This week, the globally acclaimed venue, The Famous Spiegeltent makes her grand return to St Andrew Square after almost a decade away from her spiritual home.
An iconic fixture at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for 20 years since 1996, The Famous Spiegeltent has been instrumental in promoting the international careers of variety, cabaret, independent music and new circus arts.
This summer the grand dame of travelling venues opens her doors for 8 weeks of spellbinding performances, hosting the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival before delivering her own mesmerising programme of live performances, magic, enchanting melodies, and maybe a few surprise faces!
Opening its Edinburgh festival season, The Famous Spiegeltent will be hosting the renowned Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival for almost 30 concerts from 11 – 20 July.
Beginning with raconteur and brilliant jazz violinist, George Washingmachine, over 9 days, The Famous Spiegeltent will welcome performances from renowned musicians including leading force on the UK jazz scene, Joe Webb, and one of Scotland’s foremost trumpeters, Colin Steele.
Full programme and ticket details for The Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival can be found here.
La Clique
2025 marks both The Famous Spiegeltent’s 105th anniversary as well as the 21st birthday of her notorious, multi-award-winning house show, La Clique!
Since its inception in 2004 in The Famous Spiegeltent at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, La Clique has taken the world by storm.
The very essence of live entertainment, the international Oliver Award-winning sensation is a unique blend of daring acrobatics, jaw-dropping stunts, scintillating burlesque and raucous comedy. Visceral, ethereal and in-your-face, each act a masterpiece of artistry and athleticism, La Clique showcases a riotous troupe of crème de la crème artistes from around the world.
From 23 Jul – 31 Aug leave your troubles at the doors of The Famous Spiegeltent, be a part of history and come raise a glass to the 21st Birthday of this trailblazing icon of entertainment! This iteration of La Clique celebrates over two decades of cult status as the true pioneering classic within the cabaret/circus canon, bringing heritage artistes and the next generation of performers together for a spectacular six-week season of subversive revelry.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or a first-time visitor, La Clique’s birthday show promises an unforgettable night of pure wonder, joy and delight. Sexy, funny, and dangerous, the handpicked cast includes: the iconic Ursula Martinez, Captain Frodo, Tara Boom, LJ Marles, David Periera, Daredevil Chickens, Aurora Kurth, Masha Terentieva, Mikael Bres, Byron Hutton, Heather Holliday, Miranda Menzies and more
Over your head, under your skin, and below the belt! Hang on to your hat and strap yourself in, as we present … La Clique!
Bold Performances
Watch closely … are you paying attention? Introducing The Unfair Advantage (1 – 25 Aug)an intimate,unique and unprecedented hour-long theatrical event. Take a seat at the card table, sign a legal contract of secrecy and Australia’s leading sleight-of-hand magician Harry Milas will reveal the secrets behind the skill that saw him become a security weapon for the world’s top casinos.
Edinburgh’s own Captivate Theatre enter The Famous Spiegeltent to deliver two stellar musical theatre shows. Performed entirely by talented students, Les Misérables (School Edition), running from 1 – 10 Aug,has been seen by an estimated 22,000 people, with sell-out crowds, standing ovations and multiple five-star reviews.
Les Mis is the story of love, compassion and redemption, featuring hit songs I Dreamed A Dream, Bring Him Home and many more – don’t be put off by School Edition! From 12 – 24 Aug, prepare to be drawn into a dark and ghoulish world as the streets of Victorian London come to life in their thrilling production of Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd.
Mesmerising Music
The Paris icon and the Glasgow girl, Christine Bovill established her reputation as one of Europe’s finest interpreters of French song with her smash-hit Piaf. With a fresh take on this self-penned work, she now returns with Christine Bovill: Piaf Revisited on the 5, 12 & 19 Aug, to the venue of her original triumphs, looking back on her remarkable journey.
Performing for two nights only, on 11 and 18 Aug, see multi-award-winning vocalist Niki King take to the stage of The Famous Spiegeltent for Time. A deeply connecting musical experience, Time explores universal truths of loss, fear and the power of love and connection, while reflecting the concept of time itself.
What are synths? Where did they come from? And why are they synonymous with cats in space? Laurie’s got answers. Part live gig, part TedTalk, Laurie Black: Deadly Synths (12 & 19 Aug) tells the history of the sound of the future through seven decades of synth tunes.
Sounds of Scotland
Presented in association with Scary Biscuits Promotions, The Famous Spiegeltent is delighted to announce Sounds of Scotland. From African dancebeats, Americana, Folk, Roots, Funk, Blues, Rock and Indie, this strand of the 2025 programme, running outwith the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, showcases some of the best music being created in Scotland, welcoming artists and audiences to The Famous Spiegeltent for a series of intimate, one-off performances.
Enjoy an evening of exuberant Afrobeat, Mbalax, Ska, Reggae dance grooves with double-bill Samba Sene & Diwan + Makossa (28 Jul). Samba Sene & Diwan is an eclectic mix of musicians, led by charismatic Dakar-born singer Samba Sene.
The music is a thrilling fusion of funky mbalax/Afrobeat grooves, with undercurrents of ska, rock and Senegalese soul. Makossa is a long-standing Edinburgh institution, a feelgood band, led by Peter Akyeampong, with influences from African to Latin, Funk, Reggae and Classic Rock.
BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award nominee, and daughter of Proclaimer Craig Reid,Roseanne Reid, takes to the stage of The Famous Spiegeltent on 29 Jul supported by The Rezillos’ Fay Fife, with her alt country Countess of Fife band member, guitarist Brian McFie.
In a night that promises to be musical medicine for the soul, acclaimed Edinburgh singer-songwriter and one of the brightest stars of the UK roots music scene Adam Holmes performs with some very special guests on 30 Jul.
On 4 Aug enjoy a stunning double bill with Liz Jones & Broken Windows and Steve Ray Ladson. Taking tones dynamically from blues, folk-rock and psychedelia for a classic stage buzzing live performance, Broken Windows will be led by force of nature singer Liz Jones. After blowing audiences and judges (including Simon Cowell) away on his recent performance on America’s Got Talent, singer Steve Ray Ladson brings his specialty Blackgrass Brothercana to the tent.
Award winning troubadour and proud Leither Dean Owens occupies the unlikely common ground between post-industrial Scotland, America’s desert states and the lush Italian hills. On Aug 6, he will be accompanied by his band The Sinners – expect a joyous, melancholy mix of songs and stories from Dean’s 12 album international career.
A darkly magnetic experience as blues meets alternative rock in a cinematic descent through Edinburgh’s shadowy underbelly The Filthy Tongues on13 Aug. Spawned from Goodbye Mr Mackenzie, expect pounding rhythms, brooding melodies, and razor-sharp storytelling.
On 20 Aug, Main Street Blues bring their popular show Kings of the Blues to The Famous Spiegeltent celebrating the music of blues legends BB King, Albert King, and Freddie King. Following their forthcoming sell-out show at The Famous Spiegeltent as part of The Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival 2025, Black Cat Bone bring their raucous, blues infused rock’n’roll to the tent again on 26 Aug.
Experience the primal force of their music: thunderous guitar riffs, pounding drums, prowling, fuzzing basslines and a haunting voice that carries the ecstasy and agony of a lifetime.
Award winning Kirsten Adamson (daughter of rock legend Stuart Adamson Big Country/Skids) is performing double duties on 26 Aug. She headlines with her band The Tanagers, who have just finished recording the highly anticipated follow up album to her widely acclaimed Landing Place album. She’ll also play a short opening set with her duo band, The Marriage.
Closing the Sounds of Scotland music programme in style, get ready for a night of fearless funk, creative jazzy fire, and groove-soaked energy from Edinburgh- based collective James Brown is Annie on 27 Aug.
Keep an eye out for more special events and some surprise faces yet to be revealed in The Famous Spiegeltent’s grand return to Edinburgh!
Creative producer and Spiegelmaestro David Batessaid: “Leave your troubles at the gates to St Andrew Square and step into our world to discover our specially curated spellbinding programme.
“After almost a decade away, we are delighted to return to Edinburgh, where it all began, to salute The Famous Spiegeltent’s 105th anniversary and the coming of age 21st birthday of the one and only La Clique.
“We are honoured to share this celebration with the people and the place that has forever changed all our lives. To our Edinburgh devotees and newcomers alike, we can’t wait for you to join us and raise a glass to this historic season!”
BTS fans take the spotlight in latest K-Pop documentary heading to Vue venues in Edinburgh
It’s been a big week for BTS fans around the globe, as the K-Pop sensation announced they will return next spring with a new studio album (their first since 2020’s Be) and an accompanying world tour.
For those itching for new content from the band, arriving somewhat sooner than the reunion is BTS Army: Forever We Are Young, a brand-new documentary celebrating the fans that helped catapult 21st century pop icons BTS into global stardom.
Screening at Vue venues in Edinburgh from Wednesday 30 July to Sunday 3 August, tickets for the screenings are on sale now. Not only that, fans will also be able to buy limited edition merch for the film – a themed reusable drinks cup and popcorn tin.
The film travels the globe, showcasing fans at a BTS-focused ReactorCon in Lewisville, Texas; a dance instructor in Seoul who only teaches BTS choreography; and fans who’ve been organising since 2013 to help BTS dominate the charts.
Defying stereotypes of the typical K-Pop fan, BTS Army: Forever We Are Young explores the intergenerational, culturally savvy, and socially active world of the band’s fans.
Robert Smith, General Manager at Vue Edinburgh Omni, said: “Without fail, our BTS screenings have captured the hearts of audiences, with thousands of fans up and down the country coming to Vue to celebrate the K-Pop mega-band.
“This documentary will spin the camera, focusing on the amazing fan base that has made BTS the global sensation they are today – we can’t wait to share it with our customers.”
Over 200 people attended an international fun football tournament in North Edinburgh recently, whilst also learning about the important work carried out by Armed Forces charity Poppyscotland.
An excited crowd watched as 10 teams, made up of staff from State Street Corporation – the American global financial services and bank holding company – from across the globe joined teams from Poppyscotland and Passion4Fusion to compete in the competition at Ainslie Park, the home of Spartans Community Football Club.
Players had descended on the capital city from Scotland, England, France, Luxembourg, Poland, Ireland, Italy and Germany, with the home team of State Street Edinburgh crowned the champions.
As well as the football, over the course of the afternoon spectators also enjoyed a fully licenced bar, a ‘braai’ (South African BBQ), DJ’s and musicians providing some top entertainment. Poppyscotland’s interactive mobile museum, BUD, was also on location sharing the charity’s archive, veterans’ stories and the poppy’s heritage.
