News

Today, Thursday 09 May 2024, a new batch of shows to be staged at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe has been revealed. All show listings will be available on edfringe.com from 12:00 today.

browse and book tickets for 2024 shows

The 1,590 shows span many genres of the Fringe programme, including cabaret and variety; children’s shows; comedy; dance, physical theatre and circus; music; musicals and opera; spoken word; and theatre. They join the 1,647 shows revealed previously, resulting in a total of 3,237 shows so far.

The official Fringe programme launch will take place on Wednesday 12 June 2024.

Audience members are encouraged to start compiling their favourite shows and booking early to support artists, using the hashtag #UnleashYourFringe in the run-up to this year’s festival.

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “In the last release of shows before the full programme launch on 12 June, it’s an utter delight to see the range and quality of work that artists are bringing to the festival this year.

“In what is one of the festival’s most wide-ranging releases of shows to date, today’s announcement reflects a growing trend by artists to encourage audiences to book earlier than ever before. This latest reveal brings us one step closer to August, and I can’t wait for you all to get a chance to #UnleashYourFringe!”

Below is a small representative sample of shows available to book from today. The full list of shows so far can be found at edfringe.com from 12:00.

browse and book tickets for 2024 shows

Cabaret and variety

In artSpace@StMarks, Polish pianist Igor Lipinski presents a ‘one-of-a-kind show of piano and magic’ with Igor Lipinski's Piano Illusions, featuring flutist Anna Chenoweth Lipinski.

Travel back to the golden age of Hollywood with ‘intimate cabaret’ Victor’s Victoria in Assembly. Vocalist Victoria Mature uses music and movie clips inspired by Victor Mature's career to tell the story of what it was like growing up with Hollywood's original hunk as her father. Stay in 1954 with 1954: Ella, Etta, Eartha in Paradise Green, as Melissa Western and her musicians ‘pay tribute to this magnificent era in music and inspiring trio of pioneering singers.’

Head over to Brewhemia for Haus of Honky-Tonk, a ‘boot-scootin’ extravaganza... with rhinestone-clad performers and country classics galore.’

Surreal: The Mind-Reading Show From Berlin!, in C arts, combines ‘handmade vintage-style visuals with the strange skills of two savants’, exploring the ‘beauty of 1920s Berlin and a mystical childhood in Brazil.’ Continue the magic with Suhani Shah: Spellbound 2.0 in Underbelly, as ‘India's most famous mind-reader delves into the depths of mental mysteries, enthralling with surprises, laughter and interactive engagement’.

Join Chris Dinwoodie for ‘sleight-of-hand miracles, mesmerising mind reading’ and a ‘natural off-the-cuff sense of humour’ at Off the Cuff: Stand-Up Comedy Magic at Scottish Comedy Festival, and ‘unlock hidden Edinburgh and enjoy magic that’s fooled the greatest minds associated with the city’ at Edinburgh Magic at The Caledonian Edinburgh.

Immerse yourself in a ‘vibrant showcase of Chinese traditional culture’ at Chinese Culture Carnival at Central Hall. ‘Adults and children from diverse Chinese cities unite in a captivating performance, featuring music, dance and various artistic forms.’

Join Australia’s singing cook Michelle Pearson at Comfort Food Cabaret at the Edinburgh New Town Cookery School, where the ‘soulful songstress, her Aussie cooks and band serve up an evening of live music, cooking and comedy’. Meanwhile, at Le Wine Club at Gilded Balloon, cabaret performer and ‘qualified wine geek’ Anna Lou will ‘talk wine and let you in on her darkest secrets.’ Head to Ministry of Camp @ Monboddo for Drag Queen Wine Tasting, for ‘three delicious wines, low tone, a scrumptious pairing and a big fat singalong’ with Vanity von Glow and wine expert Beth Brickenden.

Mother Nature gives ‘Planet Earth a pep talk, rife with hot flashes, unresolved asteroid trauma, and still carrying a torch for those dead sexy dinosaurs’ in an original rock-comedy at Greenside @ George Street. At Pleasance, West End star Janie Dee ‘confronts the climate crisis, and celebrates our beautiful world, through song and spoken word’ in Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret.

On the Forth Floor Brasserie of Harvey Nichols Edinburgh, ‘experience the best of the Fringe with a complimentary glass of fizz’ at the Harvey Nichols Variety Show. Paradise Palms hosts the Paradise Palms Late-Night Cabaret, ‘an intoxicating blend of crushed red velvet, cuddly toys, neon, strong cocktails and loveable raucousness’.

‘Agent-extraordinaire’ Mitzi Fitz has two shows at Hootenannies: Mitzi Fitz (WIP) is the ‘wildest acting seminar you’ve ever attended’, while Mitzi Fitz's Glitzy Bitz offers ‘witty repartee, spectacular comedic and artistic prowess, and flawless production values’.

Gemma Caruana: Underwire at Just the Tonic uses comedy and song to guide you through ‘what it means to be cursed by what so many others desire’, after always ‘being identified by two big things: her incredible sense of humour and her massive jugs.’

Accordion Ryan's Pop Bangers will ‘cover artists from all across the pop music spectrum’ at Laughing Horse. Accordion Ryan will sing and ‘play your favourite songs like you've never heard them before’ plus a few of his own ‘hilarious tunes’.

