#Review by Lou of Shoot From The Hip @ShootImpro @ThePleasance #ShootFromTheHip #EdFringe #EdFringe25 #ImprovComedy

Shoot From The Hip

Shoot From the Hip is back for a limited run at their biggest Edinburgh Fringe Festival to date and it was packed.
It takes the premise of everything is purely improvised in comedic story-telling and games. The audience is asked for made up movie titles, genres etc, so every show is different in content surrounding the games.

It’s fast-paced, with Sam Russell at the helm of the group. The group gel well together and each perform improv expertly. There are no gaps in performance, meaning their thinking on their feet happens very quickly. Each scene and game with extremely funny results.

Shoot From The Hip is the perfect laughter therapy. Be prepared to laugh from beginning to end.

Shoot from the Hip is highly entertaining and hilarious throughout.

#Review by Lou of Austentatious – An Improvised Jane Austen Novel #Austentatious @FollowTheCow #EdFringe #EdFringe25

Austentatious – An Improvised Jane Austen Novel

Review by Louise Cannon – Bookmarks and Stages

When I first saw Austentatious a number of years ago, I could see they were onto a good thing. Back then, they were playing to small audiences in small spaces. Now, they’ve moved up in the world and played to a packed McEwan Hall, a significantly larger venue. In Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, I thought it most fitting to return to this improv comedy group.

The premise is clever, taking part of a familiar title and adding something that gives a location, like a garden and a character like a gardener in this instance and say its a lost novel of Jane Austen’s before the improvisation begins…

Dressed in morning regency dresses and suits and double-entendres throughout created the main backbone of the piece, that this time was set in a garden with some familiar Pride and Predjudice characters and a nod to Monty Don and Alan Titchmarsh, which, although are contemporary people, fit into the piece, after a while, only momentarily pulling you out before pulling you quickly back into the supposed lost classic. What ensues is laugh-out-loud parody that links the world of Jane Austen with the comedy genre, respectfully keeping to the themes you would expect from any Jane Austen novel. They show and understanding of Jane Austen’s works, the time period very well throughout the play and add in a type of comedy that you would see in sitcoms in times gone by. The cast bounce off each other and rarely was there a pause between scenes. A couple of times you could tell someone couldn’t quite think of something to say that wasn’t similar to what had already been said, but the clever thing was, the actors went with it and made it work and didn’t lose the flow.

Austentatious is a comedy group I highly recommend for an original take on Jane Austen’s writing. I highly recommend the entertaining and joyful, An Improvised Jane Austen Novel, where the novelty of such a concept of Jane Austen meets Improv grows.

#Review By Lou of The Last Laugh – 5 stars – @djwilliamsact @Bobsickle @simplysimon321 @ATGTICKETS #PaulHendy #TheLastLaugh #Theatre #TouringTheatre #Comedy #TommyCooper #EricMorecambe #BobMonkhouse

The Last Laugh
By Paul Hendy

Review by Louise Cannon (Lou)

Meet Tommy Cooper, Bob Monkhouse and Eric Morecambe in a dressing room. Sounds a bit surreal, right? But this is where a sparkling kind of magic occurs. They’re not just funny, but they’re funny, funny, see the show to get the reference.
The Last Laugh is performed by:

Damien Williams plays Tommy Cooper
Simon Cartwright plays Bob Monkhouse
Bob Golding plays Eric Morecambe

I saw The Last Laugh at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow which is what this review is based on. I first saw it and reviewed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It is on a grand tour, more details later in this piece. I don’t often go to see a show more than once. This is that good and finely honed. I have written a new review to give you something different to read. Just shows, there’s a lot to glean from this show, but no spoilers… I also have a whole extra bit to reveal…
I thought The Last Laugh deserved a second viewing in a bigger theatre to see how it faired. I am so pleased to say, it still has the same magic, if not more and is on tour now. See details about how you can get your hands on tickets too after the synopsis and my full review below…

Synopsis

The Last Laugh sees three legendary comedians – Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse – sitting in a dressing room, discussing the secret of life, death, comedy and what it means to be funny. Written and directed by the award-winning Paul Hendy and starring Edinburgh Fringe-legend Bob Golding as Morecambe, Damian Williams as Cooper and Simon Cartwright as Monkhouse, The Last Laugh is warm, funny, nostalgic and poignant.

Review

3 actors walk into a dressing room… They’re not just funny, but they’re funny, funny (see the show for that reference).

From the moment Damien Williams walked on stage as Tommy Cooper, (check out the feet) with the famous chuckle that builds and builds, it got off to a strong start. This strength never dipped throughout the show. By the time Simon Cartwright as Bob Monkhouse and Bob Golding as Eric Morecambe enter the theatre dressing room, the atmosphere is palpable and the compelling nature of this play gets even stronger.

There are some lovely, heartwarming touches, not only between the comedians who are being played, but also with a montage of pictures and chat about other comedians who have also dearly departed the earthly stage.

