EdFringe 2025: Cabaret, Comedy & Spoken Word

Aug 3 2025 | By Thom Dibdin More

Edinburgh-made Cabaret, Variety, Comedy & Spoken Word at EdFringe 2025

Besides all the theatre and musicals on offer at this year’s Fringe, here are 42 shows with a theatrical bent in the Cabaret and Variety, Comedy and Spoken Word sections of the EdFringe website.

Maybe Peter Sawkins’ show isn’t inherently theatrical, but as an Edinburgh lad who was the first Scottish winner of Bake-Off, I’m happy to drop him in here. And this is a diverse catch-all listings, for which we make no apology, but urge people to explore it with an open mind as there are some real jewels.

Edinburgh Improv Tales. Pic: Kinky Fish.

Here you will finds magicians, story tellers, drag artists and hypnotists. There are tellers of queer stories, improvised comedy tales from Edinburgh’s untold Victorian past, Loud Poets and a speaker of the Ryme of the Ancient Mariner.

Edinburgh Music Theatre have a glittering collection of iconic songs from shows that have scooped the biggest awards in the business, while BDB Productions have a cast of fierce beltresses with a celebration of music, movies and musical theatre’s greatest Divas.

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 productions by Edinburgh companies in the Cabaret and Variety, Comedy, and Spoken Word sections of the programme.

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.

██ Cabaret and Variety

@Sassy Backbone Cabaret
Sassy Backbone Cabaret
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters (The Live Room) Venue 272
31 July – 24 Aug: 6.45pm (1hr).
Back after our massive sell-out run in 2024, Sassy Backbone brings you an evening of the best acts in burlesque, cabaret, magic and much more. Come see the talk of the Fringe! Further details.

1 and Only Absolute Burlesque and Cabaret
Sassy School of Burlesque
Laughing Horse @ The Counting House (The Ballroom) Venue 170
31 July – 24 Aug (not Mon-Wed, 16, 21, 22): 11.30pm (1hr).
Seven sell-out years, 100 outstanding performers, thousands of returning audience members – we are back! Home of the homegrown hotties will return with a bigger and even better cabaret for 2025. Further details.

1 Hour of Insane Magic
Insane Productions
Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower (Orchard) Venue 140
30 July – 24 Aug (not 5): 5.45pm (1hr).
After complete sell-outs in 2023 and 2024, Insane Magic return with their biggest show yet! Experience some of the most amazing magic from ‘three of the best magicians in the country’ (EdinburghLive.co.uk). Further details.

1 Hour of Insanity
Insane Productions
Gilded Balloon Patter House (Other Yin) Venue 24
30 July – 24 Aug (not 11): 4.30pm. (1hr).
Expect the unexpected in this fast-paced, family-friendly whirlwind of a show. A hilarious host leads a whirlwind of circus, magic and comedy to create chaos at its finest with insane international acts and fun for everyone! Further details.

3 Little Wigs
Chrome Productions
theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall (Theatre 1) Venue 53
18 – 23 Aug: 10.45pm (45mins).
Three pigs chase stardom and enter a talent contest run by the Big Bad Wolf. With a dazzling host, live vocals, dance, lip-sync and comedy, they must uncover the Wolf’s plan before becoming their next meal! Further details.

A City Cabaret
Cabaret in the City
Laughing Horse @ Coco Boho (Main Room) Venue 303
31 July – 24 Aug (not Mon): 9pm. (1hr).
Come to the Cabaret! Be dazzled with a show full of sultry burlesque, mind bending magic, side splitting comedy and breathtaking circus acts. A show to leave you spellbound and craving more. The one show to see! Further details.

Absolutely Magic!
Tim Licata Magic / PBH’s Free Fringe
PBH’s Free Fringe @ Uno Mas (Bar) Venue 219
2 – 24 Aug (not 11, 18): 5.45pm (50mins).
Impossible magic with one of Scotland’s most entertaining magicians. Tim Licata brings magic, mind-reading, and delightful deception to the Fringe 2025. Chicago born Licata does not fail to amaze with 50 minutes of impossible magic. Further details.

Alex Kouvatas presents Game Night Live!
Alex Kouvatas / PBH’s Free Fringe
PBH’s Free Fringe @ Burrito ‘n’ Shake (Downstairs Room) Venue 605
2 – 24 Aug: 7.30pm (55mins).
Join Alex for an hour of interactive fun, as the entire audience play classic games like Simon Says, Two Truths and a Lie, and I Spy! Comedy for everyone! Further details.

