Edinburgh Festival Guide

Listings: Theatre, Fringe

Sorted by popularity / rating / date.

Holes by Tom Basden

The Invisible Dot Ltd. Three conference organisers and a teenage girl are the sole survivors of a fatal plane crash on a remote tropical island. With Daniel Rigby, Katy Wix, Mathew Baynton, and Bebe Cave. A world premiere from the Fringe First winning team behind 2009 smash, Party. Written by Tom Basden and directed by…

Assembly George Square, Edinburgh

Sun 4 Aug

Meeting Point

£20 (£16) / 0131 226 0000

Meeting Point

£10 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Fri 9 Aug

Meeting Point

£20 (£16) / 0131 226 0000

Sat 10 Aug

Meeting Point

£20 (£16) / 0131 226 0000

…and 7 more dates

In Flagrante

Flagrant Productions. From the toxic utopia of Our Day Will Come, to a North Korean traffic girl- an exploration of women in uniform as signallers and authority figures, to horses and their wild equestrian spirit, In Flagrante is a show with a vicious little edge. Fusing cabaret and contemporary dance, fetish and…

Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh

Thu 1 Aug

Central

£10 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Fri 2 Aug

Central

£10 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Sat 3 Aug

Central

£13 / 0131 226 0000

…and 21 more dates

Killing Roger

Sparkle and Dark. Could you kill someone Billy? I mean really, could you? What if they asked you to? Billy, a conscientious, opinionated teenager, meets Roger, a chain smoking, sharp tongued old man. An unlikely friendship forms and Billy must decide what it means to truly care about someone. Levels of reality distort…

Underbelly, Edinburgh

Thu 1 Aug

Belly Button

£6 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Fri 2 Aug

Belly Button

£6 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Sat 3 Aug

Belly Button

£10 (£9) / 0131 226 0000

…and 21 more dates

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Fourth Monkey. 'A tour de force on the Fringe' ★★★★★ (Remote Goat.co.uk). 'Outstanding' ★★★★★ (FringeGuru.com). 'A magical experience' ★★★★★ (AYoungerTheatre.com). 'I listened to them fade away till all I could hear was my memory of the sound' (Ken Kesey). With their trademark ensemble work, Fourth Monkey follow up…

theSpace on Niddry Street, Edinburgh

Fri 2 Aug

£8.50 (£6) / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Sat 3 Aug

£8.50 (£6) / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Sun 4 Aug

£8.50 (£6) / 0131 226 0000

Preview

…and 20 more dates

Peter Straker's Brel

  • 4 stars

Hailed as one of the great singers on the British stage, a man who has recorded with Freddie Mercury and starred in the British production of Hair could only deliver a barnstorming performance of the songs and life of Brel. Straker is in full blown theatrical mode; in Amsterdam, embodying the darkness and menace in Brel's…

Assembly Checkpoint, Edinburgh

Thu 1 Aug

£10 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Fri 2 Aug

£10 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Sat 3 Aug

£14 (£13) / 0131 226 0000

…and 20 more dates back to top

She Dances With Fate

Two Pentacles. A flamenco hip hopera. This warrior is born from the fire of flamenco. Her path is fraught with mythical gods and savage deeds. She fights her way through break dancing dreamscapes, Argentine tango temptations, shaman voices, dubstep attacks and raw lust in a hip-hop immortal. Time and Fate, enemies at…

New Town Theatre, Edinburgh

Thu 1 Aug

Majestic

£11 / 0131 226 0000

Fri 2 Aug

Majestic

£11 / 0131 226 0000

Sat 3 Aug

Majestic

£11 / 0131 226 0000

…and 22 more dates

Tiddler and Other Terrific Tales

  • 3 stars

Brand new show from award-winning Scamp Theatre (Stick Man). Adapted from the bestselling books written by Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler (creators of The Gruffalo). A magical collection of Julia Donaldson’s most popular titles including Tiddler, The Smartest Giant in Town and A…