The repartee as they try out their acts and just chat feels so realistic, as do the mannerisms, personalities, costume and make-up.
There are parts that the audience are subtly made aware of about the state of the comedians health, and perhaps not so subtly in Tommy Cooper’s at times, but at times, it is nuanced, with an expression, a certain positioning of the body. Damien Williams carefully lets you see beyond the laughter and at the same time, Simon Cartwright and Bob Monkhouse are also doing something noticeably funny at the other end of the stage. There’s something sophisticated and clever about how this all works.
There are fantastic references to each of the shows Tommy Cooper, Bob Monkhouse, Eric Morecambe were in.

The talent doesn’t stop there. There’s music from a ukulele and songs to be heard, all done live by the actors.

The poignancy, the sacrifices the partnerships they have or in Monkhouse’s case, had is not only fascinating, but draws you closer to each of them as the actors allow you a glimpse into their inner thoughts and emotions. There are moments when it gets quite deep and then suddenly switches to another joke.

The actors always look like they’re having a ball on stage and the audience were all enjoying themselves too. The energy and passion they bring leaps off the stage and is palpable in the auditorium of the theatre.

I feel like I could write more, but I don’t want to give away any spoilers.

There is a newly added interval and the second half brings a Q&A session, which they all handled magnificently. They are passionate about who they’re playing and it just oozes from stage to audience.

The way it ends is cleverly done and follows from the poignancy that appears throughout the show. There is a bit of a bittersweetness to it all because of course none of the comedians are alive, but if they were, I think they’d approve. I like to think so anyway because the actors have done them and the audience justice. They’ve also given dead comedians a new lease of life in a considered, thoughtful manner. I feel this show will go from strength to strength and I think the actors could play more of these “old-timers”.

We were informed about the tour going on this year and the following year. I was in awe by it last year. I am still in awe this year and how this has grown from the Fringe to the West-end to New York and back to touring in the UK is deserved.
can’t praise the concept, the writing nor the actors highly enough!

This is a show you can easily watch again and still be highly entertained.

Discover further information about how you can also see The Last Laugh here: Tour Dates and Booking

Here’s my original Edinburgh Fringe Review

#Interview by Lou – What does Comedian, Robyn Perkins and Psychologist, Dr. Keenan have in common? Free #EdFringe show – Shrink Wrapped A Psychologist Analysis Live On Stage. @CountingHouseEd @lhcomedy #WhatsOnEdinburgh #ShrinkWrapped #Comedy #Psychology #RobynPerkins #DrCarolyneKeenan #ComedyForTheCurious #LifeHacks

Interview hosted by Louise Cannon with Comedian, Robyn Perkins
and Psychologist, Dr. Carolyne Keenan
Shrink Wrapped: A Psychologist Analysis Live On Stage

Comedy For The Curious – Shrink Wrapped
The Lounge at Laughing Horse @ The Counting House
31 Jul – 24 Aug 20:45
1 hour

Welcome, Robyn Perkins and Dr. Carolyne Keenan to Bookmarks and Stages.
Thank you for your time in answering all my questions in an in-depth, fascinating manner.

Robyn Perkins is a multi-award winning comedian with hit shows such as Comedy for the Curious. She is said to like investigating life. She tackles big emotionally charged subjects and brings it back to the audience with relatable humour and anecdotes.

Dr. Carolyne Keenan is a fully-qualified, licenced, registered psychologist who is founder and clinical director @ Lotus Psychology Ltd. She has also featured on BBC Radio 1 in programmes such as the popular, Life Hacks, The Independent, Psychology Today and more…

The idea of bringing comedians on-stage together in a group therapy type of scenario, with a psychologist really analysing them, sounds a fascinating and original show. It’s a pleasure to interview you both about this, covering what you hope audiences will get from this, what psychologists really think of clients and so much more… The answers truly are fascinating and insightful.
Firstly, we will check out the synopsis and then on to the Q&A before details on where you can catch Shrink Wrapped in Edinburgh.

Ever been deep in a therapy session and gone: I want to know what the hell she’s thinking? Well now’s your chance… with comedians in the hot seat. Join award-winning comedian Robyn Perkins and real-life psychologists (Dr Ruchi Sinha, Dr Carolyne Keenan or Dr Edel McGlanaghy) for the most entertaining therapy session you’ll ever witness. Guest comedians perform their best material, before submitting themselves to gentle psychological probing in front of a live audience. Don’t worry, we’ve got more safe words than a BDSM convention.

Without further ado, let’s begin with the questions I have for you:

Robyn, What gave you the idea to have a comedy show around the topic of therapy and then add in real psychologists into the mix?

It actually started in Adelaide when I had one of our psychologists on Comedy for the Curious (my science comedy panel show, also in Edinburgh). During the show, the psychologist (Dr. Ruchi Sinha) just read all of the comedian guests, from a psychological point of view. After the show, we chatted about how that would make an incredible show on its own, and the raw idea was born. From there, I have developed the idea into a full-blown panel show, developing the structure into what it is today.

Dr. Keenan, how did you become involved in this show and how is it being in the mix of a comedy show and at the same time giving your psychological opinion in front of a live audience?

