and death, she confronts her choices, guilt and identity through conversations with her reflection, exploring the struggle to reconcile youthful escapism with the consequences of one's actions, highlighting the resilience of the human spirit. It speaks to the transformative power of acceptance and the courage to embrace imperfection while choosing to move forward.
Greenside @ George Street
Mint Studio
The number one Google search term for 2022 was climate-change – the first time that it ranked as a comprehensive yearly search term. Now many people are aware of its seriousness and are starting to think about solutions together. Creative art, from the Republic of Korea, are kick-starting this response from a uniquely artistic perspective. They use waste to make music – cellos from abandoned equipment from rural areas, stringed instruments of thrown away plastic toys – and compose piano songs based on the characteristics of endangered animals, to ask vital questions about the climate crisis.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
A one-woman show about a new mother struggling with the responsibility of caring for a tiny human. The show is rooted in comic physicality with many props mimed – most importantly, the baby. An unsuspecting trumpet player will be the onstage musician... Don't tell him there’s no singing in this production. Or that he’ll be onstage. Imagine The Play That Goes Wrong with a much smaller cast, fewer words and less murder. Ok, maybe don’t imagine The Play That Goes Wrong at all. Is this clear as mud? Please focus. Use Your Words! brings silly to Edinburgh.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
VOTE follows three middle-class women, focusing on fictional Mary Abbott, as they discover the Suffragette movement. Set around the 1908 Hyde Park rally, the story highlights Mary’s arrest, prison abuse and eventual release, leading to electoral equality decades later. Created by Phoebe Perry, who dreamed of writing a musical at 14, VOTE explores the darker sides of the Suffragette movement. It debuted with two performances in West Sussex in October 2024, inspiring its audiences. Celebrate a compelling tale of female resilience, power and empowerment, beautifully brought to life through song and storytelling.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
Valentin Taricco plays multiple instruments on a rooftop overlooking the Caribbean Sea in Tulum, Mexico. Combines poetry and the art of improvisation with rhythms, sounds and instruments from around the world in electronic beats of melodic house and downtempo. Argentinan composer, multi-instrumentalist and audiovisual producer Valentin Tarrico has merged his experience as a singer-songwriter with that of a music producer to create a show that combines the language of electronic music and live-looping with the world of songs. Recorded live, with his latest unreleased tunes. A sound journey that invites us to dance.www.hekatombe.orgwww.facebook.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.linktr.ee/valentintariccowww.facebook.com/tariccovalentinwww.instagram.com/valentintariccowww.youtube.com/channel/UCugaypal1Em4JYl54JJgudg Watch Trailer #1Watch Trailer #2Watch Trailer #3
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A double-bill of two contrasting pieces: In/visible from calligrapher and choreographer Chiharu Kuronuma, and Tranquilizer from juggler Teruki Okamoto. Chiharu Kuronuma has developed a theoretical framework for integrating 2D calligraphy into a 3D bodily expression by employing aspects of the Laban Movement Analysis. Asian Arts Award winner Teruki Okamoto has been working on the discovery of the Principle of Motion. Together they investigate choreography as a part of a research process that unites dance and juggling with perspectives of calligraphy and digital programming.Performed by | Chiharu Kuronuma, Teruki OkamotoProduced and Directed by | Chiharu KuronumaMusic | TetoteMix | Ayumi ‘Ojo’ MatsuiTechnical Operation | Takamasa YamadaVideo | Masahiro Sekiya, Hiroki NoharaProduction | Kenji MatsumaeScenography | Octanorm Japan Co, Tokyo Velludo Co)Special thanks | Online Choreographer Workshop Vol 3, Circus Laboratory CouCou, PM Juggling, Tetote, Hello1103www.io-multimediaperformance.comwww.chiharukuronuma.comwww.terukiokamoto.comwww.instagram com/chiharu.kuronuma.59/www.instagram com/terukiokamoto/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Finding the right vet is like finding the right pair of heels… Take a seat at the InFurMary Vets, where Dr Fantasy reminisces about becoming a certified vet and watch her navigate her day treating a menagerie of poorly pets. Starring Veronica Green from Ru Paul’s Drag Race, and all set within a veterinary surgery set, Vetted is a show filled to the brim with quirky comedy puppets, original songs and fabulous drag queens. You’ll love this show, I Shih Tzu not!
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
A mini-musical tells of a complex man with a ruthless drive to create and a deep-seated desire to love and be loved. Vincent, the three time Naledi award-winning musical, delves deep into the enigmatic life of Vincent Van Gogh, exploring the complexities of his relentless pursuit of artistic fulfilment and genuine human connection. Through reimagined renditions of popular musical theatre, pop, rock and jazz numbers, the musical offers a fresh perspective on Van Gogh’s unwavering desire for love and acceptance.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
Vienna’s leading violinist Wolfgang David and award-winning American composer/pianist David Gompper perform a variety of Romantic Impressions: Kreisler, Debussy, Poulenc, and Gompper’s Finnegan’s Wake. Enjoy this journey through Viennese, French, and American/Irish tunes! Wolfgang David performs regularly at the most prestigious concert halls such as Carnegie Hall New York, Musikverein Hall Vienna, Suntory Hall Tokyo, and Wigmore Hall London. David Gompper is a Professor of Composition at the University of Iowa and director of the Center for New Music.
