2023 Edinburgh Fringe Reviews

All of our 2023 Edinburgh Fringe reviews (so far) in one place!

Follow us on Insta & Twitter to get a heads up on what we’re seeing before we publish our reviews. And don’t miss our 50 Unmissable Shows at Edinburgh Fringe 2023 Preview!

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  Egg: Absolutely Fine at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★25/08/2023
  Sketch comedy duo Egg – Anna Leong Brophy and Emily Lloyd-Saini – are back after a pandemic-induced absence and nothing has changed….except it has.
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  Truly, Madly, Baldy at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★17/08/2023
  Truly, Madly, Baldy is a deft two man show about self and societal acceptance after experiencing hair loss.
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  Party Ghost at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★14/08/2023
  A circus show which delivers on visuals & vibe – but somewhat forgets the circus.
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  Afrique en Cirque at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★14/08/2023
  A gently entertaining parade of rhythmic acrobatics, just lacking the knock-out dramatics.
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  The Retreat at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★14/08/2023
  A French & Saunders-style duo host this menses-heavy variety showcase – with a massive singalong moment for fans of naughties MySpace indie pop!
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  ELVIS DIED OF BURGERS at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★★14/08/2023
  For a show which places death in its title, this is a beautiful, life-affirming show from BLINK Dance Theatre!
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  Strategic Love Play at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★½14/08/2023
  Love and dating go wrong then right then wrong again, as Miriam Battye’s Strategic Love Play flits between searing analysis of the transactionality of modern dating and sweet romcom.
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  Nova at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★★12/08/2023
  A one-woman powerhouse performance of love and self-worth.
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  It’s a Motherf**king Pleasure at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★12/08/2023
  A revolutionary meta-comedy about disability politics and using identity to sell.
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  IMA at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★★12/08/2023
  An unmissable transcendental immersive wonder, like being in the company of an angel – the must-see show of 2023.
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  Sophie’s Surprise 29th at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★½12/08/2023
  Individual circus brilliance shines through in a new show which feels like a theme in search of a cohesive narrative.
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  Please Love Me at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★12/08/2023
  Pole dancing and gig-theatre combine for this autobiographical show of two halves which ultimately finds a startlingly emotional depth.
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  Sugar and Blood at Edinburgh Fringe ★★½12/08/2023
  A promising concept is let down by some clunky scripting – but there’s no denying the commitment of the four young performers.
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  Stamptown Comedy Night at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★½11/08/2023
  A batshit crazy variety night of lols, with everyone’s favourite slime ball Jack Tucker (Zach Zucker) and friends.
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  OSCAR at The Crown at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★11/08/2023
  An addictive technicolour trip into the Wilde life!
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  Living Legends (And Dead Ones Too) at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★★11/08/2023
  Brigitte Aphrodite takes you on a legendary journey bursting with joy, lols and unsung heroes.
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  Mark Silcox: Women Only at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★11/08/2023
  Impossible-to-describe deadpan delivery that is impossible not to love!
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  Hello Kitty Must Die at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★11/08/2023
  A feminist Sex in the City style murder romp, destroying submissive female Asian stereotypes.
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  After The Act (A Section 28 Musical) ★★11/08/2023
  A VHS glitchy, verbatim docu-musical with little heart and too many facts.
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  Pleasure Little Treasure at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★11/08/2023
  Estonian actor and theatre-maker Elina Alminas delivers an eye-opening autobiographical tour-de-force of strip club memories and Happy Meal fantasies.
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  What Does Stuff Do? at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★½11/08/2023
  Or more appropriately, How Does Juggling Work? Fun and educational hour tackling the nuts and bolts of throwing and catching.
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  Santi and Naz at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★11/08/2023
  The Thelmas return to the Fringe with a brilliant two-hander exploring queer love, identity and loyalty in pre-partition India.
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  CREEKSHOW at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★½11/08/2023
  A love letter to To Do List’s home ‘town’, and an enthralling multimedia exploration of the threat of urban regeneration.
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  Creepy Boys at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★11/08/2023
