James Doherty II

Jul 286 min read

These Shows are the Only Ones from their Home Countries at Edinburgh Fringe 2024

Venezuela

Medicine Woman

From the description:

"Medicine Woman is a Venezuelan healer, in town for one night only to conduct a shamanic healing ceremony that will change your vibe forever. Does Medicine Woman, the dumb bitch of shamans, hold the secrets of the universe? Or is she a lil' rascal tryna steal kisses from strangers? Does it matter?" "Dumb bitch of shamans" sent me! I think this will be a sassy character comedy to check out!

Aug 1-11, 13-25

Just the Tonic at The Caves - Just Out of the Box

23:55 - 00:50

Thailand

The Lady Boys of Bangkok – 25 Years of Fun Tour

Back again after years of sell-out shows, this staple at the Fringe is celebrating 25 years! Having its own theatre in the pavilion in front of the Sheraton on Lothian Rd. It's impossible to miss and has one of the most significant budgets at Fringe for a reason!

Frmo the description: "The big anniversary show, with a glamorous cast of 16, packed with the biggest floor fillers from your favourite music superstars, performed by the biggest showbiz divas in the world! In an outrageously funny new production, with more glitz and star-spangled sassiness than you can squeeze into any of your party nights out! Grab your friends! Warm up your vocal chords! Get your dancing shoes on! It’s time to celebrate! Comedy, cabaret, party! Not forgetting the now infamous Scottish finale!"

Aug 3-25

Theatre Big Top - The Sabai Pavilion

Various Times (1h 40m)

Senegal

Seckou Keita – Homeland Band

From the description:

"Nicknamed 'the Hendrix of the Kora', Seckou is celebrated for his ingenious tunings and virtuosity. He formed his Senegalese eight-piece band in 2020 and they’ve been lifting audiences to their feet and leaving them buzzing ever since!" You don't just throw Hendrix around! Only one night, but one to consider.

Aug 9

The Queen's Hall - Queen's Hall

20:30 - 22:20

Romania

1 Cent Comedy presents: Normal Dysfunctional Family (Game Show)

If there is one thing Fringe performers do well, it is turning their generation trauma into art. Well, how about a game show? The fact that VICE did not come up with this idea at one pint is surprising!

From the description: "A comedy game show where comedians battle each other using childhood trauma and the audience decide who had the worst parents. Three rounds. Round One: a five-minute stand-up set about family and childhood. Round Two: prepared scenarios containing a location and a subject, and our comedians have to improvise a family fight scene based on the notes. Round Three: similar to the game Scenes We'd Like to See from Mock the Week, but only with family topics."

Aug 1-25

Laughing Horse @ The Raging Bull - Cellar

14:45 - 15:45

Palestine

A Knock on the Roof by Khawla Ibraheem

A timely show that is doing an Edinburgh run before taking over Broadway in NYC, A Knock on the Roof is a rare and raw look into being human in an inhumane conflict. From the description:

"Mariam prepares for war. She knows that the army often drops small warning bombs on residential buildings in Gaza, giving tenants 5-15 minutes to evacuate before a rocket demolishes their home. She decides to train for the possibility of this "Knock on the Roof", frantically (and often humorously) practicing how far she can run in five minutes, and what she can carry to safety. Heartbreaking, gripping, and surprisingly comedic, this timely solo show directed by Oliver Butler premieres ahead of a highly anticipated Off-Broadway run in New York City." Aug 13-18, 20-25

Traverse Theatre - Traverse 2

Various Times (1h 20m)

Malta

Sisyphean Quick Fix

A show about sisters reuniting and awakening to the realities of family members' humanity, Malta & London come together in Sisyphean Quick Fix. From the description:

"Krista lives in London. Pip lives in Malta. They're sisters. They're close. Even distance couldn't tear them apart. However, for as long as they can remember, their father has always enjoyed a drink. Finally reunited, they're beginning to see things as they truly are. Based on her own lived experience, Bettina Paris' new play is a heartfelt comedy drama about family, migration, and the complex realities of addiction."

