Fringe 2023 – Page 2 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Here We Go: Doors open to Underbelly venues for the Edinburgh Fringe

THE ICONIC PURPLE COW AND ITS MOO-VELLOUS PROGRAMME RETURN FOR THE 23rd YEAR

Underbelly has officially opened the doors to its incredible venues and line-up at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023, set to entertain locals and visiting crowds alike.

Last night, Underbelly’s iconic McEwan Hall got the party started with the official programme launch. Lucky guests sampled a flavour of what’s on offer this year with a spectacular mix of comedy, dance and circus.

The event was hosted by comedian Sooz Kempner and comedy crime podcasters Kathy and Stella opened the show with a number from their hit musical Kathy and Stella Solve A Murder.

Also performing were stand-up comic Emmanuel Sonubi, Untapped Theatre Award winners Dugsi Dayz, family entertainer Mario The Maker Magician, comedy dance act TUTU, circus troupe Sophie’s Surprise 29th, visionary acrobatics from Circa’s Peepshow, US Drag Race winner Monét X Change and world-class circus performers The 7 Fingers.

An eclectic programme of over 150 shows across the four venues offers everything from dazzling circus performers, awe-inspiring cabaret, captivating theatre, vibrant dance, fun-filled family entertainment, and side-splitting comedy – there’s truly something for everyone at Underbelly.

Underbelly’s Co-Directors Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam said: “What a wonderful night for our opening event! It’s brilliant to be back in Edinburgh for 2023 and we’re so excited to open the doors to another incredible Underbelly programme.”

For those looking for a good deal, 2-for-1 tickets are available now for a range of shows on the 7^th and 8^th of August. Families can also make the most of a Book 2 Tickets get 1 Free deal on weekday viewings of the family programme (Aug 16 -28^th).

Highlights include:

For one night only in McEwan Hall Underbelly’s fifth Big Brain Tumour Benefit will host a massive line-up of Fringe stars in a raucous evening of comedy to help the fight against brain cancer. This year’s performers include Frank Skinner, Ivo Graham, Chloe Petts, Adam Kay, Hal Cruttenden, Lara Ricote and Emmanuel Sonubi, with more acts still to be announced! All box office income goes directly to The Brain Tumour Charity.
At McEwan Hall, join TUTU on a “hugely entertaining and hilarious” (BroadwayBaby) tribute to dance, where comedy and incredible dance skills intertwine seamlessly to delight crowds of all ages. Featuring an all-male cast of six dancers decked out in flamboyant costumes, this show is a humorous celebration of dance in all its glory… Yes, a bare-chested tutu-clad man can perform a stunningly graceful pointe solo!
Taking over McEwan Hall, Havana Street Party is an exhilarating explosion of urban movement direct from Cuba; Sara Pascoe’s Success Story flies in for one night only; Foil Arms and Hog: Hogwash, the Fringe favourites returns with a five-star comedy for an exclusive limited run; Drag Race double crown winner Monét X Change shares anecdotes and opinions on life in the tireless comedy Life Be Lifein’; and You Can’t Stop the Beat the Fringe’s ultimate musical theatre party night out.
In the iconic upside-down purple cow, the Udderbelly, Mario The Maker Magician brings robot magic direct from New York, with a wild and original family show; Choir! Choir! Choir! is a show where the crowd is the star and you’ll be harmonising to well-known classics in no time and a home-grown Drag Race winner joins the line-up in their debut solo tourDanny Beard & Their Band.
At Cowgate, Underbelly’s new, late night comedy experience is BATSU! Currently a hot ticket in New York and Chicago, audiences join comedy warriors testing their wits to avoid electric shocks, paintballs, giant chickens and other jaw-dropping punishments. Bill’s 44th – a poignant puppet tragicomedy for adults, called “Buoyant, mesmerizing, joy-inducing” as the New York Times Critics Pick; and identical twins Patrick and Hugo McPherson return with Pear: But Braver, after the smash-hit success of Pear in 2022.
The winners of the Untapped award, in partnership with New Diorama Theatre, Concord Theatricals and Nouveau Riche; It’s A Motherf**king Pleasure at Bristo Square, a witty satirical delight straight off the back of a smash-hit London run; Dugsi Dayz is a heart-warming tribute to The Breakfast Club, subverting Somali folktales and exploring friendships; and One Way Out, a powerful drama about four friends on the cusp of adulthood, exploring young British Caribbeans’ experiences of the Windrush crisis.
Over in Circus Hub, East London’s The Revel Puck Circus make their Fringe debut with an exhilarating new show The Wing Scuffle Spectacular; Aloft returns with Brave Space after selling out their innovative 2022 season and also presents Sanctuary, a punk-rock cabaret with a revolving line-up of internationally renowned circus artists backed by a live band.
For six dates only, McEwan Hall hosts An Afternoon with Anton Du Beke and Friends. The Strictly Come Dancing legendary judge takes to the stage with a live band, a guest singer and his dancers. Performing some of his favourite songs and dances that have inspired his career, expect behind the scenes stories from Anton’s time on Strictly.
Matt Forde will bring his hugely successful podcast The Political Party to McEwan Hall for one show only on Friday 18^th August. Matt will be joined by one of the most charismatic, compelling, and outrageous politicians in Britain – Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner as she delves into her political career during this special live podcast.

