The Edinburgh Festival Fringe returns on Friday, enticing thousands of artists and hundreds of thousands of punters to the Scottish capital for a 25-day celebration of live performance. From pertinent political plays to laugh-a-minute stand-up comedy via clowning, cabaret and physical theatre, there is something for everyone. And in true Fringe fashion, thereâll be plenty of unboxable, indescribable late-night weirdness thatâll leave you wondering what on earth you just saw.
This year, the festival is launching an exciting new venue, Shedinburgh, pioneered by award-winning Fleabag and Baby Reindeer producer Francesca Moody. Here, audiences will be able to catch one-night-only revivals from Fringe favourites including Sh!t Theatre, Haley McGee, and Marcelo Dos Santos, as well as new writing and talks from the likes of Six the musical writers Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss.
Elsewhere, expect to see Shakespeare stretched into intriguing new forms: Macbeth becomes a musical, a multi-sensory show for tots and even anetball match, while King Lear inspires a dementia-riddled memory play and the world of Hamlet is explored through polyphonic singing.
There are some notable absences though, including Paines Ploughâs pop-up venue Roundabout, which is usually a must-visit. But the company is still bringing up two new works, Consumed and Ordinary Decent Criminal, more on which below.
Almost 3,900 items have been added to the programme so far â from newbies staging their debut shows to household names, like Nish Kumar, unveiling new material, and plenty in between.
For acts still finding their feet, thereâs hope a successful run in Edinburgh will help them book a tour, secure sponsorship and in the crème de la crème of cases, even catapult their offering to the realms of wider public consciousness.
What unites them all is a desire to see you in the audience. But which billings should you make a beeline for? And whose appearance is particularly significant this year? Here are some of the shows that sound most promising.
Andrew Doherty: Sad Gay AIDS Play
He used to be half of a comedy duo with One Day star Ambika Mod, and had success at last yearâs Fringe with his first solo show Gay Witch Sex Cult, now Andrew Doherty returns to Edinburgh with a new play about AIDS that promises to straddle both comedy and horror.
8.30pm, 10 Dome at Pleasance Dome, to 24 Aug
Desiree Burch: The Golden Wrath
Before TV stole her away, Desiree Burch was a stand-up comedian peddling the fringe circuit. Fortunately, the 2015 Funny Women Award-winner remains loyal to the stage, and has found the time to create a new show tackling menopause, spirituality, nationality and death â all with her signature brand of honest, relatable humour.
5.40pm, Monkey Barrel 3, to 10 Aug
Rosie OâDonnell: Common Knowledge
Trump may hate to see razor-sharp comedian Rosie OâDonnell coming (the two are notoriously engaged in a feud spanning two decades that has led to OâDonnell moving to Ireland and the president threatening to revoke her US citizenship), but audiences will no doubt be flocking to see the winner of multiple Emmys and a Tony Award make her Edinburgh Fringe debut.
8.45pm, Orchard at Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower, to 10 Aug
Mr Chonkers
From what we can glean, comedian John Norrisâs alter ego Mr Chonkers is a little like an unhinged Ted Lasso figure, with a blundering, bizarre joie de vivre fit to delight the late-night crowd. The US-based clown and patron of absurdist comedy is involved with a further three shows too, meaning plenty of opportunities to check him out.
10.15pm, Anatomy Lecture Theatre at Summerhall, to 24 Aug (not 11, 18)
Rhys Darby: The Legend Returns
You might not have seen Kiwi comic Rhys Darby live before â itâs been 13 years since his last stand-up show â but youâll probably be familiar with his work from TVâs Flight of the Conchords and Our Flag Means Death. Time to join the dots together, as Darby returns to the Fringe with a show about trying to stay relevant now heâs a dad with too-tight jeans.