At The Secret Room at Lauriston Castle, ‘three expert magicians animate the castle's intriguing past with stories, performances and illusions related to the history of Lauriston and her owners, including a High Court judge-cum-surreptitious alchemist, a gambler who nearly lost everything.’

Fans of Fringe veterans can head to PBH's Free Fringe to see A Young Man Dressed as a Gorilla Dressed as an Old Man Sits Rocking an a Rocking Chair for Fifty-Six Minutes and Then Leaves... At the Theatre Big Top, The Lady Boys of Bangkok – 25 Years of Fun Tour promises ‘the biggest floor fillers from your favourite music superstars, performed by the biggest showbiz divas in the world’.

‘A hodge-podge of comedians, clowns, and weirdos of every variety’, showcasing queer, neurodivergent and disabled performers, women, and performers of colour’, Mish Mash features a different lineup each night at Saint Stephen's Theatre, organized by autistic non-binary stand-up Andrew Frank.

Join The Honeys: The Retro Drag Girl Group of Your Dreams! at the Three Sisters for ‘a journey of a lifetime.’ Written by and starring Chanel O'Conor, Rujazzle and Sissy Scorpio, ‘expect glamour, shocking twists and all of your favourite songs from the 60s, 70s and 80s.’

At The Voodoo Rooms, Roxy Stardust: Songs in the Key of Glasgow asks audiences to join ‘Scotland’s own tartan tearaway as she attempts to stitch together the ramblings of an unapologetic Glaswegian into something which resembles a show.’ Meanwhile at theSpaceUK, Wild 'n' Free presents the ‘chequered showbiz career of Eddie Garrity, interspersed with songs from the new album Wild 'n' Free and anecdotes from early glam rock, punk to cabaret’.

Children's shows

At Assembly, meet Ventriloquist Queen: a True African Queen. Her Majesty Queen Angelique-Monet of Eti-Oni, Nigeria and her puppet Milk The Cow ‘host a historic vaudeville interactive theatre piece incorporating ventriloquism, music, storytelling, and comedy, celebrating Her Majesty's African and American heritage’.

Li Bai at C arts introduces us to ‘mischievous teenager Liu Songsong who travels back to the time of the Tang Dynasty where he saves a young Li Bai, forming a close friendship’. At Stockbridge Church, China-Style Youth Art Gala will be playing traditional music, ‘melding with Chinese youth vocals, dancing and Henan opera.’ At theSpaceUK, join Cantonese Opera x Children’s Interactive Theatre: Dic Dic Chang Chang Playground to ‘embark on an enchanting journey brimming with laughter, intrigue and the pure spirit of adventure – all while experiencing the beauty of Cantonese opera’. Little Companion Art Troupe: Beautiful Earth is at Venue150 at EICC, blending ‘dance, folk music, vocal music, western music and other art forms’, while at the same venue, Original Children's Drama Ancient Ship shows the ‘development of ancient Chinese culture through Shanghai archaeology’.

At Central Hall, the Castle Performing Arts Center will perform Seussical Jr with ‘lively songs, dances, and heartfelt lessons, taught through the words of Dr Seuss’. A Taste of Taskmaster Club at University of Edinburgh Old College ‘will set tasks that will test your skills of teamwork, problem-solving and creativity, all whilst having a whole lot of fun’.

Online, A Mist of Midges covers birth, family relationships, highland invasion, human intervention, the battle and the future of midge species across Scotland. Smithy's Scavenger Hunt at Panmure House teaches us ‘about the Scottish Enlightenment and its leading figures, and have a blast while doing it’. As part of ScotlandsFest, Meet Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie will take place at St Columba's by the Castle Scottish Episcopal Church, with author, storyteller and drama teacher Barbara Henderson offering ‘readings, games and interactive drama sure to ignite a love of Scotland's past in young and old alike’.

At the End of Kaliyuga at Laughing Horse, ‘the mighty Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva will decide the fate of our planet as we come to the end of the fourth and the final cycle (Yuga) of the universe’. With an original blend of traditional Indian dance and clowning, ‘we collectively address some of the most significant questions of our era’. Join A.L.Ex. ‘the fully autonomous improvising-comedy robot and The Improbots, a trio of comedian scientists as they explore the science of humour’ in A.L.Ex and The ImpRobots Present: An AI Show for Kids! at Gilded Balloon.

‘Get ready to experience the extraordinary as Willy Wonka's son, Andy Wonka, takes centre stage’ for Pure Imagination – A Willy Wonka Parody and Comedy Magic Show at Just the Tonic. Ancient Coins of Forgotten Kingdoms tells us about ancient coins, ‘rare, historical, often beautiful and sometimes funny’ at PBH's Free Fringe. At Pleasance, step into an ‘unforgettable family-friendly musical adventure that brings a slice of Australian sunshine to the stage’ with catchy lyrics and easy-to-follow dance moves at Uh Oh Spaghetti-Oh!

A Girl Called Grace at The Speakeasy at The Royal Scots Club follows Grace when her stepmother orders her to go to her aunty Baba Yaga, ‘a witch with iron teeth who lives in a peculiar hut and eats children’. At ZOO, Fernando and His Llama Friend tells the story of a ‘Deaf Colombian boy who moves to Canada… Upon meeting a deaf Llama, they bond and embark on a quest to reunite the Llama with its family, encountering communication barriers along the way.’ The show, in ASL with voice-over, features an all-deaf cast from Canada.