Alex Kouvatas: How to Fail as a Magician in 55 Minutes
Alex Kouvatas / PBH’s Free Fringe
PBH’s Free Fringe @ Osaka (The Function Room) Venue 55
2 – 24 Aug: 5pm. (55mins).
Five years of Fringe shows, countless performances and yet… the magic still doesn’t work. Magic? Unlikely. Tricks? Possibly. A good time? Guaranteed! ‘Kouvatas is fantastic with his humour’ (WorldMagicReview.com). Further details.

Anthems: Award Winners
Edinburgh Music Theatre
Edinburgh New Town Church (Church) Venue 111
6 – 8 Aug: 7.30pm (2 hrs 30mins).
Join EMT for a glittering celebration of musical theatre at its best – featuring iconic songs from shows that have scooped the biggest awards in the business! From Tony to Oscar winning numbers, prepare to be wowed! Further details.

Ash Pryce: Occult
Noisy Ghost Entertainment / PBH’s Free Fringe
PBH’s Free Fringe @ CC Blooms (LAB) Venue 171
2 – 9 Aug (not Sun): 8pm. (1hr).
Take a journey into the supernatural in this unsettling, bizarre magic show. Stay spooky in the realm of the occult with Edinburgh Horror Festival sell-out magician Ash Pryce. Further details.

Burlesque!
Blond Ambition Productions and The Voodoo Rooms
The Voodoo Rooms (The Ballroom) Venue 68
1 – 10 Aug (not Mon): 9.10pm. (1hr).
The Voodoo Rooms has been the home of Scottish burlesque for 18 years. Showcasing homegrown talent and our international friends, join us for a fun and flirty evening as we celebrate the best of burlesque. Further details.

Cherry West: Aff the Telly!
Blazin’ Entertainment
The Three Sisters (LIVE room) Venue 272a
1 – 18 Aug (not – 12): 9.30pm (1hr).
Join Cherry West as she shares her songs, stories and struggles in her journey to become a TV drag superstar! Expect live vocals, serious sass and a whole lot of drag fabulosity! Further details.

Dan Bastianelli: Identity
Dan Bastianelli Magician
theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall (Theatre 1) Venue 53
1 – 9 Aug: 6.25pm (50mins).
Following sell-out runs in 2023 and 2024, Dan Bastianelli brings a brand-new magic experience which explores the question: How can you know anything when you don’t even know yourself? Further details.

Dave Reubens – The Magic Game
Dave Reubens – The Magician / PBH’s Free Fringe
PBH’s Free Fringe @ Liquid Room (Liquid Room Warehouse) Venue 276
2 – 24 Aug: 3.45pm (1hr).
Magician Dave Reubens hosts his chaotic game show where two audience teams compete in exciting challenges with mind-blowing magic along the way. Expect high-energy, interactive fun where anything can happen. Further details.

Divas: From Stage to Screen
BBD Productions
Paradise in Augustines (Studio) Venue 152
2 – 24 Aug (not 10, 13/14, 17): 9pm. (1hr).
Join a live band and cast of fierce beltresses for a five-star celebration of music, movies and musical theatre’s greatest Divas. Further details.

Edinburgh Gin Presents: Ready Steady Cocktail!
Edinburgh Gin Distillery
Edinburgh Gin Distillery (Main Bar) Venue 380
1 – 23 Aug: 6pm. (45mins).
Are we cocktail connoisseurs or gin-soaked disasters? Watch expert bartenders and bold amateurs battle it out, crafting cocktails from bizarre ingredients in a high-spirited showdown. You vote. You drink. You decide. Further details.

Fake
Chris Cook Magic / PBH’s Free Fringe
PBH’s Free Fringe @ Voodoo Rooms (Speakeasy) Venue 68b
2 – 24 Aug: 6.15pm (1hr).
A true tale of deception told through the lives of an artist, an art forger and a magician. Three men, centuries apart, connected by illusion. A story only a magician could tell about beauty, belief and the fine line between talent and trickery. Further details.

Frankie Mack Showman – The Next Stage: From Leith to…
Frankie Mack
theSpace @ Niddry St (Lower Theatre) Venue 9
2 – 23 Aug (not 10): 8.25pm (50mins).
A high-energy, show-stopping night of swing, rock’n’roll and modern classics. Frankie Mack’s journey from Leith to Las Vegas proves anything is possible. Don’t miss it! Further details.

Frankie Mack Showman – The Next Stage: The Leith San Siro
Frankie Mack
Easter Road Stadium (Behind the Goals) Venue 518
1, 25 Aug: 7.30pm (1hr 15mins).
A high-energy, show-stopping night of swing, rock’n’roll and modern classics. Frankie Mack’s journey from Leith to Las Vegas proves anything is possible. Featuring a live band. Don’t miss it! Further details.