Damian Doran-Timson, Corporate Fundraiser at Poppyscotland said: “We are extremely grateful to State Street for hosting this annual tournament and we would like to thank both them and Spartans for making the event happen.
“I would also like to thank all of those who represented Poppyscotland and those who came along and supported us despite some awful weather – it was very much appreciated and greatly strengthened the excellent relationship we have with State Street.
“Every year they hold this event in a different country around the world and in support of a different charity, so it was really special that this year’s tournament was here in Scotland and allowed us to demonstrate the excellent work we do at Poppyscotland in supporting serving and ex-servicemen and women at times of need, including help with housing, debt, mental health, and mobility.”
For more information on the charity and how your donations help the Armed Forces community please visit poppyscotland.org.uk
Get ready for an unforgettable weekend this August as Edinburgh’s Conifox Adventure Park brings you FoxFest 2025 – and it’s shaping up to be the biggest and best yet!
Mark your calendars for Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd August and prepare for two days packed with live music, top-class entertainment and fun for the whole family.
Calling all Swifties—live out your wildest dreams as the ultimate Taylor Swift tribute act takes the stage on both days. It’s time to shake it off and sing along to all your favourite hits!
Adding even more star power to the line-up, organisers are thrilled to announce a high-energy Robbie Williams tribute will take to the stage on Sunday. With classic anthems like Angels, Rock DJ, and Let Me Entertain You, it’s set to be an unmissable performance for Robbie fans of all ages.
FoxFest 2025 brings together the best in tribute music, live shows, and family entertainment. From massive pop tunes, to mesmerising magic to hands-in-the-air singalongs, don’t miss out on the ultimate summer celebration!
What’s in Store at FoxFest 2025?
Saturday 2nd August
🎤 Totally Taylor – Taylor Swift Tribute 🎤 Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran Tribute
🎤 Sweet like Sabrina – Sabrina Carpenter Tribute 🎤 Steptastic – A tribute to pop icons Steps 🎶 Songs from Musicals Live 🎈 Dizzy O Dare – The Giant Balloon Show 🫧 The World’s Tallest Bubbleologist
Sunday 3rd August
🎤 Totally Taylor – Taylor Swift Tribute
🎤 Liam as Robbie – Robbie Williams Tribute 🎤 A Tribute to Pink 🎤 Little Mix Magic – The ultimate tribute to Little Mix 🎶 Disney Sing-Along – A magical musical journey for all ages
🎈 Dizzy O Dare – The Giant Balloon Show 🎭 Magic Gareth – A spellbinding magical performance
And that’s not all! Festival goers can also enjoy all the exciting activities that Conifox Adventure Park has to offer, including access to the outdoor Adventure Park, delicious food stalls, refreshing drinks, and an onsite funfair with rides and face painting (additional cost applies).
Event Details
📍 Location: Conifox Adventure Park, Kirkliston, Edinburgh 📅 Dates: Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd August ⏰ Doors Open: 9:30 AM 🎤 Hosted by: Mark Martin
Get Ready for an Unmissable Weekend!
Conifox Managing Director James Gammell said: “FoxFest is all about creating unforgettable moments for families. We’re bringing together some of the UK’s best tribute performers, spectacular live acts, and entertainment that everyone can enjoy.
“It’s going to be a fantastic weekend full of music, laughter, and magic, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back!”
General sale ticket prices are £14.95 per adult, £19.95 per child (2-16 years), £11.75 per toddler (12-24 months), babies go free!
For the latest updates, full lineups, and ticket information, visit www.conifox.co.uk.
Musselburgh Racecourse is preparing for one of its most competitive race days of the summer season – The Edinburgh Cup in partnership with Edinburgh Gin – on Saturday 7 June.
A thrilling day of top-class horse racing, live entertainment, and premium hospitality is on the cards at the seven-race meeting with prize money of almost £160,000 on offer.
The feature race, the £50,000 Edinburgh Cup, run over 1 mile 1 furlong, is complemented by the equally prestigious £50,000 Edinburgh Gin British EBF Queen of Scots Stakes, which showcases the finest fillies and mares over seven furlongs.
The Queen of Scots event – a Class 1 Listed race – has become a key stepping stone for horses targeting Royal Ascot and the major summer festivals during the flat racing season and this year’s renewal is expected to attract another stellar field.
Musselburgh Racecourse director, Bill Farnsworth, said: “The Edinburgh Cup has established itself as one of the standout fixtures in Scotland’s racing calendar, consistently attracting high-quality fields from leading trainers across the UK, and this year promises to deliver the same exceptional standard of racing that has made this meeting so popular with both racing enthusiasts and social racegoers alike.”
For racing fans keen to keep up with the action at the Betfred Derby, screens around the course will show the world’s greatest Flat race live from Epsom Downs.
Away from the track, Musselburgh’s Main Stage will feature live music entertainment, building up to the legendary After Racing Party hosted by Forth One’s popular Boogie in the Morning, which is open to all racegoers after the final race.
Best dressed racegoer of the day could win a £500 clothing voucher and four Pimm’s Enclosure tickets to Musselburgh’s sell-out Ladies Day on 8 August, courtesy of Slater Menswear, who are the official Men’s Fashion Partner to The Edinburgh Cup Raceday.