CIRCUS, CABARET + VARIETY

Underbelly’s Circus Hub celebrates the daring and the different. The 7 Fingers present their world premiere of Duel Reality – circus on a whole new theatrical level – a must for fans of Romeo and Juliet and wondrous acrobatics.

Alongside Sanctuary and The Wing Scuffle Spectacular is Brave Space, a stunning, all-female piece of physical theatre that paints a picture of the world we want to live in and Reclaim which draws the audience close to examine life and imagine a sustainable future. Set in Circus Hub’s Spiegeltent, The Beauty, it features circus and acrobatics interwoven with two cellists and a live opera singer.

In addition to their debut solo tour showDanny Beard & Their Band, join RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner Danny Beard and their best friend, DJ Billy Andrew for a very special live recording of their hilariously camp podcast Gossip Gays for one night only in Bristo Square. And, for four dates only (4^th – 8^th Aug), get involved with Drag & Draw, the art class with a difference, featuring lip syncs, audience interaction and drag queens.

Experience the extraordinary as Suhani Shah, the world’s highest-subscribed mentalist, brings her Edinburgh debut Spellbound to Bristo Square. India’s most famous mind reader has captivated global audiences with her charismatic persona, linguistic deception and comedic charm – an unforgettable evening is guaranteed!

MUSIC & MUSICALS

There is exciting music and musical programming, across all four venue hubs. You Can’t Stop The Beat is a party for musical theatre fans, turning McEwan Hall into a sing-along celebration of all your favourite shows; The Magnets, famously the UK’s number one acapella group; catch the sensational five-voice sound machine to relive the magic of the greatest musicians of all time; and one part sermon, one part purge and three parts house party, House Of Life is a travelling musical cult collective with one mission; to get you happy, at any cost.

With a host of 5-star reviews in their wake, the acclaimed Sheep Soup company promise to achieve their goal.

Debut show 2020 The Musical is a joyful new musical, celebrating human resilience in every form, depicting the true, uplifting stories of everyday heroes and turning the events of 2020 into a heart-warming party (and unlike Downing Street, everyone’s invited); God Catcher reimagines the story of a woman turned to a spider as punishment from the Ancient Greek Gods, exploring the legacies of truth and bravery through catchy tunes and heartfelt lyrics; tender musical Fabulett 1933, sees a liberal queer society in Berlin protest as the authorities close off every opportunity for freedom and expressionism; We’ll Have Nun Of It is a masterpiece, blending contemporary pop, soul and funk music into a unique new musical that navigates the angst and joy of Ireland in the sixties; and Tinkisa nostalgic love-letter to our past selves through the eyes of a very familiar fairy.

THEATRE

Joining Bill’s 44th and the Untapped award winners; The Way Way Deep, blends bold storytelling, spoken word and original music, by sell-out playwright Patrick McPherson, previous writing includes The Man and Colossal; in his Fringe debut, star of stage and screen Declan Bennett brings Boy Out The City, telling a raw survival story of a man in his search for identity, throwing us into a turbulent world of toxic masculinity, homophobia and men’s mental health.

The programme also pioneers wonderfully current topics with shows such as; PLEASE LEAVE (A Message), a devised piece set in a karaoke bar on Yucca Mountain, where a group of scientists are experimenting with time travel, in which ClusterFlux can give a fearful yet joyous address of the impending climate crisis; Temporarily Yours, a journey into sexuality and prostitution, a show made from true stories and earnest questions, pondering our body, soul and relationships; and The Brilliance of Broken Glass, a true story about rising from rock bottom, exploring the aftershock of a medical crisis and championing laughter as the ultimate medicine.

Solo show, Pleasure Little Treasure, takes us back to the downfall of the Soviet Union; a story about growing up in the first strip club in Estonia during the tumultuous 1990; My Dad Wears A Dress is a hilarious yet sincere one-woman show about growing up with a trans female parent; Life With Oscar is a tragicomic satire set in the underbelly of Hollywood (no pun intended); and Looking For Giants is a perplexing and seductive tale about self-discovery, from emerging theatre company That What’s Wild.

In Bristo Square, The Gaffer explores how the beautiful game can turn ugly quickly. Football manager Shaun Woods discovers his private life is set to make the back and front pages. For Shaun, the game doesn’t last 90 minutes, it’s a battle with no full-time whistle. Performed by Fringe First Award winner Chris Larner, this new short play written by acclaimed journalist Rob Crossan is not to be missed.

