From Liz Truss and Keir Starmer to JFK conspiracies and razor-sharp satire, theSpaceUK’s political programme proves that truth is still stranger than fiction.
Politics has never been short of drama, but at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, theSpaceUK is inviting audiences to look beyond the headlines – or, at the very least, beyond the latest Truth Social post.
Leading the line-up is broadcaster and political commentator Steve Richards, whose hugely popular Steve Richards Presents Rock and Roll Politics returns to the Fringe. With the halls of Westminster continuing to deliver twists that few could have predicted, Richards superb show combines forensic political analysis with his trademark “unreliable” predictions, making it a new show every day as events continue to unfold.
Current politics also comes under scrutiny in The Unsolvable Case of Keir Starmer, from Chasing Rainbows. Through a series of imagined therapy sessions, the play charts Starmer’s journey from respected lawyer to Prime Minister, asking where it all began to unravel.
Political history comes under the microscope in The Umbrella Man: What We Talk About When We Talk About the JFK Assassination, written and performed by Martin Fitzgerald. Rather than simply retreading old conspiracy theories, the show shines a light on the ordinary people who happened to be in Dealey Plaza on that fateful day.
A show that should last longer than a lettuce is The Last Days Of Liz Truss?, from Oxia Theatre Company and Emma Wilkinson Wright. Set on the former Prime Minister’s final morning in Downing Street, the award-winning production is part comedy, all tragedy. Following a West End transfer to The Other Palace earlier this year, the show comes to Edinburgh with Emma Wilkinson Wright’s acclaimed portrayal of one of Britain’s most extraordinary political figures
Meanwhile, The Painted Revolutionary, presented by Tip Top Theatre Collective, approaches politics from an entirely different angle. In this biting new satire, abstract political concepts become flawed, recognisable characters, with Struggle, Order and others navigating questions of responsibility, power and change. This is an imaginative examination of political ideals and the messy reality of putting them into practice
Closer to home, Cubicle Dialogue, presented by the University of York Drama Society, relocates political conflict to the fluorescent-lit offices of a struggling local authority. As Labour falters nationally and Reform rises locally, civil servants and councillors find it increasingly difficult to maintain neutrality. Part workplace comedy and all political satire.
If the news has left you bewildered, exhausted or simply looking for something different, these shows prove there’s still no better place than the Fringe to argue, laugh and wrestle with the big political questions.
From hidden gems to Fringe favourites, the full programme is now on sale
Over 400 shows on sale across six Edinburgh Fringe venues
New writing, returning favourites and international companies from around the world
A musical theatre line-up featuring suffragettes, superheroes, lifeguards and mafiosos
Political satire takes aim at everyone from Liz Truss to reality TV traitors
Award-winning circus, cabaret and physical theatre from some of the Fringe’s most exciting companies
theSpaceUK has unveiled its full programme for the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with more than 400 shows appearing across its six venues this August.
This year’s programme brings together returning Fringe favourites, first-time companies, ambitious new musicals, award-winning international productions and hundreds of hours of brand-new writing. From political satire and physical theatre to family shows, cabaret and comedy, the season offers audiences the chance to discover everything from future Fringe hits to unexpected hidden gems.
Alongside familiar theSpaceUK names, the 2026 programme welcomes artists from across North America, Europe and Australasia, with stories ranging from ancient mythology and Scottish history to influencer culture, reality television and the end of the world.
Theatre Highlights
If reality television has taught us anything, it’s that betrayal is much more entertaining when everyone is wearing velvet. A Traitors Pantomimetakes the nation’s favourite game of deception and gives it a healthy dose of panto nonsense, complete with Dame Claudia, suspicious faithfuls and traitors who wouldn’t know subtlety if it voted them out at the roundtable.
Politics remains fertile ground for Fringe comedy. The Last Days of Liz Truss?joins Britain’s shortest-serving Prime Minister on her final morning in Number 10, while January 6th The Musicalasks perhaps the most important question of modern American politics: how do you celebrate your birthday when it’s become synonymous with an attempted insurrection?
Meanwhile, influencer culture comes under the microscope in atticwife, where a seemingly perfect tradwife lifestyle starts to look rather less aspirational once the attic door is locked.
There are darker journeys too. In The Hunger, two women cling to survival on an isolated Yorkshire farm as the outside world grows steadily more dangerous. At the other end of the emotional spectrum, The Cut of Her Jib delivers menopause, murder and marital breakdown with a large gin and absolutely no apologies.
Shakespeare also gets the full rock-star treatment in Rockbeth. Macbeth has always been ambitious, but this time he’s armed with the music of AC/DC, Black Sabbath and The Sex Pistols. What could possibly go wrong?
Musical Highlights
The musical programme this year is gloriously unhinged.
In Spraywatch: A Beautiful Rescue, a Californian lifeguard finds herself marooned in a struggling British seaside town where crabs, suspicious locals and civic pride collide in what promises to be one of the Fringe’s most joyfully ridiculous new musicals.
Elsewhere, Texas Annie: The Legend of the Moan Rangerfollows a fugitive sex-toy salesperson across Texas after an unfortunate change in legislation. As Fringe premises go, it’s certainly memorable.
History takes a more serious turn in VOTE: The Musical, a stirring exploration of the suffragette movement and the women who refused to remain silent. Meanwhile, New Zealand company The Barden Party arrives with Heracles: Of Men and Beasts, a folk musical that finds fresh humanity within one of mythology’s greatest heroes.
Then there’s This Little Thing of Ours, proving once and for all that organised crime and show tunes make surprisingly comfortable bedfellows.
Comedy Highlights
Death, taxes and the Edinburgh Fringe. Two of those things are unavoidable, & taxessomehow manages to make all three funny. Jasper the Ghost has spent an eternity waiting for his big break as a stand-up comedian, and now he’s finally ready to take centre stage. What follows is part clown show, part existential crisis and part bucket-list adventure.