Glam Slam: A Drag Lip-Sync Smackdown!
Blazin’ Entertainment
The Three Sisters (LIVE room) Venue 272a
7 – 12 & 19 – 23 Aug: 9.30pm (1hr).
Get ready for the ultimate drag showdown in this high-energy, live lip-sync battle! Watch as Sissy, Rozie and a special guest drag queen throw down in an unforgettable on-stage smackdown! Further details.

Goose’s Quizzes Elimination Game
Goose’s Quizzes
Assembly Rooms (Bijou) Venue 20
31 July – Sat 24 Aug: 8pm. (1hr).
Scotland’s premiere quiz company triumphantly returns with their raucous five-star game show! Same exciting format, fresh questions every night, with brilliant prizes and all-new rounds – will you face elimination, or be crowned champion? Further details.

Guys Sing Dolls
BBD Productions
Paradise in Augustines (Studio) Venue 152
13/14 Aug: 9pm. (1hr).
Five-star, sell-out cabaret Guys Sing Dolls is coming to the Fringe! BBD Productions gather four professional male vocalists from across Scotland to perform the most iconic diva anthems of all time from music, movies and musical theatre. Further details.

Hypnosis: Live and Direct
Cameron Gibson / PBH’s Free Fringe
The Liquid Room (Warehouse) Venue 276
2 – 24 Aug (not Mon): 8.55pm (55mins).
Get ready for a laugh-out-loud late-night adventure! Join Cameron Gibson for an adults-only comedy hypnosis show packed with surprises, hilarious audience participation and unforgettable fun. Come curious, leave in stitches! Further details.

Jamie Leonard: Wonder Boy
Jamie Leonard Magic
Gilded Balloon Patter House (Dram) Venue 24
30 Jul – 03 Aug: 4.15pm (45mins).
From sell-out shows to performing for royalty, Jamie Leonard returns with Wonder Boy – a fast, funny and mind-blowing hour of magic. ‘Slick’ (MagicSeats.co.uk). ‘Charming’ (WorldMagicReview.com). ‘One of magic’s rising stars’ (Colin Cloud). Further details.

Kevin Quantum: Unbelievable Magic for Non-Believers
KQ Productions
Assembly Rooms (Ballroom) Venue 20
1 – 24 Aug (not Tue 19): 7.40pm (1hr).
Sceptical? Don’t believe in magic? Good. We’re here to blow your mind open. Trained by Penn & Teller; expect big gasps and raw, unfiltered magic from a world-class showman. Further details.

Luke Osey: The Magic Hangover
Insane Productions LTD
Gilded Balloon Patter House (The Penny) Venue 24
30 Jul – 24 Aug (not 11): 9pm. (1hr).
Join Luke Osey on a spectacular adventure of hilarious, mind-blowing magic to help him remember what happened on the craziest night of his life! ‘Just terrific’ (Penn & Teller). Further details.

Roving Mad: America and back in the 1960’s
The Swells
theSpace on the Mile (Space 1) Venue 39
11 – 16 Aug: 6.40pm (45mins).
He dreams of going to America as a scientist. It comes true thanks to Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. He tells it with two fine musicians with songs and stories of the 1960’s Further details.

Talking Cakes with Peter Bakes
Peter Sawkins
Pleasance Courtyard (Cabaret Bar) Venue 33
31 July – 23 Aug (Thur-Sat only, not 21): 11.50am (1 hr).
Join Great British Bake-Off winner, Peter Sawkins, at his debut Fringe show. The only ever Scottish winner of Britain’s biggest baking show will be welcoming star performers and celebrity guests to talk all things Fringe and frosting, whilst also putting their baking skills to the test through this hour of fun. Further details.

The Daily Strum
Dan Collins and Guests / PBH’s Free Fringe
PBH’s Free Fringe @ Slow Progress Cafe and Records (Back Room) Venue 640
2 – 24 Aug (not 13): 5.15pm. (1hr).
Comedy, music and conversation. The Daily Strum by Dan Collins features comedy songwriters, musical stand-ups and performers from every corner of the Fringe. You’ll enjoy good company, good coffee and good vibrations with special guests every day. Further details.

The Gin Tasting Show
Edinburgh Little Theatre
Braw Venues @ Hill Street (Muse) Venue 41
1 – 24 Aug: 7.30pm (1hr).
The Gin Show is back! Come and taste three fantastic gins and find out how they are made, the history of gin and weird gin facts. Cabaret is included as you enter the world of gin. Further details.

The Oompah German Beer Hall Show
Edinburgh Little Theatre
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge (Grand Hall) Venue 7a
1 – 24 Aug: 8.20pm (1hr 50mins).
Come and enjoy the German Beer Hall experience with sing-a-longs, great music and immersive fun. Drink from your free stein and dance along to our live DJ and dancers for a fun night out! Further details.

