Le Haggis, American a capella all-stars and 2 Man 3 Musketeers sounds like the start of a joke your dad would tell, but it’s just some of the wide range of shows on offer as part of Assembly‘s 35th anniversary program. Assembly is known for having some of the big name performers during the Fringe Festival and this year is no exception. No matter what your appetite there is something to satisfy everyone from shows for children like acrobatic storytelling Flight to sexy Kiwi cabaret K’rd Strip: A Place to Stand.
Comedy hot shots include Trevor Noah: Lost in Translation for only 7 nights at the end of the Fringe Festival. Noah was recently appointed the new host of the USA’s The Daily Show after smaller TV appearances and a few stand up tours. The South African is still relatively unknown, but that won’t last for much longer once he takes over the late night comedy news show. After receiving star-tastic reviews internationally, Joel Creasey‘s new show The Hurricane will be an alluring addition to Assembly’s comedy line-up. Fringe veteran Chris Ramsey returns with new show All Growed Up for 11 nights only about the hilarious horrors of adulthood.
Theatre at Assembly has some very strong shows lined up including internationally acclaimed White Rabbit Red Rabbit which got when we reviewed it in October. A unique change from thoroughly rehearsed theatre, a different performer features each night reading from a sealed script. Written by native Iranian Nassim Soleimanpour, he writes this play so he can travel the world whilst being forbidden to leave Iran. The 21st anniversary production of Trainspotting returns to Edinburgh after a sell-out run in London. Running twice a day during the festival, the controversial play showcases an all Scottish cast who will leave audiences feeling bad laughing at something so depraved. The Jennifer Tremblay Trilogy is a three part play, with each part also functioning on its own, about a woman in an unsettled marriage trying to adjust to secluded Canadian life. The trilogy won Scotsman Fringe First and Herald Angel Awards in 2012 and will be a strong and heartbreaking piece of theatre.
A toe-tapping music list encompasses Out of the Blue, an a capella group from Oxford University returning to the Fringe for the 12th time and four nights of swing with The Jive Aces: Spread a Little Happiness plus special guest Cassidy Janson from the original cast of Wicked. Festival first The Animotion Show links Russian visual artist Maria Rud and percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie to produce a visual and aural fete in the quad at George Heriot’s School.
Cabaret and variety acts at Assembly incorporate groups from around the globe this year. Sexy Scottish Cabaret Le Haggis features local and international performers against a contemporary Scottish soundtrack making it’s Fringe Festival debut. Festival veterans Best of Burlesque return with the World Burlesque Games Euro semi finals with dancers battling it out for spots at the WBG finals in London.
Dance, physical theatre and circus shows pitch the chance to chill out with Canadian ice skaters Vertical Influence examining body language with a chance for the audience to sit up close and personal on the ice. For a fling to heat things up, experience Cuba with the dancers and musicians of Danza del Caribe: Itara fusing drummers, a DJ, cello and fire limbo.
With more shows than you can shake a stick at, Assembly is on course to appease newbie and veteran fringe goers alike.
For the full Assembly Fringe hit list check out their website