Theatre
113
Deja Vu Productions / Pretty Gross Productions / Messy Kind
49 and 64 are in the room. They cannot see each other but they can talk and pass notes. All they have is questions, wedding veils and dog tags. Who are they? Where are they? What is going on? And why? And who is J Doe? And why are they watching them? 113 focuses in on the ideas of identity and memory. It asks if memory is what makes our identity, and if we were able to see ourselves objectively, could we change?
A Covert Affair
Belvedere Productions
Set in Budapest at the heart of the Cold War, two operatives have been tasked with a mission of seduction and espionage to swap state secrets. The two are monitored by their Wires, older agents who attempt to instill professionalism and discipline in their protégées. However, through several dates on their companies' cards, the two end up falling for each other and inadvertently give up every sensitive piece of intel they possess. Pursued by their organisations, the two must navigate a tricky tightrope of half truths and hope.
A Highly Suspect Murder Mystery: The Betray-tors
Highly Suspect
It’s the nation’s favourite game of murder, exile and ridiculous twists. But when a contestant is found dead having been literally hung drawn and quartered, can the killer be proven beyond treasonable doubt? Award-winning mystery maestros Highly Suspect return to the Fringe with a hilarious new interactive murder mystery for the audience to solve! Featuring a fiendish plot, evidence to examine, and cryptic clues to crack, can you deduce whodunnit? Fun, frivolity and fatalities guaranteed! Sold out 2021-2024. ‘Prepare to have your funny bones and little grey cells equally tickled!’ (BroadwayWorld.com).
A Highly Suspect Murder Mystery: The Death of the Great Detective
Highly Suspect
Sherlock Holmes is dead! But can the killer really be Dr Watson, Mrs Hudson, Inspector Lestrade or Mycroft Holmes? The game's afoot in a mystery that's more than mere elementary... Award-winning mystery maestros Highly Suspect return to the Fringe with a hilarious interactive murder mystery for the audience to solve! Featuring a fiendish plot, evidence to examine, and cryptic clues to crack, can you deduce whodunnit? Fun, frivolity and fatalities guaranteed! Sold Out 2021-2024. ‘Prepare to have your funny bones and little grey cells equally tickled!’ (BroadwayWorld.com).
A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First
Xhloe and Natasha
Boyhood is all about spit-shakes, rope swings, and playing soldiers, but only the good guys of course. Whether it’s stories around the campfire, pranks on their superior, or a prayer to their favorite president, these two scouts just want their moms to see the big strong men they’ve become. From three-time consecutive 2022, 2023, and 2024 Fringe First Award-winners Xhloe and Natasha comes an absurdist two-hander about the idealized American childhood and the boys it left behind
A Midsummer Night's Dream
New Stagers
It is what it is, the course of true love never did run smooth... In this summer’s Athenian villa, a bombshell has been dropped: the public have voted to split up the hottest couple in the game. Behind the scenes there’s dissent amongst the crew with the presenters’ stormy relationship on the rocks and the producers picking sides. Into this firepit of feelings and factions, the producers break their boundaries and introduce their own brand of magic that will see more sparks fly than your typical return from Casa Amor.
A Most Pressing Issue
Half Diamond Theatre
A dark satirical comedy that follows four prison workers battling a fire with anything but water. As characters wrestle with existential crises, heartbreak and bureaucracy, an inevitable doom draws ever nearer, forcing this band of misfits to confront their long-forgotten responsibilities. Prepare for full speed, uninterrupted chaos from start to finish as Gaulier-trained clowns and sharp-edged comedians deliver a relentlessly funny tale of love, loss, fear and arrogance. This exciting piece of new writing is eager to push boundaries, electrify audiences and most importantly, make you laugh out loud.
A Pound of Flesh
Arbery Theatre
In Shakespeare's classic, The Merchant of Venice, only Portia's appearance in court and her implacable logic saves Antonio from Shylock's knife. But what would happen if she never came to Venice? Bassanio's need for money to woo Portia sets in motion the events that lead to the trial, but what are his real motives? And why is there so much hatred between Antonio and Shylock? With echoes of Romeo and Juliet, events in A Pound of Flesh move remorselessly to a tragic end.
A Yank in Scotland
Paul O'Brien Threshold Repertory Theatre
The Highlands of Scotland – filled with misty moors and glens, rolling fields of heather and ghosts from Scottish history. They invite mystical ruminations, kindle existential questions, and spark the imagination to soar higher into uncharted territory. At any moment an ordinary situation can be transformed into an extraordinary one. Join Paul O'Brien and Bonnie Prince Charlie in the telling of one man's story of loss and discovery as he searches for mystery, meaning, and a lost wallet in the Highlands.
A Year and a Day
Raising Cain Productions
An inexplicable curse causes Nathan to skip a year and a day into the future, whenever he falls asleep. Leaving behind a botched heist, his wife, his struggling family and a jaded criminal gang, Nathan must learn to adapt to his ever-changing existence. Spanning 65 years, this is a bold, darkly funny and poignant exploration of a man trying to right his wrongs as he rapidly skips through time. Under the careful direction of dramaturg Rosanna Mallinson, award-winning Christopher Sainton-Clark uses multi-roling to tell a beautiful story of love, loss, betrayal and crime.
Abhorrent Little Scrotum
Fragen Network
Following acclaimed productions Blush of Dogs and Hell Yes I’m Tough Enough which took London by storm, Fragen Network returns to the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time since their five-star 2016 show, 5 Out of 10 Men. Abhorrent Little Scrotum is a bold, high-energy dive into the subconscious, where computer hacking meets brain hacking. This electrifying, physical theatre piece follows one woman’s mission to rescue her friend from the depths of her own mind. Sharp, seductive and unrelenting, it’s a psychological thrill ride infused with wit, movement and raw theatricality. A must see.