Comedy

From @everydaysametime, Michael Moses: Everyday takes to the stage at Alchemist Cocktail Bar and Restaurant with ‘the story of how easy it is to make friends from around the world and have restaurants remember your order.’

Kae Zar's From Mars is available to watch online, in which a ‘Martian philosopher and poet is sent to Earth to prevent the imminent occupation of Mars by Elon Musk.’ At Assembly, Ricky Sim returns with grief comedy An Asian Queer Story: Coming Out to Dead People on ‘growing up in the noughties, ways to keep his boyfriend (with Sean Paul's help) and means of acceptance’.

At Bedlam Theatre, Tom Whiston: The Dandy Daniels tells the story of ‘a barbershop singer kicked out of his quartet for stage-diving’, who ‘has to look elsewhere for barbershop fulfilment.’ Age Against the Machine is a ‘trawl through the bemused and bewildered mind of a middle-aged teenager coming to terms with aging, technology and reading glasses’ by Viv Gee at Boteco do Brasil.

Richard Wheatley returns to the Fringe with Am I Beautiful? at C arts, exploring the ‘challenges and trials of living as a blind man in a sighted world of fashion, beauty and aesthetics’. Renowned deaf comedian Gavin Lilley brings the Gavin Lilley Show to Deaf Action, sharing his experiences as a sign language user, traveller, and a weary father of three, bringing laughter to deaf and hearing audiences alike, with his performance interpreted into spoken English.

The Cripple Monologue at Laughing Horse is a ‘sit-down comedy performance by Saoirse Smith' talking about her ‘experiences as a disabled person, with guest comedians.’ Meanwhile at theSpaceUK, musical comedy Zac Zac Zoom: A Story of Wheels and (F)eels was ‘supposed to be about exploring life in a wheelchair, but Zac has something much eelier he'd like to talk about... comparing the lived experience of a disabled person to the life cycle of a freshwater eel’.

Troy Hawke returns with The Greeters Guild at Edinburgh Playhouse, charting his journey ‘into the orbit of the world’s biggest sporting figures, confusing Premiership footballers, being threatened by heavyweight boxers and improving the vocabulary of Formula 1 legends’. Anu Vaidyanathan is at Gilded Balloon with BC:AD – Before Children, After Diapers, ‘one mad, mommy's take on how the definitions of words change before and during motherhood’.

‘Anger is a perfectly normal emotion, but when Rage, Anger’s bitchier sister, enters the chat, suddenly everyone becomes a Buddhist monk. Which raises the question: when is it reasonable to lose your sh*t?’ At Count To Five at Greenside, Zamalisa ‘personifies her own memories to embark on an unhinged and laugh-packed exploration of the absurdities and rationales of her innermost rage’.

Audiences are invited to learn ‘dark, blue secrets and experiences from the life and perspective of a Muslim(ish), British, Pakistani female straddling two cultures, two lives and two minds’ at Keep It Dark at Hootenannies. Asli Akbay: Tomboy at Just the Tonic is the ‘comedic coming-of-age gender journey’ of Asli Akbay, who began her own gender-fluid journey in the 1980s, ‘back when no one even knew they had pronouns to defend’.

Guess the Weight of the Bird at Le Monde is ‘the ultimate bird-based comedy-quiz. Birds come in all shapes and sizes, from cute little ducklings, to big feathery jerks like geese. But what do they weigh? It's time to find out.’

Sikisa brings Sikisa... Needs You (WIP) to Monkey Barrel, ‘exploring the things we do to escape. Sikisa tries to live her life to the fullest and appears to have everything and be living her best life, but is there something missing?’ Meanwhile, Hank Curry ‘embarks on a picaresque journey through the pitfalls and pratfalls of modern life by trying on several unique identities, each with their own hilarious obstacles. Run away and join the circus of modern society’ with A Short History of Fun at Paradise Green.

Both Simon Evans presents: Alas, Smith and Hume! and Simon Evans presents: Footnotes to Smith will take place at Panmure House. Alas, Smith and Hume! is a ‘humorous, even mischievous celebration of the friendship at the heart of the Scottish Enlightenment, and a wider examination of its unique intellectual legacy.’ Footnotes to Smith is a ‘brisk canter through the 250-year legacy of The Sage of Kirkcaldy’, defending the premise that ‘the modern world began with Adam Smith and the Scottish Enlightenment’.

Anitha Sri and Katie Kamola present an hour of ‘wickedly dark humour’, Hot Ghoul Summer, at PBH's Free Fringe. Little Pickle is a ‘Pol-ish drag clown simply won't shut up about astrology, generational trauma, AI and he/r coparented witch cat’ at Little Pickle: Pol-ish at the Three Sisters. Join dog behaviour expert (and stand-up comedian) Tony Knight for ‘an hour of laughs and learning what dogs really think (and what they think about us)’ in Mad Dogs and an Englishman at The Wash House.

‘Expect personal stories, sardonic cynicism and big laughs’ at Pleasance, as Kolkata-born, Mumbai-based Anirban presents Anirban Dasgupta: Polite Provocation, 'exploring three generations of family back to British India, the birth of his daughter and the immediate question: what world did he bring his child into?’ At Underbelly, Kiran Saggu Slacks is ‘battling immigrant and capitalist pressure to succeed from her Desi-British-American background’, and ‘wonders: must she get her ass up and work?’

