Edinburgh-based artists at the summer Festivals

Professional Edinburgh-based theatre makers in the 2023 Festivals, collated with the support of EPAD

Edinburgh is home to a fantastic range of theatre artists who live in the city and make work for audiences throughout the year. EPAD is proud to be working with All Edinburgh Theatre to highlight the contribution these artists make to the theatre, dance, physical theatre, spoken word and comedy programmes of Edinburgh’s 2023 summer festivals.

We invite you to support the homegrown talent that helps make Edinburgh a vibrant cultural city for 12 months of the year, not just for August.

So far we have identified 85 productions that are created, performed or produced by Edinburgh’s theatre professionals. We are aware that new work is being added all the time. Please do get in touch if we have missed something out (mail@epad.org.uk).

EPAD is a skills and resource-sharing project that supports Edinburgh’s independent performing artists to thrive throughout the year. Our aim is to make Edinburgh’s performing arts community stronger, better connected and more democratic. Find out more about our work here: www.epad.org.uk.

Listed by the following Categories then alphabetically by show title:

  • Theatre
  • Spoken Word
  • Dance, Physical Theatre and Circus
  • Comedy
  • Children’s shows
  • Cabaret and Variety

Click on the show name or “Further details” to go to the relevant ticketing site (opens in a new page).


Theatre

ADULTS
Traverse Theatre Company
Traverse Theatre (Venue 15)
1 – 27 Aug (not 2- 4, 7, 14, 21): “10:00, 13:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 19:00, 22:00” (1 hour 20 minutes)
A black comedy full of unexpected tenderness from Kieran Hurley, writer of 2019 smash-hit Mouthpiece, that explores the gulf between generations, the futility of blame culture, and how we can improve things for those who come after us. Further details.

The Beatles Were a Boyband
F-Bomb Theatre
Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose (Venue 24)
18 – 27 Aug: 19:30 (1 hour)
The cosy, safe world of three flatmates is rocked by a woman’s murder. Now Violet’s scared walking home from her late shift. Daisy’s become an accidental activist drawing unwanted attention from the manosphere. And Heather just wants to get on with her life. After all, who really needs to change to make women safer? This unforgettable play by Rachel O’Regan and feminist theatre company F-Bomb returns to Gilded Balloon, having won a Scotsman Fringe First Award and the Sit Up Award for social impact in 2022. Further details.

Bits ‘N’ Pieces
Saltire Sky Theatre
Leith Arches (Venue 324)
11 – 26 Aug (not 17, 24): 19:30 (1 hour 30 minutes)
Bits ‘N’ Pieces explores the dangers of drug stigma and misinformation in modern society. Temptation, tunes and terror from every angle in this immersive assault on the senses. Winner: Best Scottish Theatre Award 2022 (Scottish Arts Club). Further details.

Black Is The Color Of My Voice
Apphia Campbell presented by James Seabright
Pleasance at EICC (Venue 150)
14 – 19 Aug (not 16): 15:00 (1 hour 10 minutes)
Apphia Campbell’s solo inspired by Nina Simone. Back for five shows only to celebrate its 10th birthday. ‘Goes beyond impersonation’ ★★★★ (Times). ‘Nothing short of sensational’ ★★★★★ (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘Compelling and heartbreaking’ ★★★★ (EdFestMag.com). Further details.

Break Up With Your Boyfriend
Scylla’s Bite
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33)
2 – 28 Aug (not 16): 12:55 (1 hour)
Diving into the world of noughties nostalgia, Cassie and Jo must face the realities of their romantic relationships and the toxic truth behind them. An upbeat, queer and honest exploration of consent, self-love and healing. Further details.

Brief Candle
Blushing Caligula
theSpace @ Surgeons Hall (Venue 53)
14 – 26 Aug (not 20): 21:20 (45 minutes)
Deep beneath the streets of Regency Edinburgh lies a labyrinth of black vaults, housing the downtrodden and hiding a criminal underworld. Here, Isla fights to find a candle for her Mum’s birthday, as the Great Fire rages above. Further details.

The Collie’s Shed
Island Life Productions
Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose (Venue 24)
2 – 20 Aug: 13:15 (1 hour)
Based in a Men’s Shed in East Lothian, The Collie’s Shed follows four retired miners as they discover how a review into the policing of the ’80s mining strikes suddenly changes and affects them and their friendships. Further details.

