With both the Edinburgh Fringe and Glasgow Worldcon just around the corner, it looks like it’s going to be a busy time to be a Scottish fan of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. If you happen to be in the Central Belt this August, you may be tempted to check out the Festival Fringe. Let’s take a quick look at some promising looking shows.
1984
Transforming George Orwell’s complicated work into physical theatre is a tricky challenge and the sort of thing we expect to see at the Fringe. This adaptation of 1984 features professional actors from Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia, using an intense and novel physical approach to tell this all too relevant story.
Garry Starr: Classic Penguins
Australian Damien Warren-Smith is one of the finest physical comedians in the world. (Physical comedian being a fancy way of saying ‘clown’ without evoking images of white face paint or red noses). Damien’s Mister Bean like idiot character of Garry Starr is comedy genius, and any show he does is worth a look.
Non-Player Character: Live Virtual Reality Musical
High-tech shows are always a bit of a gamble, but if you want to say you were there when a new sort of theatre was born (or the reverse), then check out this show.
Kate Butch Wuthering Shites
We adored Butch in their previous show, Drag Queens vs Vampires, and this homage to their name sake, Kate Bush, promises to be equally remarkable. Expect a heart-felt homage with some deeply funny takes on classic pop music.
Luke Rollason, Luke Rollason, Let Down Your Hair
More physical, character based comedy, this time from Disney’s latest darling, Luke Rollason. Expect rubber-faced antics and twisted very tales.
Don’t forget to check out our Fringe Survival Guide. You can book tickets for the Edinburgh Fringe here. You can check out our 2024 returning guide.
You may want to check out our previous guides from 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
