EdFringe 2025: Amateur Theatre

Aug 3 2025 | By Thom Dibdin More

Edinburgh-made theatre from amateur companies at EdFringe 2025

Edinburgh’s amateur companies were at the first ever Fringe and they are still here, with an intriguing and hugely ambitious programme of theatre that spans the genres.

One particular joy of this year’s programme of amateur theatre, often based in lesser-used halls and venues, is that it can take its time, and present works of a length which visiting companies might fight shy.

Strawmoddie Theatre survey Craigmillar Castle ahead of their production of Monstrous Regiment. Pic: Robin Mair.

Fans of long-running local company Arkle Theatre Theatre, will be sad to hear that it is bringing its 30 years of theatre in Edinburgh to close, the August. But the company is going out in style, with four productions in the Hepburn Suite of the The Royal Scots Club: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, George, Don’t Do That… The Joy of Joyce Grenfell, the 39 Steps and Nancy’s Philosopher.

There is more style from Strawmoddie Theatre, which is staging Monstrous Regiment, its sixth production of a Terry Pratchett Disc World adaptation. The main event is at the Edinburgh Academy, but a lucky few have tickets to its two nights out at Craigmillar Castle.

Necessary Cat return with another Shakespeare double bill – although nothing quite as innovative as its previous pairings of Hamlet and Macbeth with the modern plays which either mirror or grew out of them. Still, an evening of the Dream followed by Julius Caesar has got to be a fun one!

And of coursed, where would the Fringe be without Edinburgh People’s Theatre. One of the companies at the first ever Fringe, they will be reviving their hugely successful production Alan Cochran’s Hatches, Matches and Dispatches.

253 #MadeInEdinburgh shows

There are a total of 253 shows Made in Edinburgh at #EdFringe this year – not including standup comedy.

In order to make things clearer, we have divided the listing up into eight parts. On this page you can find an alphabetical listing of theatre productions by Edinburgh’s amateur companies.

Here are the links to the other seven listings pages:

We are also proud to work with EPAD to produce and publish their annual listing of shows “created, performed or produced by Edinburgh’s theatre professionals” which is here.

Theatre by Edinburgh’s Amateur companies

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Arkle Theatre Company
The Royal Scots Club (The Hepburn Suite) Venue 241a
11 – 16 Aug: 8.30pm (1hr 30mins).
A Shakespeare comedy telling the tale of love, magic and mistaken identities. Four young lovers and a group of actors get caught in a mythical forest where fairies play tricks, leading to chaos and eventual resolution. Further details.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Necessary Cat Limited
Braw Venues @ Hill Street (Dunedin Theatre) Venue 41
11 – 24 Aug: 6.15pm (1hr 30mins).
A delightfully preposterous romp through the enchanted forest, where fairies meddle in the affairs of foolish mortals. Shakespeare’s most magical comedy. ‘A fortnight hold we this solemnity, In nightly revels and new jollity’. Don’t miss it! Further details.

A Real Live Scratch Night
Pat Zajac
Satyr (bar) 260-262 Leith Walk, EH6 5EL. Venue 337
3 – 17 Aug (Odd dates only): 7pm (1 hr).
Discover new shows before they become the next big thing! Scratch Nights let writers test out work-in-progress plays live with an audience. Three script extracts will be shared each night in a relaxed, low-pressure setting. Your feedback will help shape the future of these shows. Further details.

A Woman of No Importance
Edinburgh Theatre Arts
St Ninian’s Hall (Theatre ) Venue 230
4 – 16 Aug (not Sun): Mon-Fri: 7.30pmp; Sat: 1pm & 6pm. (2hr 15mins).
‘Every woman is a rebel, and usually in wild revolt against herself.’ Oscar Wilde’s biting satire explores the moral hypocrisy and injustice of the Victorian era, focusing around the revelation of a woman’s scandalous secret. Further details.

Calendar Girls
Leitheatre
Inverleith St Serf’s Church Centre (Main Hall) Venue 83
2 – 16 Aug (not Suns): Mon-Fri 7.20pm; Sat: 2.30pm. (2hr 30mins).
Based on the true story of 11 WI members who posed nude for a calendar to raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund. A funny, heartwarming, poignant story of friendship and fundraising. Further details.

Dracula
The Edinburgh Makars
The Royal Scots Club (The Hepburn Suite) Venue 241
18 – 23 Aug: 7.30pm (3hrs).
This modern retelling of the Victorian classic explores what drives Dracula’s victims to invite him in and submit to his embrace. Suspenseful, chilling and suffused with dark eroticism, it retains all the eerie dread of Stoker’s infamous horror novel. Further details.

