First came the Romans and the English; now, every August, cheerful residents of Edinburgh, Scotland, welcome crowds of theater people to the city’s picturesque streets for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This three-week arts celebration showcases all kinds of performances. An offshoot of the more formal Edinburgh International Festival, which takes place at the same time, the Fringe began in 1947 when theater groups excluded from the main event created their own alternative program.

That independent spirit lives on today: the Fringe is a launchpad for new talent, with alumni including Phoebe Waller-Bridge of Fleabag, Richard Gadd of Baby Reindeer, and the hit Broadway musical Six, whose tight 80-minute runtime reflects the Fringe’s typical one-hour show length.

With around 3,000 artists presenting everything from full-scale musicals to intimate stand-up, it’s impossible to see it all. The atmosphere is all about discovery, as attendees hope to spot the next big star in the repurposed rooms and historic halls scattered across the city. Here are some highlights from a few days in beautiful Scotland.

American comedians like Cat Cohen, Jaqueline Novak, and Steven Phillips-Horst made a strong impression. Cohen’s Broad Strokes hilariously recounts the stroke she had at 31, blending the sharpness and warmth of her New York performances. Novak’s stand-up refines her thoughtful, off-the-cuff observations on topics from the human body to ghosts and the existential disappointment of not being Tom Cruise. Phillips-Horst, co-host of the Celebrity Book Club podcast, went conceptual with The Last Mad Man, a witty and sometimes moving look at an ad man hired to rebrand the apocalypse, complete with dystopian presentations and awkward pre-apocalypse Zoom calls.

Footballers’ Wives: The Musical, based on the campy early-2000s British TV show, is a fun spoof of the beloved series, playing at Edinburgh’s historic Assembly Rooms. Though its theme might be too niche for U.S. audiences, its bold characters, soapy twists, and flashy costumes make a strong case for a future Real Housewives musical stateside.

Away from the main Fringe buzz, in a quiet shopping center in the port neighborhood of Leith, dancer Matthew Hawkins performed his solo piece, Ready. A veteran of Michael Clark’s groundbreaking 1980s dance troupe, Hawkins presented meditative choreography set to a Beethoven piano concerto in a mall play area. Children played with toys or banged on a nearby piano while Hawkins carried on with serene focus, sometimes to no audience at all. The everyday noise of the setting, combined with his calm presence, created one of the Fringe’s most moving moments.

Acclaimed theater director John Tiffany brought his Tony-winning touch to She’s Behind You, a one-man show starring Johnny McKnight about his time as a “panto dame.” Despite its flamboyance, British pantomime—a musical-comedy style based on fairy tales with stock characters—has traditional roots. McKnight’s effort to modernize the genre, especially as a gay performer, is both touching and wonderfully camp.

Though the Fringe often leans toward the playful and outrageous, there are moments of seriousness. Priyanka Shetty’s #Charlottesville is a multimedia exploration of the violent 2017 protests in Virginia. As an MFA student at UVA at the time, Shetty created a piece heavily influenced by Anna Deavere Smith’s documentary theater, which has covered events like the 1992 Los Angeles riots. With #Charlottesville, Shetty reveals,Eight years later, it’s clear that the hatred and violence of that day weren’t a tear in our social fabric—they were a feature of it.

Chiquitita, the star of Red Ink
Photo: Joseph Frederick Allen

One very New York moment at the Fringe is the one-woman play Red Ink, starring Brooklyn nightlife performer and drag artist Chiquitita. Based on the life of trans activist and actress Cecilia Gentili—whose vibrant 2024 memorial at St. Patrick’s Cathedral was later condemned by the Archdiocese of New York—the piece was originally written and performed by Gentili herself. Chiquitita captures Gentili’s dry wit and world-weary charm perfectly; after the show, chatting with friends who knew Gentili, she joked, “Well, she couldn’t make it today, girl!”

A scene from Fit Prince
Photo: Anna Clare Photography

Fresh off their 2024 Fringe hit Gwyneth Goes Skiing (set to open at New York’s SoHo Playhouse this November), Linus Karp and Joseph Martin debuted Fit Prince—full title: The Fit Prince (who gets switched on the square in the frosty castle the night before [insert public holiday here]). It’s a satire of sugary Hallmark and Netflix holiday movies where a single person improbably falls for the heir to a made-up European throne—here, the fictional “Swedonia.” Karp and Martin rely heavily on audience participation, which gives their shows a thrilling energy, and their no-holds-barred spoofing—turning ABBA into “Baam” and “Dancing Queen” into “Movement King”—is a trademark. It’ll be interesting to see how their pop culture takes land in New York this fall.

Many might know British comedian Christopher Hall from his Instagram Reels where he impersonates backup singers. His Work in Progress stand-up set—an improvised, unfinished hour performed with notes from a notebook adorned with Naomi Campbell’s image—is Fringe at its best: a little rough around the edges but still razor-sharp. Hall was a professional dancer in a past life, and the precision and rhythm he brings to his storytelling feel like choreography in their own right.

Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful FAQs about standout acts from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

General Festival Questions

Q What exactly is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
A Its the worlds largest arts festival held every August in Edinburgh Scotland Its an open access festival meaning anyone can perform which leads to a huge variety of shows from comedy and theatre to dance and circus

Q Why should I care about which shows were standout acts
A With thousands of shows its impossible to see them all Knowing which acts received critical acclaim won awards or generated massive buzz helps you discover the very best of the festival you might have missed

Q Where can I find a list of these standout acts
A Official sources include the Edinburgh Fringe website Reputable media outlets like The Guardian The Scotsman and entertainment websites like Chortle also publish best of lists and reviews

Questions About the Acts Themselves

Q Im new to the Fringe What kind of standout show would be a good starting point
A A highlyrated comedy show is often a great entry point Look for acts that won the main comedy awards like the Edinburgh Comedy Award These are usually accessible hilarious and a quintessential Fringe experience

Q Are there any standout acts that are familyfriendly
A Absolutely The festival has a dedicated family section Look for acts that won or were nominated for awards like the Childrens Shows Award These are often incredible physical theatre circus or magic shows that are fun for all ages

Q Which show was the biggest surprise hit or buzz show of the year
A This changes every year but its often a debut show from an unknown performer that gets incredible wordofmouth This year it might have been a powerful solo theatre piece or a comedian with a completely unique style that everyone was talking about

Q Did any wellknown celebrities have standout shows this year