EDINBURGH FRINGE FOR EVERYONE
Making the Edinburgh Fringe Festival more inclusive—both for artists and audiences. Our aim is to broaden participation; whether that is performing, attending, or working behind the scenes.
WHAT'S ON
Scary Queen of Scots
Hoots @ The Apex — Hoot 3
7 Aug - 31 Aug
Start times: 13:50
50 mins
Age: 16+We have all dreamed about being famous as children. Gill dreamt about being switched at birth and one day her family, a royal family, would come get her... 50 years on, it still hasn't happened. Gill's life, like Mary Queen of Scots, has had some misadventures, terrible failed relationships and near-death experiences. But unlike Mary, Gill won't lose her head. She's ready to claim the throne and pronounce herself the Queen of Scottish Comedy. A fun show that looks at thwarted dreams and failed ambitions.
BOOK NOW2026 Pick of the Fringe
By Hoots FringeHoots @ Nicolson Square — Nic 2 (The Main Hall, Nicolson Square Venues)
7 Aug - 31 Aug
Start times: 14:00
55 mins
Age: 14+Hoots Comedy official Pick of the Fringe showcase returns for 2026 with another hand-picked selection of our favourite acts from across the Fringe. We present an ever-changing lineup of some of the best comics the Fringe has to offer, all crammed into one amazing show. 'A must–see for Scottish comedy lovers' **** (BroadwayBaby.com). 'Rick Molland is perfect for the role of compere' (ThreeWeeks). 'Stand-out stand-up' (Rip It Up). Perth Fringe Comedy Award nominated.
BOOK NOWAdele Cliff: Work in Progress
By Adele CliffHoots @ Potterrow — Wee Container 1
7 Aug - 30 Aug
Start times: 14:00
60 mins
Age: 16+Multi award-winning comedian, Adele Cliff, brings a work-in-progress show to the Fringe. Expect material on love, life choices and llamas. Catch these jokes whilst they're still super fresh. Praise for Adele's previous shows: 'Master of comedy' ***** (TheatreMatters.com.au). 'Truly funny' ***** (TLA Adelaide). 'Guaranteed laughs' ***** (The Student Newspaper). 'A-list jokes' **** (TheComicsComic.com). 'Heartfelt storytelling and incredibly astute observations' **** (Hugging Comedians). 'Takes her job to be silly very seriously and it certainly pays off' **** (EdFringeReview.com). 'Funny, well-written' **** (One4Review.co.uk).
BOOK NOWGood Boy
By Sorabh DhirHoots @ Hilton (Bread Street) — Slice 1
7 Aug - 31 Aug
Start times: 14:00
50 mins
Age: 16+Can these slumdogs be good boys? Sorabh Dhir grew up in a typical Indian household, where education was paramount and dogs were to be feared. Growing up in Essex, Sorabh always felt everyone around him decided who he was before he did. Wondering whether he is British or Indian enough? Should he be a lawyer or a tech bro? Who should he marry? What if he abandons all of that for comedy and gets a dog called Rocket? Good Boy is a show about finding success through mistakes. With special guest appearances from Rocket!
BOOK NOWSophie Sconcia: Mother Superior
Hoots @ Nicolson Square — Nic 6 (Nicolson Square Venues Courtyard)
7 Aug - 30 Aug
Start times: 14:05
60 mins
Age: 16+Award-winning comedian Sophie Sconcia disappoints her religious mother every day and twice on Sundays. A hilarious show about battling mothers, motherhood, influencer kids and other demons. 'More to her than just jokes. Sophie charms her audience then hits them with a killer punchline' (West End New Act of the Year). 'Confident, quietly subversive and funny as f*ck' (Andrew O’Neill). 45 minutes of divinely funny and irreverent comedy from Sophie plus a different guest comedian every day.
BOOK NOWAaagony Aunts
Hoots @ The Apex — Hoot 2
7 Aug - 30 Aug
Start times: 14:10
55 mins
Age: 12+Award-bothering and startlingly wise comedians, Pauline Eyre and Louise Leigh, are here to take their guests’ problems seriously. As they say: a problem shared is a problem halfway to becoming a funny story. Every day, we unpack the meaty* issues that are holding back some of the funniest comedians at the Fringe. We solve those problems with the help of you the audience, a selection of kitchen utensils and the mighty Salad Spinner of Destiny. Making the world a better place, one spatula, one messed-up comedian, at a time. 'Really really good' (Coherent Comedy, podcast). *and veggie.
