Fringe 2026

Whether they were contorting their bodies 20 feet in the air or staggering across a dim stage exploding balloons, the energy radiating from Vertical Dreamscape was hypnotizing. The New York-based Aerial Collective delivered a hauntingly beautiful performance that remained with me long after the lights went out. Donna Carnow and Gina Alm are the heart and soul of Vertical Dreamscape, a collective specializing in aerial pole art. Dusk/Night/Dawn is their latest vision which co

Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorised Musical Parody combines its source material with a campy layer of satire that makes it a thrilling ride from start to finish. If you’ve ever wanted to be taken through the story of Heated Rivalry by 3 repressed middle-aged mothers (all coincidentally named Susan), there is nowhere you could get that better than this production. The direction by Alan Kliffer is fantastic, every actor is intensely aware of their role and gives exactly how much

“A clown needs the audience’s help to deliver letters across time and space. Through joyful participation, you are invited to embrace the unexpected, explore the beauty of human connection, and make sure the postman completes his galaxy-spanning paper route.” There are some shows at the Fringe where you know exactly what you’re getting. TIME TRAVEL POSTMAN is not one of them. A clown. A pile of letters. A galaxy-spanning postal route. Time travel. Audience participation. And

“Jack is struggling, and everyone else seems to be moving on. Getting ahead. He needs a break, and when it finally comes, it’s the worst thing that could ever happen.” Daniel Adolfsson's direction is clear and effective. The production makes good use of the space without making the staging more complicated than it needs to be. Everything has a purpose, and the transitions keep the story moving without drawing attention away from the central character. The staging has a pleasi

“Created from interviews and the lived experiences of an international ensemble, the piece uses masks, puppetry and poetic movement to illuminate border crossings, exile, the search for belonging and the barriers imposed by others. As hostility toward immigrants intensifies, this visually arresting performance moves beyond headlines to reveal deeply human stories of courage, loss and resilience. Urgent and intimate, it asks audiences to reflect on migration, memory and compas

“Max is back and sorting through some boxes, but what will he find? Most likely a mixture of puppet characters, sketches and stand-up for you to rummage through. There’ll be family history, charity shopping, financial advice and more!” If you have ever wondered what would happen if somebody combined a loft clear-out, stand-up comedy, ventriloquism and a slightly concerning amount of cardboard, MAX FULHAM: MEMORY FOAM has the answer. And thankfully, it is very, very funny. The

“Join us on an authentically American musical journey, using Guthrie’s own words and over two dozen of his timeless songs in one joyous, toe-tapping musical. Performed by a multi-talented group of actor-musicians playing more than a dozen instruments.” Nick Corley's direction is confident and refreshingly unfussy. Rather than constantly reminding us that we are watching theatre, Corley lets the material do the heavy lifting. The performers move between storytelling, character

“Hair is everything. Until it’s not, this one-hour, one-woman, one-night stand of a show is about Amy. Everyone wants to be Amy. Until her hair falls out in all the wrong places. What follows is a knotty mess of swimming caps, cat shit and four-finger foreheads. Things buried threaten to rear their ugly bald head. She can’t stop thinking about the door. Her bedroom door. And the man hiding behind it. Now Amy attempts to take back her body, one fake eyebrow at a time. This sho

“Tom explores love, loss and hope growing up in an alcoholic, dysfunctional family, showing how trauma shapes our lives. Offering that no matter how dark the past, the present holds the possibility of light.” The direction is good and clear. You immediately understand what the production is trying to do, and the story is presented with confidence. I particularly liked the use of the space, with the staging feeling natural rather than overly complicated. The direction knows wh

“Four actors and a Foley artist perform a live, shot-for-shot parody of the greatest Christmas film of all time.” Kristin McCarthy Parker's direction is great. There are some brilliant uses of the space, and I particularly appreciate the decision not to do every single scene in front of the cameras and screens. Some moments are played directly to the audience, which stops the production from feeling like we are simply watching a screen being made in front of us. It keeps the

