Fringe festivals have always provided space for diversity to be heard, and Edinburgh has been no exception. Whilst it feels there are less LGBTQ+ productions this year, there is a strong section representing all aspects of the Progress flag. This is a personal selection, by no means definitive, but might highlight and point towards other shows that celebrate, heighten and represent Pride.
JORDAN GRAY: IS THAT A C*CK IN YOUR POCKET OR ARE YOU JUST HERE TO KILL ME?
It’s been three years since Jordan Gray took Edinburgh, and various parts around the globe, by storm with her gender enhancing, defiant and celebratory Is It A Bird? That led to a booking on Channel 4’s The Last Leg, where she re‑enacted the climax of Is It A Bird, where she enters a telephone box and comes out in her “costume”, her naked, transgender body. What followed was complaints to Ofcom, and death threats. Not one to hide, she has now doubled down on her response, and with “a bounty on her ball bag”, she returns for what will be an hour of musical comedy. As a former winner of The Voice UK, she could just sing the classics. She won’t, she will create new ones.
Assembly, 30th July – 24th August.
SKANK SINATRA
Fancy a twist on Old Blue Eyes? How about his classics belted out by Australian diva Jens Radda? Winner of Best Cabaret at Adelaide Fringe, this show came highly recommended by fellow Ozzie drag queen, Dolly Diamond. Sounds like a fresh angle on doing it My Way!
Assembly George Square Studios, July 31st – 24th August.
SAUNA BOY
The gay sauna, for decades a place for men to socialise, to f*ck, and express themselves in a safe space. But does it still have a place in our internet, dating app world? Dan works in the UK’s most successful sauna, and this semi‑autobiographical piece by award‑winning Dan Ireland Reeves contains triggering themes, nudity and scenes of a sexual nature.
theSpace@surgeonhall, August 1st – 15th.
SHE’S BEHIND YOU!
John Tiffany’s revolutionary Blackwatch is still seared into my brain and retina, so I’m in for anything directed by him. Here he works with legendary panto dame Johnny McKnight to create a piece that promises to “unearth the magic and madness behind the curtain.” Pantomime has always been about the transformative, so this should take us behind the glamour and glitter.
Traverse Theatre, August 1st – 24th, performance times vary.
A major figure on the LGBTQ+ arts scene, Jonny Woo is here returning to his performance art, storytelling and spoken word roots, charting his personal story from childhood in suburbia, to ecstasy and New York in the 90s and a queer community in London. Now in his 50s, the show promises a reflective and honest look back, still with his trademark style :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.
Summerhall, July 31st – August 24th.
ANDREW DOHERTY: SAD GAY AIDS PLAY.
I’m really hoping I can fit this into my already stretched schedule. Following his award‑winning Gay Witch Sex Cult, Doherty returns with a brand-new show turning his forensic comedy gaze onto constructions of the AIDS play, throwing the book at the Arts Council and challenging them to pick it up. It should be jaw dropping.
Pleasance Dome, July 30th – August 24th.
EGGS ARE NOT THAT EASY TO MAKE.
Maria Yelkinoff wrote and performed the exquisite My Dad Wears A Dress, one of my picks of the 2023 Fringe, and here she returns with a queer rom‑com. When drunk at a party, Claire asks her best friend Dan to be a sperm donor if she’s in a lesbian relationship. Fast forward ten years, she is, and will he deliver on his promise? Should be sweet, but with punch.
Underbelly, July 31st – August 24th.
DESPERATE WEE GAY BOY
Join Ollie, a chaotic but loveable Scottish gay, as he navigates London queer life, clubs, Grindr and saunas. Although there is the possibility that it may employ some overworked tropes, I think the show sounds charming enough to be worth an hour of your time.
Underbelly, Cowgate, July 31st to August 24th.
COUNT DYKULA / LESBIAN SPACE CRIME
Airlock have formed a strong reputation for LGBTQ+ Comedy, and, certainly, Count Dykula, which I caught on tour, hits the queer funny bone very nicely! Offie‑nominated Lesbian Space Crime also promises to deliver uplifting laughs, while still remaining loud and proud.
Both run at Pleasance Dome, July 31st – August 24th.
LOCUSTS.
Real life experiences of gay conversion therapy are woven into a compelling drama in which Stephen meets Peter, a one‑time trusted church leader, confronting their pasts and the effects it has had on their lives. Since first premiering in 2023, Locusts has grown in reputation, earning an Outstanding rating at Brighton Fringe this year. It now returns for a short run, so catch it while you can!
The Space Triplex, August 1st – 9th.
To see the full range of shows on offer, click the LGBTQ+ subgenre in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival search engine.