Open to both ladies and gents, other prizes include £250 and £150 Slater gift vouchers and admission tickets to the popular Oktoberfest Raceday or Friday Night at the Races events. Head to the Style Standout fashion wall by the Main Stage to enter and the winner will be announced before the final race by radio presenter Boogie.
Food enthusiasts can indulge in offerings from Scotland’s finest street food vendors, with options carefully selected to cater to all dietary requirements and The Edinburgh Gin Botanical Bar will serve refreshing, botanical-inspired cocktails, perfectly complementing the summer racing atmosphere.
“We’ve created an event that appeals to everyone – from serious racing fans who appreciate the quality of our racing, to groups of friends looking for a fantastic day out,” added Bill Farnsworth.
“The combination of top-class sport, excellent food and drink, live entertainment, and our beautiful Links setting makes for an unbeatable experience.”
Gates open at 11.15am, and the first and last races are scheduled for 1.20pm and 4.55pm, respectively.
Today, Tuesday 03 June, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is delighted to launch the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme. The programme celebrates the diverse selection of work at the Fringe, with performers from across the world and work from 58 countries.
This year’s programme features work from 3,352 shows across 265 venues, with themes tackling some of the most topical issues in the world today.
From rebellious women to the paranormal; the apocalypse to nostalgia; queer joy to life with illness; rave and club culture to science and technology.
Edinburgh Fringe Programme Launch 2025
Launching the 2025 Fringe programme, Tony Lankester, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘Programme launch is such an exciting moment for everyone involved making the Fringe happen.
“Thank you to all the Fringe-makers – the artists, venues, workers, producers, technicians, promoters, support staff and audiences that bring their un-matched, exceptional energy to Edinburgh in August.
‘This year’s Fringe programme is filled with every kind of performance, so whether you’re excited for theatre or circus, or the best of comedy, music, dance, children’s shows, magic or cabaret; get ready to dare to discover this August.
“Jump right in, book your favourites, shows that intrigue you and take a chance on something new.’
At Traverse Theatre,Gary McNair’s ‘award-winning show’ A Gambler’s Guide to Dying returns ‘back home for a special run to mark its 10th anniversary’.
‘Four generations of Northern Irish women, reunited’ in Consumed (Traverse Theatre), ‘a tale of twisted family dynamics and national boundaries’.
‘Inspired by his involvement in the Egyptian revolution of 2011, and experience of the counter-revolution that followed, Khalid Abdalla brings together the personal and the political’ in Nowhere (Traverse Theatre).
At Scottish Storytelling Centre, join the Loud Poetsfor ‘fist-thumping, pint-drinking, side-tickling, heart-wrenching fusion of poetry and live music’ or ‘Scottish and Welsh traditional storytellers Ailsa Dixon and Ffion Phillips as they weave folk music, language and story across these isles and between worlds’ in Aderyn/Bird.
Also at Scottish Storytelling Centre, Cassandra ‘blends Greek myth, Scottish folklore and personal narrative to explore prophecy, protest and survival across time and space’.
At Summerhall, Amazons is a ‘gripping new solo show about the Amazon rainforest and the generations of women who have fought to protect it’.
‘From Parisian hysteria to the glowing Radium Girls’, Fragile Creatures at theSpaceUK ‘reveals gripping stories of women’s rebellion, resilience and their relentless fight for bodily autonomy and equality’.
In Alice Hawkins – Working Class Suffragette at the Arthur Conan Doyle Centre, ‘Peter Barratt gives a stirring and passionate account of his great-grandmother’s hard-fought campaign for the vote’ while VOTE the Musical at Paradise Green takes a ‘gripping look at the Suffragette movement exploring imprisonment, activism and the fight for electoral freedom’.
Three resilient Scottish sex workers, dream of escaping the lives they’ve been trapped in, but the patriarchy stands in their way in Happy Ending Street at Leith Arches.
In Well Behaved Women at Gilded Balloon, in 1888 ‘three chaotic twentysomething women decide to host a séance’ and make ‘a bit of a mess of things.’
‘Get ready for a powerful performance’ at Women in Socks and Sandals at ZOO, ‘filled with quirky stunts, mental courage and celebration of the right to be oneself’.
With ‘history, sermons and singalong’, Church of the Clitori at Paradise Green aims to ‘satirise and crash-tackle anatomy, religious ads and female sexuality politics’.
At Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge, Fallen Angel by Liam Rudden tells the story of Angel, who’s been ‘tortured’ by angels for ‘500 years’, while ‘startling revelations about Edy Hurst’s relations have set him on vision quest to contact his ancestors’ in Edy Hurst’s Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Himself at Assembly.
Do Zombies Dream of Undead Sheep? is a ‘one-man (and one puppet) musical journey through a zombie outbreak, combining live performance, puppetry and animation’ at ZOO.
‘Get to know Frankenstein’s Monster like you’ve never been able to before’ at Fatherless Monster (Paradise Green), ‘face to face with only a mic and some stage lights between you and him.’
0.1% Accurate: Magdalena the Fortune Teller Show ‘will predict the future, summon the spirits, answer your life questions and send you home smiling’ at Alchemist Cocktail Bar and Restaurant.
