I'm about as excited at getting to revisit this place as I am doing the Fringe every year. Just off the Mile, this place does the best mash (choose your type) along with the most succulent meat (veggie options available) you could wish for.

Any other fans? Any other restaurants that are must gos for your Edinburgh trip?

Someone asked about how long everyone stayed at the Fringe and how many shows they saw, but I was thinking that it might be useful for future Fringe goers who might find this via Google to understand the cost of staying in Edinburgh, and the different types of accommodation that are available.

My partner and I spent eight nights at the Premier Inn Hub off the Royal Mile for about £250/night. We booked it at the beginning of February and chose to stay in a "bigger room" with a king bed, though we would have saved a few pounds by taking their standard room. Previously I'd stayed at the Travelodge near the Pleasance, which is a bit cheaper but lacks air conditioning (which might not be necessary to many people anyways but this time around we didn't want to be cranky and annoyed by poor sleep if there was a bit of a heat wave during the Fringe). From my experience at two Fringes, these two hotels are the cheapest in the Old Town during the Fringe and both are in decent condition.

I've wondered if you cut the number of shows to a third of what it is now and gathered the vast majority of shows (maybe excluding the industry showcase stuff, circuses, and top bill comedians) under a kind of day pass at a flat rate if that might not resolve some of the chaos, confusion, and overcharging. It's a festival after all, so what if the city approached it like one?

Let's say somewhere in the wide space of £50 - £80 gives an all-access ticket for one or two days of shows and maybe a steeper but manageable £150 for a full week or maybe even the full slate of the Fringe. You could use it on anything first come first serve, but because people would want to get their value from it, they'd take more chances on actual fringe performances. Venues and performers could have a profit sharing minimum with incentives on number of seats filled. And performers could still gladhand tips at the end of their shows.

Get there early, show them a wristband, see the show. Maybe you even get a modest discount at participating pubs with it.

As it is, every show feels like an expensive risk where you have to decide if it's really worth £20 after fees to see a clown or an alt comic or a one-man play. I found myself even living here several years feeling less motivated than ever to take epdenwice chances and even more just paralyzed by the sheer scope of shows with very little information available on them.

I collect photos of posters from the shows I saw each year - despite walking everywhere for a month I didn’t see a poster anywhere for this show - anyone got one they can share with me (could be that they just didn’t have one). It’s the only one I have missing from the 59
shows I saw 🙏🏻

I’m planning for my first trip to fringe next year. i wanted to hear peoples’ thoughts on how many days they spent and average # of shows per day they saw. What did you think of your trip? Too long? Too short?

I know Fringe is over, but if you didn't get the chance to see Esther or Shaparak while you were up there, they have a double bill show this month. Here's the details...

Saturday, 19 September, 7pm, The Free Association Theatre, London.

Get tickets here: https://www.thefreeassociation.co.uk/improv-comedy-shows/whats-on/esther-manito-shappi-khorsandi-double-bill

Arguably my favourite of the 20 or so shows I saw this year. An increasingly jaw-dropping story well told. I have to ask though, for anyone else that saw it, have you spent the last month thinking about who the comedian was that was messaging her? She leaves enough enticing breadcrumbs to follow (Taskmaster trophy, old enough to be selling a late 80's Ed Fringe jumper on eBay, friends with Stewart Lee and Phil Jupitus) and rather alarmingly, that it's someone who does this enough that their manager now has to intervene with a 'Sorry he does this...' stock apology. My partner and I still discuss it weeks later and have a couple of people in mind but curious if others left the show feeling like they had been given a detective mission and who they think it might be.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Edinburgh Fringe.

THE Fringe.

It sets my teeth on edge when performers (always from outside Scotland) refer to it as ‘Fringe’ and I’ve recently noticed more locals are now mirroring that language.

Might seem silly but I honestly think more needs to be done to ensure the correct terminology is being used. At best it’s ignorant and at worst disrespectful.

How are we all doing now it's over?

What legendary Fringe shows have extant recordings? Ideally, I’m thinking recordings of the show being performed during its original run at Fringe, like the YouTube clip of the original Taskmaster, but examples like The Darkness of Robins, Horndog, Nanette, and the Acaster quadrilogy would also be of interest.

