# Edinburgh Festival 2025 > Edinburgh. Fringe. Festivals. Fun. Beer. News. People. Tips. ## Posts - [The Seagull](https://edinburghfestival.org/2025/10/20/the-seagull-lyceum-edinburgh-review/): ★★★★☆ The Seagull, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh The Lyceum’s new era opens with a confident, darkly comic Seagull that largely soars. James Brining’s first production as artistic director has an easy, unshowy assurance: it’s clear about the story it’s telling, brisk without feeling rushed, and alert to Chekhov’s sardonic humour as much as his ache. Mike Poulton’s fresh, unfussy adaptation keeps the characters’ egos and yearnings in crisp focus, and the production lands the see-saw of comedy and melancholy with appealing clarity. Caroline Quentin is a deliciously self-regarding Irina Arkadina, every entrance a performance, every exit a power play. She… - [Alan Bissett: When Billy met Alasdair](https://edinburghfestival.org/2025/08/25/alan-bissett-when-billy-met-alasdair/): Alan Bissett’s electrifying new show When Billy Met Alasdair is a theatrical knockout – a sharp, witty and impassioned collision of two of Scotland’s towering cultural figures: the cerebral, softly-spoken writer Alasdair Gray, and the incendiary working-class comedian Billy Connolly. It’s a love letter to Scottish identity, laced with passion, joy, and a deep reverence for the complicated business of being Scottish. Bissett, performing both roles himself with uncanny precision, channels the men’s starkly different energies with astonishing clarity. His Connolly is a strutting, swaggering stand-up in full flow – irreverent, hilarious, and unashamedly profane. In contrast, his Gray is… - [Jo Caulfield: Bad Mood Rising](https://edinburghfestival.org/2025/08/23/jo-caulfield-bad-mood-rising/): Jo Caulfield’s Bad Mood Rising is an absolute masterclass in comedy. With scalpel-sharp wit, immaculate timing, and a gloriously grumpy worldview, Caulfield takes the audience on a laugh-packed tour through life’s daily irritations, social absurdities, and the general madness of modern existence — and every minute is pure gold. From the moment she walks on stage, Jo commands the room with the confidence of a seasoned performer who knows exactly what she’s doing — and better still, knows exactly what the audience needs. The title Bad Mood Rising may suggest doom and gloom, but what follows is an hour of… - [Robert Burns: Not in my Name](https://edinburghfestival.org/2025/08/21/robert-burns-not-in-my-name/): Kevin Williamson’s Robert Burns – Not In My Name is a tour de force of poetic reclamation, political critique, and passionate performance. With this bold and incendiary show, Williamson not only reintroduces us to Burns, but demands we reconsider who he was—and what he truly stood for. This is not your schoolroom Burns. There are no tea towels, tartan clichés or sanitized sentimental verses. Instead, Williamson digs deep into the raw, radical essence of the Bard, bringing forth a man of revolutionary spirit, scathing wit, and unflinching social conscience. And he does it with charisma, clarity, and a searing moral… - [Piaf Revisited](https://edinburghfestival.org/2025/08/21/piaf-revisited/): Christine Bovill’s Piaf Revisited is far more than a tribute show — it’s a transporting, emotionally charged journey through the soul of French chanson, refracted through the legend of Édith Piaf and the life of Bovill herself. With her velvet voice, captivating storytelling, and effortless stage presence, Bovill doesn’t merely sing Piaf — she resurrects her spirit while simultaneously making the music deeply personal. From the moment she steps onto the stage, Bovill commands attention with an understated confidence. No costume, no caricature, no cheap mimicry — this is Piaf filtered through the heart and history of a woman who… - [Reality is not Enough](https://edinburghfestival.org/2025/08/21/reality-is-not-enough-irvine-welsh/): Irvine Welsh has never been one to follow convention, and Reality Is Not Enough, the new documentary exploring his life and work, makes no attempt to domesticate him. Directed with verve and a certain punk sensibility, the film is a vivid, sprawling exploration of the man behind Trainspotting, Filth, and the many other brutally honest depictions of working-class Scottish life. It’s a gripping watch — though not without its flaws. The documentary traces Welsh’s journey from the grey, council-flat streets of Leith to international literary stardom, charting his rebellious youth, his immersion in the 80s club scene, and his rise… - [Group Portrait in a Summer Landscape](https://edinburghfestival.org/2023/10/06/group-portrait-in-a-summer-landscape/): Peter Arnott’s latest offering presents an exquisite dance between the epochs of the past and the impending future. Set against the idyllic backdrop of a Perthshire summer home, the haunting spirit of young Will, masterfully portrayed by Robbie Scott, serves as an evocative centerpiece. George Rennie, his father and a fervent academic brought to life by John Michie, surrounds himself with kin and acquaintances on the eve of the monumental Scottish independence referendum of 2014. The setting couldn’t be more apt, with change palpably in the atmosphere. Matthew Trevannion’s portrayal of Charlie, a former protégé of George now turned media… - [What is the future for the Edinburgh International Film Festival?](https://edinburghfestival.org/2022/10/07/future-edinburgh-international-film-festival/): The Edinburgh International Film Festival, the Edinburgh Filmhouse and the Belmont cinema in Aberdeen have all stopped trading with immediate effect. The parent charity that runs them – Centre for the Moving Image – announced it had called in administrators after what it described as a “perfect storm”. It said it had seen sharply rising costs alongside reduced trade due to the effects of the Covid pandemic. It also announced 102 staff had lost their jobs as a result of the closures. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told MSPs she was “hugely concerned” by the news. It puts in doubt the… - [Free worldwide screening to commemorate Jim Haynes](https://edinburghfestival.org/2021/03/01/free-worldwide-screening-to-commemorate-jim-haynes/): Free online screening of the award-winning, feature-length documentary MEETING JIM will take place from March 5-8, 2021. Thousands of people from all around the world heard the sad news of Jim Haynes’  passing on January 6th 2021. Haynes was named ‘the godfather of social  networking’ by The Guardian and was recently called ‘the man who invited the world  over for dinner’ by BBC News. He was one of the underground key figures of the cultural scene in the 60s and kept the spirits of the era throughout his life.   Jim’s initial principle was to be accessible to everyone and to be… - [5 new monologues by Rona Munro on YouTube](https://edinburghfestival.org/2020/04/15/5-new-monologues-by-rona-munro-on-youtube/):   TRAVERSE THEATRE PRESENTS THE FIVE FROM INSIDE MONOLOGUES BY RONA MUNRO, DIRECTED BY CAITLIN SKINNER Featuring the Donny’s Brain cast The first monologue will be available to watch on YouTube from 7.30PM tonight (Wed 15 April) – the original time and date of Donny’s Brain’s press performance All pieces will be available to watch on demand and free of charge until 9PM on Sat 2 May At this uncertain and stressful time, the Traverse Theatre is pleased to be able to offer our loyal audiences, and those further afield, an opportunity for entertainment and a brief distraction from ongoing events with the presentation… - [Mrs Puntila and her man Matti](https://edinburghfestival.org/2020/03/05/mrs-puntila-and-her-man-matti/): Bawdy, brilliant, glorious and gallus. Mrs Puntila and her man Matti is an achingly funny, finely crafted and played joy. Denise Mina brings Brecht to Scotland with a sizzling, sparky and sexily socialist adaptation which is an utter delight in every way. The earthy, witty language of Brecht is given new life in a lively, gravelly, gallus lowland Scots which sticks close to the spirit of the original, but gives it a raw, distinctly Caledonian spirit. I studied, and loved studying Brecht’s work in some detail when I was at school some time in the last century, and referencing the… - [Nixon in China](https://edinburghfestival.org/2020/03/03/nixon-in-china/): This is a mesmerising, gorgeous looking and amazing sounding production that represents a stunning Trump era re-take on what was a classic and innovative original production in 1987. The dazzling, seamless, silent set shifts and amazing back projection and set design combine with a brilliant sound system. There is an added element with the sets built from towering ranks of document storage boxes and always-present groups of historical researchers, always placing authentic 1972 photographs and documents into the action on the set by projection. Richard Nixon, the guy who complained, Trump-like, when he failed to be elected, that the American… - [Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of)](https://edinburghfestival.org/2020/01/27/pride-and-prejudice-sort-of/): This is a stunning, joyous, rapture to watch. It is a total riot of fun from start to finish. Jan Austen’s iconic and timeless classic is given a funny, feminist reboot, with a cast of six sassy young women on stage, playing each and every role, female and male, with panache and witty, classy precision. To say this was enjoyable is a massive understatement – this was perfection, earning a rapturous standing ovation from the press night audience. Sassy Rock and Roll Sassy lassies, regency rom-com and a rock and roll attitude and soundtrack make this a gem you will… - [An Edinburgh Christmas Carol](https://edinburghfestival.org/2019/11/30/an-edinburgh-christmas-carol/): Scrooge in Edinburgh is at the heart of this delightful Christmas story, with Greyfriars Bobby meeting Tiny Tim in a perfectly pitched seasonal romp. This production is of course designed to be enjoyed by children, and judging from the hearty chuckles and giggles issuing from the stalls throughout, it certainly hit its mark. At one point, where a gruesome punishment from the dog-catcher is being described, a particularly appreciative and well timed cackle from a young audience member started a secondary wave of hilarity from the whole audience. The story of Ebenezer Scrooge has of course been told many times,… - [Barber Shop Chronicles](https://edinburghfestival.org/2019/10/25/barber-shop-chronicles/): This is a production full of energy, passion and joy set to a riotously enjoyable soundtrack. I strongly advise getting to the show early, as you’ll find cast members roaming around the auditorium greeting and shaking hands with everyone. You get to hang out with the cast while the DJ spins up a series of banging tunes, and your are invited to go up onto the stage to sit in a barber’s chair or join in throwing some shapes in dance. The throb of music sets the tone from the beginning – this is going to be a fun ride.