By Donna Richardson
Edinburgh is buzzing during the summer, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is one of the highlights of the year. The hilly capital city attracts thousands of tourists every summer, and excitement is mounting for this year’s event, which takes place from 1 to 25 August. As the world’s largest performance arts festival, which sold 2.6 million tickets last year, it is one of the greatest platforms for creative freedom. Comedy and theatre here are some of the best in the world. Here is a quick round-up of some of the shows coming to you during the festival,
What’s on
COMEDY
Comedy: ADAM RICHES & JOHN KEARNS ARE: Ball & Boe (UK)
Edinburgh Comedy Award-winners Adam Riches and John Kearns bring their critically acclaimed show Ball & Boe to the Edinburgh Fringe for three nights only. Following a double sell-out at Soho Theatre, and being one of the best-reviewed comedy shows of 2024, this show takes two icons of the light entertainment industry and brings them together to play Michael Ball and Alfie Boe.
“If I could have gone back straight afterwards to see it again I would have” ★★★★★ The Times
Pleasance Courtyard (Grand) | 23:00, 14th, 15th & 16th August | 23:00 | TICKET LINK
Comedy: CRYBABIES: THE SCARING (UK)
From Francesca Moody Productions, the Olivier Award-winning company behind Fleabag and Baby Reindeer, comes The Scaring – a horror-comedy sketch show from Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominees Crybabies. Set in a “definitely-not-haunted” hotel, this narrative show blends classic horror tropes with the trio’s signature mix of surreal characters, fast-paced role-swapping and theatrical mischief. Their most ambitious show yet, The Scaring combines slick visual storytelling with proudly DIY charm. “a cast-iron delight…Dear Lord, did it make me howl with laughter” ★★★★★ The Telegraph “highly impressive” ★★★★ The Guardian.
Pleasance Courtyard (Pleasance Two) | 30TH July – 25th August | 20:00 | TICKET LINK
Comedy: ELI MATTHEWSON: NIGHT TERROR (NZ)
After a string of break-ins left him increasingly paranoid, New Zealand comedian Eli Matthewson found himself at the centre of a bizarre domestic incident: his boyfriend tried to strangle him in his sleep, mistaking him for an intruder. Night Terror is a sharply observed, darkly funny exploration of anxiety, long-term relationships and the creeping fear that safety might be an illusion. ““He’d mop the floor with most of the recent Live At The Apollo box tickers and panel show space blockers “ ★★★★ Chortle
Pleasance Courtyard (Below) | 18:40 | 31st July – 25th August (not 12th) | TICKET LINK
#Comedy: MAX FULHAM: FULL OF HAM (UK)
Ventriloquist Max Fulham makes his Edinburgh Fringe debut with Full of Ham; a fast-paced blend of stand-up, sketch and surreal character comedy. Swapping traditional dummies for everyday objects, Fulham brings to life malfunctioning self-checkouts, intrusive thoughts and a talking slice of Billy Bear ham, in a show that puts a chaotic spin on classic ventriloquism. “Exceptionally talented,” Rowan Atkinson. “Skilled and quick-witted.” The Stage
Pleasance Courtyard (Cellar) | 30 July – 25 August (not 11th) | 18:40 | TICKET LINK
Comedy: MICHELLE BRASIER: IT’S A SHAME WE WONT BE FRIENDS NEXT YEAR (AUS)
Michelle Brasier brings her latest critically acclaimed solo show to the Fringe. a sharp, fast-paced mix of comedy and original music inspired by a throwaway comment from a Year 6 classmate that has stuck with her for decades. Again, joined onstage by real-life partner Tim Lancaster, Brasier explores the lingering power of words, class anxiety, and how we move on when something cuts deep – all delivered through stand-up, storytelling and powerhouse vocals. “Engagingly propulsive” ★★★★ The Times
“A standing ovation is as inevitable as death” ★★★★★ Chortle.
