The 1,236 shows span many genres of the Fringe programme, including cabaret and variety; children’s shows; comedy; dance, physical theatre and circus; music; musicals and opera; spoken word; and theatre. They join the 556 shows already revealed, resulting in a total of 1,792 shows so far. More shows are set to be announced on Wednesday 07 May, while the official programme launch will take place on Tuesday 03 June.
Audience members are encouraged to start browsing the available shows and booking early to support artists, using the hashtag #DareToDiscover in the run-up to this August.
Lyndsey Jackson, Deputy Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘It’s always exciting when a new batch of shows are announced, and it really does feel like August is just around the corner. I’m looking forward to discovering something new and exciting, as well as re-visiting old favourites.
'Artists are at the forefront of everything we do at the Fringe Society and there is no Fringe without them. Booking tickets in advance and adding free and un-ticketed shows to favourites lists are all great things that audiences can do to show support for those bringing work to Edinburgh this summer.’
Below is a small representative sample of shows available to book from today.
Cabaret
For an ‘unforgettable hour of jaw-dropping miracles, miraculous mind reading and world-class sleight of hand’, check out The Honest Magician at Greenside.
Fan favourite Swamplesque is back at Assembly and promises a ‘hilariously naughty night out’ while Lilli Redman creates a ‘a mysterious, enigmatic musical experience’ at Lili Redman: Siren (The Voodoo Rooms).
Polish pianist Igor Lipinski returns with Igor Lipinski's Piano Illusions, his ‘one-of-a-kind show of piano and magic’, at artSpace@StMarks.
Head to Divas: From Stage to Screen (Paradise Green) for a ‘high-energy, fast-paced celebration of the greatest divas of all time’ such as ‘Anastacia to Adele, Carole King to Cher and Sabrina Carpenter to Shirley Bassey.’
Dream Space ‘invites you into a world where the ordinary becomes extraordinary’ at Assembly, while Broken Planet Show (Gilded Balloon) is ‘an ever-changing nightly riot of world-class weirdos’.
‘Leave your inhibitions at the door’ and ‘expect the flirty, the filthy, and the occasional full-frontal flash’ at XXX Revue (The Voodoo Rooms). At Pleasance, Tom Brace ‘navigates what it really takes to become a legend of magic’ in Tom Brace Saws Himself in Half.
The ‘greatest card magician in the world' asks you to ‘come and find out if it's true’ at Andrew Frost: The Greatest Card Magician in the World (Pleasance), while James Phelan – The Man Who Was Magic presents a ‘dazzling five star show that will leave you aching with laughter and dizzy in disbelief’ at Underbelly.
Children’s shows
As part of Taiwan Season, Taiwan Season: Where Has All the Fruit Gone? Is ‘a work of delicacy, mischief and sheer craft’ and promises you’ll ‘never look at a tangerine the same way again’ at Assembly. Returning favourite All New Crazy Puppet Magic Show promises ‘more puppets! More magic! More laughter’ at Frankenstein Pub.
Meet the multi-lingual (Scottish Gaelic, French and English) Heebie Jeebies, the ‘tiny creatures and their insect puppet pals’ and ‘help them save the day before it’s too late’ at French Institute in Scotland, or join Brave Irene for ‘a magical adventure that proves even the smallest person can overcome the biggest obstacles’ at Paradise Green.
Reach for the Stars (Hill Street Theatre) is a ‘fast, lively, full of energy show that starts your Fringe day off the right way.’ Sail Away at Stockbridge Church ‘tells a musical version of Hans Christian Anderson's story of the Lucky Toy Soldier’.
Experience ‘the creativity and talent of young Chinese performers as they bring traditional tales and modern life to the stage’ at Blue Cloak (Greyfriars Kirk) or meet ‘the awful adults, beastly brats and curious creatures’ from Serious Nonsense at PBH’s Free Fringe.
You’ll See... brings Ireland’s ‘most notorious book’, James Joyce’s Ulysses, to audiences aged eight and upwards ‘and all those who haven't got around to reading it yet’ at Pleasance, as part of the 2025 Culture Ireland Edinburgh Showcase.
Interactive show A Mist of Midges (Broughton St Mary’s Parish Church) tells the story of Highland and Lowland midges in Scotland – ‘how they interact with their local communities’, ‘the relationships they have with humanity’ and ‘how they cope with the pressures of climate change’.