Ringer is Hughie Shepherd-Cross’s fifth Fringe production, a comedy that sees a heartthrob actor’s reputation left in the hands of his feckless double; winner of Dublin Fringe’s Bewley’s Little Gem award, Frigid is a tender coming-of-age comedy about sexuality in early 2000s Dublin, performed alongside a live DJ; extremely silly, and extremely ruthless The Death of Molly Miller is a pitch-black satire on our world of influencers, inequality and addiction; with performers from The Wardrobe Ensemble, International House of Vape: Redefining Theatre Experience goes where no brand has gone before in a new corporate venture; The Four Worst Things I’ve Ever Done is a wild ride of confessions and consequences; and pitch-black comedy BUTCHERED is a dynamic physical theatre piece with a killer soundtrack, this absurd thriller is set in the kitchen where dreams come to die.

COMEDY

Joining Sara Pascoe in the comedy programme; Pear: But Braver sees identical twins Patrick and Hugo McPherson return after the 2022 hit show Pear, a riotous hour of sketch comedy by two brothers heralded as “like Reeves and Mortimer” (The Recs). Joining them in Cowgate is Adam Riches as hereturns to the Cow Café with a site-specific show; Adam Riches is The Guys Who, a fresh take on the guys who you meet everywhere.

Sounds Like… is a unique improvisational panel show, from Doc Brown and quick-witted wordsmith hosts, based around rhyme and rap with special guests from the world of music and comedy. It’s seriously funny, stupidly clever and addictive.

The Retreat is a camp variety number that mimics a corporate event, questioning our toxic workplace methods, brought to you by stars of Parks and Recreation and Glow including UK songstress Kate Nash and featuring a rotation of incredible and iconic comedy names.

The programme features some special limited-run shows throughout August. Mr Thing, favourites at the Fringe, returning for two nights only to celebrate all the best bits from the past five years; Drag Queens vs Zombies, as Haus of Dench’s monstrous hit returns from the dead for two nights only, as drag superstars Kate Butch and Crudi Dench try to save the audience of their cabaret show from a gruesome death in a camp comedy horror; and Werewolf: Live appears for one night only in a charity spectacular.

An all-star line-up of comedians backstab, manipulate and fight for survival in this cult gameshow; with previous guests including Rose Matafeo, Nish Kumar, Ed Gamble, and plenty more, you know it’s going to be a wonderful kind of chaos.

Meanwhile in Bristo Square, Perrier Award winning Will Adamsdale: Show of Just Songswill regale audiences with the ballad(s) of a man adrift in the modern age (though enjoying heated car seats), for tales of CD hoarding, failed citizen’s arrests and a film career playing murdered schoolteachers, medieval lookouts, and Nigel Havers’ son.

For six nights only at McEwan Hall “Broadway’s greatest comic storyteller” (Deadline) Mike Birbiglia brings his show The Old Man & The Pool to the Edinburgh Fringe. Chronicling his coming-of-middle-age story Mike presents his tale of life, death, and a highly chlorinated YMCA pool that will resonates with audiences ages 12 to 112.

Kelly McCaughan’s show exposes the impossible standards of the confines of religion in Catholic Guilt; performed by US comedian Lane Kewderis and directed by Matt Gehrin; Sex Job is an empowering show about the good, bad and often hilarious ups and downs of being a sex worker, following the inside life of a financial dominatrix; Holly Spillar’s Hole is a muff-busting comedy about sex, pain and the brain, showcasing one woman’s determination in the face of a tough diagnosis.

For one night only on 24^th August, Bristo Square welcomes the Straight Comedian of the Year ‘Grand Final’ where crowds will bear witness to the epic conclusion of ex-gay comedian Simon David‘s search to find the UK’s funniest heterosexual.

The biggest breeders of the Fringe will battle it out for the title and a Fiat 500. Following a sell-out run in 2022, 4 x Fringe Awards winning clown comic Garry Starr returns for five dates only (23rd-27th) with Greece Lightning. Starr will perform all of Greek Mythology – never before has Medusa been looser, Achilles more sillies, or Uranus so heinous – an anarchic masterclass not to be mythed!

Healing King Herod is a wild, interactive, drag-clown therapy session featuring improvised songs, political parody and cult-like rituals where Herod, famed for massacring innocents, now leads a self-development pyramid scheme, and; Jeromaia Detto: MUSH, nominated for Best Comedy at Sydney Fringe, is a whimsical and absurd clown show, with five stars all round; Max Norman invites you to cross the seven seas with him on a night of nautical nonsense, with piratical puns, 90’s nostalgia and the ultimate audience prize in A Pirate’s Life For Me; and award-winning MANBO is a dead-sexy action-hero mission filled with chaos.

For the theatrical comedy fans out there, Rosalie Minnitt presents Clementine, a debut character comedy-drama involving a hilariously unhinged quest to find love set roughly ‘in the past’; in Dead Dad Show Simon David tackles the ‘dead dad’ cliché, in a show, directed by Fringe First winner Chris Larner, with dangerously high levels of heart; struggling to make sense of a breakup, Sophie hires a life coach in Sophie Santos… Is Codependant and 2022 Best Comedy winner from Hollywood Fringe, A Terrible Show For Terrible People is a raunchy, absurdist physical comedy with 2 spoken words “for perverts, feminists and your mom (not mutually exclusive).”

