EdFringe Theatre – Youth & Student companies

Jul 30 2019 | By Thom Dibdin More

Edinburgh’s Youth and Student theatre companies at EdFringe

As the fringe continues to grow, so does the input from Edinburgh-based companies. This year there are an unprecedented 93 different productions in the theatre section of the Fringe programme alone.

That includes 21 productions from the youth and students sectors, listed on this page, as well as the grassroots, amateur and professional sectors

A scene from Down It Fresher

In order to make things clearer, we have divided the listing up into four parts. On this page you can find an alphabetical listing of all the productions being staged by the city’s excellent Youth and Student theatre companies.

The rest of the theatre productions are listed here:
Theatre by Edinburgh’s Amateur companies
Theatre by Edinburgh’s Grassroots companies
Theatre by Edinburgh’s Youth and Student companies
Theatre by Edinburgh’s Professional companies

These distinctions are sometimes slightly arbitrary, and professional companies also mentor youth companies so do look through the different sections. Also, don’t forget to look at what is on in the Musical Theatre, Children’s and Dance sections.

Youth and Student Company Listings

27 Club
Rebel Pigeon Productions and New Celts Productions
theSpace on the Mile (Venue 39)
3 – 23 Aug (odd dates): 13:50 (1 hour 10 minutes)
An art gallery: Nick’s surrounded by the chaotic memories that brought him there – a host of artists, jilted lovers and ghosts of his past. As Nick’s world crumbles can he come to terms with the pressure? Book here.

~~Alfie and George – cancelled~~
Edinburgh Little Theatre
Hill Street Theatre (Venue 41)
2 – 25 Aug: 16:00 (1 hour)
This production has been cancelled.

Barry
Shrinking Violet
Bedlam Theatre (Venue 49)
21 – 25 Aug: 15:30 (1 hour)
Barry is a devised verbatim piece about Dr James Barry. James Barry has been misrepresented in history as Edinburgh University’s first “woman” graduate. We take issue with this. Expect lipsyncing, drag, dancing and a handful of historical accuracy. Book here.

Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon
PQA Edinburgh
PQA Venues @Riddle’s Court (Venue 277)
2- 6 Aug: 10:00 (50 minutes)
Join our intrepid actors as they weave together all of Grimms’ tales. From Cinderella to Snow White, Rumpelstiltskin to Rapunzel, this fast-paced, action-packed show is not to be missed! Book here.

Brunch Club
Grid Iron, SDTN and Pleasance Theatre Trust
Pleasance Pop-Up: Levels (Venue 175)
2 – 24 Aug (not 6, 13, 20): 20:15 (1 hour)
Rebel, geek, emo, which were you? Were you the popular one? Scotland’s newest talents, The Network, with award winning Grid Iron and Pleasance, take on cliques in a site specific homage to classic coming-of-age movies. Book here.

Bull
Cold Pizza Productions and New Celts Productions
theSpace on the Mile (Venue 39)
4 – 24 Aug (even dates): 12:25 (1 hour 10 minutes)
This dark comedy by Mike Bartlett shows the cruelty of human nature through bizarre power play, manipulation and vindictive honesty. Three colleagues fight for their lives in this savage battle of wit. The odds are stacked against underdog Thomas from the get-go, while Tony and Isobel use every dirty trick in the book, even going as far as targeting Thomas’s son. They’ll do anything to ensure their own survival. Only two can return… Book here.

Chagos 1971
Black Bat Productions
ZOO Playground (Venue 186)
2 – 26 Aug (not 8, 15, 22): 16:10 (50 minutes)
A darkly hilarious, bizarre, and true story. One day in London 1971, five government reps craft a surreal and shocking solution for the UK’s most controversial territory: the Chagos Archipelago. A sharp farce by Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller. Book here.

Down It Fresher!
Anonymous Badger Creative at Free Festival
Laughing Horse @ The Bier Keller (Venue 154)
1 – 11 Aug: 19:15 (1 hour)
When Frida the Fresher meets Matt, a posh English guy from the rival university, it’s love at first sight, but only for Frida. A hilariously honest play about being a student, falling in love and finding yourself. Book here.

Going Slightly Mad
Big Mind Theatre
Bedlam Theatre (Venue 49)
2 – 16 Aug (not 5, 12): 14:00 (1 hour 10 minutes)
Max has just been sectioned and she doesn’t know why. Meanwhile, someone’s drawn Eamon Holmes on the blackboard, Damon Albarn’s faked his own death, and the only thing that’s on the TV is A Question of Sport. Book here.

