Tag: Fringe 2025
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Review: IV – Here & Now Showcase
Fourth piece in dance series struggles to land
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Review: Delusional – I Killed a Man
Diana Salles breathes new life into the trans rebirth metaphor
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Review: Tom at the Farm
A tedious exploration of important issues, despite its epic scale
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Review: The Quiet Earth Beneath
Personal story of memory and bereavement that is visually transporting
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Review: A Small Town Northern Tale
Heartfelt solo piece from writer/performer Nathan Jonathan
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Madeleine Brettingham Wins So You Think You’re Funny? 2025
Writer-turned-performer wins 38th edition of the prestigious newcomer competition
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Review: Athens of the North
Interlinked tales of Scots’ inner lives recall Greek tragedies
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Review: Theo Mason Wood: Legalise Kissing
Tale of a recent break-up with twinkly swagger and a knowing wink
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Review: Daniel Muggleton: You May Be White, I May Be Crazy
Solidly entertaining observations from the easygoing Australian stand-up
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Review: SLUGS
Sweet and strange antics descend into sweaty DIY fever dream
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Review: The Alchemy of Sadness
A fascinating conversation around power imbalances that feels stilted
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Review: JEEZUS!
Fun and filthy musical theatre from Latin America
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Review: Gianmarco Soresi: The Drama King Tour
Joke-a-minute stand-up expertly skirts the line
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Review: Jessica Fostekew: Iconic Breath
Fostekew mines the routinely domestic for comedy gold
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Review: Cirque Kalabanté: WOW (World of Words)
A showcase of true dedication and skill
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Review: Pussy Riot: Riot Days
Raw, unapologetic and defiant show from the Russian protest art collective
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Review: Is There Work on Mars?
Imperfect but delightfully absurd sci-fi storytelling
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Review: I Feel Sick
Matt Jenner’s one-man sketch show falls short
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Review: Ivo Graham: Orange Crush
Light-hearted, citrus coloured zealotry of the non-sectarian kind
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Review: Anatomy of a Night
Performance intended as a “love letter” to queer spaces is thinly conceived
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Review: The Green Knight (But It’s Gay)
Delightfully silly retelling of the medieval classic
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Interview: Emma Frankland
Cover story: In No Apologies, Emma Frankland delves deep into the long-running internet discourse around Kurt Cobain’s gender identity. The writer-performer speaks to Arusa Qureshi about the mythology that surrounds celebrities, the current climate for trans people in the UK and the importance of community
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Review: Tell Me Where Home Is (I’m Starting to Forget)
Slick, self exposing one person show
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Review: Barry Ferns: My Seven Years as Lionel Richie
Scrappy, upstart tale from the Fringe semi-legend
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The Last Word: The Listies
The Australian double act offer up their unparalleled knowledge
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Interview: Khalid Abdalla
Actor and activist Khalid Abdalla discusses his intricate and playful solo show, inspired by his involvement in the Egyptian revolution of 2011
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Review: Score
Rich and deeply intelligent confrontation with technologies of control
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Review: Stepping In… Spilling Out
Gorgeously unfussy performance from dancer Mark Bleakley and percussionist Rémy Gouffault
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Review: I’m Ready to Talk Now
Oliver Ayres’ solo piece is calm, reflective and unsettling
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Review: Thanks for Being Here
Ontroerend Goed’s latest show places emphasis on the camaraderie of collective experience
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Daisy Doris May’s Perfect Night
Three of the comedian and drag king’s iconic characters take us on their big night out
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Review: C U Later, Simulator
Entertaining otherwordly chaos that mirrors the unpredictability of life
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Review: The Ego
A well-pitched exploration of the cut-throat world of screen entertainment
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Kids Review: Cinderella Ice Cream Seller – A Musical
Xavier, six, enters an ice cream parlour
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Kids Review: The Truth About Trees
Siena, eight, enjoys spending time with puppets
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Review: Sam Jay: We the People
Drily delivered subversive takes from the US comedian
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Interview: Zainab Johnson
As she makes her highly-anticipated debut at this year’s Fringe, Zainab Johnson talks politics, identity and being a responsible gun owner
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Review: The Insider
Sonically and visually stunning theatre
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Review: Urooj Ashfaq: How to Be a Baddie
A riotously funny and upbeat insight into deviancy, fuelled by pettiness
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Review: Tiff Stevenson: Post-Coital
Funny and moving show yearns for a stronger build-up to its climax
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Review: Elysium
A remarkable theatrical and musical exploration of personal relationships
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Review: The Nature of Forgetting
Valuable physical theatre with a novel approach to our perception of dementia
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Ben Pope’s Guide to the 5 Fringe Posters He Never Wants to See Again
The comedian and bookseller went viral for sharing the book cover tropes that need to end. We asked him to give Fringe posters the same treatment
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Review: Youth in Flames
A formidable debut from Mimi Martin
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Review: Sikisa: Serving Justice
Satire and hilarity chock-full of audience engagement
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Review: Jonah Non Grata
Simon Kane revives his 20-year-old clown show for its Fringe debut
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Review: Simple Town
Acclaimed New York sketch troupe bring their smart, absurdist act to the Fringe
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Review: Kathy Maniura: The Cycling Man
Ingenious send-up of bike obsessives is a cracking ride
