Aussie Theatre at the Edinburgh Fringe: Shows to Watch!
Wondering where to start your Edinburgh Fringe journey when it comes to Australian talent? Wonder no more! Read out recommendations.
The world renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival is back for another year and with it comes a slew of the best of Australian talent venturing overseas to strut their stuff on the Royal Mile amidst a crowd of thousands.
By Justin Clarke
Last year, Theatre Thoughts ventured into the depths of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival itself, and witnessed everything from blindfolded audio theatre, to outrageous absurdist comedy featuring buckets of blood, through to intense theatrical storytelling that still lives in our minds. This year, we’re back and our team of writers will be out and about seeing what’s on offer in 2024.
But what other Australian talent is going this year? In short, a heck of a lot! With so much to see between theatre, music, comedy and dance, where do you even start? We’ve compiled below just a short list of some of our recommendations on the best Australian talent to see at the Ed Fringe 2024.
For all of the shows, head to the Edinburgh Fringe website and undertake an advanced search, or take a chance on something entirely new when you walk down the Royal Mile. Just remember to make room for the hundreds of flyers that you’ll eventually stockpile!
THEATRE
Our top picks when it comes to pure theatre. From touring productions of literary classic, through to new pieces of work with a Fleabag-esque flair, scroll through some recommendations on new Australian work to see.
Party Girl
Theatre (storytelling, rock)
Venue 26
Summerhall - Cairns Lecture Theatre
21:20 Aug 1-11, 13-18, 20-26
Fairy Sprinkles isn't your average fairy... In this award winning rock'n'roll monologue from Lucy Heffernan, all the glitzy hell of a kid's birthday party explodes out on stage to rip apart class, challenge traditional feminine behaviour and explore the impact of mental illness on family. Telling stories from Heffernan's time as a Party Fairy, and featuring five original rock songs – don't miss this intimate, funny and deeply moving work. Winner: 2023 Adelaide Fringe Weekly Award for Best Theatre / Physical Theatre.
Read our KXT Bakehouse review here.
Cyrano
Theatre (new writing, comedy)
Venue 15
Traverse Theatre - Traverse 1
Times vary. Aug 1, 3-4, 6-11, 13-18, 20-25
Virginia Gay’s joyous, gender-flipped retelling of Cyrano, packed with music, wit and aching romance, is a love letter to hope; to language and desire; to the irrepressible magic of theatre. A big-hearted, irreverent rom-com for our times. Cyrano is a wordsmith and a charmer, though she’s deeply ashamed of something about herself. Enter Roxanne: brilliant, beautiful, with a penchant for poetry and a way with words. Roxanne only has eyes for hot, manly Yan, who is dumbstruck around her. Until he starts saying the most amazing things. But it’s not Yan writing these perfect love scenes, it’s Cyrano...
A Balloon Will Pop at Some Point During This Play
Theatre (dark comedy, solo show)
Venue 29
Paradise in The Vault - The Vault
Times vary. Aug 2-10
If you took every thought you’ve ever had about your life, every comedy sketch you’d ever seen and the vast, inky blackness of space and put them all into a blender: you’d probably have an empty blender and some rightfully concerned loved ones. Go to therapy, pet a dog, kiss a stranger and then go to the theatre. Go to this theatre. A Balloon Will Pop at Some Point During This Play.
300 Paintings
Theatre (visual art, comedy)
Venue 26
Summerhall - TechCube 0
10:55 Aug 1-11, 13-18, 20-26
Winner of eight Australian Fringe Festival awards. Is art a joke? Sydney artist and comedian Sam Kissajukian examines 300 paintings created during a five-month long manic bipolar episode. An epic story exploring art, mental health and creativity.
