Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Our twelfth year at the Edinburgh Fringe was a great one! We had a wonderful roster of shows, including returning favourites, brand new plays and musicals, drag and family shows. CNC also worked with the Pleasance Theatre Trust again on their fantastic Fringe programme.
16 Postcodes
Twenty years, 16 Postcodes, one city. In her debut storytelling show, Jessica Regan (BBC, Channel 4, The Guilty Feminist) shares lessons lived and learned from a life in no particular order. Each show is drawn from true tales of love and landlords, of mice and men and more, told with help from the audience who will play their part in her odyssey as she moves North, South, East and West, finding out which is best. Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker One) from Wednesday 31st July – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 12th) at 15:30.
44 Sex Acts in One Week
From the razor-sharp pen of Fringe First winner David Finnigan (Kill Climate Deniers) comes 44 Sex Acts in One Week, a fruity apocalyptic rom-com where intergenerational feminism and the climate crisis collide in unexpected ways. Some seriously naughty actors go down on microphones, mangos and melons in this slippery and subversive take on a classic radio play, a zesty response to humanity’s decision to go harder and faster towards the end of the world as we know it. Pleasance Dome (King Dome) from Thursday 1st – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 12th, 19th) at 16:40.
5 Mistakes That Changed History
We all make mistakes, but rarely do they change the course of human history. From comedian and historian Paul Coulter comes 5 Mistakes That Changed History, a John Oliver-meets-Horrible Histories tour of five mistakes that impacted our world. Blending history, storytelling and comedy, 5 Mistakes That Changed History is perfect for history lovers, the history-curious and anyone who loves to learn new things, whilst having a laugh. Assembly (Studio Three) from Friday 2nd – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 7th, 8th, 12th, 19th) at 16:40.
Alice Diamond and the Forty Elephants
The superbly multi-talented (The Scotsman) Young Pleasance return with another large-scale, high-energy, must-see hit. Exploring themes of loyalty, family and betrayal, this ensemble piece with all performers aged 16-21 follows the real-life stories of this wild gang. When her brother leaves for WW1, Alice Diamond and her all-female crime syndicate seize their chance to take over London but sibling rivalry ensues in this Peaky Blinders-style romp. Pleasance Dome (King Dome) from Wednesday 31st July – Sunday 11th August 2024 at 13:30.
Arturo Brachetti: SOLO
Regarded as the greatest quick-change artist in the world, two-time Olivier Award nominated Italian illusionist Arturo Brachetti brings SOLO to the Edinburgh Fringe. The UK premiere of this magical journey sees over 50 characters come to life through astonishing illusions, mind boggling transformations and mesmerising magic as Arturo shares his fantasies and dreams with the audience. With Arturo Brachetti, always expect the unexpected. Pleasance at EICC from Wednesday 31st July – Sunday 25th August 2024 (not 7th, 13th, 21st) at 19:00/14:30.
BELLRINGERS
Multi-award-winning Ellie Keel Productions and Atticist return to Edinburgh Fringe in a co-production with Hampstead Theatre with BELLRINGERS, a sublime finalist for the Women’s Prize for Playwriting 2024. In a belltower at the end of the world, Clement and Aspinall are waiting for lightning to strike; superstition says that the ringing of church bells can dispel a storm. When it feels like the apocalypse is here, anything is worth a shot in this stunning debut play about love, community and being young. Summerhall (Roundabout), from Thursday 1st – Monday 26th August (not 6th, 13th, 20th), 13:15
Bi-Curious George: Queer Planet
Dolphin orgies, intersex snails and gay giraffes…Join award-winning drag king, Bi-Curious George as they take a raucous romp through the animal kingdom; the wildest and queerest kingdom of all. Queer Planet is about reframing our thinking around queer identities and letting us get swept up in the freedom and fluidity of the natural world. Directed by Liv Ello (BODY SHOW) and told with silliness and joy, Queer Planet asks for queerness to be accepted for what it is. Pleasance Dome (10Dome) from Wednesday 31st July – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 12th) at 16:15.
