The Invisible Man review – an ingenious show you’ll want to see again

Unicorn theatre, LondonConstantly surprising, this fresh take on the ‘it’s behind you!’ routine leaves its young audience asking ‘how did they do that?’Suppose you put on a play and no one turned up. Or the audience came but you just couldn’t see them….

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Encore! Surefire shows returning for the Edinburgh festival in 2023

In the run-up to the festival, our writers will choose new productions that have caught their eye – but here’s a selection of those we’ve already reviewedRichard Marsh has clearly seen Die Hard more times than he’s had Christmas dinners. He’s here in h…

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The best comedy shows of 2022

From dazzling comic debuts at the Edinburgh fringe to occult sketches, soul-searching standup and deeply strange revelations, it was a top year for laughing matters• More on the best culture of 2022A set delivering all the livid topical comedy we expec…

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Jellicle clown: Frankie Thompson on her unmissable feline fever dream Catts

Her cat-tastic stage show is a riff on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical that swerves into emotionally raw territory. The Edinburgh fringe sensation talks about trauma, taboos and the importance of being disgustingWas there ever a cat so clever? Move over …

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Sami Abu Wardeh review – a clown in character-comic’s clothing

Underbelly, EdinburghOutlandish physical antics and a spontaneous stage presence keep Wardeh’s audience laughing as he clowns through a cast of oddball charactersClown is in vogue again, coming at us wide-eyed wherever you look on the fringe – at Frank…

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‘Horror and comedy were a saving grace’: facing her anger gave Elf Lyons the last laugh

Scary movies can exorcise the audience’s own demons but silliness can also help you process rage, says the comedian“Stop being hysterical!” “You are over-reacting!” “Put that watermelon down!” If I had a pound for every time I’d heard one of these rebu…

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Camels, clowns and sex education: what to see at Edinburgh fringe 2021

The festival has shrunk because of Covid but there are plenty of shows in person and online this summer – here’s our pick of the first to be announcedSex Education Xplorers (S.E.X.)What did they miss out in your sex ed at school? Mamoru Iriguchi fills …

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