Cabaret and Variety Picks

More triple-threats than you can shake a diamond-encrusted microphone at, the Fringe always does well with cabaret; here are some glitzy highlights

feature (edinburgh) | Read in About 2 minutes
Published 14 Jul 2018

Hot Brown Honey

If you haven't seen it yet, then it sucks to be you. Part of the Briefs Factory powerhouse, this is a sassy, catchy, energetic, frenetic assault on the patriarchy, on comfortable postcolonialism, on easy stereotypes. It's aggressively subversive and yet very very easy to swallow. You'll go out singing catchy tunes aiding revolution.

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 3–27 Aug, not 8, 15, 23, 7:30pm

Michael Griffiths: Songs by Kylie

He's done Madonna, Annie Lennox and Cole Porter. It seemed inevitable that the Australian cabaret star would turn to his homeland and channel the Princess of Pop. To think this incongruous is to underestimate Griffiths' ability to sensitively draw out the intricacies a musical persona. It's less impersonation than inhabitation.

Assembly George Square Theatre, 1–26 Aug, not 13, 5:20pm

Lady Rizo: Red, White and Indigo

Liberal New Yorker Lady Rizo has found herself apologising on behalf of her nation a fair bit recently, and in this new show, which she performed to glowing reviews in Australia, she tackles her dysfuntional relationship with her motherhood through stories and songs. Think of it like taking the knee, but in cabaret rather than American football. 

Assembly Hall, 2-19 Aug, not 8, 13, 9:10pm

Jonny Woo's All Star Brexit Cabaret

If you only see one Brexit satire this Fringe, this should be it. Whether you're a Remainer or...a Remainer (may as well face facts, there aren't likely to be all that many Leavers among Fest's libtard readership), you'll find it hard to resist the killer combo of songs by Richard Thomas (he of Jerry Springer: The Opera) and drag superstar, Jonny Woo, plus a cast including Jayde Adams as Boris Johnson. 

Assembly George Square Gardens, 2-27 Aug, not 13, 20, 6pm