BOOK NOWJames Regal is a People Pleaser
Hoots @ Nicolson Square — Nic 5 (Nicolson Square Venues Courtyard)
7 Aug - 31 Aug
Start times: 14:15
60 mins
Age: 18+What happens when the compulsion to avoid conflict at all costs collides with the messy realities of adult life? Loss of identity, marriage troubles, and a terrible misunderstanding in a Barcelona sex club, that's what. In his debut Edinburgh comedy hour, Barcelona-based Englishman, James Regal, explores what it means to know yourself when you've spent your life being whoever the room needs you to be. 'Sharp and playful' (Michelle Wolf). 'A corking tale…with a remarkable late twist' (British Comedy Guide). Dov's Best Jewish Joke of the Edinburgh Fringe 2024. 'Loose, raw, and genuinely funny.'
BOOK NOWLilla Multipass: Woman(33)
Hoots @ Potterrow — Wee Container 2
7 Aug - 30 Aug
Start times: 14:20
60 mins
Age: 16+Woman(33) has an inkling her life is one size too small. When a trip to IKEA can't fix her problems, she sets off on a journey of self-discovery. Join her absurd therapy session to discover joy through self-ridicule, dramatic monologues and clowning. 'Hidden gem with a serious potential to be a hit' (FringeReview.co.uk). Woman(33) is Lilla Multipass. 'Chaos element' ***** (MorningStarOnline.co.uk). 'Has bones made from pure fun' (JamesOfWalsh.com). 'A joy to watch and impossible not to love on stage' (Roger O'Sullivan). 'Lilla is a big idiot – cracks me up' (Lara Ricote).
BOOK NOWRichard Pulsford: Yorkshire Dad, Immigrant Mum
Hoots @ The Apex — Hoot 5
7 Aug - 31 Aug
Start times: 14:20
60 mins
Age: 16+Multi award-winning comedian Richard Pulsford has taken a step away from his usual quality one-liners and pun shows to write and perform this new autobiographical show. This show sees Richard taking a nostalgic dive into his parents’ past as he tries to understand what made them who they were, and therefore discover who he is. His parentage is an unusual mix, with a dad from Yorkshire and a "foreign" mum from continental Europe. Perhaps it should be no surprise that with such a heritage, Richard ended up being, by his own admission, funny.
BOOK NOWWhat's Happening Now?
By Sam HampsonHoots @ Hilton (Bread Street) — Slice 2
8 Aug - 30 Aug
Start times: 14:20
60 mins
Age: 14+The panel show bringing comics, journalists, wise women and clueless men together to figure out: What's Happening Now? A comedy compilation for people who want to care about the world, but are exhausted by it. Based on the podcast of the same name, WHN has been called QI meets Have I Got News For You and now, for the first time, a live audience helps tackle the biggest questions, curiosities and stories befuddling the world. Previous guests include Rosie Holt, Stuart Goldsmith, the former director of BBC News and a Tory activist who campaigns by downing pints.
BOOK NOWA Pub Quiz for D**kheads
By RGB MonsterHoots @ The Wee Red Bar — The Wee Red Bar
7 Aug - 30 Aug
Start times: 14:30
50 mins
Age: 18+A strictly 18+ pub quiz for know-it-alls, written and hosted by comedians. Gather your most insufferable friends, bring a charged smartphone in case you want to cheat, and grab a pint to enjoy the most ludicrous quiz of your life. Questions range from the guessable: Q: Which two countries have the colour pink in their flag? A: Spain and Mexico. To the argument-starting: Q: Which of those two countries is the laziest? A: We'll hear arguments from both sides and take a vote. The total sell-out at Perth FRINGE WORLD makes its Edinburgh Fringe debut!
BOOK NOWDestroy Capitalism or Die Tryin' (WIP)
By Tom MayhewHoots @ Nicolson Square — Nic 9 (Nicolson Square Gardens)
7 Aug - 31 Aug
Start times: 14:30
60 mins
Age: 14+Tom Mayhew (from BBC Radio 4's Benefit Scum) presents a WIP show about being a shy, awkward white boy who loved rap music and idolised 50 Cent. He got poor, but he's still tryin'. 'Authentic material we can relate to: funny, sharp, intelligent, meaningful and pleasing. Mayhew is a voice that needs to be heard’ **** (Chortle.co.uk). ‘The hour is studded with delightful little one liners. Genuine, powerful, political stuff. These are four stars for a voice that should be heard more, for comedy shining a light on some grim, unjust places’ **** (Scotsman).
BOOK NOWRachel Creeger: "Queen of the Jews!"
Hoots @ The Apex — Hoot 4
7 Aug - 31 Aug
Start times: 14:30
60 mins
Age: 14+After the dramatic cancellation of her show at the Edinburgh Fringe last year, multi award-winning comedian, Rachel Creeger, presents her brand-new show, a brutally warm and funny exploration of when it's paranoia, and when they're really out to get you. 'Her show is one of the Fringe's big talking points' **** (Telegraph). 'There is a huge scope for humour around culture and religion. Rachel Creeger is the pinnacle of this.' **** (FunnyWomen.com) 'Clever banter and sharp observation that crosses the religious divide' (EdFringeReview.com). 'Very, very funny' **** (Jewish Chronicle).
