In partnership with the High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom, the Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation is proud to support Canada’s continued presence across all the Edinburgh festivals this August.
Together we offer the world a window into Canada as we celebrate the creativity and passion of artists, while creating opportunities for them to reach new audiences from across the globe.
The Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation is a charitable organisation based in Canada that supports various causes, with a focus on education, arts and culture. Established by Lord Beaverbrook in 1960, it continues his philanthropic work and supports organisations reflecting his interests.
PICTURES COURTESY OF EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE
COVER PICTURES: KATE HAMMER BY CHRIS DUDLEY; TANYA TALAGA BY NADYA KWANDIBENS; IMAGO BY CHRIS RANDLE; DAVID SZALAY BY JONAS MATYASSY; AS YOU LIKE IT BY DAHLIA KATZ; BRUCE LIU BY CHRISTOPH KOESTLIN; SINGING INTO THE DARK BY ALEXANDER HOWE FRINGE
SOCIETY, BY DAVID MONTEITH-HODGE
Welcome to Canada @ Edinburgh 2025. It’s always a thrill to be here to champion the shows, events and performances featuring a phenomenal range of Canadian performers, theatre-makers, comedians, musicians, writers and filmmakers who will claim their place in the spotlight among the city’s annual explosion of art, community and fun.
From BBC Young Musician Of The Year Ryan Wang’s debut at the International Festival aged just 17, to comedy stars like Dion Owen who returns for his sixth Fringe, from reimagining Shakespeare’s classic works in As You Like It: A Radical Retelling and Iago Speaks, to performers playing tribute to artists as diverse as Bob Marley, Pink! and Edith Piaf, you’re never that far away from a talented Canadian this August. Canadian writers are also well-represented at the International Book Festival, whether it’s David Szalay discussing masculinity, sex and prosperity, or Miriam Toews talking about remaking her own life in literary form. We’re particularly delighted to see Canadian film talent leading the charge on the big screen, with two world, two European and one UK premiere at this year’s International Film Festival.
Spotlight Canada also returns for 2025, a selection of work supported by the High Commission of Canada in the UK, in partnership with the Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation. This programme aims to reflect and support a rich variety of Canadian talent across all the major festivals: look for this logo to variety as you browse the guide.
There’s no doubt that the world continues to be a challenging place, but as Canadians we remain stalwart in our belief in the power of art to challenge, comfort, confront and, ultimately, to bring people together. We’re proud to support such a diverse roster of artists in Edinburgh, whose work collectively reminds us of the human values we all share. Visit us at culturecanada.co.uk for more information and enjoy the show!
MESSAGE FROM THE HIGH COMMISSIONER
Dear reader,
Canada and Scotland share cultural ties that span centuries and generations. Indeed, there is no denying the rich imprint the people of Scotland have left on the cultural fabric of our big and diverse country. Therefore, I can think of no better place to showcase some of Canada’s top artistic talent than on the international stage of the Edinburgh festivals.
Festival-goers can enjoy spectacular events featuring Canadian artists in Edinburgh this year. From circus to comedy, dance to film, literature, theatre and so much more, artists from across Canada will be here with a diverse swathe of creations sure to delight audiences young and old.
As the largest gathering of arts and culture in the world, the Edinburgh festivals offer Canadian performers and artists the chance to shine globally. The festivals present a unique opportunity for Canada’s rich and diverse pool of talent to engage with international audiences, producers, curators, commissioning editors, publishers and many more. Indeed, for many talented Canadian artists and performers, Edinburgh is a launching pad for their work, and the High Commission of Canada is thrilled to partner with the Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation to highlight all the wonderful Canadians involved in this year’s festivals.
On behalf of everyone at our High Commission, I encourage you to experience the exciting array of Canadian performances and art in Edinburgh this year. I would also like to take the opportunity to extend our warmest thanks to the many festival and venue staff, volunteers, producers and artists for making Edinburgh 2025 possible.
Yours sincerely,
Ralph E. Goodale High Commissioner for Canada in the United Kingdom
EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE
Friday 1–Monday 25 August edfringe.com
Dare to discover dance, music, spoken word, comedy, drama, art, street theatre, circus and things we don’t yet have the words to describe: you’ll find it all at the Fringe. For three weeks, almost every corner of the city centre is taken over by a whirlwind of noise, energy, colour and fun. It truly is the greatest show on earth and everyone’s invited.
1-MAN NO-SHOW
A multi award-winning anarchic and absurd solo-clownshow-meets-performance-art experience. From the minds of multiple Canadian Comedy Award-nominee Isaac Kessler and Academy Award-winner Gordon Neill comes an artistic tour de force that asks: ‘What is theatre?’ and ‘WTF did I just watch?’ (Orlando Weekly: Best Of Fest). Combining aestheticism with athleticism, it’s ‘comedy gold that is quintessentially Fringe’ (Orlando Sentinel: Best Of Fest).