Edinburgh New Town Church
Church
Step inside an immersive experience that fuses music, animation, AI and visual art, exploring the tension between perception and self-definition. In a world that constantly ascribes meaning to who you are, this journey challenges you to take control of your own narrative. Based on her book BrandYOUtation, author/narrator Jacqueline Strayer, invites you to explore and inhabit your composer’s role – conducting your symphony of self. Through evocative soundscapes, dynamic visuals and powerful storytelling, this journey will challenge and empower you to intentionally curate and shape how you are seen and understood, ultimately defining your own future.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Amphitheatre
Vittorio Angelone has always denied any involvement in the Edinburgh Fringe.
Underbelly Bristo Square
McEwan Hall
Vox Stars, winners of the Spirit of the Fringe Award (2022) present a new show for 2025, celebrating aspiring singers through the music of their idols. Lainey Vox and her students voice a wonderful mix of iconic popular music hits from legends, retro, pop, party, Disney and film. The six-night show run features the music of classic icons from Queen, The Beatles and ABBA to modern stars such as Miley Cyrus and Adele. Our Edinburgh singing and performance studio presents a diverse mix of singers from the soulful to the powerful.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
A double bill by Brazilian choreographer Lili de Grammont. Voyeur opens the evening, inviting the audience into a charged, intimate space where private gestures unfold under the weight of being watched. Samba and Love closes with intensity – a visceral response to the burnout of modern life, where samba rhythms become a physical expression of exhaustion, desire and resistance in a world that demands too much. Both works explore vulnerability, control, tenderness and tension – revealing the impossibility of escaping from rhythm, from the gaze, or from ourselves.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
This show is about a man trying to be more than his race or sex. Vulnerable White Passing Male is a ride of pure comedic joy. It incorporates clowning, improv and American-style stand-up comedy. It explores what it means to be a man. It dares to ask the question: is my dick big enough?
Paradise in Augustines
Snug
A retrospective on the growth of individuals, in which the questioning of faith, love, anxiety and redemption is achieved away from the gaze of parents, family and usual community. This live contemporary dance performance with visual art installation was created in collaboration with choreographer and dancer Daniela Vazquez, producer and dancer Catalina Navarrete, and a team of 8 Mexican performing artists. Each unique movement is performed sequentially to the mastered recordings of Vulny Daddy, an album written by Matthew Roberta (Matthew Anderson), produced by Drake Ritter, contributed by musical artists around the world.www.hekatombe.orgwww.facebook.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/hekatombe.produccion/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
March 3, 1960. Elvis is returning to the US after completing his military service in Germany. His flight stops at Prestwick Airport for refuelling. Margaret Rutherford (the definitive Miss Marple) while waiting in the departure lounge for her London flight, meets Elvis fan Albert hoping to glimpse the King. A new play by Clara Nel Haddon. Previous productions include Noiseless & Patient: ‘Beautiful and lyrical’ (FringeGuru.com). Sisu: ‘A brilliant hidden Fringe gem’ (Joe Lycett on twitter 2016). Hive: ‘Intimate and enthralling’ (EdinburghGuide.com). When Kurt Met Thora: ‘As an imagined piece of entertainment folklore, it’s priceless’ (TheStage.co.uk).
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Stephenson Theatre
Alan is a deadbeat stoner. Sam is his ex. Sammie is a struggling actor... and also, Alan’s ex. Samantha is an up-and-coming writer... and also, Alan’s ex. Sam is Sammie, and Sammie is Samantha... and Alan waits for all of them to come back. A story about the evolution of oneself after heartbreak, and in some cases, the lack thereof. Waiting in Love is a contained experimental drama, set entirely in Alan’s apartment, spanning the course of a year after his first real heartbreak.
Paradise in The Vault
The Vault
Wakati is a Swahili word for time. The performance Wakati explores how past, present and future affect the development of a culture and the life of a human. In Wakati, the performer explores her own cultural history and heritage through time. By using her own experience of immigrating to Norway from Kenya, Shelmith examines the expectations, ideas and limits that come with being an immigrant and multicultural in Norway. The work sheds light on how identity changes and develops within the same culture and between different cultures, as well as how time, identity and culture are intertwined.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
It's William Wallace's last day on earth as he awaits his trial. Held in a London cellar he tells his story and narrates his life in this moving and passionate play Bobby Bulloch brings to life. A must see for all that are interested in Scotland and Scotland's story. You can smell the battlefield and hear the noises as Wallace takes us through his story showing the passion in this huge Scottish historical figure. Tears at the end but a must for all Scottish patriots. Five-star reviews last year for a breathtaking performance and storytelling.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street
Dunedin Theatre
In a land of hate and mistrust, where witches are hunted, persecuted and condemned to death, one such creature receives a hazy prophecy of her future, triggering a journey of grief, manipulation and self-acceptance that ends in flames and tears. Listen to the stories of love and loss – of mountains and oceans and of burning at the stake. Of floating, of sinking and of drawing down the moon; a story told through song, dance and magic. Be among the first to experience Cloud's debut album in its haunting entirety.
