STARBURST has been covers the Edinburgh Festival Fringe because it’s a really nice way to find talent and shows that many may have missed. We’ve poured through the thick, thick pages of listings guide looking genre relevant shows that may well delight our readers.
They are a lot of shows to go through, and we’ve picked out some of the best. This is by no means comprehensive; they are over 3,600 shows at this year’s Fringe, so we’ve probably missed one of two. Anyway, enjoy this year’s list.
A Ghost Among the Living
Box Tale Soup adapt classic works of literature (including Orwell and M.R. James) through the clever use of puppets and performance. Their latest production is inspired by the work of Edgar Allan Poe. Expect weird puppets and brilliant story-telling. A festival must-see.
Andrew Doherty: Reviewers Welcome… TO DIE!
We do love a good horror comedy, and Doherty seems to have honed the art. His latest show sees a hapless reviewer get mired into creepy events, whilst the reviewer ponders his ultimate sin of only giving out three stars to a show. By the way, check out our review of Andrew’s Hammer Horror inspired previous show, Gay Witch Sex Cult…
The Real Housewives of the Zombie Apocalypse
Honestly we were sold on this for the name alone. Zombies vs Reality TV isn’t a new idea, but add the fact that this is a musical and we are super excited to see it. The buzz on this show has been consistently high, who can resist?
Chris Grace 88%
Last year Chris showed off his incredible talent with 27 Hours, a rolling improv stand-up show that changed entirely every show. His new show promises an all-new hour of comedy. 88% asks the question “can you get along with someone you only mostly agree with?” If anyone can pull of a show about nuance, it’s Dropout TV’s very own champion, Chris Grace.
All Three Heated Rivalry Parodies
Canadian sports romance drama Heated Rivalry is the current big thing this year, with its own unique cult following and memes, etc. In the grand tradition of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe , they are three shows parodying the break-out hit, each with a slightly different approach, including the inevitable drag version.
Bigfoot Ripped My Dog In Half I Saw It
Xhloe and Natasha have been the darlings of the Fringe for a few years now. The New York based clowns are known for their physical comedy and incredible acting chops. This year’s show is right up STARBURST’s alley; a tale of two girls who fake a Bigfoot sighting and get in way over their heads as their superstitious local town takes things too far. Expect to be amazed, and don’t forget to pay attention.
Juliette Burton: Villain Era
Finding properly geeky comedy, performed by professional geeks who ‘get it’ is pretty much the reason why STARBURST comes to the Fringe in the first place. Juliette balances nerdy fun with real issues in a compelling and hilarious way. We really liked their previous show Hopepunk and their new work, Villain Era, promises to explore the dark side and take the battle to the real dragons. Sounds like a great time to us.
Slay the Vamps Down: A Buffy Burlesque Parody
Can a TV show be truly described as a cult hit if it hasn’t had a burlesque show dedicated to it? Cardiff based Clumsy Cabaret honours the cult classic show with some stunning fun. This show has a super short run; blink and you will miss it.
We have a problem (WIP)
The Fringe is an excellent place to see work in progress, and the Shedinburgh venues do attract some very interesting and exciting talent. We Have A Problem is about an astronaut stranded in space, with only person back on Earth able to help them being the work experience guy. Comedy weirdness from Mischief, the people who brought you The Play That Goes Wrong.
Demi Adejuyigbe Sells Out
We adored Demi’s previous show Demi Adejuyigbe Is Going To Do One (1) Backflip, which featured a surprising number of terrible robots and the expected amount of backflips. Demi, who is certainly a star in our eyes, uses his latest show to explore the concept of fame. Expect brilliantly skewed humour, some incredibly clever and awkward moments and probably less acrobatics.
War of the Worlds (On a Budget)
Who needs CGI when you have puppets and a dream? One man, one loop pedal and some very dodgy looking Martian War Machines is all you should need. HG Wells classic as you’ve never seen it before.
Rob Kemp: Beatlesjuice
You likely know Rob Kemp from his previous show, The Elvis Dead. This time Rob mashes up Liverpool’s most famous export with one of the cheesiest horror comedy’s ever made. Clap your hands or rattle your shrunken heads, this should be a very fun time.
John Robertson: Excitable Boy
John is best known for his world-wide smash hit on-stage shouty game-show The Dark Room, but he’s also an incredible stand-up comedian best known for his super-energetic style and wry wit. We are genuinely surprised he’s not more famous than he already is. Go see any show John is doing this year, but especially this one as it is bound to showcase exactly how talented this maniac is.
Apparently Ugly: A Stepsister Story
The ongoing quest to find a show that takes a fantasy story and turns it on it’s head continues with Apparently Ugly, in which we explore the Cinderella story from another angle. With fabulous music and amazing costumes, of course. Always worth taking a look at new takes on old stories, and you never know, this one may well run and run.
Cricket & The Freebugs
70’s pop meets whimsy in this tale of magical talking insects who make the big time as musicians. A rags to riches fantasy with some cracking tunes.
Bliss
Fairytale Heroines. The Musical. We’ve heard worse pitches and it’s nice to see the old stories get the musical treatment. This promises to be biggest musical of the fringe, a super bold claim, but one that it might well live up to, especially if all the wishes come true. If you’re a pixies or a fairy godmother, this is a must see.
Adorable Comedians Performing Funny Poetry and Telling Lovely Stories
And finally, a show that does exactly what it says on the tin, more or less. Slightly off the beaten track, but it sounds like a great way to start your Fringe experience.
You can book for the Edinburgh Fringe via the EdFringe website. Our Top Returning List can be found here.