AAA Stand up and AAA Stand Up Late, return with brand-new line-ups of comedians, including Ross McGrane, Ridwan Hussain, Josh Elton and Sachin Kumarendran, having sold out Edinburgh from 2005-2022, it’s filled with clever wordplay, whimsical observations, and mischievous twists.

For those who are intrigued by games of social deduction, Blood on the Clocktower: Live is a night of gothic chaos and carnage, featuring a revolving cast of comedians.

More stand-up includes Charlotte Fox encountering a series of crooked and macabre characters in her dark and manic comedy; Ouroboros The Return. Robo Bingo by Foxdog Studios, an interactive show for people who don’t want to talk to anyone; Alice Cockayne is unhinged and outrageously funny in the clowning drama I Showered Before I Came; Chris Turner shares stories of touring with Cirque Du Soleil and his newborn child in Vegas, Baby!; Sara Schaefer teaches how to unlock potential in this perfect mockery of a seminar, Going Up; Maggie Crane’s darkly funny Side by Side, an autobiographical story about family and disability. Internet sensation Josh Baulf with new show Bulldog; Paddy McDonnell in Paddy McDonnell Live, a show full of tales of everyday life; Dan Rath, discussing the ups and downs of neurodivergence in All Quiet Carriage Along The Inner Western Line; Ed Gaughan brings his first solo show in 18 years, Words and Music, with stories, clowning around and plenty of surprises; and award-winning comedian Leif Oleson-Cormack, who pushes confessional stand-up to its limits in The Disney Delusion.

For tickets and more information head to: www.underbellyedinburgh.co.uk

Green Home Festival to urge ‘Be Brave’

The organisers of this year’s Green Home Festival are urging homeowners and the construction industry to “be brave” and embrace innovations like microwave heating to help build a more sustainable future and meet net zero targets.

Scotland’s second renewables jamboree will kick off in less than two weeks, delivering 11 free shows on low-carbon living as part of the official Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

And organisers the Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV) say its event on the potential of microwave heating is an example of a technology that could offer a real alternative to traditional fossil fuels – but only if we’re brave enough to embrace it.

Co-organiser Gordon Nelson, Scotland Director of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “Our upcoming show on microwave heating is the perfect demonstration of the bravery and innovative thinking that is needed by both the construction industry and homeowners if we are to build a sustainable future for Scotland.

“We know that we’ll need a combination of methods to meet both the retrofit challenge and the new-build heat standard and this new technology is one of the solutions that we should be having the courage to explore now.”

The microwave heating show will be delivered on the first day of the festival by Professor Sean Smith, Director of The Centre for Future Infrastructure and Professor of Future Construction within the School of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh (below).

Starting at 2pm on Monday 14 August, the event will focus on the origin of the new technology, how it works and how it could offer an alternative to traditional heating methods in our homes.

Mr Nelson went on: “It’s great for us to have this innovative solution explained this year as part of the Green Home Festival, and this technology could provide the rapid acceleration of low carbon heating for Scotland’s 1.2 million flats, given the short installation time and the fact that it links to existing radiators.

“We just need to be brave, adjust our mindsets and think outside the box when it comes to potential greener solutions like this.

“As well as microwaves, the Green Home Festival will also look at other innovations in home heating, such as hybrid systems, which combine new technology with traditional methods to reduce both costs and carbon footprint for the homeowner.

“And on a larger scale, we’ll be looking at the benefits of community heating networks and exploring how distributing heat to multiple buildings from a central source could do away with the need for individual boilers or electric heaters in every building.

“All this activity is designed to start a conversation about renewable living and to encourage homeowners to start thinking differently about how they will power, heat and run their homes in the years to come.

“It will also help demonstrate how the CICV has its finger on the pulse of future solutions to meet the climate challenge and is determined to help steer the wider construction industry down a more sustainable path.”

Live Green Home Festival sessions will once again take place at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) at 10 Charlotte Square in central Edinburgh, with contributions from the likes of Home Energy Scotland, Scottish Water, SNIPEF and SELECT.

Other topics covered at the Green Home Festival will include creating sustainable kitchens, green garden rooms and offices, making retrofit projects eco-friendly, converting churches and how the home of the future will be powered.

Built Environment – Smarter Transformation will also host a webinar that will advise what consumers can do to reduce both their energy consumption and energy bills.

The festival is the latest in a string of practical and constructive initiatives launched by the CICV since its creation at the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

Made up of 28 trade associations, professional services bodies and companies, it has maintained a steady supply of information and practical advice to the sector as well as carrying out surveys, producing animations and posters, hosting webinars and maintaining close dialogue with Scottish Government ministers.

Full details, including how to book tickets for each event, are available on the Festival’s website at greenhomefestival.co.uk.