Our fourth visit to the Fringe this year (24th-28th) and it was a good'un. We booked around half our shows before arriving in Edinburgh and half while we were there, with varying degrees of spontaneity. We arrived armed with a spreadsheet of shows we were interested in, which we added to as we heard new recommendations, saw reviews or got handed interesting flyers. We managed to get holds/returns for two sold-out shows (Badgers and Parasocial Activity) and found one sold-out show putting on an extra performance (Creepy Boys: Slugs).

We saw 33 shows over our 5 days, with a little trip into the Worst Record Covers exhibition (fun). It's our first year where I can confidently say I didn't find a single show we saw bad. 3* shows were ones which had great premises but didn't quite fulfil their potential or hype, were from performers we've loved in previous years but didn't quite hit this year (though shows in each of these categories had things we liked/loved about them), or shows which were simply "we had a nice and pleasant hour but possibly not particularly memorable".

Anyway, it's Bank Holiday Monday and I'm at home full of cold, so I have nothing better to do than make a Fringe Wrapped. Genres are taken from tags on the EdFringe website.

~

My 5* Shows (in the order I saw them)

Steve Burns: Alive
I didn't particularly grow up with Blue's Clues and I'm more aware of it from internet osmosis above anything else, but I still loved this show. It felt earnest, honest and intimate, and Steve Burns is a really compelling storyteller. A show no one else could create.

The Trials of Magnus Coffinkey
A complete revelation to us, especially as we chose to see this primarily out of convenience/timing. Enchanting and heartbreaking in equal measure, told by two compelling, very watchable, characterful performers. What they were able to create in such a tiny space felt intimate and vast all at once, and it was an extremely powerful experience.

Linus Karp Was Hit With An Umbrella
How do you make a show about hate crime funny? Somehow, they've managed it. While I've enjoyed previous Awkward Prods shows, this was a step above their others for me. It was well-balanced, genuinely funny, but the more personal and emotional tone elevated it for me. Mr Abigail, who seems to have a sign over his head saying "pick me for audience participation", was on stage during the final part of the show, and said it was a very affecting experience. Powerful without feeling forced or cheesy.

The Real Kyle McCarren
Another revelation for us this fringe. Some of my favourite music, and a show with a really gentle, delicate touch. Plenty of humour but also very emotional, and with a meta touch that worked for me. I almost cried at this one (the tears were on the edge but didn't fall), but it was the only show Mr Abigail cried at this year. I've just found out an EP exists of (some of?) the songs, and I'm looking forward to listening to them again already.

Turn Your F*cking Phones Off
Ever since we saw Nan, Me and Barbara Pravi a few years back, Hannah Maxwell has been on our list of "we'll see whatever they do next" performers. This was the quality I entirely expect from her at this point - intelligent, thought-provoking, angry, and yet full of warmth and care and humanity within the hellscape it's portraying. She's just reliably fantastic, and I will instantly book tickets to anything she does.

Bigfoot Ripped My Dog In Half I Saw It
We went to see ...Rodeo last year on a friend's recommendation, and enjoyed it but possibly found it a bit hard to process after seeing it very late in our Fringe. Still, Xhloe and Natasha are impressive enough that I absolutely wanted to give them another go, and this was fantastic. More of a clear narrative than ...Rodeo but with the same impressive physicality and energy. I was gripped the entire time, and loved the world that the two of them created so clearly.

Tether
This was exactly my thing on paper and it lived up to all my expectations. Joyous and beautiful, with some fantastic music. A really wonderful atmosphere. While I'd find it hard to pick out just one favourite performance from all of what we saw, Hyeon-kyu Choi would definitely be up there. Really enjoyed the blending of worlds and languages in this as well. It felt so natural.

Campitalism: Three Gays Try To Fix The Economy
Hannah Maxwell if she'd taken a load of cocaine. A really strong balance of satire, comedy and heart. Some of my biggest laughs this entire Fringe, while also making salient points about class, money, and the systems that control them. The performers had such great command of the energy in the room, and knowing how to take it up and bring it back down again where necessary.

Trans People Are Awful
I think Ros Watt may have earned themselves a place on the "we'll see whatever they do next" list with this one. Dark, macabre, visceral and thoroughly compelling. Watching them move around the tiny, tiny space in Bunker One was mesmerising. It's also an extremely well-written piece, moving from the initial heightened scenario to come crashing down to Earth about two-thirds of the way through to reach a surprisingly emotional conclusion. The hype for this was really well-earned.