The Secret Room at Lauriston Castle
Edinburgh International Magic Festival
Lauriston Castle (Various Rooms) Venue 436
7 – 20 Aug (09/10 & Tue/Wed): 1.30pm & 3.30pm. (1hr 15mins).
Enter secluded Lauriston Castle and travel back in time to a world of clandestine laboratories, hidden passages and secret rooms… Three expert magicians animate the castle’s intriguing past with stories, performances and illusions. Further details.

When Harry Met Sally Met Julie Met Jazz Met Kierkegaard Met Jung Met The Stoics, et al
Angela Jackson
Le Monde (Shanghai) Venue 47
18 – 24 Aug: 2.30pm (55mins).
An exploration of love, through the sublime songs of Julie London, the wisdom of philosophers and psychologists, and the wit of Nora Ephron. Further details.

██ Comedy

Absolute Improv!
TBC Improv UK Ltd.
theSpace on the Mile (Space 1) Venue 39
1 – 23 (not Sun 10): 7.45pm (50mins).
Multi-year Fringe sell-out, 5-star comedy that’s truly ‘you-had-to-be-there.’ For 15 years, Scotland’s top improvisers transform your shouted suggestions into side-splitting sketches, characters, and tales, created live in the moment. It’s instant comedy gold. You suggest, we perform, everybody laughs! Further details.

Edinburgh Improv Tales
Genesis Theatre Productions & KinkyFish Theatre
theSpaceUK @ Symposium Hall (Amphitheatre) Venue 43
1 – 9 Aug: 9.50pm (50mins).
Entirely improvised comedy tales from Edinburgh’s untold Victorian past. Join Edinburgh-based improv troupe KinkyFish as they take the audience back in time to Victorian Edinburgh and spin a previously untold tale based entirely on audience suggestion. Against the backdrop of foggy streets and ivory towers, scientific advancement and haphazard medicine; join urchins, lords, apothecaries and publicans as they act out hilarious, untold tales from Edinburgh’s forgotten past. Further details.

More Songs for a (Brave) New World
Prima la Musica / PBH’s Free Fringe
Voodoo Rooms (Spedakeasy) Venue 68b
2 – 24 Aug (not 11 & 18): 4.50pm (55mins).
Whether it’s politics or digital dating, climate change or political correctness, Richard finds a musical angle to spotlight the natural absurdity of the human race – and if that’s not your cup of tea, just sit back and enjoy the piano playing! Further details.

██ Spoken Word

Loud Poets
I Am Loud CIC
Scottish Storytelling Centre (Netherbow Theatre) Venue 30a
1, 8, 14, 21 Aug: 8.30pm (1hr 15mins).
Loud Poets have been bringing the very best of live poetry to the Fringe for over a decade. Their fist-thumping, pint-drinking, side-tickling, heart-wrenching fusion of poetry and live music will thrill poetry lovers and turn sceptics into fans. Further details.

Made of Magic – Poetry of Rage and (Be)longing
Jude FireSong aka Fabulous Phoenix Boy
theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall (Fleming Theatre) Venue 53
1 – 22 Aug (not 10-17): 10.30am (1-9), 10.50pm (18-22) (55mins).
(Gender)queer poet Jude FireSong revives his show about surviving a decade-long breakdown. ‘Such clear, truthful poetry, beautifully sequenced… enriching, honest and will stay with you for a long time’ (Audience Review). Further details.

Philip Simpson: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Philip Simpson
Just the Tonic at The Mash House (Just the Attic) Venue 288
13 – 24: 12 noon (1 hr).
New performance of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s epic poem, delving into themes of spirituality and nature, life and death, and how to be a human. All profits going to Pancreatic Cancer Action Further details.

Queer Folks’ Tales
Turan Ali
Scottish Storytelling Centre (Netherbow Theatre) Venue 30a
Weds: 6, 13, 20 Aug: 8.30pm (2hrs).
The 5-star hit LGBTQ+ storytelling show returns for its third Fringe; hilarious, moving, outrageously queer stories galore! Host Turan Ali takes time out from his BBC shows to scour the Fringe for the best queer talent, creating a diverse line-up of artists to share hilarious, surprising, sobering tales, songs and epic poems. Expect jaw-dropping insights into LGBTQ+ lives past, present and future. Further details.

Witch? Women on Trial
Edinburgh Storytellers Ltd
Museum of Magic, Fortune-Telling and Witchcraft (Tarot Room) Venue 646
31 July – 25 Aug (Not Tue, Th): 7pm. (1 hr).
No pointy hats. No broomsticks. Just the brutal truth of ordinary Scottish women caught up in a whirlwind of politics, religion and magic, performed with humour and empathy. Further details.