Assembly Festival still has plenty to offer as the Edinburgh Fringe enters its final week for 2021; with world-class circus, big-names in comedy, live music, five-star theatre and more being added to the programme till 29 August.
Appearing in the Palais du Variété spiegeltent is a show to tantalise all ages and appetites. Elliot Bibby is a multi-award-winning magician and mystical magic man meaning he performs at all times of the day – and must fit in his lunch whenever he can, including during this captivating, family magic show. Elliot Bibby: Leftover Lunch (27 – 29 Aug) is a show full of laughs and surprises which promises to reveal the magic that an everyday lunchbox hides!
And there’s more food-themed family fun as Captain Breadbeard (27 – 29 Aug) is joined by his trusty sidekick Davy Scones for a fast-paced hour of glutenous bread-based puns at Assembly Roxy. An absurd two-hander comedy sketch show about a sailor with a beard made of bread, suitable for children and adults of all ages.
From Bogotá, Colombia, renowned circus company Circolombia premiere their intimate new circus show Vest-igios, at Assembly Roxy (24 – 29 Aug). Devised by company members during lockdown, Vest-igios fuses stunning physical performance with original music to create a remarkable sensory experience. This is a story about brotherhoods and a journey through a dystopian wasteland, infused with jaw-dropping circus, extravagant visions, terrifying acrobatics and unthinkable magic moments.
There’s more new work at Assembly Roxy with two emerging talents from the boards of Soho Theatre. Claire Parry brings an interactive, music and clowning-filled interrogation of power and those wielding in Boorish Trumpson (24 – 29 Aug). You are the orchestra and Boorish is your conductor in a bid to Make Music Great Again. Cameron Cook takes us on a poetical journey through human existence in It All (25 – 29 Aug).
Join him on an intense, dreamlike ride through vivid characters who stream forth in moments of absurdity, satire, and tenderness, accompanied by striking live music and sounds from Claire Parry. And there is one more chance to catch Penny Chivas’ Burnt Out (25 Aug), an intimately personal account of Australian bushfire history.
Fans of comedy can rejoice as Assembly has a strong line-up of stand-up comedians to close the Festival. The inimitable Jack Dee makes a welcome return to Assembly Festival 27 – 29 Aug, his first Fringe appearance since 2014, as he prepares for his UK tour. Joanne McNally adds three additional shows for The Prosecco Express Reimagined! (27 & 29 Aug); and hot off her success at the start of the month, Isabelle Farah returns with her warmly witty show Ellipsis 26 & 28 Aug.
Plus one more week to catch some of Assembly’s best-selling shows of 2021 – Myra’s Story, Bromance, and Police Cops: Badass Be Thy Name till 29 August; and Fear of Roses (till 26 Aug).
Finally, the Outdoor Stage at Assembly George Square Gardens continues its programme of the best local musicians, with performances from Sarah Irvine & Moteh Parrott (23 Aug), Cera Impala (24 Aug), The Badwills (25 & 29 Aug), and Toby Motorshead (26 Aug).
To keep up-to-date with our latest guidance and the full programme at Assembly Festival this summer, visit www.assemblyfestival.com.
For information on our online season of shows visit www.assemblyfestival.com/showcatcher.
Assembly Festival has been awarded £162,962 from the Scottish Government and City of Edinburgh Council to help fund outdoor events and support the safe return of live events at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
All Assembly venues have been designed from the ground-up and carry the “We’re Good to Go” and “See It Safely” mark meaning they all operate in-line with current Government guidelines for COVID-19. Capacities are reduced from full, contactless payments are accepted at all box office, food outlets and bars to avoid unnecessary cash handling; there is additional cleaning between shows as well as hand sanitiser freely available.
The wearing of face coverings will be implemented in line with Government guidance and are currently mandatory indoors. Customers will be contacted in advance should there be any guideline changes that may affect how we operate, and ticket exchanges will be available to customers who are self-isolating.