Bill's 44th
The critically acclaimed puppeteering duo Andy Manjuck and Dorothy James return to Edinburgh Fringe with their tragicomedy hit Bill’s 44th. In association with Underbelly, this introspective and wordless puppet show for grown-ups is both tender and hilarious, exploring loneliness and self-acceptance through a seemingly disappointing birthday party. Underbelly (Belly Button) from Thursday 1st – Sunday 25th August (not 12th), 18:55.
Winner of the Seoul Arts Award.
Casting the Runes
Box Tale Soup are back in Edinburgh with their 2023 Fringe hit Casting the Runes, a heart-stopping adaptation of M.R. James’ supernatural thriller. Spooky, tense, and scary, this adaptation brings classic horror to life. All the characters in this haunting thriller are brought to life with the company’s transformative puppetry and trademark magic. Pleasance Courtyard (Above) from Wednesday 31st July – Sunday 25th August 2024 (not 14th) at 11:35.
Catafalque
From acclaimed producers Scissor Kick comes the world premiere of Catafalque, a one-woman eulogy through the lens of a civil celebrant, asking how do we grieve the ungrievable? Catafalque follows Fern, a civil celebrant, who is confronted with the challenge of eulogising someone who has done the unthinkable. Catafalque draws on writer Amy Conway’s personal experiences, having been a civil celebrant during the pandemic. Summerhall (Tech Cube) from Thursday 1st – Sunday 11th August 2024, 12:25.
Come Dine With Me: The Musical
Televising the good, the bad and the downright ugly when it comes to culinary competitiveness and unchecked hospitality, Come Dine with Me has the perfect ingredients for an irreverent musical with big laughs and a big heart. This new musical, written by Sam Norman and Aaron King, highlights the chaos that follows clashing chef personalities, and looks beyond the meltdowns, the sore losers and stroppy winners to delve deeper behind the scenes. Underbelly (Cowbarn) from Wednesday 31st July – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 13th) at 14:20
Crying Shame
Winner of the Charlie Hartill Fund 2024, Crying Shame is a cabaret show-cum-wellness journey all about loneliness. In the dusty dreamscape of Club Fragilé, you’ll encounter washed-up cabaret acts, filthy lip-syncs and a joyous celebration of queer culture, as these camp clowns try – and possibly fail – to connect with each other and the audience. You might be lonely, but you’re definitely not alone. Pleasance Dome (King Dome) from Wednesday 31st July – Sunday 25th August 2024 (not 5th, 12th, 19th) at 21:30.
Duck
Winner of the Charlie Hartill Fund 2024, and from award-winning playwright maatin and Fringe First award-winning director Imy Wyatt Corner, Duck is a one-man show about a teenage cricket star’s search for his place in an environment that doesn’t cater for difference. Set in 2005, amid the backdrop of the famous Ashes series and the 7/7 London bombings, Duck follows Ismail coming to terms with what it means to be Brown and Muslim over one fateful summer. Pleasance Courtyard (Pleasance Beneath) from Wednesday 31st July – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 12th, 19th) at 15:40.
Fan/Girl
Absurd, optimistic and joyful, Bryony Byrne’s Fan/Girl is a tongue-in-cheek ride through British adolescence against the backdrop of nineties football. At 36, Bryony reveals that conversations with childhood friends sparked an exploration into why all the girls she knew stopped playing football, taking us back to 1998 to see what happened. With her spirit guide Eric Cantona, Bryony reclaims some of the easy, untarnished love for the game, while breaking down gender expectation, exclusion from the sport and female rage. Summerhall (Demonstration Room), Thursday 1st – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 12th, 19th), 12:10
For the Love of Spam
Winner of the Charlie Hartill Fund 2024, For the Love of Spam is a multi-sensory, participatory one-woman show dedicated to two things: canned meat and colonialism. Join CHamoru/Filipina theatre maker Sierra Sevilla to find out how this (delicious) canned meat symbolises modern-day colonialism. Using puppetry, movement and real on-stage cooking, this formerly Catholic, angry, and God-fearing woman strives to educate (and feed) the masses, all while ‘liberating’ her island. Pleasance Courtyard (Beside) from Wednesday 31st July – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 7th, 14th, 21st) at 14:10
Nominated for The Filipa Bragança Award
Ginger Johnson Blows Off!
