Dirty Dancer review – Swayze stan is like a whirlwind as she replays 80s favourite

Underbelly Cowgate, EdinburghMelissa Firlit recreates Dirty Dancing in a one-woman show that mixes trivia, personal memories and a singalongDirty Dancing was the first VHS in our house: snazzy purple box, pure 80s brushstroke title, alluring 15 certifi…

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Wiping My Mother’s Arse review – confusion and subterfuge in a care home

Pitlochry Festival theatreIain Heggie’s rejigged 2001 play – now ensconced in the world of voice notes and vapes – is very funny, but the lighter moments jar with some sobering subtextsThese days, shows about care homes, dementia and end of life are ve…

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Crybabies: The Scaring review – chills and laughs abound in twisty tale of demonic possession

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghThis fantastic comic play from the Radio 4 trio unleashes a torrent of great gags and illusionsHorror pastiche has a proud lineage at this festival – for example Garth Marenghi, and Andrew Doherty’s hit Gay Witch Sex Cult …

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‘I painted myself blue – but got skin problems’: how four Edinburgh stars created their weird characters

From a cake-baking Elton John to possibly the most horrible man in the world, comedians reveal how they get in character – and how far they can push thingsIn the Covid lockdowns, I was drawing all these silly things, and one day I drew Elton John as a …

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‘I painted myself blue – but got skin problems’: how four Edinburgh stars created their weird characters

From a cake-baking Elton John to possibly the most horrible man in the world, comedians reveal how they get in character – and how far they can push thingsIn the Covid lockdowns, I was drawing all these silly things, and one day I drew Elton John as a …

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‘Are you ready for some filth?’ Julian Clary and more on comedy’s great smut explosion

Clary’s back with Fully Dilated, a burlesque star called Entendre Entendre is doing lewd singalongs and there’s an A-Z of very dirty words. Our writer investigates Edinburgh’s smut outbreak – and ends up getting his own fantasies turned into eroticaOn …

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Bigfoot Ripped My Dog in Half I Saw It review – Xhloe and Natasha create a monster hit

Summerhall, EdinburghWith physical and vocal agility, the tricksy clown duo trigger an avalanche of misinformation in this feverish treatHere is a show every bit as breathless as its title, stoked by bursts of high-energy 90s chart hits and delivered j…

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Temi Wilkey: Lover Girl review – wildly intimate comedy goes to infinity and beyond

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghBoth outrageous and tender, this stellar follow-up to Main Character Energy gives new meaning to body languageTemi Wilkey serenades us, asks if we fancy her and wonders if the love of her life could be here right now. The …

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Robot helpers and flying houses: Edinburgh fringe tips for families

From wacky versions of The ABC Song to Quentin Blake’s eccentric Mrs Armitage, these five shows offer fun for young audiencesUnderbelly until 31 August Continue reading…

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Man Sings the Same Song Over and Over Again for an Hour review – fringe gem leaves you ecstatic

Summerhall, EdinburghConnor Dariol, AKA Australian clown Conk, does exactly what he claims – and with such skill and relentless pep we are helpless to resistWhen I saw the title to the Australian clown Conk’s show Man Sings the Same Song Over and Over …

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