It’s nearly time for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to take over the theatres, gyms, hotels, streets and pubs of Scotland’s Capital.
Taking place from August 7-31 (although there are previews in the days running up to the official launch), there are thousands of shows across hundreds of venues, with comedy making up the largest section of the telephone book-like programme.
While many of the shows are premiering in Edinburgh, others have either been shown elsewhere before or are returning to the Fringe after previous runs were successful.
These include shows that have won major awards, so are less of a gamble to take a punt on.
Here are 10 of them.
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5. Creepy Boys: SLUGS
The outrageous and uproarious Creepy Boys scored a Fringe hit last year with their show SLUGS, bagging an Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination and winning a Summerhall Bragi Award. They are back in Summerhall with the same show from August 6-17 at the suitably-late time of 10.45pm each night. | Contributed
6. Garry Starr: Classic Penguins
Garry Starr is back in Edinburgh for a third consecutive year with 'Classic Penguins', a romp through "every Penguin Classic novel ever written" that's light on clothing but heavy on laughs. It won the main award at the Melbourne Comedy Festival in 2024 and is at the Pleasance Courtyard from August 5-30 at 9.20pm each day. | Contributed
7. Lady Bolognese: Class War
Late night clowning duo Lady Bolognese won the award for Best Variety Act at the Leicester Comedy Festival for 'Class War', which sees the audience taken back to school to meer monstrous dinner ladies Barbara and Veronica. Tuck in at The Pleasance Courtyard from August 5-30 at 11pm. | Contributed
8. Eric's Tales of the Sea – A Submariner's Yarn
A real Fringe favourite, 'Eric's Tales of the Sea' first came to Edinburgh in 2008 and has packed out venues ever since with its whimsical and funny tales of life aboard a nuclear submarine. Awards it has won include the Best Show prize at the Wellington Comedy Festival and the ThreeWeeks Editor's Award. This year he'll be at Just The Tonic at The Caves from August 7-30 at 2.50pm every afternoon. | Contributed