RELAY by Leila Navabi to Premiere at Pleasance Courtyard for Edinburgh Fringe
Musical comedy exploring queer family-making and fertility journeys runs July 30–August 25.
Comedian and writer Leila Navabi returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with RELAY, a bold new musical comedy about building a queer family and redefining what parenthood looks like in 2025.
Following her 2023 Edinburgh Fringe debut Composition, Leila Navabi returns to the Pleasance with RELAY, a joyful, absurd, and heartfelt one-woman musical comedy running from July 30 to August 25 (excluding August 12) at Beside, Pleasance Courtyard. Performances take place daily at 3:35 PM. A captioned performance will be offered on August 14.
Inspired by Navabi’s real-life experience, RELAY tells the story of a young couple attempting to have a baby at home using their gay Best Friend’s sperm—just months after Navabi was told she was “likely infertile” at age 24. The show blends personal storytelling, live music, and comedy to explore themes of fertility, ambition, queer family-making, and bodily autonomy with warmth and wit.
With six original songs, a keytar, and Navabi’s signature charm, the piece challenges traditional ideas of family while celebrating the chaos, love, and improvisation it takes to build one on your own terms. The production is directed by Elan Isaac and features design and animation by Elliot Ditton. It is produced by TEAM Collective Cymru in partnership with Pleasance and Sherman Theatre.
Navabi says, “It’s the most personal thing I’ve ever made—and also the most fun. This show is about building a family in a way that feels right for you, and I can’t wait for people to see it.”
Ticketing Information
RELAY runs July 30 through August 25 (not August 12) at Beside, Pleasance Courtyard. Performances begin at 3:35 PM and run approximately 60 minutes. Tickets start at £10.00. The show is recommended for ages 16+. A captioned performance will take place on August 14.
Tickets are available via the Edinburgh Fringe box office: Book Tickets
Cast and Creatives
Leila Navabi is a writer, comedian, and actor from South Wales. A BBC Writersroom alum, she has written for Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Deep Fake Neighbour Wars, Bad Education, and Tourist Trap, and voiced Claire in Channel 4’s Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared. Her 2024 debut Composition had a sold-out run at the Fringe and transferred to Soho Theatre. She is represented by DEIversity Talent.
Elan Isaac directs RELAY, with design and animation by Elliot Ditton and production by TEAM Collective Cymru, a Wales-based organization that champions creative engagement and community-driven storytelling. Sherman Theatre supports this production through the Edinburgh National Partnerships programme.
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