Romeo and Juliet review – Russell Kane and Natalie Casey turn love’s young dream into a midlife fling by Mark Fisher

New Vic, Newcastle-under-LymeCacophonous and comedic staging sees an experienced, older duo engage in an enthusiastic liaison rather than a rebellious first romanceAs in any production of Sh…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:45am on September 23, 2026☆⚑

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time review – a fun and inventive sensory assault by Mark Fisher

Birmingham RepAlex Keenan perfectly captures protagonist Chris’s bewilderment and cheeriness in Ned Bennett’s ambitious new staging The most alarming moment in Mark Haddon’s young adul…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:35am on September 20, 2026☆⚑

Letter to Brezhnev review – terrific return for Merseysiders’ romance with Russian sailors by Mark Fisher

Royal Court, LiverpoolEllie Clayton and Angela Simms are superb in a funny, tender adaptation that hugs close to the 1985 filmBy some quirk of marketing, Letter to Brezhnev is always associa…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:55pm on September 18, 2026☆⚑

Iron review – a real-life mother and daughter add extra dimension to prison drama by Mark Fisher

Home, ManchesterRona Munro’s understated untangling of a fractured relationship is revived with Christine and Lois MackieYou can see why they cast real-life mother and daughter Christine a…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:45am on September 18, 2026☆⚑

The Bridge review – a funny, furious odyssey through occupation by Mark Fisher

Assembly George Square studios, EdinburghWriter and actor Alaa Shehada turns a simple bus trip from the West Bank into a vivid tale of bureaucracy, humiliation and resistanceIt is the simpli…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:20am on August 30, 2026☆⚑

The Trials of Magnus Coffinkey review – time stands still at 3.43am in fringe fairytale by Mark Fisher

Summerhall, EdinburghAngele and Malcolm Galea’s two-hander cycles through grief and sorrow as a broken-hearted hero is trapped in purgatoryA fairytale plunges the reader into a dilemma the…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 2:25am on August 29, 2026☆⚑

Clown Show review – after 250 years, the American dream explodes over one anarchic night by Mark Fisher

King’s theatre, Edinburgh The pranks and pratfalls in Geoff Sobelle’s show mark the US’s 250th anniversary with nihilistic excessThey are a forlorn lot, this bunch who shuffle glumly t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:15am on August 28, 2026☆⚑

Penelope review – Odysseus’s other half sings of her own twists and turns by Mark Fisher

Underbelly, Cowgate, EdinburghGrace McLean brings vocal and emotional range in the central role of Alex Bechtel’s Homeric song cycleShe is the one played by Anne Hathaway in Christopher No…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 2:05am on August 27, 2026☆⚑

Goodbye Dandelion review – ode to a fabulous friendship with a 50-year age gap by Mark Fisher

Underbelly, Edinburgh Maddie and Marcus Rice relate with words and songs the lessons passed on from one woman to a younger oneAn unexpected theme on this year’s Edinburgh fringe is assiste…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:55pm on August 24, 2026☆⚑

Haribo Kimchi review – Korean snack bar serves lessons in belonging by Mark Fisher

Festival theatre studio, Edinburgh Jaha Koo cooks up street-food treats for two lucky theatregoers as he reflects on how food preserves memory and cultural identity, with the help of a snail…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:50am on August 23, 2026☆⚑

Hang Time review – a chilling picture of the horrors of racial violence by Mark Fisher

Royal Lyceum theatre, EdinburghThree men bicker and reflect like they’re chatting at a bar – yet this grimly beautiful piece of theatre at the Edinburgh international festival won’t le…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:00am on August 22, 2026☆⚑

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

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 subtext…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:35am on August 22, 2026☆⚑

A History of Paper review – Shirley Henderson and Alan Cumming sing a fragile romance by Mark Fisher

Pitlochry Festival theatreOliver Emanuel’s musical love story between tenement neighbours is told via origami gifts and restaurant receiptsIt started as a BBC radio drama in 2016, and was …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:35am on August 21, 2026☆⚑

Badgers review – the audience investigates in this true-crime podcast yarn by Mark Fisher

Traverse theatre, EdinburghMalaika Kegode delivers a supernatural story about the strange disappearance of a maudlin folk singerPlaywright and performer Malaika Kegode tops and tails this sh…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:55am on August 21, 2026☆⚑

Little Animals review – Motherland milquetoast creates a clever climate plea by Mark Fisher

Traverse at Royal Lyceum Studio, EdinburghPaul Ready’s playwriting debut expertly utilises his bumbling acting persona to examine what is enough in our response to climate emergencyNobody …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:50am on August 20, 2026☆⚑

Giraffe review – sparkling one-woman show stands out from the crowd by Mark Fisher

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghAn unlikely relationship blossoms in Abigail Weinstock’s compelling and touching solo dramaIt takes a brave writer/performer to make her character a sociopath…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:40pm on August 19, 2026☆⚑

Robot helpers and flying houses: Edinburgh fringe tips for families by Mark Fisher

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...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:00am on August 18, 2026☆⚑

Tether 인연 review – romantic ceilidh skips from Scotland to South Korea by Mark Fisher

Summerhall, EdinburghLove stories ring across the generations in this charming fusion of traditional dance and music from two culturesConnections are found in surprising places. You can get …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:30am on August 17, 2026☆⚑

The Jolly Fisherman review – last orders for an east London boozer in tense tale by Mark Fisher

Underbelly, George Square, EdinburghA real-life pub closure inspires a sensitive and subtle drama about friendship and community by John DinneenTwo years ago, it was reported that a pub in B…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 1:00am on August 17, 2026☆⚑

Blackbox review – a legendary escape from slavery is told with magic tricks by Mark Fisher

Underbelly, Edinburgh The story of Henry ‘Box’ Brown, who succeeded in mailing himself out of bondage, is recounted rather than fully dramatisedHenry “Box” Brown is wrapped up in cha…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:15pm on August 16, 2026☆⚑

Four Walls and a Roof review – fascinating tale of Brecht, the red scare and today’s émigrés by Mark Fisher

Studio Theatre, EdinburghRabih Mroué and Lina Majdalanie explore the playwright’s life, and their journey from Beirut to Berlin, in an absorbing show at the Edinburgh international festi…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:00am on August 16, 2026☆⚑

Angels in America review – Tony Kushner’s five-hour fever dream predicts and reflects the US at 250 by Mark Fisher

King’s theatre, EdinburghPeople, ideas and scenes wash over each other in Ivo van Hove’s masterly staging at the Edinburgh international festivalCould Tony Kushner’s sprawling fever-dr…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:55am on August 16, 2026☆⚑

The Singer review – come on feel the noise with KT Tunstall’s glowing gig theatre by Mark Fisher

Traverse theatre, EdinburghIn Cora Bissett’s highly enjoyable and accessible show, a deaf man reintroduces a busker to the joy of music‘There are other ways to listen,” says Joe (Jamie…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:30am on August 16, 2026☆⚑

Come Back Home review – loss and love in Palestinian artist’s intriguing fringe hour by Mark Fisher

Summerhall, EdinburghFadi Murad’s unconventional drama is a collage structured with the free-form imagination of a poetLast year, a group of Scottish producers staged a four-day mini festi…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:45pm on August 13, 2026☆⚑

Turn Your F*cking Phones Off review – a tremendous takedown of big tech by Mark Fisher

Summerhall, EdinburghHannah Maxwell quits doomscrolling and turns her attention to tech bros’ targeted assault on democracy and our smartphone-addicted complicityLast year, Hannah Maxwell …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:20am on August 13, 2026☆⚑