Concerned Others
Tortoise in a Nutshell
Summerhall (Venue 26)
2 – 27 Aug (not 14, 21): 14:45 (45 minutes)
An intimate performance collides immersive soundscapes, shoebox installations, turntables, micro-projection and 32mm figures to explore a defining crisis. Multi award-winning Tortoise in a Nutshell presents the stories of families, friends, and carers supporting people suffering from substance addiction. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com Further details.

Enquiry Concerning Hereafter
Adam Smith’s Panmure House
Panmure House (Venue 305)
4 – 27 Aug (not 7, 14, 21): “12:00, 16:00” (1 hour 15 minutes)
David Hume and Adam Smith, titans of The Scottish Enlightenment and the dearest of friends, grieve – for old age and disease separate them, perhaps for eternity. Passion, reason, dissension animate them as life ebbs away. Further details.

The Fantastic Life of Minnie Rubinski
Vision mechanics
Vision Mechanics’ Studio, 81 Great Junction Street, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 5HZ
14-27 Aug: 10:30 – 18:00 (45mins)
Minnie Rubinski, now in her eighties and living in a care home, looks back on her fantastic life. But what is real and what is fantasy and does it really matter? Theatre exhibition featuring installation, marionettes and film. “an outstanding piece of work” Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman ★★★★★. Recommended for age 14+ Further details.

For Better, For Worse
Penpal Productions (Scotland)
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila (Venue 21)
13 – 27 Aug: 15:50 (50 minutes)
New comedy drama about families, politics, and family politics. 2014. With the Independence Referendum days away, Diane announces a new future for herself. Will the resulting emotional family clash be resolved before the result is announced? Further details.

Frighthouse Presents: The Wheel of Misfortune
Frighthouse Productions
theSpace @ Surgeons Hall (Venue 53)
4 – 19 Aug (not 13): 21:40 (45 minutes)
The Wheel of Misfortune returns this year bigger and better. It’s a horror-comedy anthology show inspired by Creepshow and The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror episodes. Which tale will you hear tonight? Further details.

Garage Warriors
Raw Toast Productions
theSpace @ Surgeons Hall (Venue 53)
14 – 19 Aug: 15:55 (50 minutes)
When Archie is sacked and replaced by a machine, there’s only one logical solution: to get off the grid and move away. The only problem is he has absolutely no idea how. Further details.

Gie’s Peace
Morna Burdon
Scottish Storytelling Centre (Venue 30)
9, 16, 24 – 26 Aug: 16:30 (55 minutes)
Highlighting women’s peace activism over the years, Morna Burdon uses a wealth of inspiring stories and songs to celebrate the remarkable courage, inventiveness and determination of women worldwide who have taken a stand against war. Tears, laughter, hope. Further details.

The Grand Old Opera House Hotel
Traverse Theatre Company with Dundee Rep Theatre
Traverse Theatre (Venue 15)
4 – 27 Aug (not 7, 14, 21): “10:00, 13:00, 14:00, 16:00, 19:00, 22:00” (1 hour 30 minutes)
Amongst volatile guests, inept management and a supporting cast of ghosts, shy Aaron searches a restless hotel for the voice that captured his heart in this ensemble comedy full of live song. MadeInScotlandShowcase.com Further details.

The Grandmothers Grimm
Some Kind of Theatre
Paradise in The Vault (Venue 29)
14 – 19 Aug: 21:30 (1 hour)
Cannibalism, werewolf trials, deceit: Marie Hassenpflug and the Brothers Grimm are editing the darkness out of old stories. What will be saved and what will be forgotten? A critically acclaimed feminist drama from Some Kind of Theatre. Further details.

The Hearth
Brite Theater
Scottish Storytelling Centre (Venue 30)
11 – 27 Aug (not 14, 18): 12:30 (1 hour)
The Hearth is the stone beneath which a fire burns. Renowned traditional musician Tom Oakes presents music and stories inspired by characters past and present who were unknowing catalysts for artistic or societal change. Further details.

Help Yourself
Jess Brodie, Victoria Bianchi, Emma Ruse Productions
Summerhall (Venue 26)
2 – 27 Aug (not 14, 21): 16:00 (1 hour)
Help Yourself is a new performance exploring grief and friendship. Join Jess and Victoria – your expert hosts – as they share their patented five-step Help Yourself approach, teaching you how to obliterate sadness in those around you. Further details.

Hersterectomy
The Counterminers
Just the Tonic at The Caves (Venue 88)
3 – 13 Aug (odd dates), 16 – 26 Aug (even dates): 18:10 (1 hour)
Carmel has PCOS. She wants a hysterectomy. It shouldn’t be that hard. To meet the archaic criteria, she plots to curate the perfect nuclear household. But family isn’t straightforward, especially a fake one. It’s hysterical. It’s hormonal. It’s Hersterectomy. Further details.