Vinay navigates his memory palace of absurd images to recite 10,000 digits of pi throughout the month. However, every time he makes a mistake, he must do a punishment decided by the audience. The digits and images are shown on a screen for the audience to follow along. Shortlisted for the Malcolm Hardee Comic Originality Award, Edinburgh Fringe 2024.
From Eurythmics to her solo albums, Diva and Medusa, Angela Seeger pays tribute to
Singing Into The Dark
PICTURE: ALEXANDER HOWE
CANADA @ EDINBURGH 2025
the ultimate diva with passion. n Le Monde, 1–10 August, 6.30pm.
A.I. CAMPFIRE
A dark, immersive experience led by Symbiolene, an AI database-turned-host born from the lost Green Men, conjuring memories of Scotland’s selkies and kelpies. Through haunting, vivid audiovisuals, evoking tales of gentle warnings and broken covenants, audiences are enveloped in an otherworldly atmosphere where folklore turns into valuable teachings to preserve their bond with nature. When the earth is pushed
too far, its spirits may seek vengeance.
n Venue 13, 1–23 August, times vary.
ADRIFT: A FOLK, REGGAE AND JAZZ FUSION ALBUM
Jamaican-Canadian songwriter Duane Forrest presents the UK premiere of his soulful new album, which sounds like Jack Johnson, João Gilberto, and Norah Jones making music together in the Azores Islands. Blending folk, reggae and jazz, Forrest’s warm vocals, intricate guitar work and global influences create an intimate and immersive
experience. Accompanied by Stephen Jack on bass and Joliyan Young on drums/ percussion. Nothing’s lost, it’s all just changing.
n The Jazz Bar, 18–20 August, 1pm.
AIR HEART
This captivating one-person show dives deep into the life of mysterious aviator Amelia Earhart. People fell in love with her as a romantic icon but, beyond the public persona, we see the woman behind the headlines, confronting her vulnerabilities, sexuality, insecurities and the cost of chasing the unknown. A powerful reflection on the price of a life lived on the edge. n C alto, 30 July–10 August, 5.30pm.
ARE YOU THERE MARGARET? IT’S ME, GAHD
Uma Gahd (Canada’s Drag Race Season 5), everybody’s favourite unofficial auntie, brings you her one-woman drag comedy exploring small talk and big issues: fame, family, feminism and failed marriages. Stuffed with stand-up, lip-sync and plenty of hysterical pathos, Uma tells the story of her life: from sneaking into bars with her childhood best friend, Margaret, to breaking into showbusiness with her growing family. Come hear the word of Gahd! n C aquila, 11–24 August, 9.25pm.
Are You There Margaret? It’s Me, Gahd
Because You Never Asked
THE BANANA SPLIT COMEDY HOUR
Live from Canada, comedians Tomas Jones and Nina Phan team up for a night of nonstop laughter. Jones’ engaging storytelling and Phan’s razorsharp deadpan delivery make for a dynamic comedy experience; it’s two shows in one! Whether you love wild, hilarious tales or perfectly timed punchlines, this duo has something for everyone.
Their contrasting styles create an unforgettable night of comedy you won’t want to miss.
The Grey Horse, 21–24 August, 8pm.
BECAUSE YOU NEVER ASKED
Chronicling a moment of intergenerational exchange, the show is based on discussions between creator Roger White and his grandmother, Marianna
Clark, about a hidden life under the Nazi regime. The show blends a haunting soundscape, featuring recorded conversations, with evocative choreography that embodies memory. This cautionary tale highlights the perils of anti-immigrant narratives, through stories that document the slow march toward authoritarianism.
Summerhall, 31 July–25 August, 7.35pm.
CANADA @ EDINBURGH 2025
BEST OF CANADA
Enter a Canadian stand-up comedy club with MC, opening acts and a headliner. All Canadian and all hilarious, you won’t be SORRY that you did . . . EH! You don’t need to travel to Canada to get the comedy experience: it’s right here at the Edinburgh Fringe. Acts will change, so come back week to week to see a different line-up with resident compère, Canadian funny man David Tsonos.
Laughing Horse City Café, 1–24 August, 6.45pm.
BOB MARLEY: HOW REGGAE CHANGED THE WORLD
Toronto-based singer-songwriter Duane Forrest presents his captivating, award-winning show. With a deep personal connection to his Jamaican
roots and a profound admiration for Bob Marley, Forrest takes the audience on a journey through the history, cultural impact and timeless songs of the reggae icon. Through storytelling, live music and audience interaction, he shares how reggae transformed his life and Marley became a global phenomenon. Fringe 2024 sell-out.
Wes McClintock was born a different colour due to a strange occurrence at birth. Although he survived this first hurdle seemingly unscathed, he often wonders if this event changed his brain chemistry. McClintock takes you on a musical and comedic journey through his unique life: from his odd family
members, to performing standup comedy, to participating in drug studies to make ends meet
Greenside Riddles Court, 1–23 August, 7.30pm.