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Review: Jena Friedman: Motherf*cker
Tale of motherhood and grief bristles with righteous anger
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Review: Managed Approach
Moving and original drama based on the UK’s first legalised red-light district
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Review: Giselle: Remix
Fresh update of classic ballet explores importance of queer visibility
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Review: Little Squirt
Darby James’ sperm donation musical has it all
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Review: Chloe Petts: Big Naturals
Big laughs come naturally in loving look back at lad culture’s problematic zenith
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Kids Review: The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl
Lyra, nine, is wowed by the two artists
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Young Critics at the Fringe
We sent the Super Power Agency out into the festivals with a group of newly-trained teen reviewers to suss out the best shows for young people this Fringe
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Review: Shamik Chakrabarti: Despite Appearances
Wry humour and a sharp eye for absurdity
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Review: Kanpur: 1857
Effortless and enchanting storytelling from Niall Moorjani
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Review: Wee Man
Barrowland Ballet’s intergenerational show provides a breadth of contributions
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Review: Jackie!!!
An eccentric, fun joyride through a turbulent time
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Review: Because
Measured, clean, and masterful performance from Hassan Govia
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Review: Float
A rich galaxy of complicated emotions in this debut solo show
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Review: The Beautiful Future is Coming
Compassionate but gloomy play about the climate crisis
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Review: The Boy from Bantay
Poignant exploration of despair and loss
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Review: Desiree Burch: The Golden Wrath
An inspirational, inclusive, and thoroughly entertaining hour
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Interview: Ivo Graham
Making multiple appearances at the Fringe and Book Festival this year, Ivo Graham talks through his busy schedule
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Review: Killian Sundermann: This Boy is Cracking Up
Much-loved internet comic dives deeper into his Irish-German upbringing in Fringe debut
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Review: Alright Sunshine
Isla Cowan tackles big topics with a light touch and realistic characters for a hauntingly powerful piece of writing
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Review: Ayoade Bamgboye: Swings and Roundabouts
An absolute lock-in, don’t-miss-a-thing outburst of talent
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Review: Susie McCabe: Best Behaviour
Self-deprecating hour is light on ambition but full of charisma and warmth
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Review: The Burns Project
Warts-and-all telling of Robert Burns’ life makes great use of its unique setting
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Review: Adele Cliff: Adele, Adele, Adele… Cliff It Isn’t the Consequences of My Own Actions
Deftly delivered trove of reliable, if unspectacular, anecdotes from self-professed comedy nerd
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Review: Strangewife
Frazier Bailey’s play intrigues with its unpacking of artifice and modern love
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Review: In the Land of Eagles
Alex Reynolds parses her Albanian ancestry in debut play
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Review: Refuse
Lucy McIlgorm’s tale of a Ukrainian refuse worker is a mixed bag
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Review: Wild Thing!
Wonderfully daft antics give way to bitter eulogy of extinct species
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Review: Bryan Safi: Are You Mad at Me??
A wonderfully goofy show filled with catty one-liners
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Review: Zoë Coombs Marr: The Splash Zone
Charming autobiographical tale deliberately avoids the fast track
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Review: Lily Blumkin: Nice Try
Journey through performer’s past starts strong but fizzles out
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Review: Cecilia Gentili’s Red Ink
New take on Red Ink honours its author’s revolutionary legacy
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Review: Ohio
Haunting harmonies give way to moving exploration of hearing loss
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Review: Paul Sinha: 2 Sinha Lifetime
Savvy and self-aware stand-up from acclaimed brainbox
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Review: Kieran Hodgson: Voice of America
Talented impersonator swipes light-heartedly at US news
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Review: Dream Space
Escapist four-part fantasy for all ages
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MC Hammersmith’s Perfect Day
The hip-hop comedian takes on a day at the Fringe, via rap
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Review: Jo Caulfield: Bad Mood Rising
Acid-tongued hour feels a bit like punching down
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Review: Strangers and Revelations
Chiedza Rwodzi’s debut play features flawless performances
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Review: Down to Chance
Makeshift tale of earthquake rescue is surprisingly feel-good
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Review: MARIUPOL
Katia Haddad’s play emphasises the human impact of war
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Review: Seaton Smith: Trauma Bonding
Expert room-reading gets huge laughs from tough topics
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Review: Pedro Leandro: Soft Animal
Natural starpower carries gentle hour of comedy
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Review: Copla: A Spanish Cabaret
Dr Alejandro Postigo presents powerful renditions of the songs that made him
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Review: K Mak at the Planetarium
Dreamlike soundscapes meet underwhelming visuals
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Just Good Friends: A Day Out with Trygve Wakenshaw and Barnie Duncan
Evan Beswick spends a day at the Fringe with best pals Trygve Wakenshaw and Barnie Duncan, finding real joy and creativity in their unique partnership
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Review: LOLA: A Flamenco Love Story
Impassioned tale of resilience spans Franco’s Spain and 60s London
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Review: When Billy Met Alasdair
Speculative tribute to two Glasgow icons
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Review: Imago
An incredibly impressive feat of acrobatics, staging, and sound design
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Review: Club NVRLND
A queer-pop fuelled restaging of Peter Pan, full of nostalgic club bangers
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Review: Kim Blythe: Cowboy
The newcomer contends with the screen-to-stage transition in this sharp new hour
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Review: MILES.