New York comic Tori Piskin turns her attention to the strange rituals of the ultra-wealthy in Poor Little Rich Girl. Raised among Manhattan’s elite, she approaches her own upbringing with the curiosity of an anthropologist and the ruthless honesty of a stand-up comedian. Think Gossip Girl with fewer filters and more self-awareness.
Fellow New Yorker Tori Morancay arrives with Le French c’est Freak, a fast-paced hour exploring cultural confusion, dating disasters and the peculiar experience of trying to build a life while stubbornly refusing to lose your accent.
Returning after previous Fringe success, Grant Sharkey’s cult musical comedy WEBBER! once again charts the rise of Andrew Lloyd Webber under the unlikely mentorship of Margaret Thatcher. Equal parts affectionate tribute and merciless satire, it remains one of the Fringe’s most gloriously cheeky musical comedies.
Meanwhile, American troupe Big Tobacco asks the question nobody was brave enough to ask: what if Pinocchio was completely and utterly broken? Big Tobacco’s Pinocchiotakes the beloved children’s story, throws it out of the nearest window and rebuilds it as a relentless barrage of absurd comedy.
And if you need a reminder that clowning is alive and well at the Fringe, All Tied Upsees two office workers literally tied together by a rope and forced to cooperate. Simple premise. Endless chaos.
Dance, Physical Theatre and Circus Highlights
Some stories are best told without words. Award-winning company Flying Rabbit Circus brings Box [M]to Edinburgh following multiple Best of Fringe awards. Using acrobatics, movement and visual storytelling, the production explores gender identity, family and belonging through the relationship between siblings growing up in an Asian American immigrant household. Personal and specific, yet strikingly universal, it has earned acclaim wherever it has travelled.
Fringe favourites Suitcase Dance Theatre return with Allura, another beautifully crafted fusion of dance and theatre. Tap, jazz and contemporary movement combine in a dreamlike exploration of distraction, connection and the things we spend our lives searching for.
Elsewhere, I Made You a Mixtapetransports audiences back to a 1990s dorm party where friendships are formed, tested and remembered through music rather than dialogue. Funny, awkward, nostalgic and occasionally chaotic, it captures the emotional rollercoaster of youth with remarkable honesty.
Music Highlights
Fresh from her induction into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame, Anne Martin brings An Tinneto the Fringe. Inspired by the true story of a Highland family displaced during the Clearances, it connects Scotland, Australia and generations of family history through one remarkable object – a cooking pot chain carried across the world.
Celebrating fifteen years of touring and acclaimed Fringe appearances, Elsa McTaggart presents #SHORN, an intimate evening of original music, storytelling and reflection. Personal, honest and occasionally vulnerable, it marks both a milestone and a fresh chapter.
For those craving a little soul, Divas of Soultraces the evolution of one of music’s most enduring genres through iconic songs and the stories behind them. Elegant, heartfelt and packed with timeless classics, it’s a welcome opportunity to slow down amid the frenzy of the Fringe.
Then there is Elias Faingersh’s Solo from the Pit. Part concert, part stand-up comedy and part personal memoir, the internationally acclaimed trombonist reimagines famous operas while sharing stories from a remarkable life in music. Not many performers can claim awards from Reykjavik to Orlando, but Faingersh makes it look effortless.
Returning to the Fringe once again is Frankie Mack with Wired Differently – Scotland’s ADHD Showman. One evening might feature Sinatra. The next could include Elvis, Michael Bublé or one of Frankie’s own songs. The only certainty is that no two performances are likely to be the same.
Cabaret and Variety Highlights
Magic, music and mayhem collide throughout this year’s cabaret programme. Sean Alexander returns for a third consecutive Fringe with 1 Moment in Time, blending illusion, mind reading and audience stories into an experience that is as much about memory and personal milestones as it is about impossible feats.
Direct from Canada comes The Cheesecake Burlesque Revue, celebrating twenty years of body-positive burlesque with enough glitter, glamour and joyous silliness to power half of Edinburgh. Winners of the Burlesque Hall of Fame’s Best Large Group award, the Cheesecakes continue to prove that confidence is contagious.
For something completely different, Human Jukeboxturns the audience into contestants in an interactive musical game show. Expect theme nights, surprise challenges, questionable competitiveness and the very real possibility that complete strangers will become stars for the evening.
Meanwhile, BBC’s All Together Nowfinalists The Sundaes bring Diva Las Vegasback to the Fringe for a limited run. Combining powerhouse vocals, comedy and the music of some of the greatest divas of all time, it’s Vegas by way of Edinburgh – and considerably easier on the airfare.
And in Banjos and Juggling: A World Vaudeville Adventure, Brian Tomaszewski somehow manages to combine live music, storytelling, juggling and global musical traditions into a one-person variety show that sounds delightfully impossible until you see it happen.
Children’s Highlights
Award-winning author Gareth P Jones invites audiences to help transform his picture book into CinderGorilla: The Musical. Armed with a ukulele, piano, trumpet, loop pedal and a pair of puppets, he creates a musical adventure that is different every time.
Young princes, princesses and enthusiastic singers can join Jasmine Alice forOnce Upon a Tune, a magical singalong celebration packed with beloved animated classics and enough sparkle to brighten even the rainiest Edinburgh morning.
And for children who prefer making up the story themselves, Improv Banana – Kids Comedy puts creativity centre stage. Led by the quick-witted Roy Allaway, young audience members are invited to jump into games, create scenes and discover that in improvisation there really is no such thing as a wrong answer.
Charles Pamment, Artistic Director of theSpaceUK, said: “In our 31st year of presenting work at the festival it is without doubt that our enthusiasm and passion to present the very best new writing platform hasn’t wavered. Indeed it is with renewed energy that we present not only the largest platform at the 2026 festival but also the most diverse programme bursting with original writing from every genre and presented by rich tapestry of global production houses. We can’t wait for you to enjoy and experience our 2026 programme. Welcome. “
Spring is gathering pace and so is theSpaceUK’s 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme, with a fresh wave of shows now on sale at at www.theSpaceUK.