Listen to the tales of Haunted Edinburgh at Arthur Conan Doyle Centre ‘and discover a host of terrifying stories of hauntings from the city’s dark past’ or visit The Mother Superior to ‘unveil women’s role in shaping the history of alcohol, including sharing how some were framed as witches’ in Whisky & Witches.
A Haunted House at Assembly is a ‘hysterical, terrifying and surreal tale, about one hair-raising night in a haunted house’ ‘for those who like their laughs big and their scares spine-chilling!’
‘The world-renowned paranormal expert Baron Vordenburg and his helpers, Gothic and Grotesque, give away trade secrets and expertise on hunting the unknown’ in Baron Vordenburg’s Guide to the Paranormal at theSpaceUK.
‘A man commits the ultimate act of cowardice’ and ‘a woman’s spirit gains terrifying embodiment’ in ‘dark, twisted folk horror tale’ Tom Hiccup’s Well at Greenside.
At theSpaceUK, ‘apocalyptic anti-romcom’ Horny for the End of the World follows ‘Gen Z, try-hard, pick-me Ebeth gets dumped by the man of her dreams the day before everyone realizes the world is going to end’.
Apocalipsync is a ‘high-energy solo show blending physical theatre, mime, dance and lip-sync mastery’ ‘exploring themes of isolation, hyper-connectivity and human expression’ at Assembly.
Original musical The Real Housewives of the Zombie Apocalypse at Greenside asks if the ‘OGs of reality TV’ can ‘survive the hordes, and each other, and self-produce their way to the end?’ while 4’s a Crowd (Or What Not to Do When Stuck in a Bunker During the Apocalypse) at theSpaceUK ‘follows the idiots left behind after the world ends’.
Apocalypse Cabaret: Songs for the End of the World (Underbelly) is a ‘powerhouse Fringe debut packed with original songs, pop bangers, audience interaction, and existential musings’ following ‘a lonely karaoke jockey is the sole survivor at the end of the world and decides to go out singing.’
Scenes of Unfathomable Horror brings ‘absurd, twisted and entertaining take on modernity, celebrity and existential dread’ to Just the Tonic.
At Underbelly, A Small Town Northern Tale is a ‘Y2K coming-of-age story, charting life in a small Northern town as a mixed-race boy’ and WANTED tells the story of ‘two girls from opposite worlds’ ‘fated to meet on the 00s queer scene’.
At Club NVRLND (Assembly), ‘where the party goes on till morning’, ‘Wendy and Peter reunite for an unforgettable night of adventure, nostalgia and staying forever young, featuring the biggest 2000s anthems’
‘All set to the soundtrack of the 2000s’ Jake Donaldson Is The Fifth Weezer at Laughing Horse is set to be ‘packed with nostalgia, punchy jokes and stories about finding your place in the world’.
‘The perfect nostalgic show for pop fanatics and chart aficionados’, Margot and Martha’s Chart Show Mixtape at theSpaceUK will ‘take you on a journey from mixtapes to Spotify wrapped, celebrating pop music through what was in the charts on the 18th of August – the very week they’re performing at the Fringe’.
‘Party like it’s 1999’ at MASSAOKE: 90s Live (Underbelly) with ‘an epic 90s sing-along’.
‘Through everyday conversation, hilarious comedy, and music-hall style songs’ at The Steamie (Gilded Balloon) ‘we learn from four working-class women about their lives, husbands, technology and the approaching New Year in this time capsule of Glasgow in the 1950s’.
A ‘love letter to the queers, the weirdoes, the trailblazers, the fringes and the night-walkers’, Anatomy of a Night at Summerhall isan ‘exploration of personal identity through a reflection of memories from queer and club spaces’.
‘Queer, chic and outrageous’ – head to the Big Gay Afterparty at Just the Tonic for the ‘biggest, gayest party at the Fringe (fun straights allowed)’.
‘A queer love story but no one dies at the end? Welcome to the world of’ Blooming at Greenside.
Join a ‘plus-sized, 72-year-old lesbian’ sharing ‘intimate stories celebrating inclusivity’ at Tales From Your Queer Elder (Greenside).
At Carpet Muncher at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, ‘the contemporary folklore of the Mothman is brought to life, using vibrant surrealist costuming to explore themes of queer alienation, metamorphosis, cross-border solidarity and homoerotic hot-hub encounters’.
Follow a young trans girl as she navigates the hilarity of rural Argentina during the 1900s at Cecilia Gentili’s Red Ink at Underbelly.
‘Expect chaos, drag, stand-up, glitter, queer joy and an ever-changing line-up of LGBTQIA+ acts’ at Comedy Queers (Laughing Horse) or check out Midnight at the Palace (Gilded Balloon) for a ‘night of radical joy and glitter-encrusted anarchy’.
3 Kidneys No Colon at Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge is ‘the medical diaries (or rather… diarrheas) of Dave who suffers from chronic kidney disease, ulcerative colitis and has had multiple organ transplants’.
Learn about ‘narcolepsy from a true-life perspective’ at theSpaceUK, Fragments of Fatigue is a ‘coming-of-age story to transform your world and prove just how much fight is required to beat the fatigue’.
‘Artfully weaving between generational trauma and chronic illness’, Robyn Reynolds: What Doesn’t Kill You at Assembly will have you ‘roaring with laughter’.
