KISS ME X: Alex Franklin to Bring Stand-Up and Romance to Edinburgh Fringe
Directed by Kathy Maniura, KISS ME X explores trans joy and dating at Pleasance.
Rising comedy star Alex Franklin (20 million views across TikTok/Instagram as seen on Channel 4, HBO Max and BBC Radio 4) returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with a brand-new hour of stand up, musical comedy and high-stakes romance.
Kiss Me x is a spirited and hilarious exploration of love, romance, and navigating the dating world as a trans woman. Media narratives often suggest that being trans is a journey of struggle or unlovableness but Alex is here to debunk that once and for all as she reveals the scandalous truth that being trans doesn't just make you lovable, it makes you (or more specifically, Alex) really, really hot.
Blending her signature absurdist style with heartfelt reflection and original comedy songs, Alex Franklin draws on the strategic use of powerpoint, 'exquisite one-liners' (Chortle) and in depth biological knowledge as she invites the audience into a one-woman celebration of trans joy and self acceptance, where the possibility of a kiss is only ever a joke away.
Kiss Me x is written and performed by Alex Franklin, directed by Kathy Maniura, and produced by Ethan Andrews.
Alex Franklin is a trans, half-Chinese, super funny comedian, who enjoys stand-up, musical comedy, and scuttling around on the ground. Alex has appeared on BBC Radio 4, Channel 4, HBO Max, ITV, and BBC1 (all for silly reasons), and has accrued 80k+ followers and 20 million views across Tiktok and Instagram.
Alex's 2024 show Gurl Code was nominated for the Brighton fringe Comedy Award and enjoyed a smash hit sell out run and rave reviews at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe before transferring to London's prestigious Soho Theatre. A work-in-progress version of new show Kiss Me x has already been named one of Chortle's highlights of the 2026 Leicester Comedy Festival. Alex will also be performing in new comedy musical Mothman: A Romance Musical throughout the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which she has co-written with Scottish comedian Nikola McMurtrie.
LISTINGS INFORMATION
VENUE: Underbelly Cowgate (Jelly Belly)
DATES: 5th - 30th August (except 17th)
TIME: 2:25pm (1hr)
AGE GUIDANCE: 18+ (Guideline)
Franklin is also set to perform in MOTHMAN: A ROMANCE MUSICAL, a new comedy musical she co-wrote with Scottish comedian Nikola McMurtrie, also running during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. A work-in-progress version of KISS ME X was named one of Chortle's highlights of the 2026 Leicester Comedy Festival. The prior BWW stories on file cover the West End production of KISS ME, KATE rather than Franklin's Edinburgh work, so no direct prior coverage of this show is available on BroadwayWorld at this time.
BOX OFFICE: edfringe.com
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