The free fringe at the Edinburgh Fringe takes two forms. PBH’s (named after founder Peter Buckley-Hill)Free Fringe and The Free Edinburgh Fringe Festival headline offer pay what you can shows across all the main genres.
There is history between these two festivals within the Festival which we won’t go into. Suffice to say that they seeks to make fringe eminently affordable, accessible and whatever the performers make (often in the form of a bucket for donations at the exit) is theirs to keep.
Here are some of our theatre recommendations. We’ll take each free fringe one by one. We’ll be adding more genres as the fringe gets nearer.
I want to see…
… an early afternoon one-women play that centres around Kelly, a teenage girl on a summer army camp, with puppets & ventriloquism to add an extra layer of fun. Then see Bag Lady
… some debut Scottish theatre. Then see Goodbye Postie: And Farewell To All Your Troubles! which “follows the story of two lads, Postie and Sparkie, living in Dumfries together. Sick of the small town, Postie decides to fly the nest and Sparkie feels left behind. Together they explore why some people leave and some stay. This is Deliverance Theatre’s debut play and performance.”
… some solo theatre about “a 16-year-old American Civil War veteran struggles to live a normal life, on New York City’s Lower East Side”. Then see performer and writer Christian Hege’s Alexander Klaus, The One-legged Shoemaker Man
… some online theatre. Then see The Last Supper: The Gospel Of A Heinous Housewife
… a flat face slapstick maskplay about the absurdities of life. Then see Face It. A Flat Mask Trap Stück
… some theatre, an irreverent, introspective look at the stories that define our lives in a play explores the life and stories of one woman and her bike called Lizzie. Then see A Bike Called Lizzie!
… a political comedy panel show. Then see A Political Breakfast
… a solo theatre piece set at the outbreak of World War One. Then see Flanders Field. Also take a look at Dolorem, a play showing the life of a young soldier post World War One.
… some late evening theatre, aone woman show where Monologue meets Breakdown. Then see Dysphoria.
… a solo show, a poetic monologue about letting go of the dream of ‘The One’ and loving yourself in their absence. Then see A Preoccupation With Romantic Love
… something eclectic, a comedy-meta play about a play. A play within a play. Then see The Lost Play Of Barry Wayworm
… a morning poetry show for all ages. Then see Serious Nonsense for Terribly Grown Up People
… a late morning clown show for kids. Then see LOL
… a very late night sketch show. Then see Clownfish
… rap battling cabaret at mightnight. Then see Battle Magic Cabaret!
… some character theatre and theatrical story-telling. Then see The Haunted
… a queer play all about living, loving, and understanding one another. Then see Mother & Son
… some murder mystery theatre. Then see Disoriented On The Murder Express
… surreal theatre, as souls journey through different lives and the liminal spaces in between as they try to comprehend life, love and meaning. Then see The Waiting Rooms
… a late morning magic show. Then see One Hour Straitjacket Escape Magic Show
… theatre in the early hours, a late night clown show. Then see Clown Wars
… a theatre-based magic show. Then see David Alnwick:the Mystery Of Dracula
I want to see …
… a play in which two women navigate family expectations, sexuality, and their own ambitions. Then see Waiting For Champagne
… a little comedy play with big Greek Tragedy energy, about what happens when you are done with waiting politely for your turn to be heard. Then see The Church of Princess Cassandra
… an immersive and interactive experience that exploring the growing impact of Artificial Intelligence on human life, particularly on the most mysterious of topics – love and soul. Then see Soulmates: (Not) Found
… a theatrical reimagining of Sleeping Beauty. Then see Thorns
… a show about autism. Then see 129.5 Steps to Autistic Success
… some Scottish theatre, a theatre piece about childhood experiences growing up in the remote Shetland Isles. Then see Under The Mirrie Dancers
… some theatre for kids, a fantastical, crazy and silly adventure from the bottom of the ocean all the way to space and in-between! Then see Cheekykita: Octopus in Space
… some comedy improv. Then see Broad Strokes Improv. Or see Spontadeity: Whomst Let the Gods Out?! Or The Totally Improvised Musical
… the best of Black / Afro comedians at Ed Fringe. Then see Black Laughs Matter
… some read aloud sketch comedy. Then see Sketch Up!
… a late morning solo comedy show about being a teacher. Then see Those Who Can’t Do
… some theatre, a little comedy play with big Greek Tragedy energy. Then see The Church of Princess Cassandra
… a coming-of-age tale of a bashful young boy. Then see 1998: A Walking Disaster – Anxiety, Absurdity, Airfryer
… some solo comedy about Shakespeare. Then see A Spaniard’s Guide to Learning Shakespeare
a female led compilation stand-up show bringing you award winning comedians performing across the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Then see The Witching Hour
… some comedy blending sketch, improv and songs with a vaudevillian twist. Then see Snake Oil
… a Vaudeville show. Then see Violet’s Vaudeville Vault
… some family-friendly circus and juggling. Then see The Spanish Gentleman Juggler
… some pun comedy. Then see UK Pun Off
… a relationship play. Then see Waiting for Champagne
… an alternative comedy night. Then see Vibe Shift
… a one-woman show – part comedy, part edutainment, part love letter to the world at large and Europe in particular. Then see Wiki Knows Best – Mythical Islands
So, that’s our theatrical bag of choices for the free fringe for now. Check back foir updates.