CATCHING A CHEESE PERVERT: A FRANCES FRANCIS MYSTERY
Who’s committing lewd public acts with Francis’ cheese? Eat free cheese and watch self-improving heiress Frances Francis try to unmask the culprit. Armed with an earnest desire to save the family business and questionable detective skills, Frances turns the mystery into a messy media spectacle, but uncomfortable truths slice open the Swiss cheese-shaped hole in her heart. Regrettably, inspired by true events.
Just The Tonic Legends, 6–24 August, 1.20pm.
CIRQUE KALABANTÉ: WOW (WORLD OF WORDS)
A brand-new dynamic, acrobatic and colourful hour combining African and Western culture, from the company behind the sell-out show Afrique En Cirque. Two groups on stage separated by a line . . . a fear between them is transformed into a desire to share. A beautiful conclusion of unity and respect. Prepare for exciting aerial acts, jaw-dropping acrobatics, a human pyramid and a dash of comedy.
Assembly Hall, 31 July–25 August, 4.10pm.
Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed The World
CLIMATE CHANGE THEATRE ACTION 2025
A special series of plays, marking ten years of bold, climate theatre. Audiences will experience a curated selection of short plays including 40 audience favourites from past festivals, alongside ten new works in a final set of commissions. This international showcase brings together artists, activists and change-makers to explore the climate crisis through urgent and inventive storytelling. In partnership with Culture For Climate Scotland and Traverse Theatre.
Venue 13, 1–23 August, 4pm.
COMEDY PARTY WITH TAMARA AND CELINE
Put your party hats on, because you’re invited to the ultimate end-of-the-world party. Two queer North American comics host a riotous, improvised, audience-based show to find hope, meaning and connection in the end times, combining their completely different comedy stylings for an absolutely chaotic experience. A comedy variety show that includes stand-up, improv and audience participation. Spend your last hour on earth with your two favourite gays!
PBH’s Free Fringe The Street, 3–24 August, 9pm.
CONFESSIONS OF A REDHEADED COFFEESHOP GIRL
Recent anthropology graduate and feisty redhead Joanie Little is stuck working as a barista, studying the ‘creatures’ (customers) as if she were Jane Goodall bushwhacking through the jungle to study chimpanzees. Her ‘coffeeshop jungle’ has jazzy tunes, co-worker showdowns and maybe even romance. ‘Solo performance at its best . . . rolling out a cast of characters like a wild kingdom field guide! I dare you not to fall in love with Joanie’ (LifeWithMoreCowbell.com).
Award-winning, critically acclaimed Dion Owen returns for his sixth Fringe. Hot off a 2024
ISH Comedy Award, he spent the last year tirelessly touring the globe to hone his material. Add a desperate attempt to make use of his musical talents and dulcet voice, the show now also features piano interludes and improvised songs about the audience’s dreams and fears (the songs are actually really good now).
Laughing Horse The Counting House, 31 July–24 August, 2.45pm.
DYLAN RHYMER: BLUNDERBUSS
Ten years ago, Canadian comedian Dylan Rhymer came to the Fringe with a dream. Everything went wrong. Twentyone days later he was destitute, divorced, deathly, depressed and defeated. This year, he returns for a rematch with the festival that almost destroyed him. But should he have? Will his hilariously horrible history repeat? There’s only one way to find out . . .
Laughing Horse The Counting House, 2–24 August, 4.45pm.
F THIS, I’M MOVING TO CANADA
Have you ever thought of ditching the UK? Ryan Beverage did just that in 2019, relocating to snowy Canada. London burnout, strained relationships and Brexit angst all played their part; or was it just a renewed desire to colonise? Ryan tells the story with absurdist stand-up, combined with Flight Of The Conchords-
style songs with a guitar.
Just The Tonic Mash House, 31 July–11 August, 1.55pm.
FLIP FABRIQUE: SIX°
Five strangers receive a mysterious invitation that leads them to an old, abandoned building deep in the forest on a stormy night. Dive into an astonishing acrobatic comedy by FLIP Fabrique, where the ordinary becomes extraordinary and ingenuity is always at play. We’re within six degrees of separation from knowing everyone: with five people on stage, could the missing connection be you?
Underbelly’s Circus Hub, 2–23 August, 2.05pm.
FRINGE FRAGMENTS
Produced by Dance Base, Fringe Fragments is a new pitching platform showcasing dance talent from around the world. Audiences can see excerpts from tour-ready performances by international and UK artists in a jam-packed hour of new choreography, with an opportunity to hear from the artists. Fringe Fragments brings different dance perspectives together in one event, where you can see fresh insights into new international dance.
Assembly Dance Base, 18 & 19 August, times vary.
HOW SNEAKING INTO TAYLOR SWIFT COST ME $1989
Last year I (Matt Watson) snuck
Flip Fabrique: Six°
into the biggest stadiums across Canada wearing a hidden camera, then redistributed the ticket value to people that could really benefit. As I released these videos on my YouTube channel, security started hunting me, resulting in more creative sneaks. When I discovered the concert of the year was coming to Toronto, I was determined to pull off my biggest heist yet . . .