If you fancy ‘gentle, non-verbal clowning’, head to Out of the Box at Underbelly, where ‘everyday objects transform into the extraordinary.’ Also at Underbelly, The Mequetrefo blends ‘pantomime and clowning, featuring a performance rich in visuals and sound effects.’
Comedy
In Despite Appearances (Gilded Balloon), Shamik Chakrabarti attempts to ‘put things right and break away from shallow, face-driven stereotypes. But you should just watch it for a laugh.’
Alex Kitson is at Hoots with This Is Water, ‘a brand-new unmissable hour of fast-paced, critically acclaimed stand-up’.
‘Known for his ethnically ambiguous bone structure and dynamic physicality, Carlos Sandin is bringing a Bond that obliterates all others’ in Pull My Goldfinger (Paradise Green).
At Just the Tonic, ‘The Troll is a hilariously raw solo show by Rochée Jeffrey (grownish, SMILF) that blends stand-up, storytelling and multimedia to chronicle her journey from relentless online trolling to self-love’.
Pernille Haaland is Running with the Wolves at Laughing Horse, ‘trading London's gritty streets, sewers and foxes for the cold, dark fjords of Norway’ and exploring how ‘it's truly a golden age for a single, childless lady in her 30s’.
Ayo Adenekan ‘explores identity, belonging and the awkward moments in between’ while growing up in Scotland in Black Mediocrity (Monkey Barrel Comedy).
Depending on who you ask, Heidi Regan: Jekyll and Heidi is either ‘a beautiful discourse on love, loss, and facing your fears’ or ‘a silly story about a minor trip to the hospital’. Find out which at PBH's Free Fringe.
In Extra Ordinary (Greenside), Indian comedian Manoj Prabakar ‘stumbles through language, wokeness, post-colonial confusion and life’s biggest inconsequential debates’.
At Pleasance, Swings and Roundabouts is ‘the much-anticipated debut show about suffering (and smiling) from Nigerian stand-up Ayoade Bamgboye’.
Northern Irish comedian Reece Kidd and friends abandon a script in favour of 0 Plans: A Crowdwork and Stand-Up Comedy Show at Alchemist Cocktail Bar and Restaurant.
‘Multi award-winning Irish comedian Danny O'Brien is back with his brand-new stand-up show’ Adulting Hard! at the Scottish Comedy Festival.
‘Potty-mouth and all-round idiot Anja Atkinson makes her Fringe solo debut with a show about trying to be a functional person and failing spectacularly’ in She Thinks She’s People at The Stand Comedy Club.
Indian comedian Prashasti Singh brings Divine Feminine to Underbelly – join her ‘as she questions all her life choices and meticulously assigns blame to the women and men who shaped her into this being’.
Representing Scotland on Fringe comedy stages this year are Alana Jackson, Jack Docherty and Mhairi Black (Gilded Balloon), Stephen Buchanan (Monkey Barrel Comedy), Karen Dunbar (Just the Tonic) and Liam Farrelly and Ralph Brown (both at The Stand Comedy Club).
And among some familiar faces returning to this year’s Fringe are David O'Doherty, Jordan Gray and Jenny Tian (Assembly); Michelle Brasier (Gilded Balloon); Alfie Brown (Just the Tonic); Ahir Shah, Desiree Burch, Jamali Maddix and Urooj Ashfaq (Monkey Barrel Comedy); Emmanuel Sonubi, Mark Watson, Jordan Brookes and Shaparak Khorsandi (Pleasance); and Nina Conti (Underbelly).
Dance, physical theatre and circus
HK Soul showcase presents Triple Bill at Assembly, three artists ‘taking different approaches to navigate conflict, similarity, vulnerability and beauty.’
Ask ‘the world's first dancing advice columnists’ for assistance at Best Worst Advice (Greenside) or learn ‘the scandalous true story of Suffragette-turned-fascist Mary Richardson’ in ‘time-bending’ cabaret VENUS 2.0 at ZOO. Fan favourites, the Black Blues Brothers are back with ‘a soundtrack of unforgettable rock'n'roll music, witness breathtaking acrobatic stunts, human pyramids, somersaults and fire routines’ at Black Blues Brothers: Let's Twist Again! (Underbelly).
‘Two performers dance with fearless abandon’ at Dancehall Blues, as part of Culture Ireland’s Edinburgh Showcase (Assembly). At ZOO, GO! is at ‘the crossroads of contemporary dance, martial arts and digital technology.’
