by Julie Dawson
Hot off the press, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2012 programme is bigger and better than ever. Among its (nearly) 400 pages there is bound to be a show to suit every taste, but here are just ten of The Edinburgh Reporter’s top tips for hot tickets this August:
Sesame Street Live – Elmo Makes Music
Definitely the must-see show for families this Fringe, there’s sure to be a Mums’ Race to the box office for a chance to catch every child’s favourite Muppet live.
An Evening with David Hasselhoff Live
The Hoff has become a television icon over a career spanning four decades. This intimate evening promises song, dance, showbiz stories and audience interaction with the world’s most famous lifeguard.
Slapdash Galaxy
The clown supreme and master puppeteer behind Fringe hits Sticks Stones Broken Bones and Swamp Juice is back with a new show bound to transform the dank vaults of the Underbelly into a magical universe for children and adults alike. There’s also a second chance to catch Swamp Juice if you missed it in 2011.
Warriors of Goja
If you like your Fringe extreme, then these Guinness World Record-holding stars of India’s Got Talent are a must. Expect plenty of jaw-dropping, stomach-turning action as the superhuman Sikh warriors graphically demonstrate the limits of human endurance.
Adolf
Audience members regularly walk out of Pip Utton’s theatrical tour-de-force, but if you are prepared to brave the full 90 minutes of this thoroughly unsettling monologue, you will be rewarded with one of the most thought-provoking experiences of the Fringe.
La Clique Royale – The Queen’s Selection
The show that spawned a sea of stars and revived the cabaret genre returns to its spiritual home after a much-lamented four year absence. We predict a sell-out run for this special Jubilee edition.
Palmstar Poppy: Songs in Search of Love Lost at Sea
David Paul Jones’ soundtracks and musical performances have long been a highlight of productions by the multi award-winning theatre company Grid Iron Theatre. Don’t miss this chance to see him perform solo in the intimate surroundings of the Barony Bar.
Richard Herring: Talking C*ck – The Second Coming
Comedians are ten-a-penny in Edinburgh in August, but Richard Herring is, quite rightly, a Fringe institution. One hour in his presence is always a safe bet for thought-provoking, clever and genuinely funny comedy.
Withered Hand
This show may offer the best value on the Fringe: just £10 per ticket for 210 minutes of critically acclaimed alt-rock from Edinburgh bard Dan Willson and special guests, all compered by top comedian Josie Long.
Teatr Biuro Podrozy productions: Carmen Funebre, The Blind, MacBeth: Who is that Bloodied Man?, Planet Lem
The Old College Quad is the perfect venue for promenade performances on a grand scale, and this year it is taken over by award-winning Polish company Teatr Biuro Podrozy. Four different shows take us from Shakespeare to science fiction, each one promising to be a visual feast.
