Edinburgh Fringe 2026 – First Shows Announced!
Written by Penny for Theatre and Tonic
If it feels as if January lasted for 100 years, and February is already looking endless. But never fear, there’s a light at the end of the long, wintery tunnel. We’ve only got six months to wait until this year’s Edinburgh Fringe! As somebody whose annual trip to Auld Reekie for a week of live theatre, comedy, music, dance, circus, cabaret, spoken word (and every other arts genre you can think of) is the highlight of the year, August can’t come quickly enough!
This week, the first 351 shows for the 2026 Fringe have been revealed. And as usual there’s a brilliantly eclectic mix on offer, with something for everyone at 70 Fringe venues across the city.
You can browse the shows that are on sale and start booking your tickets (top tip: if you’re going for a few days, become a Friend of the Fringe to get 2-4-1 on loads of shows!). Visit edfringe.com to start planning!
A few shows’ titles caught my eye and the blurb caught my interest. They’ll be going straight on the shortlist! Here are five to get you started.
When Harry Met Sally Met Julie Met Jazz Met Kierkegaard Met Jung Met Lovely Johnny Marr (Le Monde)
Singer and award-winning writer Angela Jackson explores the highs and lows of romantic love, through the sublime songs of Julie London, the wisdom of history’s greatest thinkers, and the wit of iconic screenwriting legend Nora Ephron.SAND (Summerhall)
Follow Dylan and Heather as they navigate the complexities of living with dementia’ in ‘a non-verbal circus theatre show that blends acrobatic skill with meticulously crafted storytelling.Possessive! The Musical! (St Vincent's)
A demonic possession pop-punk comedy musical about learning to value the family you have, rather than the ‘perfect’ one you want.JOSIAH (theSpaceUK)
A play based on the autobiography of Josiah Henson. Born into slavery in Maryland, he endured 41 years of unimaginable brutality and persecution before escaping to Canada.A Seance Spectacular with the Mystical Medium Wolf Sisters from the Great White North (Just the Tonic)
Comedians Carly Anna Billings (The Second City Toronto) and Cecilia O'Grady will take you back in time as the Wolf Sisters, two founders of American Spiritualism on the road, sharing their gifts of spirit and sisterhood when everything goes awry.
More shows will be announced on Wednesday 1st April and Wednesday 6th May, and the official programme launch takes place on Thursday 4th June.
We’ll be keeping an eye on announcements over the next few months as well as showcasing as many of this year’s Fringe artists as we can. If you’re taking a show to Edinburgh and would like to tell us about it, get in touch. And if you’ve seen a preview and want to recommend a show, we’d love to hear from you.
Six months to wait … I’ll be back in the Pleasance Courtyard* before I know it!
Visit www.edfringe.com for all you need to know about this year’s festival.
* Other brilliant venues are available, but I do