After Juliet
Unexpected Places
Romeo and Juliet are dead. Peace has been ordered, but a tense truce holds between the Capulets and Montagues after the death of Romeo and Juliet. After bitterly blaming her cousin Juliet for her love Romeo’s death, Rosaline is bent on revenge. Torn between being voted the Capulet’s new Prince of Cats and giving into the grief and jealousy that torments her mind, this thrilling sequel shows the consequences of Romeo and Juliet’s actions. A stirring tale of love, violence and new beginnings. The order may be for peace, but the Capulets and Montagues are far from it.
After Shakespeare
Slade Wolfe Enterprises Limited
What happens to Shakespeare's best-loved heroes and most reviled villains after the curtain falls? Come and join a host of familiar Shakespearean characters as they reflect back on their lives, including: Lady Macbeth, Portia, Hamlet and King Hal (Henry V). Lexi Wolfe weaves together Shakespeare's words, historical research and her own dramatic spark as she transforms into four distinct characters, to follow their onward journeys. 'A must-see show' ***** (EdinburghGuide.com). 'One of this year's standout shows' **** (GetYourCoatsOn.com). 'Refreshing and gifted writing' **** (WestEndBestFriend.co.uk).
Ah-Ma
Cathy Lam Arts Collective
Ah-Ma – Fujianese for grandmother. Ten years ago, Ah-ma was diagnosed with dementia, struggling each day to remember the names of her loved ones. 'Ah-ma, if one day you forget everything, please try not to forget love'. Fringe First award (2023) and Hong Kong Young Artist award (2024) winner returns with a hauntingly beautiful new play, weaving together natural and social disasters, bodily deterioration and family sorrow. A lyrical, poignant tale of resilience, faith and humanity. A story of memories slipping away – only to be gently reclaimed.
Almost Famous
NoLogoProductions
Emily Benton, veteran actor and star of stage and screen, is back in the UK after a career that took her to Broadway and Hollywood. With her pedigree, she should be in Downton Abbey or the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, not auditioning for a role in a devised play that only become available when another, more famous, actor went to join the theatre in the sky. What cruel fate brought her here? Maybe there’s a secret she’s not revealing. From the makers of Make-up: 'A disarmingly truthful and humorous piece, adroitly constructed and beautifully performed' ★★★★ (AllEdinburghTheatre.com).
Anatomy of Pain
Aoife Parr
Anatomy of Pain is a powerful and unflinching exploration of the dysfunctional healthcare system, following Alex’s journey to seek a diagnosis for the rare and debilitating condition, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Through an intimate and emotional performance, the show explores the impact of clinicians’ unfamiliarity and lack of empathy when faced with rare conditions. Audiences are invited to witness the devastating impact this has on every facet of Alex’s life, from identity to relationships. Beautifully crafted and deeply moving, this interdisciplinary performance is a must-see for anyone seeking to understand the human cost of systemic failings.
And Then the Rodeo Burned Down
Xhloe and Natasha
The rodeo is the best place in the world. Why would anybody burn it down? Unfortunately, rodeos don’t burn down on their own. More unfortunately, everything is expensive: becoming a cowboy, finding the culprit, and even keeping the lights on. This alleged tale of arson fractures into the story of two clowns desperately trying to afford to put on a show. An absurdist Western send up of the American Dream from consecutive 2022, 2023, and 2024 Fringe First Award-winners Xhloe and Natasha.
As We Face the Sun
Limelight Theatre Group
As We Face the Sun is a moving and uplifting exploration of friendship and the passage of time. The story follows a group of West London classmates who, after the tragic loss of a friend, hold an annual party in her honour. As they transition from teenagers into adulthood, the gatherings become a reflection of shared memories and growth. Bought to life by talented West London drama students, the narrative reminds us of why we hold onto things and how we might start to let go.
Baby CEO
SaltShake Productions
When she discovers that her dad has stolen her identity, she has to face who she really is. A true-crime comedy about human trafficking, identity theft, cults, child actors, and the tragicomic omen of being born on the set of a Coen brothers movie to a mafia family.
Baker Street Ladies
Slade Wolfe Enterprises Limited
Sherlock Holmes is not at home this evening. Neither is his friend and colleague Dr Watson. Mr Holmes is rarely home unless knee-deep in a case (and unavailable anyway) or otherwise desperately waiting for a good one to come along. But on this particular evening, whatever the case, he is elsewhere. Three ladies, all with strong ties to the great detective, one after another, are drawn towards and into 221b Baker Street in the hope of finding him at home.
Baron Vordenburg's Guide to the Paranormal
Dark Pony Productions
We cordially invite you, monster hunter, to an unforgettable night. The world-renowned paranormal expert Baron Vordenburg and his helpers, Gothic and Grotesque, give away trade secrets and expertise on hunting the unknown. The first in a series of lectures, the Baron tackles the most cunning creatures of the night. Please RSVP as seats are limited for this most-special event. Photo and book signings will be available before and after the symposium. Your safety is our concern.
Bella's Ballerinas
Bella's Ballerinas
A daring fusion of classical ballet and modern sensuality, Bella’s Ballerinas presents a captivating performance blending heels technique, burlesque and breathtaking choreography. An unforgettable celebration of empowerment, passion and artistic freedom.
Bluffstone is Starvin'
String Cheese Theatre
String Cheese Theatre brings you to the dust-choked town of Bluffstone, where farmers are grappling with a famine that plagues their settlement. Amidst the hardship, farmhand Isaiah hopes to win the hand of Clarence’s daughter, Dolly. However, the arrival of two drifters brings new competition and new mouths to feed… Follow these cowboys Noah and Durlin through the west, all brought to life by our live saloon band and original score. A black tragicomedy full of love, betrayal, and a bad pantomime horse costume.
Brief Tales
Joanna Weinberg
Brief Tales, a memoir in underpants. South African/Australian actress Joanna Weinberg uses female undergarments to tell her intimate stories. Hilarious, moving and enormously skillful, this show was a hit in the boudoirs and salons of Sydney. Being born female gifted her a flasher in a park, periods at the piano, first time sex with a notable British writer, breastfeeding on an Edgar Allen Poe filmset and hot flushes while leaping out of a cake in Borneo. Joanna is a multi-talented international performer who will literally charm the pants off you.
