Edinburgh Fringe 2018: The Best Afternoon Shows
Looking for an Edinburgh Fringe show this afternoon? We've got you covered with our round-up of what's good while everyone's at work. This page will be updated regularly with new shows throughout August.
The Edinburgh Fringe is packed with shows from all over the world, but there are only so many hours in the day (24), and only so many days in the Fringe (25). To help you navigate this year's shows, this page focuses in on the Edinburgh Fringe shows taking place each afternoon during this year's festival.
Here you'll find all of our best reviews of shows starting between midday and 5pm – if you're looking for an Edinburgh Fringe show this afternoon, or trying to work out which comedy or theatre is worth bunking off work for, this is the place to check. Keep on reading to find out who we're recommending, or click here to find our overall guide to this year's best Fringe shows.
Ladykiller (★★★★★)
Hannah McLean's bright-eyed portrayal is chilling, charming and terrifyingly believable
We said: "McLean's performance is stellar: comedic lines are delivered with perfect timing briefly breaking the building tension before dropping back the mask and letting us see the darkness inside, tension palpable all the way down to her blood-soaked fingertips."
Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker One), 1-27 Aug (not 13, 14), 1pm, £11-£10 - buy tickets here
Trojan Horse (★★★★★)
An unflinching, unapologetic piece that pulls no punches
We said: "Trojan Horse uses verbatim accounts to bring the real story to the stage. It is challenging and uncomfortable at times, yet pulls no punches in attacking the insidious Islamophobia that sits at the story’s core."
Summerhall, 1-26 Aug (not 13), 3.15pm, £12-£11 - buy tickets here
Ahir Shah: Duffer (★★★★★)
Ahir Shah follows the Edinburgh Comedy Award-nominated Control with another phenomenal hour of stand-up
We said: "It’s a show that really connects: Duffer is accessible, tender and considerably less guilt-inducing than similarly passionate and rousing Edinburgh shows."
Laughing Horse, Cabaret Voltaire (Main Room), 2-26 Aug, 2.15pm, Free
Revelations (★★★★★)
The third outing for a charming storyteller proves to be an uplifting, emotionally draining and vital story of love and doing the right thing
We said: "This is the kind of storyteller everyone secretly wishes they were; the kind that overconfident pub bores imagine themselves to be. It’s seriously impressive stuff."
Summerhall - Anatomy Lecture Theatre, 1-26 Aug (not 6, 13, 20), 12pm, £10-12 - buy tickets here
Enter the Dragons (★★★★★)
A&E Comedy challenge both audiences and societal norms in a surreally hysterical hour
We said: "The clarity with which the duo highlight the pertinent – and under-addressed – issue of how sexism and ageism intersect is no mean feat given the surreal framework within which they choose to do so. Luckily, the concept works perfectly."
Pleasance Dome (Jack Dome), until 27 Aug (not 13), 4.10pm, £6.50-11 – buy tickets here
Flushed (★★★★)
This debut performance for Theatre Unlocked is nuanced and emotive, although the story fails to end with the same bang as it started with
We said: "Most women know that the ladies bathroom is where wonky make-up is corrected, bad dates are lamented and friendships are forged over the cries of “has anyone got any spare loo roll?”. Flushed is about all of this, and more"
Underbelly Cowgate (Belly Laugh), 2-26 Aug (not 13), 3:40pm, £9-10 - buy tickets here
WHITE (★★★★)
Spoken word, looped vocals and emotionally charged lyricism combine together as Koko Brown learns where she fits in this world
We said: "Spoken word, looped vocals and emotionally charged lyricism combine together as Brown guides us through how life was for her as a young girl, a teen and then as a woman learning where she fit in in this world."
Pleasance Courtyard, 15-17 Aug (not 20), 11:30am, £9-£10 - buy tickets here
Funeral Flowers (★★★★)
Immersive and innovative piece tells a powerful story with poetry and poise
We said: " It’s an intimate act, inviting strangers into your house. On every available surface, there are flowers: grand gothic white lilies with proud amber sternum, curvaceous purple balls of allium giganteum on long thin stems, armfuls of drooping, darkening sunflowers, faded tulips in washed out milk bottles."
Pleasance Pop-Up: Power Play HQ, 4-25 Aug (not 4, 14, 21), 2:30pm, £10-£12 - buy tickets here
Jen Brister: Meaningless (★★★★)
A lunchtime show with Jen Brister is better than lunch with mum
We said: "Meaningless is an hour of sound and fury, perfectly capturing the exaggeration of our internal frustrations and all those pent-up resentments our family members have an uncanny ability to unlock."