~

My 4* Shows (in the order I saw them, with less description)

• Dune! The Musical - a great performer with well-written music (Mr Abigail, who loves Dune, gave this 5*)
• Legendary - really lovely, community-building show that felt personal and intimate
• Monks - deeply silly and a lot of fun
• Redacted: The Cover Up of a Cover Up of a Cover Up - impressive physical theatre and at least one of my favourite jokes of the year
• David Elms Describes A Room - playful, gentle, full of joy
• Andrew Doherty: Reviewers Welcome...To Die! - heightened horror-comedy from a performer with boundless energy
• Badgers - atmospheric, excellent music, thoughtfully put-together
• Parasocial Activity - a really compelling performer, Mr Abigail compared the show to Inside No 9 and I can understand why, loved the twists and turns it took (Mr Abigail also gave this one 5*)
• Man Sings The Same Song Over And Over Again For An Hour -exactly what it says on the tin, an hour of delightful silliness
• Creepy Boys: Slugs - probably the show we've talked about most since, one I had to sleep on but ultimately I was totally taken along by it
• Morning Sauna Rave - a unique experience with some great music, a fun way to start the day
• Tim Vine: Sillypun Valley - the excruciating and hilarious puns you expect from Tim Vine
• Gianmarco Soresi: Theater Adult - one for the theatre kids (I am one, so it was for me, and me specifically)
• Bróccán Tyzack-Carlin: Good News! It's Been Destroyed! - great comedy and justified rage from a charismatic performer
• ArounD the WorlD in 80 ToyS - charming, whimsical, playful, inventive
• One Man Musical - a fun end to our Fringe with catchy music and excellent lead performer

I had a brilliant second year at the Fringe. From last year, I knew I loved clowns and I sought out recommendations and shows that were getting buzz. I wish I could have seen some more morning/daytime shows, but we were limited by my partner having jetlag. I love clowns, theatre, and music, and I’m not a huge fan of improv or standup. With that in mind, please check out my reviews and take everything with a grain of salt - I'm not a professional reviewer or in the industry.

Monday 24 August
Harvey Cobb: Pink Boots and an Alcoholic Sock Puppet ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Surprisingly polished and very funny clown/juggling show. He did some cool stuff with gumboots that I’d never seen before, and he had some very funny set-ups and pay-offs with props. The crowd really got into it and the vibe in the room was great. I think he should keep leaning into the weirder stuff in his set.

Best of Cabaret 2026 ⭐⭐⭐
Hit and miss, with Tyler Korso being a standout hit (magic/standup). Jerry Can was also a standout burlesque performer. There was a performer who did erotic poetry who was sitting on a balcony above the audience when she wasn’t in the show, and she talked the whole time! I thought it was really disrespectful and distracting for her to be talking over other people’s acts.

Baby Wants Candy ⭐⭐⭐
Impressive music and improv if you’re into that kind of thing. There seemed to be some tension between some of the performers which made me feel a little awkward (i.e., one performer clearly shooting down what the others were trying to do). Chris Grace was a standout singer and very funny improviser.

Tuesday 25 August
Darkfield: Coma ⭐⭐
This is my fourth Darkfield experience and they just keep getting worse. My first one was Flight and that remains the best. It was cool to lie down and take a pill, but the story and writing was way too confusing. Were we supposed to be in a coma or not? What was happening when we were blasted with air? It doesn’t help immersion when you’re just trying to figure out what’s happening.

Chris Grace: 88% ⭐⭐⭐
Good standup, but I feel like he never really came to a conclusion about the central conceit of the show (i.e. can you be friends with people who you don’t completely agree with?). He did talk about it a lot, but his conclusion was a bit vague.

Fly, You Fools! ⭐
Not my thing. Basically a shot-for-shot remake of The Fellowship of the Ring with silly voices and live foley effects. My partner loved it, so this is very much down to individual taste.

Wednesday 26 August 
The Sumo Show HIRAKUZA ⭐⭐⭐
Started off super serious, which made it a bit awkward and created a bit of tension in the room. When they broke the tension with an announcer and the sumo wrestlers hammed it up a bit, it was much more enjoyable. Great sumo performers.

Viggo Venn: Only One ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Amazing clowning in the vein of Charlie Chaplin. We sat in the front row and got super involved in the show (lots of audience participation). I read another review which said the show ends with a divorce and Viggo being a single dad - ours did not. It finished with the birth of his little hi-vis child, which was a nice high to end on.