Laughing Horse Three Sisters, 31 July–24 August, 7.45pm.
IAGO SPEAKS
At first glance, Iago Speaks appears to follow immediately after Shakespeare’s Othello. But this meta-theatrical, comedic romp quickly turns, introducing us to Iago’s hapless jailer, who always lands in Shakespeare plays with no lines. His quest, as he languishes by Iago’s dungeon cell, is to discover the true purpose for his life, and (ultimately) theatre. Boundless, ridiculous and constantly winking at the audience, this show will make you think.
theSpace Surgeons’ Hall & theSpaceTriplex, 1–23 August, times vary.
IMAGO
Directed by former Cirque du Soleil artists, Imago is contemporary aerial-dance that explores the space between holding onto and letting go of another. A gripping duet brought to life through cinematic original music, visceral floor-to-air choreography, and dreamlike
Imago
CANADA @ EDINBURGH 2025
visual design. Winner of the Isadora Award for Excellence in Choreography, Corporeal Imago’s previous show was nominated for a Total Theatre Award in Physical and Visual Theatre.
n Assembly Roxy, 30 July–23 August, 1pm.
INTERTWINED!
Potatoes. Pasta. Partnering. Flowers. Tardigrades. Intertwined! presents an alternating pair of immersive and experimental dance performances. Tied to natural
objects, the works are rooted in sensation, emotion and our relationship to our environment.
n Greenside Riddles Court, 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22 August, times vary.
JODIE SLOAN: IS SHE HOT?
In 2023, TikTok sent a notification to millions of users with Jodie’s face and the caption ‘is she hot?’. Her debut show is a hilarious reflection on womanhood, grief and feminine rage. Told through musical comedy, sharp observations,
and her own teenage diary, Jodie delves into the contradictions of modern femininity, balancing girliness and grief, sweetness and fury, and humour and heartbreak. A must-see debut from a rising star.
n Pleasance Courtyard, 30 July–24 August, 4.35pm.
KATE HAMMER: GOVERNMENT APPROVED COMEDIAN
A Canadian who sold everything to move to the UK and do comedy is here to make you laugh, as she will be deported if you don’t. Join Kate Hammer as she recounts navigating the visa process, getting dominated on Vinted and discovering her sexuality through The Magic School Bus. As seen on Breaking The News, BBC Scotland and Roast Battle League. n Monkey Barrel Tron, 6 & 20 August, 7.15pm.
LATE NIGHT IN CANADA
A stand-up compilation show in a late-night format, hosted by award-winning Canadian comedian Dion Owen. Featuring talented guests and a few untalented sycophantic hacks (c’mon no late-night show can have a great guest every time, eh?!) Featuring the best (and again, some of the worst) talent at the Fringe. ‘Great jokes and damn funny’ (One4Review. co.uk). ‘A true entertainer’ (TheNationalPost.co.uk).
Jodie Sloan: Is She Hot?
n Laughing Horse The Counting House, 31 July–24 August, 10.15pm.
MARK FORWARD PRESENTS SAFARI TIME
You will learn nothing at this show. Comedian Mark Forward returns to the Fringe for the third time with his ridiculously silly show. Mark has done John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show (Comedy Central), The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS), Funny As Hell (HBO) and Just For Laughs TV work includes Hulu comedy series Letterkenny, Donny Mashman on Fargo (FX) and The Jon Dore Television Show. n Gilded Balloon Patter House, 30 July–25 August, 8.20pm.
MEN WITHOUT HATS
You can dance if you want to but don’t leave your friends behind as iconic 80s hitmakers Men Without Hats bring the party to the Fringe.
n La Belle Angele, 22 August, 7pm.
MICHAEL BALAZO: INTERNATIONAL LOVER
Canadian Comedy Awardwinning comedian Michael Balazo (writer, Schitt’s Creek) is dating a British woman, despite living 3500 miles away. After overcoming money problems, grimy budget hotels and the Atlantic Ocean to be together, will it work out? Or will Michael die alone like his problematic childhood comedy hero, Benny
Kate Hammer: Government Approved Comedian
Hill? This show is about longdistance dating, failure and trying to find happiness against overwhelming odds.
n PBH’s Free Fringe Voodoo Rooms, 2–24 August, 1.40pm.
PIAF AND BREL: THE IMPOSSIBLE CONCERT
Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel: two French musical icons who sang
of romance and heartbreak and lived passionate, dramatic lives. But they didn’t ever appear onstage together: until now! This impossible concert features internationally acclaimed singer Melanie Gall. With ‘Amsterdam’, ‘Milord’, ‘La Vie En Rose’, and other classics. Piaf And Brel has been performed in over 12 countries. Chosen to be part
PICTURE: CHRIS DUDLEY
CANADA @ EDINBURGH 2025
of the Fringe Encore series and awarded an off-Broadway run at SoHo Playhouse in New York.
theSpace Surgeons’ Hall, 1–16 August, times vary.
