Famous faces at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is a magnet for little-known young companies and performers hoping to make it big. But what about the established stars? Many return time and again to Edinburgh over the month of August, so it's a perfect opportunity to catch a few of your favourite celebrities too. Here's a few not to miss.

Head to our dedicated Edinburgh festivals page for all the up-to-the minute coverage.

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Rose McGowan

She's barely been out of the news of late, becoming a #MeToo figurehead and speaking out against sexual harassment in the creative industries. Here she arrives at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with her debut show, Planet 9, which is part spoken work, part talk, part performance art. McGowan's aim is to try to show you how to create a liberated, fairer society. Assembly Hall 15 to 18 August

Will Gompertz

BBC culture journo and regular TV pundit Will Gompertz brings a solo show to Edinburgh this year, ten years after his first. Informed by his taking a course in stand-up, you can expect laughs and charm as Gompertz surfs through the world of modern art. And he's expecting you to learn stuff, so bring your brain. Underbelly, Bristo Square 19 to 25 August

Eddie Izzard

A regular at the Fringe, comedian, activist and crossdresser Eddie Izzard is staging this work-in-progress piece, which is a mixture of reading and performance of Dickens' work Great Expectations. In fact, Izzard is returning home, in a sense, back to his first love of acting. Assembly George Square, 7 to 25 August

Stephen Fry

The great Stephen Fry brings his one-man show to Edinburgh as part of the Edinburgh International Festival this year. It's a trilogy focusing on the stories of Greek gods and various tales of love, war, debauchery and revenge. As Fry is a consummate performer, we're expecting each one to be a very enjoyable experience. Festival Theatre, 19 to 24 August

Ian McKellen

It's likely you will have heard something of the towering actor Ian Mckellen's remarkable decision to tour the UK in his 80th year in order to raise money for theatres up and down the country. This is his Edinburgh moment, where he returns to the venue where he made his Edinburgh International debut 50 years previously. Expect something special. Assembly Hall, 22 to 25 August

Marcus Brigstocke

Comedian and actor Marcus Brigstocke's new show was originally wrote for the radio. The Red is the story of a non-drinker who has been bequeathed a bottle of excellent wine by his late father. It's an intriguing premise and likely to come with a laugh or two. Brigstocke doesn't actually star in it, but it'll certainly have a buzz around it. King Dome @ Pleasance Dome, 31 July to 26 August

Hear Word! Naija Woman Talk True

You may have not heard of the celebrities in this piece for the Edinburgh International Festival, but they are pretty darn famous all the same. Here ten Nigerian stars of stage and screen including Ufuoma McDermott, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, Oluchi Odii and Elvina Ibru, come together to tell stories of inequality and transformation. The show offers a view on the sort of issues Nigerian women face in the world today. The Lyceum, 19 to 25 August

Musik

The Pet Shop Boys are behind this new musical, and yes, they are superstars. But we're also excited about the prospect of seeing legend Francis Barber step into the shoes of Billie Trix, the character she originated back in the early noughties. What a starry collaboration. Assembly Rooms, 5 to 25 August

Drowning

While there's not a famous face to see watching this new show from Jessica Ross, there's a famous name behind it. Carrie-Anne Moss, star of The Matrix, produces the show, which looks at what happened in 1991 when four Austrian nurses were charged with murdering 49 people in their beds. A thriller based on shocking real-life events. Pleasance Above, 31 July to 26 August

Superstar

There's something quite ironic about Nicola Wren making this list. But we're OK with it. While you probably won't have heard of Wren herself, her older brother is none other than Coldplay's Chris Martin. And while Wren has spent a long time avoiding any help from being associated with her brother, her show Superstar full-on embraces it. Expect a show that looks at the pressures of being the youngest sibling. But don't expect an appearance from Martin himself. Underbelly, Cowgate, 1 to 25 August