Stamptown ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I love Stamptown. Mr Cardboard was the breakout star of the night and kept things very fresh. Donna Carnow is an INCREDIBLE aerial pole artist.
I saw them last year and it did feel like things are a bit more slick and polished this year - it started on time, it didn’t run over, and the stage collected way less crap on it. It also felt like they didn’t let bits run on and on to excess (I loved it when they keep things going for an absurdly long time, like last year when two performers spent the entirety of the song “Cat’s in the Cradle” tossing a football back and forth), which probably added to the slightly less chaotic feel. Jack Tucker did an amazing job performing in the round, but some of the other performers were clearly more used to performing to the front. I reckon they could try for the Pleasance Grand next year.

Thursday 27 August
Jill's Tupperware Party ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Immersive comedy with horror/cult elements (nothing genuinely scary). The performers in this show were so good. I really felt like I was a part of it, and there are some very funny lines and moments. 
I think they may slightly be victims of their own success - the audience participation would have felt more intimate had there been fewer people in the room, but as it was, the room was absolutely packed. I look forward to seeing what they do next.

Man Sings The Same Song Over And Over Again For An Hour ⭐⭐⭐
Slightly overhyped. It certainly had its funny moments, but I wish he had just pushed things a little further (e.g. full nudity, making an audience member sing the whole song). He was playful, but I wanted him to play more with the audience. It sagged a bit in the middle (he sings the song as if he’s exhausted, which really brings the energy down) but then perks up again at the end.

Garry Starr: Classic Penguins ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genius. Silly, playful, funny performance and jokes. Really good pacing as well. Would definitely see him again.

Friday 28 August
Acts of Contrition ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Great drag/theatre from Scotland-born Bonnie Oui Laddie. Very touching at some parts and inspired empathy in me. They did a lot with costumes, music, and lighting cues, which is awesome to see for a small show.
 
Bernie Dieter's Club Kabarett ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Great burlesque, fire-eating, contortionists. Gorgeous costumes and lots of costume changes, which I love. However, some of Bernie Dieter’s songs can feel a little self-indulgent if you’re not totally on board.

Sophie's Surprise 29th ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Brilliant like last year. Very funny and lighthearted acrobatic/circus performance. Can’t wait to see what they do next.

I wish I could have seen:
The Passion of Mr Cardboard
Giuseppe’s Love Quest
Hole

Last day of the fridge.

Edinburgh feels like it has a massive hangover. Shops have been theatres, cafes turned into art exhibitions and the streets full of performance.

Local residents can now relax a little as they breathe in the public spaces that are quieter.

Here's to goodbye..until next year ofcourse.

I couldn’t follow through and thought it was a comedy. Would love someone to give some analysis please?

Ok, I see a lot of conversations on ticket prices going up and what a disaster that is. The majority of the artists are struggling to get anywhere close to break even from their cut of an 16+ quid ticket and if punters are balking at that cost then I think maybe we should reset expectations - IMO the fringe experience is MEANT to be something that we as audience give of ourselves to take part of. It's not like buying a big mac where the goal is maximum value for money - we are meant to giving to some amount of pain to take a chance on an experience we find uniquely edifying and illuminating that also rewards the artists right ? So when people bemoan the ticket cost ( attendance and accomodations a different issue ) - as not being value for money that is just absolute bananas to me when taken to an extreme. Aren't we all making a gesture to support art the best we can with the means available to us and finding ways to make money work if we really want to attend ? Eg I routinely got 3.49 quid tesco meal deals so I could have more cash for show tickets and take more chances. I walked everywhere instead of taking cab or bus.. etc..i am no martyr and I assume everyone has their own version of this !

I looked through my tickets this year which range roughly from 11 to 18 bucks let's take median of around 15 quid. That is literally the cost of 2.5 pints ( or fancy coffees), and I notice people quite happily chugging back hella pints. That's about the cost for some cheap fish and chips, and way less than sit down meal. Much less than west end show, a bit more than the cost of going to the movies, but this is often someone creating something unique and bespoke at great cost - financial and creative - to themselves ! Shouldn't we find ways to embrace that? I mean what a set of experiences we get to have !

In addition, we ALL know costs are going up due to inflation for everyone and everything, why is it a surprise that's not so for show prices also? That said transparency around the artist cut per show would be amazingly edifying for people to see i think. I definitely noticed a bit of a rise this year but not the 30% people seem to be mentioning as average -- I looked back at my shows from 2025 and there are a lot of 13s, 17.50s, some 18s and 20s, this year there are 14.59s, 14.50s perhaps more at higher band but nothing bananas.

