F E S T I VA L C A B A R E T | Top Tips T O P T I P S | W E E K 1
The best cabaret and variety in the first week of the Fringe, arranged in handy chronological order
NOON
SUPER HUGH-MAN Assembly George Square Studios, 2–26 Aug (not 12, 19), 12.50pm, £12–£14 (£11–£13). Previews 31 Jul & 1 Aug, £10. Solo cabaret following the personal journey of a young Maori boy and his Hollywood hero, Hugh Jackman. This heartfelt story is intricately woven together using comedy, storytelling, dance, song and Maori cultural / performing arts, to provide a stunning cabaret experience.
1PM
TOM BRACE: BRACE OF SPADES Pleasance Dome, 3–26 Aug (not 22), 1.30pm, £8–£10 (£7–£9). Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £6. Following a sold-out run at last year’s Fringe, Tom Brace returns with a brand-new magic show for the whole family. Featuring Tom’s unique blend of comedy and magic, the show promises to have a little something for everybody.
2PM
EXPOSING EDITH Assembly George Square Studios, 2–26 Aug (not 12, 19), 2.20pm, £12–£14 (£11–£13). Previews 31 Jul
LEN BLANCO: FIRING BLANCS In his musical comedy cabaret, recovering boy-band member and drag king amongst men, Len Blanco will be exclusively revealing just how far he’s come since the 90s through a performance filled with live vocals, lip syncs and choreography straight from everyone’s favourite music videos. Just The Tonic at The Charteris Centre, 1–24 Aug (not 12 & 13), 9.20pm, £5 in advance or donations at the venue. 42 THE LIST FESTIVAL 31 Jul–7 Aug 2019
& 1 Aug, £10. Experience legendary French icon Edith Piaf’s life, loves and losses through the songs that shot her to stardom. The songs are punctuated with a collection of extraordinary stories of her life as recounted by Australian cabaret star Michaela Burger, who takes on a multitude of key characters.
ADA CAMPE AND THE PSYCHIC DUCK
The Stand’s New Town Theatre, 3–25 Aug (not 13), 2.50pm, £10 (£9). Join award-winning variety artiste Ada Campe and her Psychic Duck for a show about wonderful women, strange encounters and a fairground mystery, with plenty of audience involvement along the way.
6PM
HELP! I THINK I MIGHT BE FABULOUS
Gilded Balloon Rose Theatre, 3–25 Aug, 6pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £6. Drag prince Alfie Ordinary makes his Edinburgh Fringe debut with his distinctive blonde bowl- cut wig and sequined pantaloons. Set in a camp, queer utopia with a soundtrack including Village People, Whitney Houston and the Sugababes, this coming-of-age story is a beautiful ode to celebrating who we really are. See feature, page 40.
ANDREA SPISTO: BUTCH PRINCESA
Heroes @ The SpiegelYurt, 2–25 Aug (not 13), 6.20pm, £5. Character comedy, dance and Latin beats guide you deep into a surreal queer immigrant wonderland. Andrea Spisto presents an unflinchingly emotional art explosion full of insights into gender boundaries, politics and human magic.
CHRISTINA BIANCO: FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Assembly Checkpoint, 3–25 Aug (not 12), 6.20pm, £13–£14 (£12–£13). Previews 1 & 2 Aug, £7. The girl with a thousand voices returns to the Fringe with a brand-new show. Through her uncanny impressions and musical mash-ups, Christina Bianco will celebrate the stars who’ve made lasting impressions on us all. See feature, page 26.
MAGICAL BONES: BLACK MAGIC Underbelly Bristo Square, 3–25 Aug (not 12), 6.25pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10). Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £6.50. Join one of the most explosive names in street magic today as he effortlessly combines intricate sleight of hand with jaw-dropping breakdance moves in his much- anticipated Fringe debut.
7PM
IVY PAIGE: QUEEN OF THE SWINGERS
Le Monde, 2–25 Aug, 7.15pm, £10. With pianist Pete Saunders in tow, international showgirl Ivy Paige celebrates the glamour and music of Hollywood’s golden era in this live music cabaret. There’ll be singing and swinging, but with Ivy’s own naughty twist.
ASK A STRIPPER Heroes @ Bob’s BlundaBus, 1–25 Aug (not 14, 21), 7.50pm, £5. Join Morag (aka Gypsy Charms) and Stacey Clare (The Ethical Stripper) for an X-rated exposé of their industry. With 30 years of combined stripping experience, a PhD, a TED Talk, a book, three properties and several ex-fiancés later, the creative team behind Illicit Thrill bare their souls, not just their bodies.
8PM
LITTLE DEATH CLUB Underbelly’s Circus Hub, 3–24 Aug (not 12), 8pm, £16–£18 (£15–£17). A Weimar punk-jazz band soundtracks a night of dangerously funny cabaret, breathtaking circus and fire-breathing sideshow at its most inappropriate, provocative and hilarious best. Join award-winning mistress of mayhem, Bernie Dieter and her family of misfits for a night of debauchery.
COLIN CLOUD: SINFUL Pleasance Courtyard, 3–25 Aug (not 13), 8pm, £15.50–£17.50 (£14–£16). Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £10. In Sinful, Colin Cloud will charm the demons in your head and reveal whether you are saint or sinner. With special guest Chloé Crawford, Colin will reveal why it’s so much more fun to ask for forgiveness than permission, and why enough is never enough.
GOLDEN DELICIOUS: GOOD JOB! CC Blooms, 3–25 Aug (not 9, 15, 20), 8pm, free. A riff on the very gay tradition of referencing pop culture, Golden Delicious takes her audience on a journey to nurture the inner child, own up to our mistakes and live life enthusiastically.
IT’S MISS HOPE SPRINGS Assembly Rooms, 3–24 Aug, 8.20pm, £12–£14 (£11–£13). Previews 1 & 2 Aug, £10. Join comedy cabaret superstar Miss Hope Springs at the piano, presenting original musical numbers from her vintage repertoire of toe-tapping show tunes, finger- snapping pop and heart-rending ballads, interspersed with scandalous stories from her showbiz life.