Jul 31, Aug 1-13, 15-26 Pleasance Courtyard - Below

11:05 - 12:00

Malaysia

Kavin Jay: Unsolicited Advice

Fresh off a Netflix special, Kavin Jay is making his Fringe debut with Unsolicited Advice! From the description: "Big laughs about health, wealth and misguided wisdom, with sharp and hilarious takes on what to do with unsolicited advice from well-meaning yet unqualified family and friends."

Aug 2-4, 6-11, 13-18, 20-25

Hoots @ The Apex - Hoot 4

18:20 - 19:20

Libya

Mustafa Algiyadi: Almost Legal Alien

From the description: "Libyan Arab stand-up Mustafa Algiyadi longs to be part of the European way of life but is confronted with some cultural differences that make it confusing, chaotic and sometimes highly inappropriate! If you're up for picking apart bad habits, religion, meditation, velvet sofas and for learning how to deal with annoying people, then why are you not booking your ticket already?!?" Sometimes descriptions speak right to you and this one is hitting a lot of marks. Learning how to deal with annoying people will always be a skill we all can improve.

Aug 1-11, 13-25

Just the Tonic Nucleus - Just the Sub-Atomic Room

16:30 - 17:30

Colombia

Circolombia: Corazón

When I think Colombia, I don't immediately think circus, and that is why I am SO excited for this show! A way to see a different side of a culture is what Fringe is all about.

From the description: "With nerves of steel, music from the soul and tons of Colombian spirit, Circolombia welcomes you into their house, their home, their heart! All the way from South America, created especially for the Spiegeltent! In this world premiere, Circolombia invites you to experience Corazón (Heart). A fun-fuelled circus concert, packed with breathless feats, gravity-defying performance and infectious music where you, the audience, are taken right into their beating Latin hearts. Colombia is the land of a thousand rhythms. Vibrant, passionate and pulsating with energy."

Aug 1-6, 8-11, 13-18, 20-25

Assembly George Square Gardens - Palais du Variété

21:55 - 22:55

Iceland

Hugleikur Dagsson – No Idea

What happens when a famous online comic creator does standup? Ever hear the phrase "that was better on paper"? I don't think that will happen as Hugleikur is a seasoned standup with his own Wikipedia page!

"Hugleikur Dagsson is an Icelandic artist, mostly known for his sick cartoons. His stand-up show No Idea is a collection of unfinished thoughts about sexual time travel, cat skinning and dead popstars."

Aug 19-25

The Stand Comedy Club 5 & 6 - Stand 6

18:40 - 19:40

Indonesia

Echoes from The Archipelago – An Indonesian Music Odyssey

A two night affair, go on a journey with our universal language, music!

From the description: "Enjoy lively arrangements of iconic melodies from both cultures – a medley of Javanese folk songs Cublak Cublak Suweng and Manuk Dadali (one of the winning songs from the World Orchestra Festival) which incorporates a mix of traditional music and Latin American rhythms; Kopi Dangdut, an Indonesian twist on Moliendo Cafe (a Venezuelan song that has since become an iconic Indonesian dance anthem); a traditional Balinese song with hints of Kecak (a vibrant polyrhythmic voice chant); as well as modern twists on beloved Scottish classics."

Aug 6-7

The Queen's Hall - Queen's Hall

20:00 - 21:30

Russian Federation

Maria Fedulova: Russian. Mafia. Family.

Maria is a Russian comedian who now lives in the UK for a reason that I think would make all of us emigrate: potential persecution.

From the description: "Maria Fedulova, award-winning comedian and enemy of the Russian state, talks family, crime, and living the life of a refugee in her hilarious debut hour. She was a TV comedian in Russia, up until they started arresting TV comedians. Although Maria is an innocent person, criminalised by an evil regime, her father was not so innocent. In her hour she'll tell the story of her family, integrating as a Russian into English society, struggles with identity, national shame, and her father’s petty criminality."

Aug 2-11, 13-26