The Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2016: Preview Participants

The Edinburgh Fringe, the largest arts festival in the world, is about to return with thousands of performers to take hundreds of stages and present shows for every taste.

Last year, 50,459 performances from big names to unknown artists looking to build their careers excited the Scottish capital and yet again this summer, the festival will have a huge variety of shows including theatre, comedy, dance, physical theatre, circus, cabaret, children’s shows, musicals, opera, music, spoken word, exhibitions and events. Since 1947, when eight uninvited theatre groups performed at the newly formed Edinburgh International Festival, the successful collective of performers has motivated more and more artists to tell their stories.

Four of this year’s highlights range from a reinvention of the one-man rock musical to a seven-foot clown dealing with issues of failure, self-doubt and yearning as well as a cabaret act remembering a long forgotten but legendary 1990s club in London.

Inspired by music icon david Bowie, Starman, performed by internationally recognised artist Sven Ratzke, combines unique characters and glam rock classics with live music to stage the show. The singer and entertainer will perform in the Palais Du Variete in George Square Gardens throughout the month.

As the runaway sell-out from last year, Puddles Pity Party will return this year with his visually alluring musical act, melodramatic anthems and unique comedic hijinks. His performance Let’s Go features the reality of feeling alone and stagnant in these stressful times, even as a giant clown that gets to wander the world.

If you imagine David Copperfield and Claudia Schiffer with Australian accents and dressed in sequins set on fire, you might have an idea of what to expect when seeing Peter & Bambi Heaven, performed by Australia’s most deluded dancing magicians. Asher Treleaven and Gypsy Wood’s cabaret act will be on show for the first time in the UK.

Written by award-winning play writer Ruaraidh Murray from Edinburgh, the dark comedy act The Club takes viewers back to a night at 1990s club The Tardis. Here, also performed in the Assembly George Square Gardens, Phoenix Nights meets The Sopranos and a young man has to prepare to return due money at THE party of the year.

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival takes place 5 until 29 August.

For more information, visit www.edfringe.com

Sven Ratzke – Starman, will be at the Edinburgh Festival Assembly George Square Gardens for the month of August for tickets go to www.edfringe.com

Puddles Pity Party – Lets Go, will be at the Edinburgh Festival Assembly George Square Gardens for the month of August for tickets go to www.edfringe.com

Peter & Bambi Heaven – The Magic Inside, will be at the Edinburgh Festival Assembly George Square Gardens for the month of August for tickets go to www.edfringe.com

The Club will be at the Edinburgh Festival Gilded Balloon Teviot for the month of August for tickets go to www.edfringe.com

Credits:
1. Edinburgh Fringe Festival Street View 2015. Courtesy of Suitcase Mag.