The Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019: 21 must-see returning shows

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe will soon be making its return to Scotland's capital, with a huge line up of comedy, music, dance, circus and theatre to enjoy.
By Claire Schofield
Published 1st Aug 2019, 09:35 GMT
Updated 1st Aug 2019, 10:35 GMT
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe will feature a huge line up of comedy, music, dance, circus and theatreThe Edinburgh Festival Fringe will feature a huge line up of comedy, music, dance, circus and theatre
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe will feature a huge line up of comedy, music, dance, circus and theatre

Held from Tuesday 2 to Friday 26 August, the Fringe brings Edinburgh to life with a vibrant celebration of arts and culture, welcoming talent from across the globe with shows for all tastes.

Must-see shows returning this year

More than 3,841 shows will be performed at the festival this year, including everything from comedy and opera, to musicals, cabaret and the spoken word.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe will feature a huge line up of comedy, music, dance, circus and theatreThe Edinburgh Festival Fringe will feature a huge line up of comedy, music, dance, circus and theatre
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe will feature a huge line up of comedy, music, dance, circus and theatre
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If you are struggling to narrow down what to see at this year's event, these returning shows all come highly recommended by The Scotsman’s critics, earning either five or four star reviews from their performances in 2018.

Here are 21 shows and performers not to be missed:

5 star reviews

Comedy

More than 3,500 shows will be performed at the festival this year, offering something for all tastesMore than 3,500 shows will be performed at the festival this year, offering something for all tastes
More than 3,500 shows will be performed at the festival this year, offering something for all tastes

- Alfie Brown: Imagination - Monkey Barrel Comedy

- Jessie Cave: Sunrise - Assembly George Square Studios

- Grant Busé: Touché Busé - Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose

Theatre

- Electrolyte - Pleasance Courtyard

Dance

- My Land - Assembly Rooms

4 star reviews

Comedy

- Adam Riches: The Beakington Town Hall Murders - Pleasance Courtyard

- Kieran Hodgson - Pleasance Courtyard

- Zoe Lyons: Entry Level Human - Gilded Balloon Teviot

- Myra DuBois: Dead Funny - Underbelly, Bristo Square

- Luca Cupani: Lives I Never Lived - Just the Tonic at The Mash House

- Garrett Millerick: Smile - Just the Tonic at The Tron

- Hal Cruttenden: Chubster - Gilded Balloon Teviot

- Lucy Frederick: Famtastic - Underbelly, Bristo Square

- Stuart Mitchell: Is It Just Me? (Work in Progress) - Scottish Comedy Festival @ The Beehive Inn

- Paul Foxcroft: Debut - Laughing Horse @ 32 Below

Theatre

- dressed. - Pleasance Courtyard

- Square Go - Roundabout @ Summerhall

- DUPed - Sweet Grassmarket

Dance, Physical Theatre and Circus

- Void - PQA Venues @Riddle's Court

Music

- Misha's Gang - theSpace @ Surgeons Hall

- Cello on Fire - theSpaceTriplex

For a full calendar of events, visit Edinburgh Festival Fringe website.

Related topics:ScotlandEdinburghGeorge Square