August is fast approaching which means it’s time to scour the Edinbugh Festival Fringe programme for the best shows to see.
The physical programme was launched last month, with 3,352 show across 265 venues, and some are already selling out - with others still being added to the bill.
It can be a fairly daunting prospect to narrow those down when organising your Fringe.
While seeing something new is very much part of the Fringe experience, sometimes it’s nice to go and see something that’s already been successful.
Luckily there are plenty of returning shows that have previously wowed sold out Edinburgh audiences, along with those that arrive in Scotland’s Capital on a wave of award winning success.
Here are 18 that caught our eye. You can book them all at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe website.
5. Solve-Along-A-Murder-She-Wrote
The perfect example of a show that sounds terrible, but ends up being a complete triumph, Solve-Along-A-Murder-She-Wrote is an interactive screening of the classic television crime drama where the audience are challenged to work out who the murderer is before Jessica Fletcher does. This year, the episode is 'A Fashionable Way to Die', which sees the sleuth invited to Paris to visit a designer friend, but (shocker) soon gets caught up in a murder mystery. The show has successfully toured the UK, Ireland and Australia and is back in Edinburgh at theSpace from August 1-23. | Contributed
6. Elf Lyons: The Bird Trilogy
Elf Lyons' show 'Horses', billed as "the first ever comedy show performed entirely by a horse", was one of the best reviewed of the Fringe last year - winning multiple awards. Now she's bringing not one, but three, previously critically-acclaimed shows back to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe - with her 'Bird Trilogy'. 'Swan', 'Chiffchaff' and 'Raven' all utilise Lyons' immaculate clowning skills to take on the worlds of ballet, economics and horror respectively. All three are pin-sharp, delightfully unpredictable and very funny. She'll be performing different shows at the Pleasance Dome from August 12-25. | Contributed
7. Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story
Since taking the Edinburgh Festival Fringe by storm in 2023, 'Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story' has toured the world. It uses "drag, multimedia, audience interaction, puppetry and a lot of queer joy" to tell the life story (kinda) of the People's Princess. It's completely outrageous - monarchists beware - but has a sweetness at its core that means it's near-impossible to not be charmed. It's back at the Pleasance Courtyard for five performances only from August 20-24. | Contributed
8. The Amazing Bubble Man
When it comes to kids shows Louis Pearl, better known as The Amazing Bubbleman' has been a must-see at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for 14 sold-out years. From square bubbles to rocket bubbles, his show is the perfect mix of science and fun - and is pretty much guaranteed to delight youngsters. He's at the McEwan Hall at Underbelly from July 31 until August 25. | Contributed