I was invited to be part of Shrink Wrapped because I had already been a guest expert on Robyn’s show Comedy for the Curious. We had been working together for a while when Robyn came up with the concept for Shrink Wrapped. I’ve always believed psychology shouldn’t just stay in clinic rooms or textbooks, it should be part of everyday life. When Robyn described the show and the concept of combining comedy with psychological insights, I thought it was brilliant.

Being part of a comedy show is exciting and I love meeting all the comedians. It’s different from my therapy work but it uses the same skills- listening deeply, noticing patterns, and reflecting back what I hear. The difference is that on stage, we’re exploring these insights with humour, warmth, and openness in front of a live audience. I love that it makes psychology accessible and fun, while also highlighting the very real human truths that comedy often touches on.

Dr. Keenan, can you give an example of what do psychologists think of their clients, since that is a little of what’s billed in the show that makes it sound so interesting?

People often wonder what psychologists really think about their clients. The reality is, we’re human and often I’m thinking very similar things to what you might be:

“I wish they could see how great they are.”
“They really need to get rid of this idiot, they’d be so much happier.”
“I wish they would focus less on how much their favourite influencer has helped them and give the sessions we have been having some credit!”

In Shrink Wrapped, the audience gets a playful glimpse into how psychologists analyse behaviour and language. For example, a comedian might make a joke about not feeling good enough growing up and I might explore whether that contributed to their attraction to a job where they are constantly seeking immediate and positive approval from an audience. It’s done with kindness and humour though, not judgement, which is what makes it so engaging.

Robyn, Shrink Wrapped has done hugely well at the Adelaide Fringe having sell-out shows. What can people in Edinburgh expect and what do you hope they take away with them at the end of the show?

The concept of Shrink Wrapped seems to intrigue most people, but I think it is the structure behind it that gives the show it’s depth. I have worked with a few psychologists to refine a list of topics we explore across the shows (eg. Conflict, Trust, Romantic Relationships, etc.). Each show tackles a few of the topics in a group therapy session between 3 comedians and a psychologist.

Because the discussion is based in real therapy concepts, the show inherently flips between serious and funny, emotional and light hearted. Equally, I have chosen comedians who are, by nature, quite vulnerable on stage so the chat will occasionally reach emotional moments. However, with 3 comedians on stage at one time, this also means we are desperate to crack a joke if it gets too intense. It is the ebb and the flow of these moments that really makes the show special.

Additionally, since we are talking about real events and real people, we have found that audiences relate to at least one of the comedians on stage, in an ‘I do that’ or ‘that’s me’ kind of way. We are hoping that this can also spark conversations about mental health in a positive and fun way. I know using humour to explore mental health is not a new concept, but watching 3 comedians talk about their mental health in the form of a live therapy session is new territory we are excited to be exploring.

This year in Edinburgh, we are doing the Free Fringe (free entry with donations after the show), and while you cannot book ahead, based on feedback we have had about the show, we are expecting to be just as busy as Adelaide.

Dr. Keenan, what do you hope the audience will have learnt and take away with them by the end of the show?

I hope the audience leaves with:

A sense of relief – realising we all have quirks and struggles, and humour can be a brilliant way to explore them.
A new curiosity about themselves and others – understanding that behaviour always makes sense when you look deeper.
A feeling of connection – seeing comedians open up about their lives helps us feel less alone in our own messy human experiences.

Ultimately, I want people to feel entertained, uplifted, and inspired to reflect on their own lives with more compassion and humour.

For both Dr. Keenan and Robyn, how did you convince 8 comedians to be on stage doing some form of group therapy with 3 psychologists present. Was this an easy or hard task to do?

Dr. KEENAN: I think comedians are naturally curious and brave, they’re used to being vulnerable on stage and they quite like talking about themselves! When they realised this show wasn’t about picking them apart but about exploring their material and personalities in a fun, supportive way, they were on board.

Also, Robyn’s energy and the framing of the show as “science comedy” rather than “group therapy” helped. It wasn’t about fixing them – it was about exploring some of their material through a psychological lens. That made it feel safe and exciting rather than threatening.

ROBYN PERKINS: Similar to what Dr. Keenan has said – as a comedian we love talking about ourselves! But more than that, comedians are curious by nature. I have been overwhelmed by the number of comedians who have asked to be on the show. It’s been fantastic! No convincing necessary!

For both Robyn and Dr. Keenan, what did you both learn from doing this type of show that you would take forward into your careers moving forward and would you do something similar again in the future?

Dr. KEENAN: For me, it reinforced how powerful humour is in making psychological concepts accessible. People learn best when they’re engaged and laughing. I also learnt that psychology belongs everywhere – not just therapy rooms but in arts, media, and entertainment. I regularly take part in BBC Radio One’s Sunday evening show Life Hacks where we take topics that impact the listeners and explore the psychology behind them. We often have call in questions so I’m comfortable thinking on my feet and making these insights accessible and actionable but doing it in front of a live audience on stage has helped me practice those skills and feel even more comfortable with it.