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
Crack out the pre-drinks for Shakespeare after dark. Loud, lawless, and laced with naughty bits, this is rave theatre: performance, film, stand-up and pounding basslines, dragging Shakespeare into a civil war where star-crossed love and vengeance make their scene. Darkly comic and drenched in Northern poetry, it spits in the face of tradition while reclaiming Shakespeare as the king of the nob gag. Accessible, anarchic and unapologetically alive, Watch Me Die! is here to shake up the Fringe. No quills, no corsets – just raw, riotous theatre perfect for thrill seekers. Supported by Junction Goole.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Immerse yourself in a tapestry of melodies and rhythms where traditions meet innovation. This unique collaboration unites guzheng, harp and bodhrán, blending the rich heritages of Chinese and Scottish music. Featuring reimagined folk melodies, rhythmic improvisations and contemporary compositions, the performance transcends borders, creating a fresh, evocative soundscape. From delicate harp harmonies to the expressive timbres of guzheng and the heartbeat of the bodhrán, this concert celebrates cultural exchange and musical evolution. Experience tradition flowing into new horizons, bridging East and West in a fresh and innovative performance.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 2
Waxen Figures is an immersive audiovisual experience – a supernatural fever dream, where live contemporary dance, Gaelic singing, and cutting-edge technology collide. This Cryptic Commission by audio-visual duo Muto Major plunges into Scotland's folklore, exploring the chasm between ancient rituals and modern lives. Clay, wax, and the human form intertwine, summoning the mythic and the mystical. Projection mapping and augmented reality bring Pictish carvings to life, blurring the line between past and present. Waxen Figures invites you into a multisensory world, where innovation and tradition dance together, reawakening forgotten truths through a bold, poetic lens. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
Summerhall Festival
Dissection Room
Waxen Figures is an immersive audiovisual experience – a supernatural fever dream, where live contemporary dance, Gaelic singing, and cutting-edge technology collide. This Cryptic Commission by audio-visual duo Muto Major plunges into Scotland's folklore, exploring the chasm between ancient rituals and modern lives. Clay, wax, and the human form intertwine, summoning the mythic and the mystical. Projection mapping and augmented reality bring Pictish carvings to life, blurring the line between past and present. Waxen Figures invites you into a multisensory world, where innovation and tradition dance together, reawakening forgotten truths through a bold, poetic lens. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
Wanna get something off your chest? This is the perfect show for you. We have heard it all – people making love to their friends parent, smuggling drugs internationally and even confessing to murder... of a peacock accidentally while trying to impress a boy. The Best Weekly Comedy winner of Perth Fringe 2022 returns to Edinburgh Fringe. 1) Anonymously put your confession into the box. 2) Daniel and Cameron read them out. 3) Take a shot of buckfast. 4) The crowd counts 1, 2, 3 'We forgive you!' 5) You're absolved!
Laughing Horse @ Kick Ass Greyfriars
Fringe Room
Why is this woman named Viva applying for a job? She doesn’t even know what they do here! Bestselling author Rob Bell’s new play begins with this disruptive presence and gradually begins to reveal what happens when people own every square inch of their lives. At turns hysterically funny, deeply moving and ultimately subversive, this is a play for anyone who has had a job in the industrialised world and wonders if maybe the whole system needs a change. Directed by Tony Award nominee Kristin Hanggi (Rock of Ages).
Paradise in Augustines
Sanctuary
Obsessed with becoming a Lord, Webber makes a Faustian pact with the eternal spirit of Ruining Everything... who looks suspiciously like Margaret Thatcher. Hilarious ear worms, laser-focused wit and no holds barred. See it before the cease and desist arrives! Impeccably well researched and somehow still incredibly funny, whilst remaining unafraid to speak truth to power, Grant Sharkey is a comedian, satirist and composer whose previous Edinburgh shows include: Are You Worthy? ('A sing-along, laugh-a-minute rallying cry!' (Scotsman), **** (NDReview.nd)) and Trollbadour (**** (ThreeWeeks)), both of which toured nationally.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
Wee Man is a powerful and highly physical dance-theatre performance by award-winning choreographer Natasha Gilmore. Performed by an all-male cast of both men and teenagers, this candid and compelling work explores the shifting – and stubbornly static – rules of masculinity across generations. From 'Scotland's most successful contemporary dance companies' (TheReviewsHub.com), with evocative sound by Luke Sutherland and text created with Kevin P Gilday, Wee Man blends raw movement, humour and honest storytelling to unpack the "rulebook" of male behaviour – from everyday pressures to darker, inherited ideals.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
Puppets. Friendship. Puberty? Life in Puppetsville was so peaceful until Dr Smellysocks turned the world upside down with his latest invention, the Pubinator, causing our three sweet, innocent puppets to go through the dreaded puberty! Watch as they navigate the twists and turns of their new emotions as they try to become puppets again. Join Lesley, Wesley and Jack in this handcrafted comedic puppet show that teaches friendship, compassion and self-acceptance in a manner suitable for all ages.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 2
In 1423 Berlin, two peasants find themselves at the center of hysteria, hypocrisy and impending doom. How… fun! As the flames of persecution rise, they must decide: will they take a stand or simply watch? A darkly comedic dive into fear, guilt and the price of inaction. Wenches! blends historical absurdity with modern relevance, revealing how easy it is to mistake performance for purpose. Fast-paced, sharp-witted and unapologetically satirical, this play will make you laugh, squirm and go 'huh?' But worry not! The wenches are right there with you. It all starts with a step into the woods...
