Edinburgh Festival

Dear Annie, I Hate You is a visceral, captivating account of survival which fuses raw storytelling with inventive theatricality. Written and performed by Samantha Ipema, this semi-autobiographical work confronts the life-altering impact of a brain aneurysm diagnosis at the age of twenty, crafting a narrative which is as darkly funny, as it is deeply affecting.

Dystopian, semi-autobiographical solo show Is There Work On Mars? returns to the Edinburgh Fringe following a successful 2024 run. Multi-disciplinary artist Faye Yan opens the show in a testing lab where she undergoes a series of bleep tests, personality assessments and interview questions in her endeavour to gain employment in the legal team for Nylon Tusk’s SpaceY programme. 

Luigi: the Musical – a new comedy inspired by the reality of Luigi Mangione, Sam Bankman-Fried, and Diddy all being incarcerated in the same federal facility—has become a sold-out hit that’s now headed to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

What did our critic think of EDINBURGH DAYS at St Bride's Centre?

Jacob Nussey makes his Fringe debut with his stand-up show Primed where he shares stories from his time working at Amazon. With impeccable deadpan delivery that will have the audience in constant laughter, this is a standout set at this year's Fringe.

After years of writing for Michael Che and Colin Jost on Saturday Night Live, KC Shornima proves that some of her greatest material comes from writing for herself.

Chloe Petts love of Big Naturals, regales with a bold and brilliantly crafted hour, in which she tackles her favourite body parts, questions her previously entrenched relationship with lad culture and inspects her own evolving identity.

In her triumphant return to the Fringe, Amy Annette brings Busy Body to The Baby Grand, a shipping container transformed into an intimate comedy boudoir, complete with a floral display and the nostalgic welcoming harmonies of The Andrews Sisters

Dream Space by Creative Group SSAK is a shimmering piece of theatrical magic, transforming the everyday into the extraordinary through inventive puppetry, music, and movement. From the moment the playful kazoo ensemble opening sets the tone, the production invites audiences of all ages into its surreal island world, where the line between reality and fantasy melts away.

The Revel Puck Circus’s latest collaboration with Underbelly is set in the faraway land of the Circus Hub on the Meadows in Edinburgh, in a sweet, acrobatic retelling of The Ugly Duckling.

Stephen Buchanan returns to the Fringe with his new hour, Cold Meat, where he brings dark humour and well-crafted jokes to the Edinburgh stage.

In 45 minutes, Can't Talk Right Now, a sung-through musical, explores the complexities of human nature and finding what you want from life. It’s a tight squeeze, but beautifully and heartbreakingly executed. Jen Cassidy effortlessly draws us into her reality, creating a loveable main character as well as painting a picture of everyone who doesn’t appear on stage.

Rajiv Karia’s Man Alive! is a thoughtful and sharply observed hour, which asks big questions with a light, playful touch. Karia discusses male friendships, issues around maintaining contact, social connection and weaves this into the everyday irritations and anxieties of modern life and with a lens of warmth, wit, and self-deprecation, skilfully keeping the audience laughing consistently.

Gloriously unhinged BAFTA-nominated newcomers Ada and Bron bring their chaotic brand of sketch character comedy to the Edinburgh Fringe with The Origin of Love, a fast-paced, surreal and delightfully filthy exploration of romance, in all of its very strangest forms.

Rohan Sharma makes his Edinburgh Fringe debut with his stand-up show Mad Dog. Rohan, a British/Indian comedian with an ambitious style of comedy, delivers his hilarious tech-heavy show. The audience is taken through a PowerPoint presentation as he speaks about his experience with racism, his love for British food and an abundance of Colonel Gaddafi jokes.

Milk on the Side: a Barista Musical is a show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year which was produced by Short and Sweet Theatre. It follows a day in the cafe with baristas Amy (Clare Roberts) and Casey (Emily Mahi`ai) who invite the audience to join them for a shift in their coffee shop.

Love Me Like a Chai Tea Latte is a comedy/theatre show making its Edinburgh Fringe debut this year. The show is written and performed by Sanjay Lago, a Glasgow-born South Asian actor, playwright and comedian who trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is a recipient of the Assembly ART Award 2025.

Horror media, in any form, is often one of the most difficult genres to get right. Scatter: A Horror Play may stumble but it never falters, crafting a play of exceptionally high quality.

Unusual comedian Johnny White Really Really is back at the Edinburgh Fringe with new show am/pm. Those who enjoyed his last Fringe hour Catland (2023) will be happy to know that this is another pensive, curiously clever set of offbeat comedy from the entirely original and multi-faceted writer, composer and performer. 

In Year 6 Michelle Brasier’s mate uttered nine words that, at 30, still ring in her ears. They’ve sparked a Fringe show, and it’s a stunner. 

Alternative, kooky character comedy great Lucy Pearman (BBC Three’s Please Help, BBC’s The Mind of Herbert Clunkerdunk, BBC2’s Mister Winner) is back with her first Edinburgh Fringe hour since 2019’s Baggage. 

Don’t be fooled by the gentle, speakeasy vibe of the entrance music: these are certified divas, here to take you through a showstopping mix of music from various films and musicals. There is no plot and no need to study beforehand, just sit back and enjoy.

Ayo Adenekan makes his highly anticipated Fringe debut with a hilarious and heartfelt show about growing up in Scotland. With sharp storytelling and a laid-back charm, Ayo explores identity, belonging and the awkward moments in between.

Too old and unsteady to move, too vulnerable to survive on its own, the lofty Sabal palm of Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden reflects on two hundred years of containment, dislocation and human care, as it outgrows its 19th century glasshouse home and approaches its chainsaw demise, making way for a new conservation research facility.

After a smash hit 2024 season and fresh off a 9-week London run, best-pals-turned-bitter-rivals Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci return to Edinburgh! A bloodthirsty friar is on the hunt for homosexuals in Renaissance Italy just when childhood friends Mike and Leo realise they both like boys. Terrified, they devise a foolproof plan to gain God's forgiveness: become the greatest religious artists of all time. Can Michelangelo gaslight, gatekeep and girlboss his way to the Vatican? Will Leonardo ever shut up about his helicopter?