A striking play which affirms the complex and brilliant legacy of the artist
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Review: Hot Mess
Entertaining musical romcom about the climate crisis
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Review: HAMLET by New York Circus Project
Innovative and highly visual approach to Shakespeare
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Review: Blaze FM
A moving insight into a significant UK subculture
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Review: Heidi Regan: Jekyll and Heidi
Beautifully crafted, naturally delivered hour of low-key stand-up
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Review: Driving in Circles
Musical theatre show taking audiences from rage and alienation to moments of bliss
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Review: Lucy Pearman: Lunartic
Surprisingly polite hijinks from the frequently brilliant absurdist comic
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Review: Up! by Visible Fictions
All-ages show does a lot with a little
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Review: Another Sight
An immersive piece of theatre in the dark
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Review: Scaramouche Jones
Fringe veteran Thom Tuck revives clown in Justin Butcher’s 20-year-old play
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Review: Anthem for Dissatisfaction
An electrifying reminder of the power of music in trying times
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Review: Joe Kent-Walters is Frankie Monroe: DEAD!!! (Good Fun Time)
‘Yorkshire’s biggest bastard’ returns from the dead for more dishonest fun
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Review: Sinead Walsh: Bye Bye Baby
Warmly delivered tales of navigating growing pains
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Burt Williamson: 104kg of Pure Banter
Cantankerous third hour from off-beat contrarian comic
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Review: SKYE: A Thriller
Sophisticated suspense story from debut playwright Ellie Keel
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Review: James Trickey: Don’t Count On Me
Impressive debut from chartered accountant turned stand up
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Review: She’s Behind You
Scottish panto royalty Johnny McKnight dissects and celebrates the artform
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Review: David’s One-Man Band (F*ck You, Steven)
Musical character comedy that is an ode to mid-noughties emo
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Review: Prashasti Singh: Divine Feminine
A compelling, drily delivered exploration of polite society with enigmatic charm
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Interview: Michelle Wolf
Back at the Fringe with two Netflix specials, a podcast and an infamous White House Correspondents’ Dinner appearance in tow, Emmy-nominated comedian Michelle Wolf explains why it’s better to be unfiltered
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Review: Ali Brice Presents Eric Meat Gets the Chop
Ali Brice dusts off the suit and tie and returns to his absurdist alter-ego
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Review: Kate Dolan: The Critic
A wild assault of jokes, voices, act outs and asides
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Review: Rosa Garland: Primal Bog
Nonsensical but endearing merging of clowning and comedic performance art
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Review: Liam Withnail: Big Strong Boy
Tale of leaving home makes for delicately balanced stand-up with huge laughs
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Gilded Balloon: 40 Years of Funny
As Edinburgh institution Gilded Balloon celebrates its 40th anniversary, some famous faces of decades past write their own love letter to the venue that helped launch so many careers
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Review: Jordan Gray: Is That a C*ck in Your Pocket, or Are You Just Here to Kill Me?