I’d absolutely love to do something similar again. Bringing psychology to audiences in creative ways is something I’m deeply passionate about, and Shrink Wrapped has been a perfect example of how that can work- long may the show continue!

ROBYN PERKINS: I have learned I probably need to do more therapy! I have actually learned a lot about myself, both from comments about me and my set, but I’ve also learned things from watching others. I am hoping this show continues far into the future.

What made you choose Edinburgh Fringe for Shrink Wrapped and what are your plans for where this show can go next?

I go to the Fringe every year, and do the global festival circuit, so it was a no brainer to bring it to EdFringe! Through at least December, we are performing monthly at Top Secret Comedy Club in London at the moment. We will bring the show back to Australia next year. But also, we are looking to potentially start touring the show around theatres and the rest of the UK. The possibilities are endless!

Where can people follow you on social media?

Dr. CAROLYNE KEENAN

You can find me on Instagram @drcarolynekeenan

Linked In (2) Dr Carolyne Keenan | LinkedIn

My website is www.carolynekeenan.co.uk

ROBYN PERKINS

www.robynperkins.com

Instagram @robynHperkins

Further Details about Shrink Wrapped:

Shrink Wrapped – A Psychologist Analysis of Comedians Live On Stage

#EdFringe News – Dare to Discover the much anticipated Edinburgh Fringe Brochure #DareToDiscover #Comedy #Theatre #Music #Dance #Science #Tech #Drama #Musicals at #EdinburghFringeFestival

In case you missed it earlier in the month, the full Edinburgh Fringe Brochure has been launched and available for you to start flicking through, studying and planning what to see this summer of 2025. Check out what’s in store below…

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE 2025 PROGRAMME IS LAUNCHED

Today, Tuesday 03 June, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is delighted to launch the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme. The programme celebrates the diverse selection of work at the Fringe, with performers from across the world and work from 58 countries.

This year’s programme features work from 3,352 shows across 265 venues, with themes tackling some of the most topical issues in the world today. From rebellious women to the paranormal; the apocalypse to nostalgia; queer joy to life with illness; rave and club culture to science and technology.

Launching the 2025 Fringe programme, Tony Lankester, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘Programme launch is such an exciting moment for everyone involved making the Fringe happen. Thank you to all the Fringe-makers – the artists, venues, workers, producers, technicians, promoters, support staff and audiences that bring their un-matched, exceptional energy to Edinburgh in August.

‘This year’s Fringe programme is filled with every kind of performance, so whether you’re excited for theatre or circus, or the best of comedy, music, dance, children’s shows, magic or cabaret; get ready to dare to discover this August. Jump right in, book your favourites, shows that intrigue you and take a chance on something new.’

In this release

New show additions

Key themes:

Rebellious women
The paranormal
The apocalypse
Nostalgia
Queer joy
Life with illness
Rave and club culture
Science and tech

New show additions

At Traverse Theatre, Gary McNair’s ‘award-winning show’ A Gambler’s Guide to Dying returns ‘back home for a special run to mark its 10th anniversary’.

‘Four generations of Northern Irish women, reunited’ in Consumed (Traverse Theatre), ‘a tale of twisted family dynamics and national boundaries’.

‘Inspired by his involvement in the Egyptian revolution of 2011, and experience of the counter-revolution that followed, Khalid Abdalla brings together the personal and the political’ in Nowhere (Traverse Theatre).

At Scottish Storytelling Centre, join the Loud Poets for ‘fist-thumping, pint-drinking, side-tickling, heart-wrenching fusion of poetry and live music’ or ‘Scottish and Welsh traditional storytellers Ailsa Dixon and Ffion Phillips as they weave folk music, language and story across these isles and between worlds’ in Aderyn/Bird.

Also at Scottish Storytelling Centre, Cassandra ‘blends Greek myth, Scottish folklore and personal narrative to explore prophecy, protest and survival across time and space’.

Rebellious women

At Summerhall, Amazons is a ‘gripping new solo show about the Amazon rainforest and the generations of women who have fought to protect it’.

‘From Parisian hysteria to the glowing Radium Girls’, Fragile Creatures at theSpaceUK ‘reveals gripping stories of women’s rebellion, resilience and their relentless fight for bodily autonomy and equality’.

In Alice Hawkins – Working Class Suffragette at the Arthur Conan Doyle Centre, ‘Peter Barratt gives a stirring and passionate account of his great-grandmother’s hard-fought campaign for the vote’ while VOTE the Musical at Paradise Green takes a ‘gripping look at the Suffragette movement exploring imprisonment, activism and the fight for electoral freedom’.

Three resilient Scottish sex workers, dream of escaping the lives they’ve been trapped in, but the patriarchy stands in their way in Happy Ending Street at Leith Arches.

In Well Behaved Women at Gilded Balloon, in 1888 ‘three chaotic twentysomething women decide to host a séance’ and make ‘a bit of a mess of things.’

‘Get ready for a powerful performance’ at Women in Socks and Sandals at ZOO, ‘filled with quirky stunts, mental courage and celebration of the right to be oneself’.