Underbelly Bristo Square, Edinburgh

Thu 1 Aug

Udderbelly

£6 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Fri 2 Aug

Udderbelly

£11 (£10) / 0131 226 0000

Sat 3 Aug

Udderbelly

£10 (£9) / 0131 226 0000

…and 22 more dates

Year I Was Gifted

Atomic Force Productions. Drama with comedy for anyone who's ever wondered what to do with their life. Direct from New York, a gay-straight love story. The true tale of a working class girl's attempt to survive a prestigious boarding school for the arts. 'When I was 15 years old I lied my way into the best boarding…

Sweet Grassmarket, Edinburgh

Fri 2 Aug

International 3

£8 / 0131 226 0000

Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Sat 3 Aug

International 3

£8 / 0131 226 0000

Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Sun 4 Aug

International 3

£8 / 0131 226 0000

Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

…and 16 more dates

'33 (a Kabarett)

Bremner Duthie, Big Empty Barn Productions. One final, desperate show! A dance on the edge of the abyss! The vanquished impresario of a ruined Berlin cabaret takes the stage, honouring his lost friends and singing the greatest cabaret songs ever written. '33 is about the power of music and the courage to keep going.

Hill Street Theatre, Edinburgh

Thu 1 Aug

Theatre

£6 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Fri 2 Aug

Theatre

£6 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Sat 3 Aug

Theatre

£12 (£10; Children £10; Students £10) / 0131 226 0000

…and 22 more dates

Afghan Days Babylon Nights

Delta Theatre. Stunning voices from the theatre of war. A compelling performance inspired by the history of human conflict. The actors bring alive universal themes: courage, loss, comradeship and humour to mesmerise and captivate with searing realism. Vivid images, haunting music, poignant and profound. 'Very fine, I…

The Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh

Tue 6 Aug

£10 (£8) / 0131 226 0000

Wed 7 Aug

£10 (£8) / 0131 226 0000

Thu 8 Aug

£10 (£8) / 0131 226 0000

…and 8 more dates back to top

After Ever Happily

Taking the Mick Theatre Company. Giant killer? Witch burner? Beast vanquisher? Doctor Piper is faced with the psychological fallout of these far-fetched experiences when challenged with three troubled youths whose fairytales died long ago. 'Incredibly well performed' (Journos 2012, ThreeWeeks). Ages 16+.

theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, Edinburgh

Mon 12 Aug

Theatre 2

£7 (£5) / 0131 226 0000

Tue 13 Aug

Theatre 2

£7 (£5) / 0131 226 0000

Wed 14 Aug

Theatre 2

£7 (£5) / 0131 226 0000

…and 3 more dates

Angus: Weaver of Grass

Horse + Bamboo Theatre presents a play about the extraordinary story of Angus McPhee, a crofter from the Western Isles who spent 50 years in a Highland psychiatric hospital producing incredible woven grass costumes, which ended up being exhibited in the early days of the CCA (then Third Eye Centre).

Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh

Mon 19 Aug

Netherbow Theatre at Fringe

£10 / 0131 226 0000

Tue 20 Aug

Netherbow Theatre at Fringe

£10 / 0131 226 0000

Wed 21 Aug

Netherbow Theatre at Fringe

£10 / 0131 226 0000

…and 4 more dates

Anoesis

We know we have to sit up and face the front. We know that we have the right to remain silent, but that anything we say may harm our defence. We know that we have to succeed. After a sell-out 2011 Fringe, Herald Angel Award winners Junction 25 are back with a brand new show. An immersive experience about formal…

Summerhall, Edinburgh

Sat 3 Aug

The Dissection Room

£8 / 0131 226 0000

Preview Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Sun 4 Aug

The Dissection Room

£8 / 0131 226 0000

Preview Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Mon 5 Aug

The Dissection Room

£14 (£10) / 0131 226 0000

2 for 1 Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

…and 12 more dates

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

The Dryden Society. Ever wondered what makes the sound come out of your radio? Brand new comedy from Cambridge University about the man living in the FM section of the radio, his separation from his love in the AM section, and their struggle with the villain in the cassette deck. Multi-faceted comedy combines sharp…

