As the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe looms, Playbill can’t help but get excited. After all, it’s the world’s largest arts festival, a theatre lover's dream! Ahead of this year's festivities (running August 2–26), Playbill looked through the 3,800+ shows on offer and picked 20 that we're excited for, chosen based on our familiarity with the artists and because the concept piqued our interest.
If you're making your own Fringe plans, here are some shows you should make sure to add to your list if you are going to the Fringe. And if you're at a loss for what to add to your list, we recommend using the official Fringe app (co-sponsored by Playbill) which will give you a random show recommendation when you shake it. Because it isn't Fringe without some surprise discoveries!
Bellringers
In a bell tower, Clement and Aspinall are waiting for lightning to strike. Guided by the superstition that ringing church bells can disrupt a growing storm and the fear that the apocalypse is nigh, they’re willing to give it a shot. Brought to Fringe by The Stage's Producer of the Year award winner, Ellie Keel Productions, the play was a finalist for the 2024 Women’s Prize for Playwriting.
Bi-Curious George: Queer Planet
Award-winning drag king and loveable nature boy Bi-Curious George is back with a raucous celebration of queerness and the animal kingdom. Previously performed throughout England to great acclaim, Queer Planet shatters the heteronormative binaries through which we view the natural world, embracing the queerness present in every facet of life.
Comala, Comala
Mestiza playwright Conchi León has reimagined Pedro Páramo’s novel about a son’s promise to his dying mother: revenge on his long-lost father. The Day of the Dead-style theatrical experience visits the land of the living and the land of the dead through séance, storytelling, and music. The original Mexican musical comes to Fringe for its international debut after a sold out run in Mexico City.
Cruel Britania: After Frankenstein
As the world continues to devolve into chaos, and increasingly violent factions question who we call monsters, acclaimed writer-performer Kristen Smyth is reimagining Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Set in Thatcher's Britain (a monstrous world of gothic proportions that Shelley would have been proud of), this transgender-focused adaptation will have audiences searching for the truth that lies between binaries.
Dragonory: Magic and Music
When you think of Tony winner Alan Cumming, the first thing on your mind may be his legendary performance as the Emcee in Cabaret. Well, he is also a family-friendly storyteller. Dragonory features an array of stories and songs written by the stage legend. Hosted by the charismatic performer George, the show promises to be a celebration of diversity, adventure and laughter, perfect for families of all ages.
The Emu War: A New Musical
Sometimes real-life’s absurdities put fiction to shame. In 1932, thousands of World War I veterans went to war with Australia’s Emu population to turn the outback into an agrarian paradise. Inspired by the true events, this new comedy musical showcases the futility of human hubris against thousands of six-foot-tall birds.
F*GHAG
Calling Gen Z-ers! Dylan Mulvaney will debut a new solo musical at the Edinburgh Fringe. Titled F*GHAG, the show will peel back the curtain on Mulvaney’s life behind the scenes of her joyous TikTok series, “Days of Girlhood,” which documented her gender transition. The series, a viral sensation, has made Mulvaney one of the most famous trans women in the United States. F*GHAG will feature original songs by Tim Robinson and direction by Tim Jackson.
The Gardening Club
A timely tale about life’s bitter pills, The Gardening Club is a new musical set in 1960s Georgia, where six girls scheme to illegally distribute the birth control pill with their gardening club as a cover up. The pop-rock soundtrack showcases themes of pleasure, self-discovery, and the power of female friendships.
The Gospel of Joan (Crawford)
This play from New York-based (and Mexican-led) emerging theatre collective teatrito takes place in Hell, which is suffering from overpopulation. In Sydney Green's play, five women have been chosen to vie for a shot to vacate eternal damnation and transfer to heaven, but first they’ll have to win a poker match with the devil’s dealer: the one and only Joan Crawford. Sins, sexual identities, dispensability—everything is up for consideration in this tête-à-tête, and with Crawford around, we might even be able to expect a slap or two.
Gwyneth Goes Skiing
It’s March 2023. Goop lifestyle guru Gwyneth Paltrow is embroiled in the biggest trial of the year. Retelling the media frenzy that followed Paltrow and retired optometrist Terry Sanderson, Gwyneth Goes Skiing stars British actor Linus Karp as Paltrow and Joseph Martin as Terry Sanderson, with original music by Leland (of RuPaul’s Drag Race). Court is now in session! Karp's show last year, Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story (where they played Princess Diana), was a hit with the Playbill staff and we're looking forward to seeing what hijinks they get into with Gwyneth Goes Skiing.
I’m Almost There
Off-Broadway favorite Todd Almond is debuting a new show at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and if his previous record is anything to go off of, that it’ll end up coming to NYC seems fairly likely. But you can impress all your theatre friends when you can say you saw it first in Scotland! This solo show is a love story about a man on the hunt for love. The only problem is an unhinged neighbor, a seductive cult, a self-obsessed vampire, and an unruly cat are getting in the way. Almond has collaborated with Tony-winning director David Cromer, Audible Theater and the producers of Fleabag and Baby Reindeer on this latest project, and we can’t wait to find out what they have in store for us.