I Hope Your Flowers Bloom
Raymond Wilson, presented by All the Figs
Scottish Storytelling Centre (Venue 30)
2 – 27 Aug (not 9, 13, 16, 20): 16:00 (1 hour)
Flitting between romantic obsession and botanical description, this semi-autobiographical piece by Raymond Wilson offers a raw, moving and genuinely humorous exploration of healthy masculinity, self-worth and working-class access to nature. Through his friendship with Flo and her modern nomadic lifestyle, Raymond attempts to escape the greyness of the Glasgow scheme into Scotland’s natural world, with some unflinching self-reflection along the way. Further details.

Kitchen Underwear
Hey Thanks! Theatre Collective
Greenside @ Infirmary Street (Venue 236)
14 – 26 Aug (not 20): 14:55 (50 minutes)
How far can you push a sex metaphor, a romantic friendship, and questionable interior décor choices? Told through diary entries of two flatmates, Kitchen Underwear follows their search for what queer love means and how to show it. Further details.

The Lady of the Loch
Simply Surreal
Greenside @ Infirmary Street (Venue 236)
4 – 12 Aug: 18:35 (1 hour)
On a stormy night on Loch Ness, Sam is faced with an impossible decision. When finalising the housing development on the loch, who should appear to protect it but the monster that lies beneath it. Further details.

Land Under Wave
Young Edinburgh Storytellers (YES)
Scottish Storytelling Centre (Venue 30)
2, 3 – 27 (odd dates & 16, not 17): 17:45 (1 hour)
Three storytellers, trapped in the Otherworld, must perform their music and stories to earn their freedom. Which deserves to return to the human realm? The fair folk in the audience must decide! Further details.

MANikin
Saltire Sky Theatre
Leith Arches (Venue 324)
7 – 22 Aug (not 10, 17): 16:00 (50 minutes)
From Saltire Sky, the Offie and Broadway Baby Bobby Award-winning company, join Fraser Patterson as he wrestles with his mind and body in his struggle with playing the bit-part role of The Big Guy. Further details.

Mark Twain’s The Stolen White Elephant
Stolen Elephant Theatre
Paradise in The Vault (Venue 29)
14 – 27 Aug (not 20): 20:00 (1 hour)
Mark Twain was a comic genius, the greatest American humorist of the 19th century. Best known for the likes of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, we are showcasing one of his funniest short stories. Further details.

Never Trouble Trouble (Till Trouble Troubles You)
Two Halves Productions
Tynecastle Park (Venue 547)
2 – 28 Aug (not 6, 10, 13, 16/17, 20, 23/24): 19:30 (1 hour 30 minutes)
Bobby Walker. Scottish football’s first superstar. Edinburgh boy, legendary one-club man, the only player given a testimonial by Scotland and that’s just the beginning! This is his remarkable story, performed where it happened. Further details.

Photon StarBlaster and the Suicidal Spaceship
Bonnie and Braw (Scotland)
C ARTS | C venues | C aquila (Venue 21)
14 – 27 Aug: 13:45 (45 minutes)
When Photon StarBlaster’s spaceship malfunctions and begins to self-destruct, will he make it home? New play exploring the generational fallout of suicide through the world of science fiction. A C ARTS Spark Fund winner. Further details.

A Preoccupation with Romantic Love
Laura Thurlow / PBH’s Free Fringe
PBH’s Free Fringe @ CC Blooms (Venue 171)
5 – 11 Aug: 15:00 (1 hour)
Laura meets with the six ghosts who have broken her heart to exorcise them for good. Darkly funny, poetic monologue about letting go of the dream of ‘The One’ and loving yourself in their absence. Further details.

A Preoccupation with Romantic Love
Laura Thurlow / PBH’s Free Fringe
PBH’s Free Fringe @ Burrito ‘n’ Shake (Venue 605)
19 – 27 Aug: 20:45 (1 hour)
Laura meets with the six ghosts who have broken her heart to exorcise them for good. Darkly funny, poetic monologue about letting go of the dream of ‘The One’ and loving yourself in their absence. Further details.

The Real William Shakespeare… As Told By Christopher Marlowe
Matchmaker Theatre Productions
Greenside @ Riddles Court – Thistle Theatre (Venue 16)
4 – 19 Aug (not 13): 13:50 (55 minutes)
“Make my words reside in your language as if they never knew any other.” Marlowe, murder… Morocco? The truth behind Shakespeare is steeped in blood and political intrigue, but now Christopher Marlowe is ready to tell all. Matchmaker Theatre Productions present a provocative new production that asks: who was the real William Shakespeare? Further details.