… - [Tosca](https://edinburghfestival.org/2019/10/17/tosca/): This is a glorious, uplifting and gorgeously staged reminder of the immense power and passion of Puccini’s musical storytelling. Anthony Besch’s landmark 1980 production of Tosca forms the core of this revival directed by Jonathan Cocker, with the action transposed from 1800 to 1940s Italy under Mussolini’s fascists. There is good reason for the longevity and popularity of this production, and seeing it once again is like welcoming a long-lost friend. Puccini’s music is arguably at its apogee in Tosca, with a strong story including torture, murder, blasphemy, suicide and sexual blackmail, and an excellent libretto offering up countless iconic… - [The Panopticon](https://edinburghfestival.org/2019/10/14/the-panopticon/): A stunning central performance, superb casting and a striking, minimalist set combine to make this seminal 2012 novel come alive on stage. This is powerful, visceral, and shocking. Anais Hendricks (Anna Russel-Martin) is a 15-year-old girl who has been locked in to the ‘care system’ since birth, and has now been transferred to the Panopticon, a young offender institution, after being suspected of putting a policewoman into a coma. She is fierce, articulate, and independent, as well as full of dark humour, and she develops deep bonds with the other inmates – broken, frail human beings who have also been… - [Solaris](https://edinburghfestival.org/2019/09/17/solaris/): This is the first time that Solaris has been brought to the stage, and David Greig’s treatment based on the novel by Stanisław Lem is stunning, fresh and resonant. Science fiction allows for rules to be broken and conventions to be usurped, and this production certainly defies the norm, and any expectations you may bring based on knowledge of the book or film adaptations. The set design is stunningly effective, and the sound design and intermittent cinematic masking of the stage with overlays of abstract monochrome images and deep rumbling emphasises the brooding, unknowable nature of the mysterious planet. The… - [Angus Macfadyen is Robert the Bruce: Exclusive Interview on Location](https://edinburghfestival.org/2019/07/08/angus-macfadyen-is-robert-the-bruce-exclusive-interview-on-location/):  WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Angus Macfadyen talks to David Petherick of EdinburghFestival.org about his role in the forthcoming film ‘Robert The Bruce’. Originally playing the role of Robert The Bruce in 1995’s Braveheart, Angus talks on location in Scotland about the long journey towards making this movie, the snows of Montana, a conversation with a spider in a cave, underdogs, failure, family, death, the Common Weal, and Scotland. #robertthebruce - [Robert the Bruce](https://edinburghfestival.org/2019/06/26/robert-the-bruce/): This is not the story of a man who has been defeated in war coming back with a sword in his hand. This is the story of a family broken apart by war coming together with love in its heart. This beautifully woven piece of cinema is captured with ravishing photography by John Garret, and stunning music by Mel Elias enhancing incredible sound design, and is an elegiac story about the transformative power of family love and loyalty returning strength to a man who had all but given up on his dream of a free country. “You will fall in… - [The Duchess [of Malfi]](https://edinburghfestival.org/2019/05/22/the-duchess-of-malfi/): This finely-staged drama is a visceral exploration of male violence and oppression, at once gripping, terrifying and mesmerising. A purposely nervous but soulful song starts the action in a stark, stripped back setting, and Kirsty Stuart quietly asserts both her power and her fragility from the start. Based on John Webster’s Jacobean revenge tragedy, The Duchess is given a fresh and darkly contemporary update with writer and director Zinnie Harris’ incisive dialogue. Combined with strong performances and stark, minimalist staging, this harrowing story of male rage and female resistance to oppression modulates from elegiac beginnings into scenes of dark, violent… - [The Magic Flute](https://edinburghfestival.org/2019/05/06/the-magic-flute/): Mozart’s classic ‘Singspiel’ The Magic Flute is a ravishing, glittering success. If you are new to Opera, this is probably one of the best ways to get an introduction, and this production will delight and surprise even the most seasoned opera fan. It’s in the form of what was known as a ‘Singspiel’ – telling the story with spoken word and singing much in the manner of a contemporary stage musical. From the start, we are in a Victorian steampunk setting, with a hokey showman in a swirling cloak drawing an audience member into the action, and the curtain is… - [Local Hero](https://edinburghfestival.org/2019/03/27/local-hero/): It’s a big risk to take such an iconic, well-loved Scottish film and turn it into a stage musical. But Local Hero at The Lyceum is a triumphant, joyous and uplifting success. From the start, sparse, simple staging and subtle washes of light create an intimate, evocative atmosphere, with earthy humour and a distinctly Scottish approach to money is highlighted. Author David Greig, co-writing with the Director of the original 1983 film Bill Forsyth, had a deft choice of characters, situations and dialogue to carry the story. So many episodes and one-liners echoed, nodded to, and went beyond the genius… - [Kátya Kabanová](https://edinburghfestival.org/2019/03/16/katya-kabanova/): Scottish Opera seems to have caught the zeitgeist with this production, which is one of three Kátya Kabanovás running in the UK at the beginning of this year, with Opera North and Covent Garden also joining in the Katyamania. But, even without seeing the others, I can be confident in saying that this looks very different. Designer Leslie Travers has created a striking industrial rust-bound Soviet set, which moves around cleverly as the action develops, and combined with Christopher Akerlind’s lighting design, provides a bold and remarkable backdrop. The Volga river is ever present – never seen but only hinted… - [Touching the Void](https://edinburghfestival.org/2019/01/28/touching-the-void/): I can recall many theatre performances. But I can only once recall seeing anything quite as accomplished,  astonishing and as well crafted as Touching the Void.* Story. Dialogue. Characters. Lighting. Sound. Set. Props. Movement. Music. All fused together to provide a jaw dropping spectacle that was an immersive and complete work of art. I was almost slack jawed as the brilliance of each element unfolded in front of me. This is astonishing, thrilling and superbly crafted theatre that will take your breath away, with sublime staging and writing. If you only see one piece of theatre in your life, make it… - [Anthropocene](https://edinburghfestival.org/2019/01/25/anthropocene/): There was a tangible buzz in the air for the world premiere of this opera in Glasgow’s Theatre Royal. With music by Stuart MacRae and libretto by author Louise Welsh, the story is set in the frozen wilderness of Greenland, where a scientific expedition comes to grief when plummeting temperatures cause the exploration ship King’s Anthropocene to be locked into a frozen sea. The ice-bound characters descend into lethal rivalry as their different agendas and egos clash, and the discovery of a body frozen in the ice that miraculously is reanimated provides additional tension and fear. The vocal characterisation of… - [Wendy and Peter Pan](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/12/03/wendy-and-peter-pan/): The Lyceum’s Christmas production of ‘Wendy and Peter Pan’ is heart warming, funny, with elements of pantomime (but not too overdramatized). The first half of the show follows the traditional storyline of Peter Pan with Peter, John and Michael wanting to do nothing but play games and fight after arriving in Neverland. But there is a twist, with a third brother, Tom, added to the story. Wendy is forced to look after her mischievous brothers and Peter as they ignore her attempts to try and find her missing brother. However there is a power change in the second act as… - [The Journey](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/11/12/the-journey/): This is an excoriating, disturbing and intense hour of theatre in the round, and it highlights the desperate plight of refugees in a hard-hitting and unforgettable way. Three actors play the role of a family who are ‘found by war’ and