Greenside @ George Street
Olive Studio
The town of Stubbins is plagued by a beast, one that roams at night, tearing through livestock, howling to the skies – a werewolf... aka Derek, an awkward, loveable 16-year-old. Derek doesn’t want to be a werewolf. He’s been sneaking into the woods to transform in secret. No one’s been harmed, but unless Derek finds a cure, it’s only a matter of time. Time which he doesn’t have. With a monster hunter arriving in town, Derek must find help before he’s discovered, or worse, someone is killed. But is the “help” all seems?
Greenside @ George Street
Ivy Studio
Louisiana – home of Mardi Gras, Southern hospitality, and purity culture. This autobiographical comedy explores Alice’s teenage upbringing in the thick of America’s Bible Belt. Discover her LGBTQ+ identity and experience the South beyond its cowboy boots! Hold your beers tight as Alice plays over 20 characters with more flavour than a boilin' pot of gumbo. Expect chameleon-like storytelling as Alice recounts a series of events so shocking you won’t believe they’re real! Don’t be shy now – how much can happen to one queer high schooler swimming through a flood of Southern gossip?
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
Jump on board and let me take you down that bumpy road that we call life. Let's face it – life is pretty funny! We'll stop off on the way to enjoy I Found God Behind the Sofa, I Didn't Know I Was a Stalker, F**k You Death, Take it Off, Funeral Songs, Sex is Funny, Man-Oh-Pause, Elon's Been a Naughty Boy to name but a few. Life is all about perspective isn't it? And this is mine, in a rhyme – so hold on tight!
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 3
There are three rules every housewife knows: never return a dish empty, always have dinner ready on time, and some things are best kept under the table. After all, you never know who’s listening. You’ve heard whispers of absent husbands? Missing children? Spaghetti recipes? Or was it scones? You just can’t trust everything you hear through the walls these days. An absurdist queer two-hander about surveillance, American womanhood, and bodily autonomy from consecutive 2022, 2023, and 2024 Fringe First Award-winners Xhloe and Natasha.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
From media darling to public downfall, this playful and poignant new show imagines the rise and fall of a fictional icon through a vibrant blend of dance-theatre and live documentary. Surreal, daring and sprinkled with bittersweet humour, it explores how women are shaped – and shattered – by the spotlight. Tess Letham brings this idiosyncratic character to life, offering a relatable glimpse into her humanity. Combining distinctive, improvisation-based movement with sharp cultural commentary, bizarre tenderness and unique physical presence, this is an innovative and thought-provoking work from one of Scotland's boldest dance-theatre voices.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB3
If the world was ending, where would you go? Sam is going home, only it’s not home anymore, not since they and Jamie broke up two years ago. Still, the world is ending and it is better to be with someone who used to love you than to be alone. At least, that’s what they think. What the Flowers Think (About the Apocalypse) is a dark drama about returning, leaving and holistic horticulture. As society crumbles and relationships fracture only one question remains: where do you want to die?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Upper Theatre
Drs Katy Munro and David Kernick continue on their mission to bust some myths and improve understanding of migraine. Come and hear them chat about exciting new treatment options, children with migraine, hormones, unusual presentations and why it’s not just a headache. A chance to ask your questions too! Dr Katy Munro is the author of Managing Your Migraine and hosts Heads Up podcast. Dr David Kernick is author of the Oxford University Press Manual of Headache and a wide range of research papers on migraine.
The Royal Scots Club
The Speakeasy
Can a kiss on the mouth change everything? Could the pitch of your voice reveal your true feelings? Can dancing rekindle a lost spark? Is joy fleeting? Can the right hairdresser change your life? In the elegant surroundings of the iconic Le Monde venue, singer and award-winning writer Angela Jackson explores the highs and lows of love, through the sublime songs of Julie London, the wisdom of influential philosophers and psychologists, and the unique wit and insight of screenwriting legend Nora Ephron.