Revelations of Rab McVie
Maria Rud and The Filthy Tongues
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33)
24/25 Aug: 15:30 (1 hour)
An immersive journey through a mesmeric dreamscape of live painting, live music and theatre. Directed by Maria Pattinson, alt-rock from post-punk soothsayers The Filthy Tongues, Animotion Show artist Maria Rud and actor Tam Dean Burn. Further details.

The Rotting Hart
Crested Fools in collaboration with Fronteiras Theatre Lab
Scottish Storytelling Centre (Venue 30)
3 – 13 Aug: 19:00 (1 hour)
Predator or prey. Hunt or be hunted. A new queer horror about how ignorance can transform men into wild beasts. From the makers of Becquer’s Legends, the Edinburgh Horror Festival 2021 sell-out show **** (TheWeeReview.com). Further details.

Salamander
Pretty Knickers Productions
Assembly Roxy (Venue 20)
2 – 16 Aug: 18:55 (1 hour 10 minutes)
The five-star, sell-out Fringe-hit Salamander is back! Inspired by the unsolved murder of a sex worker in Leith, 1983, Salamander celebrates the underrepresented through original poetry and song, posing the question – has anything improved 40 years on? Further details.

Sean and Daro Flake It ‘Til They Make It
Traverse Theatre Company
Traverse Theatre (Venue 15)
5 – 20 Aug (not 7, 14): “10:00, 13:00, 16:00, 19:00, 22:00” (1 hour 15 minutes)
A story of friendship, finances and flakes – enjoy a heartwarming journey across Scotland as two friends discover what it takes to survive in the chilly world of cold confectionery. Further details.

Shakespeare for Breakfast
C theatre
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora (Venue 6)
2 – 27 Aug (not 14): 10:00 (50 minutes)
The Bardic Breakfasters are back! C’s sensational Shakespearience returns for our 32nd Fringe, with free coffee and croissants! A pleasing plethora of pentameter, puns and pastry. Perfect for hardened Bard fans or blank-verse virgins. www.ctheatre.com Further details.

Something Educational
Act Two Scene One Productions
theSpace @ Niddry St (Venue 9)
4 – 12 Aug: 17:45 (50 minutes)
What happens when five best friends at boarding school are stuck together, possibly in trouble, with an inability to communicate and a plethora of time on their hands under the watchful eye of a prefect? Something Educational happens… Further details.

Tickbox 2
Lubna Kerr
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33)
2 – 27 Aug (not 16, 23): 17:00 (1 hour)
Tickbox 2 is a semi-autobiographical, one-woman, newly updated and re-directed, bilingual (Urdu) play. Combining theatre and storytelling, it shares the journey of a Pakistani family arriving in Glasgow and dealing with the discrimination by using food and humour. Further details.

Varmints
Punch Monkey Theatre
Greenside @ Nicolson Square (Venue 209)
14 -19 Aug: 16:05 (1 hour)
In the Old West, three men converge in a saloon to drink and share violent tales. Their reality is shattered by the arrival of a mysterious stranger. A one-of-a-kind stage Western from the guys who brought you Reservoir Knobs. Further details.

Walking Home
Prickly Pear Productions
Gilded Balloon Teviot (Venue 14)
3 – 28 Aug (not 14, 21): 17:30 (1 hour)
It’s just another day in the office when news that a colleague has been sexually assaulted reaches the boardroom. Emotions run high, but deadlines need to be met. Walking Home is a devised performance exploring the politics and tensions within the issue of sexual violence against women and people of marginalised genders. Further details.

We Must Do This More
Bossy Belters
The Royal Scots Club (Venue 241)
18/19 Aug: 15:00 (18 only) 20:00 (1 hour)
Nothing is stronger than female friendship – except maybe the pressures of adulting. A one-woman show with original songs and poetry, exploring the life of a burnt-out millennial, struggling to prioritise her best friend. Further details.

What You See When Your Eyes Are Closed / What You Don’t See When Your Eyes Are Open
Mamoru Iriguchi
Summerhall (Venue 26)
2 – 27 Aug (not 714/15, 21): 19:15 (1 hour)
Monster vs Hero. Seeing vs Being Seen. Theatre vs Television. Husband vs Husband. Further details.

Who Killed My Father
Surrogate Productions
Summerhall (Venue 26)
22 – 27 Aug: 10:10 (1 hour)
Growing up gay in a small town in France, Édouard endured the violence and homophobia of his father, a factory worker. Today, he uncovers a connection between political decisions and his father’s broken body. Further details.