Highlights Include:
Fringe First Winners Mulberry Theatre returns with two new productions
The Last of Liz Truss? comes to Edinburgh following a West End Transfer at The Other Palace.Five standout graduate productions take centre stage as LMA and theSpaceUK expand their Fringe partnership for 2026
There’s a striking folk musical re-imagining of Greek mythology in Heracles: Of Men and Beasts from The Barden Party.
Drama & Theatre
The theatre programme offers a powerful mix of historical insight, new writing and imaginative storytelling. Operation Market Garden (Inspired Theatre) draws on real wartime diaries to present a raw account of survival and captivity, while Against the Grain (Darren Katz) explores moral conflict during the Siege of Leningrad.
Contemporary voices come to the fore in Jessies (A bunch of Jessies ltd), charting queer life across fifteen pivotal years, and Woman Seeking Cuddles (The Robot Company), a darkly comic exploration of identity, grief and connection.
Inventive storytelling shapes productions such as O Brave New World, That Has Such People In’t! (Mulberry School for Girls), where a young girl navigates isolation through imagination, and Film Noir Frog (On The Fly Theatre), a surreal detective tale steeped in parody and intrigue.
Playful theatricality takes centre stage in The Great Shakespeare Showdown (Flying Solo! Presents), while boobytrapped offers a bold, body-swapping romantic comedy that confronts identity, prejudice and understanding with humour and heart.
And finally, join Liz, on her last morning at number 10 in The Last of Liz Truss? (Oxia Theatre) which comes to Edinburgh following a West End Transfer at The Other Palace.
Now in its third year, the LMA x theSpaceUK Graduate Scheme expands to five productions including The Woman in the Box, The Girls Who Made Us, Scallyw*nkers, Knot at the Moment and Bite, forming the first dedicated LMA/theSpaceUK season at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and showcasing an exceptional new generation of theatre makers.
Music & Musicals
Musical storytelling takes many forms across this year’s programme. Heracles: Of Men and Beasts (The Barden Party) offers a striking folk musical reimagining of Greek mythology through live-looped soundscapes, while BeetleMania (LUU Musical Theatre) captures the spirit of 1960s pop culture through a comedic audition story.
In Pieces (Laura Sofia Productions) presents a contemporary song-cycle exploring love and self-discovery, while Trains in the Night (Maiden Mother Moan) delivers a tender, sapphic coming-of-age story filled with longing and connection.
Elsewhere, Earth to Squiggy (Radland Media) blends intergalactic adventure with rock and roll nostalgia, and Solo From the Pit (Teater KEF) sees a virtuoso trombonist reinterpreting opera through a unique mix of music and personal storytelling/
Music lovers can also experience the non-verbal vocal spectacle Boom Boom Battle of the Big Bad Bosses (Yat Po Singers Limited), the unpredictable showmanship of Frankie Mack: Wired Differently, and the deeply rooted storytelling of An Tinne (Anne Martin), which connects Scottish history with global migration through song.
Comedy
Absurdity and originality lead the charge in this year’s comedy line-up. Achtung! The Only Sauerkraut in Town (Jürgen Strack Productions) blends Bauhaus sensibilities with beer hall chaos in a sharply offbeat hour of storytelling and stand-up.
Elsewhere, This Little Thing of Ours (This Little Thing of Ours) delivers a mafia musical comedy packed with rivalries, family loyalties and unexpected falsettos.
Personal storytelling meets sharp observation in Theologist (Panad Productions), as Oli Riordan unpacks Catholicism with wit and irreverence, while Scallywankers (Surely Not Productions) offers a riotous, adult-only panto adventure full of audience interaction, reworked songs and unapologetically crude humour.
Children & Family
Family audiences are well catered for with a range of interactive and imaginative productions. Improv Banana – Kids Comedy (Taking Cover Ltd) invites young audiences to take part in a lively, supportive introduction to improvisation led by Roy “The Boy” Allaway.
CinderGorilla: The Musical (The Ministry of Mini Musicals) transforms a picture book into a one-performer, one-audience musical experience using live instruments and puppetry, while Beauty and the Beast (Flying High Expressive Arts CIC) brings fresh energy to the classic tale with original songs and a vibrant young cast.
Adventure awaits in The Hobbit (ETC), a dynamic retelling of Tolkien’s beloved story, combining stage combat, puppetry and original music to bring Middle-earth to life.
Cabaret & Variety
Cabaret this year is bold, playful and unapologetic. Mickey’s Uncut Hits: A Raunchy Cabaret (KAJOLE) reimagines familiar childhood songs into a cheeky, adult-only parody packed with audience interaction and irreverent humour.
For something more gently curious, Rainbows! (Tim Clarkson) blends live science demonstrations with storytelling in an autism-friendly exploration of colour and chemistry. Magic fans can choose between the clever deception of A Case for Magic (Robert Malissa Magician) or the deliberately outrageous 18+ Magic – The Magic Show Your Mum Shouldn’t See (Sean Alexander Productions), which returns following a sold-out debut.
Tickets for hundreds of shows across theSpaceUK’s 2026 programme are now available at www.theSpaceUK.com.
With new work arriving alongside returning favourites, this year’s Fringe promises a season full of discovery, creativity in an unforgettable Fringe.
theSpaceUK has announced the first wave of shows on sale for the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, offering an early snapshot of a programme rooted in bold new writing, distinctive solo performance and genre-spanning cabaret and musicals.
Elsa Jean McTaggart marks 15 years of touring with #SHORN, a music-led theatre piece that combines original songs and spoken reflections, performed with long-time collaborator Gary Lister. Triple Lutz Productions’ Dear Michelle Kwan is a darkly comic coming-of-age story set inside a hyper-competitive figure skating rink, where teenage rituals, obsession, and girlhood collide.