With ‘history, sermons and singalong’, Church of the Clitori at Paradise Green aims to ‘satirise and crash-tackle anatomy, religious ads and female sexuality politics’.

The paranormal

At Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge, Fallen Angel by Liam Rudden tells the story of Angel, who’s been ‘tortured’ by angels for ‘500 years’, while ‘startling revelations about Edy Hurst’s relations have set him on vision quest to contact his ancestors’ in Edy Hurst’s Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Himself at Assembly.

Do Zombies Dream of Undead Sheep? is a ‘one-man (and one puppet) musical journey through a zombie outbreak, combining live performance, puppetry and animation’ at ZOO.

‘Get to know Frankenstein’s Monster like you’ve never been able to before’ at Fatherless Monster (Paradise Green), ‘face to face with only a mic and some stage lights between you and him.’

0.1% Accurate: Magdalena the Fortune Teller Show ‘will predict the future, summon the spirits, answer your life questions and send you home smiling’ at Alchemist Cocktail Bar and Restaurant.

Listen to the tales of Haunted Edinburgh at Arthur Conan Doyle Centre ‘and discover a host of terrifying stories of hauntings from the city’s dark past’ or visit The Mother Superior to ‘unveil women’s role in shaping the history of alcohol, including sharing how some were framed as witches’ in Whisky & Witches.

A Haunted House at Assembly is a ‘hysterical, terrifying and surreal tale, about one hair-raising night in a haunted house’ ‘for those who like their laughs big and their scares spine-chilling!’

‘The world-renowned paranormal expert Baron Vordenburg and his helpers, Gothic and Grotesque, give away trade secrets and expertise on hunting the unknown’ in Baron Vordenburg’s Guide to the Paranormal at theSpaceUK.

‘A man commits the ultimate act of cowardice’ and ‘a woman’s spirit gains terrifying embodiment’ in ‘dark, twisted folk horror tale’ Tom Hiccup’s Well at Greenside.

The apocalypse

At theSpaceUK, ‘apocalyptic anti-romcom’ Horny for the End of the World follows ‘Gen Z, try-hard, pick-me Ebeth gets dumped by the man of her dreams the day before everyone realizes the world is going to end’.

Apocalipsync is a ‘high-energy solo show blending physical theatre, mime, dance and lip-sync mastery’ ‘exploring themes of isolation, hyper-connectivity and human expression’ at Assembly.

Original musical The Real Housewives of the Zombie Apocalypse at Greenside asks if the ‘OGs of reality TV’ can ‘survive the hordes, and each other, and self-produce their way to the end?’ while 4’s a Crowd (Or What Not to Do When Stuck in a Bunker During the Apocalypse) at theSpaceUK ‘follows the idiots left behind after the world ends’.

Apocalypse Cabaret: Songs for the End of the World (Underbelly) is a ‘powerhouse Fringe debut packed with original songs, pop bangers, audience interaction, and existential musings’ following ‘a lonely karaoke jockey is the sole survivor at the end of the world and decides to go out singing.’

Scenes of Unfathomable Horror brings ‘absurd, twisted and entertaining take on modernity, celebrity and existential dread’ to Just the Tonic.

Nostalgia

At Underbelly, A Small Town Northern Tale is a ‘Y2K coming-of-age story, charting life in a small Northern town as a mixed-race boy’ and WANTED tells the story of ‘two girls from opposite worlds’ ‘fated to meet on the 00s queer scene’.

At Club NVRLND (Assembly), ‘where the party goes on till morning’, ‘Wendy and Peter reunite for an unforgettable night of adventure, nostalgia and staying forever young, featuring the biggest 2000s anthems’

‘All set to the soundtrack of the 2000s’ Jake Donaldson Is The Fifth Weezer at Laughing Horse is set to be ‘packed with nostalgia, punchy jokes and stories about finding your place in the world’.

‘The perfect nostalgic show for pop fanatics and chart aficionados’, Margot and Martha’s Chart Show Mixtape at theSpaceUK will ‘take you on a journey from mixtapes to Spotify wrapped, celebrating pop music through what was in the charts on the 18th of August – the very week they’re performing at the Fringe’.

‘Party like it’s 1999’ at MASSAOKE: 90s Live (Underbelly) with ‘an epic 90s sing-along’.

‘Through everyday conversation, hilarious comedy, and music-hall style songs’ at The Steamie (Gilded Balloon) ‘we learn from four working-class women about their lives, husbands, technology and the approaching New Year in this time capsule of Glasgow in the 1950s’.

Queer joy

A ‘love letter to the queers, the weirdoes, the trailblazers, the fringes and the night-walkers’, Anatomy of a Night at Summerhall is an ‘exploration of personal identity through a reflection of memories from queer and club spaces’.

‘Queer, chic and outrageous’ – head to the Big Gay Afterparty at Just the Tonic for the ‘biggest, gayest party at the Fringe (fun straights allowed)’.

‘A queer love story but no one dies at the end? Welcome to the world of’ Blooming at Greenside.