  Unnerving, comic clowning from S.E. Grummett & Sam Kruger as twin boys celebrating their 13th birthday as only a pair of horny little devils can!
• 
  Sea Words at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★½11/08/2023
  An undeniably impressive solo performance from Olly Gully feels like watching a nervous breakdown unfold before your eyes.
• 
  Fiona Allen: On The Run at Edinburgh Fringe ★★10/08/2023
  A lukewarm, safe stand up debut from one of the UK’s finest comedy actresses.
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  Party Scene: Chemsex. Community. Crisis. at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★10/08/2023
  A dance theatre exploration of chemsex that needs to inhale deeper.
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  Growler at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★10/08/2023
  A witchy ritual with the Mother of God – AKA the divine feminine vagina.
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  Cross Country Weirdos at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★10/08/2023
  A super fun global gameshow with cheeky comic hosts Robyn Perkins and Andrew Silverwood.
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  Magic for Animals at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★10/08/2023
  Liz Toonkel achieves the impossible, fusing heartfelt sleepover confessions with insane animal magic.
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  One Way Out at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★10/08/2023
  Theatre Peckham’s first resident company NO TABLE Productions present an engaging snapshot of the challenges facing young British Caribbeans in Britain’s hostile environment.
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  Self-Raising at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★★10/08/2023
  Graeae Artistic Director Jenny Sealey delivers a generous warm hug of a show which explores family secrets and the power of truth-telling.
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  Huge Davies: Whodunnit at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★½10/08/2023
  A scratchy throat and some interestingly timed audience loo breaks can’t stop Huge Davies from knocking this wonder of stand-up narrative trickery out of the park!
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  John Tothill: The Last Living Libertine at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★★09/08/2023
  John Tothill delivers an absolute masterclass in audience control, with this inspired, wine-fuelled cabaret-cum-seminar on post-reformation pleasure.
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  Mamoun Elagab: Why I Love White People at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★09/08/2023
  An ambitious hour which falls short in the execution, but undeniably shows promise.
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  Trash Salad at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★★09/08/2023
  Enjoy salad, tortoises, sex and body positivity in this queer-femme masterstroke of physical comedy fantasia. 
• 
  Don Biswas – The Revolution Will Be Disorganised at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★★09/08/2023
  A refreshingly honest hour of hilarity and speaking truth to power. Frankie Boyle listen up: its dyspraxic Don who’s leading the socialist revolution. 
• 
  Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★1/209/08/2023
  Superstar performances from standout stars aren’t quite supported by the show itself understanding what makes the whodunnit genre so addictive.
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  Kissing a Fool at Edinburgh Fringe ★★09/08/2023
  A messy, discordant hour telling the painful side of the George Michael saga with occasional moments of weird wonder.
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  Lorna Rose Treen: Skin Pigeon at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★09/08/2023
  Uncategorisable bonkersness from sold-out runaway surreal anarchic comedy queen, Lorna Rose Treen.
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  The 5th Alternative Black Comedy Showcase at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★★09/08/2023
  An unmissable hour of Black and underrepresented top-tier talent expertly presided over by Che Burnley (from Oldham).
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  52 Monologues for Young Transsexuals at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★★09/08/2023
  In a city still seemingly proud to stake its claim as the birth place of the boy wizard that shall not be named, Laurie Ward and Charli Cowgill deliver an unpacking of 21st century transfeminine life that is both searingly honest and exhilaratingly entertaining.
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  Sing, River at Edinburgh Fringe ★★★½09/08/2023
  Nathaniel Jones delivers a technically impressive hour of solo storytelling, song & movement – which perhaps deserves more than 60 minutes to breathe.
• 
  50 Unmissable Shows at Edinburgh Fringe 202301/08/2023
  After three years away, To Do List will return to review the very best that the Edinburgh Fringe festival has to offer! But first, we preview the most intriguing shows in the Edinburgh Fringe programme – look no further for the most unmissable quirky, offbeat, and downright amazing events at this years Fringe!
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  Edinburgh Fringe Previews: Nan, Me & Barbara Pravi ★★★★ Body Show ★★★★★ Dugsi Dayz ★★★★★31/07/2023
  We preview three unmissable shows in London ahead of their Edinburgh Fringe runs. Get the lowdown before the festival even starts.

Rupert & Stuart

Occasionally the To Do List team are forced to work together.

Rupert likes: free, cheap & offbeat London, especially: cabaret, art, theatre, pop-ups, eating out, quirky films, museums, day trips, social enterprise & much more.

Stuart likes: nice pubs, film marathons, not doing real marathons, bad comedy, plays/musicals with shorter second halves, and the Oxford comma.