9.20pm, Grand at Pleasance Courtyard, to 10 Aug
Jacqueline Novak
Jacqueline Novakâs last show, the fellatio-musing Get On Your Knees, was a critically acclaimed stage hit turned Emmy-nominated Netflix special. But it originated at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe under the title How Embarrassing for Her, and itâs here the now celebrated US comedian returns with all-new material, in which she shares her theory for everything, while chasing something out of reach.
5pm, Monkey Barrel 4, to 23 Aug (not 12, 19)
Kim Blythe: Cowboy
Part of a fresh wave of Scottish comedians (see also Amanda Dwyer and Chris Thorburn) Kim Blythe has built a loyal online following with her light-hearted list-based skits (sheâs divided all sorts of things into their gay and straight counterparts). Last year, she made her Fringe debut with Might As Well, and this year sheâs back with Cowboy, a show about winging it.
7.30pm, Other Yin at Gilded Balloon Patter House, to 25 Aug (not 11)
Cat Cohen: Broad Strokes
The New Yorkerâs playfully louche, cabaret-style performances are always a treat, and yet Cat Cohenâs 2025 show may be a touch more serious than its predecessors, recounting the stroke she suffered in 2023. But if anyone can spin a medical trauma into a sultry, witty song (or several!) itâs her.
9pm, Pleasance One at Pleasance Courtyard, to 24 Aug (not 6, 12, 13, 19)
Tim Key: Loganberry
Itâs been a big year for Tim Key, what with co-writing and starring in his first feature film The Ballad of Wallis Island. But the stage remains his stomping ground, and his latest elusively blurbed show promises plenty of stomping, and howling, and poetry.
Various times, Fourth at Pleasance Courtyard, to 17 Aug (not 4, 5, 6, 11, 15)
Urooj Ashfaq: How to Be a Baddie
She won the Fringeâs Best Newcomer award two years ago for her show Oh No!, but rather than offering audiences more of the same, Mumbai-raised comedian Urooj Ashfaq has written a follow up to shake off her good girl image and subvert her sweetly relatable humour. Can she rebrand herself as âa bona fide bad girlâ? Letâs see.
6.25pm, Monkey Barrel 4, to 24 Aug (not 11)
Joe Kent-Walters is Frankie Monroe: DEAD!!! (Good Fun Time)
Joe Kent-Walters scored a Best Newcomer-winning breakthrough at last yearâs Fringe with his character comedy about a sinister working menâs club owner, Frankie Monroe. Thrillingly, heâs returning this summer with a sequel, which the devilish Frankie will reportedly be hosting from beyond the grave.
9.30pm, CabVol 1 at Monkey Barrel, to 24 Aug (not 11, 12)
John Tothill: This Must Be Heaven
John Tothill has nearly died twice in the name of bringing work to the Fringe. He suffered a severe reaction on the malaria drugs trial he took part in to fund his 2023 show, then the following year, a burst appendix nearly toppled him live on stage. The latter experience provides the inspiration for his 2025 show, for which heâll hopefully enjoy a smoother, healthier run.
9pm, Beneath at Pleasance Courtyard, to 24 Aug (not 12)
Zara Gladman is⌠Aileen: Cameronâs Gap Year Fundraiser
Rising character comedian Zara Gladman is making her Fringe debut â or rather, one of her alter-egos is: the well-to-do Aileen is fundraising for her sonâs gap year travels, hoping audiences will donate generously to this worthy cause. Despite Gladmanâs newcomer status, tickets are pretty much sold out for this one, so cross your fingers for additional performances.
Various times, Hive 1 and Hive 2 at Monkey Barrel, to 10 Aug
Sheeps: A Very Sheeps Christmas â Live in Concert! In the Summer!
Since debuting in 2011 as the sketch trio Sheeps, Al Roberts, Jonno and Liam Williams have found success independently, but continue to excite comedy nerds with their reunions. Fortunately, theyâre not prepared to give up one another or the Fringe just yet, and are returning for two nights only with the somewhat unseasonal offering of a Christmas album, which theyâll perform with special guests Rose Matafeo, David OâDoherty, Paul Williams and Jazz Emu.