Cabin Fever
Fresh !nk Theatre Company
After a sell-out Fringe run in 2024, Fresh !nk Theatre Company returns with a sky-high spectacle! This must-see two-person show is a hilarious theatrical journey set 30,000 feet above the Atlantic. Join us on an unforgettable flight from London Heathrow to LAX, where two actors seamlessly shift between the disruptive passengers to the pilots in the cockpit. This relatable comedy takes turbulence to a whole new level, showcasing universal travel experiences we are all too familiar with! From unexpected friendships to in-flight shenanigans, buckle up for an unmissable joyride delivering an uproarious experience as the characters' stories unfold.
Charles Dickens: The Hanged Man's Bride
Blue Orange Arts
'She comes towards me on the floor; always approaching; never coming nearer; always visible as if by moonlight whether the moon shines or not.' A writer struggling to reignite his creative vision. A real-life crime. And a visit to a supposedly haunted inn. As darkness descends, a ghostly tale is played out. But what is real and what is not? A tale of passion, deceit and the ethereal dance between the realms of life and death as the Hanged Man's Bride beckons from the shadows of the past.
Chickens
Monika Klisch and MOS Theatre
Chickens is a sharp comedy-drama that explores the chaos of love, life and obsession. Set in a cozy Edinburgh flat, the story follows Jay, an eccentric British enthusiast, and Weronika, his pragmatic Polish partner, as they grapple with clashing priorities and cultural differences. From egg-centric lectures to impulsive chicken coop projects, their relationship begins to crack under the weight of unbalanced expectations. With humour, tenderness and unflinching honesty, Chickens unravels the delicate fabric of love and asks: can unilateral decisions ever be justified by good intentions and the pursuit of happiness? Where is the line between care and control?
Cody and Beau: A Wild West Story
Dylan and Will Theatre
11 - 16 Aug
Cody and Beau have two things on their mind: becoming cowboys and… winning spelling bees?! Enthralled by tales of Billy the Kid and Butch Cassidy, the two plan to escape and fulfill their outlawing destiny. But when the boys find themselves against the hostile backdrop of 1889 Texas, the imagined starts to become all a bit too real. From the Edinburgh-based creative team of Dylan and Will comes a vibrant, immersive coming-of-age tale, inspired by the lasting legacy of the Wild West.
Dance Dance Involution
Cathy Lam Arts Collective
Three Gen Z Hong Kong actors hustle for stardom – will they shamelessly scam your ticket by just lying flat or will they blow your mind and shine? A daring, hilarious rollercoaster where ambition meets absurdity. Critically-acclaimed director Eugene Ma invites you to a smart, witty play where young people navigate the chaos of hustle and quiet quitting. Watch as these dreamers wrestle with their voices, their pasts and the unpredictable journey ahead. A thrilling blend of sweat, rage, burnout and moments of hope – come along for a wild, unforgettable ride!
Daphne
JHG Productions
Daphne, the muse of Apollo, Ovid, Lorenzo Bernini ... of us. As Bernini begins to craft his tribute to Ovid’s Metamorphoses, he becomes enchanted by one of his subjects. He places himself within the chase as his desire for Daphne takes over. But what does Daphne desire? Does she want to be pursued? Does she want to be silenced? The play offers an alternative outcome to the myth. Watch as she steps out of the narrative that silenced her, and reclaims her own story.
Date, Desire, Divorce
The Swells
Diana Stewart and Damian Corcoran perform as different older couples in four romantic tragi-comedies by Edinburgh writer Malcolm Windsor. Anne and John are celebrating their 27th wedding anniversary, but somehow the taxi driver and the waiter are involved. Carol and Steve meet online and date for the first time but are they compatible? Sue and Dave discuss what they might want to improve their marriage, but do they have the same ideas? Sylvia, the moustache stalker, tracks down Martin 40 years later, but is it too late? Fun, games, tragedy. Life itself!
Derby Day
Without Compromise Theatre
A murder in a small Fife town has shaken the community to its core. A lifelong friend is gone, the investigation drags on, but does someone know more than they are telling? On the day of the Edinburgh Derby, secrets are revealed, the scars of the past burn anew and relationships are pushed to the breaking point. Derby Day, a new writing drama from Without Compromise Theatre, addresses the damage caused by sexual abuse and the consequences of unbroken cycles of violence in communities throughout Scotland.
Devil's Point
Cutty Sark Theatre
Ailsa and Sean are a young couple, at the height of bliss – for now. While on a romantic hiking trip up the mountain known as Devil's Point, shadows darken, tensions rise and someone – or something – makes its presence known. Paranoia and skepticism work together to ask a disturbing question: who is to blame for the whispers on the mountain? Devil’s Point is an experimental folk horror play weaving together folklore from the Cairngorms region of Scotland and the pressures of modern-day relationships. Cutty Sark Theatre returns from their acclaimed run at last year's Fringe.
Dots
Cathy Lam Arts Collective
Nominated for IATCHK Performer of the Year and HK Theatre Libre Outstanding Lead Actress. Annie masterfully blends tragedy and comedy in Dots, a critically-acclaimed solo performance that lays bare the struggles of a high-achieving, yet insecure mind. Bold, moving and darkly humorous, it delves into high-functioning depression, the psychology of insecure overachievers and the relentless battle against inadequacy and hopelessness. 'This dark, autobiographical piece of theatre is brutally honest, extremely relatable and full of humour' **** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk). 'Beautiful, raw and real. Taps into universal human feelings and experiences whilst being courageously personal' (StageDoorApp.com).
Drawing from Life
Alice Connolly
Will you draw the nude body in front of you? Or will you draw from the life that has been stitched and stuffed inside the nude body? Experience a contemporary performance life drawing class which isn't skin deep. Art materials will be provided for those who wish to draw, and a performance will be provided for those who wish to spectate. You may even wish to join the nude body and unpick some of your own stitching...
ENOUGH.