With expectations sky high, Gray stylishly rides out her second rodeo
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The Master’s Perfect Day
A vampire’s guide to enjoying a da– er, night out at the Fringe
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Review: Jumper Bumps
Feminist two-hander is well acted but over-written
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Review: Ismael Loutfi: Heavenly Baba
A hilarious and confident debut from the Floridian comic
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Review: Alana Jackson: Last Orders
Confident hour of observational stand-up
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Review: Mind How You Go
Warm, whimsical but frustratingly scattered musical hour
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Liam Withnail’s Dagenham to Edinburgh Mixtape
Featuring Blood Orange, Billy Bragg, The Proclaimers and more
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Review: Liz Guterbock: Nice
Self-reflective tale of being American in the UK
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Review: Stuart Laws Is Stuck
A brain scrambling kinda-whodunnit from the Fringe veteran
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Kids Review: The Listies: Make Some Noise
Edie, seven, enjoys laughing with The Listies
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Kids Review: The Flying Bubble Show
A mesmerising display of bubbles
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Kids Review: Mr Sleepybum’s Dream Machine
Alvie, four, has a great time with Mr Sleepybum
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Review: Paldem
Writing with the electric chemistry and quickfire wit of a great romcom
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Review: Ozzy Algar: Speed Queen
An ode to Britain’s faded camp glamour set in the Isle of Wight’s last surviving launderette
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Recipe For Success: Polenta with Carne De Sol
What’s in the Kitchen chef Alejandro Huerta offers up a recipe for a dish that captures the essence of Brazil
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Review: Amazons
A trenchant critique of the silencing of women’s voices
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Review: AETHER
Ambitious hour that celebrates the dizzying, vertiginous joy of the unknown
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Review: Josie Long: Now is the Time of Monsters
Long is on terrific form with a deceptively rousing prehistory show
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Review: Circa: Wolf
Exceptional creativity performed with unmatched skill
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Review: Pigs Fly Easy Ryan
Anarchic side-swipe at climate offenders is an energetic oddity
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Interview: Toussaint Douglass
Cover story: Arriving in Edinburgh for his Fringe debut, Toussaint Douglass talks about being an introvert and why he’ll never be a beanie hat comedian
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Review: Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence
Contemporary spin on Shakespeare’s Macbeth trades in the battlefield for the netball court
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Review: Jaz Mattu: Everyone is Here
A headscratcher that blurs the line between deadpan comedy and performance art
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Review: Scatter: A Horror Play
A florid script with a mixture of sinister folklore and contemporary male anxiety
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Review: Eric Rushton: Innkeeper
Midlander finds dark emotional truth in despair
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Review: Chat Sh*t, Get Hit
Warmly rousing interrogation of female rage
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Review: Caitriona Dowden: Dance Like Everyone’s Dancing
A comic with a charmingly idiosyncratic worldview
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Review: Sibet Partee: Behind
Tale of Tudor obsession is lightly plotted but delivered with gusto
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Review: Douglas Widick: Paperclip
Charming and bizarre nostalgia ride through early internet culture
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Review: The Horse of Jenin
Comedian and theatre maker Alaa Shehada presents his poignant story with irresistible warmth
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Review: A Drag is Born
Edu Díaz’s show is a fun, if underpowered, drag origin story
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Review: BITCH
One of the most committed and acerbic performers at this year’s festival
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Review: The Queen is Mad
An impeccably polished musical theatre three-hander
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Review: Standing in the Shadows of Giants
An intriguing autobiographical portrait of having a superstar sibling
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Review: Betty Grumble’s Enemies of Grooviness Eat Sh!t
A statement of power, collective catharsis and radical joy
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Review: Consumed
Birthday party-set play is heightened and heavy on cliché
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Review: Jain Edwards: She-Devil
The Welsh-born, Manchester-based comedian combines reality and fiction in an offbeat hour of stand-up
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Review: Laura Davis: Despair is Beneath Us
The Edinburgh-based Australian’s latest is a densely crafted stand-up hour
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Review: Lost Lear
An accomplished, slippery production by Dan Colley that goes beyond the classic
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Review: Molly McGuinness: Slob
An affable and warm debut hour
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Review: Hasan Al-Habib: Death to the West (Midlands)
Infectiously effusive hour from the Birmingham comic
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Review: How to Kill a Mouse
A witty and moving debut hour from American stand-up Alex Berr
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Review: Seymour Mace Does Things With Stuff
An hour of wacky, oddball prop comedy
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Review: Twonkey’s Zip Wire to Zanzibar
A slice of pure unsullied anything-goes Fringe
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Review: Dan Tiernan: All In
The award-nominated stand-up continues to excel at the long range bait and switch
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Review: Fisherman Jon: What’s on the End of My Rod? A Clown Odyssey