Gilded Balloon at the Museum | 30 July – 24 August (not 13th) | 19:30 | TICKET LINK
Comedy: JOHN TOTHILL: THIS MUST BE HEAVEN (UK)
After deliberately contracting malaria in a clinical trial to fund last year’s Fringe run, John went on to five performances before his appendix unexpectedly burst while he was live on stage leaving him 24 hours from fatal sepsis. After over a week in hospital, like Lazarus he returned at the end, to complete the final few nights of the run. This year he’s back with a new show, hopefully with all of his organs intact. This Must Be Heaven is a whip-smart, self-deprecating hour about bodily betrayal, moral misadventure and the quiet dignity of being fundamentally unsuited to physical life. Erudite, effervescent and gloriously tangential, Tothill’s style blends highbrow nonsense with genuine insight and warmth.
Pleasance Courtyard (Beneath) | 30 July – 24 August (not 12th) | 21:00 | TICKET LINK /
Comedy: JESSICA ASZKENASY: TITCLOWN (UK)
Part absurdist clown show, part feminist performance art, TITCLOWN is a bold solo debut from Gaulier-trained performer Jessica Aszkenasy. Dismantling the male gaze while topless in heels, she uses deadpan comedy, audience provocation and body-part painting to interrogate femininity, authority and the performance of art itself. A charged, darkly funny exploration of power, gender, and what it means to be looked at.
Assembly Roxy (Snug Bar) | 30 July – 24 August (not 13th) | 22:20 | TICKET LINK
Comedy: THE BRITPOP HOUR (UK)
2025 marks 30 years since the Blur vs Oasis chart battle. Award-winning comedian and music journalist Marc Burrows presents The Britpop Hour, a stand-up deep-dive into the music, personalities and politics of one of Britain’s most chaotic cultural movements. Blending jokes, commentary and archival clips, Burrows traces the rise and fall of Britpop with the insight of someone who was there. Marc is also the creator of The Magic of Terry Pratchett, one of the best-reviewed shows of the Edinburgh Fringe 2023.
“Utterly joyful enthusiasm and complete lack of cynicism… possibly the coolest act at the Fringe” ★★★★★ Broadway Baby
Underbelly Bristo Square (Dairy Room) | 30 July – 25 August (not 11th) | 18:10 | TICKET LINK
Comedy: WILL OWEN: LOOKING FAB AT FIFTY (UK)
Following a breakout year with a sell-out Soho Theatre run and one of the best-reviewed shows at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024, Will Owen returns to the Fringe with Looking Fab at Fifty; a candid, clever hour about performance, connection, loneliness, emotional avoidance and letting go of the pressure to be unique. Owen unpacks what happens when queerness stops feeling exceptional and why relatability might be enough. It’s a funny, fearless slow-motion epiphany.
“If you see one stand-up comedy show this Fringe, see this one.” ★★★★★ Broadway Baby
Assembly Roxy (RoxyBoxy) | 30 July – 24 August (not 12th) | 20:30 | TICKET LINK
Comedy: COMEDIANS ON STAGE AUDITIONING FOR MUSICALS (AUS)
Michelle Brasier and Chloe Petts bring hit Melbourne late night comedy show ‘Comedians on Stage Auditioning for Musicals’ to the Fringe for the first time – a part-improv, part-musical theatre showcase where guest comics put their reputations on the line by belting out show tunes for a fictional amateur dramatics society. With Petts and Brasier presiding as ex-lovers and co-artistic directors, each performance features a new cast, chaotic auditions, and merciless feedback. Previous guest performers include Flo & Joan, Broden Kelly and Two Hearts. “A thoroughly enjoyable hour of comedy and musicals, elevated by incredible talent” – Stage Whispers.
Gilded Balloon At Appletown Tower (Bramley) | 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd August | 22:30 | TICKET LINK
Comedy: JAMES BARR: SORRY I HURT YOUR SON (SAID MY EX TO MY MUM) (UK)
Domestic abuse isn’t funny but this show is. When James’s ex sent his mum a Christmas card that read ‘Sorry I hurt your son’, it triggered a journey of healing, stand-up and storytelling. A critically-acclaimed dark, funny and moving account of queer domestic abuse. Part stand up, part one-man show, this powerful hour blends biting humour with raw honesty to confront shame and survival. “Confronting and funny… A burgeoning storyteller” ★★★★ The List
Underbelly George Square (Buttercup) | 30 July – 24 August (not 12 Aug) | 20:15 | TICKET LINK
THEATRE & DANCE
Theatre: BETTY GRUMBLE’S ENEMIES OF GROOVINESS EAT SH!T (AUS)
Betty Grumble (Emma Maye Gibson) brings a new Fringe debut to Edinburgh; a wild, genre-defying performance blending cabaret, ritual theatre and political protest. Drawing on personal experience of intimate partner violence and the court case that followed, Grumble transforms grief into a collective, full-bodied act of resistance and release. Visceral, cathartic and often darkly funny, the show explores the body as a site of power, protest and ecstatic joy.