Lawrence Chaney brings From Holyrood to Hollywood to Saint Stephen's Theatre, ‘about how Lawrence went from doing gigs in the basement of CC Blooms to travelling and working internationally.’ A STAN IS BORN! at ZOO, with an ‘original queer comedy musical about Alexis's childhood as a stan’, is ‘a love letter to the divas and the gays who stan them’.

Join Scottish up-and-comers Ayo Adenekan and Alvin Bang ‘skewering race, class - and how to escape your religion and disappoint your family’ at Ayo Adenekan and Alvin Bang: Abandon God at Scottish Comedy Festival. Relive the golden age of Hollywood at Charlie Chaplin’s Late-Night Cinema at St Vincent's as ‘Matthew Shiel, cinema pianist, improvises a film score to Charlie Chaplin's best silent films including The Gold Rush (1925) – live’.

John Hegley brings Do Horses Have Teeth, Sir? to Summerhall, a show of ‘audience collaboration’, ‘drawings, (quite a lot of them horses), audio and visual stimulation, entertainment and thought provocation’. Accordionist and funnyman Sandy Brechin brings Sandy Not Just On Sunday to The Saltire Society Headquarters, a ‘one-man show with impressions, comical costumes, touring tales, stand-up, songs and, of course, some great traditional music’.

At The Stand Comedy Club, two NYC-based comedians share hilarious stories about their jobs from hell with Bailey Swilley and Ricky Sim: Don't Tell Our Bosses.

In 2012 Mike Bennett was commissioned to ‘re-imagine classic fairy tales in the style of The Brothers Grimm, for the inimitable comedy legend, Rik Mayall.’ Now, ‘commemorating 10 years since Rik’s untimely demise’, Mike Bennett brings It’s Grimms Up North to The Voodoo Rooms, Rik’s last-ever audio work.

Familiar Fringe faces returning this year include Rachel Parris, Reuben Kaye and two shows from Urooj Ashfaq, last year’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer winner (Assembly); Alfie Brown and Jessie Cave (Just the Tonic); Glenn Wool and Olaf Falafel (Laughing Horse); Desiree Burch (Monkey Barrel); Jessica Fostekew, Kieran Hodgson, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Sue Perkins, Flo & Joan and Vir Das (Pleasance); Mark Watson (The Stand Comedy Club); Hannah Gadsby and Rosie Holt (Underbelly).

Dance, physical theatre and circus

The Tiny Circus Show at artSpace@StMarks is a ‘family-run social circus company’ offering a ‘journey through the history of the circus’ and a lesson on ‘the techniques involved in some of the circus skills’. In Underbelly, Circus Baobab: Yé! hosts an ‘exciting collective of artists from Guinea and the diaspora showcasing incredible acrobatics, vertiginous human pyramids, hand-to-hand combat and contortions all performed in a frenetic rhythm’.

At Assembly, Nak Dara is a ‘solo performance that sheds the multi-faceted representations of a woman’s body, and its intersections with feminine pleasure and erotic agency’. At C arts, a unique physical dance show, The Jewel of Africa, will ‘carry your imagination across the cultures of Zimbabwe and Africa through music and dance’. Enowate ‘draws on hip-hop and contemporary dance with original music and otherworldly animations’ as Dickson Mbi ‘summons multiple identities in this mesmerising solo performance inspired by a life-changing journey to his ancestral home in Cameroon’ at Pleasance.

Sense, at Central Hall, returns with ‘original, emotionally charged movement [that’s] far-reaching and accessible’. Meanwhile, at the French Institute in Scotland, Tools to Survive asks the audience what tools they would choose to ‘survive most wisely in these lonely and harsh timenas’ and explores ‘various survival tools through sound art, movement and theatre’.

Love Your Work at Greenside is a ‘bi-annual work-in-progress showcase dedicated to facilitating dance and mental health’. At The Three Sisters, I'll Drink to That! is a ‘humour-infused, interactive jazz dance experience’ and ‘an invitation to share a laugh, a dance and a drink.' Unearthed Dance Company present All, Here & Now, a newly developed contemporary dance work ‘with a focus on exploring issues within society and humanity’ at PASS Theatre.

Angry Snatch: A Reclamation Job in 15 Rounds is ‘an epic reclamation job from intimate partner abuse told through physical theatre, dance, boxing and spoken word’ at Port O'Leith Boxing Club. Dance-Forms' 79th International Choreographers' Showcase takes place at Saint Stephen's Theatre, celebrating ‘20 years of brilliant performances at the Fringe, presenting the cream of the crop of ritual and contemporary dance-theatre’.

At Summerhall Ashtar is ‘a Jerusalemite artist who humorously explores her life and spirituality’ with Cosmos, ‘navigating between Palestine and France, seeking equilibrium and comfort in both’. Puzzle joins a family gathered ‘around the Mahjong table’. This dance theatre piece at theSpaceUK ‘weaves light-hearted Chinese traditional games with expressive dance choreography and soundscape, through an East Asian lens’. Look at Them! at ZOO explores ‘the life of contemporary youth and truly presenting young people’s perceptions, thinking and exploration of themselves and those around them’.

