Edinburgh Festival

Did you know that Boris III, King of Bulgaria, wasn’t even Bulgarian? It’s true, along with many other strange things that happened during his lifetime that are explored in The Brief Life and Mysterious Death of Boris III, King of Bulgaria.

Like tattoos, this show might fit the same format as others out there, but each one is entirely unique. This isn’t someone who has perfected a routine to perform on repeat, his witty remarks and off-the-cuff jokes are entirely in response to audience participation and this just shows off his natural ability to make anything funny.

2020 The Musical manages to make the audience bizarrely nostalgic for a time everyone would rather forget, in a way that feels like healing. The humour was uproariously funny and the technical elements of the production were almost flawless.

BWW catches up with Max Norman to chat about bringing A Pirate's Life For Me to the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Sid Singh, Table For One is a hysterical and uplifting Human Rights informed-comedy, exploring the good which can be done, when embracing a multitude of collective personal skills. Singh is  extremely eloquent, ethical and refined in International Politics, exploring the American Administration with astute conclusions.

Shows like Best in Class cannot be celebrated enough. Growing up working class just forty minutes away from Scotland’s capital is enough to feel worlds apart; change needs to happen to address the social imbalance at arts festivals like the Fringe and open it up to fresh audiences and performers worldwide. Best in Class is wonderfully funny and a true celebration of working-class comedy in the UK and seeks to do just that.

I’m Having Distressing Thoughts is a spectacularly funny look into the absurdity of the environments those in crisis are expected to navigate to recover, and a message of hope for when the Instagram quotes become downright nauseating.

There are so many predictably phrased ways I could tell you how much I enjoyed Friend (the One with Gunther). Oh. My. God. Could it *be* any more satisfying? Out of five stars, it should be seven… seven… SEVEN... It’s just kick-you-in-the-crotch, spit-on-your-neck fantastic.

This operatic frolic through well-chosen tunes was introduced immediately as ‘silly’ by performer Tamara Stein, and silly it was: the baroness’s characterisation was overblown and full of charisma, and her tale was a melee of exaggerated emotional outbursts.

As someone who has only recently got into the world of standup, particularly with British comedians, I’ve only seen a few of the UK’s iconic comedy shows. This includes Mock the Week, so as soon as I saw that Rhys James was doing a show at the Fringe, I knew that I had to see it.

When perusing the shows at this year's Fringe, I saw one with a poster that made me stop and stare. A man wearing aviator glasses stood in front of a pink background, holding a bleeding heart in his hand. Who was this man? Jazz Emu? What kind of a name is that? I simply had to find out, so I booked a ticket to see the show.

When walking into the show, Beevers greets you, welcoming you to her mother’s funeral and thanking you for coming. The stage is covered in red wigs and has a box of flashy costumes. Beevers then goes onstage and lays out the situation - It is the night before her mother’s funeral, and she still hasn’t started writing her eulogy. What will she do?

Have you ever used a Ouija Board to communicate with spirits? Even though I am on the fence on whether or not spirits exist in this world, I try to keep an open mind and have gone on several adventures to try to find ghosts. When I saw the description of DARKFIELD’s show, Séance, I was immediately drawn to the concept.

Six years after debuting at the PBH Free Fringe, We Must Do This More returns to the Edinburgh Fringe, this time playing at the Royal Scot’s Club. The show is an autobiographical piece that explores the highs and lows of female friendship over a year in the life of one Mhairi McColl.

You have the opportunity to see two shows written and directed by Padraig Bond, on alternating days by coming along to The Climate Fables. On this particular day, Debating Extinction, a retelling of Rapunzel through a dystopian climate lens, was the show in question.

In this extraordinary immersive show for one participant at a time, you’ll find yourself a temp for Sarah Jane, an absent actuary. As you negotiate her tasks, understanding and mysteriously precarious position, you’re the main character of her story – but how good will you be at her job?

Aionos, as theatre, aims at something unique. It blends VR, streaming and in-person performances to open up the medium. Unlike in gaming, live performers take on avatars with which VR players can interact. Unlike in traditional shows, performers based anywhere can interact with audiences based anywhere simultaneously. It has potential to be extraordinary, but it’s also very much a work in slow progress.

Paul Merton needs no introduction. He's the star of Have I Got News For You, countless Radio 4 panel shows and other TV productions. His shows at the Fringe are the stuff of legend so to have him back with his brilliant Impro Chums - Suki Webster, Richard Vranch, Kirsty Newton and Mike McShane - is a gift for us all.

Full disclosure: I saw Solve Along A Murder She Wrote in London a number of years ago. As soon as I saw it was on at the Fringe I elbowed my way through the other BW reviewers, pushed a couple of them over, stepping over their bodies, shocked looks on their faces ignored, just so I could get to the front of the queue and see this show again. And it did not disappoint. 

In a world where social media stalks our every move, comment and click online to manipulate personal preferences, it seems pertinent to bring George Orwell's famous novel to the stage. Unfortunately, this production misses the mark.

Abbey Glover embraces her Fringe debut with a playful, poetic and poignant solo show exploring relatable topics through a refreshing new lens. 

Four Felons and a Funeral is a wonderful representation of found family, queer love and joy, whilst also exploring grief and marginalisation. A powerful and fun production that delivers in every aspect.

Kiran Deol delivers a solid hour of stand up

Following a sold-out Edinburgh Festival Fringe run in 2022, Scottish Comedian of the Year winner and Some Laugh podcast host Marc Jennings returns with his most personal show to date.

The cosy, safe world of three flatmates is rocked by a woman's murder. Now Violet's scared walking home from her late shift. Daisy's become an accidental activist drawing unwanted attention from the manosphere. And Heather just wants to get on with her life. After all, who really needs to change to make women safer? This unforgettable play by Rachel O'Regan and feminist theatre company F-Bomb returns to Gilded Balloon, having won a Scotsman Fringe First Award and the Sit Up Award for social impact in 2022.