Each August, the world descends on Edinburgh for the Festival Fringe – and this year’s programme is more diverse and more daring than ever.
At the EICC, that spirit of international connection is alive and kicking, with a line-up that brings together powerful stories from around the world and homegrown voices that hit close to home.
Stories that travel: Must-see international shows at the EICC
Four of this year’s most talked-about international shows are taking centre stage at the EICC.
LOLA, from Germany but with a global cast, is a bold dance musical exploring identity, memory and movement. It’s physical, visually stunning and intensely affecting – a standout work that’s earned international praise for its originality.
Hailing from Brazil, Tom at the Farm is a stylish psychological thriller based on the acclaimed script by Michel Marc Bouchard. Tense, beautifully staged, and offering a darkly cinematic take on grief and secrecy, this promises to be one of the most compelling international productions at this year’s Fringe.
Intimate, raw and unfiltered, Champions was nominated for a Danish Reumert Theatre Award for Best Performance.
Champions too, expands the EICC’s already diverse and international programme. Created and performed by a cast from Denmark and led by artist Andreas Constantinou, this emotionally layered work weaves live performance with recorded interviews from Constantinou’s own family. It explores identity, queerness, resilience and healing through a deeply personal lens. Intimate, raw and unfiltered, Champions was nominated for a Danish Reumert Theatre Award for Best Performance.
And then there’s The Ode Islands, a genre-defying fusion of theatre and virtual reality from Ornagh, an extended reality (XR) artist. It blurs the line between digital and physical storytelling, pulling audiences into a visually arresting and emotionally charged dreamscape. Contemporary storytelling at its most ambitious.
Local legends: Made-in-Scotland highlights
EICC’s international vibe doesn’t mean we’re neglecting home soil. We’re equally committed to elevating Scottish voices… and what could be more Scottish than Trainspotting? This year you can experience a full-throttle homage to Irvine Welsh’s gritty classic that hits just as hard today as it did when it first shocked and thrilled audiences back in the 1990s.
Equally bold, equally hilarious and just as unmistakably Scottish is Singin’ I’m No a Billie, She’s a Tim. A fresh take on the most successful Scottish touring show of the modern era and rewritten with an all-female cast, the show explores sectarianism and football rivalry through a sharp comic lens.
Kyle’s story is equal parts harrowing and inspirational.
Billy & Tim – Old Firm Legends, featuring special appearances from Celtic and Rangers stars Simon Donnelly and Charlie Miller, is a love letter to Scottish football, identity and absurdity. It’s Not Where You Start…, is an autobiographical one-man show from actor and producer Scott Kyle. From a troubled childhood in working-class Scotland to starring in Outlander and award-winning indie films, Kyle’s story is equal parts harrowing and inspirational.
Experience the fringe differently at the EICC
This year’s Fringe has diversity and international collaboration at its core, and that’s something we’re proud to reflect on the EICC stage. Whether you’re in the mood for explosive drama, thought-provoking storytelling or boundary-pushing performance, the EICC is the place to discover something unexpected.
Explore the full programme and book your tickets: https://www.eicc.co.uk/whats-on