Couac... Physical Comedy (Gilded Balloon) is a ‘wordless show’ and an ‘invitation to reflect on the place of nature and technology in our lives and the importance of preserving our humanity’.
At Paradise Green, Formosa Viva ‘narrates Taiwan's 500-year history, spotlighting key historical events through 12 selected musical pieces.’
Embark on a ‘journey through the four natural elements – Air, Water, Fire and Earth – brought to life through the artistry of contemporary dance’ at Elements or challenge ‘the idea of commercial success, questioning whether one should compromise creative integrity for popularity or financial gain’ at art* / a:t / noun (both at theSpaceUK).
‘Inspired by the phenomenon of the nineteenth century’, Panoptikum at ZOO invites the spectator to a ‘mystically decadent, visually compact freak show’. Ta-Bamm!!! Tap Dance and Marimba at Hill Street Theatre is ‘perfect for music lovers, dance admirers and anyone seeking a show full of passion, innovation and surprise.’
If you’re looking for ‘an authentic Scottish experience’, head over to Ceilidhs (Scottish Dancing) at Royal College of Physicians or The Daily Ceilidh at The Ross Bandstand.
Check out ‘a combination of black comedy and skilled, fast-paced dance, full of techniques from different acrobatic disciplines’ at Bolero (Assembly) or experience ‘the joy, the tragedy and, above all, the pulsating passion of an authentic flamenco performance’ at Alba Flamenca (Alba Flamenca).
Music
Among the varied tribute acts across venues, you can enjoy homages to Captain Beefheart (Bannermans); Elvis and Roy Orbison (Frankenstein Pub); Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and the Beach Boys (Le Monde); Steely Dan and Cat Stevens (The Jazz Bar); Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (The Liquid Room); and Fleetwood Mac (The Queen's Hall).
Bluebell Swing at the Fringe brings the ‘enchanting sound of the 1940s’ to Valvona & Crolla with their ‘sparkling renditions of Great American show tunes’, while Jotunger takes the stage in The Mother Superior, ‘clad in full Viking gear’ for Jotunger: a Viking Feast and Musical Experience.
‘You can dance if you want to but don't leave your friends behind’ at Men Without Hats or catch ‘funk-rock experimenters’ Thumpasaurus at La Belle Angele. ‘There's something for everyone, from virtuosic bluegrass to non-Western sound worlds’ at This Old Cello Box (St Giles' Cathedral).
Acoustic Blues with Derek Smith brings ‘an hour of quality, up-tempo, foot stomping acoustic blues and roots classics from many of the old blues masters’ to The Jazz Bar.
‘Search for the divine in shows like The Sound of Music, South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof, Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables and more’ at Sacred Arts Festival Music at Catholic Cathedral – Faith in the Footlights (St Mary's Catholic Cathedral) or enjoy ‘one of Edinburgh’s finest church choirs’ at Sacred Arts Festival Church Service at St Michael’s – Festival Closing Service: Choral Evensong (St Michael and All Saints). At St Vincent's, Einaudi’s Piano by Candlelight – Spirited Away is a ‘a hypnotic and profound musical experience.’
At Argyle Cellar Bar, join Matt Holborn and his quartet for a concert ‘dedicated to jazz violin legends Stephane Grappelli and Stuff Smith’ in Matt Holborn Plays Stephane Grappelli and Stuff Smith. Alastair Savage has two shows at artSpace@StMarks, Alastair Savage and Ailie Robertson: Fiddle and Clarsach – Scottish Roots and Alastair Savage and Gregor Blamey: Scotland and Beyond.
Feli y Los Malos is a ‘heady cocktail of latin influences held together by slick songwriting’ bringing five ‘late-night latin dance parties’ to The Jazz Bar.
At Canongate Kirk, Sacred Arts Festival Music at Canongate Kirk – La Serenissima: Vivaldi in Venice includes ‘some of Vivaldi’s most exquisite pieces’ while ‘musical giants’ Bach and Brahms are paid tribute to at Edinburgh New Town Church.
At Captains Bar, Andy Chung Live blends ‘the timeless words of Robert Burns with his own compositions and Scottish songs’ and Brian Kennedy celebrates his career at Brian Kennedy Captured Celebrating 35 Years (Greyfriars Hall at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh).
Musicals and opera
‘Rewind to 2002 when Premier League football was the new rock'n'roll – with the money, glamour and bad behaviour to match’ at Footballers' Wives: The Musical (Assembly), or follow ‘the young Jacqueline Bouvier as she dreams of becoming the first American Royal’ at Jackie!!! (Gilded Balloon).