Why Am I Like This?
High Heels and Heavy Suitcases Productions
theSpace @ Surgeons Hall (Venue 53)
4 – 19 Aug (not 13): 15:00 (40 minutes)
Follow Nicole on her 30-year journey as she discovers the four letter diagnosis that answers the biggest question in her life: Why Am I Like This? Spoiler – she has ADHD. Further details.


Spoken Word

Bards at the Barracks
Scottish Poetry Library and Army at the Fringe Company
Army @ The Fringe (Venue 358)
22 – 25 Aug: 17:00 (1 hour)
Scottish poets will be reading work exploring our collective history and common creative future, including a special evening spotlighting Hamish Henderson. The programme, a mix of familiar poets and young talent, is curated with SPL. Further details.

Bear with Me: A Polar Bear in Scotland
Stuart Kenny, Grant Robertson and Lewis Gillies
Scottish Storytelling Centre (Venue 30)
9, 23 Aug: 19:30 (1 hour)
Arty the polar bear was born in Scotland but longs to see the world. Through visually illustrated and musically scored spoken word, follow his rip-roaring adventure over heather, hill, ocean and snow. Further details.

Dram O’ History
Michael Nardone Edinburgh Storytellers
The Lost Close (Venue 443)
3 – 28 Aug (not 14): 15:30 (1 hour)
Join award-winning Actor Michael Nardone (Rome, Line of Duty, Traces) for 2,000 years of Scottish history in an hour! Immerse yourself in a heartwarming storytelling experience like no other. With live music. Includes a drink. Further details.

Loud Poets: Best of Fringe
Loud Poets
Scottish Storytelling Centre (Venue 30)
4, 11, 18 Aug: 21:00 (1 hour 30 minutes)
Showcasing the best spoken word talent the festival has to offer, each show features a unique line-up and Loud Poets’ classic fist-thumping, pint-drinking, side-tickling, heart-wrenching style of spoken word! This is poetry for the masses! Further details.

Queer Folks’ Tales
Turan Ali and Scottish Storytelling Centre
Scottish Storytelling Centre (Venue 30)
5, 12, 19, 25/26 Aug: 21:00 (2 hours)
Storytellers from a diverse range of backgrounds share stories of LGBTQ+ lives, past, present and future featuring a different line-up at every show. Sometimes hilarious, often moving, occasionally shocking and always queer. ★★★★★ (ScotsGayArts.com). ★★★★★ (BroadwayBaby.com). Further details.

Tales of Edinburgh Horror
Ewan Irvine
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre (Venue 290)
14, 16/17,22, 24 Aug: 19:30 (1 hour)
Every city has a history, but when it comes to grisly secrets, it’s hard to rival the gruesome history of Edinburgh, which you will hear about in this show. Further details.

The Tom Molineaux Project
Garry Morris
Scottish Poetry Library (Venue )
15, 16 Aug: 15:30 (1 hour)
He thought the future lay in his hands. He fought his way out of enslavement on a Virginia plantation but the Black boxing sensation had not reckoned with the force of racism in England. In this new theatrical work Tom Molineaux – voiced by playwright Garry Morris – recounts the day he squared up for an open-air boxing match with Britain’s white heavyweight champion in 1810. Further details.

Witch? Women on Trial
Natalie Nardone
The Lost Close (Venue 443)
3 – 28 Aug (not 14): 14:00 (1 hour)
85% of executed witches were women! Why? The brutal truth of the witch hunts in Scotland, told with humour and empathy. Performed in an underground venue with an ominous ambience for a truly powerful storytelling experience. Further details.


Dance, Physical Theatre and Circus

2Flamenco
TuFlamenco
Argyle Cellar Bar (Venue 293)
5 – 27 Aug (not 13, 20): 21:00 (55 minutes)
Uplifting, moving and highly entertaining trip into the essences of Flamenco. Guitar, singing and dance coordinate spontaneously with humour and complicity in a fresh twist without forgetting its pure roots. Produced by TuFlamenco. Guarantees you are in for treat. Further details.

Ageless
Prime, Steinvor Pallson
Assembly @Dance Base (Venue 22)
8 – 13 Aug: 15:40 (1 hour)
Challenging stereotypes and championing creativity, PRIME, Scotland’s leading dance company for those aged over 60, returns to the Fringe with two dazzling new works exploring life and loss. Toeing the Line?, choreographed by Steinvor Palsson and set to Concerti Grossi, op.3 by Handel, responds to our ever-changing times, shifting between set choreography and improvised movement phrases. The Infinite Life Journey, choreographed by Ming-Hsuan Liu (B.Dance) and the PRIME members translates the narrative explorations of water, grief and incarnation to map the life journey of each dancer. Further details.