C nova, Edinburgh

Sun 11 Aug

studio 2

£7.50 (£5.50; Seniors £5.50; Students £5.50) / 0131 226 0000

Mon 12 Aug

studio 2

£9.50 (£7.50; Seniors £7.50; Students £7.50) / 0131 226 0000

Tue 13 Aug

studio 2

£9.50 (£7.50; Seniors £7.50; Students £7.50) / 0131 226 0000

…and 13 more dates

Artaud: a Trilogy

The Lincoln Company. Spurt of Blood, The Cenci and The Seashell and the Clergyman are drawn together to create an experimental event that layers French surrealism, physical theatre and contemporary farce, creating its very own Theatre of Cruelty. It explores the anguish sheathed within Artaud's mind, identifying…

C nova, Edinburgh

Wed 31 Jul

studio 1

£8.50 (£6.50; Seniors £6.50; Students £6.50) / 0131 226 0000

Thu 1 Aug

studio 1

£8.50 (£6.50; Seniors £6.50; Students £6.50) / 0131 226 0000

Fri 2 Aug

studio 1

£8.50 (£6.50; Seniors £6.50; Students £6.50) / 0131 226 0000

…and 23 more dates back to top

Ballad of the Burning Star

Theatre Ad Infinitum. Multi award-winning Theatre Ad Infinitum (Translunar Paradise, Odyssey) presents an explosive tale. Armed with music, killer heels and a lethal troop of divas, an enraged Israeli executes a story of victimhood, persecution, aggression and love. With shrapnel, sharp voices and moves as smooth as an…

Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh

Wed 31 Jul

Queen Dome

£7.50 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Thu 1 Aug

Queen Dome

£7.50 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Fri 2 Aug

Queen Dome

£7.50 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

…and 22 more dates

Barry Brennan's Bi-Monthly Dungeons and Dragons Sessions – A Geek Tragedy

Practical Magic. Raucous, nerdish comedy with goblins and stuff. From the producers of Fringe smashes: 'Allo 'Allo, 'Fringe phenomenon' ****(Scotsman), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, ★★★★★ (ThreeWeeks), Sex, Lies and Eurovision, ★★★★★ (ThreeWeeks), Trainspotting, ★★★★★ (EdinburghGuide.com) and The Steamie, ★★★★…

Spotlites @ The Merchant's Hall, Edinburgh

Sat 3 Aug

Studio Theatre

£8 / 0131 226 0000

Sun 4 Aug

Studio Theatre

£8 / 0131 226 0000

Mon 5 Aug

Studio Theatre

£8 / 0131 226 0000

2 for 1

…and 5 more dates

Bath Time

Ruaraidh Murray. Tidy sexual health clinic nurses vs Maggie Thatcher, microchip robbers vs drug runners, hand jobs vs Xmas trees. Gangland Edinburgh 1996. Three childhood friends Spike, Joe Joe and Billy take part in a high scale robbery that goes wrong. Who can trust who and whose turn is it for Bath Time? 'Another…

Gilded Balloon Teviot, Edinburgh

Wed 31 Jul

Wee Room

£5 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Thu 1 Aug

Wee Room

£5 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Fri 2 Aug

Wee Room

£5 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

…and 24 more dates

Beeston Rifles

Horizon Arts with Richard Jordan Productions Ltd. How far would you go to seek revenge? Stacey would go further. She's returned to her hometown of Beeston to protect her brother and avenge the death of her father. She's on a one-woman mission to extract bloody retribution. A new play by acclaimed award-winning…