The fringe is a charity unlike other ticket aggregators like ticketmaster they could easily augment their platform to allow tipping or post show contributions for performers no - or the ability for us to pay for a ticket for someone else who really cannot actually afford ? If we really loved a show why can't the platform find a way to direct funds we might want to share directly to the artist ? ( Or via some sort of venue revenue share so over time this doesn't get gamed). I absolutely would do this..I can see some artists trying to got the merch route as a way to try and get some revenue - just like touring musicians. But just like touring musicians I don't always want merch I'd love to find a way to tip the (smaller) artists whose work I have appreciated. Kind of like the pay what you want into the bucket at monkey barrel, or pay it forward at shedinburgh, but across the entire fringe. The fringe society could facilitate that if they wanted.

Is this all madness ?

In short, I think 1) as attendees I wonder if we are being as considerate to cost of performance as we could be in rewarding that with our $ relative to other things, 2) when we love something is there a way to reward the artist, and 3) for those that wish tia attend and truly lack the means can those of use who might be able to help also have a mechanism to do so ? Both these latter ideas could be implemented in fringe app by the non profit fringe entity.

It's the last night! And I'm thinking there's probably something a bit unique going on somewhere. Like any street parties, impromptu celebrations...? Or anything - my minds wide open!

Overlapping times, so you have to choose one. Both at Gilded Balloon Patterhouse (Chambers Street). If you're local, Postcode Pals may apply and give you cheaper tickets via the Gilded Balloon site.

https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/no-refunds Gorgeous gameshow with your charismatic Cvnty nominated host, Tiffany Gold. Fun audience participation, very sweet and silly, wonderfully quick-witted performer.

https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/good-girl is a one-woman sex-positive drama about self esteem, empowerment and kink. Absolutely captivating and nuanced autobiographical show. So sincere, funny and insightful.

Been coming for 4 years. Just what I thoughts based on my observation I'm in no position to change anything so it's just my naive ideal.

1. Really need to set a cap on this. The spike in prices this year is outrageous. I think there is more than a 30% increase. Free shows are asking for £10 donation as the norm compare to £5 just last year. That apply to accomodation as well.

A few acts has mentioned that they will be priced out and not able to come im future if the trend continue. To let the fringe continue to be a thing for everyone but not the top x%. They really need to fix this. I dunno how.

Although I'm presently surpised to see the food prices hasnt been applied "festival" tax on top of already expensive prices.

1. I think the "big name", or just general popular show is too densely located on the old town area - Uni of Edinburgh, Cowgate and Royal Mile It's convenient for people who wanna go to all these big named ones but does mean shows placed in the new town bit or further out to haymarket are less convenient and placed in a lower priority when considering the schedule.

It might also contribute to the fact that Underbelly, Pleasance and Monkey Barrels etc, continue hold more power and they can just raise their price easier.

And there are great venues in the new towns too just the acts were less popular.

1. I know the spirits of the fringe is no discrimination and no vetting so everyone can perform, but honestly I dont think we need like 100 compilation shows / "games" show with weak premises everyday. I went to 3, and they were......bad. That's just me, maybe some people like them.

2. Ushers - bruh, stop pushing people into less desirable seats when there are clearly better center seats. I get that you are just following orders. It happens multiple time when people get shoved into the corners, when there are actually more centered seats. Usher said "ah we have to fill the corner so everyone can get in." But then those people said they wanna change and you have to let them anyway. What's the point?

I saw one of the show in Pleasance that the people are first shoved in the front few rows. But then people realize there were like 10 more empty rows at the back and just moved to the back and gave the ushers some looks.

I know most of you dont get paid well or not paid at all to care but just apply some common sense.

1. I also think venues filling up seats with non-paying punters when the there were people who bought tickets are bullshit. Lots of tourists might not be entirely clear where your venues are with all your stupid non-location-specific name and went to a different one. By the time they got to you you've let some punters in and not let people who have tickets in. But apparently it's the norm. I bet it wouldnt be the norm for shows that are not full either way.

That's it. So just my wishes and rants. I'll still come next year nonetheless but probably spend less time if it continue to be more and more expensive.

Honestly one of the greatest things i’ve ever seen, incredible performances from the cast who give it 100% from the second the show stars.