In The Nature of Forgetting at Pleasance, ‘Tom is living with early onset dementia’ and ‘we meet him as he prepares for his 55th birthday party and past memories come flooding back’. At theSpaceUK, Ah-Ma is ‘a hauntingly beautiful new play, weaving together natural and social disasters, bodily deterioration and family sorrow’.
At Assembly, Ohio tells the story of ‘when Shaun turned his back on the church’ and ‘found a new home in music’ before he is ‘confronted now with acute degenerative hearing loss’.
Yvonne Hughes: Absolutely Riddled is ‘a fresh and bold dive into the reality of living with cystic fibrosis (CF) – a journey that’s as phlegmy as it is funny’ at Gilded Balloon.
At Summerhall,TheButterfly Who Flew Into The Rave is ‘the atmosphere and culture of a three-day rave condensed into an hour’ while PUMP ‘drops you in the middle of a nightclub dance floor in a desperate search for validation, intimacy and identity’.
Her Raving Mind is ‘a Greco-British rave tragicomedy unravelling the complex mind of an abuse survivor’ at Just the Tonic.
‘Loud, lawless, and laced with naughty bits’, Watch Me Die! is ‘rave theatre: performance, film, stand-up and pounding basslines, dragging Shakespeare into a civil war where star-crossed love and vengeance make their scene’ at theSpaceUK.
At Rave, Colin and Rosie ‘are battling through their own worlds of crisis using the music of the rave club to help, encourage and solve their problems’ at Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge.
Created by an AI researcher, AI: Save Our Souls at Greenside features ‘an immersive future world of AI, polystylistic music and a dynamic plot’ while at Paradise Green, Rise of the Solar Punks asks ‘what can we learn from ancient cultures regarding climate adaptation, and how can we fuse this with technology and AI?’
As part of the Made in Scotland showcase, MUO Live at the French Institute in Scotland is ‘a unique fusion of music, science and unseen cosmic forces.’
Head to Just the Tonic, Excel Comedy and Mathem-antics for a ‘themed stand-up show for spreadsheet experts and rookies alike’ or check out Sci-larious – Science Stand-up at Laughing Horse for ‘bi-lol-ogy or pharm-ha-cy’.
Mark Thompson’s Spectacular Science Show at Gilded Balloon is ‘science like you have never seen it before’ exploring ‘the magical properties of matter’.
At PBH’s Free Fringe, Freya McGhee: Experimental blends ‘science, comedy and dating into one unforgettable experiment’ investigating ‘the chemistry of attraction to the mechanics of mixed signals’.
Check out Hot Rubber (Gilded Balloon) to see ‘eight comedians pit their homemade remote-control cars against one another in the world’s smallest demolition derby’ or ‘form a team, select a knockoff Roomba, customise it, then pit it against a dozen rivals’ at Robot Vacuum Fight Club (Outhouse Bar).
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge ‘on busy George Street’ is new with a number of shows this August, including well-known musicals Little Shop of Horrors, High School Musical and Footloose, as well as a range of theatre, cabaret and children’s shows.
Welcome to the Fringe, Palestine, ‘a mini-festival to celebrate Palestinian art and culture’, takes place in new venue Portobello Town Hall.
Citadel Youth Centre is ‘hosting two fundraisers for the Citadel’s valuable work with young people and families in Leith’ Storm in the Citadel and Punchline on Leith.
The Bowlers Rest in Leith is home to Beggared, ‘the story of a privileged white South African whose life collapses into homelessness’.
Easter Road Stadium joins the Fringe as a venue, hosting two shows: Dropped, in which ‘former Chelsea FC trainee Alfie Cain tells his moving story of dashed football dreams and explores the darkness and pressures young men go through trying to make it as professional footballers’ and Frankie Mack Showman – The Next Stage: The Leith San Siro ‘a high-energy, show-stopping night of swing, rock’n’roll and modern classics’.
All the way from Italy is Mirage Spiegeltent at Gyle Shopping Centre, hosting Spirit of the Favela, a ‘dynamic fusion of circus and theatre showcasing Rio de Janeiro’s vibrant culture and communities’.
Gilded Balloon have introduced a new space at Appleton Tower for twenty shows, including Frances Floats and Not My Grandmother’s Daughter.
Now in St. Andrew’s Square, The Famous Spiegeltent returns, offering theatre, cabaret, music and musicals, including La Clique – ‘the global phenomenon that redefined a genre, with its mélange of cabaret and circus’.
Josie Long: Now Is the Time of Monsters is ‘a new show about extinct, gigantic, charismatic megafauna from three-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee’ at Pleasance.
Gilded Balloon marks their fortieth anniversary with ‘a series of special in-conversations featuring comedy greats’ including Jenny Eclair and Michelle McManus.
Also at Gilded Balloon, Rosie O’Donnell: Here & Now ‘reflects on her life in the present, including why she moved to Ireland from the USA, and how that shift has shaped her future’ and Michelle Brasier: It’s a Shame We Won’t Be Friends Next Year is a ‘show for the theatre kids, the freaks, the queers; for anyone who’s spiralled about something they did years ago’.
Fringe favourite Nina Conti: Whose Face Is It Anyway? is back at Underbelly, with ‘an unparalleled, unscripted show that delves deep into who we are, hijacking faces to spark a bold, hysterical reality warp’.
‘Direct from a sell-out West End season’, Bill Bailey is at Edinburgh Playhouse with Thoughtifier while Miriam Margolyes brings ‘more characters, more Dickens and more fascinating stories about the man behind the classics’ to Pleasancewith Margolyes and Dickens: More Best Bits.