“Humane, life-affirming and important.” ★★★★★ Time Out (on Love and Anger (or Sex Clown Saves the World Again!)
Assembly Roxy (Upstairs) | 30th July –24th August (not 6th, 12th, 19th August) | 21:15pm | TICKET LINK
Theatre: CONFESSIONS OF A REDHEADED COFFEE SHOP GIRL (CAN)
Rebecca Perry’s Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl returns to the Edinburgh Fringe for a special 10th anniversary run. This internationally toured solo show follows anthropology graduate Joanie Little as she studies her café customers like wild animals in an urban jungle. Blending character comedy, sharp storytelling and jazz-infused musical numbers, Perry brings to life over 20 characters in a show about connection, ambition and finding meaning in the daily grind.
“Perry has a gorgeous jazz voice, capable of Cole Porteresque perkiness and soulful richness” Broadway Baby ★★★★
Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose (Doonstairs) | 30th July – 25th August (not 6th 13th, 20th August | 7:30pm | TICKET LINK
Theatre: HOLD THE LINE (UK)
Inspired by real-life experience on the NHS 111 frontline, Hold the Line is a gripping two-hander set over the course of one nightmare shift in a London call centre. Written and performed by Sam Macgregor, the show explores the unseen strain on healthcare call handlers as they juggle human lives, targets and relentless institutional pressure. Blending sharp humour with first-hand insight, this fast-paced play shines a light on a vital, often invisible part of the NHS and reveals what it means to carry the trauma of strangers — without time for pause or reflection.
“One of the best pieces of drama I have seen in a while” ★★★★★ Fairy Powered Productions (for Truly Madly Baldly)
Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker Two) | 30 July – 25 August (not 18th) | 16:25 | TICKET LINK
Dance/Physical Theatre: IMAGO (CAN)
Created and choreographed by married couple and former Cirque du Soleil lead artists Gabrielle Martin and Jeremiah Hughes, Imago is a duet blending aerial circus and contemporary dance to explore connection, risk and release. Performed by Eowynn and Isak Enquist; also a married duo, on a custom rope-loop apparatus, the show fuses physical precision with emotional depth and breathtaking technicality. This is the latest work from Corporeal Imago, winners of the Isadora Award for Choreography.
“A dark, quietly riveting gem of aerial drama” ★★★★ The List (for Limb(e)s)
Assembly Roxy (Central) | 30 July – 24 August (not 6, 11, 18) | 13:00 | assemblyfestival.com | TICKET LINK
Theatre: ROTUS: RECEPTIONIST OF THE UNITED STATES (IRE)
In ‘ROTUS: Receptionist of the United States’, queer Irish-American comedian Leigh Douglas plays Chastity Quirke – a rising Republican aide whose faith in the system begins to crack. Blending political satire, theatre and stand-up, the show explores the role of conservative women in upholding patriarchal power. Inspired by real-life figures like Cassidy Hutchinson (the former aide to President Trump’s White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, who testified against the president regarding the January 6th Capitol attack) and Alyssa Farah (Trump’s former assistant), ROTUS is a sharp, darkly funny portrait of loyalty, ambition, and the courage to break ranks.
“Left me utterly mesmerised… it ended with me smiling from ear to ear at just what a revelation it was.” ★★★★ Everything Theatre (for Sacrament)
Gilded Balloon Patter House (Snug) | 30 July – 24 August | 15:40 | TICKET LINK
Theatre: SARIA CALLAS (UK)
Sara Amini’s ‘Saria Callas’ is a bold solo show about voice, repression and gender identity – tracing one woman’s journey from girlhood in Tehran, where it’s illegal for women to sing in public, to motherhood in London. Blending pop, poetry and multimedia, the show explores what it means to raise your voice and how to support your child’s freedom when your own has been denied.
