In Bog Witch, there’s something magical about Bryony Kimmings. It is her latest production, Kimmings narrates her sudden move to a country farm. As a dazzling urbanite, this is quite some pivot. She has met a man (Will), also now single with a child, and they agree to merge family units. Will is a committed environmentalist, whereas Kimmings has a “large hole in her soul” – perhaps reconnecting with nature will help? While the rest of the family thrive following the move, she

The Toe Poke describes an event that took place during a football match. But there’s more going on here. The large screen at the back of the Committee Room shows footage of one of Scotland’s greatest moments. The World Cup in Spain in 1982 was the biggest one yet, with record television audiences. Part of that appeal was – and remains – Brazil, the tournament favourites, resplendent in their iconic yellow shirts. In Seville, Scotland are about to take them on. After 18 minute

These are troubling times. Globally, it seems that conflict and general fractiousness are on the rise, irrespective of your political viewpoint. The philosopher Santayana observed that those who fail to heed the lessons of history are condemned to repeat them. The Italian company Action Theatre brings Democrazy to Edinburgh Fringe, leaning into the traditions of Commedia dell'Arte, with its use of half masks, musical duets and physical comedy. They remind us that democracy is

Despite her diminutive demeanour, Tori Morancay certainly packs a punch. She takes to the stage and over the course of the next three-quarters of an hour, lays bare aspects of her life. Unflinchingly. Morancay is not a native New Yorker, but now lives and works there, performing stand-up across the city. Born and raised in France, we are granted insight into her world - a curious juxtaposition of French and New Yorker. She attended circus school as a child, was married way to

Five young women go to a summer camp in Maine to teach teenagers drama. Not the end of the world, is it? But it is, literally. For those unfamiliar with Stanislavski, he was a leading theatre practitioner and director, whose ideas have been adopted - and been regarded in reverential tones - for decades. But can his acting system prepare anyone for the apocalypse? As their time at the camp draws to a close, an unspecified pandemic has devastated mankind. Return to their homes

In 1849, Henry “Box” Brown successfully posted himself to Philadelphia in a wooden crate. This was no publicity stunt, however; it was a matter of life or death. This is his remarkable story, brought to us by Andy Jordan Productions & Hindsight Productions. Brown had been born into slavery, a brutal era. Slaves were regarded as possessions, to be bought and sold…and mistreated. During the course of Blackbox, we are given a glimpse into the systematic abuse and torment of coun

The audience enters a saferoom, being screened and given safety instructions in hushed tones. This is not a drill, apparently. There has been an outbreak of Lycanthropy (the transformation of a person into a werewolf). Significant security measures have been imposed, including nighttime curfews and emergency powers. Once the saferoom is closed, nobody will be allowed in or out for around a week. All lights must be extinguished when night falls, to minimise the risk of externa

Edgar Allen Poe was an acclaimed American writer from the first half of the 19th century. He is well known for his Gothic Horror style of writing, poetry and examination of the macabre. Acclaimed in a rather different way are Box Tale Soup, who have graced Edinburgh Fringe for more than a decade - among their triumphs Casting The Runes, Gulliver and 1984. Their reputation is for high quality dramatic performance fused with skilful set design and intricate puppetry. And so we

Caligula was the third Roman emperor, ruling from AD 37 to AD 41. During his four-year reign, he was initially popular, embracing a programme of reforms. That popularity quickly soured, however, as his rule descended into tyranny, extravagance, and alleged madness following a severe illness. He was assassinated on the orders of members of the Senate. His place in popular culture is assured partly due to the Malcolm McDowell film and perhaps also to the apocryphal tale that he

Enid Blyton is one of the most successful writers of children’s books, selling hundreds of millions of copies worldwide. Among these, she enjoyed much success writing about the adventures of The Famous Five (four children and their dog), whose tales became staples of post-war British childhood. Written during and after the Second World War, the stories are rooted in settings, language and cultural references that can now jar with the modern ear. A Simply Beastly Murder is a