44 Sex Acts In One Week
Theatre (comedy)
Venue 23
Pleasance Dome - King Dome
16:40 Jul 31 Aug 1-11, 13-18, 20-26
A fruity apocalyptic rom-com from the razor-sharp pen of Fringe First winner David Finnigan. Girl meets boy. Girl hates boy. Girl f*cks boy 44 times. The world collapses. Some seriously naughty actors go down on their microphones, mangos and melons in this slippery, subversive take on a classic radio play, a clever and uproarious response to humanity's decision to go harder, faster, FASTER! towards the end of the world. 'Brilliantly horny and unhinged.' **** (Time Out). 'You've probably been waiting all year for something to make you laugh this hard' **** (Sydney Morning Herald).
BATSHIT
Theatre (solo show, physical theatre)
Venue 15
Traverse Theatre - Traverse 2
Times vary. Aug 1-4, 6-11, 13-18, 20-25
'She’s off her trolley. Nuttier than a fruitcake. A couple of kangaroos loose in the top paddock.' Women have long been locked up, pathologised and silenced by a simple label – crazy. Batshit is a wildly theatrical and deeply intimate story of female madness. Created by psycho-siren Leah Shelton and directed by Olivier award-winning Ursula Martinez, this is a requiem for Leah’s grandmother Gwen, who was incarcerated for seeking independence in 1960s Australia. Batshit draws on personal stories, pop psychology and Prozac-laden humour to explore the myths that keep us compliant and the systems that let us down.
MILF and the Mistress
Theatre (new writing, lgbtq+)
Venue 9
theSpace @ Niddry St - Studio
20:20 Aug 2-10, 12-18
Ali is living the rainbow family dream – but something is missing. It's a need her wife doesn’t understand, a sexual fantasy suppressed her whole life. Now, suburban swinging, latex and literary eroticism collide, sending her on a hilarious quest to fulfil her darkest desires. A powerhouse solo performance by Australian theatre luminary Jennifer Vuletic, in a darkly hilarious play by Jane Montgomery Griffiths. A story for anyone who wonders if not now, when? 'Writing is clever, cutting and poignant' ***** (TheatreMatters.com.au). 'Brilliant and thought-provoking' ***** (DarkStoriesTheatre.com.au). 'Vuletic is magnetic' **** (Age, Melbourne).
Plenty of Fish in the Sea
Theatre (physical theatre, contemporary)
Venue 17
Assembly George Square Studios - Studio Two
11:25 Aug 1-10, 12-18, 20-24
A castaway is saved from the surging seas. Conversation is sparse and he comes face to face with a startling kind of hook-up culture. An absurdist fable begins as a story of rescue and unfolds as an unsettling dissection of dreams and desire. Have you ever grappled with dating apps? This theatrical world wildly spins a different kind of net that has us caught – hook, line and sinker! 'Theatre-making of the highest level' ***** (List). 'Ingenious, liberating, brilliant' ***** (StageWhispers.com.au). 'Inventive staging, hilariously physical performances' ***** (InReview.com.au). 'Beautiful, committed, evolved' (ArtsReview.com.au).
COMEDY
It's no secret that we have an abundance of stellar Aussie comedians that are recognised nationally, as well as around the world. So who would we recommend to see outside of the headlining big names? Feast your eyes on our recommendations below and get ready to chuckle this year.
Mel & Sam: High Pony
Comedy (cabaret)
Venue 33
Pleasance Courtyard - Below
21:50 Jul 31 Aug 1-11, 13-25
Pussy-poppin' Mel & Sam are yanking you by ya ponytails through a chaotic hour of musical sketch. With all-original songs, characters that absolutely DON'T need a ballad and the dirtiest synth lines... This is high concept. High art. High pony. 'Needs to be seen to be believed' ***** (Time Out). 'Screamingly funny' ***** (Advertiser, Adelaide). 'Chart-topping parody-pop duo in the making' ***** (Age). 'The future of Australian comedy' **** (Herald Sun). 'The makings of Jane Turner and Gina Riley' ***** (TheatreThoughtsAus.online). Best Original Songs, Green Room's Best Cabaret, Adelaide Fringe Golden Gibbo, MICF.
Read our Melbourne International Comedy Festival review here.