Le Monde
Shanghai
Listed as one of 'five shows not to be missed at this year's Edinburgh Fringe' (Counter Culture), this show compares the like-minded and socially-conscious lyrics of Dylan and Lennon. It addresses key questions regarding their relationship: why was Lennon in awe of Dylan only to deride him years later? And why did Dylan keep it to himself that he 'really dug the Beatles'? Irish duo Brothers Broke compare, adapt and perform a unique interpretation of songs by both artists in their own acoustic folk and blues style.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Theatre 1
This five-star production tells a powerful and hilarious story about the realities of gang culture and young team mentality in Glasgow during the 90s, as we follow the lives of one of the many young teams who polluted the streets of the city during a time it was known as The Murder Capital of Europe. This heartbreaking story is both a hilarious and eye-opening look back to 90s Glasgow and the notorious postcode wars.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
A solo performance, a raw cry against the brutality of our times. With indignant voices rising one after another, fragmented movements evolve into a ritual of against helplessness. A polyphonic song from the Lithuanian resistance, The Brothers of the Forest, fills the air. Collective voices amplify the individual power of the dancer, who stands steadfast, unfurling with relentless determination and strength. Unexpected and thought-provoking, Vilma Pitrinaite's (LT/BE) work features fearless movement and an intensely charged, hopeful electronic music soundscape. Uncompromising and liberating, it is vital as empowering.
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
An immersive, magical and musical whisky experience. After 25 sold-out shows, the award-nominated, 5-star immersive, theatrical whisky tasting is back for their third Fringe! Immerse yourself in a captivating journey as the essence and spirit of whisky unfolds through enchanting music and storytelling. We will also unveil women's role in shaping the history of alcohol, including sharing how some were framed as witches. Join us for this 2-hour experience while enjoying five drams from our sponsor The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. The experience also includes a day pass to visit a SMWS site! Read more at www.smws.com
The Mother Superior
The Cave
Even if told with the best intentions… they’re not all harmless. Maria Tracey, a young FBI agent desperately trying to prove herself in a male-dominated workplace, is told to return to her hometown to investigate a development in a 10-year-old cold case. There's not much to go on that wasn't there before... and for her, this is a town that died a long time ago. Would anyone care if she solved this one?
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Willow Studio
A one-act play by a Pulitzer Prize winner. In this compelling monologue, Diane, a successful writer, has returned to her hometown to assist her aging mother. As she responds to the questions of an unseen local journalist, her answers weave a poignant tale of self-discovery. Written with typical Wilson poetic storytelling and raw emotion, it explores the flashpoints in life where choices are made and destinies are altered.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Two one-act plays by an acclaimed playwright. In the first, a married couple’s early-morning clash in a hotel room offers a witty look at the complexities of marriage. The second, a monologue, shifts to a Manhattan police station, where a tense interrogation about a mysterious crime evolves into a poignant meditation on love and commitment. Contrasting in tone yet deeply connected, these plays explore human relationships with Wilson’s signature depth and nuance.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Haldane Theatre
Aubrey and her boyfriend are finally alone together. Or are they already together, alone? Is he the perfect boyfriend that any sane woman would kill to cuddle? Or is he a bearded harbinger of lost dreams? Aubrey’s not sure and since she no longer trusts herself to decide, it’s up to the audience to help her figure it out! Should she snog his face off? Dump his ass? Or sneak out of town disguised as celebrity chef Guy Fieri? In this spellbinding choose your own queer adventure, you decide Aubrey’s path. Wield this power wisely!
Greenside @ Riddles Court
Thistle Theatre
Finding love means asking questions. For Australian comedian Henry Bretz, questions like – Why did I send an explicit picture to my Dad's best mate? Why do a gang of privately educated 19-year-old boys want to kill me? And what’s this all got to do with fish? Described by critics as ‘in Edinburgh this year’, Henry Bretz will unpack three of his real text conversations to discover where his life got so stuck. Following the success of 2024’s Viva La Visa, Henry returns to Edinburgh for his solo Fringe debut.
Hoots @ The Apex
Hoot 6
Back for a third and final year after sell-out runs and international acclaim, the multi award-winning bum flare play tells the story of ardent football fan Billy Kinley, who sticks a flare up his bum at Euro 2020 and goes viral. What follows is a funny, raw and honest look at identity, loyalty and belonging. Winner of Best Theatre Show at Adelaide Fringe 2025, this show has been a hit worldwide. Bold, sharp and unforgettable. Final Edinburgh Fringe run. One flare. One man. One bum... One story. Don't miss it!
