Fringe Hotlist: Theatre Insider Diana Whitehead's Top 5 Must-See Shows

Diana Whitehead, Founder & Director Fourth Wall PR

Theatre PR powerhouse Diana Whitehead is taking a break this year from promoting shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to soak up the Fringe for herself. Here, she shares her top five must-see picks.

When it comes to cutting through the noise of the Edinburgh Fringe, few are as well placed as Diana Whitehead. A respected figure in the UK theatre world, she runs Fourth Wall PR – a leading agency known for championing new writing and bold performance across the country. But this August, she’s stepping back from the shows she promotes and heading north to Edinburgh simply for the joy of it. With a keen eye for standout storytelling and creative flair, Diana has handpicked five shows to see. None affiliated with her client list, these are personal recommends from someone who lives and breathes theatre.

Skye: A Thriller

Summerhall

Dates - July 31 - August 25

Time: 3:00pm, 11:50am ( 60 mins )

Olivier-award nominated producer and polymath Ellie Keel is one of the most exciting and dynamic names in the industry. Producer of previous Summerhall hits including SAP, An Interrogation, Bullring Techno Makeout Jamz and The Last Show Before We Die, this year Keel, also founder of the Women’s Prize for Playwriting, The Stage magazine’s Producer of the Year 2024 and Sunday Times Best-selling author makes an intriguing playwriting debut with what is described as a chilling and propulsive thriller.  

Wild Thing!

Summerhall

31 July - 25 August

Time: 1.30pm

12+

Award-winning theatre company Mechanimal return with the sequel to their hit show, Vigil in 2019. Creator and performer Tom Bailey finds inspiration in nature deftly balancing the urgent topic of extinction with silliness, sadness and depth. In the space of an hour Bailey attempts to perform the sounds of 48,000 animals, all on the scientific ‘red list’ of globally extinct or endangered species. This is a gloriously stupid show about animal impressions and much more, and if you like a bit of audience participation this is the show for you. 

Hot Mess

Pleasance Courtyard

30 July -25 Aug

Time: 3.10pm

Billed as a romcom pop musical about love, loss and the ultimate cosmic fallout, this new offering comes with great creative credentials, produced by the UK’s only in-house musical theatre department at Birmingham Hippodrome and stars West End leads Danielle Steers (Six The Musical) and Tobias Turley, winner of ITV’s Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream. This will be a high quality, high production values kind of gig.

The Legends of Them

Zoo Southside

19 Aug - 24 Aug

Time: 5.25pm

A breathtaking, roof-raising chronicle of award-winning reggae pioneer Sutara Gayle’s extraordinary life. Presented as a series of vignettes blending personal experiences with cultural history, Gayle, AKA Lorna Gee’s show will be one of remarkable storytelling, high-octane musical numbers delivered by a virtuoso performer. What more could you ask for?1

Diana’s Wildcard

Well Behaved Women

Gilded Ballon Patter House - Doonstairs

Dates - July 30 - August 25 (NOT AUGUST 13th)

Time: 2:20pm

One of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Keep It Fringe Fund Awardees, comedy playwright Amy Yeo’s Well Behaved Women’s quirky comedy is a wild and witty exploration of female friendship set in a chaotic Victorian parlour séance. Challenging traditional period drama tropes this show presents an inclusive take on Victorian life, celebrating diversity and queer joy.