There’s been plenty of negative chatter around the Edinburgh Fringe this year; the bin strikes, the ever-increasing costs for artists and debates over sponsorship and funding – but cabaret has always brought joy and laughter through tough times.
I hold out hope that the Fringe emerges from its current difficulties stronger than ever, and in the meantime, here are ten cabaret shows I’m looking forward to this Fringe.
Editor’s Note: Naomi J O’Toole is theQR’s new resident Cabaret, Burlesque and Circus arts columnist and correspondent. Look out for more passionate, expert commentary and reviews to come.
All-Stars Burlesque
Billed as ‘A celebration of Bodies, Tradition & Inclusivity’, All-Stars Burlesque gets right to the heart of what cabaret is and always has been – inclusive, diverse and dazzling. No wonder this was a sold-out run last year. This show is also in a very charming venue, the cozy Caves. These ancient underground chambers were formerly whiskey vaults and, at one point, stables to the French Cavalry, but during the Fringe they transform into a captivating labyrinth full of eclectic shows.
All-Stars Burlesque is a cabaret and variety show where you’ll see prize winners from Europe’s largest industry competition, World Burlesque Games, alongside new performers who are the ones to watch.
You can catch back-to-back cabaret shows at the Caves produced by Majestic International. They run Best of Cabaret (6pm), with a diverse rotating cast of variety, circus, comedy and award-winning burlesque stars; Burlesque, Gin and Jazz (7.30pm), a classic “bump and grind” extravaganza set to a lively jazz soundtrack in speakeasy style
Best of Cabaret, Aug 1-11, 13-25, 6pm. Burlesque, Gin and Jazz, Aug 1-11, 13-25, 7.30pm. All-Stars Burlesque, Aug 1-11, 13-25, 9pm. Venue 88, Just the Tonic at The Caves – Just the Big Room. Suitability: 16+ (Guideline). Tickets from £16 (£15 concession).
The Kaye Hole Hosted by Reuben Kaye
Can there be a cabaret roundup without mentioning Reuben Kaye? My favourite joke in the world is one Reuben Kaye once told, but it’s definitely not appropriate to write out here. Reuben is a siren-like singer, but his shows are worth watching just for a lesson in stage presence alone. Queer, messy and f*cking hilarious. With sold-out runs in 2022 and 2023, The Kaye Hole Hosted by Reuben Kaye is not a night to be missed.
The Kaye Hole Hosted by Reuben Kaye, Aug 2-3, 9-10, 15-17, 22-24, 11.45pm. Venue 3, Assembly George Square Gardens – Palais du Variété. Suitability: 18+ (Restriction). Tickets £18.50 (£17 concession).
Ask A Stripper: No Holes Barred
Besides the Barbie-pink promo image with the chiawawa and a Mean Girls vibe, this show also appeals for its absolute hilarity combined with political outreach. Ask A Stripper: No Holes Barred does not have a typical show structure. Audiences spend just shy of an hour asking Gypsy Charms and Stacey Clare anything they want about being a stripper, absolutely anything. Throughout, Gypsy and Stacey steer the conversation to important topics around the industry, unions, exploitation and rights so there’s a political undercut amongst the laughs. Riotously funny and raucously feminist, this is a show that returns to the Fringe again and again.
Ask A Stripper: No Holes Barred, Aug 1-4, 13-18, 20-25, 9.30pm. Venue 414, Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly – Main Room. Suitability: 18+ (Restriction). Pay What You Can in advance to guarantee entry tickets at £5, £7.50, £10 and £12.50 or turn up at the venue for free, with the option of donating at the end of the show.
Swamplesque
After taking Australia by storm, this ogre-inspired burlesque and drag parody is coming to Edinburgh. The neo-burlesque scene in Australia is buzzing and has its own history of sparking new genres, but a Shrek-themed burlesque show is a stroke of genius. Shrek seems to have trended across the digiverse with memes and people finding nostalgia in it, and the story itself of love and transformation seems like a perfect fit for cabaret. Swamplesque has been widely critically-acclaimed in Australia so it’s one to put in your Fringe calendar.
Swamplesque, Aug 1-11, 13-18, 20-25, 10.20pm. Venue 35. Assembly Hall – Main Hall. Suitability: 18+ (Restriction). Tickets £20 (£19 concession).
Ada Campe: Big Duck Energy
Ada Campe is always worth seeing: a multitalented, mischievous, one-woman performer. She leans into the absurd with unabashed, pure comedy, showcasing tricks from juggling to card tricks to mind reading. Ada had a sell-out, critically-acclaimed season at the Fringe in 2018, a year in which she scooped up a heap of comedy awards. Ada Campe: Big Duck Energy is a show about hope, heartbreak and finding your happy place, fun, silly and joyful. We know this from the amount of duck puns in the show description alone; “Ever felt down? Like you’re swimming upstream? Like life isn’t all its quacked up to be?”