Johnnie Walker Princes Street returns as Official Sponsorship Partner of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is pleased to announce the renewal of its partnership with Johnnie Walker Princes Street, as the venue is named the Official Sponsorship Partner of theEdinburgh Festival Fringe 2023.

As the Official Partner Destination of the Fringe, Johnnie Walker Princes Street is only a short distance away from many of Edinburgh’s Fringe venues; and with stunning rooftop bars boasting some breathtaking views of Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town skyline, as well as a host of innovative food and whisky-tasting experiences and immersive tours, the five star, multi award-winning destination is an essential part of any Fringe itinerary.

For the second year in a row, Johnnie Walker Princes Street will feature in the venues map at the back of the Fringe programme – an indispensable navigational tool to everyone looking to make the most of their Fringe experience.

Johnnie Walker Princes Street, which opened with a Green Tourism Gold Award – the highest sustainability accolade for a visitor attraction – has been an invaluable supporter in the Fringe Society’s ongoing efforts to make the festival more environmentally sustainable, particularly the transition to e-ticketing in Fringe 2022.

Commenting on the news, Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “We are thrilled to be renewing our partnership with Johnnie Walker Princes Street for a second year.

“Their flagship attraction in Edinburgh has been a welcome addition to the Fringe landscape since it opened its doors and their support in helping us improve our ticketing experience has been indispensable.

“As we invite people to Fill Their Boots at the Fringe this August, we also encourage them to pop by Johnnie Walker Princes Street”.

Rob Maxwell, Head of Johnnie Walker Princes Street, said: “The Edinburgh Festival Fringe brings the best arts and comedy talent to Scotland, and puts Scotland on a global stage.

“It’s an anchor in the world’s cultural calendar, so to once again be the Official Sponsorship Partner of the festival is a proud moment for the Johnnie Walker Princes Street team as we enter our second summer in Edinburgh.

“This year we are looking forward to welcoming more people than ever into our iconic building, letting visitors from across the world experience whisky in innovative ways through our many immersive tours, our new culinary concept STIR, as well as the chance to take in the unbeatable views of Edinburgh with a cocktail at our stunning 1820 Rooftop Bar”.

Find out more about Johnnie Walker Princes Street experiences and food and drink offering here.

Month long showcase for Scotland’s most talented musicians at The Rose Theatre

Edinburgh: Rose Theatre pop-up music venue set to be city’s hottest ticket

A pop up live music venue that will offer the sort of freewheeling feel of the original Fringe and features many of Scotland’s most talented performers, is set to open its doors in early August on Rose Street. Tickets are now on sale.

Over 25 days the venue will host 50 jazz, folk and other concerts featuring many of Scotland’s most talented performers. Some of those already confirmed are Fergus McCreadie, Aidan O’Rourke, Su-a Lee, Shooglenifty, Roddy Woomble, Mr McFall’s Chamber and Georgia Cécile.

Located at the west end of Rose Street (Charlotte Square end) and open from 4pm to midnight 7 days a week, The Rose Theatre (Venue 76) will feature two ticketed performances a day in the Cabaret Bar and main theatre alongside spontaneous, pop-up performances in the child and dog friendly Café Bar area, curated by Soundhouse.

Ticket prices are set at £15.00 and are available from the Fringe Society from Wednesday 26 July.

Joining forces to run the month-long pop up live music venue at The Rose Theatre, are two independent organisations – the Soundhouse live music charity and Edinburgh-based, Bellfield Brewery.

Douglas Robertson from Soundhouse said “We’ll present a showcase of the best of Scottish music at this year’s Fringe: we believe our series will be the best that the Fringe has seen in living memory.

“Events at the Rose Theatre will provide the excitement, spontaneity and creativity that has long been replaced by the crass commercialism of the London-owned mega-venues around Edinburgh University. Great music, great beer, great venue! What’s not to like?”

Speaking about the venture, Bellfield’s Alistair Brown said, “Together we will offer some of the Fringe Festival’s most exciting acts alongside award winning, locally-brewed craft beers.

“Locals and visitors will receive the same friendly welcome from our team that they get in our Abbeyhill Taproom (voted the best Taproom in Scotland 2022).”

The Soundhouse Organisation draws on the success of Edinburgh Tradfest whose popularity grows year on year. Bellfield Brewery’s previous festival experience includes a collaboration with Pianodrome at the Old Royal High School in 2022 and the Hidden Door Festival earlier in 2023.

The partners hope to repeat their Festival successes this year at The Rose Theatre where they have secured a month-long lease, prior to the building being redeveloped.

