COMEDY
Luisa Omielan: Politics For Bitches
Empowering stand-up and BBC3 favourite returns with her thoughtful new show, written in the wake of her mother’s sudden death. In-your-face yet soul-baring, she’s one not to mess with nor miss. Gilded Balloon, Aug 1-26
Mr Swallow And The Vanishing Elephant Nick
Mohammed’s puffed-up alter ego follows his astonishing Houdini act with another all-singing, all-prancing spoof musical showstopper as he attempts to perform magic on Hayley, his baby elephant co-star. Pleasance, Aug 1-26
Mark Wareham gives you the best of comedy, theatre and music at this year’s Edinburgh Festival
Justin Moorhouse: Northern Joker
In which Moorhouse attempts to single-handedly revive the golden age of the traditional, working-class northern male comic. A rat-a-tat hour of consistent gag-laden stand-up. Gilded Balloon, Aug 1-26
Lost Voice Guy: Inspiration Porn
Disabled Lee Ridley, who relays his comedy through his trusty communication aid, recently won Britain’s Got Talent and here looks at how he became an accidental internet porn star. Gilded Balloon, Aug 1-26
Kieran Hodgson: ’75
After Comedy Award nominations in 2015 and 2016, could it be third time lucky for this prodigiously talented performer as he attempts to heal the gaping wounds of Brexit? Pleasance, Aug 1-26
Rory Bremner & Jan Ravens
The dream team of impressionism: Bremner and Ravens set Merkel on Trump, and Boris on Theresa as satire takes charge of world affairs and Brexit, featuring personalities from Nigel Farage to Diane Abbott. Underbelly, Aug 13-19
Justin Moorhouse: Northern Joker. Moorhouse attempts to single-handedly revive the golden age of the traditional, working-class northern male comic
Nina Conti Is Monkey
Ventriloquist Conti has always retained the upper hand in her relationship with badboy Monkey… until now, as Monkey finally takes control and Conti is nowhere to be seen. Underbelly, Aug 1-27
Flo & Joan: Alive On Stage
Musical comedy siblings seen on a TV ad. Smart banter and witty ditties from these girls on the rise. Pleasance, Aug 1-26
VARIETY
Maureen Lipman Is ‘Up For It’
More than 50 years after her Fringe debut, Lipman returns for an evening of ‘rave, rollick and rant’ as she muses on a life in theatre, film and TV in the company of jazz singer Jacqui Dankworth. Assembly, Aug 1-12
Hi-De-Hi!’s Su Pollard makes her Edinburgh debut as Birdie, a woman with an extreme hoarding disorder
THEATRE
Debut
New BBC Arts initiative for first-time playwrights includes debuts from Katherine Parkinson, whose Sitting finds three people posing for a painting for very different reasons, Gilded Balloon, Aug 1-26; and Frank Skinner’s first stab at stage-writing, Nina’s Got News. Pleasance, Aug 1-26
The Song Of Lunch
Robert Bathurst and Rebecca Johnson play two ex-lovers attempting some form of rapprochement. Christopher Reid’s prop-free verse comedy, using projected animations for visual accompaniment, descends into the ultimate disastrous date. Pleasance, Aug 1-27
Harpy
Hi-De-Hi!’s Su Pollard makes her Edinburgh debut as Birdie, a woman with an extreme hoarding disorder. Philip Meeks’ play is inspired by the ‘hag horror’ films of the Sixties, when fading stars often played mad old women. Underbelly, Aug 2-26
MUSIC
Wrenne: I Said Yes To Everything
Enthralling, autobiographical one-woman show of high-energy performance set to a driving electropop beat. Think Björk meets Pink at Cirque du Soleil. Assembly, Aug 2-26
Ventriloquist Nina Conti has always retained the upper hand in her relationship with badboy Monkey… until now
Robert Bathurst and Rebecca Johnson play two ex-lovers attempting some form of rapprochement
CIRCUS
Circolombia
High-energy, astounding acrobatics set to a sizzling Latin vibe. It’s a circus and a concert combined to make you gasp and groove. Underbelly, Aug 3-25
FAMILY
Dick and Dom: Dick v Dom
The Bafta-winning duo celebrate 20 years on the telly with this raucous interactive hour set in a boxing ring. Underbelly, Aug 1-12.
Full Edinburgh Fringe listings at edfringe.com