Underbelly Bristo Square
Cowbarn
A messy kitchen, an uneaten cake, a shoe in the bath and two… friends? Why Won’t They Eat the Cake? is a raw exploration of the insecurities that shape our relationships. Written and performed by Evelina Rudasa and Keturah Peirson, this two-person play delves into self-discovery, identity and what it means to grow up. Because no matter how much you grow up, you can never really leave the past behind. Two girls. One cake. No party.
theSpace on the Mile
Space 1
As the world falls into chaos, humanity is looking for its path. How will humanity navigate this treacherous terrain of uncertainty? Drag, of course! How better to understand the absurdity of it all? Why, Gahd? WHY?! is a journey into the chaos and a guiding light. Two living Gahds have blessed the mortals with their presence and will share their knowledge of the universe through the ancient arts of divination and drag… which might just be tainted with pop culture references, witty banter, and a flair for the dramatic. Fresh from the 2021 OFFTA festival in Montréal.www.houseofgahd.comwww.facebook.com/HouseOfGahdwww.instagram.com/houseofgahdwww.youtube.com/channel/UCVmWjc_GWSXicSrtlJSv-9A Watch Preview – Flat EarthWatch Preview – Rosemary’s Baby
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
A gloriously stupid show of bad animal impressions and a wildly playful nature safari. How do you do an Uglyface Scorpionfish? What's a Darth Vader Giant Pill Millipede? Tom and Xavi create a wickedly feral duet between body, sound and species in this nature documentary on steroids. Herald Angel award-winning Mechanimal returns to Edinburgh with a sequel to its hit show, Vigil. More animals, more madness, more soul: Wild Thing is a bittersweet meditation on life in an age of extinction. ***** (Stage). 'Beautiful, contemplative... a remarkable and urgent show' (Guardian).
Summerhall Festival
TechCube 0
Tír na nÓg Theatre Company are delighted to present the world premiere of Wilde, a captivating new original musical that brings to life an intimate portrayal of Constance, wife of Oscar Wilde. Through poignant songs and rich storytelling, Wilde reveals a story of courage, loyalty and love, and the resilience of the incredible woman who stood alongside one of literature’s greats. Wilde is a labour of love by a talented ensemble of college students. Their dedication and creativity promise a moving and unforgettable experience for Fringe audiences.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Lillie Langtry, celebrated British actress and consort to Edward, Prince of Wales, anxiously awaits a telegram in her backstage dressing room from her dear friend, Oscar, recently released from incarceration for 'gross indecencies'. With the help of her backstage visitors, she begins to assemble the material for their grand stage comeback, Wilde Women, featuring all the iconic playwright's illustrious ladies, from Cecily to Salome, who set the stage for the era of the strong female protagonist. Which will be the centerpiece of their creation? Mrs. Cheverly? Lady Windermere? Lady Bracknell? Oscar must decide!
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
Will and Noah's attention spans are so eroded, they can't even get to the end of their... huh... oh yeah we're doing a sketch show! In a world where comedy has become a thousand tiny weird videos on a never-ending feed, Will and Noah are investigating what the hell happened to good old-fashioned... whuh... huh... oh yeah we're doing a sketch show!! 'A must-see comedy show for all sketch lovers' *****(EdFringeReview.com). 'Brilliant, bonkers and totally Fringe' **** (BruceOnTheFringe). The Telegraph Best Jokes of the Edinburgh Fringe 2023/2024.
Underbelly Bristo Square
Clover
It's a live YouTube recording with more jokes than you thought possible. Star of Fox's Showtime at The Apollo, BBC's Stand Up for Comic Relief and NBC's Trial by Laughter, Will Mars is 'a fearsome comedy creation' **** (Scotsman). Edinburgh Fringe Best Show Nominee (Amused Moose Awards). 'Mars is well worth exploring' **** (Metro). 'One of the highest gag rates at the Edinburgh Fringe' **** (BeyondTheJoke.co.uk). 'His delivery is brilliant; his jokes are hilarious' **** (Entertainment-Now.com). 'Comedy done right' **** (EdFringeReview.com). 'Punch after punch of great material' **** (The Student Newspaper).
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
Maggie's Front Room
Will You Be Praying the Entire Flight? is a comedy about how a Hasidic woman and a secular woman change after a six-hour flight sitting next to each other. Sometimes you have to let people surprise you.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Award-winning actress and playwright Terra Taylor Knudson uses wit, anecdotes, and creative conjecture to weave Shakespeare’s works into her own coming-of-age story, and illustrates how the Bard shaped her life and gave her a voice. With humour, Terra explores her passion for Shakespeare, and connects classic characters with modern experiences. Accessible to all audiences. ’Throughout the all too brief 75 minutes, your head is left spinning as you experience her lifetime, British royal history, and glimpses into some of Shakespeare’s best scenes and soliloquies’ (www.Gazettes.com). ‘Highly entertaining, deeply moving. Not to be missed!’ (Hollywood Fringe Festival).www.terrataylorknudson.comwww.oliotheatreworks.orgwww.facebook.com/willyslilvirginqueenwww.instagram.com/terrataylorknudson.otw/ Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
In this powerful one-man drama set in 2018 at the time the Windrush controversy shook Britain, Rodreguez King-Dorset plays a young white far-right racist party leader, a black Caribbean diplomat and a white Oxford-educated Home Office official. Each explains the Windrush scandal from wildly opposing perspectives. For one, a dark secret that he struggles to come to terms with will change his life forever… A provocative unmasking of a horrific calamity in history that forced a nation to look in the mirror and reconsider its path. ‘An energetic and passionate performance’ (Guardian).
