Since writing this last round-up, Oasis have come and gone, the halfway point of the Fringe has arrived, and Arthur’s Seat has quite literally erupted into flames (which we’ve been assured, wasn’t a result of Liam havin’ it large up Big Arthur on his day off). Such is the breakneck pace at this time of year, but we’re not letting up; we’ve unearthed plenty more four- and five-star shows being performed in Edinburgh this August. If you’d like to see more reviews, here’s our round-up from Friday 8 August and Monday 4 August. 

Five stars 

Bebe Cave: Christbride 
(Comedy) 
‘Ever imagined the fate of a medieval girl who dared to defy tradition? Someone who refused to marry and bear children? For Batilda Bigbum from Littledick, the consequence is a fiery death at the stake. Christbride, Bebe Cave’s one-woman character show, throws us straight into the flames, opening with her agonised screams before she recounts the absurd and irreverent tale of how she ended up in such a predicament. And what follows is one of the most exhilarating, laugh-friendly hours you’ll spend this Fringe.’ 
Read the full review.

Triptych Redux 
(Dance) 
‘It’s not such a leap to imagine Lewis Major Projects soon moving from the Fringe to the Edinburgh International Festival, such is the majesty and skill of their work. Triptych Redux builds on Triptych and Lien’s success last year, premiering new work here and featuring Major himself. The Australian choreographer (a former sheep shearer turned gymnast then dancer) returns to the stage for the first time since 2015 when his dance career was cut short by a broken back.’ 
Read the full review. 

She’s Behind You
(Theatre) 
‘Gingham never looked so good. In She’s Behind You, Scotland’s pantomime powerhouse Johnny McKnight teams up with National Theatre Of Scotland to deliver a whip-smart, unapologetically queer celebration of the form’s rebellious roots. As Dorothy Blawna-Gale, McKnight is magnetic: rude, tender and riotously funny. Adapted from a University Of Glasgow lecture, the show blends educational reverence with theatrical flair. It exposes pantomime’s hypocrisies and gendered absurdities (even when McKnight himself has played a part), but always with love for the genre’s unruly dialogue, joyful chaos, radical accessibility, and ability to ‘see’ its audience. Farce here is craft, and camp is truth.’ 
Read the full review.

Sam Nicoresti: Baby Doomer
(Comedy) 
‘In a dimly lit bunker, our hero begins her quest to find the perfect two-piece suit. And so the audience are invited along on Sam Nicoresti’s transitional, transgender and occasionally transcendental experience of living. The punches fly early, filthy jokes served ice cold as Nicoresti prowls around the stage in a velvet-brown skirt-suit, taking up every inch of space available to her. She introduces herself as a ‘shit woman’ (the Duolingo version: great in her bedroom, can’t navigate a conversation IRL), but incredible at being trans.’ 
Read the full review.

Four stars 

Rachel Galvo: The Shite Feminist
(Comedy) 
‘Rachel Galvo has an ecclesiastical talent for storytelling that has primed her best for two paths in life: the church or comedy. After an adolescence spent growing up in an all-girls Irish Catholic private school, she found herself compelled towards the latter. The Shite Feminist is Galvo’s retelling of her girlhood after an early-twenties epiphany, sparked in part by a Jean Valjean costume, revealed the nuances of her internalised misogyny.’ 
Read the full review.

World’s Greatest Lover
(Musical) 
‘What is love? If your response includes the words ‘baby don’t hurt me’ then you’re exactly the right person for this world premiere of a new musical, at a Fringe which is proving to be fertile ground for the form. This one is a direct address show (Six-style) about the fight to save love in a world that doesn’t deserve it. Our heroes? The world’s greatest lovers (natch) in boyband form (obvs). Sign. Me. Up.’ 
Read the full review. 

Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence
(Musical) 
‘”Don’t let some pretty bitch take you down,” was something Shakespeare never actually wrote, but perhaps might have if he’d been writing about the merciless ambitions flying around a high-school netball team. This comically fabulous reworking of Macbeth from Crash Theatre Co sees Lady Macbeth (Mac) desperate to be captain of the Dunsinane Hellhounds. But coach Duncan is having none of it, promoting instead a succession of girls whom Mac picks off in turn, spreading rumours about them or breaking their ankles (Tonya Harding-style), and when all else fails, just being an outright bitch.’ 
Read the full review.

The Ugly Duckling
(Kids) 
‘There is much to love in this sweet kids show from East London circus crew, Revel Puck. Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale gets a bouncy, modern makeover, performed by four impressive acrobats in bright, tie-dye boilersuits. Will ‘ugly’ duckling Lou ever find a friend? Come to think of it, says Lou, is it still ok to call someone ugly? Will Presley the tortoise ever become a champion sprinter? And how does the performer spinning fast upside down on that giant hula hoop not crush their fingers?’ 
Read the full review. 

