The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is now well under way, with some shows already having come and gone from the city.
With more than 3,000 shows included in this year’s programme of events, it can be hard to decide which to see. From theatre and comedy to dance, musicals and more, there is a huge range of entertainment on offer.
But which shows have really stood out from the rest during the 2025 Fringe?
The Scotsman’s critics have reviewed more than 350 shows so far this year and while there are a good number of 4-star reviews only a handful of performances have earned themselves 5-stars.
Here are all of the 5-star shows on at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe.
9. Theatre – Clean Slate
Praised for giving the one-woman show genre a “shot of adrenaline”, Clean Slate is a new production which follows a woman’s crumbling domestic life as she is driven to the breaking point by her boyfriend’s incompetence – with the audience itself cast in the role. Clean Slate is “charming, sharply funny and painfully recognisable” and will be on at Summerhall until August 24. | Contributed
10. Comedy – Bebe Cave: CHRISTBRIDE
Bebe Cave transports audiences to the middle ages in Christbride, which sees her play the role of young maiden, Batilda. On at Pleasance Dome until August 24, this comedy earned its 5-star review with its “dementedly funny and fast-paced” humour and Cave’s “captivating and charismatic” performance. | Rebecca Need-Menear
11. Theatre – Philosophy Of The World
Philosophy of the World tells the story of American rock band The Shaggs with “anarchic humour and intellectual rigour”. Receiving 5-stars from The Scotsman for its “increasingly chaotic” runtime, the show is on at Summerhall until August 25. | Alex Brenner
12. Comedy – Phil Ellis: Soppy Stern
Described by our reviewer as “an hour-long marvellous mishmash that only he could make wonderful”, Phil Ellis’ comedy show Soppy Stern earned a 5-star review from The Scotsman. An “extraordinary thing to be part of”, the stand up is on at Monkey Barrel 4 until August 24. | Contributed