Jenny Tian: Chinese Australian
Comedy (stand-up)
Venue 17
Assembly George Square Studios - Studio Five
18:00 Jul 31 Aug 1-12, 14-25
In just one year, Jenny went from gigging to no audiences to becoming internet famous. Join Jenny as she dishes out all the secrets about life as a content creator. A story about hope, the internet and clout-chasing. Jenny has performed to sold-out crowds across Australia and has opened for Hannah Gadsby. Nominee: Best Comedy, Sydney Fringe. 'Jenny's comedic timing is impeccable and her delivery is spot-on' ****½ (TheatreMatters.com.au, 2023). 'Witty, grasping and clever' (TheatreTravels.org). Star of Taskmaster Australia.
Read our Melbourne International Comedy Festival review here.
Lou Wall: The Bisexual's Lament
Comedy (multimedia, musical comedy)
Venue 33
Pleasance Courtyard - Beneath
22:20 Jul 31 Aug 1-14, 16-25
In 2023, Lou Wall was the first ever lesbian* to go through a breakup. In 2024 Lou Wall will be the first EVER** comedian to write a show about heartbreak. Fuelled entirely by delusion, tequila and the girls' group chat, this is a journey from the pits of personal hell to comic stardom***. Featuring Lou's signature musical comedy, deranged Powerpoints and mentally ill hot takes, this show will make you 100% gayer (derogatory) and cure your depression or your money back. Eat my ass. *No srlsly ... eat it. ***The open-mic circuit.
Read our Melbourne International Comedy Festival review here.
Michelle Brasier: Legacy
Comedy (musical comedy, character comedy)
Venue 24
Gilded Balloon Patter House - Doonstairs
19:00 Jul 31 Aug 1-13, 15-26
Sold-out run, Edinburgh Fringe 2023. Michelle Brasier (Aunty Donna) is on a plane watching a documentary about pandas trying to solve a mystery. In 2022 she was handed an envelope with her name on containing $10.50 in mostly coins. But it wasn't for her. Legacy is the search for another Michelle Brasier and the exploration of all the other women she might have been if she'd made different choices. 'Endlessly charming' ***** (Chortle.co.uk). 'A sharply relevant, hysterically funny story' ***** (Time Out). 'Howlingly funny, emotionally generous and, ultimately, profound... a miracle of a show' ***** (Sydney Morning Herald).
Zoë Coombs Marr: Every Single Thing in My Whole Entire Life
Comedy (stand-up)
Venue 515
Monkey Barrel Comedy - Monkey Barrel 4
17:00 Jul 30-31 Aug 1-6, 8-13, 15-20, 22-25
This is a tell-all, personal storytelling comedy show. Nothing fancy, no big concepts, it’s just going to cover every single thing in Zoë’s whole entire life. You might have seen Zoë on her Amazon Prime special or Harry Hill’s Club Nite (Channel 4). She’s performed at Netflix Is A Joke in LA, been nominated for Best Show at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards and won Best Show in Melbourne. Good on her. 'Mind-melting in the very best way' **** (Time Out). 'A masterclass' ***** (Herald). 'Perfectly-pitched' **** (Scotsman). **** (Guardian).
Michelle Ahern: We've Had A Good Run
Comedy (solo show, storytelling)
Venue 164
Laughing Horse @ Eastside - The Den
15:20 Aug 12-25
Her husband’s affair changed everything. One minute you’re a wife and step-mum, living in Australia. Next thing, you’re naked, eating soup in Spain. WTF happened and why is someone trying to sue her? Buckle-up for this gob-smacking true story as Australian comedian and storyteller, Michelle Ahern, attempts to unpack the past two years of her life in this not-to-be missed show.
Reuben Solo – Please Clap
Comedy (absurdist, sculpture)
Venue 88
Just the Tonic at The Caves - Just the Fancy Room
15:30 Aug 13-25
Just got word from the mayor of Edinburgh that this show is not to go ahead and anyone caught attending "will be sorry". What the hell?! The guy is nuts! Winner: 2024 Best Comedy Weekly Award, Perth Fringe; Winner: 2023 Best Comedy Weekly Award, Adelaide Fringe; 'Admire the chaos' ***** (IsolatedNation.com, 2024); 'A unique style all of his own' ****½ (TheBarefootReview.com.au, 2023); 'Craftily intricate... gleefully daft nonsense' **** (Scotsman, 2023); 'Almost indescribable' **** (List, 2024).