graphically portray their plight as war comes to their unnamed home and gradually but inexorably tears their lives apart. The language is clipped, passionate and at times staccato-like, echoing the gunfire and shelling sound effects that erupt with heart-stopping intensity. The gradual slide into chaos is hauntingly drawn as we move from playful childish bickering between siblings into intense,… - [Rigoletto](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/10/19/rigoletto/): Rigoletto’s daughter Gilda is an innocent who is first deceptively seduced, then kidnapped, and raped – behind this are powerful men acting with complete impunity and treating a woman as nothing more than a disposable object for their pleasure. Written in 1850, Rigoletto was perhaps the first opera to deal openly with the issue of sexual violence, and the story has real resonance today in the age of Kavanaugh, Trump, Weinstein and #MeToo. This is not a lightweight caprice – this story is dark, damning and cursed, and there was, when it was first written and performed in Venice, a… - [Cyrano de Bergerac](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/10/15/cyrano-de-bergerac/): Yon Cyrano has a muckle great neb, and this yin’s a pure dead brilliant show. You’re immersed from the start in glorious rhyming Scots with Edwin Morgan’s seminal translation, and it combines with the semi-industrial but inventive set design pulls you into this cracking piece of theatre completely. Brian Ferguson as Cyrano dominates almost effortlessly with physicality of movement and the poetry of his language, and carries off this highly demanding role superbly. Jessica Hardwick, as the object of Cyrano’s desire, Roxanne, sparkles and performs with true panache. Pam Hogg’s costumes for all of the accomplished ensemble cast give this… - [Twelfth Night](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/09/19/twelfth-night/): Gender-bending, gloriously psychedelic, and deeply, madly groovy. This is a riot of music and colour carried off by a stellar cast, bringing this complex story to life with an energy and flair that is jaw-dropping, and includes the most show-stopping second half opener I have seen in years. The action opens in a debauched 60s / 70s house party that has been going on for days, and the tone of playfulness and outrageously costumed gender mixing moves on swiftly from there, with the rich language of Shakespeare brought to life with effortless and astonishing panache, and musical performances that would not… - [Passionate Machine](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/08/13/passionate-machine/): The evidence about the reality of time travel builds steadily in this engrossing, fabulous story: the book about Mayakovsky really was written by Doctor Rosy Carrick, she really does have a tattoo with a Bowie lyric on her wrist, and she really is wearing a CERN t-shirt. Could all of these seemingly impossibly surreal facts add up to an astonishing truth? There’s a playful, clever use of montage and imagery throughout, and the storytelling is deft, credible and delivered with wit and great humour. Could it really be the case that there are messages from her child self coming through… - [Viv Groskop: Vivalicious](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/08/05/viv-groskop-vivalicious/): A show about self-help in the coming age of President Oprah Winfrey. Everything seems to be about reinvention, and Viv Groskop wants to be the best possible version of herself. So why is that so hard? Does there come a time when you should just give up and accept you are not that great a human being? This show is a witty, capricious and very funny journey that explores the conflicting advice of family, friends, self-help magazines and books, and your own inner voice in the search for self-improvement. Groskop sparkles with mischief as she unveils the pressures to improve,… - [Jo Caulfield: Killing Time](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/08/05/jo-caulfield-killing-time/): Jo Caulfield walks on to stage, sizes up the audience in moments, and proceeds to question, mock and taunt them. The venue offers a welcoming bar at the side of the room, and is packed out even this early on in the run – early booking would definitely be prudent to make sure you catch this gem. What’s clear from the moment she walks on to stage is that she is a genius at her craft – the laughs come fast and repeatedly, and her dry, cutting wit effortlessly encompasses the audience’s dress sense, places of origin, and assumed sexual… - [More Moira Monologues](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/08/04/more-moira-monologues-2/): Bisset, male, author. Plays Moira, female, cleaner. Completely straight. And she’s a foul mouthed, deeply funny, chain-smoking delight. It’s easy to see why this show won a Fringe First in 2017. This is deeply confessional, but still light as a meringue, and all at the same time, covers acres, hectares of difficult, sensitive and tricky ground. This ranges from Scottish Independence, delightfully exposed in a vodka-slugging train journey revelation with Clive from Hampshire, to immigration and homelessness, to the regeneration of Falkirk from the (highly rated) Kelpies to the (shite) Falkirk Wheel, and confessional insight into what’s really in a… - [The Moira Monologues](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/08/04/the-moira-monologues/): Falkirk. Or tae be mair exact, Fawkirk. This is a sheer classic, and is both theatre and comedy, making a welcome return 8 years after its first appearance at the Fringe in 2010. And it’s still fast, fresh and very funny. The language is explicit lowland Scots, Fawkirk variety, and Bisset plays Moira Bell, a Falkirk cleaner, who is mouthy, opinionated and gloriously forthright. He also effortlessly inhabits memorable supporting characters, a Rottweiler to a night-club bouncer, with astonishing panache. Many faces of Moira from @MoiraMonologues – Alan Bissett at his best / an amazing show – brilliant acting/ it’s… - [Preview: The Sacrifice Zones by James O'Brien](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/07/19/preview-sacrifice-zones-james-obrien/): A small, intimate venue, a healthy crowd, and an understated, eloquent performance of searing political poetry. O’Brien is not new to stage performance, but is best known as a theatre director, having brought  his legendary GIRO Theatre Company to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe on several occasions in the 1980s and 1990s. Although the company performed internationally up until 1998, the most uncompromising and starkly political works were written and performed in the 1980s, when Margaret Thatcher was in power, and seminal works included “Prosser-A Cell Death”, (1984). “The Lost Giro”, (1985), “Hitler. The Early Years,” (1986.) and “The Pub-Bombers,” (1987). The… - [Meeting Jim](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/06/27/meeting-jim-movie/): Hold on. What kind of jackass invites themselves to dinner? Well, since he first started his dinners in 1978, there have been about 200,000 such jackasses visiting Paris by Jim’s reckoning. He says he has a mission to introduce everyone to each other, and his latest, and most enduring way of doing this is to allow anyone who wants to come to dinner invite themselves along, on any given Sunday in Paris. His earlier innovations include The Paperback, the UK’s first paperback-only bookshop in Edinburgh, co-founding the seminal 1962 Writers Conference, and co-founding Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre. He went on in the… - [The hour we knew nothing of each other](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/06/02/the-hour-we-knew-nothing-of-each-other/): This was almost absurd in its ambition: nearly 100 members of the Edinburgh public play almost 500 parts, with dazzling costumes, and often bizarre props, and for 90 minutes, nobody speaks a word. It was a dadaesque town square with a succession of movements in and out and a variety of characters from the everyday to the bizarre, and the historical. And the scale, and the precision, and the variety of it all was wonderful – you could not help but smile, and giggle from time to time at the sheer audacity of it all. And it was a splendid… - [Creditors](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/05/02/creditors/): I really wanted an interval. And I was not alone: one audience member, at the end of the first act, when the stage went dark, started to clap hesitantly before realising that they were all alone, and the lights went up again on stage. An hour and fifty minutes is not an eternity to sit and watch a performance, but the very dense language and the presence of only three characters made it necessary to listen quite hard to uncover the motivations and relationships being revealed on stage. And there was a perfect opportunity at the end of the first… - [Eugene Onegin](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/04/29/eugene-onegin/): Eugene Onegin towers over the Russian literature of the 19th century, and Tchaikovsky’s decision to create an opera based on a text which is still widely read (and regularly re-read) by Russians today was highly audacious. It is a sign of Tchaikovsky’s brilliance that the Opera, rather than the novel in verse it was based on, has emerged as the way in which, outside Russia at least, most people know this story, and the name Onegin. But the work has been performed relatively rarely here in Scotland, last performed by Scottish Opera in 1993, and as a Russian speaker, and… - [Ariadne auf Naxos](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/04/06/ariadne-auf-naxos/): In the mansion of the richest man in Glasgow (no capital