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
studio
Sometimes the world disappears in the blink of an eye. Everything is destroyed and everything recreated. In the midst of it, we forget that what matters most is home, where everything has a place to belong. Following a group of friends who stick together through their personal struggles and joys in a hostile world, Wink Wink Murder explores the darker aspects of childhood and children's reflections on death. Through fragmented narratives this new choreographic piece delves into the hidden emotional experiences and memories of youth, revealing the complexities of innocence, fear and time.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Set in a small town in Fife, Wish You Were Here follows a trio of working-class young men who are brought together for the first time in three years. Once a tightly-knit found family, time and circumstance has pulled the men apart. On the night of an engagement party, secrets are revealed and relationships are pushed to the brink. Will the group make it through this or have they been torn apart for good? This dark comedy explores themes of mental health, drug culture and homophobia in working-class areas in Scotland.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Studio
‘When I was a boy we used to have an ‘ala’ (niche) in our old house, where we will always put something, a picture of God, or a candle, or an oil lamp. Those spaces created bigger resonance in my consciousness, to a bigger universe than my small little world.’ How does one project emotion through the physicality of the limbs and torso? This new site-specific physical piece from Oslo-based duo Nora Svenning and Sudesh Adhana, with video art from Antero Hein and music from Adun Kleive, explores the expression of almost being a sculpture.www.xproarts.comwww.instagram.com/sudeshadhanavimeo.com/user23043259 Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
The latest riotous comedy from Edinburgh’s own, The Dead Parrot Collective, who return to the Fringe this year with a few tricks up their (wizard) sleeves. As war rages across the fantasy kingdom of Armillaria, and magic itself fades, five hapless rogues launch a desperate heist to save the world. Standing in their way? Scheming nobles, arcane assassins, a box of goblins and worst of all... each other. As their most ambitious project to date, the Parrots set out to prove once again, even grand tales can be told on a meagre budget.
Paradise in Augustines
Studio
A funny, moving and uplifting one-sided conversation about neurodivergence, trauma, dead bodies and other lighthearted topics. Award-winning New York City writer and Storm of a Woman Jen DiGiacomo immerses the audience in pivotal moments from her life, integrating an old-school slideshow, phone calls and voiceovers into a powerful debut of her one-woman show. Part confessional, part TED talk and part dark comedy, the show opens with the hum of a slide projector and perched upon the stage an unopened letter with Open Me written across it.
Greenside @ George Street
Jade Studio
'Buckle up! And hold on to what you can. This ride is gonna get bumpy, but them blessie’s need us'. The Red Cross nurse carries our soldiers out of sickness, out of darkness, back to the light of good health. During WWI, over 38,000 women and men worked as nurses, assistant nurses, ambulance drivers and cooks. This is their story. Over the course of a few days, we see a small glimpse of life through the eyes of a young nurse as she works with Lady Dorothy Feilding and the famous Munro Flying Ambulance Corps.
Greenside @ George Street
Forest Theatre
Journey through time alongside the great women that rocked, from the 1960s to present. Ride with the genre defining ladies Janis Joplin, Stevie Nicks, Joan Jett, Suzi Quatro, Heart, Gwen Stefani and many more. Experience the raw power of Reine Beau and the award-winning Night Owl Band as they highlight the importance of these incredible females and why there should be a higher acknowledgement in the published lists of the greats for them. You’ll leave with your soul well and truly rocked and a true appreciation of the women who fought against the tide to make it.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
A fun, educational and interactive show for babies and toddlers where wriggling is allowed. The programme of music travels the world and includes the story of the Gingerbread Man. A selection of carefully chosen music, played by a professional violinist and a professional cellist, tells a musical version of the story of the Gingerbread Man. This Fringe sell-out show is suitable for the whole family.
Stockbridge Church
Young Room
A musical soirée with professional violinist Louise Bevan and cellist Clea Friend who share music and stories about the surprising lives of some classical composers in an informal setting. Refreshments provided.
Stockbridge Church
Young Room
Rude, nude with anarchic attitude. Leave your inhibitions at the door and step into a show that teases and guarantees to please. Expect the flirty, the filthy, and the occasional full-frontal flash – never mind the bollocks! Grab a ticket to our raucous revue and experience the unadulterated Fringe.
The Voodoo Rooms
The Ballroom
Language creates awareness and reinforces stereotypes, but what if the vocabulary is not enough to describe one’s identity? Female, male, both or neither. It is difficult to describe in words what has long been a reality. The traditional gender division based on one’s sex is far outdated. However, do our language and behaviour follow this change? This interactive dance film addresses the following questions: What impact does language have on gender differentiation? How do certain meanings of a word become established? And what cultural, political and ethical influence do these have on us and our bodies?
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
Twelfth Night meets The Thick of It in a modern-day reimagining of what might have become of Malvolio after his fall from grace. Mal, once a ministerial adviser, now defends fraudsters in a shabby law firm. Rosie, an idealistic young lawyer, offers him a way back to his old life – but in a world where the highest ideals are sustained by the grubbiest actions, what looks like redemption might be a trap. Written by a senior political insider, Yellow is a witty, thought-provoking depiction of the realities – and compromises – of office life, law and today's politics.