Join a ‘plus-sized, 72-year-old lesbian’ sharing ‘intimate stories celebrating inclusivity’ at Tales From Your Queer Elder (Greenside).

At Carpet Muncher at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, ‘the contemporary folklore of the Mothman is brought to life, using vibrant surrealist costuming to explore themes of queer alienation, metamorphosis, cross-border solidarity and homoerotic hot-hub encounters’.

Follow a young trans girl as she navigates the hilarity of rural Argentina during the 1900s at Cecilia Gentili’s Red Ink at Underbelly.

‘Expect chaos, drag, stand-up, glitter, queer joy and an ever-changing line-up of LGBTQIA+ acts’ at Comedy Queers (Laughing Horse) or check out Midnight at the Palace (Gilded Balloon) for a ‘night of radical joy and glitter-encrusted anarchy’.

Living with illness

3 Kidneys No Colon at Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge is ‘the medical diaries (or rather… diarrheas) of Dave who suffers from chronic kidney disease, ulcerative colitis and has had multiple organ transplants’.

Learn about ‘narcolepsy from a true-life perspective’ at theSpaceUK, Fragments of Fatigue is a ‘coming-of-age story to transform your world and prove just how much fight is required to beat the fatigue’.

‘Artfully weaving between generational trauma and chronic illness’, Robyn Reynolds: What Doesn’t Kill You at Assembly will have you ‘roaring with laughter’.

In The Nature of Forgetting at Pleasance, ‘Tom is living with early onset dementia’ and ‘we meet him as he prepares for his 55th birthday party and past memories come flooding back’. At theSpaceUK, Ah-Ma is ‘a hauntingly beautiful new play, weaving together natural and social disasters, bodily deterioration and family sorrow’.

At Assembly, Ohio tells the story of ‘when Shaun turned his back on the church’ and ‘found a new home in music’ before he is ‘confronted now with acute degenerative hearing loss’.

Yvonne Hughes: Absolutely Riddled is ‘a fresh and bold dive into the reality of living with cystic fibrosis (CF) – a journey that’s as phlegmy as it is funny’ at Gilded Balloon.

Rave and club culture

At Summerhall, The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave is ‘the atmosphere and culture of a three-day rave condensed into an hour’ while PUMP ‘drops you in the middle of a nightclub dance floor in a desperate search for validation, intimacy and identity’.

Her Raving Mind is ‘a Greco-British rave tragicomedy unravelling the complex mind of an abuse survivor’ at Just the Tonic.

‘Loud, lawless, and laced with naughty bits’, Watch Me Die! is ‘rave theatre: performance, film, stand-up and pounding basslines, dragging Shakespeare into a civil war where star-crossed love and vengeance make their scene’ at theSpaceUK.

At Rave, Colin and Rosie ‘are battling through their own worlds of crisis using the music of the rave club to help, encourage and solve their problems’ at Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge.

Science and tech

Created by an AI researcher, AI: Save Our Souls at Greenside features ‘an immersive future world of AI, polystylistic music and a dynamic plot’ while at Paradise Green, Rise of the Solar Punks asks ‘what can we learn from ancient cultures regarding climate adaptation, and how can we fuse this with technology and AI?’

As part of the Made in Scotland showcase, MUO Live at the French Institute in Scotland is ‘a unique fusion of music, science and unseen cosmic forces.’

Head to Just the Tonic, Excel Comedy and Mathem-antics for a ‘themed stand-up show for spreadsheet experts and rookies alike’ or check out Sci-larious – Science Stand-up at Laughing Horse for ‘bi-lol-ogy or pharm-ha-cy’.

Mark Thompson’s Spectacular Science Show at Gilded Balloon is ‘science like you have never seen it before’ exploring ‘the magical properties of matter’.

At PBH’s Free Fringe, Freya McGhee: Experimental blends ‘science, comedy and dating into one unforgettable experiment’ investigating ‘the chemistry of attraction to the mechanics of mixed signals’.

Check out Hot Rubber (Gilded Balloon) to see ‘eight comedians pit their homemade remote-control cars against one another in the world’s smallest demolition derby’ or ‘form a team, select a knockoff Roomba, customise it, then pit it against a dozen rivals’ at Robot Vacuum Fight Club (Outhouse Bar).

New and interesting venues

Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge ‘on busy George Street’ is new with a number of shows this August, including well-known musicals Little Shop of Horrors, High School Musical and Footloose, as well as a range of theatre, cabaret and children’s shows.

Welcome to the Fringe, Palestine, ‘a mini-festival to celebrate Palestinian art and culture’, takes place in new venue Portobello Town Hall.

Citadel Youth Centre is ‘hosting two fundraisers for the Citadel’s valuable work with young people and families in Leith’ Storm in the Citadel and Punchline on Leith.

The Bowlers Rest in Leith is home to Beggared, ‘the story of a privileged white South African whose life collapses into homelessness’.

Easter Road Stadium joins the Fringe as a venue, hosting two shows: Dropped, in which ‘former Chelsea FC trainee Alfie Cain tells his moving story of dashed football dreams and explores the darkness and pressures young men go through trying to make it as professional footballers’ and Frankie Mack Showman – The Next Stage: The Leith San Siro ‘a high-energy, show-stopping night of swing, rock’n’roll and modern classics’.