Multifaceted costumes and props make for an endearing clown-odyssey
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Review: Karen Houge: DREAMGIRL
A burlesque show about collective mistrust that is somewhat misjudged
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Review: Phil Green: A Broken Man’s Guide to Fixing Others
A stand-up hour full of class, heart and laughs, but which could do with paring back
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Review: PHILOSOPHY OF THE WORLD
A brilliantly bonkers, metatextual and high-octane take on outsider artists The Shaggs
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Review: Woody Fu: One Man John Wick
Goofy paean to the ultra-violent action series
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Review: Christopher Macarthur-Boyd: Howling at the Moon
A solid return for the Glasgow comic that revels in self-deprecation
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Review: Cabbage the Clown: Cinemadrome
Debut hour of skilful clownery and queer joy
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Review: Saaniya Abbas – Hellarious
An exploration of sinful actions and cultural taboos
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Review: Dreamscape
A work of hip-hop theatre that is a powerful piece of writing
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Review: Krystal Evans: A Star is Burnt
An inspiring survival tale about years in hospitality
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Review: Holly Spillar: Tall Child
Engaging musical comedy with an otherworldly charm
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Review: Sooz Kempner is Ugly
After experiencing a tidal wave of mediocre insults online, Sooz Kempner concludes that if you need a job done well, you might as well do it yourself
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Review: How To Win Against History
A slick musical comedy jam-packed with gags and wordplay
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Review: Hypnotist Matt Hale – Funbelievable! 90s Rewind
With the charismatic Matt at the helm, this enjoyable all-ages throwback will appeal to the cynics and believers alike
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Review: Space Hippo
A striking feat of artistry, Space Hippo’s lack of structure nevertheless leaves it feeling a little dull
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Review: Bella Hull: Doctors Hate Her
Hull returns to the Fringe, signature sarcasm and mischievous misdirection in tow
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Review: Ayo Adenekan: Black Mediocrity
An incredibly impressive debut hour from the Edinburgh comic
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Review: Helen Bauer: Bless Her
A commanding, hilarious stand-up hour with pathos to boot
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Review: The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave
A relentless feat of endurance from New Zealand choreographers Oli Mathiesen, Lucy Lynch and Sharvon Mortimer
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Review: Sam Nicoresti: Baby Doomer
A blistering, cathartic and vivid exploration of the trans experience
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Review: Nick Hornedo: Watch This When You Get Home
This tale of teenage crushes has lots of potential, but blows it by burying the lead
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Review: THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME.
This compelling love-story is brought to life by a pair of magnetic performances
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Review: Jonny Woo: Suburbia
Suburbia is a rip-roaring hour of cabaret, memoir and drag from the London stalwart
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Review: KINDER
Reflections on drag, family and kindness make up Ryan Stewart’s complex and graceful show
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Review: I Dream in Colour
A semi-autobiographical, solo snapshot raising questions of bodily autonomy
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Review: Jodie Sloan: Is She Hot?
A unique social media experience is the catalyst for Jodie Sloan’s creative debut
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Kids Review: The Box Show
Three seven-year-olds – Oran, Alba and Roo – share their thoughts on Junkyard Beats’ high energy musical extravaganza
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Review: Mary O’Connell: Dilly Dally
With easy charisma, Mary O’Connell delivers a tightly woven hour about late-twenties growing pains
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Kids Review: Olaf Falafel’s Stupidest Super Stupid Show
Oran and Roo, both seven, are delighted by the sheer volume of poo jokes
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Review: MADONNA ON THE ROCKS
One-woman musical exploring post-partum depression
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Review: Dan Rath: Tropical Depression
Strong joke-writing punctuates a self-conscious, low-energy hour
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Review: Nerds: The Bill Gates vs. Steve Jobs Comedy Musical
Big brash musical about the beginnings of the PC era
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Review: Cat Cohen: Broad Strokes
The Edinburgh Comedy Award winner returns with another tightly crafted hour
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Review: Derek Mitchell: Goblin
A pitch-black character comedy from Derek Mitchell that nails its period details
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Review: Sharon Wanjohi: In The House
The comedy writer brings her TV writing chops to the stage, with a debut that takes aim at the wellness industry
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Review: Rift
Gabriel Jason Dean’s play is an intriguing condemnation of liberal failure
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Review: Her Raving Mind
A gritty three-hander that is at times unfocused, but leaves a lasting impression
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Review: Pickled Republic
Sentient vegetables face the existential horror of their fast approaching sell-by date
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Review: Kevin James Doyle: Wild Card
An entertaining hour where the audience provides the prompts
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Review: Amy Mason: Behold!
Deadpan and intimate, Amy Mason’s unapologetic show recounts the comic’s absurd experience of being hacked
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Review: The Genesis
Copenhagen Collective’s Fringe debut is a crowd-pleasing spectacle
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Review: Lucky Tonight!