DANCE
In the mood for something movement based? What are about family friendly and capable of still giving you massive thrills! These recommendations have you covered.
Beats on Pointe
Dance, Physical Theatre and Circus (dance, family-friendly)
Venue 8
Assembly George Square - Gordon Aikman Theatre
17:35 Aug 7-26
This high-energy fusion of commercial dance entertainment is back again to deliver an all-ages show of ballet and street dance, contemporary and breaking and non-stop, five-star entertainment. A magnificent blend of classic and commercial music plus a wonderful cast of multi-talented dance athletes, this show continues to dazzle with cutting-edge entertainment. Don't miss your chance to see Australia's hottest commercial dance theatre production! ‘A colourful, energetic, fresh dance show' ***** (LondonTheatre1.com). 'The ultimate mash-up of classical ballet and modern street dance' ***** (MusicalManda.site). 'Highly recommend this amazing dance experience' ***** (One4Review.co.uk).
360 ALLSTARS
Dance, Physical Theatre and Circus (circus, family-friendly)
Venue 35
Assembly Hall - Main Hall
15:20 Aug 1-13, 15-26
Sold out on Broadway! Sold out at the Sydney Opera House! Seen by over one million people worldwide! BMX, basketball, breakdancing, beatboxing, acrobatics, drumming and more, 360 ALLSTARS connects the street with the elite to deliver a supercharged urban circus. Boasting a stellar cast of World Champion and World Record-holding artists and athletes, the international smash hit returns to Edinburgh as part of its 2024 World Tour! 'Blindingly talented' ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). 'Destined to be a sell-out' ***** (TheWeeReview.com). 'The most thrilling stage show ever' ***** (WeekendNotes.com).
Read our Riverside Theatres review here.
Circa: Humans 2.0
Dance, Physical Theatre and Circus (acrobatics, contemporary)
Venue 360
Underbelly’s Circus Hub on the Meadows - The Lafayette
18:20 Aug 2-6, 8-11, 13-18, 20-24
The sell-out Fringe phenomenon returns by popular demand. Ten bodies appear in a flash of light. They move in harmony for a fleeting moment, then descend into a sinuous trance. Towers grow and decay, bodies leap and are caught, physical limits are pushed to their extreme. The second chapter of Circa’s internationally acclaimed Humans is a symphony of acrobatics, sound and light. This is next level circus by Circa. ‘Everything in Humans 2.0 is flawless’ ***** (Scotsman). ***** (List). ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). Created by circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz and pulsing with music by composer Ori Lichtik.
MUSIC
Outside of music and stand up comedy, there's also musical based offerings at this year's Fringe festival. Where should you start?
Janis: The Story, the Music, the Legend
Music (tribute)
Venue 43
theSpace @ Symposium Hall - Amphitheatre
21:50 Aug 12-24
Presented by Rockology Productions Australia, this is a rockumentary showcasing Janice Smithers fronting a world-class band performing the hits of superstar Janis Joplin whilst guiding the audience on a rollercoaster journey of her tumultuous life of ultimate highs and lows. A moving and memorable experience, and must-see show.
Child of Sunday
Musicals and Opera (musical theatre, storytelling)
Venue 108
Hoots @ The Apex - Hoot 5
13:40 Aug 2-26
Child of Sunday examines the trials, tribulations and triumphs of the ordinary people in our communities. The single mother trying to balance it all, the desperate souls looking for the promise of redemption, the fanatics, the phonies and the fraudulent. Through stories of lived experience and songs, Child of Sunday examines what brings people together, lending a voice to the broken and the quietly brave. This is a show about the people who shape our communities in the constant search for connection and hope. An emotional show that asks as many questions as it answers.
This list is by no means exhaustive and there are so many shows to fill out your 2024 Ed Fringe experience. Head over to their website now to start planning your year. The countdown is on!
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