It’s a show about a group of mates who get made redundant and host a rave in an abandoned Toys R Us warehouse. It’s hilarious it’s heartwarming and it just leaves you so full of love. It’s got immersive elements but you can also 100% just sit back and enjoy it in your own way! It’s their last show tonight so try and catch if you can! One of the best things i’ve seen at Fringe in my 10 years of going

I haven't put much effort into enthusing about my favourite shows so far as they've been very well attended anyway, but I stumbled upon a free poetry show whilst looking for something to do between a couple of comedy clown shows and a gig. I'm not generally one for poetry shows, but it ended up being the perfect way to relax after the intensity of John Robertson and Paul Currie. My only regret is that I didn't see it earlier so it that I could encourage more people to see it but hopefully this post can help him get a good crowd for his final show.

It was so beautiful! Panagiotis Skoutelis certainly has a way with words. The way he weaves his creative desire for myth making with scientific knowledge is awe-inspiring. He takes us from the creation of the Universe to the forces involved in stubbing your toe, showing the connections that link everything together. Not one to let a good story get in the way of facts, he notes that he welcomes feedback from experts and has often adapted his poems to better fit reality. As an astronomer, I certainly found it hard to find faults in his myths so I can certainly believe this. His delivery is heartwarming and the 'ancient tome' he reads from is a lovely touch.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I spent 23rd - 26th August in Edinburgh and decided to write some capsule reviews of what I saw - primarily as a device to help me engage with and retain the material I saw, beyond the door of the venue. Unfortunately - besides the shows I watched on Sunday 23rd, which i made a separate post for the day after - it's taken me a bit longer to get around to it than I'd hoped. Here are my reviews from Monday 24th:

Mike Rice: Testing Horrible New Material: WIP - I generally won't say too much about the WIP's I attended. Due to the very early hour, I had time to catch Mike's show twice whilst in Edinburgh. There is already a fully-fleshed, coherent show in here. If not for the occasional checking of his notebook, you'd be hard pushed to tell the difference. It speaks volumes that Mike was able to sell out a full month of 11:20 WIPs in advance. His fanbase is only likely to grow in the next 12 months and I can see this being a hot ticket in a bigger room next year.

Tamsyn Kelly: Rat's Ass - Had to check this out after taking a chance on Tamsyn's show last year and enjoying it so much. This was an exploration of what it takes to make a living in the arts as a truly working class person - the insecurity, compromises and sometimes less than appealing choices that have to be made to retain an income stream. It's all treated very matter-of-fact - no real anger or bitterness. A very likeable performer.

Alfie Brown: The Entertainer - Alfie's Open Hearted Human Enquiry was possibly my favourite show of 2024. This is another hit. Fans of Stewart Lee's haughty, playfully condescending stage persona would also enjoy Alfie. Plenty of indignant dissection of his own material for the audience. The general premise finds Alfie struggling with making a commercially viable long-form piece of art in a world of algorithmically optimised short-form content. Always original, Alfie even plough out a unique angle on Donald Trump. I wish I had written about this show sooner after watching it as there were a lot of layers here.

Paul Foot: The Future - Another sparkling, sensitive show from Mr Foot. So happy this got awards recognition. Started with some gently off-beat observational material, which soon snowballed into frantic surrealism as said observations were taken to their farcical extremes. This show also contains - what I thought was - a allegorical nod to Paul's anxieties about following up the late-career acclaim and success of Dissolve. Ends on a very personal note containing a very, very fragile message of hope for the future (per the title). A well constructed show for those willing to give it their attention. Was very grateful that a group of drunk, disruptive patrons removed themselves from the front row early on.

Stamptown: What needs said? My first Stamptown and it won't be my last. I could watch this every night quite happily. Jack Tucker is an all-time comedy creation. The elated mood was boosted by this taking place on the night of their Netflix premiere. Pure, rowdy and joyful. Mr Cardboard stole the show but other guests, including Viggo Venn and Frankie McNair tore the house down. The circus / cabaret type performers were all incredible too.

Ok - some quick notes on this year's trip to Fringe ahead of the last day in case any tickets remain, and just to put out here in case there's a chance to see the artists somewhere else. So many wonderful shows and experiences, each year I am blown away by the risk, creativity and sheer generosity of spirit, the Fringe is a beautiful thing. Everything below is wonderful and I would unequivocally recommend any of these shows.