11pm, Grand at Pleasance Courtyard, 8â9 Aug
Michelle Wolf
She made ears burn and lips purse in 2018, chastising members of Trumpâs administration at the White House Correspondentsâ Dinner. But her fearlessness earned Michelle Wolf a global reputation, not to mention several rounds of airtime on Netflix. She returns to Edinburgh eight months pregnant and with a toddler in tow as well as a re-stocked armoury of unbridled gags.
Various times, Fourth and Pleasance One at Pleasance Courtyard, 11â17 Aug
Molly McGuinness: Slob
In her debut show, BBC New Comedy Awards finalist Molly McGuinness reflects compassionately on the period in her life where a life-threatening illness forced her to live like a âslobâ. The one-to-watch is a staunch fan of the Great British buffet, and as an added bonus, plans to serve her audience snacks. Win!
2.55pm, CabVol 2 at Monkey Barrel, to 24 Aug (not 11, 12)
Club NVRLND
Weâve come to expect big things from Jack Holden, writer of critically acclaimed plays Cruise and Kenrex. Club NVRLND sees the Olivier nominee turn the lens on millennials with a Peter Pan-inspired story positing that theyâre a generation unable to fully grow up in a world they canât afford. Rather than get too serious about it, the show invites its audience into an immersive party set to nostalgic pop hits from the 2000s.
9.15pm, Checkpoint at Assembly Checkpoint, to 24 Aug (not 6, 13, 20)
Skye: A Thriller
Whisking audiences to the Isle of Skye in 1995, this debut play from award-winning producer, author and founder of the Womenâs Prize for Playwriting Ellie Keel follows four siblings who are left searching for answers after believing theyâve spotted the ghost of their dead father across the beach. Exploring grief, addiction and family relationships, it sounds like a thriller with substance.
Various times, TechCube 0 at Summerhall, until 25 Aug (not 12, 19)
Paldem
Several shows plan to tackle the amateur porn industry, which has boomed since the arrival of OnlyFans. This one written by BAFTA Rising Star Winner David Jonsson, whose acting credits include the TV show Industry and film Rye Lane, looks promising: it follows two young adults left questioning whether their friendship has a different potential after their one-night-stand is captured on camera.
9pm, TechCube 0 at Summerhall, until 25 Aug (not 19)
Chat Sh*t, Get Hit
You donât have to look far to find examples of male rage, but womenâs anger is often suppressed. This debut play from Martha Pailing, a recipient of a Keep It Fringe Fund bursary, unleashes and dissects female fury. Through spoken word, football chants and more, it offers a funny and uncompromising look at what happens when it remains bottled up.
5.20pm, Former Womens Locker Room at Summerhall, to 25 Aug (not 11, 18)
Ohio
With its backing from producer Francesca Moody, this âmusical experienceâ from real-life couple Abigail and Shaun Bengson, aka indie-folk duo The Bengsons, sounds full of potential. Itâs a story of losing religion but finding something akin to spirituality in music. Catch it in Edinburgh before it transfers to Londonâs Young Vic.
3pm, Upstairs at Assembly Roxy, to 24 Aug (not 11, 18)
Brainsluts
As Lucy Prebbleâs gripping play The Effect proved, the knotty morality surrounding drug trials holds rich potential for dramatisation. This comedy drama from Dan Bishop takes its audience inside another fictional trail, where five participants share their life stories while sampling a mystery drug.
2.45pm, 10 Dome at Pleasance Dome, to 25 Aug (not 13)
Consumed
Hoping to dud-proof your visit? Works by Paines Plough are usually a safe bet. The new writing company is presenting two shows this year, including this âpitch-black and twistedâ story of a dysfunctional Northern Irish family by former Womenâs Prize for Playwriting winner Karis Kelly. When four generations of women find themselves begrudgingly holed up together, it doesnât take long for resentments to surface.
