by Ed Fortune
STARBURST is gearing up for 2023’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the world’s largest celebration of arts and culture, which runs from August 4th all the way to the 28th this year. There are over 3000 separate shows available, some completely new and bizarre, and others are familiar faces that always delight.
Let’s take a look at our ten recommended shows returning to Edinburgh Fringe.
Buffy Revamped
Since its 2022 arrival at the Edinburgh, Buffy Revamped has been delighting Buffy fans across the UK. Comedian Brendan Murphy takes on the role of Spike, who, over the course of about an hour, recaps all 144 episodes of the cult TV show, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, using a variety of props, wigs, and silly voices. Very funny and a lovely evening out. It’s well worth checking out whilst it’s in Edinburgh this year. This sort of show is the reason why STARBURST readers come back time and again to The Fringe.
How to Live a Jellicle Life: Life Lessons from the 2019 Hit Movie Musical CATS
The Fringe is about unique experiences. The 2019 Hit Movie Musical CATS was certainly a unique experience, and How to Live a Jellicle Life is a unique take on this phenomenal Hollywood flop. It’s essentially a TED-style Talk on what went wrong with the film, presented by someone in West End musical CATS costume. Brilliantly funny and one for fans of movies.
Jollyboat
Tommy and Ed Jolly are Jollyboat, two brothers who have wandered the Earth as performing musical pirates. Every single of their songs. Their unique blend of stand-up comedy, parody music, filking, and silliness runs from charming to utterly hilarious. Their songs tend to reference both pop music and all things geeky, so expect songs about Game of Thrones, Video Games, Batman, D&D, and much more. They have two shows this year; 10 Songs for Geeks and The Best of Jollyboat. Both are part of the PBH’s Free Fringe, which is ideal for budget-conscious fringe goers (though you’ll probably want to pick up some merch at the end.)
The Dark Room
John Robertson’s The Dark Room is a rare thing; live improv with an international cult following. In this interactive show, John plays the role of The Guardian, an angry, shouty avatar that guides lucky audience members through a multiple-choice adventure. The task is simple; Find the Light Switch, find your family and then escape The Dark Room. It’s heavily inspired by ’80s-era text adventures and is a surreal and dark experience filled with endlessly quotable moments and very silly ideas. It’s also available in a Children’s Show format (John’s also a writer of books for kids), which is equally, if not more, anarchic. Unique and unforgettable.
Tom Crosbie Performing Nerd
Genius is a word that gets over-used these days, but in the case of Tom Crosbie, it absolutely applies. Tom is an entertainer who combines nerdy obsession with feats of mental fortitude, manual dexterity and charm. His previous show, Nerd’s Eye View, featured jaw-dropping Rubix Cube stunts and heart-warming wit, and he returns to Edinburgh with Actions Speak Louder Than Nerds. Expect new demonstrations of memory and skill wrapped up in some geeky loveliness.
Any Suggestions Doctor?
Improv works best when they are lots of things for the comedians to riff on, and Doctor Who has been running for decades. Lewis Dunn and the Any Suggestions Doctor team embrace the absurdity of Doctor Who with as many arms as they can. Every show is different as it’s based on audience suggestions, with the crew changing roles every time. They are many themed improv shows at The Fringe every year, but this is certainly a highlight.
Stuntman
One of our favourite shows of last year’s fringe was Stuntman, a visually stunning blend of theatre and martial arts prowess. Many movie lovers take for granted the incredible feats of athleticism and violence that make such an important part of many action movies. Filled with eye-popping physical performances, Stuntman is a two-man show that explores both on and off-screen violence whilst being both tender and quite funny. Back for 2023’s Fringe. Catch it if you can.
The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much
Speaking of physical theatre, The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much returns to Edinburgh following last year’s sell-out show. Performed by the Lecoq-trained Voloz Collective, this is a Misson: Impossible-style Cold War thriller using minimal props. Every action scene is conveyed through dance-like movement. So a shoot-out on the roof of a speeding train is conveyed by the actors crawling across the stage (with added sound effects) and so on. It’s brilliantly done, combining clowning, dance and a love of action movies into one unique experience.
Garry Starr: Greece Lightning
If clowning is your thing or just flat-out physical comedy, then we heartily recommend Garry Starr – Greece Lightning. This is a deeply silly show in which comedy genius and idiot, Garry Starr, attempts to save the world by explaining Greeky Myths. Badly. Hilariously. Featuring audience participation, the world’s cutest Cerberus, some comedy nudity and many, many puns, catch this show while you can.
007 Voices Of Bond
One of the things you should do during your busy fringe schedule is catch a concert. A change of pace is always welcome. 007 Voices of Bond brings classic Bond to Edinburgh, with some stellar and memorable performances of some of your favourite spy-fi tunes. Take the time to immerse yourself in a performance of some of the world’s best-known movie themes.