Moonstone Theatre Company
Winner: Best Drama, Greater Manchester Fringe. Why does misogyny still thrive in 2025? Enough is a bold drama following new police recruit Irie as she battles systemic injustice within the Met. Inspired by real events, it holds a mirror to the institutions meant to protect us, exposing the societal complacency that enables discrimination. Drawing from the Met’s response to the 2021 Sarah Everard vigil, this gripping play challenges power, accountability, and the cost of speaking out. With standing ovation nominations and critical acclaim, Enough is a must-see theatre experience that gives voice to those who refuse to be silenced.
Evelyn
Piccolo Teatro Libero / Associazione Culturale LLUM
The show was born from the necessity to translate onto the stage human frailty in the face of imposed patterns. It also takes us toward the rediscovery of nature (the deepest human one). Evelyn, the protagonist, finds herself living in an extreme situation, locked inside a cramped space, manipulated and bombarded by a constant and pressing presence of messages and information. She cannot be herself – she is alone and induced, transformed to the point of being comic and funny, but also tragic at times. An ironically dramatic journey through a daily life, punctuated by fake rituals.
Exhausted Paint: The Death of Van Gogh
Flying Solo! Presents
Join us for a tilt-a-whirl trip through the mind and letters of Vincent Van Gogh. A terrible spinning wheel controls the manic, blissful, bitter artist as he frantically relives the constant struggle and turbulence of his life. Disoriented, out of control, reeling from idea to idea, the soul-crushing, chaotic randomness of creation shapes a deep and dark vision of Van Gogh, a man who was so much more than a severed ear.
Find Me by Olwen Wymark
Parker & Snell Youth Company
The powerful true story of Verity, a teenage girl institutionalised after a mental health crisis and later sent to Broadmoor, where she could only be released with permission from the Home Secretary. This gripping play explores the complexities of mental illness, the struggle for identity, and the devastating impact on both Verity and those around her. Find Me confronts society’s treatment of mental health, exposing the isolation, misunderstanding and failures of the system. A deeply moving and thought-provoking production; a true story that packs a punch.
Forget-Me-Nots
Raiser Theatre
Two young people fall for each other with a strange sense of déjà vu in a story of love, loss and intimacy. Exploring the beautiful power of imagination, Isla Hall's poignant new play challenges perceptions of love and relationships and examines the fragile and complex nature of human connection. Forget-Me-Nots was originally written for the National Theatre's New Views competition and premieres at the Fringe 2025.
Frozen Love: A Buckingham Nicks Story
ERA Theatrical Productions
Frozen Love: A Buckingham Nicks Story, is the true story of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham’s rocky road to joining Fleetwood Mac. The creators of the piece, Georgie Banks and Jake Byrom, intertwine songs from Stevie and Lindsey’s scarcely-known debut duo album Buckingham Nicks and also show how some of the world’s favourite Fleetwood Mac songs came about. Their relationship during their time with Fleetwood Mac is infamous, but before that performance of Silver Springs, at the heart of it, they were madly in love and would do whatever it took for the music.
Fun at Parties
Berlin Open Theatre
Berlin Open Theatre presents Fun at Parties: an electrifying new play set in the underbelly of Berlin’s legendary club scene. While local partygoers seek hedonism, freedom, and true euphoria, organisers must battle to keep the dream alive for future generations. With a diverse, Berlin-based cast, Fun at Parties is a must-see for party lovers, culture seekers, and anyone who’s ever longed to dance till dawn in one of the world’s most vibrant cities.
Garden Party - Truman Capote's Black and White Celebration
Kulturscio'k Live Art Collective
A mysterious investigation of the great American writer, inspired by his scandalous life and the Black and White ball he hosted at the Plaza Hotel. A provocative journey through success, sabotage, addiction and true crime, from Garden City to New York. This adaptation, with original music, plunges the audience into a dangerous conflict where art and life are intertwined. Social hypocrisy, class power, gossip and murder are the guests of honour at a garden party worthy of Truman Capote. A new work by Kulturscio’k International Live Art Collective.
Get Thee to a Nursery
Exi Attica
Get thee to a… nursery? In this original comedy, a gang of four-year-olds are cursed by the spirit of Shakespeare for shredding his beloved Folio. Formerly inarticulate and screen addicted, the feral children awaken to find themselves fluent in the Bard’s language and conceiving character thoughts not their own. As the nursery politics magically weave through various Shakespearean subplots, the children bicker, fight and age through the Bard’s world and words. Debuting to rave reviews at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, this imaginarium returns in 2025 performed by young adults channeling their inner infant.
Ghost Stories By Candlelight
ArtsGroupie
The flickering flames wake spectral shadows of the past. Is the mind playing tricks or do these shapes come with a sinister purpose? It’s almost the witching hour, dare to come into the candlelight. The late-night sensation that revived a time-honoured tradition, according to the New York Times. ArtsGroupie blends classic frights for modern nights. Following three years of sold-out performances in the North West of England, don’t miss this spine chilling spectacle.
Good Morning and Goodbye
Old Boy Theatre
The story is about a daily routine, the ritual of a lady. Everything happens after she wakes up in the morning: she makes herself a cup of coffee and looks down the street from her room, soaking herself in the chill and easy vibes before she starts dressing, doing her makeup and sharing a little, intimate moment with herself. This is the preparation and self-soothing she performs before heading out to face real life.
Hairy B*stard
Molly Farquhar
Meet Magenta. This 20-something icon is confident, creative and incredibly hairy – particularly on her face. Tonight she's going on a date – perhaps he'll be the love of her life! Or perhaps he'll just stare at her moustache. Either way, its time to pop a pill (birth control), wax ya eyebrows and throw on a primarni dress, because tonight – this hairy bastard is hitting the town! This semi-autobiographical play is based around the writer's experience with hirsutism and PCOS. Full of lots of interactive, challenging and comedic moments – this one woman show is hair-raising!
Hamlet
Raiser Theatre
Tortured by his own conscience, the young prince of Denmark must overcome the betrayal of those closest to him and take revenge for his father's murder. A vibrant young cast of 10 actors presents a stripped-back telling of Shakespeare's profound tragedy, making innovative use of chorus to create Hamlet's world in this high-energy and haunting production. Raiser Theatre returns to the Fringe following their previous sell-out successes of The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth and Love's Labours' Lost.