‘The talented comedian, writer and host of A24 late-night variety sketch show’ Ziwe brings Ziwe’s America to Pleasance.
At The Stand Comedy Club, ‘expect to hear the glorious mess of being a professional polymath – from medical school to quiz championships, comedy clubs to Parkinson’s advocacy’ at In Conversation with… Paul Sinha or ‘jokes, rants, politics, swearing and possible nudity’ at Mark Thomas: WD40.
At Monkey Barrel, there’s ‘new material from the Rose d’Or, Southbank Sky Arts and Edinburgh Comedy Award winner’ Bridget Christie. Also at Monkey Barrel, ‘the Taskmaster treasure, Live at the Apollo star and voice of Netflix’s Too Hot to Handle presents a new hour about our bodies corporeal and politic, and what remains through ascension and destruction’ with Desiree Burch: The Golden Wrath.
‘A love letter to people pleasers everywhere’, Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares at Underbelly is ‘a hilarious, heartfelt and sometimes brutally honest tribute to recovering ingenues, mothers and anybody working on themselves’.
‘Comedy veteran’ Karen Dunbar ‘returns to the Fringe for a limited run of her stand-up tour’ at Just the Tonic.
At Assembly, David O’Doherty: Highway to the David Zone has ‘has got the lot’ with ‘talking, songs, talking during songs, talking while walking around’.
There are 325 free shows and 529 Pay What You Can/Want shows in this year’s programme.
10,001 Ideas by Robyn Perkins at Laughing Horse offers a ‘uniquely different hour of critically acclaimed stand-up and storytelling’.
Huge Davies: Free Work in Progress is at PBH’s Free Fringe with ‘his wearable keyboard for a free hour-long work in progress’. Also at PBH’s Free Fringe, Escape the Rat Race is a ‘a must-see for anyone who has ever worked in an office’.
At Laughing Horse, Three Bad Sisters is a ‘cacophony of the best and darkest materials from these three female rising stars of Irish comedy: Aideen McQueen, Shinanne Higgins and Louise O’Toole’.
‘Imagine an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman in the same bar as a therapist’ and you’ll imagine 5 Mugs, No Tea at Leith Depot. At the Mother Superior, you can ‘expect a fever-dream of love, loss, and existential dread’ at Crying at the Meat Raffle.
Disco Picnic at The Three Sisters is a ‘Fringe fiesta serves up a delicious mix of toe-tapping disco tunes’.
The Fringe Society are grateful to the many partners, supporters, funders and sponsors this year. In particular, they would like to thank the official Education Partner of the Fringe Anthropic, the official Beer of the Fringe Innis and Gunn, Cirrus Logic and Baillie Gifford.
They would like to thank the UK Government and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for their Keep it Fringe Fund support, the Scottish Government and City of Edinburgh Council for strategic funding support, the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO Fund support for the Made in Scotland programme; and Screen Scotland for supporting Screen Fringe.
The Fringe Society would also like to thank accommodation partners who provide much needed affordable accommodation to artists – Queen Margaret University and the University of Edinburgh, Theatre Digs Booker. Health in Mind are also returning in 2025 to support the delivery of mental health and wellbeing services within Fringe Central, which is once again kindly delivered in partnership with Grassmarket Community Project.
The Great Edinburgh May Day Cabaret returns for the third year running. There’ll be comedy, music and poetry to celebrate International Workers’ Day.
Compered by Jim Monaghan, and featuring a fantastic line-up of poetry from Stirling Makar, Kevin P Gilday, comedy from Vladimir McTavish and music from Calum Baird, Elsie McDonald and award-winning English folk-punk, Joe Solo.
Supported by Fair Pley, The STUC, Allan McDougall Solicitors and The Edinburgh, Lothians and Borders May Day Committee.
BBC Scotland will be saying a fond farewell to long-running drama series, River City and the residents of Shieldinch next year after more than 20 years on screen. The drama, which has entertained audiences since 2002, will air its final series in Autumn 2026.
Reflecting a ‘significant change in audience behaviour away from long-running series and towards shorter runs’, the BBC will make a considerable boost in major drama productions set across Scotland, moving the River City investment, starting with three new series – Counsels, Grams and The Young Team.
Forming part of the single biggest investment in drama from Scotland in the past decade, these new dramas – along with existing commissions – will create new opportunities across the independent sector. Total investment in BBC drama from Scotland over the next three years is expected to rise to over £95m cumulatively (2026-28).
Counsels, Grams and The Young Team were ordered by Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning for BBC Scotland and Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama.
The BBC will also work with industry partners on a new talent training plan in Scotland. A new framework for training will build on River City’s successful training academy and the ongoing work on other series to elevate individuals in to senior creative roles as well as supporting and developing production crews. Further details will be announced in the autumn.
Hayley Valentine, Director, BBC Scotland says: “River City has been a wonderful adventure and of course we’ll all be sad to see it go. The team have done a brilliant job and I know they have some big plans for the finale next year.
!But as viewing patterns change and competition intensifies, this is the right time to invest in the next generation of high-impact drama series from across Scotland showcasing storytelling across the UK.
“Our goal is to grow Scotland further on the global drama map – with a slate of world-class productions that set the standard not just here but internationally too.”