BOOK NOWAll the Animals: Ranked (by Comedians)
By Leslie GoldHoots @ Nicolson Square — Nic 7 (Nicolson Square Gardens)
7 Aug - 30 Aug
Start times: 14:40
60 mins
Age: 16+Everybody has opinions about animals. Some of them are funny. We’re going to attempt what Charles Darwin, David Attenborough and the Muppets have never quite managed to do: definitively rank the animals – and have a whale of a time doing it. A panel of not quite tame comedians battle it out to determine the ultimate list of the best (and worst) animals, with an ever-evolving leader board plus animal-themed interactive games. A funny panel-show spin on our furry, feathery, finny friends! From the creator of 101 Rules for a Better World (by Comedians).
BOOK NOWAbsolute Nickhead
By Nick KirkHoots @ Nicolson Square — Nic 8 (Nicolson Square Gardens)
7 Aug - 30 Aug
Start times: 14:50
60 mins
Age: 16+Nick Kirk, West End New Act finalist, just wants to put on a silly character show. His own inner monologue has other ideas. Who will win? Will it make any sense? Does that even matter? These questions, and fewer, might be answered in Absolute Nickhead... 'Safety officer Dave Steed is an amusing tragi-comic conceit and expertly performed with fine timing' (Chortle.co.uk).
BOOK NOWCosmopolitan – Aliki Tsakoumi
Hoots @ Nicolson Square — Nic 3 (Nicolson Square Venues)
7 Aug - 29 Aug
Start times: 14:50
60 mins
Age: 12+A confident and clueless Greek stand-up comedian living in Scandinavia shares her sharp thoughts with her not-so-sharp English. Misunderstanding and questioning every culture that will have her, she goes on about accents, families, tourists and pedestrian crossing lines. Drawing on years of stand-up comedy in English, this show is perfect for anyone who has tried to express themselves in a second language!
BOOK NOWComedy Bingo
Hoots @ Hilton (Bread Street) — Slice 3
7 Aug - 31 Aug
Start times: 15:00
55 mins
Age: 14+Stand-up comedy meets bingo!! Comedians perform hilarious sets, you cross off their topics from bespoke bingo topic cards. Laugh lots, encourage topics, make the comedians improvise and win big prizes!
BOOK NOWStuart Mitchell and Festival Friends
Hoots @ The Apex — Hoot 1
7 Aug - 31 Aug
Start times: 15:00
60 mins
Age: 18+Following on from his 2025 shows, join social media star and the longest-running panelist from BBC Scotland’s Breaking the News, and the very best comedians from this year’s Edinburgh Fringe! Every day there is a different line-up all hosted by Stuart Mitchell! 'Work of genius' ***** (Daily Record). 'One of Scotland’s rising stars, Stuart Mitchell is a comedian worth catching before he becomes mega' (Daily Record).
BOOK NOWMichael Brunström: William Tell vs the Algorithm
Hoots @ Potterrow — Big Yurt
7 Aug - 19 Aug
Start times: 15:05
60 mins
Age: 12+The medieval Swiss folk hero stands up to the tyranny of AI in this surreal take on the William Tell legend, from Malcolm Hardee Award winner Michael Brunström. Death to The Algorithm! Freedom for Switzerland! Michael Brunström is an award-winning surrealist comedian. His show Copernicus Now was nominated for the Best Show Award at Leicester Comedy Festival 2024. 'A true comedy original ... a joy' **** (Scotsman). 'An artistic genius' **** (Skinny). 'You will see nothing else that is so clever and funny' **** (NorthWestEnd.co.uk).
BOOK NOWThom Tuck: Heartwarming Animal Content
Hoots @ Potterrow — Big Yurt
20 Aug - 31 Aug
Start times: 15:05
55 mins
Age: 16+Show about alligators and algorithms. Best Newcomer Nominee 2011 Thom Tuck returns with a brand-new set of words in a row in progress. It's his sixth stand-up show. Winner: Michael Topping Award 2025. Malcom Hardee Cunning Stunt Award 2024. Fringe First 2012. Panel Prize 2008. Herald Angel 1999. 'Evanescent, maybe' (Chortle.co.uk). 'Amusing enough' (Guardian). 'Intelligent, articulate and literate' (One4Review.co.uk). 'Ostentatiously erudite' (Fest). 'He charms immediately' (Skinny). 'Sad little vignettes' (BritishTheatreGuide.info). 'Thrillingly unconstrained' (ThreeWeeks.co.uk). 'A joy to spend an hour with' (Scotsman). 'A bit scattershot' (Independent). 'As funny as it is sorrowful' (List). 'Tweedy rogue' (Telegraph).
BOOK NOW