sensibilities are pandered to here) preparations are underway for an evening’s entertainment supervised by a formidable party planner. But there’s a slight problem – a new opera has been commissioned, however, there is also a burlesque troupe performing – and the highbrow Opera troupe as just as outraged as Zerbinetta’s burlesque troupe about the idea of performing on the same evening. Lady Franson, the deft party planner, played by Eleanor Bron, reminds the Professor of Composition and his student the Composer that they are being paid to perform – and things are about to worsen. Because the guests… - [Traverse Theatre announce Traverse 1 Festival 2018](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/03/29/traverse-theatre-announce-traverse-1-festival-2018/): The Traverse Theatre has unveiled its flagship Traverse 1 production line up for the Edinburgh Festival 2018 Mark Thomas and Soho Theatre return with political new productions Innovative Headlong visit for the first time, as do The Lowry with their stage adaptation of Nigel Slater’s ‘Toast’ Tickets now on sale  A collection of five vibrant, compelling and deeply human works, taking in a teenage girl’s coming-of-age tale from schoolgirl to indie rock star (What Girls Are Made Of); a childhood remembered through taste and smell (Nigel Slater’s ‘Toast’); a fearless exploration of race relations (Underground Railroad Game); the state and future of the… - [Rhinoceros](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/03/26/rhinoceros/): [This is a #TwoReviews™ Review – Two different reviews of the same performance] #TwoReviews is a literary creation owned by EdinburghFestival.org Rhinoceros by Catherine Carnie Rhinoceros by James O’Brien For David Greig (Artistic Director of the Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh) the morning after the Brexit referendum was a moment of discombobulation – he felt odd … “as odd as if a Rhino had just galloped across Festival Square”.   The Lyceum’s revised Edinburgh Festival 2017 production of Eugene Ionesco’s RHINOCEROS, performed by a vibrant, fizzing, knowing cast, lit sensitively and seductively by Chris Davey to Oguz Kapalangi’s mesmerising and jolting soundtrack (released on… - [Scottish Opera’s Bambino returns to Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/03/22/scottish-opera-bambino-edinburgh-festival-fringe/): Scottish Opera’s Bambino returns To Edinburgh Festival Fringe and tours to Paris and around Scotland Following sell-out runs in Edinburgh and Glasgow in 2017, the five star ‘opera for babies’ BambinO is touring to Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year, as well as Paris and five venues around Scotland. Written by Scottish Opera’s former Composer in Residence Lliam Paterson and directed by Improbable’s critically-acclaimed Phelim McDermott, the pioneering and unique piece of music theatre for infants aged 6 to 18 months is a co-production with Manchester International Festival and Improbable. BambinO returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August with performances taking place once again at Edinburgh… - [Preview: Buchanan + Demarco: Building a world-class city](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/03/20/preview-buchanan-demarco-building-a-world-class-city/): Book your free ticket today Monday 30th April from 18:00- 21:00 Early booking is recommended. Book Today… Day Hour Minute Second Tickets booked at 17-Apr-18 10:00 66% Book your places HERE On 30th April 2018, two of Edinburgh’s most innovative and acclaimed figures in the Arts and Science will meet on stage for the first time together to discuss the future of the city. Professor Richard Demarco CBE and Professor Bill Buchanan OBE will discuss and debate the future of Edinburgh, both in terms of its “Digital New Town” and the city’s artistic and cultural life, and will raise challenges for the residents,… - [Mr Blue Sky](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/03/13/mr-blue-sky/): Mr Blue Sky is a piece of stunning, vibrant and life-affirming theatre that had me horrified, aching, and laughing, and by the end, I felt like simply getting up and dancing. The raw (and sometimes dark) humour coming from the stage was like a bolt of electricity. The spirit, language, storytelling and sheer ebullient energy on stage was jaw-dropping. This was a cry from young hearts to stop our patronising ‘adultsplaining’, for young people to stop being either macho dicks, or just pure bitches. The central issue is mental health, and all the factors that can affect this for young… - [Angus Macfadyen on the Braveheart Effect and Scottish Independence](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/02/28/angus-macfadyen-braveheart-effect-scottish-independence/): UPDATE 02-March-2018 13:14 GMT: At the Production’s request, we’re delaying the release of our exclusive interviews to better time with the film’s distribution. WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Angus Macfadyen talks to David Petherick of EdinburghFestival.org about ‘The Braveheart Effect’ and Scottish Independence Originally playing the role of Robert The Bruce in 1995’s Braveheart, Angus talks on location in Scotland about the efffect on the Scottish psyche of Braveheart, and the potential effect when ‘Robert the Bruce’ is released, which he confirmed is scheduled to take place this year. #robertthebruce Forthcoming world exclusive interviews on camera from the movie Robert the Bruce We will be… - [Angus Macfadyen is Robert the Bruce: Exclusive Interview on Set](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/02/27/angus-macfadyen-robert-the-bruce/): UPDATE 02-March-2018 13:14 GMT: At the Production’s request, we’re delaying the release of our exclusive interviews to better time with the film’s distribution. WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Angus Macfadyen talks to David Petherick of EdinburghFestival.org about his role in the forthcoming film ‘Robert The Bruce’. Originally playing the role of Robert The Bruce in 1995’s Braveheart, Angus talks on location in Scotland about the long journey towards making this movie, the snows of Montana, a conversation with a spider in a cave, underdogs, failure, family, death, the Common Weal, and Scotland. #robertthebruce Forthcoming world exclusive interviews on camera from the movie Robert the… - [The Belle's Stratagem](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/02/20/the-belles-stratagem/): Oh, this is a gem. A pure, brilliant sparkling gem! This is glorious and hugely enjoyable. The Lyceum has restored a toweringly funny and important comedy to the stage, and it is something you must witness. The term ‘restoration comedy’ has been rewritten here to cement the reputation of along-neglected playwright Hannah Cowley and that of the Lyceum Theatre. From the very first moment, the peacock-like, astonishing costumes, hairstyles and wigs grab you, and contrast with, but enhance the classical, understated sets and simple yet flattering lighting effects. What next excites is the dialogue – rapier-like wit, lightning fast banter… - [The Lover](https://edinburghfestival.org/2018/01/25/the-lover/): Brevity can aid clarity. The Lover was a short book, this is a relatively short theatre / dance performance, and this is a relatively short review. The Lover is beautiful: visually sparse but still both epic and intimate, with stunning physical moves and choreographed interaction, and a soundtrack that has has you aching to get hold of the Spotify playlist. The story is based on Marguerite Duras’ slim novella of the same name. The story is a sort of 1920s precursor of Nabokov’s Lolita – a story of forbidden love between a grown man and a young girl. It’s about… - [The Arabian Nights](https://edinburghfestival.org/2017/12/01/the-arabian-nights/): Christmas: Children. Stories. Magic. Farting Dogs. Chess Playing Monkeys. The Arabian Nights has it all, and it’s a delightful, beautiful and thoroughly enjoyable bit of theatre for all the family. The staging and scenery (and even some of the magical scenery changes) are quite spectacular, and the dialogue is fast, funny and spellbinding. It has all the classic elements of a Christmas Pantomime, but it’s really a cut above the genre, and succeeds spectacularly. The huge numbers of children in the audience were clearly spellbound throughout, and there were numerous moments where the whole audience, of all ages, were laughing uproariously and… - [La traviata - Scottish Opera](https://edinburghfestival.org/2017/11/16/la-traviata-scottish-opera/): From the rambunctious drinking songs to the pathos of its tragic arias, the staging, costumes and pure flair of the performers in Verdi’s classic La traviata are a treat for the eyes and ears. This is a stunning, vibrant and gloriously staged performance that had Edinburgh’s opening night audience at the Festival Theatre in rapture throughout, and earned sustained applause at its conclusion. The set was dressed beautifully as a backdrop to the action, and even the tricky wee transition in Act 2’s scene change was swift and effective. Both the gypsy dancers and the spectacular ballet of the Matador… - [Preview: Talk Show - Cockpit](https://edinburghfestival.org/2017/10/20/preview-talk-show-cockpit/): Lyceum Theatre – Saturday 28th October 2017, 5pm Free Entry with Donations welcomed Book Tickets Here Talk Show is an exciting new addition to The Lyceum programme, in which artists, authors, and thinkers are invited to come and watch a performance before taking to the stage themselves to share their response to the themes of the play with the audience. Expect ideas, insight and stimulation through short talks, song, music, poetry and conversation – beginning with the special guests