Programme

A couple of dates/performers are still to be confirmed. The line up at present is:

4th @ 9.30pm Don Paterson and Graeme Stephen

6th @ 7pm Karen Marshalsay

7th @ 7pm Roo and Neil

8th @ 7pm Juliet Lemoine

8th @ 9.30 Nimbus Sextet

9th @ 7pm Adam Holmes

9th @ 9.30pm The Penalty – Live score – Graeme Stephen and Pete Harvey

10th @ 7pm The Firelight Trio

10th @9.30pm ballboy

11th @ 7pm Ross and Ali (with Jenn Butterworth)

11th @ 9.30pm “Motian & Me” – Tom Bancroft, Phil Bancroft & Norman Wilmore

12th @ 7pm Inge Thomson and Fraser Fifield

12th @ 9.30pm Helena Kay Trio

13th @ 7pm Brian Kellock

13th @ 9.30pm Nosferatu – Live score – Graeme Stephen and Aidan O’Rourke

14th @ 7pm Dancing Mice

14th @ 9.30pm Phil Bancroft’s Standards Trio

15th @ 7pm Viper Swing

15th @ 9.30pm Trio Mágico

16th @ 7pm Simon Bradley Trio

16th @ 9pm Matt Carmichael & Fergus McCreadie

17th @ 7pm Aidan O’Rourke & Brighde Chaimbeul

17th @ 9.30 ‘Motian and Me’ – Tom Bancroft Phil Bancroft and Adam Jackson

18th @ 7pm Chris Stout & Catriona Mackay

18th @ 9.30 Fat Suit

19th @ 7pm Jarlath Henderson and Innes Watson

19th @ 9.30pm Shooglenifty

20th @ 7pm Su-a Lee & Friends (D Chisholm, H Napier, D Shaw)

20th @ 9.30pm Shooglenifty

21st @ 7pm Tallulah Rose

21st @ 9.30pm Ciaran Ryan Band

22nd @ 7pm Konrad Wisniewski and Haftor Medboe

22nd @ 9.30 Georgia Cécile with Fraser Urquhart

23rd @ 7pm Georgia Cécile with Fraser Urquhart

23rd @ 9.30pm AKU!

24th @ 7pm The Brothers Gillespie

24th @ 9.30pm Matt Carmichael Quintet

25th @ 7pm Niki King

25th @ 9.30pm Roddy Woomble

26th @ 7pm Gnawa Trance Fusion

27th @ 7pm Mairearad Green and Mike Vass

27th @ 9.30pm Tommy Smith & Peter Johnstone

28th @ 7pm Mr McFall’s Chamber

28th @ 9.30pm Greg Lawson, Mario Caribé & Phil Alexander

Watermans offer FREE ticket giveaway for Forth on the Fringe

A law firm, sponsoring a comedy event? Yep, you have read that correctly. Watermans, a Scottish-based law firm, are proud to announce their sponsorship of Forth 1’s “Forth on the Fringe” event for 2023 and are supporting with a free ticket giveaway!

The acclaimed show, taking place on the 4th and 5th of August, will be hosted at the world-renowned Edinburgh Playhouse, and will see an array of comedy and musical acts take to the stage across three showtimes, with two evening shows and a matinee performance confirmed.

This is the first time in five years that sponsorship for the event has been up for grabs – and the Scottish law firm jumped at the chance to support the infamous entertainment show.

Why, you ask? Well, Watermans aren’t your regular legal firm. A full-service solicitor and estate agent, the company prides itself on breaking the “stuffy, traditional” solicitor mould. And what better way to do that than by sponsoring an iconic Scottish comedy show?

With acts including Jason Byrne, Jon Culshaw and Patrick Monahan, this year’s event simply isn’t one to be missed.

And what’s more, Watermans have 6x tickets to give away (one pair for each show) so lucky winners can experience all the fun of the theatre – for free!

On 24^th July, the law firm will be posting videos of their winning tickets hidden in places across Edinburgh. To enter, contestants simply interact with their social channels and try to guess the locations around the city – winners will be announced 31^st July.

Speaking about their involvement in this year’s Fringe Festival, Watermans Managing Director Scott Whyte, said: “Watermans are delighted to be partnering with Forth 1 and their Forth on the Fringe event. This has long been one of the must-see attractions during the Festival and we look forward to being part of this showcase event.

‘It is a great privilege for us to be involved in the world-renowned Fringe festival this year and I am sure we are in for an exciting month ahead as Edinburgh welcomes performers and visitors from all over the world.”

With offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee, the modern law firm is dedicated to offering straightforward legal advice – without the jargon. So, how many solicitor-related jokes can you think of?

Tickets for the Forth on the Fringe event are priced from £27.40, plus a booking fee. More information about the show and participants, along with ticket availability, can be found here.

Fringe: Veterans comedy show takes to the stage at Poppy Factory

Is laughter really the best medicine? The ‘Recovery Through Comedy Show’ sets out to prove it is, as a group of Armed Forces veterans, and a currently serving female member of the Armed Forces, bring their unique comedy to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe on 11^th and 12^th August at Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory.

The performers are all graduates of an innovative veterans’ programme developed by the Royal British Legion. The programme uses comedy techniques to promote resilience, and support mental health and wellbeing. Although they had no previous experience, the participants have been supported to create their own original stand-up comedy sets and received rave reviews for their earlier performances.

