Edinburgh Fringe top picks: three to see on day two

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 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.

Check out day one here.

Hot Mess

Hot Mess is the romcom musical throwing Earth and Humanity into the world’s most chaotic relationship drama at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. From the team behind 42 Balloons, this new show imagines our planet and its people as star-crossed lovers whose fling goes up in flames—literally. Wheat fields flourish, tech booms, but soon the love story sours as climate crisis chaos kicks in. With Danielle Steers (Six) as Earth and Tobias Turley (Mamma Mia!) as Humanity, expect pop bangers, sly laughs, and an all-too-relatable look at what happens when your hot date turns into a full-blown disaster. It will also transfer to London – so catch it before the capital now.

Pleasance Courtyard, to 25 August

The Genesis

I would be wrong not to wade into the wonderful circus waters of the Edinburgh Fringe. Copenhagen Collective – 17 international artists from Denmark, Australia, Peru, Canada, UK, Uruguay, Chile, Portugal, USA, Germany, Ireland, France and Guinea – come together to explore the topic of human connection utilising acrobatics and circus skills, presented against a backdrop of an original soundtrack. An ode to the power of international collaboration!

Assembly Hall, to 25 August

Paldem

David Jonsson is a BAFTA-winning star who has been lighting up the UK and Hollywood film scenes. If you haven’t seen Rye Lane, then you really need to. He’s now turned his mind to playwriting with this “anti-romantic” drama, Paldem, about the amateur recording of intimate videos (we don’t want to lose our Google ranking by being too explicit). Jonsson doesn’t star in the show, but could this be another string to a burgeoning bow? We think so.

Summerhall, to 25 August 

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