Gregory’s Girl
Captivate Theatre
Gilded Balloon Rose Theatre (Venue 76)
1 – 25 Aug (not 12, 19): 19:00 (1 hour 15 minutes)
The stage adaptation of the iconic film by Bill Forsyth – all the original humour is retained as Gregory wrestles with his passion and Dorothy takes control. Book here.

Haggis, Neeps and Burns
Edinburgh Little Theatre
Hill Street Theatre (Venue 41)
2 – 25 Aug: 12:00 (1 hour 10 minutes)
Come along and eat haggis, neeps and tatties, and find out the life story of Robert Burns. Told through his songs and poetry, this is a must-see for everyone interested in Scotland’s national bard. Book here.

In Her Corner
Tearin’ the Tartan Theatre and New Celts Productions
theSpace on the Mile (Venue 39)
3 – 23 Aug (odd dates): 15:20 (1 hour 10 minutes)
Set in Scotland’s capital, Claire is trapped by family loyalty in a circle of violence. Her heart is in boxing but is this her escape? What would you do if you were in her corner? Book here.

Level Up
Full Breakfast Productions and New Celts Productions
theSpace on the Mile (Venue 39)
4 – 24 Aug (even dates): 14:05 (1 hour 10 minutes)
Inspired by China’s social credit system, a near-future state strives for utopia by rewarding model citizens. But when real love is impossible to measure and doing good becomes an obsession, not everyone plays by the rules. Book here.

Mugged
PQA Edinburgh
PQA Venues @Riddle’s Court (Venue 277)
2 – 6 Aug: 11:00 (50 minutes)
Every morning, a group of teenagers meet up on their way to school and hang out in the park. And so do the muggers. When Soph has her phone stolen, Marky tries to help. But it goes horribly wrong… Book here.

National and ELT Short Play Winners
Edinburgh Little Theatre
Hill Street Theatre (Venue 41)
5 – 25 Aug: 16:30 (1 hour)
The National newspaper and ELT short playwright winners. This short play showcases new writing talent from across the country as we stage these award-winning plays. Book here.

Norse Mythology Ragnasplosion
PQA Edinburgh
PQA Venues @Riddle’s Court (Venue 277)
2 – 6 Aug: 12:00 (50 minutes)
Join our hilarious group of actors as they take you on a whirlwind tour of Norse Mythology. Meet the gods, plus lots more! With an epic final Ragnarok battle, this show is definitely one to watch! Book here.

Parasites
Seesome Theatre and New Celts productions
theSpace on the Mile (Venue 39)
3 – 23 Aug (odd dates): 12:25 (1 hour 5 minutes)
Expelled from school aged 15, Alicia battles for her right to exist. Welfare and charities view her as the one thing everybody hates: a parasite. But who are the real bloodsuckers? Provocative dramedy from award-winning five-star playwright James Harker. Book here.

Second Person Narrative
PQA Edinburgh
PQA Venues @Riddle’s Court (Venue 277)
2 – 6 Aug: 13:00 (50 minutes)
You’re born a girl. You grow up. You grow old. You die. But who is in control of your life story? Can you choose your destiny? And how do you forge your own identity along the way? Book here.

She Can’t Half Talk
Bedlam Theatre
Bedlam Theatre (Venue 49)
31 Jul, 1, 17 – 25 Aug: 14:00 (1 hour)
Do foetuses miss their father? Can camera girls be gay? Why are cougars, well, cougars? Six monologues, one hour, six very different perspectives. This new, five-star monologue show explores gendered perspectives from new angles. Book here.

Twice Over
Theatre Paradok
Greenside @ Nicolson Square (Venue 209)
2 – 10 Aug: 18:40 (50 minutes)
Thatcher and May’s leadership is examined through the lives of two women, one 20 in 1983, one 20 in 2017. As history moves in parallel, the audience sees how the personal is always political. Book here.

Click the following links for listings of:

Theatre by Edinburgh’s Amateur companies
Theatre by Edinburgh’s Grassroots companies
Theatre by Edinburgh’s Youth and Student companies
Theatre by Edinburgh’s Professional companies
Musical Theatre by Edinburgh-based companies
Children’s Theatre by Edinburgh-based companies
Dance, Cabaret and Spoken Word by Edinburgh-based companies