Improvising Entertainers, Cut Throat Comedians, Acrobatic Pirates And Activist Drag Stars Head For Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Underbelly are gearing up for their most ambitious Edinburgh Festival Fringe to date as a raft of top shows go on sale today. The eleven top shows provide a tantalizing glimpse into the 2018 programme, charting comedy stars, international circus acts and West End theatrics set to perform across Underbelly's Fringe footprint including McEwan Hall, marking a return after a three year absence.

Fresh from their West End transfer and a total Fringe 2017 sell-out, Austentatious, An Improvised Jane Austen Novel makes its grand return for a rollicking run in the ostentatious setting of McEwan Hall. The much loved improv group will be joined in the grand surrounds of McEwan Hall by the riotous Shit-Faced Shakespeare: Hamlet who are set to introduce a new generation to the Bard, with a deeply highbrow fusion of an entirely serious Shakespeare play with an entirely shit-faced cast member. Sashaying from a storming Celebrity Big Brother win, star of RuPaul's Drag Race and Australian Idol Courtney Act brings her dazzling voice and caustic quips to The Circus Hub with her new show, Under the Covers.

The comedy continues across the Underbelly field with the longest running live comedy show, NewsRevue propelling audiences at breakneck speed through the world's news and events through scathing sketches and idol burning comedy. Underbelly hit, Edinburgh Comedy All Stars returns to the Udderbelly for 2018 featuring some of the biggest and brightest comedians in four mighty weekend shows. Australian improv duo Steen Raskopoulos and Carlo Ritchie noise up the Belly Button with The Bear Pack, a good clean, old-fashioned improvised comedy caper that will prompt belly laughs a plenty. Rounding off the comedy offering is Italian comedian, catholic and observant hypochondriac Luca Cupani with his new show, God Digger.

Not to be outdone by the adults, kids are in for a tremendous Fringe with top family shows joining the programme for a summer of fun. Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams is an unashamedly joyful mix of astonishing stunts, astounding circus skills and enchanting adventure that will mesmerise audiences of all ages. The Ethiopian circus stars will be Joined At The Circus Hub by Australian circus clowns, Head First Acrobats for Arr We There Yet? a riproaring and swashbuckling adventure in which Three Sailors hit the high seas in search of treasure! Edinburgh Fringe sell-out for an amazing eleven years, The Amazing Bubble Man will thrill Udderbelly audiences with enough spellbinding bubble tricks to keep everyone mesmerized. As 2018 marks the centenary of the end the First World War, Private Peaceful the theatre adaptation of the award winning children's book by Michael Morpurgo is given added significance and is sure to move audiences of all ages.

Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam, directors of Underbelly said, "Although the weather may not suggest it, summer isn't far away which means another Fringe season will soon be in full flow and today we announce eleven incredible shows part of it. We are thrilled to welcome the awe-inspiring Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams back to our wonderful Underbelly Circus Hub in The Meadows after a storming 2017 Fringe run. And we can think of no better way to mark our return to the majestic McEwan Hall, than to bring the West End hit improv show Austentatious to this iconic venue. We are hugely excited for our 2018 programme, the shows on sale today provide a tantalising taste as to the artistic quality, diversity and internationalism we have in store for our audiences."

To post a comment, you must register and login.