Afreena Islam-Wright looks back on her British-Bangladeshi upbringing via an interactive pub quiz-cum-theatre show
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Review: No Apologies
A defiant and arresting show from Emma Frankland about wishful thinking
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Review: Kit Loyd: Frenzy
Kit Loyd puts in a committed performance, but strong execution fails to lift his derivative mime show
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Review: Lorna Rose Treen: 24 Hour Diner People
The character comedian outdoes her previous show with another slick hour that blends cringe humour with surrealism
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Review: Relay
Smart and sharp punk musical comedy from writer Leila Navabi
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Review: Andrew Doherty: Sad Gay AIDS Play
Andrew Doherty’s satirical play-within-a-play sends up the nature of arts council funding in the UK
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Review: Women in Socks and Sandals
Feats of physicality uplift this wordless show from Denmark, which is in need of a stronger through line
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Review: Dylan Adler: Haus of Dy-lan
Dylan Adler’s delightfully campy, autobiographical hour is just slightly curtailed by over-ambition
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Review: PALESTINE: PEACE DE RESISTANCE
Irish-Palestinian comic Sami Abu Wardeh’s densely layered Fringe comeback roars with defiance
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Review: Voyeur / Samba and Love
São José dos Campos Dance Company brings us a striking double bill which captivates and inspires
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Review: Thor Stenhaug: One Night Stand Baby
Norwegian comedian Thor Stenhaug’s cheerful standup is a welcome dose of positivity
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Review: Red Like Fruit
A captivating and challenging 75 minutes from Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch
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Review: Toussaint Douglass: Accessible Pigeon Material
A brilliant and relatable debut exploring generational weirdness
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Review: Cerys Bradley’s Queer Tales for Autistic Folk
With more structure, Cerys Bradley’s relaxed show about an adult autism diagnosis could become something special
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Review: Old God
There’s something in Alec Jones-Turjillo’s garrulous period pantomime. Maybe too much, in fact
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Review: Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares
A cathartic, confessional and self-deprecating hour from the Tony Award winner
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Review: Chunky Jewellery
Nuts and touching in equal measure, longtime friends Natasha Gilmore and Jude Williams deliver a bittersweet delight
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Review: Zainab Johnson: Toxically Optimistic
A confident hour of solo stand-up from the American comic
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Review: Champions
A reflective and meditative portrait that provides an outline of dysfunction
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Kids Review: Treeeeee
Emmy, four-and-a-half years old, has a good laugh alongside her grown-ups
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Kids Review: Once Upon A Flowerbed
Emmy, four-and-a-half years old, makes some new friends
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Sound of São Paulo Mixtape
The choreographer and dancers behind Voyeur / Samba and Love – part of the São Paulo Showcase – each pick a song from Brazil that inspires them
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Review: jessica aszkenasy: TITCLOWN
A delightfully bizarre hour of clowning and breast-based comedy
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Review: #CHARLOTTESVILLE
A passionate and stirring docudrama from Priyanka Shetty
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Review: John Tothill: This Must Be Heaven
For Tothill heaven is a place on earth, and that place is his sofa with a Rustler’s burger in hand
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Farah Saleh
Farah Saleh’s Balfour Reparations examines the UK’s colonial legacy in Palestine, using a mix of speculative choreography and Afrofuturism
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Interview: Peter Richardson on The Comic Strip
The writer and director of the cult-classic Comic Strip films explains what audiences can expect from the exclusive screenings at the Fringe
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Interview: All Together Now
Writer/performer Oliver Ayres, Ghent-based company Ontroerend Goed and NYC’s Dutch Kills Theater present shows that blur the boundaries between audience and performer with care and compassion
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Review: Ben Pope: The Cut
Charisma abounds in Ben Pope’s personal and endearingly breathless comeback hour
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Review: Chokeslam
A detailed, unfiltered one-woman dive into pro-wrestling interwoven with personal insights
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Interview: The Unlikely Friendship and The Mequetrefo
Circus for children needn’t be “glorified childcare”. Fest speaks to two artistically interesting shows aimed at kids but that can be enjoyed by anyone
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Review: Grace Mulvey: Did You Hear We’re All Going To Die?
