With the world’s leading festival city now in full swing there’s a brilliant array of Australian and New Zealand talent to enjoy – both well-known established authors and artists and exciting, new performers and writers. Explore just some of the highlights below…
1-12, 14-26 August
The Executioners by Anya Anastasia (Aus)
OPERA, MUSIC THEATRE & CABARET
Award-winning musical-comedy maverick Anya Anastasia brandishes her razor-sharp satirical wit, gleefully attacking and dismembering perils of the modern world. Alongside musical partner-in-crime, Gareth Chin, she stalks the 21st-century landscape launching thrilling attacks on ecological screwups, techno obsessives and self-congratulatory slacktivist keyboard warriors. Unleash the fury.
1-12, 14-26 August
Michael Griffiths: Songs by Kylie (Aus)
COMEDY, MUSIC
He’s been Annie Lennox, Madonna and Cole Porter to great acclaim. Now Helpmann Award winner Michael Griffiths explores the songs, stories and locomotion of pop princess, Kylie Minogue. Put your hand on your heart and step back in time, Kylie wouldn’t change a thing!
1-24 August
Salon Mika on Bare Feet Street (NZ)
THEATRE, CABARET
The award-winning Salon Mika experience brings Mika back for his 10th Edinburgh Fringe. This salon of haka-vogue mixed with cabaret naughtiness explodes all over the city and introduces Tribal Pop Dance duo ‘Bare Feet Street’. Mika’s war dance in face paint and heels mashes and struts all over Eidyn.
1-26 August
Arthur Meek’s ‘Erewhon’ (NZ)
THEATRE, MUSIC
An antique magic lantern projector, an iPhone 6 and a live musical score shine a new light on Samuel Butler’s classic sci-fi novel, Erewhon. A Victorian explorer discovers a colony of refugees; time travellers from the 21st century escaping their dependence on technology. This neo-historical head-scratcher playfully welds future, past and present.
1-26 August
‘The Basement Tapes’ by Stella Reid (NZ)
THEATGRE
Twin Peaks meets Serial in this award-winning NZ mystery
Following her grandmother’s death, a girl faces the overwhelming task of clearing out her grandmother’s basement. She discovers a series of mysterious tape recordings made by her grandmother. As she listens to these tapes things begin to unravel…
1-26 August
‘Valerie’ by Robin Kelly, Cherie Moore, and Tom Broome (NZ)
Music, genetics, and storytelling combine to unravel one family’s history. A love letter from grandson to grandmother, this celebration of resilience is gig-theatre at its finest.
“as close to a perfect piece of theatre as I could think of … so violently to my taste that I wanted to keep it close to me forever” (Sam Brooks, Pantograph Punch)
1-26 August
Not in our Neighbourhood, by Tikapa Productions (NZ)
THEATRE
Maisey Mata, a filmmaker, is invited by the Women’s Refuge to document their clients in order to raise awareness about domestic violence. There, she encounters Sasha, Cat and Teresa, three individuals living together in The Safehouse, seeking solace and trying to rebuild their lives; all performed by award-winning actor Kali Kopae.
Jamie McCaskill’s refreshingly honest play takes a close look behind the mask of domestic violence – the despair, the misguided loyalties, the pain and the hope.
1-27 August
The Moa Show, by Tikapa Productions (NZ)
CABARET
Three lonely men are magically transported to a mythical land through the charms of a Maori busker. To get home they must seek the wisdom of the all-seeing Moa and escape the grips of a racist spotted Kiwi and a frustrated thrush.
2-27 August
Modern Maori Quartet: Two Worlds (NZ)
MUSIC
Returning to Edinburgh, Modern Maori Quartet’s live shows are parties like no other. With hearty voices in epic harmony, this award-winning contemporary Māori showband shares unique takes on showband hits and pop music, original songs interlaced with distinctive waiata (song) and dance, Māori traditions, aroha (love) and tongue-in-cheek humour, charm and charisma. A celebration of Kiwi music honouring the entertainment legends of Maoridom that is heartwarming and hilarious in equal measure.
2-27 August
‘Don Juan’, by Slightly Isolated Dog (NZ)
THEATRE
Don Juan: the world’s greatest lover, the most audacious of men. He does whatever he wants, lives big and loves big. An epic celebration of the boldness of love, Don Juan is an interactive performance party. Experience theatre at its most joyous with outrageous performances, twisted pop songs and brilliant physical comedy.
2 – 26 August
Jake Howie: Read My Lips (NZ)
THEATRE, COMEDY
Warm, quick-witted and ready to bring some well-needed positivity to 2018, newcomer Jake Howie brings his frank take on life, love, sex and politics to this year’s Fringe.
Join him as he takes you on a journey through the lens of an eternal optimist trying to grapple with the wild truths of today..
Aug 3-11, 13-18
Elicitations, by Hack Ballet (UK/Aus)
DANCE, THEATRE, CIRCUS
Elicitations features extracts from three poignant works by British/Australian choreographer Briar Adams. The cool and flawless dancers evoke the precarious boundaries between belonging and escape, in an eruption of emotionally charged and gracefully articulated contemporary ballet.
Aug 4-11
Kathy Lette’s Girl Talk (Aus)
COMEDY
It’s a psychological striptease with tales of love, lust, men, marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, mastitis, sexist bosses, teenage daughter wrangling, ageing, toy boys and Close Encounters of the George Clooney Kind! Kathy also talks poignantly about the trials, tribulations and hilarity of raising a child on the autistic spectrum.
From the times Jules came home from school with a sign sticky-taped to his back saying ‘kick me I’m a retard’ to his success playing Jason on Holby City. So, grab your girlfriends and come along. Wit, warmth and full frontal frankness, guaranteed.
Aug 11-14, 16-27
How to Drink Wine Like a Wanker, Anna Thomas (Adelaide, Australia)
THEATRE
We’ve all encountered the wine wankers’ insufferable diatribe. We endure it because we have no idea what they’re talking about.
Follow one woman’s accidental journey over 12 months from shallow wine novice to full-blown wine wanker. A little rudimentary knowledge to accompany her game face and voila, she became so much more!
August 24
Kiwi and Cobblestones: NZ Poetry Day in Edinburgh
As part of the biggest arts festival in the world, some of New Zealand’s best UK-based and visiting performers get together to celebrate NZ National Poetry Day.
With stories of being far from home, hilarious cultural differences and the challenges of a kiwi accent, James Nokise, Miss Leading, Sara Hirsch, Name UL, Toi Warbrick and Ben Fagan will create a small piece of Aotearoa in a bustling Edinburgh.