How to Become a Movie Star?
Sarah Maria Lafferty
Felix Culpa Theatre Company successively produced The Woman He Lived With **** (One4Review.co.uk), and The Bad Daters ***** (TheReviewsHub.com) at the Edinburgh Fringe. This year's Fringe premiere, How to Become a Movie Star? is a joyous comedy about an actress with a unique plan to become a movie star by training to be a schoolteacher. She bases her career on an out-of-print biography, moves to New York, lives in a decrepit hostel in London and attends the strictest drama school ever while working in a pub. Based on a life well lived.
Hunger
Fragen Network
Fragen Network, acclaimed for producing fun, heartfelt, uncompromising theatre, presents a bold and hilarious new adaptation of Knut Hamsun’s Hunger, reimagined as an experimental, immersive theatrical experience. This innovative production brings a world-renowned novel’s psychological intensity to life, following a struggling writer as he battles starvation, isolation and the self-sabotaging habits of his own mind. Blending comedy, movement, sound and striking visuals, Hunger offers a fresh perspective on one of modern literature’s most haunting works. Thought-provoking, visceral and deeply human, this is a must-see for audiences looking for daring and original theatre.
Iago Speaks
Rumpus
At first glance, Iago Speaks appears to follow the events immediately after Shakespeare's Othello. But this meta-theatrical, comedic romp quickly turns, introducing us to Iago’s hapless jailer, always landing in Shakespeare plays, but with no lines. His quest, as he languishes by Iago’s dungeon cell, is to discover the true purpose for his life, and – ultimately – theatre. A classic comedy duo, Iago and his jailer descend into a mad adventure, its ultimate purpose only revealed at the end. The play is boundless, ridiculous and constantly winking at the audience and yet, manages to make us think.
Is This Normal?
Ansa Edim (Performer), Sriya Sarkar (Director)
Following its four-star debut at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024, award-winning storyteller Ansa Edim returns with Is This Normal? A shockingly true, uncomfortably cringe storytelling show drawn from her real-life dating disasters, heartbreaks, and hard-won lessons. With humour and vulnerability, Is This Normal? unpacks the highs and lows of love, societal expectations, and the messy path to self-acceptance. Is This Normal? is a compelling, unforgettable journey of embracing power, breaking free from norms and finding joy in a beautifully imperfect story.
Life Cycle of a Star
Carthage College Theatre
When they were four years old, Anna and Lily promised to be best friends for life, to sit side by side next to each other in their wheelchairs in the nursing home. But can a childhood promise survive the forces of time and space? Life Cycle of a Star presents the friendship of Anna and Lily 'against the life of the stars,' taking us on a journey through time, from prom to the nursing home, on cross-country and intergalactic space expeditions. Life Cycle of a Star asks: can you really promise someone a lifetime?
Life Would Be Pretty Dull Without Sex, Raves and MDMA
Bex Wall and Sarah Asante Gregory
Sex? Yes, please. Raves? Absolutely. MDMA? A dabble. Illegal raves find me high, staring at vaginas in abandoned museums. Meet Bex, a fortysomething woman struggling with expectations. A twist of fate, she rejects safe and abandons herself to life. Consequences be damned, embracing a reality that’s messy, exhilarating, cruel and wild. Showing you the world through her imperfect lens of love, loss and heartbreak, so you can make the leap and live intentionally – whatever that means. A rip-roaring, naughty, funny tale that will have you laughing into the dark.
Little Boxes
Joann Condon
An award-winning solo show by Joann Condon (Little Britain). Join Joann on a joyous and cathartic journey exploring a lifetime's worth of "boxes": the hopes and dreams of a child, the frustrations of an acting career, the tensions of being a parent, the grief in losing loved ones, the fear of being... herself. A story of breaking free from constraints and living life to the fullest. 'A show with profound heart... all need to see it' ***** (TheatreAndTonic.co.uk). 'Hilarious, moving, sad and uplifting' ***** (TheSpyInTheStalls.com). 'Condon’s comic timing is impeccable' **** (LondonTheatre1.com).
Locusts
Orange Works
Orange Works is proud to present Locusts – a compelling mix of drama and northern humour – in which love, family and faith are put to the test. Locusts tells the story of Stephen, whose past resurfaces as Pete, a once-trusted church leader, reappears asking for Stephen’s help in repeating damaging mistakes. Stephen’s partner, Jeff, is facing problems of his own, and knows nothing of this part of Stephen’s past. Now, they must all face the truth. Locusts masterfully weaves together real-life experiences of gay conversion therapy within an evangelical church into a gripping and sensitively performed play.
Lolo's Boyfriend Show
Lauren O'Brien
Lolo lands a dream-come-true European tour. But when it gets cancelled after just a few weeks, she’s forced to pack up her funky costumes and drag them back to her mum’s house in suburbia. Lolo thought she’d be famous by now. Her psychic told her she would be. Instead, she’s stuck in her childhood bedroom tormented by the ghosts of many failed relationships. Irreverent and soul-baring, Lolo captivates audiences as she journeys from self-harm to self-redemption. Lolo won Audience Choice at the NYC Fringe and rocked Off-Broadway at Playhouse 46. Lolo is dying to meet you!
Mary's Daughters
BiLLO Studio
‘Powerful call to arms… three remarkable women’ (ThePegReview.com). Centuries after their deaths, 18th-century radical Mary Wollstonecraft reunites with daughters Mary Shelley and Fanny Imlay to come to terms with their wounds, their writing and their reverberations through history. Through this feminist ghost story we hear the tireless writings of a genius out of her time, two sisters trying to reconcile wounds only families can create, and the birth of an iconic monster on the shores of lake Geneva. This new piece of writing is a rallying cry for a world that centers radical kindness above all things.