George, Don’t Do That… The Joy of Joyce Grenfell
Arkle Theatre Company
The Royal Scots Club (The Hepburn Suite) Venue 241
19 – 23 Aug: 3.30pm (1hr).
From nursery school to cocktail parties, Joyce Grenfell conjured colourful characters for our pleasure. Spend time with Lumpy Latimer, Mrs Fanshawe and George in this timeless collection of songs and monologues. Further details.

Hatches, Matches and Dispatches
Edinburgh People’s Theatre
Newington Trinity Church (Church Hall) Venue 11
1 – 16 Aug (not Suns): Mon-Fri: 7.30pm; Sat: 2.30pm. (2hr 30mins).
The hilarious Scots comedy by Alan Cochrane. An impending marriage between two families – one from Leith, the other from Edinburgh – is in jeopardy when an unmarried mother-to-be turns up at the door. Further details.

Julius Caesar
Necessary Cat Limited
Braw Venues @ Hill Street (Big) Venue 41
11 – 24 Aug: 8.15pm (1hr 30mins).
‘It doth amaze me a man of such feeble temper should so get the start of the majestic world, and bear the palm alone’. To prevent tyrannical rule of Rome, Brutus joins Cassius’ conspiracy to assassinate Caesar. Further details.

Letters from Exes
Not Cricket Productions
The Royal Scots Club (The Speakeasy) Venue 241a
7/08 Aug: 7.45pm (1hr).
If you’ve received a weird message from an ex, you’re not alone; history is full of them. From emails and WhatsApps to handwritten notes, join us in exploring the bizarre, heartfelt and hilarious letters of lost love. Further details.

Nancy’s Philosopher
Arkle Theatre Company
The Royal Scots Club (The Hepburn Suite) Venue 241
5 – 16 Aug (not Sun): 3.30pm (1hr).
Edinburgh in the 1700s – it’s the Age of Enlightenment and there is a scandalous rumour of David Hume having a relationship with a younger woman. Now Nancy is here to tell us her side of the story. Further details.

Terry Pratchett’s Monstrous Regiment
Strawmoddie Theatre
The Edinburgh Academy (Magnusson Theatre) Venue 70
11 – 14 Aug: 7.30pm (2hr 30mins).
Craigmillar Castle, Craigmillar Castle Road EH16 4SY
15/16 Aug: 7.30pm (2hr 30mins).
Polly’s become a boy, enlisted in the army and headed to war. With a Vampire, an Igor and a Troll in the regiment what could go wrong? Strawmoddie delve even deeper into sixth take on Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels, as adapted by Stephen Briggs. Further details (Craigmillar Castle shows sold out).

The 39 Steps
Arkle Theatre Company
The Royal Scots Club (The Hepburn Suite) Venue 241
11 – 16 Aug: 6.15pm (1hr 30mins).
Arkle’s affectionate take on the Buchan classic of espionage and daring-do. Gasp as Hannay gives the baddies the slip! Shriek as he hangs from the Forth Bridge! Marvel when he solves the riddle of The 39 Steps! Further details.

The Children
EGTG
The Royal Scots Club (The Hepburn Suite) Venue 241
4 – 09 Aug: 8.30pm (1hr 40mins).
In the aftermath of nuclear meltdown, two retired scientists keep house in a seaside cottage outside the contamination zone. Robin tends to his cows. Hazel keeps order. But a visit from a former colleague threatens their fragile existence. Further details.

The Steamie
Stage Door Entertainment LTD
Gilded Balloon Patter House (Big Yin) Venue 24
31 July – 24 Aug (not 11/12, 18/19): 12 noon (1hr 20mins).
A time capsule of Glasgow in the 1950s told through everyday conversation, hilarious comedy and songs. Laugh and cry along with Roper’s loveable characters in this nostalgic show which continues to entertain local audiences and tourists alike. Further details.

The Long Goodbye Bye Bye
Pasuz Productions / Free Festival
Laughing Horse @ Freddy’s (Band Room) Venue 194a
17 – 24 Aug (not 23): 7.15pm (1hr).
Former pop star and current PI Justin McGuffin is embroiled in a tale of mysterious women, fame-hungry police and a sore throat. Will he survive or will it be The Long Goodbye Bye Bye. Further details.

The Virtuous Burglar
EGTG
The Royal Scots Club (The Hepburn Suite) Venue 241
4 – 09 Aug: 6.45pm. (1hr).
A classic farce by Dario Fo. A burglar is interrupted at work when the homeowner returns unexpectedly with his mistress. Cue the arrival of various spouses and lovers, setting off a domino effect of mishaps and hilarity. Further details.