Underbelly, Edinburgh

Thu 1 Aug

Iron Belly

£6 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Fri 2 Aug

Iron Belly

£6 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Sat 3 Aug

Iron Belly

£8.50 (£7.50) / 0131 226 0000

…and 22 more dates

Beijing Cake

Year of the Horse Theater. Beijing Cake tells the story of Americans lost in China, international heartbreak, and an unpalatable slice of cake. Things quickly unravel when Lori, an American diplomat, moves to Beijing despite her inability to speak Chinese and her impending due date. Lori finds a mentor in the spirit of…

theSpaces on the Mile, Edinburgh

Mon 19 Aug

Space 1

£5 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Tue 20 Aug

Space 1

£5 / 0131 226 0000

Preview

Wed 21 Aug

Space 1

£8 (£6) / 0131 226 0000

…and 3 more dates back to top

Bette Davis Ain't for Sissies

'I have two Oscars, not one but two'. Bdafs is a powerful one-woman show which takes place on the eve of the 1939 Academy Awards. Davis, upon finding out she will lose the Oscar to Vivien Leigh, leaves the ceremony and begins a journey through her memories. A piercing insight into the struggle of an actress who…

Fiddlers Elbow, Edinburgh

Sat 3 Aug

Upstairs

Free / 0131 226 0000

Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Sun 4 Aug

Upstairs

Free / 0131 226 0000

Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Mon 5 Aug

Upstairs

Free / 0131 226 0000

Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

…and 19 more dates

Beulah

The Flanagan Collective in association with C. Alexander Wright's critically acclaimed, sell-out folk-musical returns after a national indi-tour. Inspired by William Blake, we dally in time, dreams, reality and what the fabric of our world is made of. Two performers switch between over 10 instruments, puppets…

C, Edinburgh

Wed 14 Aug

+2

£10.50 (£8.50; Children £6.50; Seniors £8.50; Students £8.50) / 0131 226 0000

Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Thu 15 Aug

+2

£10.50 (£8.50; Children £6.50; Seniors £8.50; Students £8.50) / 0131 226 0000

Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Fri 16 Aug

+2

£10.50 (£8.50; Children £6.50; Seniors £8.50; Students £8.50) / 0131 226 0000

Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

…and 10 more dates

Bite the Bullet

Sandy Nelson / The Assembly Rooms. Before skittering to a quiet demise, one hit ajit-folk noir duo The Telltales topped the Japanese charts. 21 years later they return to Tokyo to perform at a live TV awards ceremony, this time with extra baggage. Directed by Alison Peebles. 'Three performances to treasure as well as…

Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh

Fri 16 Aug

Studio Two

£10 (£9) / 0131 226 0000

Sat 17 Aug

Studio Two

£10 (£9) / 0131 226 0000

Sun 18 Aug

Studio Two

£10 (£9) / 0131 226 0000

…and 7 more dates

Black Rubix Theatre Presents: Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster

The hapless Black Rubix Theatre are thrilled to finally stage their play – a daring satire on the world of corrupt journalism and phone hacking. They are also definitely certain that it's just as relevant as it was when they wrote it two years ago. That however, is the least of their worries as they battle a…

theSpace @ Venue45, Edinburgh

Tue 13 Aug

£5 (£4) / 0131 226 0000

Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Thu 15 Aug

£5 (£4) / 0131 226 0000

Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Sat 17 Aug

£5 (£4) / 0131 226 0000

Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

…and 3 more dates

BLAM!

Kristján Ingimarsson//Neander. Die-Hard meets The Office. To escape their painfully dull 9-to-5 jobs, four ingenious office workers invent BLAM! – an imaginary game where ordinary life is put through the shredder. In this hilarious and explosive show, the mundane workplace is transformed into a world populated by…

Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh

Wed 31 Jul

The Grand

£8 / 0131 226 0000

Preview Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Thu 1 Aug

The Grand

£8 / 0131 226 0000

Preview Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Fri 2 Aug

The Grand

£8 / 0131 226 0000

Preview Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

…and 21 more dates back to top