Leonardo Hotels Last Minute Guide for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Weekender

Thinking of heading up to Edinburgh Fringe Festival? Not sure where to begin sifting through the hundreds of events and shows? Take a look at our handy Edinburgh Fringe Festival Last minute Weekender Guide…

There are hundreds of shows to choose from at Edinburgh Fringe and it can be a little overwhelming looking through the options, especially if you haven’t set a date to go!
So whether you’re headed up alone, with the family, or with a friend or partner, we have collected together a plethora of great shows to check out - all of which run throughout the festival, so if you’re unsure of when you might travel to Edinburgh, you won’t miss out. When planning your trip, don’t forget to take a look at Leonardo Royal Hotel Edinburgh rates.

Without much further ado, here’s Leonardo Hotel's taster of Edinburgh Fringe Festival…

Children’s Shows

The Amazing Bubble Man

This show offers artistry, comedy and some incredibly big bubbles! From bubble tricks, bubble volcanoes and much more, this Amazing Bubble Man will keep families of all ages entertained.

The Bubble man is located at The Assembly Rooms at £11 a ticket. The Show runs from July 31st until August 25th.

The Adventure

Get involved in an adventure as you help find an abducted scientist! The Adventure interactive theatre will keep your children thoroughly entertained as they discover clues, solve mysteries, and crack codes. Engagement and entertainment- what more could you want?

The Adventure costs £12 a ticket or £40 for a family of 4. It is located at Pleasance Courtyard, which has seven bars (parents) and three cafes that serve food all day. The Adventure runs from August 2nd until August 25th.

The Magical Playroom

Popular CBeebies presenter Cerrie Burnell stars in a new show inspired by her own childhood and includes specially composed music. Aimed for littleuns of ages 3-6 this story is based on a little girl who wants to be a ballerina like her mother, however when she is told she has to wear a false arm for dance classes she rebels and escapes to her secret playroom.

This performance runs from July 31st until August 18th at Pleasance Courtyard and tickets cost £9.50.

Cabaret (Adults!)

Ali McGregor's Late-Nite Variety-Nite Night

This late night show combines fabulous comedy, burlesque and cabaret in one saucy explosion of a show. With a little of everything from comedians, cabaret renegades, impressive circus acts and of course wonderfully talented Burlesque dancers, this show will not disappoint!

The show runs at Assembly Checkpoint from August 1st - 25th with tickets priced at £14.

Ballesque

With classically trained dancers mixing a little jazz, some impressive dance skills, and a pinch of drama to entertain, tease and tickle, Ballesque will blow your socks off with humour and fun. This exceptional company, Fait Accompli, performed at some of the Key Venues for the 2012 Olympics.
Ballesque runs from August 1st – 25th at the New Town Theatre and costs £14 a ticket.

Comedy

AAA Batteries (The Symposium)

A new late night comedy show sure to give you plenty of laughs, anything with the tagline Drunk Comedy for Smart People is going to offer an evening of merriment and laughter as comic geniuses take the stage.
The show is Free but with an 18+ rating. It runs from August 1st – 25th at The Counting house which has two bars with a wide range of beers, wine and spirits.

Adam Strauss: The Mushroom Cure

This show is something a little different. Adam Strauss embarked on a journey inspired by a scientific study showing that hallucinogenic mushrooms can potentially cure Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Strauss followed his own programme of Psychopharmacology and the Mushroom Cure is his hilarious recounting of his experience. Tickets cost just £9 and the show runs from August 1st – 25th at the Underbelly, Cowgate venue

Afternoon Delight

This show is perfect for the last minute Fringe weekender. The ‘Just the Tonic’. Group have eight venues across Edinburgh Fringe offering a mix of comedy and theatre. The Afternoon Delight offers audiences sample shows of various comedians/performers within one hour. You can get a sense of which performers’ individual shows you’d like to go see and you get a little taster of everything, theatre comedy and performance styles.

Variety, cheap, cheerful and value for money all in one package with tickets only costing £5. The show runs from August 1st – 25th, perfect those on a last minute trip and it’s housed in one of the best (and most unique) venues in Edinburgh, The Caves.


Alfie Brown: The Revolting Youth

Stand-up comedian Alfie Brown is a highly praised new voice on the comedy circuit. Intellectual, a little political and very funny, this stand-up comedian isn’t one to miss. His show runs from August 1st – 25th at the Underbelly, Cowgate and tickets cost £10.

Dance and Physical Theatre

Fright or Flight

A little abstract, theatre, and dance, this circus group bring an outstanding performance to the stage. Be amazed by fantastic poses and impressive strength as Australia’s Circus performers wow you with Fright or Flight.

Fright or Flight runs from July 31st until August 26th at Assembly Roxy (a beautifully converted former chapel) - tickets cost £15.

Bianco

NoFit State Circus are the performers to see! Their Incredible and seductive Circus skills will draw you into a mind-blowing, breath-taking (literally) and graceful yet bold performance. Combined with a live band, this show will explode from the stage and encase you in contemporary Circus.

The show is running from the 2nd – 26th August and is to be found at the NoFit State Big Top. Tickets are a little pricier than other shows at £18, but we think it’s well worth the money.

Chaucer All Strung Up (The Franklin's Tale)

This is a great performance for all the family, from puppets, live music and dance to stunning and jaw-dropping aerial acrobatics. Immerse yourself in Edinburgh Fringe’s carnival spirit and let yourself be whisked away into the world of Chaucer.

Chaucer All Strung Up can be found at C venues- C Nova from July 31st until August 26th with Tickets costing £10.50 for adults and £6.50 for children.

This is just a quick guide to some of the acts we think are worth a visit if you head up to Edinburgh. However, if none of these Leonardo Hotel picks really catch your fancy, , there is still so much to explore! Further categories include Live music (Check out Absoloutely Free Live music), Musicals and Operas (Adam and Eve: The Musical), Theatre, Exhibitions (We recommend the 151st International Exhibition of Photography), Events, and Spoken Word.

Last Minute Tips?

Edinburgh Fringe festival has a huge range of things to do and if you’re only going for a couple of days branch out and do a little bit of everything- immerse yourself in Fringe!

If you’re a ‘fly by the seat of your pants’ kind of person, it’s worth checking out the Half Price Hut for reduced-price tickets of shows running that day. Also keep an eye out for 2 for 1 tickets if you’re with a friend or partner.

Dress wisely- Edinburgh is famous for displaying all weather types in one day. It may be August but make sure you’re prepared for a downpour just in case- there is nothing worse than getting caught out and spending the day cold and wet...

Get into the Festival spirit and mingle! Edinburgh’s population triple during the Fringe Festival so it is likely you’ll end up in a few queues but the best way to combat queue boredom is to talk to someone new, find out their story, and maybe pick up some festival tips or recommendations.