Merrily Merrily Merrily
Quid Pro Quo Theatre
In Merrily Merrily Merrily, three friends gather for a boozy night of laughter and existential debates, unraveling the mysteries of love, the universe, God, and the proper way to eat a chocolate soufflé. But beneath the drunken chaos, one of them harbours a sinister agenda. As the night spirals into absurdity and revelation, the boundaries between humour and horror blur, exposing the fragile beliefs that keep us tethered to hope. Darkly funny and unnervingly sharp, this play is a wicked exploration of love, faith, and the hope we cling to when the soufflé collapses.
My Brother Was a Vampire
Immigrant's Daughter Theatre and Lil Poppet Productions
My Brother Was a Vampire delves into the haunted heart of sibling bonds tangled in love, trauma and the supernatural. Told in reverse, it exposes Skye and Callum’s raw, messy attachment, entwined with secrets, sharp humor and pain. Skye’s eerie abilities blur the line between control and illusion as they grapple with abuse and family dysfunction. This ghostly, suspenseful puzzle asks: Can we escape our past, or are we forever marked by it? Minimal staging and dark humor pull audiences into this unflinching exploration of survival and unbreakable family ties.
On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco
No Frills Theatre Company
World-famous Russian playwright Anton Chekhov is best known for his major works including: Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters and The Seagull. However before writing these, he was responsible for highly-acclaimed short comedies called vaudevilles. These explored the human condition including the beauty, heartbreak and loneliness people experience. On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco embodies all of these themes. Ivan Ivanovich Nyukhin is told by his wife to deliver a lecture on the dangers of smoking to one's health but digresses somewhat and begins laying bare his unhappiness and his failed dreams. A short comic masterpiece.
Once Upon a Bridge
Clare Moss, Gurmej Virk, Luke Willis. The Lace Market Theatre
A tale for a modern age: early one morning on Putney Bridge, three strangers' lives collided for one fleeting second. Inspired by real events, Once Upon a Bridge weaves a tale about human triumph and frailty, about the power of destiny and chance, and why sometimes we choose to hate and other times, we choose to dance. Sonya Kelly's critically acclaimed play was premiered in The Mick Lally Theatre, Galway in February 2021. This adaptation from the Lace Market Theatre was met with critical and public acclaim following a UK tour.
Operation Blank
GG Well Played Productions
Someone has dropped an atom bomb on Copenhagen. With all-out war looming, an underqualified junior staffer in the British government must somehow stimulate a response from his idiotic superiors. There is just one thing standing in his way: Microsoft Teams.
Out of Character
Prickly Ash
When reality fails to answer desire, the fictional world becomes home. They are the gangsters on screen, forbidden lovers to some, the perfect souls that never existed in reality. The overlooked, East Asian female creators project their emotions onto the imaginary, weaving intimate connections beyond the limits of the real world. When patriarchal narratives attempt to define love, desire and existence, these women reshape them through imagination – not just as passion, but as identity, as a profound connection known as fictosexuality. Fanfiction is not just fantasy, it is love that the world has yet to understand.
pAges
Suitcase Dance Theatre
We’re back with a brand-new show, after the dazzling run of our 2024 show that earned four stars and Pick of the Fringe from Mervyn Stutter! Journal entries come to life through the company’s unique, dynamic fusion of tap, ballet, and contemporary choreography, enhanced by spoken word, props and puppetry. pAges tells the story of what happens when you dare to pursue the life of your dreams in a world that demands conformity. Depicting a lifelong journey from childhood awe to heartbreak, resilience and the quest for self-discovery, pAges is powerful, heartfelt theatre for those who dare to dream!
Pandora's Bowl
No Frills Theatre Company
Inspired by Alan Bennett's Talking Heads, this is a play about a woman's survival and a bowl called Pandora. Told through recaptured memories of childhood, and the experience of motherhood, as a daughter, mother and grandmother, our story will resonate with people of all ages as they sit and remember their own special memories. After all, everyone has their own washing up bowl... don't they? Starring Niki Mylonas (The Seagull, Othello) and written and directed by Wendy Reynolds (An Evening with Sir Thomas More, Survivors).
Piano Smashers
Piano Smashers featuring Rob Thompson
Piano Smashers is a new play by Rupert Page and Rob Thompson in which a mother bequeaths a precious piano to her children in her will, insisting they keep it. They do not want it because of what it represents to them, yet they can not bring themselves to dispose of it. Nominated Best Performance – The Actors, Brighton Fringe, 2024. 'Such hidden gems add greatly to the Fringe experience and remind us that there are superb ones which don’t get the audiences they deserve. Piano Smashers is one such show' (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk). https://www.pianosmashers.co.uk
Picking Up Stones: An American Jew Wakes to a Nightmare
Sandra Laub
A cri de coeur from author/performer Sandra Laub, wrestling with characters like Golda Meir and a Palestinian mother of martyrs, to make sense of the insane horror of October 7th. Can a progressive Jewish woman reconcile her Zionist heart with her liberal conscience? This tour de force, many-voices solo show, dares to ask for peace while grappling with war, whose antecedents and repercussions continue to shape our world. Hailed as a remarkably balanced and compassionate portrayal, the play respects the facts while standing firmly on personal, humanistic ground.
ROADKILL
DYKEish
On the 31st October 2019, Cosmo was hit by a car in an act of transphobic hate and violence. This show is not about getting hit by a car. This is a show about sex. This is a show about period sex. This is a show about working at Tesco. This is a show about living with your parents. This is a show about trans euphoria, sexuality and survival.
Roadkill Bambi
Mal MacKenzie and The Blue Loop Group
Portia and Alison are driving home from a wedding. They hit a deer. Portia dies. Portia and Alison are driving home from a wedding. They hit a deer. Portia dies. The deer gives a philosophy lecture. Portia and Alison are – wait what? They hit a deer. Portia dies. Forced to relive a car accident over and over, Portia must confront uncomfortable truths about her relationship while she tries to escape the surreal time loop. A thoroughly queer dirge for the imagined future, Roadkill Bambi asks how we make decisions while caught in the headlights of disaster.