“witty yet serious and sometimes sobering rhetoric [from] such a warm, interesting and engaging character.” ★★★★ London Theatre1
Underbelly Cowgate (BellyButton) | 12–24 August | 20:50 | TICKET LINK
Theatre: SCARAMOUCHE JONES (UK)
On Millennium Eve, a 100-year-old clown steps offstage and begins to speak, for the first time in fifty years. Epic, tragic and darkly funny, Scaramouche Jones is a haunting solo play by Justin Butcher, performed by Fringe favourite Thom Tuck (Penny Dreadfuls, Horrible Histories). First staged by Tuck in 2005 and again in 2015, this marks the third in a planned once-a-decade revival until he’s one hundred, or dead. “Always a captivating performer… to this near-poetry Tuck gave glorious voice” ★★★★ Observer
Hoots at Potterrow (Big Yurt) | 1–25 August (not 11th) | 14:45 | TICKET LINK
Theatre: SINGLE USE (UK)
Only 9% of plastic is recycled globally and 2 million plastic bags are used every minute.
Blending personal storytelling with biting social commentary, Single Use unpicks the uncomfortable relationship between personal responsibility and environmental collapse. It’s a comic solo play about climate guilt, plastic recycling, emotional avoidance, and the deeply modern confusion of wanting to do the right thing in a world built for convenience. Most of us feel a strong twinge of guilt every time we throw away single-use plastic – but many of us still do it, almost every day. So we recycle, we forget, we try again – and the planet keeps burning.
Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker Three) | 30th July – 25th August | 12:50pm | TICKET LINK
Theatre: THE FIT PRINCE (WHO GETS SWITCHED ON THE SQUARE IN THE FROSTY CASTLE THE NIGHT BEFORE (INSERT PUBLIC HOLIDAY HERE) (UK)
From the award-winning creators of Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story and Gwyneth Goes Skiing comes a gloriously unhinged, queer holiday romcom parody. The Fit Prince skewers every Netflix Christmas cliché in a riot of wedding cakes, camp chaos and original music by Golden Globe-nominated pop powerhouse Leland (Troye Sivan, Kylie, RuPaul’s Drag Race). Starring soon-to-be-married couple Linus Karp and Joseph Martin, it’s a playful takedown of heteronormative fairytales and a love letter to queer joy.“A whole new level of genius” ★★★★★ All That Dazzles (for Gwyneth Goes Skiing) “Absurd, camp, chaotic, and hilarious” – ★★★★★ Attitude (for Gwyneth Goes Skiing)
Pleasance Courtyard (Beyond) | 30 July – 25 August (not Tuesdays) | 16:40 | TICKET
Theatre: THE OTHER MOZART (US)
The story of Mozart’s forgotten sister, Nannerl Mozart who performed alongside him to equal acclaim. At aged 18, societal expectations stopped her career in its tracks. Women were not meant to perform professionally in public or compose music, instead expected to marry and have children. Her brother praised her compositions and encouraged her to keep writing music. Her father did not. None of her compositions survived. Set atop a giant dress that becomes both set and symbol,, this multi award-winning production is based on meticulous research and inspired by the Mozart family’s letters, ironically preserved by Nannerl. “Strikingly beautiful” The New York Times. “This is a gem of a show” The Stage
Assembly George Square Studios (Studio Two) | 30 July – 25 August (not 12th) | 13:45 | TICKET LINK
Theatre: YOUTH IN FLAMES (UK)
In March 2019 the government of Hong Kong proposed a bill that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China. Met with immense fear that this would not only undermine Hong Kong‘s independence, but also put its citizens and foreign nationals at risk of unfair trials and arbitrary detention in a brutal prison system, the people of Hong Kong took to the streets in peaceful protest. The police responded to the protests with violence. Written and performed by Mimi Martin – born in London and raised in Hong Kong – Youth In Flames explores identity, guilt, and what it means to speak out when silence feels safer. Blending techno, storytelling, and raw emotion, it captures the high-stakes intensity of youth activism in a city on the brink.
ZOO Playground | 1st–24th August | 19:00 | TICKET LINK