“A father dreams of dying. A daughter dreams of living. A seagull dreams of being human. Francis is caged in his home by devotion, duty and a devastating diagnosis. A seagull offers an escape: it will nest inside his body, take control and free his pregnant daughter from the burden of his care. But what begins as selfless sacrifice risks becoming violent surrender.” Ben Stansby's direction is so brilliant. It knows exactly what it wants to achieve and, more importantly, knows

“A high-energy, one-act immersive musical that reframes A Midsummer Night’s Dream through the lens of Shakespeare’s most unlikely dreamer. Staying true to the text and set against live bluegrass music, it carries audiences to a fairy revel in the mountains. Bottom’s transformation collides with Oberon, Titania, and Puck’s mischief, blending aerial work, clowning, acrobatics, dance and immersive audience interaction.” Jimmy Kontos's direction is strong. It caters well to the t

“An asteroid hurtles toward Earth, threatening total annihilation. Meanwhile ego, denial, faith and petty squabbles ripple through a world teetering on the edge. Dark, loud and gloriously anarchic, Armageddon Outta Here is the apocalypse we deserve.” Chris Roberts' direction is brilliant. It knows exactly what it wants to achieve and does it in a brilliantly clear way. The staging has real confidence, letting the sketches move quickly without ever feeling like the production

Jimmy Kontos's direction was strong. I really liked the immersive environment, and be prepared to talk with the cast because this isn't a show where you can sit quietly and hope nobody notices you! The immersive technique feels completely at home in this chaotic world and helps make every performance feel slightly different. The choreography by Tara Lynn Steele was stunning. It is sexy, energetic, and somehow still beautifully put together. The puppetry was beautifully execut

Bride To Be is a high-energy solo comedy about wedding planning, expectations and all the wonderfully ridiculous things that apparently come with saying "I do". Written and performed by Meg Millane, it aims at wedding culture, family expectations, and the pressure surrounding marriage, with characters, story, and plenty of theatrical energy along the way. Meaghan McLeod's direction is okay. There are some nice choices within the staging, and the production keeps moving at a d

Jon Brittain's direction is masterful. Everything makes sense in the most wonderfully crazy way possible. An incredibly strong sense of control runs beneath all the chaos, with every reveal, transition, and comic beat feeling carefully considered. It knows exactly what kind of show it wants to be and commits fully. Cecilia Carey's set and costume design is simply stunning. This does not look like a typical Fringe set. Not even remotely. We are presented with large-scale sceni

"Millennials like Jean grew up with Britney Spears. Over the course of an hour see how the princess of pop influenced Jean's life and how the connections shared between them lead to an unbelievable moment of self-discovery." The direction by David Shopland is well thought out. There are a couple of slightly odd moments where the choices don't completely land, but on the whole there is a nice, cohesive vision that is executed beautifully. The production knows exactly what kind

"Exploring the anxiety-fuelled existence of an Australian swing, this one-woman catastrophe follows an understudy who's put everything on hold for her moment in the spotlight. She'll do anything for the stage... no matter the cost. Subversive, silly and unflinchingly honest, The Understudy traverses jealousy, self-righteousness and the price of desire in a profoundly dark comedy that turns on a dime." The direction by Olivia Charalambous is mostly good. There is a clear sense

There are some shows where you spend the entire performance wondering how on earth they are managing to do what they are doing. Noted is very much one of those shows. A completely non-verbal, fast-paced visual comedy extravaganza packed with hand-drawn illustrations, live camera work, movement, music, and an almost absurd level of timing, this is theatre reduced to its most playful form. And somehow, it all works. The direction was brilliant. Everything feels perfected down t

There is something wonderfully charismatic about Gerry Carroll: YOUNG. A solo show combining comedy, storytelling, clowning, music, movement and even a few shot glasses, it is a warm and thoroughly entertaining hour that comes across less like watching a comedian perform at you and more like spending time with someone who has a very good story to tell and is absolutely determined to make you laugh along the way. The sound is nicely balanced. In a space as small as the Attic,