The Irish comic dances around big subject matter in this follow-up to her debut
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Review: Michelle Brasier: It’s a Shame We Won’t Be Friends Next Year
Another warm and affecting hour of music and storytelling from one of Australia’s finest
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Interview: Cat Cohen on Broad Strokes
Cat Cohen suffered a stroke in 2023, which ended up derailing her Fringe run. Here, the Edinburgh Comedy Award winner talks about coming back with her most personal show yet
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Sutara Gayle (Hackney Showroom)
Powered by high-octane musical numbers, The Legends of Them chronicles Sutara Gayle’s singular, extraordinary life. She answers a few of our questions
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Interview: Local Heroes
Comedians Jack Traynor, Ayo Adenekan, Amanda Hursy and Hannah Morton on what to expect from their inaugural hours
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Interview: Circa’s Yaron Lifschitz and Wright&Grainger
At the Fringe and EIF, two productions take on the classical myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, but in two very different ways
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Review: Lou Wall: Breaking the Fifth Wall
The Aussie comic takes on the very nature of stand-up with more meme-heavy musical comedy
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Interview: Nick Nikolaou and Tommy Small
The two artists explain the importance of placing queer joy at the heart of their Fringe shows
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Interview: Crash Theatre Company, Crow Theatre and Song of the Goat
The three companies discuss their new interpretations of Shakespeare
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Lucy McIlgorm
Lucy McIlgorm, one of the stars of Refuse, gives us the rundown on the drama inspired by real stories from Ukraine and shortlisted for BBC Radio 4
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Natasha Gilmore (Barrowland Ballet)
Natasha Gilmore, Artistic Director of Barrowland Ballet, presents two shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year – Chunky Jewellery and Wee Man
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Sam Kissajukian
In 2021, Sam Kissajukian quit stand-up to become a painter. Four years later, he tells us about his new show 300 Paintings
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Interview: Thanyia Moore on August
Returning to the Fringe for the first time since her ill-fated debut, Thanyia Moore reflects on the importance of finding levity in moments of trauma
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Interview: Indra Wilson and Róisín Sheridan-Bryson
With shows that centre LGBTQ+ experience, Indra Wilson and Róisín Sheridan-Bryson explain how queer theatre is the future of the Fringe
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Interview: Lomond Campbell, K Mak and Wet Hands
The artists discuss the audio-visual projects they’re bringing to the Fringe
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Interview: Thinking Funny
So You Think You’re Funny? alumni give us the lowdown on their must-see comics at this year’s Fringe
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: SERAFINE1369
IV (4) by SERAFINE1369 – part of the Here and Now showcase – considers cycles, time, divination and decomposition through dance and choreographed performance
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Interview: Su Mi and Cabbage the Clown
Two acts from the BIGHEAD Comedy roster explain why they’ve found a liberating home at the alternative company
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Interview: Mairi Campbell
As she prepares to perform her acclaimed Pendulum Trilogy in its entirety for the first time, Mairi Campbell talks through the process involved in bringing the shows together
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Interview: Hannah Moscovitch, Kylie Westerbeck and fish in a dress
Three shows explore consent, complicity and control when it comes to women’s bodies
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Interview: Francesca Moody
The producer discusses this year’s Shedinburgh programme and the ethos behind the project
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The Cycling Man’s Guide to Cycling in Edinburgh
Kathy Maniura’s deeply flawed, lycra-clad Cycling Man takes us around Edinburgh on a bike
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Interview: Narin Oz and Ria Lina
Comedians Narin Özenci and Ria Lina discuss how autism can be viewed through different lenses in the same genre
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Nicola Meighan’s Guide to Edinburgh’s Music
The BBC broadcaster and A Kick Up The Arts host takes us around Edinburgh via its music
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Interview: Elisabeth Gunawan and Alfrun Rose
The two creatives discuss how their theatre shows interrogate the possibilities and limits of AI technology
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Interview: Urooj Ashfaq & Joe Kent-Walters
It’s one of comedy’s biggest breaks, but what happens when you‘re nominated for – and win – Edinburgh’s Best Newcomer award? Back with hotly-anticipated follow-up shows, Urooj Ashfaq (2023) and Joe Kent-Walters (2024) break it down
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Frazier Bailey
The Strangewife director answers our questions on the debut production of the play, with its Yorgos Lanthimos-style blend of gallows humour and drama
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Ad Infinitum
George Mann and Ramesh Meyyappan, co-creators of Ad Infinitum’s Last Rites, answer our questions about the show, which is part of the Here & Now Showcase
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Interview: Joe Tracini
Joe Tracini discusses the value of honesty, life with BPD and the five-year journey to his Fringe show
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Alana Jackson’s Guide to Drinking in Edinburgh
The So You Think You’re Funny? 2024 winner gives us the lowdown on her favourite watering holes in the city
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Interview: Betty Grumble & Suhui Hee
Placing the body at the centre of their art, Betty Grumble and Suhui Hee explore how it becomes a tool for performance, activism, pleasure and more
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Interview: Welcome to the Fringe, Palestine
With Welcome to the Fringe, Palestine arriving at Portobello Town Hall this August, festival co-organiser Sara Shaarawi tells us more about the vital showcase
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A Day at the Fringe with Miriam Margolyes
As she returns to Edinburgh with more Dickens and more characters, the iconic actress and author takes us through a typical day at the Fringe
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Lorna Rose Treen’s Guide to Edinburgh Dining
