Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2013

As the old adage goes, ‘don’t just stare at it, eat it’. I am of course referring to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe brochure, a seemingly impenetrable piece of literature that must be devoured and digested in order to plan your Edinburgh Fringe. So, here is a small taster of some of the shows we’re hoping to sample when we tear ourselves away from London for our annual visit up north for the largest arts festival in the world.

Looking at the year of international renown Piff the Magic Dragon has enjoyed, it’s hard to think what everyone’s favourite disgruntled dragon still has to be grumpy about. Bringing his trademark deadpan style and sateen finish, Piff returns to Pleasance in The Piff the Magic Dragon Show (Pleasance Dome) with brand new tricks and a mind reading fish. And of course, The World’s First Conjuring Chihuahua, Mr Piffles. Question is, will he get fired out of a canon again this year?

With the sound of ping pongs still ringing in our ears from our last East End Cabaret escapade, Bernadette Byrne and Victor Victoria are back with all-new show, Dirty Talk  (Underbelly, Cowgate), now featuring a life-sized plastic lobster and some of their sauciest misadventures.

Speaking of misadventures, depraved comedy duo Guilt & Shame invite us into the safe space of group therapy as their attempt at the straight and narrow veers off into a journey of sin in new show, Addicted to Everything (Underbelly, Cowgate). The problem is, judging by previous shows, no space is safe in the company of these debauched deviants.

Ever wanted to punch a comedian in the face? Break a chair over their back for wasting your money on a no-laughs show? We can’t promise that will happen, but The Wrestling II (Pleasance Courtyard, 13 Aug) might be the closest you get to seeing such a thing as comedians and real-life wrestlers share the ring for one night only in the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award winning megashow.

You can find less violent silliness (possibly) in Laugh Your Farce Off (Pleasance Courtyard, 15-17 Aug) as three writers (Danielle Ward, Gabriel Bisset-Smith and Sally Torode) present three short farces and three doors. Cue trouser-dropping, door-slamming and mistaken identity chaos compered by a surprise guest host.

With so many late, live and lewd comedy variety shows on offer at the Fringe, we’re looking forward to new kid on the block, Joke Thieves (Laughing Horse, Espionage) as top comedians from the Fringe perform their sets before opening it up to the floor to decide who steals whose material in the second half. Bringing comedians together elsewhere, expect more musical mayhem in The Horne Section Live in a Cow (Underbelly, Bristo Square) where top comedians share the stage with performers for a wild late night show. In an inflatable cow.

Having already performed in an inflatable cow at London’s Udderbelly Festival on the Southbank earlier this year, the most articulate mime you can ever hope to see returns to Edinburgh after a phenomenal run of sell out shows in The Boy With Tape on His Face: More Tape (The Grand, Pleasance Courtyard). Just as he doesn’t use words in his show, our words could never do justice to the hilarity will experience in this audience participation heavy Fringe highlight.

From comedy and cabaret to theatre, dance, art and too many other pop up performances and happenings around the city, as always Edinburgh Festival Fringe presents itself ripe for the picking, whatever your tastes. Make like the performers themselves and adopt some risk taking in your show selecting.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2013 takes place in Edinburgh 1-25 August. Browse the full programme: www.edfringe.com

Share your Edinburgh Fringe recommendations in the comments below! What are you looking forward to seeing this year?

Photo: Graham Turner (Guilt & Shame, Addicted to Everything)