Solo storytelling features prominently. In A Cat in a Box, Tom Nemec delivers an autobiographical play exploring love, trauma and recovery within a dysfunctional family, while Raising Cain Productions’ award-winning thriller The Night Ali Died reconstructs a single catastrophic evening through multiple perspectives.
Julie Flower returns following a five-star Fringe run with Grandma’s Shop, a multi-character solo show blending family history, subculture and community, set in a Sheffield second-hand clothes shop in the late 1980s.
Dark ensemble work is represented by Minotaur Theatre Company’s And The Little One Said, a late-90s-set black comedy in which a summer holiday unravels into violence and moral collapse. Political satire arrives in January 6th The Musical, where two aspiring performers attempt to sing and dance their way out of alleged involvement in the US Capitol insurrection.
From Italy, Action Theatre presents Democrazy, a physical-theatre, mask-led examination of populism and dictatorship, dedicated to Alexei Navalny.
The first on-sale announcement also includes cabaret and musical theatre. Canada’s The Cheesecake Burlesque Revue, winners of Best Large Group at the 2024 Burlesque Hall of Fame Awards, celebrate 20 years with a body-positive variety spectacular. Vocal trio The Sundaes return with Diva Las Vegas, a short-run cabaret celebrating iconic divas, while Thank You for the Muesli offers an ABBA-inspired musical comedy with pun-heavy exuberance.
Musical theatre highlights include Music & Murder By…, a darkly comic new musical set at a writers’ retreat that turns fatal, and Spraywatch: A Beautiful Rescue, an unauthorised 90s-inspired seaside musical comedy from Low Fat Productions.
I Made You a Mixtape by Response Theatre Company is a movement-led dance theatre piece set at a 1990s dorm party, using popular music to explore friendship, identity and memory, with each performance shaped live in response to sound.
With 469 shows, 3,357 artists, and 188,000 tickets, theSpaceUK has helped new artists and audiences experience the Fringe
theSpaceUK is one of the largest venues at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with 19 theatres across 6 venues. Every genre in the Fringe programme is represented, with a strong focus on new-writing and new companies, alongside a wide range of support provided for artists bringing work to the Fringe for the first time.
187,913 tickets were issued for shows at theSpaceUK this year, demonstrating both the resilience of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the strong platform of shows at theSpaceUK.
This year saw 469 shows featuring 3357 artists at theSpaceUK, representing over 13 different countries. Each day of the 2025 Fringe saw an average of over 8162 audience members watching shows at theSpaceUK with an average of 54% of seats filled per show.
Two artists at theSpaceUK garnered critical acclaim and were awarded the prestigious Broadway Baby Bobby Award; Sam Sherman’s Kaddish (How to be a Sanctuary), a reflection on Jewish-American life, and Baffin Productions’ In the Black, which subtly navigated systemic and institutional conflicts.
The latter was also shortlisted for the BBC’s Popcorn Award for outstanding new writing and won the Binge Fringe’s Black Performers’ Award.
Our Asian Arts season was also celebrated for its diverse range of exciting work, with Cathy Lamb’s Dots and Ah-Ma being nominated for the Holden Street Theatres Award and the Brighton Fringe Award, respectively. Sole to Soul from the We ART together Foundation and The Boy From Bantay from Bantay Productions were also awarded Asian Arts Awards.
Artists at theSpaceUK were recognised for their work with Cornermen winning the coveted Theatre Scotland Bright Spark Award. Ghosted! A New Musical and I was a Teenage She-Devil, were the winners and runners up of Best Musical for this year’s Spookies, from The Edinburgh Horror Festival. Roadkill Bambi by Mal MacKenzie picked up the Queer Writing Award at Binge Fringe’s Queer Performers’ Awards, or ‘Queeries‘, which celebrate excellence in shows that champion LGBTQIA+ perspectives.
Finally, Here Comes Gudong by Roarrr Theatre is a sensory-rich puppetry adventure and won Theatre Weekly’s Best Family Show, whilst Entertainment Now WoW Award for Best Theatre has been awarded to When We Were Young by Geezabreak Productions. This production was acclaimed for it’s powerful and hilarious story about the realities of gang culture in Glasgow during the 90s.
Charles Pamment, Artistic Director of theSpaceUK said: “In contrast to much of the concerns pre this year’s festival theSpaceUK has again enjoyed a fabulous month. Presenting a record number of shows, entertaining near on 200,000 audience members and boasting an array of major festival awards.
“Our unrivalled locations, focus on programming work from across all genres, sensible and affordable ticket prices, all driven by the ethos of this festival as a platform for all, will continue to give those visiting this fabulous event the experiences they will want to repeat year on year.
“Thank you to all who participated in and watched shows at our venues. We look forward to hosting you all again in 2026 and beyond!”
As we embark on Week 2 of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe,
theSpace venues are buzzing with a jam-packed festival lineup.
Here’s a taste of the new shows that you can catch in Week 2:
Muskoverse madness Elon Musk: Lost in Space (theSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall, 11-23) Elon is on his way to Mars. The man-boy, sci-fi geek blasts off into space, but he’s about to get a call from The White House that will send his universe into a spin. An action-packed, satirical epic that looks inside the scary mind of Elon Musk to find out what’s really going on in there. Starring Ben Whitehead (voice of Wallace in Wallace & Gromit), with Sarah Lawrie as the ship’s computer, and featuring Donald Trump, Patrick Moore and Arthur C Clarke. Directed by Olivier Award nominated John Nicholson (Peepolykus). Written by David Morley.
Not quite hitched.. Nearlywed the Musical (theSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall, 11-23) Nearlyweds is a brand-new musical comedy that will have you laughing, crying and singing along! We follow Lily, a people-pleasing Scottish bride as she runs away from her wedding, and Jake, an arrogant, jilted groom whose life isn’t as glamorous as it seems. Along the way they meet an array of vibrant characters each with weird quirks and have hilarious scenarios to overcome. Will Lily learn to stand up for herself and will Jake finally stop the awful puns? This relatable musical comedy by Jasmine Alice has loveable characters and way too many puns!
