RUBBERBANDITS, Alexei Sayles and More Join Soho Theatre's Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2013 Lineup

Soho Theatre announces a packed Edinburgh Festival Fringe season of exciting comedy debuts, experimental performances and long-awaited returns, as part of our commitment to nurturing new talent and continuing our long standing relationships with leading international performers.

Steve Marmion, Artistic Director of Soho Theatre said: "Edinburgh is a really important time for Soho Theatre. It is a chance for us to showcase and support artists we have been working with, but also an opportunity to discover the ones we're yet to meet. This year we are bringing an amazing range of work from veterans to first timers, theatre to cabaret to comedy, from Ireland to Australia, bags on heads to gimp masks. And if last year is anything to go by, we will be seeing about 400 other shows!"

Making their Edinburgh debuts, Matt Okine and Ronny Chieng touch down from Australia, after having jointly won the Best Newcomer Award at the Melbourne Comedy Festival followed by a sellout run at Soho Theatre last year.

Arriving from Limmerick, chart topping Irish plastic-bag heads Rubberbandits return with the show that won 2012's Malcolm Hardee Award for comic originality, featuring their no1 smash-hit song Horse Outside.

International theatrical comedy sensation and last year's Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Doctor Brown returns with an experimental project to create and perform a completely new show throughout the course of one day, plus he performs three of his hit-shows.

Infant terribles Late Night Gimp Fight return to the festival with a brand new show directed by Soho Theatre's Artistic Director, Steve Marmion.

Bryony Kimmings is sticking up for the little folk with her new show starring alternative pop star Catherine Bennett, a character created by Bryony's niece in response to the hyper-sexualised commodification of tween culture.

Internationally celebrated duo Pajama Men return to Edinburgh with their own brand of inventive, freewheeling comic play created and developed at Soho Theatre.

Finally, the Godfather of alternative comedy, Alexei Sayle brings his first full-length stand-up show in 17 years to Edinburgh following two sold-out London seasons and Stewart Lee presents a mixed Stew of unrelated ideas in preparation for his 2014 TV series.

Time Out and Soho Theatre have joined forces for a second year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to present the TO&ST Award; celebrating quality and brilliance in cabaret. With one award given to the show the judges believe is the best cabaret show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. As well as the industry recognition the winner of the award will be offered a two week run at Soho Theatre and will have a full feature about their show in Time Out. Judges for the award include, Time Out Cabaret Editor Ben Walters, Soho Theatre Comedy & Cabaret Producer Steve Lock, Roundhouse Circus Producer Leila Jones and Artistic Director of the Glasgow Cabaret Festival Frodo McDaniel.

SOHO THEATRE, CENTURY ENTERTAINMENT AND UNDERBELLY PRESENT

MATT OKINE: BEING BLACK & CHICKEN & S#%T

Underbelly Topside, Bistro Square, Edinburgh, Wed 31 Jul - Mon 26 Aug, 6pm

WINNER - Best of the Fest, Sydney Comedy Festival 2013

WINNER - Best Newcomer, Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2012.

NOMINEE - Time Out Sydney Comedian of the Year 2011.

NOMINEE - Time Out Sydney Comedy Festival Show of the Year 2011

Award-winning Comedian Matt Okine spent 2012 performing around the world to rave reviews. But awards don't pay the bills. And reviews don't keep the lights on. Matt Okine wants to get rich, and fast. One of the most exciting comics to emerge from Australia in recent years, Matt makes his Edinburgh debut following a massive year of recognition around the world.

David Johnson, John MackAY, SOHO THEATRE AND GILDED BALLOON PRESENT

RUBBERBANDITS

Gilded Balloon Teviot, Edinburgh, Wednesday 31 July - Monday 26 August, 10.40pm

WINNER - Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality 2012

WINNER - Best Musical Comedy Act, Chortle Awards 2012

Fresh from two sold out London seasons these Irish chart-topping bagheads return with the show that won 2012's Malcolm Hardee Award for comic originality. Expect wild and outrageous antics (including their hilarious 10m views YouTube sensation Horse Outside), at the funniest, filthiest comedy rave in Fringe history.