attending Bridget Boland’s Cockpit, directed by Wils Wilson, on Saturday 28 October at 5pm. Bridget Boland’s Cockpit is set in the… - [Love Song to Lavender Menace](https://edinburghfestival.org/2017/10/14/love-song-lavender-menace/): The 1980s were definitely analogue. A bulky cassette player is prominent on the sparse but inventive set, and from time to time cassettes are thrown in, and we hit the play button. The story that unfolds is about the birth, life and ultimate death of a bookshop in the 1980s. On paper, it may sound mundane, but the stories and performances that illuminate this period in time are anything but – they are full of passion, belief and humanity. And the two actors who tell the story give polished, heartfelt performances. Lewis is played by Pierce Reid, Matthew McVarish is… - [Cockpit](https://edinburghfestival.org/2017/10/11/cockpit/): Walking across the stage to get to my seat, I pass a man holding his shaven head in his hands, who appears unwell. Sitting down to look at an unfamiliar view of the Lyceum – the auditorium slowly filling up seen from onstage, there are ladders leading off stage and up to the circle, and large hand-painted banners with edgy instructions such as ‘No Knives longer than 3 inches’ ‘No Firearms’ and ‘No Fighting’. Cockpit is set in a theatre, being used as a makeshift sorting area for what the British Military calls DPs or ‘Displaced Persons’ in the Germany… - [The Artist as Explorer](https://edinburghfestival.org/2017/08/27/the-artist-as-explorer/): When I last met Richard Demarco, he was talking about retiring, stepping back from the gesamtkunstwerk which is his life and persona. He said ‘…there were no more five year plans.’ Of course this was a rueful reflection on his unique contribution, not only to to the arts in Edinburgh, but his advocacy of the arts, the humanities and progressive cultural idealism in Scotland, and by its very definition his remarkable contribution to Scotland’s position in Europe and the world. ‘The Artist as Explorer’, fixes the audience in a specific cultural landscape. In many ways it is a disappeared world… - [Older Wiser Smarter Meaner](https://edinburghfestival.org/2017/08/26/older-wiser-smarter-meaner/): Hilarious, witty and intelligent Jo Caulfield keeps the audience laughing throughout her whole show, with her charismatic sense of humour and priceless stories about friends. This will make you remember all of your friends’ annoying habits and personality traits. The show flows so smoothly, without a moment of hesitation, as Jo never fails to make the audience laugh. Time will fly by as Jo swiftly moves from one subject to the next with no sudden changes or pauses. There is a mass of relatable content: couple envy, bad names (Keith gets slaughtered) and awful dinner parties. She so often leads… - [(More) Moira Monologues](https://edinburghfestival.org/2017/08/24/more-moira-monologues/): Ye dinnae huv to be fae Fawkirk to pish your pants at this yin. If you don’t get that sentence, you could struggle with the dialect in this show. But not much. It’s Lowland Scots, Falkirkus Hallglenia Vulgaris variety. But there were Canadians in the audience who, although they admitted it took them a while to get into the groove, joined the rest of the audience in belly-bursting, raucous laughter at this pitch-perfect, bawdy, earthy, honest and genre-breaking show. Bisset, male, author. Plays Moira, female, cleaner. Completely straight. No affectation, feminine or effeminate slant. It’s an astounding androgynous sleight of… - [Locker Room Talk](https://edinburghfestival.org/2017/08/22/locker-room-talk/): [This is a #TwoReviews™ Review – Two different reviews of the same performance] #TwoReviews is a literary creation owned by EdinburghFestival.org Locker Room Talk by Catherine Carnie Locker Room Talk by James O’Brien The slimy, self satisfied and sexually soaked voice of our current President of the Free World – which booms at the beginning of the piece around the space of Locker Room Talk – is the inspiration for this disturbing and shockingly necessary piece of talk theatre. Director, Orla O’Loughlin, sets the conceit of women speaking men’s words as she introduces herself as Gary McNair (creator of the… - [My Audience reviewed by Jo Caulfield](https://edinburghfestival.org/2017/08/09/my-audience-reviewed-by-jo-caulfield/): This is a review of the audience watching Jo Caulfield’s performance by Jo Caulfield. First impressions are very important in comedy. The accepted wisdom being, the audience have 2 minutes before the comedian makes up their mind about them. With that in mind, this audience lost me in the first 30 seconds. Does no-one dress up for an evening out nowadays? I’ve seen better dressed wounds. My first thought was “it surely can’t be laundry day for everyone?” But first impressions can also be deceptive as they quickly won me over by laughing at my first joke. I’m not 100%… - [The Darling Monologues](https://edinburghfestival.org/2017/07/30/the-darling-monologues/): You’re not likely to meet three much more different women in 50 minutes than Lily, Sadie and Ruby, but all are revealed in acute detail and vivid characterisation by Angela Jackson, until now better known as a writer than an actress. The main character of the Darling Monologues is male – Mark Darling. The clever part is the way his story is told through the women’s funny but unsentimental stories, all woven around him. Lily Lily, the first character we meet, is Mark’s Aunt Lil. She’s making Brownies for Mark, wandering around in her hair curlers, and unravelling his story… - [Glory on Earth](https://edinburghfestival.org/2017/05/25/glory-on-earth/): [et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text] A vibrant, youthful and feisty Mary Stuart duels verbally with a dark, dour and determined John Knox. But when you suddenly realise that the harp playing on stage is actually rendering Party Fears Two, an ’80s Associates song,  you realise that this play is here to remind us that history can still deliver a definitively contemporary message. Although born in Scotland, Mary Stuart lived in France for most of her youth, and the play works around the series of meetings that took place between Catholic Stuart and Protestant Knox when she returned to Scotland as an 18-year… - [Hay Fever](https://edinburghfestival.org/2017/03/16/hay-fever/): Noel Coward was, and still is known for his fast wit, and for snappy dialogue in his writing, and Hay Fever is one of his most enduring works. But it’s difficult to follow a conversation when the dialogue is too fast. Unfortunately, that’s what’s taking place on stage right from the start. The actors playing siblings Sorel and Simon Bliss conspire, with the runaway pace of their ‘conversation’ to immediately weaken the whole production. Hay Fever has a slim plot at best, and from the start, one is straining to fathom what’s taking place, never mind comprehending the dynamics between… - [The Winter's Tale](https://edinburghfestival.org/2017/02/22/the-winters-tale/): If ever you wanted to know just how joyous and vibrant Shakespeare can be, come see this production. But don’t expect the cast to be leaping around in tights and cod-pieces. The shift of costume is to the 21st century, and to a very Scottish place – it also has a shift of language and attitude that, like the best of Shakespeare’s work, makes it immediately appealing. We still have Shakespeare’s language intact, iambic and beautiful, but the marvellous comic start after the interval with ribald action in the stalls and grand circle is all in pure, delightful Lowland Scots.… - [Picnic at Hanging Rock](https://edinburghfestival.org/2017/01/16/picnic-hanging-rock/): There’s a volcanic rumbling beneath this deftly staged production, and the stark minimalism of the set design and staging add to the sense of something dark, primal and unstoppable at work. The story at the heart of Picnic at Hanging Rock centres on the unexplained disappearance of three schoolgirls and one of their teachers on Valentine’s Day, 1900, based on the 1967 novel by Joan Lindsay. The novel is considered one of Australia’s most important pieces of literature, and Lindsay’s use of a pseudo-historical prologue and epilogue still successfully puts the question ‘did it really happen?’ into the minds of… - [The Suppliant Women](https://edinburghfestival.org/2016/10/02/that-2500-year-old-feminist-review-the-suppliant-women/): There are a few things that immediately set this production of The Suppliant Women apart. One is the libation at the start – a local politician is invited to use a bottle of wine to anoint the thrust-forward, open stage. Real politician. Real wine. The names of those who have contributed financially to the play are read out at the start. Real names. Real numbers. And the chorus, being the main protagonist, are local women. Real women. All that, and the text predates Christianity by around 500 years. Real old. So are we in ancient Greece or contemporary Edinburgh? Where… - [Isabelle Georges - Oh Là Là](https://edinburghfestival.org/2016/08/27/isabelle-georges-oh-la-la-edinburgh/): Oh boy – can this lady sing! And move. Isabelle Georges is a force of nature – and it’s a very specifically Parisian force of nature. From the very start, she dominates the room with her stage presence and her voice and movement. You’re in the presence of a brilliant performer, with a brilliant band to accompany her – piano, double bass, drums and sax/clarinet. It’s a 7:45 show, but the mood is like that of a cabaret later at night. The candle-lit tables at the front of the gorgeous Spiegeltent are an excellent reason to join the queue early… - [Can I Stop You There?](https://edinburghfestival.org/2016/08/25/can-i-stop-you-there/): In this show, the compères interrupt the comedians. Several times over. And every night, it’s a new set of comedians and a new set of interruptions. Add to this the fact you’re in an intimate venue, it’s after 11pm, and many of the audience are ‘quite receptive to laughter’ or ‘a wee bit drunk’ and you have a promising recipe for success. Jo Caulfield and Stuart Murphy are our hosts, and both have an assured, confident delivery, whether they are talking directly to audience members, or they are interrogating the comics about their stories. Murphy starts the evening with dialogue… - [Jo Caulfield - Pretending to Care](https://edinburghfestival.org/2016/08/18/jo-caulfield-pretending-care/): I’m not sure Jo cares about show reviews. And I’m not sure this reviewer cares that she cares. But I have to report that her show is tight, funny, focused, and may occasionally make you snort, titter, wet yourself or cause you to cast your spit on the person in front of you. That is, if you’re anything like the person sat behind me. I can’t be 100% sure about them wetting themselves, but the rest was very real. In short, and this review is short, Caulfield is a bloody hoot. She’s swearier, sharper, more caustic and better at her… - [Christine Bovill - Paris](https://edinburghfestival.org/2016/08/13/christine-bovill-paris/): It’s a good job it’s dark inside the Spiegeltent, because nobody could see the tears that kept appearing out of the corner of my right eye. Hrumph. Must have been a bit of grit in there. Christine Bovill. Photo by @nazipova Christine Bovill is probably best known for her iconic Piaf perfromances, where she devastates with the shimmering, sonorous and tremolo quality that Piaf’s voice had. Paris is a more diverse collection of music – still set in the golden age of French Chanson, but with contributions from Jacques Brel, Charles Aznavour, Juliette Greco and Charles Trenet among others. The… - [Viv Groskop - Be more Margo](https://edinburghfestival.org/2016/08/06/viv-groskop-be-more-margo-edinburgh/): For those young enough not to have seen the TV series ‘The Good Life’, which ran from 1975-1978, this is the Wikipedia entry for Margo Leadbetter. “Margo cannot understand her neighbours’ lifestyle, but their friendship is important to her. As a child, Margo Sturgess, she was bullied at school for having no sense of humour. A social climber, staunchly Conservative and unafraid to challenge anyone who gets on her nerves, Margo nevertheless reveals herself to have a heart of gold. She involves herself with organisations such as the Pony Club and the Music Society, always wishing to play the lead… - [Tiffany Stevenson: Seven](https://edinburghfestival.org/2016/08/04/tiffany-stevenson-seven/): It’s Tiffany Stevenson’s seventh solo show, and so it’s called Seven. That might seem to lack imagination. But there’s definitely plenty of imagination at work here, and plenty of provocation, insight, mocking and acid observation. Seven is instead a riff pivoting around seven potential tweets that Tiffany considered making after the Battaclan attacks in Paris, coming around a month after she’d done a gig in David lynch’s nightclub in the French capital. A central element in her sharply observed comedy is the vanity of our need to make huge worldwide impactful events be essentially about us. My Paris. My Syria.… - [Jena Friedman - American C*nt](https://edinburghfestival.org/2015/08/30/jena-friedman-american-cunt/): Dark, dangerous and unexpected. Expect yourself to be shocked by this performance, because Friedman’s humour takes dark, sharp turns and does not flinch from using the word cunt in its full Shakespearean crudity. Friedman apologises from the start about the offensive word in her show’s title – that word of course, she whispers, being ‘American’. The smile of a charming, beguiling New Yorker turns regularly into near-psychotic pushing-you-up-against-the-wall, squeezing your balls and telling you hard home truths. Her topics are not the stuff of easy, relaxed humour. Abortion. Women over 60. Israel. ISIS. Short men. Ebola. Bill Cosby. Transgender. 9/11.… - [Jo Caulfield - Awkward Conversations](https://edinburghfestival.org/2015/08/24/jo-caulfield-awkward-conversations/): Well this is awkward… Jo Caulfield picked me out of the audience and lampooned my lovable, hangdog Humphrey Bogart / Droopy good looks. And then got other people to pick on me. And only later as I left did I whisper that I was reviewing her show. Awkward! But then, that’s what happens when you sit at a table at the front in a comedy show. Caulfield’s show works around the awkward conversations that life throws at us – relationships, family, work, getting older, getting divorced, getting laid. And she is mouthy, sweary and deadly funny in her one-liners and… - [Literary Death Match](https://edinburghfestival.org/2015/08/24/literary-death-match-2015/): This is not an ordinary Fringe show. Four writers read their own work for five minutes or less, and are then judged by three all-star Judges. Two finalists are chosen to compete in the Literary Death Match finale, a vaguely-literary game to decide the ultimate winner. And there’s of course a different line-up every night. This is LDM’s first run at the Edinburgh Fringe, even though it’s been visiting the city for a number of years – and indeed, the event runs internationally across the world. The format is naturally shortened for the Fringe, and the pre-event, and mid-event drinking… - [Bakersfield Mist - Arkle Theatre](https://edinburghfestival.org/2015/08/21/bakersfield-mist-arkle-theatre/): Maude Gutman is an unemployed ex-barmaid who lives in a trailer park. Lionel Percy is a former director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art who works for an art foundation to authenticate disputed works of art. Think for a moment about your first assumptions about those two characters. Then imagine them thrown together. This is the scenario for Bakersfield Mist, where Maude believes she has unearthed a hitherto unknown Jackson Pollock painting, and Lionel is sent to investigate, and to assess whether or not it’s a fake. The play itself is centred on the whole meaning of authenticity, and the… - [Much Ado About Nothing - Arkle Theatre](https://edinburghfestival.org/2015/08/18/much-ado-about-nothing-arkle-2015/): All the boys are dressed as girls, and all the girls are dressed as boys. This is the first surprise from Arkle Theatre – they bend the gender of every member of the cast to add a twist to this Shakespeare classic, which was in its day controversial for challenging accepted gender stereotypes. The venue has a club atmosphere, because it is one, and being able to sit down and enjoy a drink in a comfy lounge before you are invited downstairs for the show is a nice start to your evening’s entertainment. Gentle music is being played by three… - [Edith in the Dark - Harrogate Theatre](https://edinburghfestival.org/2015/08/15/edith-in-the-dark-harrogate-theatre/): A mixture of horror and hilarity, this deft and superbly acted piece balances humour and dark terror, with superb acting of multiple characters from all of the actors. The background to the piece surrounds children’s author E Nesbit, best known for The Railway Children, and reveals that not only does she write bleak and terrifying horror stories, but she also has a gruesome domestic life, blighted by the loss of her son during surgery. But it is not all dark – there is humour and sparkle here too. Avoiding the Christmas celebrations at home in her room, she is pursued… - [Invisible City - Nova](https://edinburghfestival.org/2015/08/14/invisible-city-nova/): When a girl’s conversation with a lemon makes you smile, you know you’re both seeing an unusual show, and one that’s performed with virtuoso skill and panache. Physical theatre is a terribly broad label, and it’s normally not a category that lights my fire. But I was surprised and delighted by this show. Invisible City combines physicality, sound, lighting, and hugely witty dialogue to add up to something somehow greater than the sum of its parts: the alienation of living in a large city, away from your family and friends, is laid before you in an astonishingly heartfelt way. Lowri… - [Christine Bovill's PIAF](https://edinburghfestival.org/2015/08/13/christine-bovills-piaf/): No, no regrets… You often get the measure of a musical performance from the crowd witnessing it. So when the crowd at the end of this performance all jump to their feet and cheer, stamp their feet and whistle and applaud loudly, it’s not difficult to guess that they like what they are hearing. Bovill’s set, lighting and accompaniment are stripped down to the essentials, and you are able to focus on the tremendous quality and depth of her voice. This evening, she’s missing her accordionist, but the show goes on regardless with just the piano. The setting of the… - [Tiffany Stevenson: Mad Man](https://edinburghfestival.org/2015/08/10/tiffany-stevenson-mad-man/):   God help you if one day Tiffany Stevenson decides to mock you. Her voice, whether it’s making Jack Daniels disappear the less acceptable aspects of the Deep South, it’s imitating Australian hipsters, or it’s mocking Jennifer Lopez’s ass-poking video antics, she absolutely nails the intonation, timing and tone. She appears onstage in a shocking pink onesy-cum-cocktail-dress-cum-sleeping-bag, along with alarmingly bright Adidas trainers with what appear to be wings attached. It’s only five past four, but she confesses to already being on the wine spritzers, so those who’ve not come across her before might be forgiven for getting slightly panicky… - [Viv Groskop: Say Sorry to the Lady](https://edinburghfestival.org/2015/08/06/viv-groskop-say-sorry-to-the-lady-2015/): Aug 