Reigning Queen of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, beloved powerhouse performer Ginger Johnson, swaps her crown for a crash helmet as she brings her all-new show Ginger Johnson Blows Off! to Edinburgh Fringe 2024. Britain’s ditsiest daredevil will take a death-defying leap of faith, taking on her biggest challenge yet, in what promises to be an unmissable Edinburgh highlight. Bursting with stunning looks and cunning stunts, Ginger Johnson Blows Off! asks just how far will one Queen go for a round of applause? Pleasance Courtyard (Beyond) from Wednesday 31st July – Saturday 24th August 2024 (not 5th, 12th, 19th) at 18:30.
Glitch
It’s the 10-year high school reunion. A time to discuss forgotten dreams, reunite with lost friends, and maybe lose your shit when you reconnect with one. Drenched in edgy dark humour, this storytelling styled production sheds light on the intricate facets of the mother-daughter relationship, the challenges of living abroad, sporadic reunions, shattered dreams, and the void that forms when there have been so many things left unsaid. Assembly George Square (The Crate) from Wednesday 31st July – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 13th, 20th) at 13:15.
Gulliver’s Travels
Box Tale Soup return with their inventive, imaginative and sublimely skilful adaptation of Gulliver’s Travels, a breathtaking journey as you’ve never seen it before. Gulliver’s Travels will reimagine the classic story and challenge what people think they know – going far beyond the infamous tiny people of Lilliput to the oft forgotten giants of Brobdingnag, the flying island of Laputa, and a race of intelligent horses. Featuring a huge range of Box Tale Soup’s remarkable puppetry, this sharply satirical story is touching and challenging, remaining profoundly relevant today. Pleasance Courtyard (Above) from Wednesday 31st July – Sunday 25th August 2024 (not 14th) at 13:00.
Gwyneth Goes Skiing
Gwyneth Goes Skiing, a co-production between Awkward Productions and the Pleasance Theatre, returns to the slopes after two sold-out and critically-acclaimed runs in London and a trip across the pond to Utah. This gloriously silly play-with-music is a very silly story of justice, betrayal and optometry that makes the audience the jury, asking them to decide who’s guilty and who’s gooped. Pleasance Courtyard (Forth) from Wednesday 31st – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 5th, 12th, 19th) at 15:30.
House of Cleopatra
The charisma of Beyoncé, the influence of Oprah, and the wealth of the Kardashians. There was one woman who had it all – and a millennia before them: Cleopatra. The House of Cleopatra is an all-new, toga-toting, eyeliner-filled musical extravaganza from Jeff Daye and Laura Kleinbaum shining a palm-fringed light on history’s most famous woman. This exhilarating, immersive new musical takes the audience on a turbulent ride down the Nile as Cleopatra’s epic reign begins to teeter on the edge of destruction. Assembly (Checkpoint) from Wednesday 31st July – Sunday 25th August 2024 (not 7th, 12th, 19th) at 23:15.
It’s the Economy, Stupid!
Joe Sellman-Leava and Dylan Howells try to uncover how the economy wins elections, and why the force that dominates our lives is so bloody complicated! Developed with and directed by internationally acclaimed Katharina Reinthaller, and produced by Worklight Theatre, It’s the Economy Stupid! is a bold new show from the Fringe First winning creators of Labels and Fanboy that tries to discover the true cost of low financial literacy in a world dominated by money. Pleasance Dome (Jack Dome) from Wednesday 31st July – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 7th, 14th, 21st) to 13:10.
