Jake Mace
Ahead of the first release of tickets for EdFringe shows on the 22nd February, Assembly Festival have revealed the opening act of their programme for the upcoming Fringe this August. Spanning the venue operator’s usual range of cabaret, comedy, circus, and theatre – it’s sure to be another jam-packed season.
Among the big names, a tribute to Billy Connolly looks to celebrate the Big Yin’s 80th birthday in style, as the National Theatre of Scotland offer up Dear Billy, A Love Letter to the Big Yin. The show will take the format of a collection of moving and humorous stories celebrating Connolly’s contribution to Scottish Culture. Alongside the theatrical exploration of comedy, Assembly will play host to comedy juggernauts Susie McCabe and Jason Byrne.
The Black Blues Brothers, which received a five-star review from Binge Fringe writer Miriam Trujillo last year, will make its final appearance at the festival with Assembly, joining the energy of Africa with R&B sound. Meanwhile, Sexy Circus Sideshow promises a “thrilling, boozy freak show” that connects alternative circus with the arts of burlesque and cabaret.
We asked Assembly Festival Director William Burdett-Coutts “How is Assembly’s EdFringe 2024 programme aiming to platform underrepresented and marginalised performers?”, and he told Binge Fringe:
“Our focus when programming for the Fringe is to find the best artists from the UK and around the world and bring them to Edinburgh to perform on one of the greatest stages the arts industry has to offer.”
“We work closely with partners throughout the year, attending festivals and events, domestic and internationally to seek out and engage artists from different backgrounds and underrepresented and marginalised performers. We have a long relationship with organisations who champion work from the global majority and will continue to work with them in partnership to increase diversity at the Fringe.”
More information about Assembly’s 2024 programme can be found on their website.
Sean Denyer