It’s the Economy, Stupid!
This new show from the Fringe First-winning creators of Labels and Fanboy endeavors to teach us how the economy affects politics. OK, so that sounds more like a college lecture than a fun play. But don’t worry, Joe Sellman-Leava and Dylan Howells have bags, boxes, and an old board game on hand to make a complex topic understandable and entertaining ultimately exploring how the economy shapes our lives. These quirky, off-beat looks at the world are some of what Fringe does best: stretching the bounds of what theatre can be. We’re here for it!
Kafka's Metamorphosis the Musical
What would you do if you woke up as a bug? This surrealist classic is coming to the stage in addictively absurd fashion, just in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Kafka’s death. Using puppets, shadow-play, and some truly surreal songs and meta humor, Kafka's Metamorphosis: The Musical! With Puppets! has delighted swarms of audiences from New York to Montreal prior to its Fringe debut.
A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First
The newest play from award-winning NYC-based playwrights Xhloe and Natasha, A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God deconstructs boyhood and what happens when pretend becomes real and childhood memories become hard in the aftermath. Whether it’s stories around the campfire, letters home to mom, or a prayer to your favorite President, these two Boy Scouts really just want a turn to play the good guy...Scout's Honor. Xhloe and Natasha's two previous shows that played the Fringe won the prestigious Fringe First Awards from The Scotsman so expect this newest show is coming in with a fair amount of buzz. Read our interview with them from last year's Fringe here.
Margolyes & Dickens: The Best Bits
Any Harry Potter or Graham Norton fan will recognize the legendary Miriam Margolyes. Making her triumphant return to the Fringe at 82, the icon is sure to delight and offend as she shares her enduring passion for Charles Dickens through his most colorful characters, before opening the floor to audience questions. You never know what might come out of her mouth, but it’s sure to be as truthful as it is tickling!
Natalie Palamides: WEER
Edinburgh Comedy Award Winner Natalie Palamides (Nate – A One Man Show), is back at the Fringe with a '90s-style romantic dramedy. Set on New Year’s Eve 1999, two star-crossed lovers quarrel at the stroke of midnight, prompting the audience to reflect on both sides to every argument. The performance, which showcases 21st-century clowning, has been hailed as “boundary-pushing” and “electrifying.”
Randy Feltface: First Banana
This is a stand-up show starring a bald, purple puppet. If you need more reasons to get a ticket to this one, the concept is that Randy Feltface feels like humanity has been on a downward spiral ever since the first banana appeared on earth 10,000 years ago. The solution? This stand-up special, in which Randy will fix everything, including his nemeses. This Australian act created by Heath McIvor and Phillip Millar has been entertaining audiences on TV and in live performances worldwide since 2005, and his Edinburgh Fringe debut is something to get excited for.
These Are the Contents of My Head (The Annie Lennox Show)
Drag performer Salty Brine is breaking the boundaries of cabaret in a track-by-track performance of Annie Lennox’s solo album, DIVA. Marrying high camp and heartbreak, Brine weaves reflections on defiant women and the little gay boy who loves them into something spectacular.
Tit Swingers
All aboard! Real-life polyamorous queer pirates Anne Bonney and Mary Read may have been given the nickname “Hellcats of the Seven Seas” for their notorious crimes. But now, they’re taking over Edinburgh to rewrite the narrative with their new punk musical. They’re tired of living in the shadow of Blackbeard and Captain Kidd, and ready to assume their rightful place as legends: just make sure to bring earplugs—it’s gonna be loud.
Willy’s Candy Spectacular
Glasgow’s Willy Wonka-related “experience” fiasco has captured the hearts and minds of many a disaster aficionado, and it’s no surprise that the parody musical based on the debacle is on a lot of people’s Fringe lists. The real thing was already so unintentionally campy that one shudders to imagine the levels of camp that this project could achieve when they’re actually trying for it. You’ve got songs from a number of great musical theatre and comedy artists—including Riki Lindhome of Garfunkel and Oates, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’ Tova Litvin and Doug Rockwell, First Date’s Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, and Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical’s Daniel Mertzlufft—and they just announced that two of the original 1971 movie’s child cast is going to be there too. Do you want to view chaos? Simply get to Edinburgh Festival Fringe!
YUCK Circus
While the Fringe is known for its theatre and stand-up comedy offerings, a particular alchemy can be found in the physical theatre and circus areas, where the high flying meets the heartfelt. YUCK Circus, the award-winning all-female acrobatic comedy troupe, are back in Scotland this year. They’re a must-see, especially if you’re looking for some sapphic physical storytelling.
Check back in August to read our on-the-ground coverage of the 2024 Fringe. Ready to join in on the fun? Book a stay on the Playbill FringeShip, our floating hotel for the 2024 Fringe. It will be docked in Edinburgh and will provide easy transportation to the Fringe. And for those who want a more bespoke Fringe experience, there will be entertainment on the ship just for guests, including Playbill Fringe favorites Rob Madge (of My Son's a Queer), Tim Murray, and BATSU. Let us handle the logistics of your once-in-a-lifetime experience. Visit FringeShip.com.