Jake Roche: Neporrhoids!
Join Jake Roche as he squeezes out every last drop of celeb juice, dishes the dirt and spills the tea on the world of fame in this autobiographical sort-of-musical. Presenting Jake’s Fringe debut, Jake Roche: Neporrhoids! looks at his meteoric rise to fame in a boyband and his existential quest for relevance, questioning if he is merely a ‘one-hit wonder’ nepo baby or more. Neporrhoids! tells Jake’s story, from Universal Music to universal credit. Pleasance Courtyard (Beside) from Wednesday 31st July – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 13th) at 15:35.
Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret
Two-time Olivier Award-winning and critically acclaimed British actress, singer and musical theatre star Janie Dee will turn audiences’ attention towards the climate crisis in this stunningly devised performance show. Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret is a playfully informative and inspirational journey of humanity and nature through song. Pleasance Dome (Queen Dome), from Wednesday 31st July – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 12th, 19th), 14:20.
KAREN
The outrageously hilarious show KAREN is making a triumphant return to Edinburgh Fringe. This must-see production centres around the internal turmoil of our Protagonist as she journeys through the treacherous waters of heartbreak, office politics and hilarity. Shattering the fourth wall as well as all professional conduct, this critically acclaimed show follows the Protagonist as she scrambles to come out on top after an unceremonious birthday break-up sees her ex dating her office nemesis: Karen. Underbelly Cowgate (Delhi Belly) from Thursday 1st – Sunday 25th August 2024 (not 12th, 19th) at 15:55.
Leni's Last Lament
Having won top awards at the United Solo Festival in New York, Leni’s Last Lament now comes to the Edinburgh Fringe. Hitler’s controversial filmmaker, Leni Riefenstahl, poses as a misunderstood victim as she attempts to edit, reassemble, and sanitise her notorious past. A woman of many contradictions, Leni aligned herself with Hitler for fame – and although blacklisted for this alliance, she is still recognised as a genius filmmaker for her innovative work by the film community throughout her long and varied life. Assembly Rooms (Drawing Room) from Thursday 1st – Sunday 25th August 2024 (not 13th, 20th) at 17:25.
LOST...FOUND
On the heels of a major childhood event, K. Lorrel Manning’s LOST…FOUND takes you on a soul-searching, delightfully human roller-coaster ride through music, unlikely heroes and the Artist formerly known as Prince. An autobiographical story, LOST…FOUND is about the catharsis of the truth and using art to heal. Through baring his soul and putting a stop to feeling ashamed of his past, Lorrel shows us the power of art. Assembly Roxy Outside from Thursday 1st – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 13th, 20th) at 13:30.
Love's a Beach
A smash-hit satire by multi-award-winning comedy writers William Johnston (The Diplomat, Netflix) and Katie Sayer (BAFTA nominee, The Skewer: Three Twisted Years), Love’s a Beach is a modern take on celebrity post reality television. It follows the first gay winners of TV’s biggest reality show, narrated by a chorus of bloggers and social media posts (some from real life!). Love’s A Beach considers the pressures of navigating modern celebrity as a young person in the public eye, and how far you should go to reconcile ambition with morality. Pleasance Courtyard (Baby Grand) from Wednesday 31st July – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 13th) at 12:45.
N.Ormes
After a wildly successful Fringe debut in 2023, circus duo Agathe Bisserier and Adrien Malette-Chenier return to the Edinburgh Fringe with N.Ormes. Once again challenging assumptions that prevail around the expectations of bodies and gender norms, this beautifully provocative and tender production takes audiences on an intimate journey that offers a perfect blend of tears and laughter. Assembly Roxy (Upstairs) from Wednesday 31st July – Sunday 25th August 2024 (not 7th, 14th, 21st) at 17:15.