Louise Thornton Head of Commissioning at BBC Scotland: “We are incredibly proud of River City and it is with great sadness that we have come to this difficult decision.
“I want to thank the River City team in front of and behind the cameras for their dedication to the show over the years, past and present.
“For more than two decades, River City has brought drama to life on screen as well as offering industry training at grassroots level, and we know that fans of the programme will be really sad to see it go.
“The show leaves a tremendous legacy behind and the new productions we’ve announced will offer further opportunities. However, the media landscape is changing at pace and, as audience viewing habits change, it’s vital we respond to this.
“Our three new dramas, alongside the returning drama favourites, reflect the increasing shift in audience demand for series rooted in Scotland which play to audiences across the UK … and beyond.
“We’re delighted to be working with such great production teams and remain steadfast in our commitment to invest in Scotland’s creative industry.”
The new Scottish drama titles are:
Counsels (Balloon Entertainment)
8×60’ – BBC iPlayer / BBC One / BBC Scotland
Counsels is an original high-stakes legal drama co-created by Scottish writers Bryan Elsley (The Crow Road, Skins) and BBC Writers’ Drama Room graduate Gillian McCormack.
Set and filmed in and around Glasgow, Counsels follows five young lawyers who once trained together at one of Scotland’s elite law schools but are now scattered across the profession and find themselves facing each other in the courts of Glasgow.
Some will rise to the top, while others risk losing everything as their careers teeter on the edge when they lock horns in their biggest cases yet.
The ambitious lawyers must navigate a legal battlefield where their friendships begin to fracture, love affairs crumble, and the fight for justice threatens to tear them all apart.
Grams is a darkly comic thriller created, written and directed by the RTS award-winning James Price (Dog Days, Boys Night), Grams is set in Springburn, Glasgow, where James was born and still lives.
Following the death of her beloved grandson Michael, widowed Glaswegian Thana becomes the target of a violent local gang, who Michael apparently crossed.
Thana finds salvation in the form of Connor, a volatile friend of Michael’s with serious anger issues. Grams will see Thana and Connor form an unlikely partnership, as they seek the truth of what really happened to Michael.
The Young Team is the scripted debut from one of Scotland’s most exciting voices in literature, Graeme Armstrong.
The series is adapted from Graeme’s best-selling and award-winning debut novel of the same name and is set and filmed in North Lanarkshire.
Fifteen-year-old Azzy Williams and his pals roam the streets of Airdrie on a Friday night, bottles of Buckfast in hand and techno playing from tinny speakers. Azzy is ready. Ready to smoke, pop pills, drink wine and fight.
He longs to become fully initiated into local gang the Young Team Posse (YTP). But when Azzy, determined to prove himself, makes a bold move, a brutal gang conflict ensues with Azzy very firmly at its heart.
The Young Team will follow Azzy on his journey from boyhood to manhood as he and his mates become postcode warriors in a toxic cycle that threatens to consume them. An unflinching look at the realities of addiction and gang violence, this ambitious series will tell a powerful, visceral story about the realities of life for young, disenfranchised people and the fight for a different future.
Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama says: “Audience habits are changing and we are responding to that with these plans for three brilliant new dramas made in Scotland.
“BBC viewers love truly authentic stories and we are committed to creating high-impact content from across the UK, so that we can better reflect and represent every part of the country.
“The success of the long running Shetland, coupled with the return of Vigil and Granite Harbour, is a testament to the strength of talent we have in Scotland and we look forward to seeing our three new shows come to life alongside these hugely popular returners.”
The BBC says these new commissions ‘will build on the BBC’s strong track record in drama production in Scotland including award-winning series Guilt and Mayflies, and ratings hits Rebus and Nightsleeper’.
Equity, the UK performing arts & entertainment trade union, is urging the BBC to think again and has launched a petition to save the Scottish soap:
The BBC has shockingly announced they plan to cancel River City, one of Scotland’s most viewed and best loved TV shows.
River City attracts half a million viewers per episode and has an iconic status in Scottish TV culture. This decision is an attack on Scottish-made TV drama, Scottish TV workers, and the soap’s 500,000 loyal viewers.
Sign our petition to reverse the cut and Save River City!
Paul W Fleming, Equity General Secretary, called the move “short-sighted” and a “disaster for Scottish television”, saying the move would have a disproportionately negative impact on Scottish performers – many of whom get their first TV job on River City – and the wider Scottish to production landscape.
‘The £9 million annual budget is excellent value for money given the hours of programming produced throughout the year for a successful show pulling in a regular audience of 500,000 per episode.
‘The Glasgow-based show is well-loved by Scottish audiences, enjoys strong ratings, and won ‘Best Drama’ at the RTS Scotland 2023 awards. It is the only domestic Scottish soap running on TV and outperforms other TV series by more than 2.5 times. It provides work for dozens of Scottish actors every year. River City is thriving and successful in its current format.
‘There is no way that the BBC can replace the level of investment and job creation that River City provides to the Scottish economy and Scottish culture sector. Any alternative proposals the BBC offers will inevitably hurt Scottish culture workers and and TV production.
Tonight Usher Hall is hosting UKRAINE FOREVER! A fundraising performance featuring various Ukrainian and Edinburgh-based artists. Tickets cost £12 and all proceeds go to supporting humanitarian relief in Ukraine