All the way from Italy is Mirage Spiegeltent at Gyle Shopping Centre, hosting Spirit of the Favela, a ‘dynamic fusion of circus and theatre showcasing Rio de Janeiro’s vibrant culture and communities’.

Gilded Balloon have introduced a new space at Appleton Tower for twenty shows, including Frances Floats and Not My Grandmother’s Daughter.

Now in St. Andrew’s Square, The Famous Spiegeltent returns, offering theatre, cabaret, music and musicals, including La Clique – ‘the global phenomenon that redefined a genre, with its mélange of cabaret and circus’.

Famous faces

Josie Long: Now Is the Time of Monsters is ‘a new show about extinct, gigantic, charismatic megafauna from three-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee’ at Pleasance.

Gilded Balloon marks their fortieth anniversary with ‘a series of special in-conversations featuring comedy greats’ including Jenny Eclair and Michelle McManus.

Also at Gilded Balloon, Rosie O’Donnell: Here & Now ‘reflects on her life in the present, including why she moved to Ireland from the USA, and how that shift has shaped her future’ and Michelle Brasier: It’s a Shame We Won’t Be Friends Next Year is a ‘show for the theatre kids, the freaks, the queers; for anyone who’s spiralled about something they did years ago’.

Fringe favourite Nina Conti: Whose Face Is It Anyway? is back at Underbelly, with ‘an unparalleled, unscripted show that delves deep into who we are, hijacking faces to spark a bold, hysterical reality warp’.

‘Direct from a sell-out West End season’, Bill Bailey is at Edinburgh Playhouse with Thoughtifier while Miriam Margolyes brings ‘more characters, more Dickens and more fascinating stories about the man behind the classics’ to Pleasance with Margolyes and Dickens: More Best Bits.

‘The talented comedian, writer and host of A24 late-night variety sketch show’ Ziwe brings Ziwe’s America to Pleasance.

At The Stand Comedy Club, ‘expect to hear the glorious mess of being a professional polymath – from medical school to quiz championships, comedy clubs to Parkinson’s advocacy’ at In Conversation with… Paul Sinha or ‘jokes, rants, politics, swearing and possible nudity’ at Mark Thomas: WD40.

At Monkey Barrel, there’s ‘new material from the Rose d’Or, Southbank Sky Arts and Edinburgh Comedy Award winner’ Bridget Christie. Also at Monkey Barrel, ‘the Taskmaster treasure, Live at the Apollo star and voice of Netflix’s Too Hot to Handle presents a new hour about our bodies corporeal and politic, and what remains through ascension and destruction’ with Desiree Burch: The Golden Wrath.

‘A love letter to people pleasers everywhere’, Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares at Underbelly is ‘a hilarious, heartfelt and sometimes brutally honest tribute to recovering ingenues, mothers and anybody working on themselves’.

‘Comedy veteran’ Karen Dunbar ‘returns to the Fringe for a limited run of her stand-up tour’ at Just the Tonic.

At Assembly, David O’Doherty: Highway to the David Zone has ‘has got the lot’ with ‘talking, songs, talking during songs, talking while walking around’.

Free and Pay What You Can/Want shows

There are 325 free shows and 529 Pay What You Can/Want shows in this year’s programme.

10,001 Ideas by Robyn Perkins at Laughing Horse offers a ‘uniquely different hour of critically acclaimed stand-up and storytelling’.

Huge Davies: Free Work in Progress is at PBH’s Free Fringe with ‘his wearable keyboard for a free hour-long work in progress’. Also at PBH’s Free Fringe, Escape the Rat Race is a ‘a must-see for anyone who has ever worked in an office’.

At Laughing Horse, Three Bad Sisters is a ‘cacophony of the best and darkest materials from these three female rising stars of Irish comedy: Aideen McQueen, Shinanne Higgins and Louise O’Toole’.

‘Imagine an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman in the same bar as a therapist’ and you’ll imagine 5 Mugs, No Tea at Leith Depot. At the Mother Superior, you can ‘expect a fever-dream of love, loss, and existential dread’ at Crying at the Meat Raffle.

Disco Picnic at The Three Sisters is a ‘Fringe fiesta serves up a delicious mix of toe-tapping disco tunes’.

Thanks to our supporters and partners

The Fringe Society are grateful to the many partners, supporters, funders and sponsors this year. In particular, they would like to thank the official Education Partner of the Fringe Anthropic, the official Beer of the Fringe Innis and Gunn, Cirrus Logic and Baillie Gifford.

They would like to thank the UK Government and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for their Keep it Fringe Fund support, the Scottish Government and City of Edinburgh Council for strategic funding support, the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO Fund support for the Made in Scotland programme; and Screen Scotland for supporting Screen Fringe.