Robert Louis Stevenson: The Body Snatcher
Blue Orange Arts
A chilling tale of greed, guilt and the macabre, The Body Snatcher exposes one of the darkest truths in history – the grisly pursuits of the so-called Resurrection Men. When medical student Fettes is recruited to assist the enigmatic scholar Wolfe Macfarlane, a chilling chain of events is set in motion. To what lengths will they go for the advancement of medical knowledge? This stunning adaptation brings to the stage Stevenson’s masterfully-weaved story of suspense and morality – exploring the dark depths of human ambition and its terrifying consequences.
Sàng Tsáu
Hsu Chen Wei Dance Company
The gods descend, banishing evil and clearing life’s burdens. Incense smoke rises with wishes, as drums and flutes echo. Mighty deities unite, exuding divine majesty to bring blessings and peace to all.
Science Stories for Grown-Ups
Science Stories for Grown-Ups
Science communication that engages the heart and the mind. Two scientists turned performers, Giulia and Richard, share their passion for the fun, wild ideas hiding in science’s back catalogue. From fire to water, thermodynamics to the Twin Paradox, five stories will materialise to kickstart scientific wonder. Our stories anthropomorphise the scientific world, giving atoms personalities to explain their behaviour, adding emotions to chemical reactions and inserting the idiosyncrasies of science into the day-to-day. Full book of stories available to buy at the end of the show. We will reawaken the curiosity that your science teacher crushed.
Seizure
Stage Fancy Productions
A typical rehearsal quickly deteriorates when the actors find themselves unable to depict the difference between fiction and reality. A play within a play.
Shirley: A Ghost Story
Moon Rabbit Theatre
Why do people write ghost stories? Is it to explain away the fear, or to reveal the ghosts inside? Shirley is a dark and intimate one-person play, inspired by the life of Shirley Jackson and the ghost stories of M.R. James. Shirley has felt haunted her entire life. Haunted by her responsibilities, her husband and a story that’s been with her since childhood. But will writing a novel finally release the horror that has been manifesting in her for a lifetime? Praise for previous work: ***** (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk). ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). **** (Scotsman). **** (Skinny).
Sole to Soul
Takivan Damula Chuyouji, Wei-Wei Wu, and Chi-An Chen
This performance seamlessly blends the physical language of traditional Chinese opera with the expressive symbolism of modern dance. Through the reinterpretation of objects such as shoes and shopping bags, it explores the repetitive dilemmas of contemporary life, while embodying the cultural transition of Chinese women from tradition to modernity. By bridging different eras and societal contexts, the work highlights the evolving roles and identities of women, offering a profound reflection on how traditional symbols adapt and transform to resonate within modern narratives.
Someone Has Got to Be John
Speakbeast
Speakbeast are doing a tribute act – and we think we’re doing a pretty convincing job. Paul is telling everyone how to stand. George keeps quitting and coming back. And nobody knows what Ringo’s on about. And if you really squint, we almost look like the real thing. But something is missing. And he keeps trying to get in. From Binge Fringe Queer Performer's Award winners Speakbeast, SHGTBJ is a fever dream we've been having about transmedicalism. About breakups. About separating reality from realness. And about separating The Beatles from John.
Sped Kid
Adam Linn
Sped Kid is an award-winning, high-energy, genre-defying one-man show that blends comedy, music and storytelling in a raw and heartfelt performance. It tells the powerful true story of Adam Linn, a twelve-year-old boy going blind in 1984 Boston, a city divided by long-simmering racism, but alive with new music and breakdancing. In this gripping, autobiographical journey, Adam’s failing vision forces him to leave an all-white Catholic school and board a special education short bus to an inner-city public school, where he and his new friends find strength, humour and triumph through their shared love of music and dance.
Supermarket 86
Company Dream House Producers: Mia Pelosi and Ellie Aslanian
Supermarket 86 follows five girls who get stuck in a supermarket overnight, all connected in ways they may not yet realise. Before the power goes out, the cashier's ex-girlfriend walks in. Set in 2007 Upstate New York, the show is a character-driven dramedy featuring five complicated, lonely young women pushed to confront their unwanted realities and uncertain futures. Fundamentally, the show is about the desire to connect and how, sometimes, you are forced to find connection in places that initially seem mundane and stagnant.
Tethered
The Harbourers Theatre Company
Rose and Taylor narrate their sensations and memories in an attempt to come to terms with their relationship to one another, their past and the world at large. Set in a future dystopia where genetic predispositions to chronic illness have been triggered by a worldwide technological phenomenon, this immersive installation fuses emerging technologies and dance theatre to question the importance of personal care and connection in a world of increasing isolation. We invite you to experience this new world as they do, embody and play with the boundaries of separation in performance.
The Bear
No Frills Theatre Company
As well as being world-famous for classical full-length works like The Seagull, Uncle Vanya and The Cherry Orchard, Anton Chekhov was widely renowned for his short comedic plays known as vaudevilles. Written before he achieved worldwide success, these vaudevilles were short plays with a different style of humour and dialogue than were found in his later works. They explore the human condition, and the beauty, heartbreak and loneliness people experience. When a young widow, mourning the death of her husband, is visited by the irascible Smirnov demanding payment for her husband's debts, things take a surprisingly romantic turn.
The Boy from Bantay
Jeremy Rafal
From his childhood in the Philippines – a technicolour blur of cartoons and classical music – Jeremy always knew he wanted to be a concert pianist. The Boy from Bantay takes us on his heartwarming journey of growth and self-discovery. This appearance is produced by Bantay Productions with support from Pace University.
The C Word
Los Angeles Theatre Initiative
Back by popular demand! The C Word is a radical awakening to the extreme objectification, competition, and overall nonsense women face today. This play explores the hypothesis: All women Hate themselves with a capital H. Trapped in a museum while waiting to interview for an Associate Curator position, five young women must select a tribute to fight a terrifying C-word monster. In a reality where women are constantly pitted against each other, what must we learn about ourselves to truly know and love one another?