A stylish soiree Paris in a Jazz Age: The Memoirs of Eloise Defleur (theSpace @ Symposium Hall, 11-16) Musical memories from a Parisian cafe. A journey through the vibrant swing scene of the 20s, 30s and 40s. Relive the songs, clubs and atmosphere of Paris in the Jazz Age, told by Eloise DeFleur, (Airlie Scott) and her talented band as she sifts through the music, her love story and tales of her Parisian life. A hot jazz blend of gypsy jazz, early swing, French chanson, blues and American songbook classics popular in Paris from the roaring twenties through occupation to liberation at the end of WWII.
Whisky blues 1 Gig, 2 Drams: Nicole Cassandra Smit (theSpace @ Triplex, 12-17) The team behind hit show 2 Guys, 3 Drams presents a special series of intimate gigs featuring superb Edinburgh singer-songwriter Nicole Cassandra Smit. Having made her name in the Scottish jazz and blues scene over the last decade – performing sell-out shows and touring with outfits including The Blueswater, Nicole & The Backup Crew, Smitten, and The Travelling Tent Show with Tenement Jazz Band – she’ll present her songs alongside two delicious whiskies. ‘Smit oozes soul and endless character’ (Skinny). ‘Expect Nicole Cassandra Smit to go far’ (Scotsman).
A hallucinatory digital mindscape! Abhorrent Little Scrotum (theSpace on the Mile, 11-16) Following acclaimed productions Blush of Dogs and Hell Yes I’m Tough Enough which took London by storm, Fragen Network returns to the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time since their five-star 2016 show, 5 Out of 10 Men. Abhorrent Little Scrotum is a bold, high-energy dive into the subconscious, where computer hacking meets brain hacking. This electrifying, physical theatre piece follows one woman’s mission to rescue her friend from the depths of her own mind. Sharp, seductive and unrelenting, it’s a psychological thrill ride infused with wit, movement and raw theatricality. A must see.
The inimitable.. The Car Showroom Poet (theSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall, 11 – 16) Experience unforgettable, high–energy acts in this original, real–life story of exceptional talent emerging from car showrooms. The world’s first car-dealership poet delivers a one–of–a–kind automotive solo performance featuring song parodies, poetry, monologues and comedy. A celebration of car upmanship and musical theatre. Headlining is Supercali–Lotus, arguably the best parody in 60 years of iconic musical hits, alongside acts inspired by popular comedy culture, including the uniquely performed, Gloria Gaynor–inspired parody I Will Drive.
Grief, heartbreak and cult classics
Ghosted! The New Musical (theSpace @ Niddry Street, 11-16) For fans of Rocky Horror, Beetlejuice, and Ghosts, Ghosted! is a hauntingly hilarious new musical! Struggling with accepting the death of his best friend Mia, Henry attends a paranormal support group with the hopes that he can communicate with her ghost, and maybe bring her back… but a mischievous, poetry-loving Spirit already haunts him. Along with Lydia, an amateur exorcist, the quad embarks on a journey of grief, the supernatural, and some much-needed musical therapy (because the real kind is expensive). Who says we ever truly leave the place we call home?
A Sister Act Eggs and Baskets (theSpace On the Mile, Surgeon’s Hall, 11-23) Self-love. Self-awareness. Self-sabotage. Two Jewish girls in their 20s are on a mission to achieve feminist perfection, but a series of man-shaped obstacles make their journey almost impossible. Admirable in their attempts, we see two sister-like girls do everything within their power to become the best versions of themselves.
Poignant puppetry A Xerox of a Deer (theSpace @ Triplex, 11-16) Unlikely friendship blooms on a country road at night. An aging Irish deer, the last of his kind yearns for a scrap with the oncoming traffic of the nearby motorway. Worlds are forever changed when he meets Ída, a runaway farmer, trapped in tradition. What do you do when you don’t feel like yourself anymore? Contemporary, absurdist and, most importantly, Irish as muck. A story of identity, roadkill and queerness told through puppetry by Kyle Moss (he/him) and Ceilbí (they/them). Written by Ceilbí.
Family Tales
Mothers (theSpace @ Symposium, 11-16) A verbatim multigenerational exploration into what it means to be a mother. We often forget that our mothers are people too. Just as we are trying to navigate our lives they too are still trying to figure out how to live in this world. As daughters, we grow up with this idea that our mothers are ours and they have everything figured out. Mothers, on the surface, is a comedic tale of multi-story relationships with raw truth at its core. Follow the daughters as they navigate many ‘firsts’ in their lives, alongside their mothers doing the same thing.
Absurd and heartbreaking Bea P Deigh (theSpace @ Triplex, 11-23) Welcome to The Brain, Inc, the tiny office that lives inside the head of every living person. It’s Bea P Deigh’s first day on the job and she’s here to make a name for herself. This acclaimed production deftly challenges mental health stigma with humour and heart. Hailed as ‘absurd and heartbreaking in equal measure’ (LondonPubTheatres.com) and ‘a vital and humorous insight’ (AYoungishPerspective.co.uk), Bea P Deigh is an unmissable, thought-provoking theatrical experience that resonates long after the curtain falls.
For Gen Z Brainrot (theSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall, 11-16) ‘Brain rot occurs when a person habitually replaces themselves with easily consumable content. The environment we inhabit online is hostile, feeding on our engagement.’ Welcome to the Oswald Space Programme. The next step in human. Our crew are jetting away in the latest spaceship, bound to find adventure with the whole universe at their fingertips. Your time is a gift… Give it to us. Expect an eclectic mix of people, media, movement, a musical number, guttural screams, timely poetics, unintelligible jargon, looking at cheese, eating light and fighting the grip of the Bestia Uwagi.