NewsRevue
The news never gets old and nor does NewsRevue! Impeccably delivered, NewsRevue is a Guinness World Record-breaking current affairs, parody song and sketch show. Celebrating its 45th birthday (on 18th August), this Edinburgh institution aims to shine a light in the darkness with 100% new, high-energy content. Hot topics will include the Chocolate Factory scandal which rocked the world, a climate crisis spin on Barbie’s I’m Just Ken, and Donald Trump’s unique rendition of If I Were a Rich Man. Underbelly (Udderbelly) from Wednesday 31st July – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 12th) at 19:30.
OH OH
After the stunning success of PSS PSS, the multi-award-winning Compagnia Baccalà returns to the Fringe with OH OH. Their exciting new double act show is firmly placed in the history of clowning, attributing back to figures such as Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Fellini. OH OH is a joyful, wordless performance, combining acrobatics, humour and slapstick. The incredible Compagnia Baccalà blend contemporary clowning with theatre and circus, mixed with the enthralling characters they create. Underbelly (Udderbelly) from Wednesday 31st July – Sunday 25th August 2024 (not 12th, 19th) at 14:15.
Our Little Secret: the 23andMe Musical
What does a 31-year-old theatre kid do when a DNA test reveals that his biological parents aren’t quite who he thought they were? Write a musical, of course! Our Little Secret: the 23andMe Musical (Winner, Best of Fringe Toronto 2023) is the true story of the suddenly not-so-only child Noam Tomaschoff as he grapples with questions of family, identity, and just how many brothers and sisters he really has (38 half-siblings and counting). Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose (Doonstairs) from Wednesday 31st July – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 7th, 12th, 13th, 20th) at 17:30.
Rosie and Hugh’s Great Big Adventure
Jam-packed with songs from Nick Cope’s beloved CBeebies Popcast, Rosie and Hugh’s Great Big Adventure is a show is for 3–8-year-old adventurers – and their families! With themes of friendship, family, courage, kindness and hope, this exciting new musical helps us face our fears, embrace who we are and support those around us! Join Rosie, Hugh, a Squirrel with a wobbly tooth, a Little Lizard and one very Rusty Robot on a great, big, heart-warming adventure. Pleasance Courtyard (Beyond) from Wednesday 31st July – Sunday 18th August 2024 (not 1st, 6th, 13th) at 12:00.
Winner of Theatre Weekly’s Best of the Fest, Best Family Show
SILENCE! The Musical
SILENCE! The Musical, the notorious unauthorised parody of the Academy Award-winning film The Silence of The Lambs, is bringing its singing serial killers, tap-dancing lambs, and gleefully unstoppable bad taste to Edinburgh. As a rookie FBI agent matches with the brilliant but insane Dr. Hannibal Lecter in an intense serial killer chase, the most horrific of subjects are paired with a chorus of singing lambs narrating the action and breaking out into cheerful show tunes with unprintable song titles. Underbelly (Cowbarn) from Wednesday 31st July – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 13th) at 23:15.
STUFFED
STUFFED is a show about food banks. It is not a show about food. Multi-award-winning theatre makers Ugly Bucket (Untapped Award 2022) present a blazing inferno of a clowning show, delving into the wreckage of a desecrated support system. During the pandemic, Ugly Bucket volunteered at food banks and council helplines to support the distribution of emergency food parcels. This is their response, an explosion of transformative personal testimony, physicality, clowning and original music. Pleasance Courtyard (Above) from Wednesday 31st July – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 18th) at 14:25.
The Black Blues Brothers
The Fringe’s best physical theatre show (Theatre Weekly) is returning to the Edinburgh Fringe for the fourth and final time. After three years of huge successes, standing ovations, sell-out shows and five star-reviews, this acrobatic celebration once again brings its athletic prowess, flips, tricks, fiery limbo, human pyramids and hilarious gags to Edinburgh, all set to the soulful tempo of The Blues Brothers music. Assembly Rooms (Music Hall) from Thursday 1st – Sunday 25th August 2024 at 15:10.