RED LIKE FRUIT
Lauren asks Luke to narrate her life: her fraying mental health, the growing unease she feels in the world. Lauren’s been reporting on a high-profile case of domestic violence and she’s been thinking back to a set of sexual events from her own adolescence. Written by acclaimed Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch, Red Like Fruit interrogates complexities of complicity, consent, patriarchy and traumatic memory in the post-MeToo era.
Traverse Theatre, 31 July–24 August, times vary.
THE SHEPHERD & THE SOUND: IMMERSIVE GALLERY ENCOUNTER
Immerse yourself in a contemplative, cinematic encounter set in the rugged beauty of northern Scotland. Slow down, breathe and wander through eight sensory stations: a modern-day pilgrimage inspired by one of the ancient world’s greatest kings, David. Told through film, poetry and spiritual practice, this exhibition invites the exploration of a series of very human challenges, including family dynamics, loss and a search for the sound of the Eternal.
Cornerstone, 15 & 16 August, times vary.
Red Like Fruit
SINGING INTO THE DARK
In a ruined theatre, an actor tumbles onto a dark stage. His fellow actors have disappeared, arrested; only their torn costumes remain. The actor defiantly sings into the chaos, recreating his friends’ acts and proving how celebration and humour, rage and delight, can be acts of resistance. Performed around the world and winner of a dozen best-of-fest awards.
Paradise In Augustines, 2–9 August, 6.10pm.
SLUGS
It’s about nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing. For tonight, here, together, we are free: we promise. From the creators of 2023’s cult hit Creepy Boys, join us for a technocolour acid trip where you’ll meet puppet Joni Mitchell, a two-person horse and every body part we have. Techno-punk concert, play, clown show and basement puppet nightmare all rolled into one.
Summerhall, 31 July–25 August, 9.15pm.
SO WHAT! . . . I’M PINK!
A world-travelled performer, Angela Seeger will rock your world as she brings her tribute to Pink! to The Dirty Martini at Le Monde. She oozes confidence, talent, personality and energy and will leave you wanting more. Her ability to connect with her
Slugs
CANADA @ EDINBURGH 2025
audience sets her apart: she’ll have you saying Pink is my favourite colour!
Le Monde, 1–10 August, 9.30pm.
SORRY: A CANADIAN’S APOLOGY FOR AMERICA
Through the eyes of a perplexed, queer Canadian immigrant, Sorry chronicles comedian-filmmaker Connor Malbeuf as he delivers sharp, raw commentary on the chaos of American politics and culture. Balancing fascination and exasperation, Connor tackles the absurdities of modern life with wit, heart and a desperate plea for the madness to end. A reckoning and a release, this is a comedic deep-dive into a world that refuses to make sense.
SOUNDING BOMBE; ENIGMATIC MUSIC: THE CONTEMPORARY VIOLIN OF JACK CAMPBELL
A journey from electromechanical computation to electro-acoustic composition, using the beauty of music to celebrate scientific evolution and revolution. Featuring computational machines and mechanisms that are musical equivalents of the enigma and bombe machines, hear encrypted musical pitches, melodies, harmonies and forms being decoded in real time. Highlights recordings of the
Swan?
mechanical noises made by the original enigma and bombe machines from the National Museum Of Computing UK.
theSpace Surgeons’ Hall, 18–23 August, 10.55am.
STITCH IN TIME: A KNITTING CABARET
Excitement! Drama! Romance! Knitting? An award-winning hour of lost wartime knitting songs. Bring your knitting (or crochet) and stitch along to toe-tapping, needle-clicking tunes. During the
World Wars, millions of women knitted for the soldiers and, days after the first bullet was fired, dozens of knitting-themed songs began to appear. The songs were then lost, but this cabaret concert gives them a chance to live again.
theSpace Surgeons’ Hall, 1–16 August, 9.40am.
SWAN?
The dark and ugly sister to the movie Black Swan. A chainsmoking, half-swan, half-ballerina turns the tragic story of Swan
Lake into a dark and raunchy romcom. And who knows . . . you may even get to open her box. Could you be the hero that helps her escape this living hell? Performed and created by Canadian treasure Lauren Brady, directed by Nicole Maloney and coached by Karen Hines.
Underbelly Cowgate, 31 July–24 August, 2.10pm.
TOM STADE: NAUGHTY BY NATURE
One of the greatest standups of our time; join the Canadian legend as he playfully dishes out his insightful observations. An irrepressible tour-de-force with an hour of first-class, mischievous and uncompromising comedy. ‘As fresh and youthful as three decades ago. Athletic finesse; jokes are machine-tooled in precision . . . effortless in their delivery’ **** (The List).
The Stand, 30 July–24 August, 8.30pm.
TOMATOES TRIED TO KILL ME BUT BANJOS SAVED MY LIFE
This highly awarded, internationally toured, inspirational true story is about overcoming obstacles, pursuing passions and the healing power of the arts, told with warmth, humour and banjo music. This show has donated 100% of ticket sales to cancer and theatre charities totalling over $1m (CAD) since 2018 and all proceeds from this
Edinburgh Fringe run will benefit Summerhall. Sold out in 2023 and 2024.