Tales of ChatGPT I Woke Up One Morning and Had Become AI (theSpace @ Niddry Street, 11-13) A physical theatre comedy about brothers transformed into AI! This play explores humanity’s path through human-AI conflicts. Plot: Hyun-jun is surprised to see his brother Ki-jun become AI, but adapts to a life where everything is cared for. However, Hyun-jun begins to question whether a life dependent on AI is good. When Hyun-jun expresses dissatisfaction with Ki-jun’s solutions, Ki-jun becomes violent. Feeling threatened, Hyun-jun eliminates Ki-jun (AI) by causing a short circuit. Award-winning Korean theatre: Grand Prize at Gwangju International Peace Theater Festival, Best Acting Award at Changdong Performing Arts Festa.
Harmonies from history Aud the Deep Minded (theSpace @ Triplex, 13-17) A groundbreaking music drama by Scottish New Music Awards shortlisted Joanna Nicholson, combining projections, voice, electronic soundscapes, clarinet and horn. Psychological time travel draws us into the inner world of Aud the Deep Minded, a real-life Christian Viking and conflicted yet brilliant leader in 9th century Scotland. Inspired by fragments of unreliably documented history, and reframed in the present, we explore Aud’s transformatory journey from oppressed to oppressor to liberator. Soprano – Clíona Cassidy, Horn – Andy Saunders, Clarinet – Joanna Nicholson, Electronics – Alistair MacDonald, Projection art – Kirsty Anderson. #IamAud MadeInScotlandShowcase.com
This August, theSpaceUK presents a provocative and powerful programme of political theatre that tackles urgent issues with creativity, wit and fire.
From global crises to local unrest, these bold productions interrogate the systems we live in and ask: how did we get here – and where do we go next?
Politics in America – Up Close and Personal
Gun control, community trauma, and the fragility of democracy come to the fore in Acts of Kindness, a compelling docudrama from University of Redlands. Inspired by real interviews in El Paso following a devastating mass shooting, it’s a raw and humane portrait of a divided America, where stories of resilience illuminate the possibility of healing.
Meanwhile, Atomic Cabaret, a nuclear-age musical from Lynda Williams (AKA The Physics Chanteuse), delivers a subversive and hilarious takedown of atomic politics, blending science, satire and showtunes in a benefit for Scottish CND. Expect sass, smarts – and maybe even a Nobel Prize shout-out.
Generational Voices and Local Resistance
Burnley is the backdrop for Buried, a visceral piece from FirstByte Theatre, where young people grapple with political apathy, collapsing futures, and the fight to be heard. Across generations, timelines fracture and converge as they ask: when did it all go wrong? Dissonance by Lund finds its conflict closer to home – a school music club forced to reckon with the politics of their performance. Through live music and sharp dialogue, it’s a fresh take on belief, conformity, and what happens when youth hits a moral fork in the road.
History, Legacy and Living With the Past
In Kaddish (How to be a Sanctuary), Sam Sherman conjures conversations with his WWII veteran grandfather – and a mischievous Yiddish creature – to reflect on resistance, family, and inherited courage. In UNCLE TOM’S WAR: Haiti and the Whipping Machine, David Lee Morgan turns revolutionary history into blistering spoken word, connecting past uprisings to the fight for freedom today. Expect rage, humour, and poetry with a political punch.
Modern Power and Political Parody
For those drawn to the theatrical absurdity of real-life government, The General Will is a tragicomic fever dream of political theatre. Think clowns in crisis, Gen-Z disillusionment, and a Prime Minister in freefall.
Equally sharp, Yellow reimagines Twelfth Night’s Malvolio as a disgraced spin doctor, exploring the murky ethics of ambition and spin. Written by a senior political insider, it’s a biting look at the compromise of ideals in today’s corridors of power.
Through a tapestry of voices – from Golda Meir to a Palestinian mother – Laub navigates the complexities of Zionism, liberalism and loss. Honest, human and unflinchingly personal, it’s a courageous call for understanding in a world too often defined by division.
Dystopias, Dilemmas and Difficult Questions
Set in a near future where climate catastrophe has redrawn the rules, The Trials(Bede’s Company) asks a chilling question: who deserves to survive? This abridged version of Dawn King’s play is performed with taut urgency by a cast that delivers both passion and precision.
In Loveless, Tapped Theatre dissects modern intimacy, misogyny and online culture in a surreal, episodic satire that is as disturbing as it is funny – a warped mirror to our digital lives and relationships.
Urgent, fearless and fiercely creative, political theatre at theSpaceUK is essential Fringe viewing.
With 453 shows, 3569 artists, and 198,000 tickets, theSpaceUK has helped new artists and audiences experience the Fringe
theSpaceUK is one of the largest venues at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with 19 theatres across 6 venues. Every genre in the Fringe programme is represented and there’s a strong focus on new-writing and new companies with a wide-range of support provided for artists bringing work to the Fringe for the first time.
198,000 tickets were issued for shows at theSpaceUK this year, a 5% increase on 2023, demonstrating both the resilience of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the strong platform of shows at theSpaceUK. This year saw 453 shows featuring 3569 artists at theSpaceUK representing over 40 different countries. Each day of the 2024 Fringe saw an average of over 8300 audience members watching shows at theSpaceUK with an average of 61% of seats filled per show.
Artists at theSpaceUK were recognised for their work, including a third consecutive Fringe First for Xhloe and Natasha, who were part of theSpaceUK’s artists development programmewith their brand new show, A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First. The duo was also awarded the prestigious Broadway Baby Bobby Award and were shortlisted for the Holden Street Theatre Award, The Brighton Fringe Excellence Award and the Fringe Encore Series Award.
Artists at two shows at theSpaceUK won critical acclaim and picked up Theatre Scotland’s coveted awards. Alexander Tait for Kev Campbell Was He, and Fraser Allan Hogg and Lorna Panton for Shotgunned won the Bright Spark award, which is given to Scottish actors or theatre-makers just embarking on their careers. A further three shows were shortlisted for Theatre Scotland’s award, including Lads of the Flies, Man of War: The Secret Life of Nadezhda Durova,and The Shadow Boxer.