The Colour Red
Spike Driver
Michael is a man who has decided that the best thing to do is to end his life. He feels this because of how destructive his OCD has been for him and his family. However, we get introduced to how Michael really feels, as he takes the audience through all the crazy ups and downs that come along with having 'severe and enduring' OCD! He'll take you on the journey from getting his OCD to spending four months in hospital getting peer-pressured by his therapist to have a wank! Join him for the decision.
The Hammer and Helena
ArtsGroupie
The true story of the most evil book ever written and its horrifying legacy. Innsbruck, 1485. A witch trial sees Helena become the obsession of a religious zealot. The consequences would doom women for centuries. Now Helena confronts her accuser one final time with her soul on the line and the kindling still lit. ArtsGroupie blends its acclaimed portrayal of historical events with contemporary drama and a frightening narrative worthy of their annual sell-out performances of Ghost Stories by Candlelight, featured in the New York Times.
The Lost Priest
Orchard Theatre Company
01 - 09 Aug
The Lost Priest is a deeply personal, one-person show exploring the complexities of growing up Jewish in America. Through poetic monologues, ritual reenactments and moments of raw reflection, the performer grapples with identity within an ethnicity divorced from religion. Blending humour and heartbreak, the play delves into themes of cultural alienation, family legacy and resilience. Intimate childhood memories, historical anecdotes and societal observations intertwine, creating a poignant narrative that captures the universal search for belonging.
The Naked Neds
HI! Productions
Paul’s about to be a dad, but doubt clouds his excitement. A night at the pub should be a distraction, yet Cammy’s suicide still lingers, unspoken but heavy. Struggling to move forward, the lads throw themselves into fundraising in his memory, desperate to make a difference. But when Paul finds a lump, fear grips him – fatherhood is no longer his only concern. Inspired by real events, The Naked Neds follows a group of Glasgow lads facing loss, life and NHS waiting lists. With nothing left to lose, they decide to bare all – the full monty!
The Poetical Life of Philomena McGuinness
Moon Rabbit Theatre
How will history remember you? As the person you are or, the person you want to be? It’s 1939, Philomena is on her way from Dublin to London to join the British war effort. But can she live true to the poetry inside her when she is constantly being defined by her role in the war? Philomena McGuinness is a poignant and hilarious one-woman play, infused with poetry and inspired by the true stories of Irish nurses in WWII. 'From captivating to sublime' ***** (TheWeeReview.com). ***** (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk). ***** (BroadwayBaby.com).
Three Can Keep a Secret
Theatre Unleashed
Top of the Hollywood Fringe 2024 nominee! It was supposed to be an easy score. Whack the mark. Stage the scene. Take the money. Retire to Cabo. At least, that’s how they planned it. But for poor Moose and Sonny, a really bad night is only just beginning. This darkly funny and twisted interactive crime thriller allows you, the audience, to choose how the story proceeds, while the anti-hero protagonists attempt to get away with murder. Literally. With multiple decision points throughout, and three different possible endings, no two performances will be the same!
Time Bends
Bleeding Cowboy
More than twenty years ago, literature student David met an older man called Michael in the bar of an independent cinema. They spoke for an hour, developed a genuine connection, and never met again. Twenty years later, sitting in the same cinema with his wife, David sees a man that looks very familiar. In that moment, David goes back to the afternoon he could never forget.
Transfers
Arbery Theatre
Eight very different people, eight very different situations. How does £500 get passed around? Willingly or violently? As a gift? Blackmail? Payment for drugs? Beauty treatment? A scam? Car repair? Is it stolen? Or lost? In cash or online? In someone's home? A nightclub? On the street? In a theatre? Perhaps all of these or none. In a newly devised show, see money circulate in a kaleidoscope of comedy, tragedy and the mundane in Britain today.
Wet Dream With Jesus
Alice Way
Louisiana – home of Mardi Gras, Southern hospitality, and purity culture. This autobiographical comedy explores Alice’s teenage upbringing in the thick of America’s Bible Belt. Discover her LGBTQ+ identity and experience the South beyond its cowboy boots! Hold your beers tight as Alice plays over 20 characters with more flavour than a boilin' pot of gumbo. Expect chameleon-like storytelling as Alice recounts a series of events so shocking you won’t believe they’re real! Don’t be shy now – how much can happen to one queer high schooler swimming through a flood of Southern gossip?
What If They Ate the Baby?
Xhloe and Natasha
There are three rules every housewife knows: never return a dish empty, always have dinner ready on time, and some things are best kept under the table. After all, you never know who’s listening. You’ve heard whispers of absent husbands? Missing children? Spaghetti recipes? Or was it scones? You just can’t trust everything you hear through the walls these days. An absurdist queer two-hander about surveillance, American womanhood, and bodily autonomy from consecutive 2022, 2023, and 2024 Fringe First Award-winners Xhloe and Natasha.
When We Were Young
Geez a Break Productions
This five-star production tells a powerful and hilarious story about the realities of gang culture and young team mentality in Glasgow during the 90s, as we follow the lives of one of the many young teams who polluted the streets of the city during a time it was known as The Murder Capital of Europe. This heartbreaking story is both a hilarious and eye-opening look back to 90s Glasgow and the notorious postcode wars.
Why Won't They Eat the Cake?
Keturah Peirson and Evelina Rudasa
A messy kitchen, an uneaten cake, a shoe in the bath and two… friends? Why Won’t They Eat the Cake? is a raw exploration of the insecurities that shape our relationships. Written and performed by Evelina Rudasa and Keturah Peirson, this two-person play delves into self-discovery, identity and what it means to grow up. Because no matter how much you grow up, you can never really leave the past behind. Two girls. One cake. No party.
Wish You Were Here
Without Compromise Theatre
Set in a small town in Fife, Wish You Were Here follows a trio of working-class young men who are brought together for the first time in three years. Once a tightly-knit found family, time and circumstance has pulled the men apart. On the night of an engagement party, secrets are revealed and relationships are pushed to the brink. Will the group make it through this or have they been torn apart for good? This dark comedy explores themes of mental health, drug culture and homophobia in working-class areas in Scotland.
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