Now trying to compile top tips of shows at the Fringe to catch when you have not seen many of them can be a bit tricky but in my humble opinion, here are some shows I hope to catch myself so there should be little chance of much by way of a misstep … then again, it is the Fringe…
But before we start delving into the shows, there are three interesting things to consider whilst you are in Edinburgh in August. It’s a tough month for FOMO, so look after yourself. Nobody can catch all of the 4,000 plus productions.
Looking after yourself could include: –
Walking poetry, with Ken Cockburns’ EMBRO. A walk with poems around Edinburgh’s Old Town is certainly different – daily at 11 am starting and ending at the Poetry Library.
Or go to The Scottish Storytelling Centre and gaze upon the beauty of the Craigmillar Tapestry. Under the guidance of the man behind The Great Tapestry of Scotland and son of Helen Crummy, Andrew has brought together over 500 local Craigmillar and Niddrie residents to create an artwork of singular beauty. It does not move so you can ponder at leisure at the local landmarks, names of activists and in true inclusive fashion, pardon the pun, traditional Syrian stitching techniques. It’s at the SSSC from the 24th of July through till the very end – the 31st of August.
Or as part of your ticket to go and see In Her Hand – a defiant, darkly witty drama inspired by the real journals and letters of women during war – you also get free entry to the Surgeon’s Museum which is where you will find Space@Surgeon’s Hall, so if you ever wondered about the building, you get a chance to support a cause and see real history.
One caution is that I have put in the range of performances and not the days where performers are taking a day off – how dare they!! So, please check before planning your days out, not that something that basic would ever happen to an experienced Fringe Reviewer … more than once … OK maybe twice…
Now, as for the shows, here we go. I could of course just be lazy and pick 10 out of the Made in Scotland showcase… This is Creative Scotland’s push for homemade drama, supported by the British Council, and there are quite a few pieces in worth seeing – you can find them here…
Of those I think worthy, I have seen the National Theatre of Scotland’s Through the Shortbread Tin and would recommend it thoroughly as it explores Scottish imagery – catch it at the Scottish Storytelling Centre from the 6th to the 31st. There is also Mayflies (adaptation of the Andrew O’Hagan novel) by the incredible Grid Iron out at Brown’s of Leith from the 7th to the 30th at 16:00, which is well worth taking the time to travel – they also have some pretty fancy places to eat round there, so you can make a day of it! And getting out the centre of Edinburgh during the Fringe is ALWAYS to be recommended. Elsa McTaggart: Capturing the Light from An Lanntair and Sruth-Mara has music and projection and storytelling from the Isles as McTaggart explores the legacy of her great-grandfather, one of Scotland’s most celebrated landscape artists – William McTaggart. You can catch it at the Space@Triplex from the 7th to the 31st at 11:40. Finally, this is a company based round the Artistic Director’s life, defying those who thought he would never dance again – who has been sharing his love of dance. Boy’s Don’t Dance has BMX, wheels, storytelling, an 80s soundtrack projections and animations and Marc Brew Company is at 13:15 in the Assembly@ Dance Base from the 7TH to the 23RD of August.
Alternatively…
There are shows I have seen, they come first, shows from companies I know, they come second and finally, those with risk. Now the third category are always a HUGE risk. Why? Because I have NEVER read PR material and thought, this doesn’t sound interesting. PR material is designed to make you look… So, I have. Here we go…
1 Here are a couple I have seen…
I loved Craig Manson’s Bunny! when I saw it as part of a Royal Conservatoire of Scotland showcase so to see it mainstream at Summerhall from the 6th to the 31st at 22:15 is fantastic. Bunny aspires to be a star and believes that if she can get rid of the competition, they could manage it… find out if artistic fascism, celebrity culture wins or Bunny and her radical movement beats them all. BTW Bunny is herself, a force of nature…
I have seen JG Producing’s Common Tongue, interviewed writer, director and star and absolutely loved the show. Performed wholly in Scots, Bonnie’s life has no been awfy bonnie, so now she is telling you all about it, especially when people struggle tae unerstaun her. You can find it at the Scottish Storytelling Centre at 14:45 from the 7th to the 31st August.
2 Here are a few where the company is well known…
We Will hear The Angels from Magnetic North at 16:30 is at Summerhall from the 6th to the 30th. Hank Wiliams, Bach, Orange Juice, sad music and healing… in a house filled with heartache over infidelity, in the other pain in their hearts, between them enters a stranger. What follows … no plot spoilers…
Gallus and Silly Mission have Parasocial Activity which includes some of the creatives behind Do Astronauts Masturbate in Space which I saw last year. It is a company recommended by a colleague at work as a daughter of his friend is in it. I took a punt last year and was richly rewarded. It’s on at 17:40 at Gilded Balon Patter Hoose from the 5th to the 31st. It’s about a chance encounter at a Costa where Jenny meets her fave celeb and they fall in love. It is a dark comedy for t’internet in which we find ourselves.
