The Edinburgh Fringe is the most exciting – and at the same time, most humbling – arts and culture festival in the world. The energy is palpable even before you hit the city’s cobbled streets. On a packed train from London, the group of friends behind me is chatting about their friend’s comedy show, the young professional next to me is asking for recommendations, and I am diligently planning a schedule that will help me see every piece I don’t want to miss, while allowing for serendipity – the Festival’s most attractive attribute. If you are on the same spot – scrolling through your favorite venues’ programming and wondering what your favorite performer is bringing to the festival this year, this guide to Edinburgh Fringe is for you:
Theatre
Bliss at Grand at Pleasance Courtyard: New musicals are incredibly hard to develop. A new, pop-rock musicals with 17 West End performers opening at the Edinburgh Fringe? That sounds like a feat. Produced by the team behind the incredible Benjamin Button musical, Bliss tells the story of four sisters escaping their tower and colliding with the outside world. Consider me collision ready!
Bog Witch at Traverse Theatre: Bryony Kimmings needs no introduction. She’s a performance artist who has redefined the craft and is bringing her latest show to Edinburgh after a critically-acclaimed run in London. The show is inspired by Kimmings’ decision to move to the wilderness with her son in an attempt to find happiness – or even, simply, sanity. With the first few shows selling out already, this is one to rush to get tickets for.
Broke and Fabulous in the 21st Century at the Gilded Balloon: You’ve just had brunch and do not regret that one extra mimosa. This show’s for you. Hilarious and heartfelt in equal measure, this new piece of writing is an ode to the millennial experience. Best friends Alex and Petunia are loving, funny, and utterly messy. They want to adult but the privileged life they once considered a given is starting to seem out of reach. As their love lives take interesting turns at the same time, their friendship feels like the only stable thing in their lives.
Daniel Kitson: Thrum at Auditorium at The Queen’s Hall: This marks the kick-off of the first tour in a long time by acclaimed comedian Daniel Kitson and tickets are sold out – but returns at the venue remain an option. The description for Thrum is very much open to the audience’s interpretation but as with all of his shows, we should expect Kitson’s trademark powerful storytelling, and deeply humane humour.
Emily Weitzman / Rhymes with Purple at Jersey at Underbelly, Bristo Square: We live at a time of broken relationships and endless swiping. It therefore comes as no surprise that Emily Weitzman’s new comedy show that turns boyfriends into pieces of furniture has generated a buzz. Straight from New York’s SoHo Playhouse, it promises to be a hilarious exploration of “impermanence.”
Evita Too at Main House at ZOO Southside: Nobody does it better than
Sh!t Theatre. I don’t know what a political cabaret is – but I sure as hell am keen to find out. The comedic show features original musical and explores the work and legacy of Isabel Perón – who has largely been forgotten while Eva Perón remains at the forefront of our collective memory.
Les Echos de la Rue / Sab’R at Assembly @ Dance Base: I am no dance professional (and that’s an understatement) but I have a deep appreciation for physical storytelling and this team does it better than most. The two Detours Festival Working Progress Awards Winners are joining forces to present us with a one-woman krump show and five breakers in a combination that promises an exploration of femininity and personal growth.
Sanctuary at the Pleasance: Jacob Sparrow’s debut play is the winner of the inaugural Leodis Prize for previously unrepresented writers. Featuring world-class actors Matthew Tennyson and Richard Cant, the play explores memory, community – and what it takes for us to really feel like we belong – based on the true events in a Suffolk village, where plans to open an AIDS hospice in the midst of the AIDS epidemic were met with local resistance.
That’s Ace at Just the Tonic at The Caves (Fancy Room): I saw That’s Ace in its professional debut at the 2023 VAULT Festival. Jonny Brace’s writing, beautifully performed by Tiffany Marina Pearmund, will make you laugh and reminisce. As you join Ace on her first ever night out, and immerse yourself in her experience – stepping out into the world of grown-ups, trying to understand her own sexuality, and wondering why she doesn’t exactly fit into the club where she’s meeting her crush – you’ll find yourself immersed in a tender and relatable coming-of-age story.
Under the Influence at the Underbelly: If you are lovers of musical comedy, sibling dynamics and new work, look no further. The Gilbert Twins have built a name for themselves by performing on a digital stage for the past several years. They are debuting this musical comedy in Edinburgh and promise a funny and poignant exploration of what it means to be bonded with another human being for life.
Returning Acts
8 Ways to Break a Glass (with an American Opera Singer) at Other Room at Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly: American soprano Steph DePrez returns to the Edinburgh Fringe with a show that reminds us all that opera can be incredibly fun. At a time when the world’s historic opera houses are struggling to reach younger audiences, this show reintroduces us to opera classics, while allowing us a rare insight into the life of the performers that make opera happen – from botched auditions, to corporate jobs and the woes of online dating.
Alone at the Assembly: Alone doesn’t need much of an introduction. Having won the 2025 Fringe Theatre Award – and with its first few shows this year already sold out – Alone is returning to the Assembly this year. It’s a thriller set in a failing spacecraft that will keep you on the edge of your seats, asking a pertinent and urgent question: who will save Earth?
FLOP! The Best Songs From The Worst Musicals at Wine Bar at Gilded Balloon Teviot: You may have gathered already that I have a soft spot for musical theatre. I also have a soft spot for an underdog. Returning to Edinburgh this year with an updated show, Arthur Hull, finally puts on a pedestal the diamonds in the rough that we all secretly love. This is a love letter to making musical theatre, an admission that there is greatness to be found everywhere – even in shows that were disliked by the critics or forgotten by the audiences, and a passionate reminder that all art can shine at the right place and time.
ShakeItUp: The Improvised Shakespeare Show at Wine Bar at Gilded Balloon Teviot: If you have been to a ShakeItUp show in the past, you know you are in for a ride. If you have not, then you really must experience this for yourselves. The talent, creativity, performance chops and utter fearlessness these improvised Shakespeare-inspired plays require are simply through the roof. Better than a boozy brunch!
These are just some of my top picks but don’t forget – it takes bravery and a certain entrepreneurial spirit to bring a show to Edinburgh. Plan your visit but keep your eyes, hearts and schedules open for spontaneity, embrace the unexpected, and enjoy the largest arts and culture festival in the world.
Amalia Kontesi is a writer and director of new writing. Her work has been performed at the Brighton Fringe and VAULT Festivals, as well as several Fringe venues in London and across the UK.