Modern popular culture is awash with spy stories: James Bond, Jason Bourne, John Le Carre, Ken Follett, William Boyd et al, going back to Eric Ambler. The reality of spy operations is usually far less glamorous: painstaking, dull monitoring, reporting within a static hierarchical structure. But it can still be very dangerous. Special Operations Executive (SOE) was created during World War II, with the fate of the free world at stake. Their role: espionage, reconnaissance, org

A man (Tiberius) lies sleeping on a mat. Another man (James) bursts into the room, railing against unseen antagonists. It’s now clear that they are in a police cell. When James’ rant eventually blows itself out, the story of how he comes to find himself incarcerated is slowly revealed. James has been arrested at a protest. It seems that he didn’t mean to be here, perhaps the accidental birth of an anarchist. James had rather taken a shine to George, a customer in his bookshop

What does the American Dream look like in 2026? In an era shaped by MAGA, Trump and the relentless influence of social media, the answer has become increasingly fractured. Its pursuit remains a defining cultural touchstone - but some people have different aspirations. We enter the Pleasance bunker to find a topless and shoeless man, seated and evidently reflective, perhaps troubled. A dead body is discovered in Brooklyn. Three identical brothers appear to be persons of intere

Gaudeamus Artistic Company’s stated intention is to offer the Italian community in Scotland the means to reconnect with or discover Italian culture through theatre. Indeed, the excellent cast symbolise the cultural links between Scotland and Italy, not to mention the iconic and charming venue Valvona & Crolla , a visit being highly recommended at any time of the year. The set immediately suggests literary endeavours, with piles of books everywhere, some immediately identifia

This is a love story,” Jess and Iona tell us. Well, it’s probably two love stories, in truth. Iona (Leyla Aycan) and Jess (Catriona Faint) met at an Edinburgh bus stop during the Fringe. They continued to run into each other in queues and at a box office where Iona was working, and became friends. They reconnect every August at the Edinburgh Fringe and revel in its chaotic and often frantic environment. They recount how they go to bars, clubs, random Fringe shows – all set ag

Paldem appears to be the story of a young couple, enjoying modern life with a healthy and vibrant sex life. Things take a turn, however, when Kevin (Michael Workeye) records one of these sessions with Megan (Tash Cowley) on his video camera. It is a little unclear whether this was unintentional and whether it was livestreamed via OnlyFans (a subscription-based pornography internet platform). Whatever the intention, Megan is turned on by the idea and curious to explore further

The term ‘nobody’ tends to be bandied around a little carelessly. But if your identity is systematically removed from you, it has a chilling resonance. Tilly Wedekind was an accomplished performer, married to Frank Wedekind, an acclaimed and influential playwright known for Spring Awakening . Frank wrote roles for Tilly, perhaps most famously performing eponymously in the "Lulu sex tragedies". Frank began to deconstruct aspects of their married life and dramatise them on st

Sometimes it's what’s not being said that holds the most power. Mikey Burnett’s Colours Run leans heavily into the “kitchen sink drama” movement of the 1950s and 60s, portraying the struggles of working-class angry young men. The production is set in a Leith flat, where brothers Pongo (Ruaraidh Murray) and Pete (Sean Langtree) cohabit. Both are Hibernian football fans, with Pongo a member of the hooligan firm the Capital City Service, whose motto, “These colours don’t run”

Sometimes in life, you just have to push back. Erica (Eleanor Higgins) meets Jessie (Naomi Denny); both lesbians, electricity is in the air along with pounding dance music. They bond over a shared love of Tony Soprano and Lindsay Lohan, but their lives are far from straightforward. Living in urban Croydon, Erica is constantly short of money, maxing out her overdraft. Jessie at least has steady employment in retail… that is, until events conspire against her and she is fired.

December 21 is always the longest night of the year. In 1988, it was the darkest. In the mid-1980s, tensions were rising between some Middle Eastern and North African countries and the United States. In 1984, Libyans acquired timers for bomb detonators. In 1986, a discotheque in West Berlin was bombed, killing three Americans. Shortly afterwards, the US retaliated by bombing Libyan bases, killing an estimated 60 people. In 1988, various reports criticised lax security at Fran