Summerhall, 31 July–25 August, 1.45pm.
TONY LAW: LAW AND DISORGANIZEDER
It’s a crazy world am I right. With all stuff what happens. An hour of phew! comedy. Let’s unlearn the human condition and shout nonsense and laugh and not know why. High octane, seat-of-the-pants, absurd nonsense. Legend. As seen on Have I Got News For You, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, and 8 Out Of 10 Cats
Monkey Barrel Hive, 1–13 August, 7.05pm.
TREE OF DREAMS
An immersive theatrical experience combining music, object storytelling and live projection. Inspired by The Little Prince, The Alchemist and Where The Wild Things Are, this show follows a child navigating life in government housing, confronting fears, the future and embracing growth. They meet powerful creatures representing the forces that shape us. An unforgettable journey into fear, the future and self-discovery.
The Unexpected Mayfly follows a nobody; a man struggling with the search for purpose in his
monotonous life. When a delayed performance unwillingly thrusts him into the spotlight, he seizes the opportunity to entertain the audience, not considering the consequences. In this emotional dark comedy we see the hilarious struggles of a man who constantly battles with his own self, often blaming the world around him for these challenges.
Greenside George Street, 19–23 August, 4.20pm.
WINNING:WINNING
Sit back and embark on a silentish clown journey of self-discovery and transformation to unlock the true winner inside each of us. On his path to redemption, Gordon Neill must overcome the challenge of his greatest foe: himself. From the minds of Academy Award-winner Gordon Neill and multiple Canadian Comedy Award-nominee Isaac Kessler comes a story of unbridled idiocy, a rocket-fuelled emotional winner of a show.
Find true love for only $15.99 a month! Athena enters the complicated web of dating apps, while grappling with her sexuality and how to exist in our (often antisocial) social-mediadriven world.
One of the world’s greatest spectacles, the Tattoo celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2025. This year’s show, The Heroes Who Made Us, promises to celebrate the past while imagining the Tattoo’s future, transporting audiences back to 1950 when it all began. With more than 800 performers, massed pipes and drums, musicians, dancers and singers drawn from all over the world, it’s quite simply iconic. Representing Canada once more is Paris Port Dover Pipe Band, who will celebrate their own 25th anniversary by making their fourth appearance in Edinburgh. Led by Senior Pipe Major and founder Gord Black, the band performs in Highland games and community festivals all over Canada, as well as competing in competitions: they’ve even played with Sir Paul McCartney. Firmly rooted in their local community, they’re proud to be a pipe band for all ages and skill levels, providing instruction in Scottish music and opportunities to play, perform and compete.
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
Friday 1–Sunday 24 August
eif.co.uk
The one that started it all, the original festival that established Edinburgh as the world’s festival city, the International Festival’s hand-picked programme of world-leading dance, opera, music and theatre explores this year’s theme, The Truth We Seek. Music is particularly well-represented, from monumental choral work Veil Of The Temple to Festival Director Nicola Benedetti’s tribute to Yehudi Menuhin (with Alexander Sitkovetsky), via Breaking Bach, which crosses baroque with hip hop. The now-traditional mass-participation event is The Big Singalong, where a crowd will gather at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens to mark the start of festival season with a group performance of Dougie MacLean’s iconic song, ‘Caledonia’.
AS YOU LIKE IT: A RADICAL RETELLING
Cultural provocateur Cliff Cardinal has reimagined As You Like It as a play strictly for the open-minded. Unapologetic and unafraid to confront the thorny truths of our time, this bold adaptation balances black humour with raw emotion. Celebrated Canadian indigenous playwright Cardinal’s work explores themes of family, culture and systemic injustice with unflinching honesty and a dark, irreverent wit. This is Shakespeare in a way the Bard could never have imagined. Church Hill Theatre, 20–23 August, 8pm.
BRUCE LIU PLAYS RAVEL
Join Bruce Liu, Myung-Whun Chung and Beijing’s NCPA Orchestra for jazz-infused Ravel and spectacular Saint-Saëns. Chung conducts the resident orchestra of the National Centre For The Performing Arts, Beijing, along with Liu, winner of the 2021 Chopin International Piano Competition. The programme
EDINBURGH
Ryan Wang
CANADA @ EDINBURGH 2025
includes Wu Xing (The Five Elements) by Qigang Chen, Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto In G Major and concludes with Saint-Saëns’ famous Third Symphony.
Usher Hall, 6 August, 7.30pm.
CANVAS OF SOUND WITH TAZEEN QAYYUM
Middle Eastern rhythms merge with live painting in a reflective and mindful performance, blending ancient wisdom with contemporary expression. Watch as visual artist Tazeen Qayyum creates an intricate calligraphic drawing in real-time, inspired by the expressive power of Urdu, Arabic and Farsi, accompanied by Aga Khan Master Musicians, Feras Charestan and Basel Rajoub. Uniting the qalam (pen) and saaz (a musical instrument),
the performance is an interdisciplinary artistic response to The Truth We Seek, this year’s International Festival theme.