Circa: Wolf 
(Circus) 
‘Disco music is pulsing, spotlights are flickering and acrobats are sprinting across the stage. What could they be running from? Whatever it is, it’s surely no match for performer Sam Letch who opens proceedings by lifting no fewer than six of the cast at once. In this piece, named after the most feral forest predator, Australian company Circa are here to demonstrate who the alphas of the circus pack are, and they are not messing around.’ 
Read the full review.

Becky Umbers: Put That Cat Back In The Bag
(Comedy) 
‘Kiwi comic Becky Umbers has a dry, very self-aware humour with plenty of flair: think witty observations about life, relationships and cultural quirks. In Put That Cat Back In The Bag, she tackles everything from horse enthusiasts and ‘train people’ to New Zealand’s famously ‘useless’ national bird, the flightless kiwi (a perfect metaphor for life’s little disappointments). She dissects the oddities of everyday life, finding fun in the mundane, and turns it into comedic gold. Umbers has a knack for detouring into hilarious tangents, only to circle back seamlessly to her original point, leaving the audience both charmed and disarmed.’ 
Read the full review.

Tom At The Farm
(Theatre) 
‘When Tom turns up at his dead boyfriend’s family farm, he gets more than he bargained for in Quebecois writer Michel Marc Bouchard’s play, adapted here through Brazilian company Cena Brasil Internacional’s mud-spattered production. While Tom’s lover’s mother Ágatha knows nothing about her son’s romantic life, his brother Francis is a brute who spars with Tom to create an unmistakable sexual tension. Tom becomes a kind of cuckoo in the nest before all hell breaks loose when a woman turns up claiming to be the dead man’s girlfriend.’ 
Read the full review. 

Joe Kent-Walters Is Frankie Monroe: Dead!!! (Good Fun Time) 
(Comedy) 
‘Joe Kent-Walters’ anarchic alter-ego Frankie Monroe has dug one hell of a hole for himself. After being jettisoned from a working men’s club in his native Rotherham and dragged by the ghoulies to the infernal pit for crimes against cabaret, you’d be forgiven for thinking that eating brimstone for breakfast might start to piss on his chips. Not a bit of it. Frankie revels in purgatory until an arch Lancastrian nemesis unleashes a plan so despicable it threatens to undo everything he’s worked for.’ 
Read the full review. 

Kanpur: 1857
(Theatre) 
‘”What a strange way to hold power?” So says the Indian rebel strapped to a cannon and awaiting execution at the hands of the English officer before him. Colonial forces have quelled the 1857 Indian uprising, and now all that is left is the legend that follows. How that turns out, however, depends on who is telling the story.’ 
Read the full review.

Faye’s Red Lines
(Theatre) 
‘Faye has not been dealt a kind hand in life. In control on the surface (especially in a darkly funny sexual encounter), she seems hardened and uncompromising. But as Ian Pattison’s play unfolds and the layers of Faye’s ugly upbringing are peeled back, we come to understand, and empathise, with the solitary woman she’s become. Witness to her father’s sickening drunken violence, victim of her mother’s exploitation that takes a particularly horrifying twist, young Faye’s future feels bleak.’ 
Read the full review. 

You’re An Instrument! 
(Kids) 
‘You’re An Instrument is a surprisingly deceptive children’s show. Beginning with a pair of boffins explaining their research, it takes an abrupt turn for the wild when an audience volunteer swallows a pill and becomes capable of making sounds simply by moving. Amid raucous audience interaction, kids are invited on stage to shake, rattle and roll objects, generating a spontaneous improvised jam that ends up somewhere between a riot in primary school and musique concrète.’ 
Read the full review. 

Inlet 
(Dance) 
‘Hani Dance’s sensually abstract piece is inspired by the Romulus and Remus foundation myth of Rome. But don’t come to Inlet looking for narrative; it’s a melting, misty dream of arresting images and subtle textures, driven by Saeed Hani’s powerful, expressive style of choreography. This makes it unnervingly thrilling even in its most opaque moments.’ 
Read the full review. 

Jackie!!!
(Musical) 
‘A slice of Americana that isn’t too sweet, Jackie!!! is a riveting musical comedy with a sharp-witted edge. We follow young Jacqueline Bouvier from humble dreams of becoming a journalist to stepping into the daunting role of US First Lady. Complete with iconic pillbox hat and pink suit, Jackie stumbles deep into the upper echelons of American society and doesn’t like what she finds. Navigating the reality of being part of one of history’s most influential families, she tries to keep her own dreams from being stifled. This struggle for fame, political power and independence is combined here with hilarious impersonations and that infamous rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’.’ 
Read the full review. 

Siân Davey: The Garden
(Art) 
‘Duck inside Stills on the bustling Cockburn Street and the noise subsides. Minds overstimulated by the feverish Festival outside can find a quiet spot here; a room filled with images of body and nature intertwining, lush green leaves, wildflowers upon wildflowers, a mother embracing her child. A safe space, a refuge: a garden. Made during a time of ‘deep family crisis,’ The Garden is Siân Davey’s photographic portrait of love, loss and connection, grown (literally) over three years in the Devon garden she shares with her son, Luke. Davey captures the poignancy of this garden immaculately; grass and colour strewn with bodies, stories and shared secrets.’ 
Read the full review. 

