Bliss
The number landed first. Three hundred and fifty-one shows. That’s how many have stepped out into the light today, marking the first official reveal for the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
It’s Wednesday 11 February, still very much winter, and yet by midday the Fringe has reminded everyone what’s coming. Theatre, circus, cabaret, comedy, dance, children’s shows, music, musicals and spoken word are all represented in this first batch, spanning 24 countries and 70 venues across the city. All of them now live and waiting to be found.
The announcement comes from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, with further waves due in April and May ahead of the full programme launch in June. More shows than ever are going on sale this February, and there’s a clear encouragement to audiences to start early — browse, bookmark, and back the work that excites you before August crowds take over.
Even in this opening drop, patterns are already forming. Cabaret alone stretches from the darkly playful to the politically pointed. Sexy Circus Sideshow 3.0 arrives at Assembly with a mix of fetish, burlesque and circus, while Hot Flush – A Bold, We’re Old(ish) Burlesque Show at The Speakeasy celebrates performers aged 40+ reclaiming visibility and power. Over at Le Monde, Angela Jackson blends song, philosophy and storytelling in the wonderfully titled When Harry Met Sally Met Julie Met Jazz Met Kierkegaard Met Jung Met Lovely Johnny Marr.
Magic and mentalism are well represented too. Colin Cloud brings Hoax to the Pleasance, promising psychological insight alongside jaw-dropping illusions, while Max Davidson’s Strangers at Just the Tonic is built entirely from audience thoughts, meaning no two shows will ever be the same. Angus Baskerville’s Unmasked at theSpaceUK mixes magic with lived experience, exploring autism, ADHD and what it means to stop hiding.
Children’s shows are already making their presence felt. The Listies return to Assembly with 110% Ready, a high-energy comedy disaster movie about the morning routine, while Ray Bubbles’ SEND Bubble Show at Just the Tonic is inspired by his work with special schools and designed to be accessible for children and adults with additional needs. A Pirate Adventure! at theSpaceUK promises big songs and big energy for little Fringe-goers.
Comedy fans will spot plenty of familiar faces alongside newer voices. Sounds Queer to Me at Greenside blends stand-up with musical theatre, while Alastair Clark performs On The Record in an actual independent record shop as part of PBH’s Free Fringe. Irene Woo’s Golden Child at Just the Tonic takes on tech culture, identity and relationships, and cabaret provocateur Frank Sanazi returns to Le Monde with two very different shows. Scottish talent is strongly represented too, with Susie McCabe, Connor Burns, Daniel Sloss and Craig Hill all confirmed, alongside returning favourites including Rosie Jones and Sophie Duker.
Beyond comedy, dance, physical theatre and circus are tackling weightier themes. SAND at Summerhall follows two characters navigating life with dementia through non-verbal circus theatre, while Box [M] at theSpaceUK explores growing up transgender in an Asian American immigrant household using only visual storytelling, dance and acrobatics. Underbelly welcomes back Black Blues Brothers: Let’s Twist Again!, promising rock’n’roll, human pyramids and gravity-defying stunts.
Music spills into churches, hotels and unexpected corners of the city. From Hot Dub Time Machine’s all-era house party at Assembly, to wartime knitting songs in Stitch in Time at theSpaceUK, to jazz lunches, gospel history and Antarctic-inspired compositions, the range is already vast. Tribute shows are lining up too, with nods to Stevie Nicks, ABBA, Amy Winehouse, Springsteen and Madonna.
Musicals and theatre are equally varied. Bliss arrives at the Pleasance to rewrite the fairy tale rulebook, while GIRLZ at Gilded Balloon follows a girl band chasing success. Trainspotting Live returns for its tenth Fringe season at the EICC, pulling audiences directly into the action, and productions like The Yellow Wallpaper, Wiesenthal and JOSIAH show the festival continuing to wrestle with history, justice and mental health.
This is only the first reveal, and it’s already too big to hold neatly. That’s the point. The Fringe doesn’t ask to be understood all at once — it asks you to start somewhere.
One show. One title that sticks. One ticket booked in February that carries you through the rest of the year.
This was just the first delivery. The route’s only just begun.
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