Dance and Physical Theatre

Mere Mortals

Mere Mortals, EIF dance review: 'a stunning ensemble'
The San Francisco Ballet delivered an EIF performance so visually arresting it was impossible to forget, writes Kelly Apter.

When Prophecy Fails

When Prophecy Fails, EIF dance review: 'beautifully choreographed'

Ros Watt in Trans People Are Awful

Fringe theatre & dance reviews: Trans People Are Awful + more

Aszure Barton on unboxing Pandora for the AI generation at EIF

Ballet Nights

Fringe dance reviews: Ballet Nights | Allura | Poles + more

EXXY

EXXY, EIF dance and physical theatre review: 'funny, empowering'

Sam Shepherd aka Floating Points

Musician Floating Points on reinterpreting the Pandora myth for ballet

Il canto dell’assiolo

Fringe dance & physical theatre reviews: Il canto dell’assiolo + more

Ihsane being performed at Festival Theatre for the Edinburgh International Festival

Edinburgh International Festival reviews: Ihsane | corto.alto + more

How to get tickets for the San Francisco Ballet: Mere Mortals at EIF

Here is every show at the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe with a five-star review from The Scotsman, so far.

Best Fringe Shows: Every 5-star show at the Edinburgh Fringe 2026

Joel Bray's Daddy

Fringe dance reviews: Daddy | Flamenc Oh!! | DUSK/NIGHT/DAWN + more

INALA

INALA, EIF dance review: 'overflowing with humanity and connection'

The Palestinian Circus: A Step and a Half

Fringe dance reviews: The Palestinian Circus: A Step and a Half + more

Ihsane

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui on Ihsane: ‘That could have happened to me’

not for glory

Fringe dance reviews: not for glory | Collaborator | Snow + more

Superbowl Salsa

Fringe dance reviews: Superbowl Salsa | Glob + more

Les Echos De La Rue

Dance & physical theatre reviews: Les Echos de la Rue and Sab’r + more

Glass Child

Fringe theatre reviews: Glass Child | The Spectacular Vermin Sisters

Border Bodies

Fringe dance reviews: Border Bodies | Basque Showcase | TWELVE + more

Tony Mills, artistic director at Dance Base

Dance Base's artistic director Tony Mills on taking hip hop seriously

EIF Dance Highlights: Kelly Apter on the 2026 programme

Mere Mortals

EIF 2026 first look: Kelly Apter on dance

Figures in Extinction at the Edinburgh International Festival

Edinburgh International Festival dance review: Figures in Extinction

VENUS 2.0

Edinburgh Fringe Dance reviews: VENUS 2.0 | Intertwined! | Evelyn

Fringe dance & physical theatre reviews: IV | Puff

NOEUD from Basque Country dance company DAB

Edinburgh Fringe dance reviews: NOEUD | The Song of a Refugee + more

INLET

Fringe dance reviews: Inlet | Balfour Reparations + more

Charlotta Öfverholm as Older Elizabeth in Scottish Ballet’s Mary, Queen of Scots.

Edinburgh International Festival dance review: Mary, Queen of Scots

Copenhagen Collective

Acrobatic troupe Copenhagen Collective on their dazzling Fringe debut

Here are all of the 5-star shows on at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe.

Best Fringe Shows: Every 5-star show at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe

through warm temperatures

Fringe physical theatre reviews: through warm temperatures + more

The Land of Beat

Fringe dance and physical theatre reviews: By A Thread and more

I Think It Could Work at Zoo Southside

Fringe dance reviews: I Think It Could Work and more

No Sugar No Milk (Prototyping)

Fringe dance and physical theatre reviews: No Sugar No Milk and more

Mary Queen of Scots. Photo: Mihaela Bodlovic.

Scottish Ballet’s Mary, Queen of Scots at EIF

Dance People

Dance People, EIF Dance review - 'part-dance, part-activist-art'

Luciano Rosso in Apocalipsync

Edinburgh Fringe Dance reviews: Apocalipsync | Candlelight

The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave

Fringe Dance reviews: The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave + more

Hamlet by New York Circus Project

Fringe dance/physical theatre reviews: Hamlet: New York Circus Project

Magician James Phelan

Magic, mime and eating cheese: the ‘spesh acts’ thriving on the Fringe

Circa: Wolf

Fringe dance & physical theatre reviews: Circa: Wolf + more

Because You Never Asked

Edinburgh Fringe Dance reviews: Because You Never Asked + more

The best EIF dance - Scotsman critic Kelly Apter on the 2025 programme

Figures in Extinction: the EIF dance show tackling climate change

Renée Sigouin in Assembly Hall

Assembly Hall, EIF review – 'Disappointingly low on actual dancing'

Enowate

Edinburgh Fringe dance reviews: Enowate | Fault Lines + more

Wayne Sleep

Edinburgh Fringe dance reviews: Wayne Sleep | Tam O’Shanter + more

Show Pony

Dance & physical theatre reviews: Show Pony + more

Apricity at the Edinburgh Fringe

Edinburgh Fringe dance reviews: Apricity | OH OH and more

Sawdust Symphony

Fringe dance & physical theatre reviews: Sawdust Symphony + more

The Passion of Andrea 2 at the Edinburgh Fringe

Edinburgh Fringe dance reviews: Impasse | The Passion of Andrea 2

Wayne Sleep

My Festival: Wayne Sleep

Ukranian dance show Rêves

Fringe Dance reviews: Rêves | Circus Sonas: Down With Gravity + more

Ten Thousand Hours

Fringe reviews: Ten Thousand Hours | ARI: The Spirit of Korea + more

Lewis Major's Triptych

Edinburgh Fringe dance reviews: Lewis Major: Triptych + more

Look At Them! by Wen Xiaochao Physical Theatre

Edinburgh Fringe reviews: Look At Them! | Circolombia: Corazón + more

Bark Bark by film and theatre company Buzzcut

Fringe reviews: Bark Bark | Did You Mean to Fall Like That + more

The Show for Young Me at Edinburgh Fringe

The 5 best reviewed dance shows from the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe so far

Sushi Tap Show

Edinburgh Fringe Festival dance reviews: Sushi Tap Show | Midsommar

The Show for Young Me at Edinburgh Fringe

Edinburgh Fringe dance reviews: The Show For Young Men | Crawler

Meet the world's most popular juggler as he brings a solo show to the Fringe

Songs of the Bulbul

Aakash Odedra on his EIF dance show Songs of the Bulbul

Grupo Corpo in Gil Refazendo PIC: Jomar Braganca

Grupo Corpo to celebrate 'godfather of Brazilian music' Gilberto Gil at EIF

Renée Sigouin in Assembly Hall PIC: Michael Slobodian

EIF dance - Scotsman critic Kelly Apter previews the 2024 programme

Scotland-based dancers at the start of their career training with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in the run up to the Festival

Watch: A Dancer’s Dream - Alvin Ailey trailer

Afrique en Cirque (PIC Wendell Teodoro)

Fringe dance reviews: I’m Muslamic - Don’t Panik | Tandava | Afrique en Cirque

Anton Du Beke: An Afternoon With Anton Du Beke and Friends. Picture: Contributed

Fringe reviews: Strictly Come Dancing star Anton Du Beke + Fall and Flow & more

The Scotsman Top Stories

Scotland has failed to meet its latest target for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, the latest official figures show. Picture: John Giles/PA Wire

Fail: Scotland misses climate target

Pro-independence protesters with Scottish Saltire flags (top) march for Scottish independence. Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images

Yousaf: Growing popular support for Yes the only way to Scottish independence

Nadine Dorries. Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

SNP MP cleared of bullying Nadine Dorries