SNACK Picks: Unmissable Musicals at Edinburgh Fringe 2026

The Edinburgh Fringe has long been a hotbed for future smash-hits, from gritty dramas to eccentric comedic gems, and everything in between. In the world of musicals, this seems to be proven with each year’s programme as the trend for new productions eventually finding themselves transferring to the West End and even Broadway, continues.

As expected, this year’s crop of new musicals promise to provide suitably hilarious and wacky narratives, earworm-worthy compositions, and performances with plenty of heart. Here’s just a handful of productions in the musicals section of the Fringe programme that are well worth getting excited about.

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AN A TO Z GUIDE TO DATING

This one-woman musical is based on a dating advice book that writer-performer Grace O’Keefe’s own mother wrote, which may or may not be the best advert for feminism. Expect original music, with songs about relationships, romance, and what it means to be a woman and mother.

An A to Z Guide to Dating is at Buttercup at Underbelly, George Square, 5th till 31st August.

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FUCCBOIS: LIVE IN CONCERT

Inspired by her own experiences with mediocre men, FUCCBOIS is Bridie Connell’s comedy-boyband-extravaganza, which parodies toxic dating culture and the men that make it so. Join boyband members Brandon, Brendan, Tyler, and Also Brendan for a profound and comedic look at red flags, accompanied by a banging soundtrack.

FUCCBOIS: LIVE IN CONCERT is at Studio Two at Assembly George Square Studios, 5th till 31st August (except 12th, 19th, 26th).

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GIRLHOOD IN THE BATHROOM

Set in a nightclub bathroom on New Year’s Eve, this new Australian musical follows five young women as they navigate friendship and growing up. Blending upbeat songs, humour, and sincere moments, Girlhood in the Bathroom celebrates the surprising intimacy of the place where girls always go together.

Girlhood in the Bathroom is at Dining Room at Gilded Balloon Teviot, 13th till 22nd August.

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HOLE!

A wildly irreverent apocalyptic musical imagines the aftermath of a bizarre prophecy involving butt plugs that turns out to be true. As unlikely survivors navigate love, faith, and the end of the world, Hole! delivers a gloriously absurd take on devotion and desire.

Hole! is at Cowbarn at Underbelly, Bristo Square, 5th till 30th August (except 12th, 17th).

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PENELOPE

After two decades waiting for Odysseus, Penelope finally tells her story – cocktail in hand. Starring Broadway’s Grace McLean, this witty chamber musical reimagines The Odyssey through folk-pop melodies, merging wit, heart, and a fresh female perspective. A sharp, intimate retelling of an epic tale from the woman left behind.

Penelope is at Belly Button at Underbelly, Cowgate, 5th till 30th August (except 17th, 24th).

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THE BLOODY BALLAD OF BETTE DAVIS

A dazzling horror-musical fever dream sees Bette Davis confront ageism, ambition, and Hollywood’s hunger for youth. On the set of Burnt Offerings, legends, demons, and gossip collide in a chaotic spectacle where glamour meets terror and revenge.

The Bloody Ballad of Bette Davis is at Upstairs at Assembly Roxy, 6th till 30th August (except 13th, 20th, 27th).

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THE REAL KYLE MCCARREN

In Upstate Wherever, USA, Andy resurrects the memory of his former bandmate Kyle in a musical séance unlike any other. Part concert, part comedy, and part supernatural reckoning, this genre-bending show combines humour with warm storytelling to introduce the complicated legend behind the friendship, and the ghost who refuses to leave.

The Real Kyle McCarren is at Forth at Pleasance Courtyard, 5th till 30th August.

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UNHEARD VOICES, UNBROKEN SPIRITS

A powerful new musical amplifies the voices of young people with experience of Scotland’s care system. Through a raw, contemporary score, Unheard Voices, Unbroken Spirits explores companionship, resilience, identity, and hope. Created and performed by care-experienced artists, it is a moving commemoration of stories too often overlooked.

Unheard Voices, Unbroken Spirits is at Big Yin at Gilded Balloon Patter House, 5th till 31st August (except 17th, 18th).