( I left off some I'd rated below 4 not because they were bad - none were ! - but for whatever reason they did not resonate with me as much - but I am sure will with others. I saw 44 shows, and 34 of those I listed below and would rank 4 or above )

5 / 5   (12 shows)

Bog Witch https://www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/bog-witch Traverse 1

Wonderfully constructed and staged, Bryony Kimmings is a confident performer and has constructed a beautiful story out of layers of personal trauma, isolation and yes wonder, while keeping the joy and humor central, observations of country life, dissocation of modern life, search for meaning. Resolves wonderfully and is split into seasons naturally with none of the stagings feeling forced.

Surreally Good https://festival.summerhallarts.co.uk/events/surreally-good/ Summerhall, Former Women's Locker Room

This is a gem of a show, Scott Turnbull performs as the last in a long line of edutainment educators from the Turnbull line with his overhead projector, some absolutely whimsical and breathtaking vignettes, perfectly paced and staged, pauses when it needs to with some lovely gentle interaction, with a meta commentary to tie it all together about corporate takeover. Wonderful.

Frankie Thompson: Horrible Things https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/frankie-thompson-horrible-things Pleasance Courtyard

I think Thompson is well known by this point, but for those uninitiated, just go - quality clowning, mime, humour, some wonderfully surreal subjects of horror, a setlist of subjects that's absolutely wild, when she choose a subject to tackle she absolutely commits to the madness, I hesitate to call out the horrible things, but you will be amazed, surprised and enchanted - tremendously charismatic performer, the audience is dragged into the obsessions with great joy.

"Be Good!" with Paulette https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/be-good-with-paulette Pleasance

Spectacularly unexpected clowning performance, this more than most shows has stuck with me for the absolutele commitment to the conceit of being a person confronted with a room, and people with whom he has a fear of interacting but together he will teach us all 'how to human'. Like several of my favourite shows, he absolutely commits to the role and we are brought along to the magical conceit. No real staging or props to mention, it's just the performer, the room and us but this is so mo much more than enough. Beautiful.

Harriet Richardson: Creep https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/harriet-richardson-creep Pleasance Courtyard, Below

I managed to get a last minute ticket to this show of obsession, the nature and shape of performance & art, and how these all intersect with life, for a first show(!) Richardson is a seasoned performer this show is whipsmart, shocking, self-depreactaing and revelatory in surprising ways. At its heart lies a real warmth for the human condition in amidst the considerable trauma you sense Richardson is curious and wise and enriches the lives of those she interacts with. And as an audience member we get to benefit from that generosity of spirit. Thoughtful & wise.

I Am Johnny https://festival.summerhallarts.co.uk/events/i-am-johnny/ Summerhall

This is a remarkable performance of vulnerability, rap, poetry, masculinity, drag, mints, sensitivity - funny and enriching, ultimately thought-provoking dive into isolation, sensitivity, what it is to be male. I loved this show, wish it were more broadly lauded, like Surreally good and Laughing out Lonely.

Man Sings the Same Song Over and Over Again for an Hour https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/man-sings-the-same-song-over-and-over-again-for-an-hour Summerhall, Red Lecture Theatre

Ok, well it's all in the title. And it was wonderful, enriching, community affirming, joyful, absurd & magnificent.

Laughing Out Lonely https://festival.summerhallarts.co.uk/events/laughing-out-lonely/ Summerhall

A beautiful and sensitve show about social vulnerability amongst the young, staged absolutely delicately with audience and performer entertwined - an astonishing performance from a wonderful opera singer who moves amongst us and the venue as the narrative unfolds. Touching, the space as designed gives US space as audience to take in what is happening and ultimately returns us to where we started, but changed. Lovely.

EVITA TOO https://sohotheatre.com/events/sht-theatre-evita-too-2/ ZOO Southside

Sh!t Theater are outstanding, I don't know what more to say here other than they are astonishly wonderful performers, crafters of rich and compelling narrative and masters at community engagement and vulnerability. Loved this and their Shedinburgh WIP, they are a unique company, I'll gladly see anything they make.