The Hub, 21 August, 8pm.
EMILY D’ANGELO & SOPHIA MUÑOZ
Join mezzo soprano Emily D’Angelo and pianist Sophia Muñoz for a programme of epic scope that explores humanity’s connection to the natural world. Canadian D’Angelo is known for her eclectic repertoire, and this recital with Muñoz is no exception. This programme travels from the mountains with Béla Bartók to the desert with Jeanine Tesori and gardens with Rebecca Clarke and Alma Mahler. There is Scottish-Irish folksong by Francis McPeake, and D’Angelo’s homeland is represented in music by
Canadian composer Walter MacNutt.
Queen’s Hall, 22 August, 11am.
RYAN WANG
The BBC Young Musician Of The Year winner takes on an all-Chopin programme that showcases extraordinary mastery of the piano. Crowned BBC Young Musician 2024, the exceptional Wang performs four works by Romanticist Frédéric Chopin. Chopin’s 24 Preludes, written in the 1830s and completed in Mallorca, span the full spectrum of emotion: some flash by in 30 seconds, while others linger in heartbreak or push the pianist to fiendish extremes, and the rest of the programme is just as varied.
Queen’s Hall, 18 August, 11am.
Canvas Of Sound with Tazeen Qayyum
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL
Saturday 9–Sunday 24 August
edbookfest.co.uk
The Book Festival celebrates the written word, with almost 700 events featuring the world’s most exciting writers and thinkers. Last year, the festival moved to a new home at the beautifully refurbished Edinburgh Futures Institute, a former hospital right in the heart of all the city action. This year’s theme, Repair, aims to explore the belief that ideas can fix the broken things in our society, and invites readers and audiences to come along, learn something new, feed curiosity and broaden horizons.
ALICE MAH & MADELEINE WATTS: TRAGEDIES AND MIRACLES
Two writers grappling with our ties, commitments and inheritance in the wake of environmental catastrophe come together to discuss their compelling new books with Caoilinn Hughes. Alice Mah’s memoir, Red Pockets, traces her own journey from South China to Scotland, and Madeleine Watts’s novel, Elegy, Southwest, traces a young couple’s journey through a blasted America. Hear both authors reflecting on what debts we owe to our ancestors, our past relationships, even ourselves.
Edinburgh Futures Institute, 13 August, 1.15pm.
DAVID SZALAY: WHAT MAKES A LIFE?
Ranging from communist Hungary to the London of the super-rich, David Szalay’s Flesh unravels a man via a story collection hiding inside a novel. Meet a garlanded writer blessed
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with rare authority when dealing with the most compelling of subjects: life in glorious technicolour. It’s all there to be discussed: masculinity, sex, desire, attainment, money, success, prosperity; and the fallacy of it all. Chaired by Michael Magee.
Edinburgh Futures Institute, 18 August, 6.30pm.
GURNAIK JOHAL & MADELEINE THIEN: PLACES IN FLUX
Take imaginative flight with two international novelists whose work takes us to truly marvellous realms. Gurnaik Johal (Somerset Maugham Award-winner for We Move) presents his debut novel, Saraswati, where a mythical holy river flowing again causes personal and political turmoil. Meanwhile, Madeleine Thien’s philosophical The Book Of Records sees a woman and her father arrive at the Sea: a fantastical place containing intellectual migrants and refugees from throughout history. In conversation with Sana Goyal.
Edinburgh Futures Institute, 16 August, 3pm.
MADELEINE THIEN & OMAR EL-AKADD: THE SANCTITY OF LANGUAGE
Words matter. But how far can language take us (or lead us away from) where we want to be? ‘Words can erase and distort so many things,’ says Madeleine Thien (The Book
Madeleine Thien
Of Records). ‘Justice, reason, democracy, freedom, goodness, truth: we have used these words in the service of widely different intentions.’ She’s joined by Omar El Akkad (One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This), who masterfully uses concise language to illuminate the unspeakable. Chaired by Dina Nayeri.
Edinburgh Futures Institute, 15 August, 2.15pm.
MADELEINE THIEN & PRIYA BASIL: OBJECTS TALK BACK
The Humboldt Forum’s Objects Talk Back project invited authors to select an object from the museum’s collection and write about it. Novelist Madeleine Thien chose the painting, ‘Three Uyghur Princes’. She talks with project
curator Priya Basil about her approach to this unusual brief, how encounters with objects can remake us, and how the project intersects with one of the thorniest parts of our Repair theme (reparations) by engaging with gaps, erasures, and (un)truths in colonial histories.
Edinburgh Futures Institute, 17 August, 4pm.