Music

Chloe Matharu is at the Acoustic Music Centre – she’s ‘a Scottish-Indian singer, songwriter and harpist from the West Coast of Scotland,’ whose songs ‘draw on her time as a Navigation Officer in the Merchant Navy, inspired by the natural world as experienced at sea’. ‘Members of iconic Scottish bands Del Amitri, Orange Juice, Bluebells and more take audiences on an immersive journey into the heart of Scotland's rich cultural heritage’ in Broadside Ballads at Gilded Balloon. ‘Two of Scotland's foremost acoustic guitarists, Simon Kempston and Paul Tasker, combine their unique talents to present’ Songs Without Words at The Royal Oak. At Brewhemia, Shindig ‘involves music and dancing, a party that is energetic, wild and crazy’. And a changing line-up of ‘traditional Scottish music bands’ are showcased at Footstomping: Live Scottish Music at WHISKI Bar & Restaurant.

A History of Jazz in Four Saxophones ‘sees Mark McKergow talking about and performing music of the sax giants on the same model vintage saxophones they played’ – that’s at the Scottish Arts Club. The South London Jazz Orchestra play music ‘you'll love from Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Melba Liston and Duke Ellington, all the way to the present day, plus some more left-field choices’ – audiences can catch them at both Bellfield and the Edinburgh New Town Church. Jazz performer Ali Affleck presents three shows at the Argyle Cellar Bar: A Night in New Orleans… The Hot Roots of Jazz, 1933 – Wild Women of the Prohibition and Hot Roots Jazz, Highway Honky-tonk, Rags and Blues – the latter with her band, the Vagabond Jacks. The Corner Room at The Fringe is ‘a unique space hosted by Hope City Church nestled in the South Gyle Industrial Estate,’ where audiences can ‘expect a selection of some of Scotland's best jazz musicians and singer / songwriters in an intimate environment’. And the Lady and the Bear Sessions at Lady and the Bear promise a selection of sounds ‘from jazz and blues, live DJ sets, Greek rebetiko music to folk, country, bossa nova and swing’.

‘With beautiful arrangements conducted by award-winning musician Callum Hüseyin,’ Dreams of Life and Love: A Take Note Concert takes place at artSpace@StMarks, spanning ‘the worlds of pop, classical, musicals and film’. Musician Tony Randle brings his Acoustic Guitar – All Originals show to the Arthur Conan Doyle Centre, demonstrating ‘the versatility of the classical guitar, played in styles which range from baroque to modern folk and onto progressive’. The five-part Sounds of St Cecilia's series at St Cecilia's Hall spans classical and baroque music from the 16th to the 19th centuries, and features original instruments including harpsichord, clavichord, guitar and flute. In Orchestre à Six Mains – Three Pianists, Six Hands, One Piano at St Vincent's, audiences can hear an ‘innovative piano orchestra perform finger-gymnastics music for three pianists playing one piano together’. And Lullaby for Two at Just the Tonic features Stefanos Barbalias, ‘a gifted artist and composer drawing from eclectic influences such as folk-acoustic music, piano compositions from legendary composers such as Chopin and Satie and modern life experiences’.

‘In the aftermath of a life-altering heartbreak… LA-based musician and event producer Ellen McNeill parses through the rubble of a four-year relationship’ in History of a Heartbreak at Greenside. At Leith Depot, Cash Out of Hand: A Convict's Tale is ‘a unique musical setting of a harrowing Australian-Irish story: the exploits of an Irish convict, escapee, and bushranger, Martin Cash’.

Audiences can ‘witness mind-blowing sounds, beats, sketches and vocal agility performed by international touring beatboxers and world champions, The Beatbox Collective’ in their show, What's Your Sound?, at Assembly. At Edinburgh Central Library, Outwith Words: Tinderbox Orchestra and Loud Poets brings together ‘rappers and singers with heavy brass, strings, woodwind and a thundering backline’. In a similar vein, ‘ten beatboxers, armed only with their microphones, charming personalities, and about 50p to their names, set out to transcend the greatest threat to the modern-day entertainment scene’ in 01_Algorhythm.mp3 at theSpaceUK. ‘Drawing inspiration from artists like Orbital and the Chemical Brothers’, The End of the Times? at C arts is ‘a phantasmagorical imagining of our possible future, confronting the big problems facing the world in which we live: war, hunger, artificial intelligence’. And Italian-Australian artist Xirita invites audiences to get Balls Deep at Ballie Ballerson ‘as she transforms a ball pit into a bilingual experience of dance, soul and energy’.

The No Strings Attached Community Wind Band performs ‘a range of music from musical theatre, movie themes, popular music and swing’ – they’re at Broughton St Mary’s Parish Church. London-based cellist Anne-Isabel Meyer returns to the Fringe to perform the Bach Cello Suites and the Bach Cello Suite Preludes at St Cuthbert's Church. In Choral Celebration, the St Giles' Cathedral Choir, directed by Michael Harris, with organist Jordan English, ‘celebrates the St Giles' 900th anniversary with a programme of sacred music old and new’. Hot Chocolate at 10 in Old Saint Paul's Church promises ‘an evening of classical music by candlelight, accompanied by a cup of hot chocolate’. At Greyfriars Kirk, Organ and Trumpet Fares! is ‘a concert of popular and less well-known music for organ and trumpet including the Eurovision song contest theme, played by RSNO principal trumpeter Chris Hart and organist of Greyfriars Kirk Caroline Cradock’. And the Bach Ensemble of Edinburgh returns to the Fringe with a pair of recitals at Canongate Kirk: Bach Albinoni Handel features Aaron Akugbo, Sheena Jardine and John Cameron, while Bach Mozart Vivaldi features ‘exciting young soloists Angela Hicks (soprano) and Hannah Foster (flute)’.