This will be the first time Poppyscotland, the nation’s leading Armed Forces charity, has hosted a Fringe event and follows the refurbishment of the historic Lady Haig Poppy Factory building.

Poppyscotland’s Director, Austin Hardie, said: “We’re very proud to be able to bring the ‘Recovery through Comedy Show’ to this year’s Fringe. Not only is it very funny, the show also gives a voice to veterans in a new and inspiring way that challenges preconceptions.

“At Poppyscotland, we provide support for current and former members of the Armed Forces and their families in whatever way works best for them. Initiatives like ‘Recovery through Comedy’ show that there are many ways to help them overcome whatever challenges they face.”

The free, ticketed show will be at Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory in Warriston on Friday 11^th and Saturday 12^th August, with performances at 2pm and 6pm each day. Capacity is limited so guests are encouraged to secure their tickets as early as possible.

Tickets are available from www.poppyscotland.org.uk/recovery-through-comedy.

Trams to run all night at weekends during Festival

An all-night tram service is being lined up for weekends in August to help visitors and local residents to make the most of Edinburgh’s festival season.

Over the summer, the city hosts one of the world’s most popular celebrations of arts and culture, and Edinburgh Trams is gearing up to play its part in helping to keep the city moving as tens of thousands of people flock to Scotland’s capital.

In addition to daytime and evening services, which run from every seven minutes between the airport and Newhaven, trams will continue to serve all stops throughout the night on Fridays and Saturdays, so that people get home or back to their accommodation once the entertainment has come to a close.

Following the usual end of services around midnight, trams will then operate from every 20 minutes until 2am, then from every 30 minutes until the normal timetable commences the following day.

Lea Harrison, Edinburgh Trams’ Managing Director, commented: “Alongside the main festival, August also sees the Royal Edinburgh Tattoo and fantastic Fringe performances during what is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year for the city.

“Following the enormous success of late-night trams in previous festival seasons, we wanted to go the extra mile this year by running a 24-hour service over the weekend, which is a testament to our commitment as Scotland’s number one public transport operator.

“For further convenience, anyone heading for the festivals can avoid the hassle of finding a parking spot in or around the city centre by leaving their cars at Ingliston Park & Ride, which has over 1,000 spaces available and a tram stop.”

The operator’s normal range of tram tickets will be accepted at no extra cost when all-night trams are running and more information on great money-saving ticket deals can be found here.

Assembly Festival: Over 5000 £5 tickets for local residents at this year’s Festival Fringe

Having the world’s biggest performing arts festival right on their doorstep is about to get even better for Edinburgh residents, with locals now eligible for £5 tickets to shows at Assembly Festival this August.

Residents across Edinburgh and Lothians, Falkirk and Fife with an EH, KY or FK postcode will have access to 5000 discounted tickets for their pick of almost 200 shows in Assembly’s programme for performances in the first week of the festival – Wednesday 2nd to Sunday 6 August.

Assembly, the longest running multi-venue curator at the Festival Fringe, has a jam-packed program for 2023 – full of outrageous comedy, dazzling circus feats, compelling theatre, playful children’s shows and more.

Edinburgh’s own illusionist Kevin Quantum: Momentum will wow with epic stunts and mind-blowing magic, and the incredible talent of Scottish hip-hop dancers will be showcased in Beyond Boundaries – a triple-bill performance presented as part of Assembly’s inaugural collaboration with Dance Base at the Grassmarket.

Highlights of the comedy programme include the razor-sharp punchlines of Glasgow’s Susie McCabe: Femme Fatality and Australian sketch comedy duo The Umbilical Brothers: The Distraction who are marking their 30^th anniversary of the Fringe.

Thrill-seekers who want to be wowed by gravity-defying acrobatics should catch the all-female Aussie circus troupe YUCK Circus and critically acclaimed Afrique en Cirque from West African/Canadian circus troupe Kalabanté.

Assembly’s theatre programme is full of heart, including Lena about 1970s child star Lena Zavaroni starring Jon Culshaw (Dead Ringers) and Erin Armstrong (Shetland) and JM Coetzee’s Life & Times of Michael K from two-time Fringe First winners Baxter Theatre, featuring intricate puppetry from the same company that brought you War Horse.

For the kids, there’s a musical adaptation of Roger McGough’s Money-Go-Round, Fringe-favourite The Bubble Show and a charming homage to circus horses in Chevalier – Hobbyhorse Circus.

The tickets will be available to purchase from assemblyfestival.com between 15-31 July on a first come, first served basis. Residents can claim the offer by using discount code ‘AF23’ at the checkout and paying with a card that is registered to an address in one of the eligible postcodes.

For further information, tickets and T&Cs, visit assemblyfestival.com.

Fringe 2023: official EdFringe app available to download

Today, Tuesday 11 July, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is delighted to announce that the official EdFringe 2023 app is now live and available to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Over 300 more shows have registered since programme launch on 08 June, making the app (alongside edfringe.com) one of the best places to find up-to-date information on every show at Fringe 2023.