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
Supervillain Friedrich von Fittervach dreams of ruling the world from his remote volcano base. If only his workforce, his right-hand man or his restrictive board of investors shared the vision of his five-year plan. To make matters worse, a suave and cunning MI6 intruder, Agent Blonde, has breached the security of the island compound and sparked revolution among the corporation’s ranks. Will the vertically-challenged supposed evil genius be able to rise up and regain complete control, or will the company fall into the slimy, inexperienced hands of the proletariat scum?
theSpace on the Mile
Space 3
We transport you to a corporate London where success is measured by profit, power and personal gain. Steve, a young businessman, is selected to compete on The Trainee, a high-stakes reality show where contestants face tough corporate challenges for a chance to work with mogul Baron Sweetener. As Steve navigates this cutthroat environment, he encounters a variety of characters, each representing different aspects of the corporate world. Through these interactions, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, learning that true happiness may not come from wealth... or does it?
theSpace @ Niddry St
Lower Theatre
The show that brings the stories and songs of the football terraces to life. This is a show about football. It is also a show about folk music. It’s about the football songs we sing together on the terraces. Identity, family, rivalry, memory, the football chants that connect us. This show is asking what is folk music? Who gets to decide and who gets to sing it? An evocative and emotional show, but bring your mates and your singing voices. Included in Sunday Times Top 100 Records of the Year.
Greenside @ George Street
Fern Studio
This experimental physical theatre piece boldly deconstructs the philosophical classic Zhuang Zhou, Dreams of a Butterfly and the folk-legend, Zhuang Zhou Tests His Wife, to explore the essence of humanity, love and existence. Set in the lacquer garden of the Warring States period, the work blends traditional shadow puppetry, stylised Chinese opera and avant-garde theatrical language. The surreal world, inspired by Tao philosophy, intertwines reality and illusion. The audience embarks on a philosophical journey that asks , how does one prove existence? and touches upon the true nature of life itself. Performed in Mandarin.
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora
main house
Created during lockdown 2020 in Mexico City, this short piece reveals an oneiric transformation through desire and loneliness. A woman shares some of the emotions of a prolonged isolation period, letting the audience travel between a sexual edge and the ironic borderline of human imagination. With the collaboration of MOC Collective, Zoon to be Other is an original video directed by Patrick Trigoso and Catalina Navarrete, filmed and edited by Sebastián Foss, with music from Héctor Guerrero.www.hekatombe.orgwww.facebook.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/hekatombe.produccionwww.instagram.com/catalinanhmx Watch Trailer
C ARTS | C venues | C digital
portal – on demand
art* / a:t / noun delves into the conflict between artistic authenticity and the desire for external validation. Through dance, media projections and thought-provoking visuals, it challenges the idea of commercial success, questioning whether one should compromise creative integrity for popularity or financial gain. We seek to find this answer alongside others who are struggling with the same question and get ready to have an advantage in this industry.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall
Grand Theatre
Colly, Kaia, Mercy and Theo have shared a decade of highs and lows – promotions, breakups, illness and recovery. They know the quiet strength of true love, both platonic and romantic, and the power of unwavering belief in one another. In an often unkind world, they are each other’s constant. But when someone close to them goes missing, they confront a brutal reality: survival isn’t guaranteed in a world steeped in violence against women. As grief and rage take hold, they face injustice, media bias and a society that refuses to change. Unflinching, timely and deeply moving.
Bedlam Theatre
Theatre
Meet Miss Elliot – your favourite primary school teacher. Learning objective: how to understand the term baby gay. Incorporating real-life perspectives and voices from the queer community, misSfits focuses on the voices of the "baby gays" and how after coming out they must try to navigate this new community in which they still feel alien to themselves. Through the eyes of Miss Elliot and primary school nostalgia, misSfits transports us into that familiar classroom as past students find their true selves. All whilst Miss Elliot reminisces and reflects on their own sense of identity and self.
theSpaceTriplex
Studio
We’re back with a brand-new show, after the dazzling run of our 2024 show that earned four stars and Pick of the Fringe from Mervyn Stutter! Journal entries come to life through the company’s unique, dynamic fusion of tap, ballet, and contemporary choreography, enhanced by spoken word, props and puppetry. pAges tells the story of what happens when you dare to pursue the life of your dreams in a world that demands conformity. Depicting a lifelong journey from childhood awe to heartbreak, resilience and the quest for self-discovery, pAges is powerful, heartfelt theatre for those who dare to dream!
theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Annexe
through warm temperatures affirms castor oil's legacy as a natural remedy, an elixir and a historic source that transcends boundaries. This performance takes you on a journey of reconnection with nature and the body. Weaving vocals and dance, the work shifts from meditative gestures to unfiltered expression building towards self-acceptance. Mele Broomes' choreography and vocals, with Simone Seales' live cello and electronic soundscapes, merge as performers shift between solos, duos and collective movement. Moving towards a place of warmth. Inviting release. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
Assembly @ Dance Base
DB1
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