Various times, Traverse 1 at Traverse Theatre, to 24 Aug (not 1, 4, 11, 18)
Ordinary Decent Criminal
Paines Ploughâs other offering this year reunites comedian-cum-actor Mark Thomas with award-winning playwright Ed Edwards, following their 2023 Fringe hit England & Son. Edwardsâ last two plays explored the causation of offending. This one, set in the aftermath of the Strangeways Prison Riot, follows a recovering addict (Thomas) taking part in a liberal prison experiment.
11.50am, TechCube 0 at Summerhall, to 25 Aug (not 5, 12, 18)
Julia. 1984
This timely spinoff to George Orwellâs classic novel comes from a company whose creatives have lived experiences of totalitarian regimes in countries including Belarus and Russia. Within Theatreâs dystopian drama imagines Winstonâs lover, Julia, on a quest for revenge.
4.35pm, Main Hall at Summerhall, to 11 Aug
Fuselage
The Lockerbie terror attack has been front-of-mind this year, with dramatisations airing on both the BBC and Sky. American actor, writer and director Annie Lareauâs show Fuselage tells the chilling story of how she was meant to be on Pan Am Flight 103, which exploded in 1988 killing 35 of her Syracuse University classmates. Her lucky escape story weaves a tale of grief and survivorâs guilt with the voices of Lockerbie locals.
3.45pm, Above at Pleasance Courtyard, to 25 Aug (not 13, 19)
Thanks for Being Here
Fringe veterans Ontroerend Goed are back with a show pitched as an ode to their audience. The Belgian experimentalists arenât merely acknowledging that theyâve built a fan base over the past 20 years however, but recognising that rather like a tree falling in a forest, without an audience there would be no performance. The twist? Theyâll be dissolving the boundaries between them and you.
1.45pm, Main House at Zoo Southside, 12â24 Aug (not 18)
Body Count
Earlier this year, OnlyFans content creator Bonnie Blue made headlines for allegedly sleeping with 1,000 men in a single day. Imagining a similar stunt unfurling at the Edinburgh Fringe, Issy Knowlesâ new play explores the ethics of sex as a competitive sport when the real goal appears to be internet fame.
7.15pm, The Green at Pleasance Courtyard, to 25 Aug (not 13, 20)
Sheâs Behind You
Summer is traditionally downtime for the panto dame, but instead of taking a well-earned break, Scotlandâs leading panto-spinning diva Johnny McKnight has teamed up with heavyweight director John Tiffany (of Black Watch, Once and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child acclaim) to offer audiences a behind-the-curtain look at the trappings of this great British tradition.
Various times, Traverse Theatre, to 24 Aug (not 4, 11, 18)
The Horse of Jenin
Through the true story of a sculpted horse, a symbol of freedom built from the debris of one invasion but demolished in another 20 years later, Palestinian actor and comedian Alaa Shehada explores resistance, resilience and hope among those living in the Occupied West Bank city of Jenin. Thereâs also a four-day mini festival, Welcome to the Fringe, Palestine, running from 12â15 August with storytelling, dance, music, food and more.
2.20pm, Queen Dome at Pleasance Dome, to 25 Aug (not 9, 16, 19, 20)
Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence
What could possibly be done with Shakespeareâs Scottish Play that hasnât been done before? Setting it on a netball court, of course. All-female Australian company Crash Theatre Co reimagine the story as one of ruthless school girl ambition, making it a sport-obsessed electropop musical.
4.15pm, Studio One at Assembly George Square Studios, to 25 Aug (not 6, 13, 20)
Pickled Republic
No trip to the festival is complete without taking a punt on something truly weird. And this surreal cabaret inviting audiences to find connections between their own existence and a jar of pickling vegetables could be just the ticket. Part of the Fringeâs Made in Scotland Showcase, itâs a feast of puppets, masks, poetry, and lamenting veg.
1.15pm, Anatomy Lecture Theatre at Summerhall, to 25 Aug (not 11, 18)
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is on 1 â 25 Aug, Scotland
