The queues outside Monkey Barrel are heaving for a reason. Fatiha El-Ghorri brings raw charisma to the stage to dismantle stereotypes and leave you feeling like you just spent an hour with a hilarious new best friend. You need to see this.
Join in the fun with festivals in Edinburgh
During the month of August, Edinburgh is home to some of the biggest and most renowned festivals in the world; Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Edinburgh International Film Festival, and Edinburgh Book Festival.
Tourists flock from around the world to attend some of the most prestigious, weird, whacky and exciting events you'll find. There are performers on the streets, and almost every single pub and club is turned into a venue for the Fringe. We're big fans, but it can also feel like a lot when you haven't experienced it before.
Luckily, there are handy brochures and all the information you'll need is online - from high-ticket, exclusive and limited-run shows, to free Fringe shows where you can just turn up on the night, and only pay what you feel like. There's something for everyone, and we're here to cover as much of it as humanly possible!
Our Edinburgh Festival Guide partners
Edinburgh Reviews is not an "influencer" and the site relies on tips and partners.
A review of Matthew Gallagher: Last Minute, Fringe 2026
A really fun hour of impressions, observational comedy and crowdwork. A strong debut from Gallagher, if not the most polished – with a bit more confidence, he’ll definitely be one to watch in the coming years!
Review: NewsRevue, Fringe 2026
A hilarious musical parody comedy sketch show on all things political and current affairsy. If the real news is bringing you down, this feels like the antidote.
Review: Final Queen, Fringe 2026
A really joyful and gloriously sequinned performance from an absolute tour-de-force who commands the stage and entertains with seamless musical numbers, dancing, acrobatics, crowdwork and more!
Review: Tale of the Firebird – Concerto for Violin, Fire & Acrobatic Orchestra, Fringe 2026
If the combination of live strings music, acrobatics and aerial arts sounds appealing, this show combines them wonderfully! Would certainly recommend this show to anyone who is curious to see these art forms merged in one show. It is very impressive!
A review of John Robertson: Excitable Boy! Fringe 2026
I’ve heard good things about John Robertson. People queued early to make sure they got into this free show. That made me even more keen to find out what this show would be like. He didn’t disappoint, this was a chaotically entertaining hour!
Review: Both Sides… Phil Collins and Genesis Celebrated, Fringe 2026
Proof that Phil Collins still wins over every generation. Night Owl Shows delivers a tight, energetic retrospective inside one of the most comfortable musical rooms at the Fringe.
Review: Material Girl – Madonna The Icon, Fringe 2026
From early pop anthems to show-stopping musical ballads, Night Owl Shows brings Madonna’s catalogue to life with remarkable vocal precision at Surgeons’ Hall.