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Jun 07, 2026
Analyzed by Llama- 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct

Edinburgh Festival 2026's Must-See Theatre Productions

AI Summary
The Edinburgh Festival 2026 features a diverse range of theatre productions, including 'Roleplay', 'Mayflies', 'After Party', and 'Angels in America'. These shows explore themes of feminism, youth culture, family secrets, and the AIDS crisis.

The Lead

The Edinburgh Festival 2026 promises to be an exciting event with a wide range of theatre productions. From feminist explorations to epic dramas, there's something for everyone.

Roleplay and Mayflies

Producer Francesca Moody brings 'Roleplay', a new offering by Australia's Hannah Reilly, about a feminist podcaster who becomes an online 'slutfluencer'. Meanwhile, Andrew O'Hagan's coming-of-age novel 'Mayflies' is adapted by Ben Harrison and directed by Grid Iron.
  • 'Roleplay' - Summerhall, 6-31 August
  • 'Mayflies' - Brown's of Leith, 7-30 August

Epic Dramas

Paines Plough's Katie Posner directs 'After Party', an epic drama by Morna Young, which explores family secrets on the night of an actor's 80th birthday celebrations. Additionally, Internationaal Theater Amsterdam revives Tony Kushner's 'Angels in America', a masterpiece about AIDS in the 1980s, directed by Ivo van Hove.
  • 'After Party' - Traverse, 6-30 August
  • 'Angels in America' - King's theatre, 15-20 August

Unique Performances

Other notable productions include '116 Grams: A Play to Lose Weight' by Letícia Rodrigues, 'Cathy' starring Elaine C Smith, and 'The Jolly Fisherman' by John Dinneen.
  • '116 Grams: A Play to Lose Weight' - Zoo Southside, 7-30 August
  • 'Cathy' - Traverse, 31 July-30 August
  • 'The Jolly Fisherman' - Underbelly, 5-31 August

Experimental and Innovative

The festival also features experimental and innovative productions like 'Bigfoot Ripped My Dog in Half I Saw It' by Xhloe and Natasha, 'The Singer' with music and lyrics by KT Tunstall, and 'Concerts of the Future' by Ciaran Frame.
  • 'Bigfoot Ripped My Dog in Half I Saw It' - Summerhall, 6-30 August
  • 'The Singer' - Traverse, 4-30 August
  • 'Concerts of the Future' - Summerhall, 6-31 August

Powerful Messages

Lastly, productions like 'Hang Time' by Zora Howard and 'A Trial – After An Enemy of the People' tackle serious issues like racialised violence and social justice.
  • 'Hang Time' - Royal Lyceum, 20-23 August