Phil Mcintyre ENTERTAINMENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH SOHO THEATRE AND PLEASANCE PRESENT

LATE NIGHT GIMP FIGHT

Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh, Wednesday 31 July - Sunday 25 August, 10pm

WINNERS - Chortle Awards 2011

NOMINEES - Edinburgh Best Newcomer Award 2010

You could argue by now it's demeaning for five men approaching their thirties to be donning gimp masks, prancing round in thongs and making knob gags. You'd be right. Despite that they're back and this year they mean business. Directed by Steve Marmion, Artistic Director of Soho Theatre.

Phil Mcintyre ENTERTAINMENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH SOHO THEATRE AND THE ASSEMBLY ROOMS PRESENT

PAJAMA MEN: JUST THE TWO OF EACH OF US

Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh, Wednesday 31 July - Monday 26 August, 9pm

Beulah would eat a spider to fit in with the cool kids. Nadine's arm is missing and she wants it back. Franz' biggest problem is life is too easy. A procrastinating king has only 700 years to get his shit together, if he doesn't it's certain death for everyone. Pajama Men are a totally unique duo, with their own brand of inventive, freewheeling comic play that demands to be seen.

BRYONY KIMMINGS AND ESCALATOR EAST TO EDINBURGH IN ASSOCIATION WITH SOHO THEATRE AND PLEASANCE PRESENT

CREDIBLE LIKEABLE SUPERSTAR ROLEMODEL

Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh, Thursday 1 - Sunday 25 August, 5.45pm

In an audacious, provocative protest against flagrant global attempts to sexualise and commodify childhood for profit, award-winning artist Kimmings and her niece Taylor, nine, decided to play the global tween machine at its own game. Taylor invented dinosaur-loving, bike riding, tuna pasta-eating, alternative pop star Catherine Bennett, Bryony promised to embody her, do everything that Taylor told her to, and get her famous - like super famous!

SOHO THEATRE, CENTURY ENTERTAINMENT AND UNDERBELLY PRESENT

RONNY CHIENG: THE RON WAY

Udderbelly Cowgate, Edinburgh, Thu 1 - Sun 25 Aug, 7.50pm

WINNER - Best Newcomer, Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2012.

NOMINEE - Best of the Fest - Sydney Comedy Festival 2013

Ronny doesn't want to be liked. But he'll get you on side with his hilarious determination to show he has the comic skills, academic brilliance and all-round credentials to make you laugh. A lot. Plus he'll prove once and for all that being Chinese is really cool. Ronny makes his Edinburgh debut following a massive year of recognition around the world.

David Johnson, John MackAY, SOHO THEATRE AND GILDED BALLOON PRESENT

Stewart Lee: MUCH A-STEW ABOUT NOTHING

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, Edinburgh, Saturday 3 - Sunday 25 August, 4.25pm

Following the sell-out Carpet Remnant World, and further sold-out work in progress runs at Soho Theatre, the acclaimed writer and comedian presents a mixed stew of unrelated ideas in preparation for his 2014 TV series. See it live so you can begin the backlash ahead of transmission.

SOHO THEATRE, THE MASON SISTERS @ PBJ AND UNDERBELLY PRESENT

DOCTOR BROWN: BEXPERIMENTS

Underbelly Cowgate, Edinburgh, Tuesday 13 August, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm & 7pm

WINNER - Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Award 2012

WINNER - Melbourne Comedy Festival Barry Award 2012

WINNER - Total Theatre Innovation Award 2012

WINNER - Sunday Times Best Newcomer 2010

WINNER - Top 10 Pick of the Fringe 2010

Eight shows back-to-back, starting the day from scratch, each show will be built from the best of the previous, taking shape through the day to form a completed eighth show.

SOHO THEATRE, THE MASON SISTERS @ PBJ AND UNDERBELLY PRESENT

DOCTOR BROWN: BECAUSE, BECAVES & BEFRDFGTH

Underbelly Topside, Bristo Square, Edinburgh, Thursday 15 - Tuesday 20 August, 11.30pm

Multi-award winner Doctor Brown is back for one week with the Doctor Brown trilogy - 2010's Because, 2011's Becaves and 2012's Befrdfgth.

David Johnson, John MackAY, SOHO THEATRE AND THE STAND PRESENT

ALEXEI SAYLE

The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, Edinburgh, Tuesday 13 - Sunday 25 August, 6pm

The godfather of alternative comedy brings his first full-length stand-up show in 17 years to Edinburgh following two sold-out London seasons.

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