What Not To Miss - Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2018

This year Edinburgh Festival Fringe has started! What a month it's going to be too with a variety of cabaret, musicals, comedy and much more. I was lucky to have witnessed firsthand some of the incredible, funny, and talented acts performing until the 27th of August. Here's some to look out for.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe - Assembly ©MDHarding

What Not To Miss - Edinburgh Festival - Fringe

Assembly Festival Gala Launch at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

There are over 200 shows as part of this year's Assembly Festival alongside Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Taking place annually in August since founded by William Burdett-Coutts in 1981.

At this year's Assembly Festival Gala Launch 13 acts performed and what a great lineup it was! These included Briefs - Close Encounters, Jonny Woo's All-Star Brexit Cabaret, Le Gateau Chocolat - Icons, Lady Rizo - Red, White & Indigo, The 7 Fingers - Reversible, Wrenne - I Said Yes To Everything, Gandini Juggling - * Songs, Jess Robinson - No Filter, Tom Flanagan - Kaput, Casus - You & I, Yana Alana - Between the Cracks, Terry Alderton: The Musical, Choir of Man. They were all brilliant, with something for everyone! Which performance will you go to see?

Briefs - Close Encounters

2nd - 26th August Assembly Hall - Main Hall

They've come from the future to test the limits of masculinity and decency with their iconic brand of circus, drag, burlesque and comedy. Expect interstellar aerials, incredible artistry, sharp social commentary and warp-speed strippers from outer space.

©MDHarding

Le Gateau Chocolat - Icons

2nd - 26th August Assembly George Square Gardens - Piccolo Tent

Opera and Lycra-loving cabaret sensation, Le Gateau Chocolat storms into the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with captivating international smash-hit, Icons. Gateau seamlessly weaves through pop, opera and rock from Whitney to Pavarotti, investigating his own objects of worship through the songs and music of his personal icons.

©MDHarding

Lady Rizo - Red, White & Indigo

2nd - 29th August Assembly Hall - Rainy Hall

With sharp humour and a soulful, soaring voice in a show that illuminates her love-hate relationship with "bad boyfriend" America. The New York chanteuse delivers a deeply personal musical eulogy, unpacking the feelings for her country with belting songs and her trademark wit.

©MDHarding

Yana Alana - Between the Cracks

2nd - 26th August Assembly Checkpoint

Australia's favourite feather-ruffling, rabble-rousing, cabaret anarchist and neo-punk diva, Yana Alana bares all in this bent night of blues, boobs and blame. Exposing mental health, sexual politics, feminism and identity. Queer as hell, demonically talented, rudely brilliant.

©MDHarding

Choir of Man

2nd - 26th August Assembly Rooms - Music Hall

Imagine the greatest pub gig you've ear been to and multiply it by 10 and you'll still be nowhere near the fun that this show exudes. Featuring pub tunes, folk, rock, choral and opera numbers, the cast features world-class tap dancers, tumblers, singers, instrumentalists and a UK Poetry Slam champion, there is something for everyone in this joyous and uplifting show for all ages.

©MDHarding

I hope you have enjoyed reading and are inspired to see a few of this year's great performances at the Assembly Festival - Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

For more information visit - www.assemblyfestival.com

You can also purchase tickets throughout Edinburgh at the booking huts or call Tel: 0131 623 3030. The Virgin Money half-price booking hut is now open at The Mound Precinct just off Princes Street by the Scottish National Gallery.

Many thanks to the Assembly Festival