Eat Me (film)
Snap Elastic
Fringe online (Venue 362)
From 4 Aug: On demand (1 hour 15 minutes)
A luscious, incendiary dance-theatre performance by strikingly bold female-led experimental collective Snap-Elastic, Eat Me tells the story of two women who use the dark web to find one another and together commit an act of “consensual” cannibalism. With script by award-winning writer Luke Sutherland (Venus As a Boy) and choreography by internationally acclaimed Christine Devaney, Eat Me is about hunger, isolation and unconventional desire – a dark and dazzling love story for the contemporary age. Further details.

Exhale
Daniel Navarro Lorenzo
Assembly @Dance Base (Venue 22)
4 – 13 Aug (not 7): 17:05 (1 hour)
The newest work by Indra Dance Company is a captivating duet that asks the audience to look inwards, and challenge their perspectives. Fusing intense chemistry with sweepingly dynamic movement, the dancers use explosive movement and gentle moments of pause to explore the rawness of our reality, laying human behaviour bare and showing the vulnerability of individualism within our crowded society. Further details.

Flamenco Fiesta
Alba Flamenca
Alba Flamenca (Venue 237)
4 – 27 Aug: “16:30, 19:00” (1 hour)
The Edinburgh Fringe flamenco show that transports you straight to Spain. Powerful, heartfelt, memorable, exciting and bursting with festive energy. The intimate venue adds a level of charm to the whole occasion making you feel part of it! Further details.

Flamenco in Scotland
TuFlamenco
St Andrew’s and St George’s West, George St (Venue 111)
13, 20 Aug: 16:30 (55 minutes)
Flamenco in Scotland is back, full of bravery, heart, spirit and plenty of home-grown performers. Whether you are a flamenco aficionado or not, the new repertoire will enchant all music and dance lovers. Dinnae miss oot! Ole! Further details.

Spark of Madness
Unearthed Dance Company
Greenside @ Infirmary Street (Venue 236)
4 – 12 Aug: 19:40 (50 minutes)
Returning with their highly anticipated 2023 run, Edinburgh’s Unearthed Dance Company are ready to take Fringe audiences on a journey. Delve into some innovative creations and choreography with the company’s new mixed bill of works. Further details.

What Draupadi Said to Penelope
TaalTales
LifeCare Centre (Venue 524)
24 – 27 Aug: 19:30 (1 hour)
Had Penelope ever met Draupadi, what would they say to each other? What stories or dreams might they weave? In this contemporary feminist reimagining, Indian classical dancers and musicians explore characters from the Mahabharata. Further details.


Comedy

Spontaneous Potter
The Spontaneous Players
The Stand’s New Town Theatre (Venue 7)
3 – 27 Aug (not 15): 18:30 (1 hour)
An entirely improvised wizarding comedy play, based on an audience suggestion of a fan-fiction title. With live musical accompaniment! Previous titles include: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Commerce, Harry Potter and the Neville Wears Prada, Harry Potter and the Rise of the Planet of the Snapes, and Harry Potter and the Struggle for a Decent Mortgage in This Economy. Further details.


Children’s Shows

Ancient Ballad of Thomas the Rhymer (Into the Woods)
Into the Woods
artSpace@StMarks (Venue 125)
14 -19 Aug: 12:30 (1 hour)
An exciting new take on the ancient Border ballad of Thomas the Rhymer with specially composed music performed by John Sampson. Performed by John Sampson, Julia Munrow and Pete Baynes. Further details.

Experts Radiolab
Alice Mary Cooper
National Museum of Scotland (Venue 179)
8-10, 15-17, 22-24 Aug: 11:00 & 14:00 (2 hours)
Kids are experts. Some are experts on jumping, some on dinosaur fossils, some on making mud pies. Whatever it is, our mics are on, the interview chair is ready and we’re about to go live. Experts Radio Lab and the accompanying Listening Station is a free, drop-in experience, set within our pop-up radio studio at the National Museum of Scotland. Interviews are shared live to an audience of fellow interviewees, their families and anyone who’s curious. Further details.

First Piano on the Moon (Revisited) – Will Pickvance
Will Pickvance
Summerhall (Venue 26)
4 – 27 Aug (not 14, 21): 11:50 (1 hour)
Young piano trickster Will is invited to play for Mozart’s birthday celebrations. Surely he’ll be exposed as a fraud. Whirlwind piano, storytelling and animation. ‘How real genius always welcomes the new’ Further details.

