12 Best Shows To See At Edinburgh Fringe 2024
It’s nearly August, Airbnbs are being hawked at an inflation rate of 500%, and locals can’t move without being harassed by a fire-breather, magician or jester – The Edinburgh Fringe is back. The largest arts festival in the UK is a summer highlight, as tourists descend on the town en masse to sample the inimitable buzz, and hopefully catch a show or twenty.
For those heading up, how on earth do you pick what you’re going to see? Thankfully, we’ve done the research and picked out 12 of the highlights of 2024’s showcase. From fresh new comic acts and award-winning playwrights to a recreation of one of the most infamous concerts in history, here are the best shows to see at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Comedy
Kemah Bob: Miss Fortunate
Known for QI, Richard Osman’s House of Games and Comedy Central Live, Kemah Bobb is bringing her show Miss Fortunate to Edinburgh Fringe.
The special goes into subjects like perception versus reality in a state of mania and the tale of one woman’s glamorous journey to her own personal hell and back. Bob’s Fringe debut, she is set to take the festival by storm in what is one of the most highly anticipated comedy shows.
WHEN: JULY 31 – AUGUST 25
WHERE: PLEASANCE COURTYARD
BOOK HERE
Adam Riches: Jimmy
Tennis is having a moment this summer, from the frenzy surrounding Challengers and a handful of young stars like Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff making waves. But what about the grizzled old pro’s still trying to cling on? This comedy special tackles exactly that.
Based around the 1991 US Open when Jimmy Connors, 39 years old, flailing and getting embarrassed by his former rival’s younger brother. Adam Riches gets inside the mind of the ageing alpha who, fueled by ghosts of his past, starts to mount a comeback…
WHEN: AUGUST 1-26
WHERE: SUMMERHALL
BOOK HERE
Demi Adejuyigbe Is Going To Do One (1) Backflip
Demi Adejuyigbe channels Bo Burnham in this comedy special featuring jokes, music, and a little physical excursion. Known for his podcasts Punch Up The Jam and Gilmore Guys and his writing on The Good Place, the special has a number of original songs and culminates in a valiant effort by an ageing comedian to roll back the years and produce a feat of gymnastics that (hopefully) won’t be beyond his limits.
Demi Adejuyigbe channels Bo Burnham in this comedy special featuring jokes, music, and a little physical excursion.
when: July 31 – August 25
where: Pleasance Courtyard
Foyle Arms & Hog: Skittish
This Irish comedy triumvirate became known for their online skits, and are Fringe regulars, having been awarded best-reviewed show at the festival in both 2018 and 2019.
The mix of sketch comedy, improv and audience participation is a regular sell-out, and their Edinburgh run comes in the middle of a world tour. Laugh-out-loud entertainment comes as certain a guarantee as any show.
when: July 31 – August 26
where: McEwan Hall
book here
Hannah Gadsby: Woof
The last time Hannah Gadsby performed at the Fringe, they brought their show Nanette which, safe to say, became something of a hit. It ended up winning the Emmy and entered the cultural lexicon.
Now, for the first time in seven years and since becoming a household name, they are back once again to tackle everything from dealing with fame, existential concerns and overthinking, all delivered with trademark dry wit and irreverent humour.
The last time Hannah Gadsby performed at the Fringe, they brought their show Nanette which, safe to say, became something of a hit
when: august 18 – 25
where: Underbelly, Bristo Square
book here
Mhairi Black: Politics Isn’t Me
You might think that going from Politician to Comedian is a pretty strange career path, but those in the recently ousted Government pretty much erased that gap already.
Mhairi Black made headlines back in 2015 by becoming the youngest elected MP since the 17th Century, aged just 20. She then became deputy leader of the SNP, before standing down at the last election. This show offers a look behind the curtain at 21st-century British politics and tackles everything from her disillusionment to why comedy seemed like a better gig.
when: July 31 – August 25
where: Gilded Balloon at the Museum
book here
Sophie Duker: But Daddy I Love Her
Former Taskmaster champion Sophie Duke heads to Fringe with her unique blend of delusional comedy in the special But Daddy I Love Her. A favourite from Frankie Boyle’s New World Order, she tackles race, millennial angst, romantic failure and all things relatable with provocative humour.
Expect boundaries to be pushed, moments of discomfort and above all, plenty of laughs.
A favourite from Frankie Boyle’s New World Order, she tackles race, millennial angst, romantic failure and all things relatable with provocative humour
when: July 31 – August
Theatre
3 Couples, 2 Breakups, 1 Barbie and The Berlin Wall
Every year, a scriptwriter from the Bloomsbury Festival, London is commissioned to write a new play for students to stage at the Edinburgh Festival – this year, scriptwriter Georgie Dettmer has gone absurdist.
Following eight teenagers (and a Barbie doll) as they navigate the ups, downs and absurdity of love in all its forms, including tales of breakups, heartache and the Berlin Wall.
when: August 1-10
where: C Arts venue 21
book here
The Fifth Step
Jack Lowden, Scottish native and star of hit show Slow Horses and film Dunkirk, heads to Fringe for this darkly comic play about the long journey to sobriety, starring as Luka who recently joined Alcoholics Anonymous and is searching for a sponsor.
The play is written by David Ireland, whose show Ulster American won awards but also inspired controversy and a few walkouts due to its provocative themes.
WHEN: AUGUST 21 – 25
WHERE: THE LYCEUM
BOOK HERE
Dear Billy
Billy Connolly might just be Scotland’s most beloved Comedian, and so it’s only right he gets a proper homage at the country’s biggest comedy festival.
Three-time Fringe First winner Gary McNair does exactly that with this love letter to Connolly, where he and his band run through a series of memorable stories, jokes and moments involving the icon in hilarious fashion.
WHEN: AUGUST 13-25
WHERE: ASSEMBLY ROOMS – MUSIC HALL
BOOK NOW
Show Pony
Acrobats, what a gig, eh? Travelling around the world displaying your enviable flexibility and athleticism. But what happens when Acrobats start ageing and pushing up against the limits of their own bodies?
Presented by Chamaeleon Berlin, this show follows acrobats as they discover exactly that. It challenges us to question our prejudices towards age and femininity, on stage and off, through dance, comedy and physical storytelling.
WHEN: AUGUST 13-26
WHERE: SUMMERHALL
BOOK HERE
Cat Power Sings Dylan ’66
Back in 1966, Bob Dylan caused an uproar when he ended his set by launching into experimental electronic music, then completely at odds with his folk image. “Judas” one particularly irked crowd member was reported to have shouted.
Legendary singer Cat Power is putting on a concert which exactly mimics Dylan’s infamous concert, electronic twist included.
WHEN: AUGUST 18
WHERE: EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE
BOOK HERE