The character comedian gives us a whistle-stop tour of her favourite dining spots in the city
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Interview: Jordan Gray
Hot off the heels of her hit ITV2 comedy Transaction, Jordan Gray talks about her return to the Fringe and her commitment to clowning
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Interview: Let’s Talk About Sex
Comedian Chloe Petts, podcast duo Poppy Jay and Rubina Pabani, and playwright Jules Coyle on inclusive discussions about sex on stage
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Opinion: We Need to Talk About Pelvic Floor Health
Amy Veltman, the NYC comedian and performer behind PSA: Pelvic Service Announcement, is on a mission to destigmatise pelvic floor health
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Edinburgh Fringe 2025 – Top Picks: Kids
From turning movement into music to dazzling aerial delights, there’s something for every young festival lover
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Edinburgh Fringe 2025 – Top Picks: Dance and Circus
Immerse yourself into worlds of imaginative storytelling, from Afrofuturist performance to the migration of birds
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Edinburgh Fringe 2025 – Top Picks: Music
This year’s music selection includes punk theatre, pop comedy musicals and a new gig series
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Edinburgh Fringe 2025 – Top Picks: Theatre
The best theatre at the Fringe, from eco-sexual rebellion to the history of panto
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Edinburgh Fringe 2025 – Top Picks: Comedy
From imposter syndrome to medieval saints, these comedy shows will have you in stitches
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Adapt and Thrive
Award-winning producer-turned-performer Mark Ashmore of Future Artists talks about his return to the Fringe with his new show, Rise of the Solar Punks – a one-hour performative lecture that turns hard climate data into a guerrilla call-to-action
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Alex Reynolds
In the Land of Eagles sees playwright Alex Reynolds take inspiration from her relationship with her grandfather, whose native Albania backdrops her Edinburgh debut
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David Elms Describes a Mixtape
Featuring Brian Eno, Jonathan Richman and more
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Eleanor Higgins
Two girls from opposite worlds are fated to meet in Eleanor Higgins’ powerful theatre piece set in the Noughties queer scene. She answers a few of our questions
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Space Hippo’s Interstellar Mixtape
Featuring David Bowie, The Byrds, Leonard Nimoy and more
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Derek Mitchell’s Emo Mixtape
Featuring My Chemical Romance, Green Day, blink-182 and more
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: World’s Greatest Lover
The creative team behind the musical World’s Greatest Lover come together to answer our burning questions
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Rose Coogan
Ros + Bud is the heartfelt and heartbreaking tale of transitioning in Northern Ireland. We put some questions to its creator Rose Coogan
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Opinion: In LA, We Talk About the Fringe Like It’s Narnia
Ahead of her debut, US comedian Laurie Magers gives us the Los Angeles perspective on the festival as a fabled, fairytale place
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Hayley Edwards
Hayley Edwards describes their debut Edinburgh show as ‘Fleabag but about Crohn’s Disease’. We speak to them about their path from hapless drama graduate to critical acclaim in their home country of Australia
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Suzy Crothers
Northern Irish actor and playwright Suzy Crothers tells us about Troubled, ‘a tale of love, death, and division – told with tea and biscuits’
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Saeed Hani (Hani Dance)
The story of Romulus and Remus provides the springboard for Hani Dance’s enchanting production of Inlet, an immersive performance from Luxembourg
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Jammz’s Blaze FM Mixtape
Featuring Wiley, Dizzee Rascal, JME and more
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: David Ian
David Ian’s viral crowdwork clips have him wondering ‘Am I Mean?’. We speak to the comedian about the show
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Lewis Ian Bray (Cartoonopolis)
Cartoonopolis, the hit one-man show from Lewis Ian Bray, is back after a decade. He talks to us about the new-and-improved production
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Jessie Nixon
The self-professed ‘mentally ill, lapsed Catholic’ comedian is putting it all out there in her confessional stand-up hour
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Ismael Loutfi
A stand-up for 15 years, Ismael Loutfi is doing something he’s never done before with Heavenly Baba: A deeper, more complex hour-long reflection on his roots
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Toby Thompson
Toby Thompson tells us about his stage adaptation of The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beloved family classic
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Michael Elsener
The award-winning Swiss comic brings his off-beat stand-up to the Fringe for the first time. He answers a few of our burning questions
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Laurie Stevens’ Teen Angst Mixtape
Featuring Green Day, My Chemical Romance, Nirvana and more
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Patrick McPherson
One half of sketch duo Pear, Patrick McPherson returns to the Fringe with a solo horror play about a man travelling to a Welsh village to scatter his father’s ashes
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Laura Benanti
The Tony Award-winner tells us all about her comedy show which contends with her people-pleasing personality
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Sam Jay
The American comedian and writer chats ahead of her Fringe debut
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Tom Bailey (Mechanimal)
Tom Bailey, one half of Mechanimal, answers questions about their new show Wild Thing!, a sequel to 2019’s Vigil
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Dylan Adler’s Queer Villain Mixtape
Featuring Andrew Lloyd Webber, Taylor Swift, Kim Petras and more
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Edinburgh Fringe Q&A: Jules Chan
Jules Chan tells us about his work of autobiographical diaspora fiction: a solo show about a Filipino boy growing up in Britain
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Jay Eddy’s Road Trip Mixtape
Featuring Garbage, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Donna Summer and more
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Nathan Jonathan’s Y2K Mixtape
Featuring Cascada, DJ Otzi, The Kooks and more

