The Fringe Society would also like to thank accommodation partners who provide much needed affordable accommodation to artists – Queen Margaret University and the University of Edinburgh, Theatre Digs Booker. Health in Mind are also returning in 2025 to support the delivery of mental health and wellbeing services within Fringe Central, which is once again kindly delivered in partnership with Grassmarket Community Project.

Fringe in numbers

3,352 total shows
265 total venues
49,521 performances
Work from Scotland: 923
Rest of UK: 1,392
Countries represented: 58 (including UK countries)
International countries: 54 (excluding UK countries)
There are 321 free shows and 529 Pay What You Can/Want shows.
There are 923 Scottish shows, with 657 shows coming from Edinburgh.
Shows within each section:
- Cabaret and variety – 159 shows (4.7%)
- Childrens’ shows – 140 shows (4.2%)
- Comedy – 1,214 shows (36.2%)
- Dance, physical theatre and circus – 130 shows (3.9%)
- Events – 49 shows (1.5%)
- Exhibitions – 42 shows (1.3%)
- Music – 370 shows (11.0%)
- Musicals and opera – 165 shows (4.9%)
- Spoken word – 154 shows (4.6%)
- Theatre – 930 shows (27.7%)

#EdFringe News – Horny For The End of The World @theSpaceUK #SurgeonsHall #WhatsOnEdinburgh #Comedy @EdFringe

Horny for the End of the World

Venue: TheSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall (Stephenson Theatre)

Dates: August 1 – 22 (not 10, not 17)

Time: (August 1-16) 23:15 (August 18-22) 23:30

See clip at the end of the article…

Gen Z, try-hard, pick-me Ebeth gets dumped the day before everyone realizes the world is going to end. With the time she has left to live, Ebeth obsesses over her humiliating past relationships and unhinged personal philosophies. Horny for the End of the World, an apocalyptic anti-romcom, follows Ebeth through her girly-pop existential crisis, finding growth on her journey of accidental self-reflection at TheSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall this August.

Written by and starring award-winning, New York based actress and Tribeca Film Festival Alumna, Tatienne Hendricks-Tellefsen in her Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut. Horny for the End of the World, is the chaotic feminist comedy we didn’t know we needed.

While living with her parents during the pandemic lockdown and simultaneously going through the most intense heartbreak of her life, Tatienne received a “check in text” from every man she’d ever slept with. She vividly remembers these thirsty messages, thinking “these dudes are horny for the end of the world!”

Watching herself (and everyone else in the world) spiraling out and coupling up, Tatienne had a moment of clarity. Through Ebeth, Horny’s startlingly unselfaware anti-heroine, Tatienne uses her skill with language to ask the audience: What would you focus on when the end is nigh—boys?

Musa Gurnis, a feminist theater scholar and the director of Horny for the End of the World says: “Tatienne is a glitterbomb satirist and a joy to watch! Her high-energy performance roasts our delulu heroine and her male-centric outlook, while still taking Ebeth seriously as a person capable of growth and worthy of love.”

Horny for the End of The World plays throughout August at TheSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall. Produced by the Private Theatre under the artistic direction of John Gould Rubin (former co-artistic director of LAByrinth, with Phillip Seymour Hoffman). John Gould Rubin on Horny: “Tatienne’s a deeply gifted artist. She’s created a piece that simultaneously confronts the audience and puts them at ease; while recounting her character’s story she endows us with empathy, so through her we see ourselves.”

Tickets available here.

Praise and Audience reactions for Tatienne Hendricks-Tellefsen:

“I love the way Tatienne performs that number. She uses the song as a Knife against Bertram. It’s great.” – Josh Feye, Dionysian Dream

“The show that keeps selling out.” – Brooklyn Center for Theatre Research

“Hilarious and heartbreaking. Horny 4 has a world and a character so recognizable, you’ll worry it could be about you.” – Claire McClain (audience member)

Biography

Tatienne Hendricks-Tellefsen is a classically trained actor and writer, born and raised in New York City. She studied Shakespeare at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and is an Alumni of Atlantic Acting School in Chelsea NYC.

Tatienne wrote, produced and starred in her comedic web series, Adult, which was an official selection at Lower East Side Film Festival, won two audience awards at IndieWorks and also earned her an invitation to participate in the Tribeca Film Festival’s N.O.W. Creators Market. Her acting has been featured at film festivals all over the United States and the prestigious San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain. Recent acting credits include: David Chase’s THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK, Kevin Vu’s PERFECT AS CATS, the western feature ALL MEN ARE WICKED, Alex Aguirre’s M3LTD0WN at the Brick Theater; Shakespeare’s ALLS WELL THAT ENDS WELL, Daria Kolomiec’s DIARY OF WAR at Bedlam’s West End Theatre, and Dan Purcell’s OBSERVER AT REST.

Listing Information

Title: Horny for the End of the World

Venue: TheSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall

Ed Fringe link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/horny-for-the-end-of-the-world

Fringe Venue Number: 53

Dates: Aug 1 – 22 (Not 10, not 17)

Press from: AUG 2

Time: (August 1-16) 23:15 (August 18-22) 23:30

Duration: 40 mins Entry: £12 / concessions £10 Age: 16+