Shows, suds, cider and a soaking: the Edinburgh fringe from my bathtub

The festival may be cancelled but our writer is determined to recreate the experience at home. So she pours a cider, steps into her bath – and logs on to the fringe’s freakiest showsThe Edinburgh fringe is always a highlight of my year. Where else but …

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Shows, suds, cider and a soaking: the Edinburgh fringe from my bathtub

The festival may be cancelled but our writer is determined to recreate the experience at home. So she pours a cider, steps into her bath – and logs on to the fringe’s freakiest showsThe Edinburgh fringe is always a highlight of my year. Where else but …

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This week’s best culture, from Beckett to Scottish Ballet

The Observer’s critics recommend the best new arts in galleries, on air and onlineBeckett double billTrevor Nunn’s sell-out productions of Krapp’s Last Tape, starring James Hayes, and The Old Tune, with Niall Buggy and David Threlfall, opened in Januar…

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Fringe of Colour Films: ‘the diversity checklist is discarded first in a crisis’

Created to provide paid work and connect people of colour with audiences during Covid, a new online arts festival aims to be around for the long-term‘You can’t just keep pulling up chairs,” says a character in Joshua Harmon’s play Admissions. “There is…

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‘It’s a Herculean effort’: UK theatre festivals adapt for summer of Covid

From Brighton to Belfast, socially distanced performances are popping up in unexpected spaces, including the beach, a shopping centre and a church‘Dive in!” commanded the cover of Brighton fringe’s 2020 programme, listing more than 5,500 performances a…

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Edinblurb festival: the AI bot creating new fringe shows every hour

Edinburgh University’s ImprovBot uses data from eight years of past productions to invent tantalising no-showsYou can see how it happens. The company has yet to start devising the show, but the deadline for the Edinburgh fringe programme is tomorrow. O…

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‘Edinburgh made us!’ The stars catapulted to TV fame from the fringe

Lily Savage, The League of Gentlemen, Fleabag and a host of telly sensations started out on tiny stages at the extravaganza. In its absence, who will be next?Paul O’Grady’s first night at the Edinburgh fringe did not go according to plan. He made his f…

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August without Edinburgh fringe: ‘the heart has been pulled out of my year’

Covid-19 has cancelled the annual jamboree, leaving performers – and our comedy critic – bereft. What does the festival mean to them and how will it change?Meeting Flight of the Conchords and seeing the teenage Bo Burnham. Improvising a musical with Ti…

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From Acorn Antiques to Funny Girl: the most hilarious songs for women

Vikki Stone and Natasha Barnes’s new show celebrates comic songs for actresses – here are their favourites from musicalsFrom Sweeney Todd by Stephen SondheimMrs Lovett is the sort of role that every actress (including me) hopes they’ll play one day. Th…

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From Acorn Antiques to Funny Girl: the most hilarious songs for women

Vikki Stone and Natasha Barnes’s new show celebrates comic songs for actresses – here are their favourites from musicalsFrom Sweeney Todd by Stephen SondheimMrs Lovett is the sort of role that every actress (including me) hopes they’ll play one day. Th…

Continue Reading