Assembly Announces Full Programme For 2018

Assembly Festival (1st - 27th August 2018) announced its FULL programme goes on sale at 10am today (Thu 17 May 2018). This year there are 208 shows - 60 theatre acts, 60 comedy shows and the biggest programme of cabaret Assembly Festival has ever staged.

2018 sees Assembly back in the New Town at the Assembly Rooms, opening new venues - 'The Blue Room' on George Street and 'The Bubble' behind the Theatre in George Square; spreading its wings to Murrayfield Ice Rink with the return of ice skating sensations Le Patin Libre with Vertical Influences; and staging a
sensational one-night-only finale - Max & Ivan's Prom Night at Assembly High (10 Bowmont Place), with the award-winning double act as bandleaders at a real-life 50's high school prom, featuring Jason Byrne as Assembly High School Mascot 'Ernie the Ass', Kieran Hodgson as Captain of the Drama Society, Lolly Adefope as Head Cheerleader, and many more big names in comedy to be announced.

Sharing tales of their lives are actress, columnist and comedian Maureen Lipman, Jason Donovan talking about his career after Neighbours, Squeeze frontman Chris Difford, Misha Glenny writer of hit TV series McMafia, plus Tim Vincent, and Peter Purves with others who were Once Seen on Blue Peter.

This year there is outstanding talent from around the globe in Assembly's circus programme with two new shows from The 7 Fingers from Quebec - Reversible and Sisters; the return of festival favourites FlipFabrique with their hit-show of 2016 Attrape Moi; new work from Casus Circus presenting You & I; Sediment by Company 2; Casting Off by A Good Catch; Tom Flanagan's hilarious slapstick show Kaput; two shows from multi award winners Gandini Juggling; and My Land from Recirquel who last year brought the sensational Paris de Nuit from Budapest.

Other international talent includes the fourth Korean Season, spectacular rhythms from the Japan Marvelous Drummers, and soaring harmonies from New Zealand's favourite Modern Maori Quartet.

In cabaret there are some of the most exciting and stunning voices on the Fringe with the return of Le Gateau Chocolat, Lady Rizo, Jonny Woo, Ali McGregor, Sven Ratzke, Yana Alana and Gingzilla, performing alongside the revival of Janis Joplin Full Tilt, and the Australian 'cult feminist disco' sensations Fringe Wives Club who collected Best Cabaret at the Adelaide Fringe.

Comedy includes stand-up from Russell Howard, Andrew Maxwell, Jason Byrne, Youtube improvisation sensation Kate Berlant, David O'Doherty, Simon Evans, Hardeep Singh Kohli performance poet John Hegley, Camilla Cleese and Steven Hofstetter, Pinder Prize winner Demi Lardner, Terry Alderton, and last year's Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Hannah Gadbsy who swaps jokes for art history in her new show.

Theatre highlights include Simon Callow with Frank McGuinness's adaptation of Oscar Wilde's De Profundis, Dan Freeman's A Joke starring Sylvester McCoy and Robert Picardo, The Fishermen by Gbolahan Obisesan and Soho Theatre's Drip Feed by Karen Cogan, as well as the ART Award winner Heaven Burns - a chilling tale of a witchpricker living in the 1600s written by Jen McGregor.

The National Theatre of Scotland and Birds of Paradise Theatre Company celebrate their 25th anniversary with My Left / Right Foot, a hilarious tale about a company casting disabled performers for a show; The Kings Head Theatre brings Hamilton (Lewis) about the F1 driving sensation; Fringe favourite Harry Blake returns with his new comedy musical Thor & Loki featuring epic battles and tap-dancing trolls; and this year Thrones! The Musical Parody returns bigger and better alongside Voldemort and the Teenage Hogwarts Musical Parody from some of the team behind the sensational Baby Wants Candy.

For younger audience members there is Monski Mouse, Comedy Club 4 Kids, the world premiere of The Greatest Goat of All Time with comedian, singer and dancer Charlie Baker (Harry Hill's Tea Time, Dog Ate My Homework, Doctor Who); Neil Frost and Dan Lees in Captain Cauliflower and Marvin the Mischievous Moose - an unforgettable adventure, filled with extreme silliness and unquestionable danger; a snot-filled tale with an avid nose picker Ellie and the Enormous Sneeze; The Denim Juniors - five pop princesses who celebrate the power of being yourself with their drag pop concert for kids; and Chores - an Australian comedy circus show about cleaning up messy rooms!

Other Festival favourites returning include the runaway hit of 2017 Choir of Man; The Magnets with Volume 2 of the Naked 80s; Djuki Mala and 360 AllStars.

William Burdett-Coutts, Artistic Director of Assembly Festival said:
This year we have an exceptional line-up of world-class comedy, theatre and cabaret. We welcome our fourth Korean season to Edinburgh, and a huge number of international performers from over 30 different countries bringing some exceptional work to Festival audiences. I hope that everyone finds a hit show in this year's programme."

Assembly's full programme is online at www.assemblyfestival.com