7-16, 18-30, 20:20 at The Stand 4 (Venue 12) Book Online: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/viv-groskop-say-sorry-to-the-lady It’s not often you start a review with a story about what happened after the show, but I will here. As I was standing in the corridor after this show, waiting for my friends to join me upstairs at the bar for a drink (a very nice amenity at the venue, by the way), a man appeared to my left and said “Sorry”. Why apologise? I was in his way. What he really wanted to say was “Get out the bloody way, you’re blocking the passageway, you… - [Viv Groskop: Say Sorry to the Lady (Preview)](https://edinburghfestival.org/2015/07/01/viv-groskop-say-sorry-lady/): Preview at The Stand Comedy Club, 30-Jun-2015 Edinburgh Festival Dates: Aug 5, 7-16, 18-30, Stand 3&4 (Venue 12) Book Online: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/viv-groskop-say-sorry-to-the-lady Fringe show previews can be perilous for performer and audience alike. As an audience, we’re pleased to be getting a sneak preview, but we know that the performance might not be polished and complete. For the performer, they’ll be testing reaction to certain gags, practicing getting timing right, and also moulding the material to decide what is ‘in’ and ‘out’ of the final show. The Men from the Ministry For all of these reasons, the audience’s expectations are rarely set… - [Say sorry and win tickets to Viv Groskop's preview 30-Jun.](https://edinburghfestival.org/2015/06/18/say-sorry-win-tickets-viv-groskops-preview-30-jun/): Add a really good apology, or demand an apology in the comments below, or Tweet an apology with hashtag #SayEFSorry to win one of three pairs of tickets to Viv Groskop’s Edinburgh Fringe Preview of “Say Sorry to the Lady” on Tuesday 30th June at The Stand, Edinburgh. Tweet: I’m sorry @vivgroskop for… #SayEFSorry Tweet: I want an apology from… #SayEFSorry   Viv Groskop: Say Sorry to the Lady From BBC Radio 4’s Viv Groskop, Funny Women Finalist and Maestro Impro winner, comes a brilliant new stand-up show about the Great British cult of apology. Why are we always saying sorry… - [Reduced accommodation rates for performers at Edinburgh Festival](https://edinburghfestival.org/2015/02/11/reduced-accommodation-rates-performers-edinburgh-festival/): Festival Accommodation in Edinburgh at reduced rates Special reductions for groups and performers We are pleased to announce that we are offering accommodation at preferential rates for Edinburgh Festival groups and performers through our partnership with Edinburgh Room Rentals. Booking through this site will automatically offer you preferential reduced rates as well as a reduced deposit to secure your accommodation at the modern and central Fountainbridge Apartments. The booking mechanism is available below or using this web shortcut: http://mzs.es/room Simply enter the code ‘PER15‘ when making your reservation to ensure your special reduction. This will offer a rate of £45… - [Edinburgh Streets: 80% will have 20mph speed limit](https://edinburghfestival.org/2015/01/13/edinburgh-streets-80-will-20mph-speed-limit/): The City of Edinburgh Council today passed plans for more than 80% of Edinburgh’s roads, including the whole of the city centre, to have a 20mph (32kph) speed limit. Details of the costs, sign posting, and enforcement measures that will be required for the change are due in a report in March 2015. Work on the scheme is due to begin later this year with it being completed over three financial years. The plans were approved 11-3 by members of the council’s transport and environment committee. At present, about 25 miles of Edinburgh’s roads, from Arthur’s Seat to Blackford Hill, are already covered… - [Ennio Marchetto: Pure delight](https://edinburghfestival.org/2014/08/08/ennio-marchetto-pure-delight/): Ennio Marchetto Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33), The Pleasance 22:30, July 30 – Aug 10, Aug 12-15 WATCHING JESUS CHRIST morph into Conchita Wurst is a thing you won’t easily forget. And a panda turning into Alex Salmond is also quite an arresting site. Set all this to music with slick lighting, a bang-on follow spot, tight-as-a-drum switches and staggeringly creative origami-like costume transformations, and you have a perfect recipe: This is stunning, hilarious, sly and universal. It doesn’t matter what language you speak, you’ll laugh, clap and smile all the way through. On the night I saw this show, the theatre was… - [Welcome to Edinburgh](https://edinburghfestival.org/2014/08/04/welcome-to-edinburgh-2014/): It’s August again. The world’s come to Edinburgh. [map address=”1 North Bridge, Edinburgh” type=”satellite” width=”100%” height=”400px” zoom=”14″ scrollwheel=”yes” scale=”yes” zoom_pancontrol=”yes”][/map] - [Witness a resurrection live on stage](https://edinburghfestival.org/2013/08/07/christine-bovill-piaf-resurrection-on-stage/): Christine Bovill’s PIAF The Famous Spiegeltent, George Street 20:30, Aug 8th-11th & 21st-25th THE OFFER is enticing – an evening of Edith Piaf’s music in The Famous Spiegeltent on George Street. What is delivered in a fantastic venue, are astounding vocal and musical performances that evoke the tragic French singer’s life in an almost hyper-real way. The choice of songs comes accompanied by brief yet insightful commentary from Christine Bovill, drawing the audience towards her with charisma and gentle humour. When the mood is sombre, as Piaf’s music can often make it, there’s a regular turn to more uplifting and life-affirming… - [Twittering about The Edinburgh Festival as of March 20, 2013](https://edinburghfestival.org/2013/03/20/twittering-about-the-edinburgh-festival-as-of-march-20-2013/): Anna__Tucker: @Natashamccabe oi cabby pooh, Tom and sue cassan invited me to go and see them in Edinburgh festival in summer. Come with me? 2013-03-20 08:11:06 · Reply · View GarryPlatt: BBC News – George Street will close for Edinburgh Festival Fringe http://t.co/IQVTyYe2Pf #edfringe 2013-03-20 08:03:20 · Reply · View uk_: Edinburgh Festival Fringe Guide http://t.co/9PQm3ILCts 2013-03-20 07:22:33 · Reply · View NiteStar: Leonardo da Vinci was right all along, new medical scans show: http://t.co/helkRJMlay 2013-03-20 06:41:38 · Reply · View VSGala2012: RT @operafuture: RT @theoperaboys: Edinburgh Festival announces new Machover commission Phillip Glass Laurie Anderson & PATTI SMITH http://t.co/LzyODbt6Fb… - [Twittering about The Edinburgh Festival as of March 19, 2013](https://edinburghfestival.org/2013/03/19/twittering-about-the-edinburgh-festival-as-of-march-19-2013/): edfringe: @averagefood We did a Storify of some people’s recommendations last year, which you might find interesting http://t.co/8tFc6tNC2N 2013-03-19 12:58:34 · Reply · View MetropolisOpera: RT @operafuture: RT @theoperaboys: Edinburgh Festival announces new Machover commission Phillip Glass Laurie Anderson & PATTI SMITH http://t.co/LzyODbt6Fb 2013-03-19 12:51:38 · Reply · View operafuture: RT @theoperaboys: Edinburgh Festival announces new Machover commission Phillip Glass Laurie Anderson & PATTI SMITH http://t.co/LzyODbt6Fb 2013-03-19 12:50:00 · Reply · View KiDynamic: I liked a @YouTube video http://t.co/lkGcuUbJtC Dubstep Beatbox @ Edinburgh Festival 2013-03-19 10:54:01 · Reply · View mw_robinson: Tonight at Edinburgh festival theatre, @SDTDance, come inside from… - [Twittering about The Edinburgh Festival as of March 18, 2013](https://edinburghfestival.org/2013/03/18/twittering-about-the-edinburgh-festival-as-of-march-18-2013/): unofficialNBW: Edinburgh Festival flotilla planned: FOLLOWING the successful tenth anniversary flotilla celebrations on the L… http://t.co/ETOGs3vCwV 2013-03-18 13:54:43 · Reply · View kentishwizard: .@MartinPilgrim1 will be at the Edinburgh Festival this year, and he recent supported Russell Howard. So go on, and follow him! 2013-03-18 13:21:10 · Reply · View Minotaur_Man: @RobertMBall It’s in August, during the Edinburgh Festival. I still have a wee bit of time left… 2013-03-18 12:53:38 · Reply · View Minotaur_Man: @ARTOFJONHAWARD It’s in August, Jon. During the Edinburgh Festival. I’ll tweet dates nearer the time… 😉 2013-03-18 12:52:42 · Reply · View Richard1483: Leonardo da… - [Twittering about The Edinburgh Festival as of March 17, 2013](https://edinburghfestival.org/2013/03/17/twittering-about-the-edinburgh-festival-as-of-march-17-2013/): MikePClarkson: Death Ship 666 – our play we’re taking to Edinburgh Festival, like to keep updated – #titanic #parody http://t.co/Qjty86PjIv 2013-03-17 12:02:27 · Reply · View horseypotato: @plzjustleave @PhilisAmazing I have edinburgh festival which I go to a lot and Dan and Phil have been in the past :c 2013-03-17 11:57:43 · Reply · View janaahikhik_: I liked a @YouTube video http://t.co/KP5VQ18caR Dubstep Beatbox @ Edinburgh Festival 2013-03-17 11:28:06 · Reply · View Haylswa: @catsashannah @litleredflower when’s the Edinburgh festival hannah? 