Monkey Barrel Comedy Club (Room One), until 26 Aug, 1:45pm, £5/PWYW - buy tickets here
The Spider Glass (★★★★)
A compelling monologue opening up the conversation of what it means to be a man in 2018
We said: "The crises of toxic masculinity and male mental health affect everyone, and it’s a good time for men to be examining their own stories of masculinity and patriarchy."
theSpaceTriplex (Studio), 3-25 Aug (not Sundays), 13:35, £7-8 - buy tickets here
Free and Proud (★★★★)
A moving exploration of modern relationships, with tragedy running through its core
We said: "It’s love on stage before you. It’s two people getting themselves in a big, stupid mess, making mistakes and discovering that they are no longer the only ones who have to live with the consequences of those mistakes."
Assembly George Square Studios (Studio Four), 2-27 Aug, 2.55pm, £12-10 - buy tickets here
Marie (★★★★)
A funny, entertaining, clever play with a dark twist, performed with absolute devotion, talent and charm
We said: "A funny, entertaining, clever play with a dark twist, performed with absolute devotion, talent and charm. The stage may be rather starved of props, save the odd dish towel for cleaning glasses or a stool that serves as a toilet, but you barely notice such is the power of MacGillivray’s talent."
Assembly Rooms (Front Room), 2-25 Aug (not 20), 1pm, £9-10 - buy tickets here
Henry Paker: Man Alive (★★★★)
Cartoons and quips as strong as each other from Henry Paker
We said: "A quirky, touching piece of comedy, clever enough to work on a number of levels and which will leave audience members each with a different favourite moment."
PBH Free Fringe, Banshee Labyrinth (Chamber Room), 4-26 Aug (not 6, 13 & 19), 5.10pm, Free
Baby Face (★★★★)
Katy Dye pulls us head first into her visceral performance art, but who is kicking and screaming?
We said: "Katy Dye seizes our gaze and forces us to see inside extreme examples of an error which, seen in the high definition of her consistently captivating physical, vocal, and internal commitment to the performance, makes the skin crawl."
Summerhall (Demonstration Room), 2-26 Aug (not 20), 1:30pm, £9-£7 – buy tickets here
Blackout (★★★★)
Mark Jeary’s Blackout is a powerful reflection on various facets of alcoholism
We said: "Blackout casts a mirror back at us while showing that there is no stereotypical image of an alcoholic. And in doing so shows that sobriety doesn’t need to be the boring option."
Summerhall, (Old Lab), 3-26 Aug (not 8, 13 & 20), 4:20pm, £12-£10 – buy tickets here
After the Cuts (★★★★)
A couple are forced to make drastic decisions in a post-NHS future, as told by playwright Gary McNair
We said: "McNair can’t resist being a little less subtle – as the couple curse the men and women in Westminster who have put them in this position and the apathy of the population who let them – but honestly, in this instance, fuck subtlety. This is something to get angry about. Go ahead and be angry."
Summerhall (Demonstration Room), 1-26 Aug (not 6, 13, 20), 12pm, £13-£15 – buy tickets here
Ailsa Benson Is Missing (★★★★)
A thought-provoking, compelling and suspenseful dram
We said: "Striking just the right balance of humour and sincerity, this debut play will surely not be Samara MacLaren’s last.."
Assembly Rooms (Front Room), 2-25 Aug (not 13), 2.20pm, £9-£11 – buy tickets here
Heroine (★★★★)
An important and timely play addressing sexual assault in the military
We said: "A harrowing tale, but with hope on the horizon, Heroine is an important and timely play that has a bright future ahead of it."
Assembly Hall (Rainy Hall), 2-27 Aug (not 8, 21), 12pm, £9-£12 – buy tickets here
Unsung (★★★★)
A masterful central performance by Valentijn Dhaenens anchors a compelling, contemporary story of political hubris
We said: "This is the game of politics that plays out over and over again, and though the players may change and the results aren’t predictable, something has embedded itself in our system that is refusing to be rooted out."
Summerhall (Main Hall), 1-26 Aug (not 6, 13, 20), 12pm, £10-12 - buy tickets here
Marmite (★★★★)
Envy is pain, lust is pain, passion is pain - and yes most certainly love can indeed be pain. Yet, just like Marmite - we either hate or can't help love it.
We said: "With no handholding, Marmite doesn’t seek to scrutinise. Regardless of actions, both Eddie and Dylan are neither portrayed as a villain. Any intent to do so is in the audiences’ own feelings."