At Arthur Conan Doyle Centre, The Suit grants George ‘the ability to become the greatest showman in the world’ and he ‘must navigate the fine line between ambition and authenticity’.
In 1554, at the Tower of London, ‘Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Days Queen, retraces her short, tumultuous life’ while awaiting execution in ‘haunting, thought-provoking' Grey (Greenside) while The Queen is Mad is a ‘SIX meets Sondheim’ ‘dark saga’ inspired by Catherine of Aragon's older sister Joanna (theSpaceUK).
Watch ‘literature’s most legendary lovers flirt and fight as they hunt for the truth about love’ in World's Greatest Lover – The New Musical at Pleasance. At theSpaceUK, Jack is a ‘queer, gothic and punky new musical based on the tale of Jack the Ripper – the unidentified serial killer who terrorised London in 1888 – and the women he targeted’.
Join Midnight at the Palace at Gilded Balloon for ‘a fever dream of gender-bending hippies, freaks and drag queens’ or delve ‘into the forest of ancient fairytales, encountering familiar characters and dark mysteries’ in Norwegian folklore and folk music musical Nocturne Musical at Greenside.
‘Serving up coffee, songs and laughs to customers’ Milk on the Side: a Barista Musical asks, ‘Is this really low-skilled labour?’ at The Speakeasy at The Royal Scots Club. At Ghosted! A New Musical, the audience embarks ‘on a journey of grief, the supernatural, and some much-needed musical therapy’ (theSpaceUK).
Enjoy Macbeth like never before in Macbeth: The Musical, as performers ‘deploy wittily rewritten pop classics and uproariously silly comedy to recount the saga of Scotland's most murderous king’ or watch as ‘a group of young people, raised their entire life on the remote chicken farm Poultrion, begin to question their wacky way of life’ in No Higher Purpose (both in Paradise Green).
Well-known musicals being staged at this year’s Fringe include Bugsy Malone and Annie (The Edinburgh Academy); Footloose and High School Musical (Grand Lodge); and Sweeney Todd (The Famous Spiegeltent).
Spoken word
‘For everyone who remembers their English teachers most fondly’ is Seeking a Pen Pal for the End of the World, asking ‘what happens when the political discussions stop and the personal begins?’ at Just The Tonic. Rise of the Solar Punks (Paradise Green) is a ‘show exploring Celtic knowledge, forest life, Off Grid ideas and how technology is bringing like-minds together.’
Head to How to End a 15-year Career in Less Than 1 Hour (Greenside) to hear of the 15-year NHS career of a mental health nurse, or to Eric Henry Liddell – The Legend, the Legacy and Inspiration (Eric Liddell Community) to celebrate ‘the centenary of Eric's Olympic gold’ and learn of ‘Liddell's extraordinary life and legacy’.
James MacDonald Reid presents Folklore of the Scottish Highlands (artSpace@StMarks) in the ‘traditional manner, with Gaelic songs and antique Highland bagpipes’. Achilles, Death of the Gods is a ‘poetic, critically-acclaimed retelling of the myth of Achilles’ at Paradise Green.
Join A Kick Up The Arts with Nicola Meighan for a ‘late lunch live recording of her Scottish arts and culture podcast with well-loved actors, musicians, comedians and writers’ at The Stand Comedy Club.
Fred MacAulay, ‘one of Scotland's best-loved stand-ups', returns to the Fringe with chat show Fred MacAulay in Conversation at Gilded Balloon, interviewing ‘stars from the worlds of sport, entertainment, business and politics’, as do David Harmer and Ray Globe, ‘the irrepressible Glummer Twins’, with The Beat Goes On at theSpaceUK, ‘an irreverent trawl through the eight decades that made them what they are today.’
Theatre
Journey to the West at the Arthur Conan Doyle Centre offers ‘a 15-minute epic blindfolded adventure blending Shanghai and London through scent, sound, and touch.’
Part of the Taiwan Season, Whale, Where Are You Going? (Assembly) ‘uses ingenious puppetry, nimble physical theatre and magical shadow play to chart the budding friendship between a lonely old man and a naughty little boy’, while Eelmageddon (Bedlam Theatre) delivers ‘high-stakes absurdity, deep-sea conspiracies, and an alarming amount of eel facts’.