The Book of Mountains and Seas
In this new play from award-winning writer Yilong Liu, a California dad arrives in New York to visit his late son’s last boyfriend to propose an impossible mission: visit all 179 restaurants reviewed on his son’s popular Yelp page in one weekend. What ensues is an adventure filled with clashing cultures, unlikely friendships, and the review of a lifetime. Pleasance Courtyard (Beneath) from Wednesday 31st July – Sunday 25th August 2024 (not 5th, 12th, 19th) at 13:05.
Nominated for 2024’s BBC Popcorn Writing Awards
The Chaos That Has Been and Will No Doubt Return
Two best mates. One huge party. Luton pinned by austerity. The Chaos That Has Been and Will No Doubt Return is an evening of noughties bangers and shots mixed with the chaos of violence, from award-winning Chalk Line. Packed with swagger, this exploration of youth hurls at a rapid pace to a backdrop of nostalgic hits through one evening at a houseparty, drawing on the personal experience of writer Sam Edmunds. Summerhall (Demonstration Room) from Thursday 1st – Monday 26th August 2024 at 19:40.
Winner of the Besties’ New Writing Award.
Shortlisted for The List’s Sit-Up Award for Best Production with a Social Impact
Winner of Theatre Weekly’s Best of the Fest, Best Individual Performance – Olatunji Ayofe
The Sound Inside
Delicate, provocative and bursting with wit, THE SOUND INSIDE unravels the story of two outsiders on the threshold of breaking an indelible taboo. Nominated for six Tony Awards, THE SOUND INSIDE sees an entanglement of relationships when a solitary Ivy League creative writing professor becomes captivated by a brilliant, rebellious freshman student. Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1), Saturday 3rd – Sunday 25th August 2024 (not 5th, 12th, 19th).
Tit Swingers
Polyamorous queer pirates Anne Bonney and Mary Read earned the title the ‘Hellcats of the Seven Seas’ for their vicious and notorious crimes, but they’re better remembered for fighting with their tits out! And now they’re writing their own sea shanties, becoming legends (go away Blackbeard, Captain Kidd and Calico Jack) and doing some HOT GIRL PIRATE SHIT in Tit Swingers by Abey Bradbury and Sam Kearney-Edwardes. This new queer punk gig musical (with added pirates) combines punk rock, stand up, drag cabaret, sea shanty influencers and the vibe of a good old-fashioned bar brawl. Pleasance Courtyard from Wednesday 31st July – Monday 26th August 2024 (not 7th, 14th, 21st) at 13:40.
Tones – A Hip Hop Opera
A piece of gig theatre like no other, Tones – A Hip Hop Opera combines the gritty underground sounds of hip-hop, grime and drill with the melodrama of opera to tell the story of a treacherous path to self-discovery. From Black British Theatre award-winner Gerel Falconer (nominee, The Stage Debut Awards), Tones is a riveting exploration of the black and mixed experience. Summerhall (Roundabout), Thursday 1st – Sunday 25th August 2024 (not 6th, 13th, 20th), 18:50.
Theatre Weekly’s Best of the Fest winner of Best Score 2024
Wyld Woman: The Legend of Shy Girl
This hilariously tender tale follows Shy Girl’s ambitious attempt to open up (emotionally, spiritually, …physically) to expand her social life beyond the feeble realm of her imaginary friends and find real human connection. After sell-out runs in New York, this beloved show will have Edinburgh audiences laugh, cry and say bye bye to shy. Wyld Woman, written and performed by Isabel Renner and directed by Cameron King, is the story of Shy Girl as she eagerly prepares for the arrival of her first friends ever. Assembly Rooms (Drawing Room) from Friday 2nd – Sunday 25th August 2024 (not 12th, 19th) at 16:00.