Dance Base’s PRIME Dance Company willappear at their base and home, Assembly @DanceBase from the 6th to the 9th with PRIME: We Are, and then from the 11th to the 16th with Common Ground, an intergenerational double bill with Lothian Dance Company. Both begin at 14:40. I have seen PRIME and they are pretty damn good at what they do – support, dance, thrive and prosper.
The National Theatre of Scotland have more than one show in the mix, but they have brought a show very close to my heart – One Hundred Voices. This is an authentic series of opinions from Scotland’s care experienced young people. Once it has had its run in Edinburgh it heads off out on tour, so if you are a visitor, catch it quick or have that more leisurely pace to consider the drama once out the maelstrom of the Fringe. If Edinburgh is your haunt, it’s at various times – consult the link below – from the 12th to the 28th at The Main Hall of The Scottish Parliament.
3 Finally, they caught my eye – will they catch yous?
Aboot Time: Moulin-Esque The Scottish Moulin Rouge is at the Dirty Martini At Le Monde at 21:30 from the 9th to the 30th. Tucked into the cabaret section of the Fringe Guide this is as Gallus as it gets, as Moulin Rouge is reimagined by STAM Productions as “satire and a wee dram o scandal.” As if – take a whiff!
Slayers By Corinne Salisbury from Rapture is on at 12:15 at the Assembly@George Square from the 18TH to the 30th of August. Single mother, abuse survivor, takes up boxing with her bullied 10-year-old daughter. Violence, revenge and anger – what is justified and what is defendable? Edinburgh based Salisbury takes us on the moral maze.
Traditional storytellers, Harebell Tellers are at the Scottish Storytelling Centre for Aderyn / Bird at 16:30 from the 18th to the 22nd telling a tale of mountains, birds and an old mountain man. Ailsa Dixon and Ffion Phillips are skilled hands, and what is fascinating is that it draws Welsh and Scottish language, music and story in one performance. The Scottish Storytelling Centre has a rich tradition of being the place to find this kind of traditional tale but are also well up for pushing boundaries and exploring new connections.
One of my favourite wee places, the Space@Venue45 hosts Bloody Mary’s at 1700 in another short run – 14th to the 19th. Fat Pooch Productions takes us to 1823, Edinburgh, and Mary McKinnon, Queen of her brothel, until she is challenged by the men of the city – told by the women this sounds like more HER story than HIStory.
Cold Open Theatre bring Headcase to the Greenside at Riddles Court at 17:15 from the 24th to the 29th. Scots do love a bit of spooky stuff and through in a village church, hairs and aw sorts are starting to rise… There are quite a few Scottish theatre companies making their debut at the Fringe and I would urge people to seek them to see if there is anything of interest. You can certainly pick up a gem or three.
OK, so I feel like I have all the way back to the 1970s and my ain front living room as A Bunch of Jessies Ltd bring Jessies to theSpace@ Surgeon’s Hall from the 7th to the 15th at 19:15. Celebrating aJessie’s Bar where everyone knew your game, it’s all about queer life and celebration. Nae greeting in here by the way. (Winner of the Creative Arts Award at the Proud Scotland Awards 2025) For those unfamiliar with Scots, a Jessie is what effeminate Scots boys would get called… Lady MacBeth never called him it, but that’s what she meant…
The Truth About Trees from Apropos Theatre has been developed with Aberdeenshire schoolchildren which uses shadow, puppets and live actors, to show off the magic of the natural world. It can be found at Assembly George Square from the 6th to the 30th early on in your day – 10:45.
Jack MacGregor, an ART Award winner in 2026 appears at Assembly Roxy with Prophets at 17:45 from the 5th to the 31st. All about aresearcher travelling to a British overseas territory only to discover the island has been taken over by a cult, it is directed by Fraser Scott who is also behind Common Tongue. Take note – selling out fast!!!
4 and in despatches…
Football fixes and nightmares abound in We Have a Dream at theSpace @ Symposium Hall or you can catch up to 60 Amazing Marys in an hour in Bloody Mary(s) at Greenside @ Riddles Court before moving to The Speakeasy at the Royal Scots Club.
It’s a risk, an exciting array of over 4,000 possible performances. Whether you are attracted by the poster, the publicity, the stars or the word of mouth, go. And if you don’t want to have your least favourite child – try anything that is on the Free Fringe. It’s as good as the regular, and with no sugar… daddy needed to pay for it.