Rave (Hill Street Theatre) tells the story of Colin and Rosie, two characters ‘battling through their own worlds of crisis using the music of the rave club to help, encourage and solve their problems’.
In Strangers and Revelations (theSpaceUK), Zodwa and Malcolm are two Zimbabweans in London who ‘size each other up, connecting and debating over shared cultural understandings and experiences, ultimately revealing more about themselves than they bargained for once they start to uncover deep, staggering truths about the other’.
At Dovecot Studios, Failsafe by Trophy Wife ‘is a pitch-black comedy about escaping your ugly, rotten, nasty, little life by finding a gun and finally pulling the trigger’.
Mythography returns to the Fringe with its production of Jean Anouilh's Antigone (French Institute in Scotland), ‘a cry of absolute idealism and existential rage from a generation learning what it takes to grow up in the 21st century’.
Float (Gilded Balloon) from F-Bomb Theatre is ‘a new autobiographical solo show by Indra Wilson about the lonely, turbulent journey of experiencing pregnancy loss as a queer young person’.
In Beggared (The Bowlers Rest), a formerly privileged, now homeless white South African ‘finds refuge in a township where the spirit of Ubuntu – a philosophy of shared humanity – challenges his racist indoctrination’.
Kings on Thrones (Greenside) is an absurdist comedy set ‘in toilet cubicles within purgatory’, exploring ‘deep themes of male health and existential reflection, challenging the view of male tropes in the modern age’.
Saltire Sky Theatre Company’s 1902 is at the Hibernian Supporters Club, ‘telling the story of Hibernian's heroic victory in the 2016 Scottish Cup Final after a 114-year wait through the eyes of four young supporters’.
In Raiders of the Local Adventure, ‘renowned archaeologist Dr Grones and his assistant Milo will take you on an interactive expedition through Holyrood Park in search of a mysterious lost artifact, spoofing your favourite pulp adventure stories along the way’.
Is There Work on Mars? at ZOO asks, ‘can an Asian with a maths learning disability pass Nylon Tusk’s Mars Immigration Test?’
Perfect Dead Girls brings a ‘gruesome yet tender exploration of girlhood’ to Bedlam Theatre when ‘two girls find themselves trapped in limbo following their sudden deaths, only to discover that they are not alone’.
The Leitheatre company brings its production of Calendar Girls to Inverleith St Serf's Church Centre, in which members of the WI pose for a nude calendar ‘to raise money for a new settee in the local hospital waiting room’.
Lymphomaniac is ‘a raw, honest and hilariously unfiltered look at life during and after cancer’ – it’s at Just the Tonic.
The Edinburgh People's Theatre (‘the only company to have been at every Edinburgh Festival Fringe ever!’) presents Hatches, Matches and Dispatches at Newington Trinity Church, in which ‘an impending marriage between two families – one Leith working class, the other Edinburgh upper middle class – is in jeopardy when an unmarried mother-to-be turns up at the door’.
In God, the Devil and Me (Paradise Green), ‘Gabe is a perfectly average teenager, with perfectly average problems... except he is best friends with God and the Devil’. In 'dark, whimsical, deeply heartfelt' The Mothman Cometh (Just The Tonic), the Mothman will 'lead the audience through a series of antagonistic, cathartic and playful rituals.'
Elise Harris presents Little Circus at PBH's Free Fringe, promising that, ‘if you like poetry, theatre, videos, laughing and crying, this may or may not be what you're looking for, but it is a thing’.
Brits Abroad: Banned (Pleasance) combines ‘comedy, physical theatre and live music for a rowdy, rip-roaring holiday you won't forget’.
The Flames is a ‘performance company for people aged 50+, with participants from across Scotland and beyond’ – their performance of Don't Stop Me Now (The Royal Scots Club) ‘challenges the taboos surrounding ageing and is a celebration of the superb stories and lives of The Flames until this moment in time’.
Does Anyone Else Smell Curry? (theSpaceUK) ‘explores the British South Asian experience in all its confusing complexity… Join us for what audiences have described as a “raw”, “relevant”, “reclamation of pain” which “deserves a wider audience and a bright future”.’
In The Monkeypox Gospel (Underbelly), ‘Ngofeen gets his first big assignment’ covering ‘the global monkeypox outbreak... But having recently left the evangelical church and broken his vow of lifelong celibacy, Ngofeen risks a public confrontation with the world he’s abandoned – while fearing the gay man he’s becoming’.