Adam Riches: The Captain https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/adam-riches-the-captain Summerhall

Rousing performance which speaks of the first man to swim the channel, participatory, joyful - Riches is a charismatic presence who engages the audience in this extraordinary story of a time and life lived to the full. Wonderful

Sh!t Theatre: Echo Echo Beach (WIP) https://bookings.shedinburgh.com/event/9854:65/ Shedinburgh, Assembly Checkpoint

Ok this was such a pleasant surprise - an incredibly far advanced WIP for a new Sh!t show very loosely based around the life of the song by Martha and the Muffins, but of course about so much more - the performers, nature of perfomance and a name, process of creation. I'd previously seen Evita TOO which is an infinitely bigger production so was super happy to see this cut down performance that was just as captivating if not more so. They manage to cram so much interesting material into their work and always perform with such gusto.

FORIEGNER https://festival.summerhallarts.co.uk/events/foriegner/ Summerhall

You will not forget this show, uncomfortable clowning, extreme positions, commentary on intent, shock, endless coughing, sadness, pure abstract surrealism, it's not for the feint of the heart but this feels like the sort of experience that I think is essential to feel human and not just. Sated.

4.75 / 5   (9 shows)

Turn Your F*cking Phones Off https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/turn-your-f-cking-phones-off Summerhall, Former Gent's Locker Room

Confidently performed, touching, personal show about where society is headed and how we are being fed and choosing to be fed siloing information that keeps us apart, and how we need to find a means to choose to not take that path, all tied up in a meta spy story with karaoke. Energizing and Terriffic.

Lions https://festival.summerhallarts.co.uk/events/lions/ Summerhall, Tech Cube Zero

The two performers lost their fathers so why not stage a show that has them sort of at least visually inhabit those roles and deconstruct their legacies - two wonderful clowning performances celebrating lives lived, the mysteries of those lifes, what one is left with, what one takes - how one celebrates with wonder. Funny and respectful, a mystery with an undercurrent of sadness upon revelation, a reflection of lives and the experiences.

Sam Eley is Basil Crumbwick: Soul Sewage https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/sam-eley-is-basil-crumbwick-soul-sewage Monkey Barrel 1

OK. This is Sam Eley with a big papier mache head on exploring wild surreal ideas on the nature of (his) experience and how the world is not like the good old tory boy days that Crumbwick remembers, and how excellent he is at everything he tries. Perfect. He has written a wonderful self help book, and has a major beef with his neighbor Beverley - all gloriously explored - he is more than happy to take an idea so far and weird example in how much he wants to befriend the binman. The birth of a wonderful comic persona.

Jitters https://festival.summerhallarts.co.uk/events/jitters/ Summerhall, Old Lab

Britney the sketch duo do a theatre piece on wedding jitters, I won't mention the relationship between the characters but will say they have a remarkable ease and chemistry in constructing the unusual story so that one goes along happily with the conceit, the denouement is surprisingly tender and sad and open.

Britney: Holy Mackerel! https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/britney-holy-mackerel Pleasance Courtyard

Britney doing sketches ! Exceptional. They are masters at the sketch form which doesn't seem to be so common at least in the fringe i saw this year. A series of interconnected short pieces. Wonderfully resolved conclusions.

Elf Lyons is The Woman on the Edge https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/elf-lyons-is-the-woman-on-the-edge Pleasance Courtyard

This is my first time seeing Lyons! The show is such a well designed exploration of breakup, trauma, and apollo 13 filled with clowning, mime, song, jokes and revelation - its hard to describe as it so many different things, but Lyons is an absolutely exceptional stage presence, captivating and comfortable, she takes the audience on a journey whose intensity increases to a stirring conclusion.

To Be A Bat (WIP) Shedinburgh, Assembly Checkpoint

Puttana Summerhall

Lorna Rose Treen: Now That's What I Call Characters Pleasance Courtyard

4.5 / 5   (7 shows)

Rodeo Monkey Barrell(venue?)

Baby Everything Summerhall

Andrew Doherty: Reviewers Welcome... TO DIE! Pleasance Courtyard

Lorna Rose Treen (WIP) Shedinburgh, Assembly Checkpoint

Badgers Traverse 2

A Ghost in the Throat (WIP) Shedinburgh, Assembly Checkpoint

Dracula: Lucy's Dream Pleasance at EICC

4.25 / 5   (1 show)

For Dolores Traverse 2

4 / 5   (5 shows)

The Plot Summerhall

Olga Koch: Fat Tom Cruise Pleasance Courtyard, Forth

corto.alto EIF, The Hub

The Provocateurs: I Like Big Peaks / Pax Physica The Stand 3 & 4

Tell Me Summerhall, Dissection Room

Still thinking about it

Handle with Care ZOO Southside