As previously announced, the 2023 app will include many features familiar from previous years, such as the ability to filter listings by genre and to find shows starting soon using the ‘nearby now’ function. App users will also be able to book tickets and store e-ticket QR codes in their account area, and booked performances will be integrated into users’ daily show schedule.

Entirely new functions will allow users to never miss a show by enabling notifications for their next show, while audiences looking for inspiration can use the ‘shake to search’ feature, providing them with a random show suggestion.

The development of the official 2023 EdFringe app would not have been possible without the generous sponsorship from Playbill, the support of Synetec, Johnnie Walker Princes Street, and support from EventScotland.

The Fringe Society would also like to send a shout-out to their fellow fringers at Perth’s Fringe World Festival, who made the initial introduction to the app’s developers, equ.

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “We’re thrilled that the app is out of development and ready to download, giving eager Fringe-goers yet another way to find new shows and discover their new favourite artists.

“I’d like to encourage everyone to explore the various features on offer – particularly ‘shake to search’, introducing them to entirely new and random show suggestions – and to fill their boots when it comes to booking shows!”

The official EdFringe 2023 app is available to download now. Users will be invited to submit feedback on the app and make suggestions on new features, which will go towards the development of the EdFringe app in future.

Secret nuclear bunker solves Edinburgh Festival accommodation problem

LGBTQIA+ VILLAGE CREATED AT BARNTON BUNKER

In a bid to beat the soaring cost of accommodation at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, a group of performers are setting up camp at a disused nuclear bunker on the edge of the city this August.

Barnton Bunker, which is situated just five miles from the centre, adjacent to Edinburgh Zoo, was built in 1944 and, in 1951, was commissioned as a Cold War shelter for the British government and the Queen in the event of a nuclear attack. Decomissioned it 1955 it now plays host to a panoply of performers including queens of a different variety!

The company of ALPHABET SOUP, a new force in LGBTQIA+ comedy, which performs daily from 4th to 27th August at Le Monde Hotel’s Shanghai Night, will be living in caravans on the Barnton Bunker site throughout festival. Housing a rich mix of world-class queer comedians, drag performers and variety acts the bunker is set to be transformed into Mad Max style digs for the diverse.

ALPHABET SOUP serves up brunch throughout the festival for the very first time. With a brand new menu every day, mixing a core company of imported performers with a daily change of locally sourced ingredients, this is a queer comedy brunch unlike any other, co-hosted 7G and the hilarious bisexual comedian Alyssa Poteet. With the concerted assault on the rights and freedoms of LGBTQIA+ people across The States and elsewhere, this is part of the fightback.

In the spirit of ‘We’re Here We’re Queer’, Alphabet Soup is comedy for combat.

7G – Alphabet Soup co-creator and camp leader says – ‘When I discovered that it would be £30-£35,000 to rent a house for the month for the performers of Alphabet Soup, I thought that we would not be able to premiere our brand new LGBTQIA+ extravaganza at the Edinburgh Fringe.

“Then a West Hollywood gay friend told me that he was volunteering throughout the month of August to help restore Barnton Nuclear bunker to its World War II glory. As we LGBTQiA+ feel we’re in a war for our human rights right now, staying at a nuclear bunker feels like a God Shot.. So we met with Ben Mitchell whose family are raising £5 million to restore the facility for visitors to tell him we were in .

“Not only are we building an Alphabet Soup Glamping camp site at a fraction of the cost of a house and we each get our own room, we are also helping Ben raise the profile of his good work at the same time as planning our campaign to Love Bomb the hatred of those who seek to oppress us.”

Alyssa Poteet – co-creator and fellow camp leader says: “From the most right-wing of red states all the way to our home of Los Angeles California, you can feel the rise of LGBTQIA+ hostility growing in America.

“This concerningly well organized and extraordinarily funded culture war is being seeded in our courthouses and legislatures and seeping into and infecting the hearts of US citizens.

“As we gear up to make our presence known and provide a new narrative about LGBTQUI+ in the wake of all these blows against us, it’s fitting that we must seek refuge in a war bunkers as we fight our fight. Some may lie down at this obstacle – we’re toasting marshmallows and breathing in the fresh Scottish air”.

A spokesperson for The Barnton Bunker Preservation Society SCIO says: “We are delighted to partner with the talented team behind Alphabet Soup and welcome them to Barnton Bunker.

“By joining forces, we aim to raise the profile of Barnton Bunker and its restoration efforts, while at the same time giving the Alphabet Soup team a safe, secure, and affordable solution to their accommodation issues during their stay at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

“We extend our warmest thanks to Alphabet Soup, the LGBTQiA+ community and their entire team for their dedication, creativity, and commitment to making a positive impact. Together, we can transform Barnton Bunker into a unique destination that celebrates history, creativity, and the power of collaboration.”