CIRCUS HUB at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Circus Hub, created and programmed by Underbelly, is one of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe's most distinctive venues. Based on the Meadows, it is a stone's throw from Udderbelly in George Square Gardens.

The venue once again brings ten world class shows to Edinburgh. Focusing on artists based in the UK, Ireland and Australia, the programme includes two world premieres from Camille O'Sullivan and Briefs Factory and also one European premiere from Company Here and Now.

In addition, at Udderbelly, the iconic upside-down purple cow, two Fringe favourites Circa and Gravity & Other Myths bring their spectacular circus prowess to the 2016 season.

Highlights from this year's programme include the world premiere of a brand new show from Irish chanteuse Camille O'Sullivan, The Carny Dream which features songs by Cave, Bowie, Brel, Arcade Fire and Radiohead. Joining Camille in the Lafayette tent are Australian sensations Briefs Factory with the world premiere of a brand new hot and sizzling show Sweat Shop; and The Raunch which brings together legendary UK cabaret performer Empress Stah and the most wanted of international cabaret and circus in a whip-cracking, rodeo-rocking night for the fun-hearted. Not the faint-hearted! The Spiegeltent is transformed each day into a bedroom to invite audiences to snuggle up and relax in Bedtime Stories by the UK's Upswing; and Throwback by Silver Lining sees the rising stars of UK circus create a love letter to nostalgia.

In the smaller of the two tents, The Beauty, two family favourites from last year returns to the Circus Hub - The Hogwallops and the sell-out success Trash Test Dummies. The afternoon and evening shows, at The Beauty, sees circus exploring climate change, technology addiction and science's quest for the elixir of life. With their show Perhaps Hope, the heart-stoppingly brilliant Company Here and Now from Australia, bring a highly original circus show and its European premiere to Edinburgh, which explores the humanity and beauty hidden beneath a dirty, cramped world. Joli Vvann has teamed up with choreographer Jonathan Lunn to create an athletic and highly energetic circus and dance work Imbalance, which explores our obsessive dependence on technology. The stunning Australian troupe Head First Acrobats, a sensation at the Brighton Fringe last year, bring their sci-fi circus - where three handsome scientists will entertain audiences with their gutsy attitude, unique apparatus and hardcore tricks in Elixir.

In George Square Gardens - Circa, the internationally acclaimed contemporary circus company behind the hit shows Wunderkammer and Beyond, return to Edinburgh with their show Closer. This intimate encounter has been specially commissioned for the iconic 'upside down purple cow' Udderbelly and should not be missed. They are joined by one of Australia's hottest and most original circus ensembles Gravity & Other Myths with their award winning display of supreme acrobatic ability, strength and skill, A Simple Space which comes to Edinburgh off the back a South American tour; marking G&OM's sell-out success extending now to FIVE continents.

Underbelly's Circus Hub runs from Thursday 4 August to Monday 22 August with aneclectic programme for all tastes.

For the full Circus Hub programme visit:

www.underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/circushub or www.edfringe.com