Ada Campe: Big Duck Energy, Aug 1-11, 13-19, 21-25, 3pm. Venue 319, The Stand Comedy Club 5 & 6 – Stand 5. Suitability: 12+ (Guideline). Tickets £12 (£10 concession).
Shenanigans Cabaret
This is a five-star variety show well-known in London, and it’s been at the Fringe for four consecutive years. Produced and hosted by Foxi Blue, Shenanigans Cabaret shows a fantastic range of acts and cabaret skills from all corners of the performing arts industry, so you can expect burlesque, drag, circus and sideshow. This year, they’ll be giving a star slot each show to a different visiting artist, so no night will be the same.
Shenanigans Cabaret, Aug 18-25, 10.45pm. Venue 41, Hill Street Theatre – Dunedin Theatre. Suitability: 18+ (Restriction). Tickets £15 (£12 concession).
Aftershow: A Backstage Cabaret!
This is definitely an interesting one. Cabaret is known for squeezing into tiny spaces, and that’s part of the charm, so it’s good to see a show leaning into this. After the curtain falls on the evening shows, New York City’s Rogers & Price invite audiences into their dressing room for an intimate late-night performance. Aftershow: A Backstage Cabaret includes candid stories, original and classic songs and special performances. This will definitely be a good one to catch when you aren’t quite ready for the evening to end.
Aftershow: A Backstage Cabaret!, Aug 5, 12-13, 19-21, 11.30pm. Venue 170, Laughing Horse @ The Counting House – The Ballroom. Suitability: 14+ (Guideline). Tickets Free and Non Ticketed.
Blues and Burlesque
Following sell-out runs in Edinburgh, Perth and Adelaide, this award-winning live music cabaret is back with a brand-new show. Blues and Burlesque is a collaboration between libertine jazz reprobate Pete Saunders and supernova showgirl Belle de Beauvoir. Last year, the show had a storytelling thread and a charming friendship between Pete and Belle, alongside soulful original songs, but this year sees a brand-new show. The duo is also running a free afternoon show, Tarting About with Blues and Burlesque. Featuring surprise collaborations, special appearances and calling in favours from mates, this show is described as “the perfect hangover cure”.
Tarting About with Blues and Burlesque, Aug 14-18, 20-25, 2.15pm. Venue 219, PBH’s Free Fringe @ Uno Mas – Bar. Suitability: 18+ (Restriction). Tickets free and non-ticketed.
Blues and Burlesque, Aug 2-4, 6-11, 13-18, 20-25, various times. Venue 68, The Voodoo Rooms – The Ballroom. Suitability: 18+ (Restriction). Tickets from £11.
Drag Queen Wine Tasting
There are a few culinary themed cabarets at the Fringe this year, and it seems like a great structure for a show – as well as a way to get the audience interaction that’s so core to cabaret. Adding some tipsiness to tittilation, Drag Queen Wine Tasting is returning to the Fringe for its third consecutive year, hosted by cabaret queen Vanity von Glow and wine expert Beth Brickenden. Audiences taste three delicious wines, served alongside dashes of mischief, humour and glamour. It’s a raucous show, and you won’t have to queue at the bar.
Drag Queen Wine Tasting, Aug 7-11, 14-18, 21-25, various times. Venue 468 – Ministry of Camp @ Monboddo – Main Space, Suitability: 18+ (Restriction). Tickets from £29 with discounts available.
Another Unwasted Evening – The Genius of Tom Lehrer
A show of piano musical satire at its finest, celebrating the mischievous wit of Tom Lehrer. The American musician, singer-songwriter and satirist (and mathematician) was renowned for his pithy songs in the 1950s and 1960s, which dealt with social and political issues of the time.
In Another Unwasted Evening – The Genius of Tom Lehrer, cabaret singer Antony (Dr H) Hubmayer presents a merry journey through the life and times of Tom Lehrer, retold through timeless songs like Masochism Tango and Poisoning Pigeons in the Park.
Audiences are promised to be laughing and singing through a great evening of cabaret entertainment, and it’s even family-friendly.
Another Unwasted Evening – The Genius of Tom Lehrer, Aug 4, 10, 14, 16, 18, 24, various times. Venue 125, artSpace@StMarks – Church. Suitability: 0+. Tickets £17.50 (£15 concession, £12.50 family).
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