2013-03-17 11:18:48 · Reply · View dnwood: Really really wish I had £545 to spend on building my own… - [Twittering about The Edinburgh Festival as of March 16, 2013](https://edinburghfestival.org/2013/03/16/twittering-about-the-edinburgh-festival-as-of-march-16-2013/): KitchenForty: RT @edfoc: We are adding new events to the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling programme all the time http://t.co/G0XfiH5YFI 2013-03-16 13:55:43 · Reply · View csabian: Edinburgh festival 2013 to celebrate art and technology http://t.co/kvL9cjHjMJ via @kutefineart 2013-03-16 13:53:40 · Reply · View Joysci: Technology Meets Art at Edinburgh festival 2013 http://t.co/W8hTOFrwTu including Leonardo da Vinci’s anatomy notebooks. #edfest #Scotland 2013-03-16 13:45:13 · Reply · View innertubemap: The Edinburgh Festival of Cycling @edfoc calendar of events is starting to take shape http://t.co/eztU5EbnRP Something in there for everyone 2013-03-16 13:33:33 · Reply · View socialtechno: @leashless Okay, I will fix up… - [Twittering about The Edinburgh Festival as of March 15, 2013](https://edinburghfestival.org/2013/03/15/twittering-about-the-edinburgh-festival-as-of-march-15-2013/): miss_scribbler: RT @neilmwebb: @whitespacers Edinburgh-based creative agency working with @edfringe #culturegeek http://t.co/R1Qrx4ThEQ 2013-03-15 13:52:44 · Reply · View neilmwebb: @whitespacers Edinburgh-based creative agency working with @edfringe #culturegeek http://t.co/R1Qrx4ThEQ 2013-03-15 13:51:54 · Reply · View miriamattwood: GAH. It’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe – not the other way round, the BIG @edfringe bugbear. #Culturegeek 2013-03-15 13:48:13 · Reply · View 3pipenet: Article @Telegraph states Leonardo’s anatomical drawings were “right all along” http://t.co/HX37apUenD Not always! cc @rmathematicus 2013-03-15 13:39:21 · Reply · View kim_harding: @rebelraising come to the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling http://t.co/s6jL9TJi61 it’ll be cheaper… 😉 2013-03-15 13:26:11 · Reply · View ReelscapeFilms:… - [Twittering about The Edinburgh Festival as of March 14, 2013](https://edinburghfestival.org/2013/03/14/twittering-about-the-edinburgh-festival-as-of-march-14-2013/): ActorsGuildGB: RT @AnnieRoweCasts: Just issued the breakdown via the Spotlight Link to ‘all agents’ for a fab new play for the Edinburgh Festival called ECONOMY OF THOUGHT 2013-03-14 13:45:28 · Reply · View redhooklibrary: Go ahead. Judge a #book by its #cover. http://t.co/0DQUOKVBuR #design #theory #art 2013-03-14 13:40:39 · Reply · View Gilfeek: @Charitchie I’d like to see you perform up in the Edinburgh Festival this summer. 2013-03-14 13:18:49 · Reply · View ingevanloco: RT @TelegraphSci: Leonardo da Vinci was right all along, new medical scans show http://t.co/rPATLW0KLg 2013-03-14 13:18:47 · Reply · View FilmEksis: Edinburgh Festival: Richard Burton comes… - [Twittering about The Edinburgh Festival as of March 13, 2013](https://edinburghfestival.org/2013/03/13/twittering-about-the-edinburgh-festival-as-of-march-13-2013/): laurenmonty84: @IAmChrisRamsey Are you doing the Edinburgh festival this year? 2013-03-13 13:46:21 · Reply · View DearPolia: RT @mocost: Leonardo da Vinci’s anatomical drawings were “startling” in their accuracy and centuries ahead of their time http://t.co/OoQVdhx9n2 2013-03-13 13:41:29 · Reply · View BickNishop: RT @TelegraphSci: Leonardo da Vinci was right all along, new medical scans show http://t.co/rPATLW0KLg 2013-03-13 13:38:05 · Reply · View aminiank: RT @mocost: Leonardo da Vinci’s anatomical drawings were “startling” in their accuracy and centuries ahead of their time http://t.co/OoQVdhx9n2 2013-03-13 13:36:35 · Reply · View Hossman333: RT @TelegraphSci: Leonardo da Vinci was right all along, new… - [Twittering about The Edinburgh Festival as of March 12, 2013](https://edinburghfestival.org/2013/03/12/twittering-about-the-edinburgh-festival-as-of-march-12-2013/): fabiobrycki: RT @TelegraphSci: Leonardo da Vinci was right all along, new medical scans show http://t.co/rPATLW0KLg 2013-03-12 13:55:24 · Reply · View mukmook: Leonardo da Vinci was right all along, new medical scans show via @Telegraph http://t.co/j4yCmBALyX 2013-03-12 13:53:58 · Reply · View DonaldRoble: He has long been praised as one of the finest artists of the Renaissance, working far ahead of his time and… http://t.co/YubiS95l0d 2013-03-12 13:53:08 · Reply · View etscom8: Eleven Squares: Edinburgh festival unveils programme http://t.co/3E0jKDrVxv 2013-03-12 13:53:04 · Reply · View checa2321: RT @TelegraphSci: Leonardo da Vinci was right all along, new medical scans show http://t.co/rPATLW0KLg… - [Twittering about The Edinburgh Festival as of March 11, 2013](https://edinburghfestival.org/2013/03/11/twittering-about-the-edinburgh-festival-as-of-march-11-2013/): garempot: the 528s live in henrys the edinburgh festival 2012: http://t.co/jpQYZ68osX via @youtube 2013-03-11 12:47:59 · Reply · View smudgethesmifff: @greghemphill69 Are you no partaking in the Edinburgh festival this year? 2013-03-11 11:44:08 · Reply · View edfoc: @chrishoy Would you be interested in being a part of the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling? http://t.co/Af0zVfQx71 You’d be welcome! 2013-03-11 10:40:03 · Reply · View edfringe: @ArwenX7 Here’s something we put together last year; hope it helps! http://t.co/PU1dSE3XGs 2013-03-11 09:57:52 · Reply · View EpicFireworks: Virgin Money in Edinburgh festival fireworks deal – Arts – http://t.co/bCfVt5ptRJ: http://t.co/gcgQ1tbnww 2013-03-11 09:26:51 · Reply ·… ## Pages - [Tweet Fest](https://edinburghfestival.org/tweetfest/): We’ll tweet your show to 42,929+ followers, from £5… Reach an engaged, active and growing audience for your Edinburgh show, review or special deal instantly! And all of this comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. We’ve been tweeting at @edinburghfest on Twitter since 2007, and as at 09:00 on the 6th of August 2018, had 42,929 followers on Twitter. By now, there may be more… In August of 2015, our tweets reached over 1.1 million pairs of eyeballs – as verified by Twitter’s official Analytics package. But we only reached 967,000 people in August 2017. Boo. You can reach our… - [Magnificent Seven Sample Page](https://edinburghfestival.org/seven/magnificent-seven-sample-page/): [fusion_text] Your show here for £140. And you’ll also be promoted daily to over 36,500 Twitter followers. Buy one of the seven exclusive slots here, and you get to add your images, videos, reviews, social links to promote your show at the Edinburgh Festival. You’ll be part of the Edinburgh Festival Magnificent Seven. Exclusive, very visible, and very shareable. You get your own unique page URL, and will be linked from our main Magnificent 7 page with a direct Menu Link with your name / show title, with social links such as Facebook and Twitter, and a link to your… - [Magnificent Seven](https://edinburghfestival.org/seven/): [fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”20px” padding_bottom=”20px” padding_left=”0px” padding_right=”0px” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][tagline_box backgroundcolor=”” shadow=”no” shadowopacity=”0.1″ border=”” bordercolor=”” highlightposition=”left” content_alignment=”left” link=”http://www.vcita.com/v/petherick/make_payment?pay_for=Magnificent%20Seven%20Page%202016%20on%20edinburghfestival.org&amount=140″ linktarget=”_blank” modal=”” button_size=”large” button_shape=”square” button_type=”flat” buttoncolor=”” button=”Purchase Now” title=”Do you want to see your show featured here in 2016?” description=”All you need to do is pay us, and you can be part of the Edinburgh Festival Magnificent Seven for 2016. Of course, it’s limited to seven pages, so act soon…” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”fade” animation_direction=”up” animation_speed=”1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][/tagline_box][separator style_type=”none”… - [Festival Accommodation](https://edinburghfestival.org/edinburgh-festival-accommodation/): Festival Accommodation in Edinburgh at reduced rates Special reductions for groups and performers We are pleased to offer accommodation at preferential rates for groups, performers and visitors to the city through our partnership with Edinburgh Room Rentals. Booking through this page will automatically offer you preferential reduced rates as well as a reduced deposit to secure your accommodation at the modern and central Fountainbridge Apartments. Simply enter the promotion code ‘PER15‘ when making your reservation to ensure your special reduction. This will offer a rate of £45 per night, rather than the rack rate of £69.34, saving £24.34 a night.… - [Here come the Edinburgh Festivals 2025 #EdinburghFest](https://edinburghfestival.org/): Edinburgh. 2025. The Edinburgh Festivals. #EdinburghFest What are the dates for the Edinburgh Festivals in 2025 to 2026? Here they are. Make sure you’re here and in the loop… Edinburgh’s Festivals in 2025 Edinburgh International Improv Festival February 2025 The annual EIIF is dedicated to bringing the best improvisational theatre to Scotland while celebrating the fantastic wealth of local talent. EIIF will also teach a full curriculum of improv classes as well as a full programme of shows. www.edimprovfest.com DataFest March 2025 Now in its sixth year, DataFest will showcase Scotland’s leading role in data science and artificial intelligence on… - [Blog](https://edinburghfestival.org/blog/) - [#smass](https://edinburghfestival.org/smass/): 2014 Festival Hashtag: Pimp your show in 120 chars or less using #smass (Stop Me And Sell a Show) and we’ll RT best stuff. #SMASS http://twitter.com/edinburghfest Tweet #smass So – you use the hashtag #smass in your tweets, we promote your show to thousands of Festival Twitter followers, if it’s a good tweet and a good show. Lots of people follow us on Twitter at last check.   Edinburgh Festival on Twitter Counter  - [Friends & Sponsors](https://edinburghfestival.org/friends/): EdinburghFestival.org Friends and Sponsors You may have spotted that this website is not blighted by lurid advertisements. That’s deliberate – to allow you to focus on what we write about, not what advertisers want to push at you. We’d rather you enjoyed visiting our site than made a few bucks by annoying you with interruptions and crap that follows you from some search you did eight months ago. So here are some people who’ve been nice to us, so we’re being nice to them. Please do the same… The Doctor is In™ The Doctor is In™ The Doctor is In™… [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)