What The Dickins: A Tale Of Edinburgh City

Assembly Highlights For Fringe 2016

assembly edinburgh

Assembly is the the longest running of the multi-venue operators at Edinburgh Festival Fringe and have several fabulous venues in Edinburgh. You can’t miss the impressive Assembly Hall on the Mound or the fun-filled George Square Gardens – Assembly’s main hub. The Checkpoint venue is on Bristo Place right next to the National Museum of Scotland and the new exciting Roxy just off Drummond Street has three performance spaces. As you might suspect there are tons of great shows to see – so to make it easier for you we’ve liked to share a few recommendations from the Assembly people themselves:

1. What shows at the Assembly are you particularly excited about this year?

We have so many amazing shows this year. Fringe Favourites The Magnets are returning for their 10th Fringe. It’s actually the 21st birthday of the band and these founding fathers of a cappella are celebrating every single style of song you can possibly imagine this year. They also have four new members in the band – it’s practically a completely new line up. We also have the 360 ALLSTARS returning after their sell-out show and Flip FabriQue is a circus performance not to be missed, whether you are seven or 70! We also love Hot Brown Honey, StarMan, Antonio Forcione and Sarah Jane Morris as well as Thrones the Musical. There are really too many to mention them all here!

The Magnets Assembly Festival

The Magnets are the UK’s most successful a cappella group.

2. What shows do you recommend for parents with young children?

Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dance Hall is a show which has been specifically created for parents and carers to enjoy with five year olds and under. It is hugely interactive and gets everyone dancing and enjoying the fun with their little ones. Co-created with Early Learning practitioners this is a magical, musical, discotastique experience.

monski mouse_0187b_photo by steve ullathorne

Monski Mouse’s popular Baby Disco Dance Hall are returning to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Shark in the Park is also brilliant for young children. We all love Nick Sharratt’s beloved books and this show is from the successful makers of The Hair Maclary and Friends Show. Not to be missed!

3. What shows do you recommend for the older generation?

We’d have to say Rodney Bewes and Richard Wilson, I don’t believe it! for the nostalgia value.

4. Are there any late night laughs we shouldn’t miss out on?

We can’t wait to see Les Enfants Terribles ‘The Vaudevillians’. This theatre company is one to watch and this is set to be a hilarious, colourful, weird and wonderful performance. Also keep an eye out for Peter and Bambi Heaven: The Magic Inside.

The Vaudevillains - Die Charlie Die - Paul Blakemore

Razor sharp theatre group Les Enfants Terribles’ is one of the most innovative and exciting theatre companies working today.

5. What show should we see if we want to be amazed?

Hmm good question. Probably Casus Circus Driftwood. These performers enjoy pushing their boundaries physically and artistically, they love exploring the possibilities of what their bodies can do and where human connections can take them. They co-create their shows and work without a director and there is an element of improvisation in all of their shows so there is always something new to see in each performance.

6. Last but not least; what makes the Assembly special?

We are the longest running multi-venue, we are known for our quality programming and bring you feats of wonderful work from around the world.

Make sure you also check out the Fringe highlights for the Gilded Balloon, the Pleasance and the Underbelly!

2 Comments

  • Grahame Higginson

    August 14, 2016 at 10:36 pm

    “Vaudevillains” is certainly one of the best shows this year, but does not really come into the category of “late night laughs”, more that of musical theatre. Other excellent musical shows in the Assembly offering are “Joe Stilgoe: Songs on Film”, “Glasgow Girls”, and “9 to 5”. Assembly’s best shows in spoken solo performance theatre are “Jane Eyre”, “The Unknown Soldier”, and “Chopping Chillies”.

    Reply

    • Dickins

      August 15, 2016 at 9:54 am

      Thank you for these great tips!

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