Edinburgh Festival

As a child, all she wanted was to be an adult. Now she's at the table, she wants out. Following her acclaimed, sell-out debut hour, Celya returns: expect tales of romance, a hologram, and a near-death experience in Thorpe Park.

Strictly Come Dancing legend and judge, Anton Du Beke, takes to the stage with his live band, a guest singer and his dancers; expect a fab-u-lous afternoon of song, dance and laughter.

Maggie Crane's older brother had it all: a purple sparkly wheelchair and everyone's attention. This darkly funny stand-up show is an autobiographical coming-of-age story about disability, death, and Dunkin' Donuts. Aiden was Maggie's best friend and biggest rival. In their family, hospital visits felt like Disneyland and drug smuggling trips were international vacations. Maggie's first crush was a doctor and her first love was... the lead singer of Panic at the Disco? Side by Side will break your heart, make you laugh, and get you to call your brother.

Meet Him. He's gay, twenty-something, and aspiring to be Billie Piper circa 1999. For now though, he's still single, still horny, and still perfecting the bum-hole selfie in the work toilets. Rock bottom's never been so fabulous. Blowhole is a screengrab of the pitfalls of swipe-right culture.

A new screwball comedy about how Gwyneth Paltrow, guru culture, green juice and your best downward-facing dog can save us all!

Recently, I had the chance to talk with Moses Storm about what it’s been like bringing Perfect Cult to the Fringe Festival. We discussed the development of the show, some of his favourite moments, and even a sweater made of ropes attached to audience members!

Recently, I had the chance to sit down with Archie Henderson, the creator of Jazz Emu, to talk about his two shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, You Shouldn’t Have and Jazz Emu’s Pleasure Garden. We talked about what it was like to create Jazz Emu, how the Fringe has influenced his work, and how Jazz plays a role in his life outside of shows!

Recently, BroadwayWorld had the chance to sit down and chat with Horatio Gould about his show, Sweet Prince. We discussed how he got into the world of comedy, what it has been like developing the show over the past few years, and advice he has for anyone looking to bring their show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Scaredy's working the late shift at the cinema. Tonight's schedule? The horror-movie sexual awakenings of yesteryear. Stuffed with steamy recollections of Carrie and Candyman, Scaredy should be in ecstasy but evil horror host Count Calories keeps cutting in on the fun. It's time for Scaredy to face their fears and stop being such a big Scaredy Fat. Come to the movies with Scaredy as they poke fun at fat and queer representation in the horror genre, asking what it means to love a genre that doesn't love you back. We're gonna need a bigger shirt...

 The set is scarce, but that doesn't matter. From birds to cars to bartender counters and water coolers, every set piece, animal and prop are created solely through this talented 4-person ensemble, accompanied by sound designer and musician Frederick Waxman. 

A goofy fantastical mermaid tale told through cardboard signs with descriptive labels accompanied by a spoken language that sounds like a fusion between Icelandic and Simlish? It sounds ludicrous, but strangely.... it works.

The concept of Jazz Emu’s Pleasure Garden is quite simple. You are invited by Jazz Emu (played by Archie Henderson) and the band The Cosmique Perfectión to their Pleasure Garden, quoted to be “a luscious, verdant Arcadia that veritably throbs with life” (it’s actually in a car park but hey, you take what you can get at the Fringe!).

Villain is a brilliantly creative and fun mix of musical theatre and comedy that puts a fresh spin on the villains of our favourite works of fiction. If being the baddie of the story is a sense of style and self-assurance, a refusal to conform to society’s expectations, and a sometimes outright aggressive approach to self-care, then let us usher in the villain era.

According to Google, Eva's boobs weigh the same as: two and a half bottles of tequila; two bricks; or the average newborn baby. Quite a weight on your back and finding bras off the rack for a rack that size is near impossible. Despite being an ideal candidate, misogynistic medical standards leave Eva feeling like a tit for asking for a boob reduction - will the whole thing be a bust?

A kids party... but for adults. Soho Theatre's smash-hit musical comedy about two rival children's entertainers, starring Kiell Smith-Bynoe (Ghosts, Taskmaster, Stath Lets Flats) and Ed MacArthur (Bad Education, Dreamland, The Now Show).

'Who are you Jamie!?' 'I'm that bitch!' Jamie is not in fact, that bitch. Jamie has just been dumped for a man who goes to the gym. Jamie is a hot mess. Jamie needs to reinvent himself. Celebrating the dizzying romance and heart-breaking tragedy of friendship, Jamie Finn blends storytelling, comedy and original music as he explores the chaotic wilderness of platonic love and searches for someone who will finally talk about Jamie!

Usually avoid public bathrooms? Here's one you won't want to miss! This award-winning new musical follows four unlikely strangers who find themselves trapped together in a gender-neutral public toilet. With an hour to kill until maintenance arrives, the group navigates unexpected challenges, pungent opinions and some seriously sticky conversations. Created by queer-led theatre collective Stroud & Notes, Public – The Musical explores stories of identity, connection and compassion, alongside an electrifying pop/rock score. This will be a trip to the bathroom you'll never forget!

IMA (Pray) is an immersive circus experience. In the installation space reminiscent of sacred places, we participate in a unique ritual guided by the performer, who becomes a 21st-century shaman taking the audience into the unknown territories of the human mind. Bence Vági, director-choreographer of IMA worked with his team to create a magical installation inspired by the starry sky stretching over the desert; the place where human beings realise that we are merely tiny points in the infinite vastness of the universe.

The second that Zach Zucker steps on stage for his show, Zach Zucker: Spectacular Industry Showcase, he commands the room. He emerges wearing a sparkly and very unbuttoned shirt and you cannot help but fall a little bit in love with his confidence and talent within minutes.

The Mystery of Dyatlov Pass is a reflective tale of the lives of those who were involved in the Dyatlov Pass incident. The ending leaves the mystery open to interpretation but harshly reminds audiences that there are real human lives behind many conspiracy theories like those surrounding the nine hikers.

Mark Twain was once quoted as saying, “Comedy equals tragedy plus time.” Well, Ed Byrne is here to test his equation in Ed Byrne: Tragedy Plus Time. Having only seen clips of Byrne on shows like Mock the Week, I was looking forward to seeing a full hour of his standup.

When I picked up my listening pack for 1000 Miniature Meadows from Pleasance Courtyard, I was a bit confused. I was simply handed a card, which had a sticker on it that said to open it in the Courtyard. Opening the envelope and taking a look at its contents, I found a card with context and instructions for the “performance” along with a packet of seeds.

Lorna Rose Tree: Skin Pigeon is a great way for Treen to show off her talents as a character actor, seamlessly switching between her cast of ridiculous characters. It takes someone special to be able to imitate a dolphin, an aggressive PE teacher, a cowboy with guns for hands, a ghost, and others within an hour, but Treen makes it look effortless.

Drag Queen of Scots and RuPaul's Drag Race UK winner Lawrence Chaney presents a mix of stand-up and lip syncs in her Fringe debut extravaganza exploring what it truly means to be 'plus-sized'. Her stand-up delivers, her lip syncs less so.

Overall Alphabet Soup is entertaining, if a little inconsistent, and it’s certainly a lively way to spend an afternoon. The hosts have done well to put together a show of exclusively LGBTQIA+ performers which is something the comedy scene globally needs more of.