Edinburgh Fringe festival is now in full swing, with thousands of brilliant shows taking over the city. We know it can be overwhelming what to go and see, so our marketing team have put together some top picks from our recent visit, as well as the best North East artists to check out!
Nat – Digital Communications Officer
Show recommendation: Ten Thousand Hours, Gravity & Other Myths
“I saw Ten Thousand Hours by Gravity & Other Myths and it was absolutely BREATHTAKING. Not only were the acrobatic stunts incredible (where on earth do they get that strength from?) but the performers themselves were really engaging. I’ve seen acrobatic shows in the past where it all felt very serious, but these performers engaged with the audience and really brought us along for the ride. I especially loved the section where the audience member went up on stage… no spoilers here though just go and see it!”
Daisy – PR & Communications Intern
Show recommendation: 16 Postcodes, Jessica Regan
16 Postcodes, Jessica Regan
“Since moving to London 20 years ago, Jessica Regan has lived at 16 different postcodes. In this deeply personal show, Regan relives moments from her various postcodes, including trying magic mushrooms, romanticising the Southbank, and her Soap Award ending up in a skip during a move-out process. This show was filled with laugh out loud moments, as well as dishing out some solid life advice. And, most of all, it encouraged me to not move house 16 times – just awful!”
Kate – Marketing Officer
Show recommendation: My Mother’s Funeral, Paines Plough
“My Mother’s Funeral: The Show was a standout for me at the Fringe. The performance demonstrated a cleverly thought-out ratio of sadness to humour, capturing the pain Abigail felt after the death of her mum, but also the dark humor behind how this could be turned into a show in an attempt to fund the eye watering funeral costs. All three performers were really engaging, some taking on multiple roles, carrying the audience along as the story unfolded. This fantastic show can be seen right on your doorstep as it comes to Northern Stage in October. Don’t miss it!”
Chris – Box Office Manager
Show recommendation: Carousel, Ivo Graham
Ivo Graham’s blisteringly honest Carousel has been a show that I’ve thought about daily since I saw it over a week ago. Ivo provides an unpicking of his own nostalgia and regrets, as well as providing the audience, at points, the room to do the same. While the performance is intensely personal, the audience is drawn in by the meticulously chosen music that accompanies each story or moment being told. It was this tying of music and memory that was so wonderfully presented and has made this a piece of theatre that I won’t be forgetting any time soon.
Gem – Marketing Officer
Show recommendation: Hold on To Your Butts, Recent Cutbacks
My Fringe favourite has to be Hold on To Your Butts by Recent Cutbacks, a parody of 90s blockbuster Jurassic Park. An hour of pure joy – and actual tears of laughter at the Jeff Goldblum character – as two actors and a foley artist recreated each scene (including the CGI dinosaurs!) with the inventive use of live sound effects, props and physical theatre. A low-fi creative comedy I’d love to see at Northern Stage – the traffic cone and bike helmet-wearing velociraptors were genius.
We’re also thrilled to see so many artists from the North East up at the Fringe, some of which have previously toured their work to Northern Stage.
Shows from North East based performers/companies to check out are:
- You Heard Me by Luca Rutherford – Luca’s brilliant one woman show ‘You Heard Me’ came to Northern Stage in 2022 and is the story of one woman’s power to re-make, re-mould and disrupt. Catch it at ZOO Southside, 16.30 – from 20 – 25 August.
- Gamble by Hannah Walker – Hannah’s solo show is a glittering, glamorous peek into the world of online gambling. It has been to Northern Stage twice (in 2023 & 2024) so we’re thrilled to see Hannah continuing to tour the work. Catch it at Summerhall, from Aug 13-18, 20 – 26.
- Big Girl Pants by Lauren Pattison – Two-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Lauren Pattison (originally from Newcastle) is back with a brand new show. Catch it at Monkey Barrel Comedy from Aug 15-20, 22-25.