Betty Grumble’s Enemies of Grooviness Eat Sh!t
Assembly Roxy, 30 Jul-24 Aug (not 6, 12, 19), 9.15pm
Australia’s eco-sexual rebel Betty Grumble brings her genre-defying show to Edinburgh, drawing on personal experience of intimate partner violence and the court case that followed. Blending performance art, raw physicality, and rock’n’roll, this radical spectacle confronts climate collapse and patriarchy, celebrating the body’s transformative potential.
She’s Behind You
Traverse, 1-24 Aug (not 4, 11, 18), times vary
After decades in the pantosphere, Johnny McKnight lifts the curtain on his extraordinary journey through panto. She’s Behind You is a bold and funny celebration of identity, tradition, and transformation, created with acclaimed director John Tiffany. A dazzling tribute to the madness, magic, and meaning behind the make-up.
Ohio
Assembly Roxy, 30 Jul-24 Aug (not 11, 18), 3pm
When Shaun left the church, music became his sanctuary. Now facing degenerative hearing loss, he chooses joy amid life’s uncertainties. From Francesca Moody Productions, this uplifting new musical by Obie winners The Bengsons is a true story of hope, loss, and resilience, told with heart, humour, and song.
Thanks for Being Here
ZOO Southside, 12-14 Aug (not 11, 18), 1.45pm
Eight-time Fringe First winners Ontroerend Goed invite you into an immersive world where audience and performer blur. Thanks for Being Here uses playful video and interaction to explore perspective and presence. There’s no pressure to participate – you’re free to simply observe. A quietly powerful celebration of theatre’s shared space.
Karine Polwart: Windblown
The Queen’s Hall, 9-13 Aug, 7.30pm
In Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden, a towering Sabal palm nears its end – too old to move, too fragile to stay. As it faces removal, award-winning writer-musician Karine Polwart gives voice to the tree, weaving music and story into a poetic reflection on care, loss, legacy, and the future. With pianist Dave Milligan.
PHILOSOPHY OF THE WORLD
Summerhall, 31 Jul-25 Aug (not 11, 18), 10.45pm
Experimental theatre company IN BED WITH MY BROTHER are back at the Fringe after six years, with PHILOSOPHY OF THE WORLD, a chaotic tribute to cult band The Shaggs – three sisters who were forced to form a band by their father. Part tribute act, part feminist reclamation, part fever dream, you’re invited to experience noise, nonsense, and free soda.
Elysium
Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower, 30 Jul-24 Aug (not 11), 12.20pm
Welcome to Elysium Court, a picture-perfect suburb where lives quietly unravel. From Ghouls Aloud comes a satirical ghost story with original live music by Milly Blue and Jessie Maryon Davies. When a new mum lifts the astroturf, dark secrets emerge, resulting in a witty, haunting tale of motherhood, ambition, and modern horror.
Fuselage
Pleasance Courtyard, 30 Jul-25 Aug (not 13, 19), 3.45pm
On 21 December 1988, Pan Am 103 exploded over Lockerbie. Annie Lareau was meant to be on board with 35 of her Syracuse University classmates but she stayed behind. Blending the voices of friends and locals, this powerful ensemble piece explores grief, fate, and resilience in the shadow of tragedy.
KINDER
Underbelly, Cowgate, 31 Jul-24 Aug (not 6, 13, 20), 6.40pm
When drag artist Goody Prostate arrives to headline a library reading hour, an unexpected call throws everything off script. Scrambling to perform for a rowdy crowd, Goody dives into a wild, heartfelt journey through childhood, memory, and growing up. Fresh from an award-winning run at the Adelaide Fringe.
Alright Sunshine
Pleasance Dome, 30 Jul-24 Aug (not 4, 11, 18), 4.20pm
When PC Nicky McCreadie breaks up a brawl on the Meadows, she’s forced to confront a buried past that she was hoping to forget. From Edinburgh playwright Isla Cowan, supported by Tron Theatre and produced by Wonder Fools, Alright Sunshine is a fierce, feminist monologue about gender, power, and public space.
Kanpur: 1857
Pleasance Courtyard, 30 Jul-24 Aug (not 12, 13), 3.40pm
A darkly comic new play written by and starring Niall Moorjani, offering a satirical interrogation of colonial history. Set during the Indian Rebellion, it questions heroism and villainy while exploring gender, colonial violence, and the act of making art in times of crisis. With a vibrant live soundtrack, it delivers a bold, witty, and powerful punch.