Theatre shows you need to catch at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Times

26-07-2025

Health, the climate, financial fears and what we do with our bodies are just some of the themes explored in plays at Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year.
Playwright Henry Naylor returns with a one-man show inspired by one of Britain's biggest libel cases — Elton John v The Sun. This is the first part of a trilogy on the subject that will hopefully culminate in a musical.Pleasance Dome, 4.10pm, Aug 1-24, £17, previews Jul 30-31; two-for-one Aug 4-5
Based on Christopher Marlowe's original, this irreverent show has a different, unrehearsed actor playing Faustus each night, and the rest of the cast have to do everything they can to sabotage the guest's performance.Underbelly, Cowgate, 9.05pm, Aug 2-24 (not 11), £12.50; previews Jul 31-Aug 1; two-for-one Aug 4-5
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This tense debut play from Sam Macgregor is inspired by his experiences as an NHS 111 call handler having to deal with limited resources, unrealistic targets and low levels of emotional workplace support.Pleasance Courtyard, 4.25pm, Aug 1-25 (not 18), £15; previews Jul 30-31; two-for-one Aug 4-5
This is a darkly comic sci-fi satire in which Elon Musk, en route to Mars, receives a phone call from Donald Trump that derails his mission and sends his mind into orbit. He's played by Ben Whitehead, now the voice of Wallace in the Wallace & Gromit franchise.Grand Theatre at theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall, 3.05pm, Aug 11-23, £15
The Demonstration Room turns into a trippy planetarium as experimental musician K Mak blends strings, synths, beats and vocals with spacey visuals. See why it keeps selling out in Australia.Summerhall, noon, 2pm, 5pm, 7pm, Aug 1-24 (not 11, 18), £17; preview Jul 31; two-for-one Aug 4-5
Five strangers meet up over five Sundays to take part in clinical drug trials in this new comedy play that takes an unusual look at the gig economy and the ways in which social intimacy can develop.Pleasance Dome, 2.45pm, Aug 1-25 (not 13), £15; previews Jul 30-31; two-for-one Aug 4-5
Everyone knows about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's musical prowess, but his sister Maria, known as Nannerl, was also a prodigy, performing alongside him in Europe. This play, performed as a multi-sensory experience, aims to remind the world of her talents and to shine a light on the silencing of women.Assembly George Square Studios, 1.45pm, Aug 1-25 (not 12), £15.50; previews Jul 30-31; two-for-one Aug 4-5
Mark Thomas plays recovering addict Frankie, who's part of a new liberal prison experiment in the wake of the Strangeways riot. It's written by Ed Edwards, who created A Political History of Smack & Crack.Summerhall TechCube, 11.50am, Aug 1-25 (not 5, 12, 18), £17; preview Jul 31
Fresh from winning Best of the Fest at the San Diego Fringe Festival, this is a comedy documentary about sexual culture in Japan. Using clowning and puppetry, it's filthy, visually fascinating and emphatically for adults only.Underbelly Cowgate, 9.40pm, Aug 2-24 (not 12, 19), £14; previews Jul 31-Aug 1; two-for-one Aug 4-5
Michelle Collins, perhaps best known for EastEnders, makes her Fringe debut in this play — inspired by a real person — about an aspiring actress who's obsessed with Marilyn Monroe.Gilded Balloon Patter House, 5.30pm, Aug 2-25 (not 13), £18; previews Jul 30-31; two-for-one Aug 4-5
If you're looking for a sensory escape from the Fringe madness, you might be soothed by Burst, designed with and for neurodivergent people. For 25 minutes you'll lie on a bubble bed and wear headphones to listen to a special track designed to help reduce anxiety.Summerhall, Aug 12-16, various times, £10
After being accidentally booked to perform at a children's reading hour, drag-clown Goody Prostate needs to hastily rework their material and deal with the chaos of the young audience. The result is as much an examination of censorship as it is a celebration of queer joy.Underbelly Cowgate, 6.40pm, Aug 2-24 (not 6, 13, 20), £14; previews Jul 31-Aug 1; two-for-one Aug 4-5
Before getting married, Wendy spends a night at NVRLND with its for-ever-young impresario Peter Pan. This is a nostalgia-fuelled, high-energy immersive party that looks at what youth means and whether there's also magic to be found in growing up.Assembly Checkpoint, 9.15pm, Aug 1-24 (not 6, 13, 20), £18; previews Jul 30-31; two-for-one Aug 4-5
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This is an autobiographical solo show from Indra Wilson, presented as the story of an astronaut on a nine-month mission to the moon. Using dynamic sound and projections, it's an emotional, ultimately hopeful, contemplation of baby loss by a young queer person.Gilded Balloon Patter House, 6pm, Aug 2-25 (not 10, 24), £14; previews Jul 30-Aug 1, two-for-one Aug 4-5
Ever been asked to sign a confidentiality agreement before entering a show? You will for this one, in which Australian sleight-of-hand specialist Harry Milas shares the art of deception. He says his tricks and skills got him embroiled in the underworld, and led to him becoming a security consultant for some of the world's top casinos. Can you keep a secret?The Famous Spiegeltent, St Andrew Square, 11.45am, Aug 1-25 (not 11, 18), £20; two-for-one Aug 4-5
The ways in which past experiences affect our ability to negotiate relationship boundaries and intimacy are cleverly explored in this play from the Rab C Nesbitt writer Ian Pattison.Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower Braeburn, 7.15pm, Jul 31-Aug 23 (not 5, 13, 20), £18; two-for-one Aug 4
Blending live music and theatre, this production dives into the chaotic creation of Miles Davis's Kind of Blue, the bestselling jazz album. Trumpeter Jay Phelps and actor Benjamin Akintuyosi play a shifting cast of characters as they riff on genius, addiction and reinvention.Summerhall TechCube, 6pm, £17, Aug 1-25 (not 12, 26); preview Jul 31; two-for-one Aug 4-5
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Smita Russell's award-winning one-woman show uses dark humour and vulnerability to make sense of painful experiences. If you've ever experienced chronically terrible luck, this is a piece of theatre that'll make you feel less alone.Assembly Roxy, 2.55pm, Aug 1-25 (not 11), £13; preview Jul 30-31; two-for-one Aug 4-5
A man travels to a remote Brazilian farm for the funeral of his lover, only to discover the mourners had no knowledge of him or the relationship. This tense psychological thriller, which has won 26 international awards, explores masculinity and patriarchal violence.Pleasance at EICC, 3.30pm, Aug 1-24 (not 6, 13, 20), £22.50; previews Jul 30-31; two-for-one Aug 4-5
For all show details, offers and bookings go to Edfest.com and lovethefringe.com