Returning to the Fringe on the heels of his 5,000th gig, ‘surreal and self-deprecating’ two-hit wonder John Otway is at PBH's Free Fringe with Otway. ‘Blending rock, funk, pop, punk, reggae and jazz,’ Beldon Haigh perform their new album World Got So Dumb ‘in the world-famous masks of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un’ – that’s at both The Liquid Room and PBH's Free Fringe. At Stockbridge Church, musicALL presents: The Fridays, ‘a show that joyfully celebrates the achievements of musicians who are disabled and / or neurodivergent’.

That 70's Choir perform at Le Monde and Canongate Kirk, singing ‘your favourite hits that will get you grooving – all dressed in 70’s gear too of course!’ Planetarium Lates: Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon at Dynamic Earth invites you to ‘experience a mesmeric and immersive 360° show with breathtaking views of the Solar System, set to the official 1973 album in spectacular surround sound’. Allman Brothers Appreciation by Safehouse at Stramash aims to emulate ‘the Allman's sound with double-drum kit and harmony guitars, taking on their intricate and dramatic side with a set drawn from Live at the Fillmore’. Duane Forrest presents Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed the World at ZOO, performing ‘acoustic renditions of legendary reggae songs that have reshaped countless lives, including Duane's own’. Singer-songwriter and producer John McLaughlin ‘performs songs of his friend and genius Shane MacGowan’ in For the Love of Shane MacGowan! at The Voodoo Rooms. New York’s Tragedy: All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees & Beyond comes to Bannermans, promising a ‘bombastic mix of music, glitter and magic’. Audiences can ‘experience one of the greatest albums of all time, lovingly and accurately recreated live by a stunning ensemble of gifted young musicians’ in Fleetwood Mac's Rumours with the Transatlantic Ensemble at The Queen's Hall. The M8s are ‘seven mates and one professional musician (also a mate!) who play all your favourite songs at sing-along volume and dance-along speed’ – they perform at Tynecastle Park. And in The Magnets: Legends at Underbelly, the five-piece a cappella group perform ‘legendary hits by Queen, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, U2, Robbie Williams and more’.

‘Joined by two musicians and two dancers, Brazilian singer/songwriter Giulia Drummond takes us through a ritualistic performance exploring the 22 Major Arcana of the Tarot’ in 22 Mirrors – A Musical Journey Through the Tarot (The Speakeasy at The Royal Scots Club). BirdWorld launch their new work Nurture at Summerhall, ‘with a set-up of cello, drums, kalimbas and percussion spanning alternative, electronic, Afro-Cuban and contemporary classical music’. A new venue at Fountainpark, Hype (Unit 5C) hosts Afrobit, putting ‘smiles on faces through comedy, music, dancing… for the mutual benefit of, and development of entertainment in, Africa and the world at large’. And audiences at Venue150 at EICC can experience Shanghai Yuguo Students’ Art Troupe: Elegance and Charm of Art, with ‘performances including Chinese traditional music and dance with unique rhythms of elegance and charm’.

Musicals and opera

At theSpaceUK, Mary Mary Quite Contrary tells the story of Mary Whitehouse, ‘a religious moral campaigner and thorn in the side of the BBC in the 1960s and 70s’. House of Cleopatra is at Assembly; in it, Laura Kleinbaum and Jeff Daye celebrate the Egyptian ruler who had ‘the charisma of Beyoncé, the influence of Oprah and the wealth of the Kardashians’. In The Sleeping Beau at Central Hall, ‘Phillip has been cursed and will die on his 18th birthday, and Aurora is set on saving him… This world-premiere original musical will keep audience members hearing the music long after’. At Gilded Balloon, Pop Off, Michelangelo! is ‘a world-premiere musical comedy about Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, two best friends growing up in Florence who decide to become the greatest artists of all time so that God will forgive them for being gay’. At ZOO, Non-Player Character: Live Virtual Reality Musical is ‘part live concert, part escape room, part immersive theatre [and] entirely responsive to the player style, improvisation and decisions of the audience’. And online, Jesus Christ Risen Star tells a love story between Chloe, ‘the daughter of a rich merchant’, and Nadi, ‘a carpenter from Nazareth who works with Jesus’.

Audiences are invited to ‘a sneak peek of the upcoming new musical based on the cult-classic film,’ Drop Dead Gorgeous: A New Musical (Work-in-Progress Concert Series) at Pleasance, while Forth Children’s Theatre are at Broughton High School with their West End musical adaptation, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie: Teen Edition.

Tones: A Hip-Hop Opera is at ROUNDABOUT @ Summerhall, combining ‘the gritty underground sounds of hip-hop, grime and drill with the melodrama of opera to present a piece of gig theatre like no other’. At Laughing Horse, Happy Medium is ‘the hilarious musical about a psychic medium in 1970s New York, who was on her way to be a singer when her whole life changed’.

‘Through stories of lived experience and songs, Child of Sunday examines what brings people together, lending a voice to the broken and the quietly brave’ – it’s at Hootenannies. Composer Peter D Robinson performs two shows at artSpace@StMarks: An Evening With contains ‘a variety of music from his musicals and choral works to have your toes tapping and spirits lifted’, while Deirdre of the Sorrows is ‘a new setting of Kenneth Steven's powerful poem’.

