Writer:  Oliver Lansley Reviewer: Clare Howdon Flies, a co-production between Les Enfants Terribles and Pins and Needles Productions centres on Dennis whose irrational fear of flies is affecting his mental health to such a degree that he has bought a one-way ticket to Antarctica. However, when this plan is foiled, Dennis decides to fight his fear head on to regain ...

Reviewer: Clare Howdon Magnificent Bastard Productions return to the Fringe yet again this year with another take on their sell-out, award-winning formula Shit-Faced Shakespeare, with this year’s victim being the Bard’s tragedy Hamlet. For those not au fait with Shit-Faced Shakespeare, the premise of each show is simple; a group of classically trained actors perform an abridged Shakespeare play with ...

Writer: Alan Harris Director: Catherine Paskell Reviewer: Clare Howdon Dirty Protests’ acclaimed one-man play Sugar Baby returns to the Edinburgh Fringe this year following a very successful run at last year’s festival. The play centres on Marc, a small-time drug dealer in Cardiff and his dalliances with him mum, dad, childhood sweetheart Lisa and local loan shark Oggy. Written by ...

Reviewer: Tom Ralphs After missing the Fringe for the first time since he made his Edinburgh debut, Paul Merton is back this year with his improv show. He’s joined by comedians including Mike McShane and Richard Vranch who, along with Merton, were mainstays of Whose Line is it Anyway? Because of this, it’s fair to say that, whoever Merton’s four ...

Creators: Jennifer Kidwell and Scott R Sheppard with Lightning Rod Special Director: Taibi Magar Reviewer: Stephen Bates The small town of Hanover sits on what was, during the American Civil War, the Union side of the Mason-Dixon line. Over on the Confederate side, black slaves would enter the “underground railway” to escape to freedom through Hanover and, hopefully, onward to ...

Writer: Nichola McAuliffe Director: Patrick Sandford Reviewer: Stephen Bates The fascination of screen and stage writers with all things House of Windsor shows no signs of abating, so there is little surprise in finding that a central figure in Nichola McAuliffe’s new play is our present Queen’s grandmother. Much more surprising is the discovery that the key themes of this ...

Writer: Jennifer Roslyn Wingate Director: Laura Clifford Reviewer: Stephen Bates However far we roam, most of us can take with us the comfort of knowing that we have a home to return to. Not so 19-year-old Sam, the central character in this short debut play by Jennifer Roslyn Wingate, which is receiving its premiere here. Sam arrives at the door ...

Writers: Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky Director: Tom Salinsky Reviewer: Stephen Bates With the Westminster Parliament in recess, things have gone a little quiet regarding everybody’s favourite subject - Brexit - so, for those showing withdrawal symptoms, here we have an antidote until things hot up again. When the United Kingdom as a whole overrode the wishes of Scotland and ...