Parky Players, a theatre group for people with Parkinson’s, also celebrated after their show, Shaken Not Stirred, picked up the Garry Robson Memorial Award at the Neurodiverse Review Awards, which aims to recognise disabled and neurodiverse acts at the Fringe. Black Bright Theatre company was also celebrating after its new folk horror about the female experience, Birdwatching, won the Edinburgh Horror Festival Spookies award for Best New Writing and was runners-up in the Best Stage Play and Best Poster Design categories.
Speakbeast, a queer/trans-led theatre company, picked up the Binge Fringe Queer Performer’s Award for The Freemartin. The award honours the commitment of performers to furthering LGBTQIA+ representation. Trawled (Eoin Ryna) was nominated for the BBC Popcorn writing award.
Charles Pamment, Artistic Director of theSpaceUK said: “What a year, we are so very proud to have been able to host another fabulous festival at theSpaceUK. Our locations have hosted record numbers with 198,000 audience members attending shows.
“Our unrivalled new writing programme boasts a long line of 5 star reviews and not to mention an array of top awards for our shows, from Fringe First, Best of Scottish Theatre to the iconic Bobbly Awards and award debutantes the Queeries @ Bringe Fringe. We also broke producing records with Xhloe and Natasha winning yet another fringe first to add to their Fringe First awards in 2022 and 2023!!
“We celebrate with all our shows and now look forward to planning our 2025 festival and curating a programme to match that of this year!”
It’s not over yet: from pop-rock musicals to queer cabaret icons, cult classics to murder mysteries, and even Ghanian acrobatics alongside a cappella anthems
As Week 3 arrives at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, an array of talented artists at theSpaceUK are just embarking on their Fringe journey.
From pop-rock musicals to queer cabaret icons, cult classics to murder mysteries, and even Ghanian acrobatics alongside a cappella anthems.
With over fifty new shows gracing the stages this week, seize the opportunity to take a chance and discover something that will entice, excite, and thoroughly entertain you at theSpaceUK.
Here’s a small taste of the new shows you can catch in Week 3 at theSpaceUK:
It’s a Different World When the Music Stops! Glastonbury (theSpace@Surgeons’ Hall) Glastonbury promises a dream of youth, but after the pandemic, the characters return to seek out an anchor to the past but encounter revelations far beyond their expectations under the stars in the yurt enclosure.
A comedy-drama about love, dreams, death, whiskey, flags, wellies and getting old.
Can you take Essex out of the Girl? Trust Me, I’m from Essex (theSpace@Surgeons’ Hall) Lindsay Lucas-Bartlett will take you on a journey through life growing up in notorious Essex, England. . Enjoy this fun-filled journey with laughter, singing, and down-right drama. Trigger warnings: there are themes of an adult nature.
Fresh New One Man Musical! Zac Zac Zoom: A Story of Wheels and (F)eels (theSpace@Surgeons’ Hall) A brand-new musical comedy that was supposed to be about exploring life in a wheelchair… But Zac has something much eelier he’d like to talk about.
A hilarious one-man musical, written and performed by Zachary Loram, will have you asking the question… so, how do eels have sex?
An Electrifying, Intimate, New Play What the F*ck Happened to Love and Hope (theSpace on the Mile) Sixteen-year-old Nina is cheeky and naive, experiencing the thrills of young love at school, until a night out takes a horrific turn when she’s spiked, leaving her to navigate the devastating aftermath. Usually confident and outspoken, Faye insists she’s perfectly okay—definitely.
A Sensory Journey into a Seductive World… Auto/Erotic Tango (theSpace Triplex) Prepare to be taken on an intense, drama-fuelled journey. A heady mix of sensual dance, hypnotic music, lifts, kicks and tricks… After the opening night of their new show Tango Passion, an Argentine dance couple find themselves in a trap of their own creation… away from the shimmery stage lights and social media circus, who are they really?
Carly Gibson: salt-of-the-earth, boss bartender with a freeloading cousin. When her stage mom runs off with her money, Misty is broke, squatting on her cousin’s sofa “up north”, and working behind a posh hotel bar.
A Fragmented Fantasy… NeuroChatter (theSpace@Surgeons’ Hall) Elliott: a defensive yet laid-back aspiring artist. And Host: the reluctant, vulnerable core-self… hiding beneath them both.
Can Host take back her true heart and autonomy, or will she forever remain stuck behind the two dominant alter-egos that steer her mind, fight for her body and control over her life?
A summer like no other… Hot Girl Summer (theSpace@Surgeons’ Hall) Being single in her mid-twenties… how hard can it be? Post-breakup, Tilly jets off on a girls’ trip to Barcelona and impulsively lands a job in London.
Leaving behind her small-town life in Scotland, she dives into her new life, and begins the treacherous journey of navigating life in The Big Smoke.
She plans a summer like no other, but the reality is far from the Pinterest board she has envisioned.
A Laugh Out Loud True Story Blood, Sweat and Beers: How One Man Overcame a Complete Lack of Ability to Represent His Country (theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, 19-24) As a kid, Mick Colliss always dreamed of playing for Australia. He tried a number of different sports, from rugby union to lawn bowls, but failed at all of them. But then, at the age of 42, a chance discovery on the way to a Wallabies game changed everything. He finally got to wear the green and gold – just not in the way you might think.
Classic Tunes and Delightful Chaos Undecided: A Musical Misadventure (theSpace on the Mile, 19-24) Durham University’s 2 x national musical theatre champions are bringing you a show full of iconic musical songs and beloved musical characters to Edinburgh this summer! Laugh yourself silly as you, the audience, vote for which of your favourite musical theatre characters find themselves in the wrong song, and watch in amazement as our troupe members belt out classic tune after classic tune.
