Edinburgh Fringe top picks: day five

Sadly, I’m not able to attend the Edinburgh Festivals this year due to family commitments and logistical hurdles. While not dishing out the stars (there’ll be some lovely WOS critics doing that very soon!), it still felt vital to use WhatsOnStage’s channels to platform exciting work that those frequenting the Fringe may be interested in. So here’s eight days, 24 shows and some tentative recommendations. This time around – I’ve decided to spotlight venue operator theSpace – a venue that does a fairly fantastic job incubating and celebrating new writing talent.

See the full list of picks so far here.

A Xerox of a Deer

Irish queerness and roadkill come together in a smorgasbord of novelty from theatre company the Horgles. A “puppet-led odyssey” that involves an ancient deer, the last of its kind, and a runaway farmer, some shows simply defy characterisation, as well as the need for characterisation. This seems like one of those.

theSpace Triplex, 11 to 16 August

Ants and Other Strong Things

The Edinburgh Fringe feels like the perfect space for slightly absurd dystopian dramas, and this one, set in the 2050s, sees a surveillance state waging war against the LGBTQIA+ community. Which, being honest, doesn’t feel like it’ll take until the 2050s to happen. Think 1984 with a dose of contemporary pertinence.

theSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall, 18 to 23 August

Mother, Maiden and Crone

We seemingly love a fresh take on Macbeth (who knows, maybe we’ll have another one before this list is out). This one, penned by Ewan Burns, also diverges quite considerably from whatever Shakespeare may have initially expected, with the show set in the clubbing world, featuring a shot-boy, a DJ, and a drag queen. The trio is facing down a hen party apocalypse – which means the stakes must be very high.

theSpace @ Niddry St, 11 to 19 August

Check out our dedicated guide below for loads more Festival content.