MELISSA LUCASHENKO & TANYA TALAGA: ILLUMINATING THE NATIONS
Though Melissa Lucashenko and Tanya Talaga work across different genres, both explore the complexities of myth, history and resilience from fascinating, unique perspectives. A Goorie author of Bundjalung and European heritage, Lucashenko
is known in Australia for novels that quake with life and truth, while Anishinaabe-Canadian journalist Talaga examines the buried history of her country, and the fight to bring truths to light. Chaired by Katucha Bento.
Edinburgh Futures Institute, 15 August, 5pm.
MIRIAM TOEWS: CAN WORDS REPAIR?
A Truce That Is Not Peace is the first time Miriam Toews has published a non-fiction work about her own life. The work remakes her world through literary form and proposes the question: how far can words reach? A starry cast including Toews discuss the potential of language as a salve, an answer and a way to help us through.
Edinburgh Futures Institute, 24 August, 5.45pm.
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MIRIAM TOEWS: REMAKING THE WORLD
In A Truce That Is Not Peace, Miriam Toews invents an astonishing new non-fiction form to excavate her grief and guilt over her sister’s death by suicide. The result is searing, yet also joyful, hilarious, sly and wildly inventive. The author of international phenomenon Women Talking discusses making a pact with traumatic memory and filling silences we wish weren’t there. Chaired by Alex Clark.
Edinburgh Futures Institute, 23 August, 6.45pm.
OMAR EL AKKAD & FADY JOUDAH: NOT LOOKING AWAY
Egyptian-Canadian novelist and journalist Omar El Akkad’s first non-fiction book, One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This and PalestinianAmerican poet Fady Joudah’s new collection, […], both respond to the genocide in Gaza with starkness, vulnerability, and immense power. An essential discussion for anyone seeking to understand the true human cost of the ongoing catastrophe, and the full extent of the West’s complicity.
Edinburgh Futures Institute, 16 August, 7.30pm.
SUREKHA DAVIES, OMAR EL AKKAD & NICOLA KELLY: WHO COUNTS AS HUMAN?
Three writers grappling with the
toxic rhetoric humans apply to one another to explore how the boundaries of humanity are set to exclude certain communities.
Surekha Davies (Humans: A Monstrous History), Omar El Akkad (One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This) and Nicola Kelly (Anywhere But Here) provide piercing insights for all who wish to repair our polarised and fractured world. Chaired by Yassmin Abdel-Magied.
Edinburgh Futures Institute, 15 August, 1.30pm.
TANYA TALAGA: OPEN SECRETS
Anishinaabe writer Tanya Talaga’s The Knowing is a riveting exploration of her family’s story and a retelling of the country we now call Canada. One of Canada’s most distinguished journalists, Talaga explores how historical actions continue to impact families and communities, and how she brought these hidden histories to light. Chaired by Kezia Dugdale.
Edinburgh Futures Institute, 14 August, 1.15pm.
Omar El Akkad
PICTURE: KATESHIA PENDERGRASS
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Thursday 14–Wednesday 20 August
edfilmfest.org
A 2024 relaunch saw the Film Festival reaffirm its place among the city’s global cultural gatherings, celebrating and showcasing the best that cinema has to offer. Opening with Sundance Festival breakout film Sorry, Baby, the various strands will explore new and classic films, delighting audiences with the age-old appeal of the silver screen.
BEST BOY
After the death of their tyrannical, abusive father, three adult children and their elderly mother return to their long-dormant summer home to take part in a bizarre, sadistic competition not undertaken since it tore the family apart 30 years before. World premiere.
Filmhouse, Cameo, Hawthornden & Vue, 16–18 August, times vary.
CUTTING THROUGH ROCKS
As the first elected councilwoman of her Iranian village, Sara Shahverdi aims to break long-held patriarchal traditions by training teenage girls to ride motorcycles and stopping child marriages. When accusations arise questioning Sara’s intentions to empower the girls, her identity is put in turmoil. European premiere.
Cameo, Filmhouse & Vue, 18–20 August, times vary.
DEAD LOVER
Part of the Midnight Madness strand. A lonely gravedigger who stinks of corpses finally meets her dream man, but
Mortician
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their whirlwind affair is cut short when he tragically drowns at sea. Grief-stricken, she goes to morbid lengths to resurrect him through madcap scientific experiments, resulting in severe consequences and unlikely love. European premiere.
In Canada, Mojtaba, an Iranian mortician, meets Jana, a defiant protest singer in hiding. As their bond grows, secrets emerge, and he’s drawn into a chilling act that challenges everything he thought he knew. World premiere.
Filmhouse, Cameo, Vue & Hawthornden, 16–18 August, times vary.
WITNESS: AN ORGANIMA FILM
Part of the Animation Shorts presentation, this six-minute film captures the sentience in small life-forms: ancient beings on stone, an intelligent water droplet and spirits of sunlight. Crafted with a novel animation
approach that asks natural materials to guide their own story, elemental archives move the viewer to question the nature of human purpose and renew their child-like vision. UK premiere.
Cameo, Filmhouse & Vue, 16–20 August, times vary.