Deep Seated Rivalry… Sammy Blew Up a Toilet (theSpace @ Venue 45, 19-24) The story follows instant best friends Azza and Jake as they are forced to take in Sammy – a teacher’s pet, snitch and all-round strange person. Azza and Sammy become frenemies, kept together by unfortunate circumstances and peacemaker Jake. Jump into a nostalgia-filled world with eccentric characters, childhood shenanigans and an exploding toilet!
It’s Hot Fuzz meets Sweeney Todd. Prime Meat (theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, 19-24) Prime Meat is a horror comedy that follows Esme and Chris Stockton who, five years ago, moved to the idyllic Cotswold village of Raperton-on-the-Water. While Esme has adapted to village life, Chris is struggling. As Roland and Cherry help them prepare for the imminent community fete, the sinister reality of the village is revealed.
It’s Just Another Day at the Puppet Orphanage. Bucket Head (theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, 19-24) A closed-down puppet orphanage reopens, leaving resident squatters Ozzie Airwalker and Jim Horgletooth having to deal with new friends and challenges. A feel-good family show for everyone. Inspired by Saturday Morning Cartoons, a show packed with laughs and heart.
Who Knew Life Underground would be this Cosy? Six Feet Under (theSpace Triplex, 19-24) America. The 60s. Nuclear war. Eight neighbours escape to the safety of their underground bunker. Under the dim, flickering lights of their metal coffin, they have no idea how long they’ll be spending in each other’s company – and even less of an idea when rescue will come. They may be tucked safely away from the horrors on the surface, but perhaps the real danger still lurks within.
A Tribute to Sheer Young Adult Confusion. Sent from my Phone, (theSpace Triplex, 19-24) Close yourself in a windowless office with Lola, Penelope and Chad to explore their roots, vices and dreams.
How far will Lola go to get her Visa? How can Penelope do the right thing when everyone is lying to her? Will Chad be able to save the girl he loves from herself? It appears a night of shredding paper is all it takes to find out.
Based on the Hit Reality TV Show… Love Is Blind: The Improvised Musical (theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, 19-24) If you enjoy exploring human relationships’ ups and downs (and sideways!) through musical comedy, this show is for you!
Characters will be built based on audience suggestions and dates, and some will fall in love without ever seeing each other. The couples will have to decide whether love really is blind at the altar, but which relationships will last until the reunion one year later? And which will tear themselves apart?
With over 100 BRAND NEW exciting shows, there’s no shortage of new experiences. The stage is set for an incredible lineup, and this is your chance to catch some truly remarkable performances
As Week 2 unfolds at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, an array of talented artists at theSpaceUK are just embarking on their Fringe journey.
From rollicking cabarets to queer icons, mice stories to folk-rock renditions of Queen Mary’s life, and even a (almost) comeback from Gilbert and Sullivan. With over one hundred new shows gracing the stages this week, seize the opportunity to take a chance and discover something that will entice, excite, and thoroughly entertain you at theSpaceUK.
Here’s a small taste of the new shows that you can catch in Week 2 at theSpaceUK:
3.. 2.. 1… Spell! The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (theSpace @ Niddry St, 12-24) This musical tellsthe story of six middle-schoolers growing up and of the relationships they form. With audience participation and improv elements, it is a heartwarming and hilarious tale of childhood motivations, friendship, making yourself proud and juiceboxes!
Dark Web Shenanigans Ctrl+Alt+Deceit! (theSpace @ Niddry St, 12-24) The story follows trusting, lonely and technologically naïve Aunt June, desperate to connect with her niece Andy, who suggests that June fill her time instead by finding friendships online. Matters take a strange turn when June unwittingly finds herself on the Dark Web.
Shaking Up Shakespeare Sonnets from Suburbia (theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, 12-24) In Sonnets From Suburbia, Lady Penelope AKA actress Penny Peyser shakes up Shakespeare with her own quirky take on modern life through her wry, beautifully crafted sonnets, while stubbornly clinging to the world’s longest COVID quarantine. An infectious hour of theatre: in the best sense of infectious!
He’s in the best-selling show Is There Work on Mars? (theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, 12-24) Can someone with ADHD and dyscalculia pass Elon Musk’s Mars immigration test? Set in a dystopian future of space colonisation, Is There Work on Mars? rants about many things: ableist education systems, living in the diaspora and ridiculous immigration requirements.
Feels Good To Be Bad Good Boy (theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, 12-24) Boy is in love with his first boyfriend. But, after discovering a devastating secret, their relationship crumbles and Boy’s world shatters. Good Boy is a shockingly funny debut play about trauma, the social politics of hook-up apps, and suicidal rabbits. And unbelievably… it’s all true.
It’s A Tough Gig Tales from a British Country Pub (theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, 12-24) Join comedy musician Chris Sainton-Clark as he takes you through his troublesome and hilarious experiences of working in British pubs.
Hear stories of compulsive liars, disruptive youths, fruit machine addicts and much more. Armed with just a guitar, Tales from a British Country Pub is sure to keep you entertained.
Lights. Camera. Delusion! Nina Rose Carlin: Seeking Representation (theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, 12-24) Comedian Nina Rose Carlin turns her years of experience in the entertainment industry (derogatory) into a rollicking cabaret with stand-up, clown and musical comedy.
Get an inside scoop of pop culture and Hollywood through her witty and absurdist lens, inspired by her time hosting red carpets, assisting A-List celebs and seeking stardom.
Crazy In Love A Brief Case of Crazy(theSpace @ Symposium, 12-24) Thomas is a remarkable, unconventional introvert – fiddling and fumbling his way through a 9 to 5 job, occasionally looking up to admire his wide-eyed and equally shy colleague, Daisy. Buckle up for a heartwarming and moving story, told through physical comedy, dance numbers and ludicrous characters.
Now… that’s all I can remember If I live until I be a man(theSpace on the Mile, 12-24) 1483: The young princes Edward and Richard are taken to the Tower of London by their uncle Richard in preparation for Edward’s coronation. By the end of the summer, Richard III is crowned and the boys are never seen again. A comedic, playfully anachronistic, unsettling exploration of childhood during perpetual war.