FlamenKids
TuFlamenco
St Andrew’s and St George’s West, George St (Venue 111)
13, 20 Aug: 14:30 (55 minutes)
Original, well-made, fun, passionate and highly entertaining show where you’ll experience a breathtaking professional flamenco performance of eight artists interacting with the wee ones. Well-suited for all ages and stages. This will be a show to remember. Ole! Further details.

A Girl Called Grace
Mr Blue Productions
The Royal Scots Club (Venue 241)
14 – 18 Aug: 10:30 (40 minutes)
A little girl is sent to retrieve a needle and thread from the ferocious Baba Yaga and must outrun the witch to reach her father’s hut. A wonderful story about the power of kindness. Further details.

Lightning Ridge
Catherine Wheels
Summerhall (Venue 26)
4 – 20 Aug (not 7, 14): 11:30 (55 minutes)
A story about the possibility of dreams, about a community coming together, the preciousness of hope and how, sometimes, we have to believe in the impossible. Further details.

Magic Gareth: Level Up!
Magic Gareth
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33)
2 – 20 Aug (not 16): 10:30 (1 hour)
One-up your Fringe game this festival by adding mind-blowing magic, a grumpy unicorn and 10 XP! Magic Gareth returns with this magical family extravaganza including games, tomfoolery and trickery live on stage! Further details.

My Friend Selkie by What Moves You
What Moves You
Assembly @Dance Base (Venue 22)
4 – 6 Aug: 15:40 (50 minutes)
Selkie (Laura Booth) is learning about the stars. Jo (Niamh O’Loughlin) needs to learn to swim. Can they help each other? With live music by Quee MacArthur (Shooglenifty), children are invited to take part. See you at the Crab Disco! This original tale is told through dance, text and songs and has been enjoyed by children aged 3+ in schools and halls across Scotland. Further details.

Plague, Poo n’ Punishment
Natalie Nardone, Ben Nardone, Edinburgh Storytellers
The Lost Close (Venue 443)
3 – 28 Aug: “10:00, 12:00” (45 minutes)
Edinburgh’s gruesome past is brought to life by two actors (as seen on CBBC) in this hilarious family show. Includes live music and horrible stories from centuries gone by. Warning: Children must keep adults under control! Further details.

Sea Dragon Babies
Dragon Song Productions
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33)
2 – 20 Aug (not 16): 11:00 (40 minutes)
From the creators of Moon Dragon, Sea Dragon is the most perfect experience for babies under one at the Fringe in 2023. Specially written for young audiences this is a fully interactive, sensory, music show. Further details.

Sea Dragon for Under 5s
Dragon Song Productions
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33)
2 – 20 Aug (not 16): 10:00 (40 minutes)
From the creators of Moon Dragon, Sea Dragon is the most perfect experience for under 5s. Full of puppets, dragons, live music and more, this interactive, sensory, musical theatre show is just perfect. Further details.

Smashing Shakespeare
Scott Coltman for Captivate Theatre
Gilded Balloon at the Museum (Venue 64)
2 – 15 Aug:): 11:30 (1 hour)
Two musical-comedy versions of Shakespeare’s greatest works, Brave Macbeth and Juliet & Her Romeo. Check our socials for daily performance information. ‘One of the best children’s shows at the Fringe… enjoyable and fun for all ages’ ★★★★★ (BroadwayBaby.com). Further details.

Wee Seals and Selkies
Janis Mackay
Scottish Storytelling Centre (Venue 30)
4 – 27 Aug (not 9, 14-18, 21-25): 11:00 (50 minutes)
Be transported to the northern seashore, where waves lap, gulls cry and a seal is born in a garden! Join award-winning children’s author/storyteller Janis Mackay as she weaves two enchanting tales, accompanied by live fiddle music. Further details.


Cabaret and Variety

1 and Only Absolute Burlesque Cabaret
Sassy School of Burlesque

Paradise in Augustines (Venue 152)
5 – 27 Aug (not 13, 20): 22:35 (1 hour)
One and Only Absolute Burlesque Cabaret returns after delighting audiences since 2017. Experience our new glitter and glamour extravaganza. Edinburgh’s only school of homegrown hotties promise you another must-see show filled with opulence. Further details.

1 Hour Of Insane Magic
Trash Panda Productions

Gilded Balloon Teviot (Venue 14)
2 – 28 Aug: 19:00 (1 hour)
A thrilling, hilarious and insane magic show where three of the country’s best magicians (Cameron Gibson, Luke Osey and Elliot Bibby) share incredible magic, impossible illusions and amazing acts of mind-reading! Further details.