The Flying Bubble Show
(Kids) 
‘The Flying Bubble Show is a magical, high-flying spectacle that delivers exactly what it promises: a soaring performer and a dazzling cascade of bubbles. Maxwell The Bubbleologist transforms a simple childhood delight into a mesmerising, family-friendly experience that captivates audiences of all ages. Throughout the hour, Maxwell defies gravity, floating effortlessly around the big top tent, while conjuring up thousands of bubbles.’ 
Read the full review. 

Explosive Science Show!
(Kids)  
‘When a show features the word ‘explosive’ in the title and is performed by a man whose legal middle name is ‘Danger’ (Magnus Danger Magnus, who tells us this causes no end of trouble at passport control), you really ought to know what to expect. Think less CBeebies’ Maddie explaining how paint is made and more ‘let’s throw some smoking chemicals together and see what happens’. But for all the madcap antics Magnus stirs up throughout the show, he covers a huge number of experiments at a pace that never lets our attention drop.’ 
Read the full review.

You’ll See...
(Kids)
‘Ireland’s most notoriously complex book adapted for kids? Yes, James Joyce’s famous experimental novel Ulysses is cleverly retold here in 45 minutes by Galway theatre company Branar. Storyteller Helen Gregg does an exquisite job in her tweed trousers and beret, turning pages on three giant pop-up books, and moving cardboard cut-outs around a Dublin hospital, cemetery and library. She introduces Leopold Bloom, Stephen Dedalus and dozens more, slipping into Ulsterman vowels, opera song or drunken drawl, as required.’ 
Read the full review. 

Marjolein Robertson: Lein
(Comedy) 
‘Marjolein Robertson awakens from under a sheet, as her intrusive thoughts play out. Wondering whether she’s loveable, urging herself not to tell the audience another folk tale, considering whether she could just leave right now. Instead, she gets up and immediately launches into… a folk tale about a girl lost on a misty mountain. The parallels are clear: this is a story about keeping going when you’re at your lowest.’ 
Read the full review. 

Mark Thompson’s Spectacular Science Show
(Kids) 
‘Did you know lobsters pee out of their faces? That’s just one of the curious and fascinating facts blazoned up on screen as we file into Mark Thompson’s relentlessly educational and sweetly delivered show. Thompson, a science broadcaster and BBC regular, has the avuncular air of your favourite teacher, and he packs an enormous amount of kid-friendly learning into a lecture-length slot, covering everything from the effects of sleep deprivation to sonic booms. ‘
Read the full review. 

Arthur Hull’s Flop
(Cabaret) 
‘Subtitled ‘The Best Songs From The Worst Musicals Ever Written’, Arthur Hull dons sweatbands and kicks off his Fringe debut with a frenetic gym-set opener from the musical bomb that was Carrie: turns out Hull is quite the mover. There’s nothing he can do about a steeply raked lecture theatre ill-suited to the intimate cabaret vibe of his show, but via hilariously ick-inducing lyrics from Grease 2 and cracking numbers from Moby Dick and Love Never Dies that fully showcase his emotive voice, Hull gives it his all. Cats may not have been a flop on stage but gets a deserved kicking for its turd of a film adaptation, while a medley from Diana: The Musical raises some of the night’s biggest laughs.’ 
Read the full review. 

Mercedes Azpilicueta: Fire On The Mountain, Light On The Hill
(Art) 
‘The Collective’s Dome gallery on Calton Hill is a fine site for large-scale installation art. It is also a hard space to fill, but Mercedes Azpilicueta’s huge jacquard tapestry saturates it with narrative drama, weaving together stories of female resistance from across the 20th and 21st centuries. In particular, the Amsterdam-based Argentinian artist has chosen to connect the story of the potato riots led by working-class women in her home city with the Ni Una Menos (‘One Not Less’) marches against femicide and gender-based violence which began in Argentina in 2015.’ 
Read the full review. 

Alison Spittle: Big
(Comedy) 
‘Alison Spittle remembers exactly where she was when she saw photos of Adele’s weight loss. It felt like a betrayal for the fat community: it was their 9/11, she deadpans. Then a life-threatening health scare hospitalised Spittle. Friends sent kilos of Ferrero Rocher in sympathy just as Spittle decided to begin Mounjaro weight loss treatment; she reveals she’s recently lost ‘an XL bully’s worth’. Spittle chirpily unpacks her mixed feelings. She once made it a proud mission to become famous as a larger comedian, and succeeded, with regular TV stints. As a Pointless superfan, being on the show was the best day of her life. She loved being fat, she explains, but the abuse she got and realising she couldn’t fit on rollercoaster rides made her tired. ‘ 
Read the full review.