‘A Chinese legend centred on a romance between a man and a female snake spirit’, Legend of the White Snake at C arts is ‘performed with live music, colourful costumes, exotic make-up and subtle movements of Kunqu’. Audiences can ‘experience the captivating fusion of traditional and contemporary Korean performances’ in Scissors Dance at Greenside. How to Become a Taiwanese: A Musical is at Paradise Green, inviting audiences ‘to trace back to our growth experience, to explore the clues that can prove ourselves as Taiwanese’. Florencia Iriondo comes to Underbelly to premiere Meet Me in Buenos Aires, ‘her new, soulful music-storytelling odyssey that explores how love – in all its Platonic expressions – morphs through family, centuries and continents’. And Hu Opera 'Love Bridge' at Venue150 at EICC ‘shows the characteristics of the Shanghai opera “singing the news we talk about”’.

Directed by Jacob Zualski, a Fringe production of Bizet’s Carmen at Stockbridge Church is ‘inspired by “poor theatre”, which seeks to strip down performances and highlight the actors' physicality and direct connection with the audience’. At Edinburgh New Town Church, audiences can experience the ‘Fringe premiere of Francis Poulenc's early 1950s iconic opera La Voix Humaine (lyrics by Jean Cocteau)’, featuring soprano Jennifer Witton and produced by Ian McFarlane.

Spoken word

ScotlandsFest is a programme of events by independent Edinburgh publisher Luath Press, hosted at Gladstone's Land and St Columba's by the Castle Scottish Episcopal Church. Shows include The Places We Inhabit by poet Bashabi Fraser and You Are What You Wear by ‘Scottish supermodel Eunice Olumide MBE’. At artSpace@StMarks, Folklore of the Scottish Highlands is ‘presented by James MacDonald Reid in the traditional manner, with Gaelic songs and antique Highland bagpipes’.

Writer and performer Georgie Wedge invites audiences to ‘embark on a confessional voyage through love, sex, and dating’ in Per-Verse at C arts, a one-woman show ‘that blends stand-up, poetry, storytelling and physical comedy’. The Moon Pact Trial is at PBH's Free Fringe; in it, ‘a struggling actor… meets a fan who takes him on a Lovecraftian journey of witchcraft, sex cults and wanky art for arty wankers’. And A Day in the Life at Greenside is ‘a solo narrative navigating life with neurodiversity’, sharing ‘tales filled with smushed lipstick, spelling mistakes and wonky lines’.

At Deaf Action, Brother Smudge's Strange Meditation is ‘a playfully serious reflection on climate change, disability and what we've lost’ that uses ‘ventriloquised extinct animals, poems written on discarded objects, BSL poetry, hammer dulcimer playing and Gregorian chant’, while An Oak's Lament at Edinburgh New Town Church is ‘a whimsical story told from the perspective of an ancient oak tree, looking back on its life’.

Producer, drummer, documentary filmmaker and author Martin Atkins presents Metalbox to Extremities – Two Sides to Every Story at The Voodoo Rooms. Rave New World at Gilded Balloon promises ‘tales of revolution, acid-house storytelling and musical mischief to mark the 35th anniversary of the 1989 headline-making acid house explosion’. And The Rock'n'Roll Hitmakers at Le Monde is an ‘audience Q&A with hit-making British record producer Phil Wainman (The Sweet, Mud, XTC, Bay City Rollers, Boomtown Rats and more) and special guests discussing some of the iconic artists with whom they have worked’.

The Stand Comedy Club’s In Conversation with… series features Q&As with a number of public figures, including author, broadcaster and professor of sociology Gary Younge; British-Palestinian associate professor of surgery, Ghassan Abu-Sittah; and actor / writer Kiell Smith-Bynoe (Ghosts, Stath Lets Flats). Iain Dale’s All Talk series at the Pleasance has added a sit-down with ‘the unstoppable performer, author and broadcaster Miriam Margolyes’. In Addiction: The Truth at Laughing Horse, Kevin McCarron, an ‘experienced stand-up comedian and a Doctor of Philosophy [who] has also been a drug addict and an alcoholic… will mock the most cherished beliefs which have so disastrously dominated Western attitudes to drug addiction and alcoholism for the last century’. And at Panmure House, ‘Japan expert Jesper Koll, embedded in Japanese society for over thirty years, uncovers a world well beyond transistor salesmen or lost generations of demographic doom’ in Jesper Koll: Japan – Capitalism That Works.

Theatre

In Tituba at C arts, ‘playwright Winsome Pinnock gives a compelling voice to the enslaved woman who was the first person to be accused of witchcraft during the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692’. At Charlotte Chapel, George Muller tells the true story of ‘a poor and ordinary man [who] pushes through insurmountable difficulties’ and establishes ‘the first of five large orphan homes’. A Cup of Tea with George Eliot celebrates the author’s ‘life, her world and her work’ – with complimentary tea and cake provided – at No11 Boutique Hotel & Brasserie. Chamberlain: Peace in Our Time is at Palmerston Place Church, joining the embattled Prime Minister ‘just before his famous broadcast’. At The Fringe at Prestonfield, Dyad Productions ‘return with a 21st century take on Virginia Woolf's blisteringly brilliant pre-TED talk,’ A Room of One's Own. Carter Ford: Lessons for an Incomplete Black Boy is at Gilded Balloon, telling ‘true stories… about a racially ambiguous biracial boy tackling racism and colorism in his community’. And artist Michaela Burger explores the legacy of ‘a high-class sex worker who rose to meteoric fame on social media’ in The State of Grace at Assembly.