Cabaret in the Dark
Visually Impaired Creators Scotland
C ARTS | C venues | C aurora (Venue 6)
3 – 5 Aug: 14:20 (1 hour 5 minutes)
Ever wonder what it’s like to see a show… without actually seeing it? Join VICS for a night of comedy, music and sketches, all in the pitch dark! Of course you can take part too! www.visuallyimpairedcreatorsscotland.co.uk Further details.

Chris Cook Asked a Robot to Write Him a Five-Star Show and This Is What It Said
Chris Cook / PBH’s Free Fringe
PBH’s Free Fringe @ Voodoo Rooms (Venue 68)
5 – 27 Aug (not 9, 16, 23): 16:50 (1 hour)
Over 10 years, Chris Cook has brought magical, thought-provoking comedy shows to the Fringe. For his 10th anniversary he asks: can AI do a better job? “Cheeky magician with the slickness of a stand-up” (Stage). Further details.

Dan Bastianelli: The Trick Is There
Dan Bastianelli Magician
Paradise in Augustines (Venue 152)
14 – 19 Aug: 19:15 (50 minutes)
Drawing on inspirations from his Scottish-Italian heritage, Edinburgh magician Dan Bastianelli presents an incredible close-up magical experience that explains the difference between trickery and real magic, allowing you to witness both. Further details.

Divas: From Stage to Screen
BBD Productions
Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose (Venue 24)
2 – 27 Aug (not 14, 21, 22): 22:30 (1 hour)
BBD Productions return with their five-star show. Join a live band and cast of fierce beltresses to celebrate music, movies and musical theatre in this high-energy celebration of the greatest Divas of all time. Further details.

Fruit Salad Airlines Presents: Jet Lag
Fruit Salad
West Port Oracle (Venue 75)
7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24 Aug: “21:00, 22:30” (1 hour)
Edinburgh’s home-grown queer cabaret is taking you on a flight you’ll never forget! Join us for an hour of drag, comedy, burlesque and campery aboard a real, replica aircraft. Flight FS069 is now boarding! Further details.

Kevin Quantum: Momentum
Kevin Quantum
Assembly Rooms (Venue 20)
3 – 27 Aug (not 22): 16:45 (1 hour)
From Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist, trained by Penn & Teller. Flaming cannon balls, epic stunts and mind-blowing magic in a spectacle that will have you amazed, on the edge of your seat. ‘Astonishing’ ★★★★★ (Edinburgh Evening News). Further details.

Late Bloomers Tales
Anna Vanosi
The Jazz Bar (Venue 57)
4, 7-10 Aug: Various (1 hour)
Anna Vanosi’s soulful voice transports you from jazz (Billie Holiday, Doris Day) to pop (Bob Dylan, Björk) tracing a comical, poignant path, as she feels out of step with time. Maybe she’s not alone? Join this inspirational late-bloomers’ adventure. ‘Eccentric, adorable, enchanting. Further details.

Oasissy: Don’t Look Back in Anger, Babes
Oasissy
BlundaGardens: BlundaBus & Magical SpiegelYurt (Venue 212)
21 – 25 Aug: 22:40 (50 minutes)
Slip’n’slide inside a rock’n’roll fantasy party of joy, chaos and catharsis as genderqueer drag-clowns Oasissy (‘Ones to watch’ (List)) invite you into their madferrit, monobrowed imagination. ‘A gay old time!’ (Noel). Further details.

Vroni and the Seppls: Bavarian Traditions
Vroni Holzmann
BlundaGardens: BlundaBus & Magical SpiegelYurt (Venue 212)
23 – 27 Aug: 21:40 (40 minutes)
Beer drinking! Bavarian traditions! Learn about Oktoberfest rituals and how to sing the famous Ein Prosit song! Welcome to this funky Bavarian show performed by Vroni Holzmann, accompanied by the fabulous Joey Sanderson. Prost! Further details.

Whisky & Witches Presents Mythical Beasts: An Immersive, Mystical, Musical Whisky Tasting
Jane Ross: Whisky Aficionado. Christine Kammerer: Composer and Singer
The Mother Superior (Venue 626)
4/5, 11, 18, 24 Aug: “14:00, 19:30” (2 hours)
A magical, musical whisky tasting by female forces! Travel with us to the realm where folklore, five exceptional whiskies and hauntingly beautiful music meet in perfect harmony. Further details.

ENDS