Gilded Balloon Rose Theatre, Until 26 Aug, 3.30pm, £10.00/£8.00 - buy tickets here
Beth Vyse as Olive Hands: The Hands that Rocked the Cradle (★★★★)
Daytime TV has never been so compelling
We said: "it’s incredibly slick and put together with some fantastic pieces of editing, there's an 'appearance' from Sir David Jason and the most affecting tape measure you’ll ever come across."
Monkey Barrel Comedy Club (Room Two), 1-26 Aug (not 15), 3:45pm, £5/PWYW - buy tickets here
Adam Hess: Seahorse (★★★★)
A breathless race through some of the Fringe’s strongest punchlines
We said: "Hess manages to swing between the absurd and the relatable with ease, recounting tales of playground bullying and hometown house parties."
Pleasance Courtyard (Upstairs), 1-27 Aug, 4.45pm, £6-10.50 - buy tickets now
Larry Dean: Bampot (★★★★)
Larry Dean’s at the top of his game with this hour about an amicable breakup
We said: "He’s a naturally affable comedian even with his crazy eyes and gonnae-fuck-you-up brogue; revelling in using them to their full comic potential."
Assembly Checkpoint, 2-26 Aug (not 15), 5:00pm, £8 - buy tickets here
Owen Roberts: I Let a Six-Year-Old Write My Show (★★★★)
In his solo debut, Beasts' Owen Roberts gets some help from the best and youngest comedian at the Fringe
We said: "The deconstruction of the writing process and their partnership provides a strong vehicle for excellent comedy by Roberts and Isabella alike."
Pleasance Courtyard (This), until 27 Aug (not 13), 4.45pm, £6-10 - buy tickets here
The Approach (★★★★)
Insightful three-hander about the breakdown of a relationship between two sisters
We said: "Throughout the play, we’re frequently left on tenterhooks, as we try to puzzle out the clues these women gave us for their stories."
Assembly Hall - Rainy Hall, 2-26 Aug, (not 15, not 22), 13:25 (65 mins) £12 - buy tickets here
Róisín and Chiara: Back to Back (★★★★)
A high energy hour of improvisation and sketches from a pair fizzing with chemistry
We said: "Back to Back is a whirlwind of ‘whaaaat?’. Mostly surreal, at times alarming, but always brilliant."
Heroes, Boteco, until 26 Aug (not 8, 15 & 22), 2.40pm, £5/PWYW – pre-book tickets here
Paul Williams: Santa Fe (★★★★)
Imaginative comedy from a comedian who is literally escaping his brother’s shadow
We said: "What he also possesses is a wickedly inventive mind – the show is ostensibly a meta-journey through the perils of appearing on stage as a comedian."
Underbelly Cowgate (Iron Belly), 2-26 Aug (not 14th), 4.10pm, £6.50-10 - buy tickets here
Maisie Adam: Vague (★★★★)
Last year’s So You Think You’re Funny? winner impresses with her candid debut
We said: "From her puppy-like greeting as you enter the room to the second she realises a man hasn’t abandoned her show but was just too nervous to return to his seat, Adam is effortlessly charming."
Gilded Balloon, Teviot Row House (Wee Room), until 27 Aug, 4.30pm, £6-9 – buy tickets here
Lazy Susan: Forgive me, Mother! (★★★★)
Forgive me, Mother! is a silly sketch show – and also one with understated class
We said: "What sets Dring and Parker apart from many other comedians is that they’re confident enough in their material to let these sketches speak for themselves without dwelling on them or attempting to explain."
Assembly George Square Theatre (The Box), until 27 Aug (not 14), 4.20pm, £6.50-10.50 – buy tickets here
Tessa Coates: Witch Hunt (★★★★)
Tessa Coates delivers an impressive sophomore hour on one of humankind’s greatest quandaries
We said: "Featuring insights into the fearful lizard-brain, pick-up artists and why a potato gets to have more of an adventure than a girl in Toy Story, Coates explores the female psyche in a way that's both accessible and intelligent."
Pleasance Courtyard (This), 1-26 Aug, 3.30pm, £6-10 – buy tickets here
Lou Sanders: Shame Pig (★★★★)
Lou Sanders is at her shameless best in her new show at Monkey Barrel
We said: "She rings laughs from any and all subjects, telling of her own shameful exploits so we feel less bad about ours."
Monkey Barrel Comedy Club, 2-26 Aug (not 15), 12.30pm, £5/PWYW – buy tickets here
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