The Disappeared at Summerhall is a ‘wild, fun and sexy burlesque cabaret that tells the true story of a queer Latinx voice robbed of their freedom and forced into exile during a government coup in South America’. Must I Cry at Paradise Green is ‘inspired by the writings of renowned Hong Kong author Xi Xi, whose whimsical tales became a defining portrait of a city transitioning away from British rule’. The Burnt Butterfly at PASS Theatre ‘draws inspiration from ancient Chinese mythology and Taoist philosophical tales to explore the relationships between different cultures’. And A Summer Night's Firefly at St Vincent's has been devised by ‘a group of Chinese teenagers, who will also tell us the story’ – a ‘journey from China to the UK, from East to West’.

Sam Danson’s BI-TOPIA at Underbelly is ‘a candid tale of self-discovery, taking you from the war room to the bedroom’. Anyone Who Had a Heart at PBH's Free Fringe uses the music of Cilla Black to create ‘a powerful reflection of the gay community's pain and loneliness’ against the backdrop of anti-gay legislation in 1960s Britain. At the Pleasance, The Border ‘was created in tribute to non-binary Ukrainian performer, Antonina Romanova, who was kept on the front line by the war’. And available online, Transparency is ‘a relatable, funny and brutally honest solo show about growing up trans in a northern, working-class family in the UK’.

‘While Americans debate gun violence, the seniors of Ratherford High participate in a squirt gun competition’ in Water. Gun. Argument. at Central Hall. An off-site Summerhall show at Buccleuch Terrace, You're Needy (sounds frustrating) ‘is a site-specific piece for one audience member about a woman's retreat from everyday life in pursuit of peace, solitude and “wellness”’. And The Amazing Doctor She Medicine Show at Dovecot Studios is ‘a madcap blend of humour, games, speculative fiction, interactive storytelling and totally gross medical facts’.

At Hill Street Theatre, Caged: The True Story of Isabella MacDuff focuses on the women who helped Robert the Bruce ‘fight for an independent Scotland’. The Ghost of Alexander Blackwood at Deaf Action shares the titular figure’s life story, ‘from childhood to becoming a pastor at the world's first deaf church, right here in Edinburgh’. ‘Set in the small town of Ellon, Aberdeenshire, join Fraser Patterson as he wrestles with… playing the bit-part role of The Big Guy’ in MANikin at the Wee Red Bar. Athens of The North is ‘an interwoven, episodic monologue and love letter to Edinburgh and her people, performed in the iconic Edinburgh Hibernian Supporters Club’. ‘A tarot-wielding primary school teacher and a retired exorcist’ are among the colourful characters in The Devil Went Down To Gorgie at Laughing Horse. And Paradok Platform is an Edinburgh theatre company that is ‘experimental without being exclusive’; it presents five shows at Just the Tonic this August, including Daily Routine at the Farcical Castle, The Dink Rodgers Show and This Natural Scene.

‘If you like theatre, darling... you'll hate’ Jezahel – Vampires Can't Weld (The Mash House), ‘a theatrical wild ride through the past, mixing laughter, memories and the energy of a bygone era’. ‘Brilliantly treading the fine line between surreal and sinister, An Unexpected Hiccup (ZOO) is a chilling night tale of comic misunderstandings and dangerous eccentricities presented by Lung Ha Theatre Company in collaboration with Plutôt la Vie’. ‘Keeper of Arcane Lore Mike Mason’ guides players through ‘a live game experience of Call of Cthulhu, the foremost tabletop game of horror and mystery’ at National Library of Scotland. And Dissent at Gladstone's Land is a ‘half-autobiographical therapeutic performance, half D&D fairytale adventure [following] Satya, a brooding, think-y painter who becomes determined to disentangle herself from everything she knows about art, her lineage and the silent forces that guide her fate’.

‘Set in a dystopian future of space colonisation, Is There Work on Mars? (theSpaceUK) rants about many things: being an Asian who is innately horrible at maths, ableist education systems, living in the diaspora and ridiculous immigration requirements’. AI: The Waiting Room – An Immersive Theatrical Experience is at King's Hall, ‘designed for those who seek an escape to explore their fears, possibilities, and alternate personas through innovative storytelling and interactive theatre’. And Planetarium Lates: You Are Here at Dynamic Earth is ‘a one-of-a-kind, astronomer-led, immersive planetarium journey from our planet to the farthest reaches of the Solar System’.

Main Character Energy (ROUNDABOUT @ Summerhall) is ‘a high-energy cocktail of comedy, audience interaction and cabaret’ about ‘growing up a black girl in a white world’. Meanwhile, To Free a Mockingbird at The Royal Scots Club is written and performed by comedian Grace Aki, telling ‘the story of how her family journeyed from Japan to the American South in an exploration of secrets and lessons on how stories get told’.

‘When the neighbours of sleepy Australian suburbia see Oedipus’ garage smeared with incriminating graffiti, we’re led on a tale of desperation, gossip, and reputation’ in Oedipus Doesn't Live Here Anymore at Bedlam Theatre. And ‘Dr Akeem, a museum explorer, delves into the mysterious origin of Scheherazade, embarking on a symbolic quest to uncover the famous storyteller as his life near its end’ in Looking for Scheherazade at Greenside.

Thumbnail photo credit: Tulu, Circus Abyssinia (2022), Underbelly. Photographer: David Monteith-Hodge.