Hadsan Mohamud: Crush
Time for our latest Edinburgh Fringe Q&A. I was immediately drawn in when I read about 'Crush', a funny play about identity, connection and healing that focuses on two Somali teenagers who meet in a clinic waiting room.

The two-hander is the work of writer Hadsan Mohamud, who also takes one of the roles in the play.

I spoke to Hadsan ahead of the show's run at the Edinburgh Fringe, to find out more about her and what to expect from her work.

THREEWEEKS AT EDINBURGH FESTIVAL 2026
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Daljung Kim: The Last Man
You may already have heard good things about 'The Last Man', a new English language version of a Korean hit musical by Jishik Kim and Seungyeon Kwon, which is currently completing a run at Southwark Playhouse Elephant.

This new production benefits from dramaturgy by Jethro Compton and direction from its original Korean director Daljung Kim. It's a solo show, with two different actors – Nabi Brown and Lex Lee (pictured) – alternately performing.

It's about a solitary survivor of a global virus who has taken shelter in a bunker beneath the streets of Seoul, and we see how isolation warps their sense of reality as the weeks go on.

To find out more about the show, I spoke to aforementioned director Daljung Kim.

Regulating 'digital replicas' in the spotlight in the US and UK
A revised version of the NO FAKES Act was introduced in Washington yesterday aiming to allow performers and creators, and people more generally, to control their voice and likeness in the context of AI.

Edinburgh Fringe gets another best joke prize
A new best joke award will be launched at this year's Edinburgh Fringe via a partnership between snack brand Cheez-It and the Edinburgh Fringe Society. The award will go to the 'Cheeziest Joke Of The Fringe'.

Shows to see in London this week - including performances from people we first discovered at the Edinburgh Festival.

FUNNY STUFF

Darren Walsh: Do You Like Puns? | Leicester Square Theatre | 22 May (pictured)
How about some funny stuff to kick things off? Yeah, I think that's a good idea too. Let's head first to Leicester Square to see Darren Walsh, because his show is called 'Do You Like Puns?', and my answer to that question is "yes". I mean, I hope that the title means that some puns are involved. But even if not, he's a very good act, and is also very tall, if I remember correctly. Click here.

Comedy In (The) Space | The Space | 22 May
Now, who is up for a whole line-up of quality comedians in one easy to take in show? Yeah, you're all with me, aren't you? Great news, because you don't want to miss the fine array that is the brilliant Spencer Jones, the excellent Lachlan Werner and the fabulous Morgan Rees, all ably MCd by the talented Matt Price. So many nice adjectives. Find out more here.

Notes: The Comedy B-Sides | The Bird's Nest | 23 May
"Every comedian has a Notes app full of ideas that felt like genius at the time. The half-finished premises. The voice memos recorded at 3am. The single word with three question marks that definitely meant something once". A new show format from Stephen Gordon that sees comedians opening their phones and performing what's there. See it before it heads edfringe-wards! Click here.

KIDS' STUFF

The Very Busy Bumblebee | New Wimbledon Theatre Studio | 22-23 May (pictured)
Only fair to do some child-focused tipping this week, I reckon, because we'll be segueing into half term territory by Friday. First pick is a show for under eights that has themes of friendship and sustainability, and which offers a perhaps first introduction to live ballet. Expect something funny and sweet, as the titular bumblebee tries to persuade Mr Grumpy to be less of a litterbug. More here.

Planet Omar | Unicorn Theatre | 21 May-7 Jun
This new adaption of the well loved Planet Omar books by Zanib Mian promises to be funny, joyful and suitable for children aged seven and over. When Omar moves to a new home, there are many challenges to be met, including a new school, an unfriendly neighbour and a mean bully. But he will overcome, with a little help from family and his new best friend. Details here.

Boxed In | Half Moon Theatre | 21-23 May
This one's for a younger demographic, aged three to six, and is about Derek and Joe, two friends who are trying to "understand life's strange instructions", and who take the audience on a journey about feeling left out, not because you've done the wrong thing, but because life isn't always fair. Promises humour, visual storytelling and a bit of chaos, find out more about it here.

PHYSICAL THINGS

The Crawl | Greenwich Theatre | 21-23 May
If you're a fan of physical theatre and dance and stuff then we have a treat for you this week. That's right, a whole section full of that kind of thing. Hurrah. First up, a show that our reviewer absolutely loved when he saw it at last year's Edinburgh Fringe. It's a high energy physical comedy set in the world of an epic swimming race. Don't miss it, book your tickets here.

There And Here | The Place | 21 May (pictured)
"A performance dedicated to people worldwide who have been forcibly displaced because of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or disasters of climate change". One of our favourite dance groups, Luca Silvestrini's Protein, brings together an ensemble of people from all over the world as part of the company's inclusion programme, Real Life Real Dance. More here.

Pointe Black: Overcome | Theatre Peckham | 23+25 May
And finally, it's this week's recommendation from the lovely Peckham Fringe. There's loads of great shows on, so do check out all the listings here, but obviously, bear in mind a trip to see London-based black ballet company Pointe Black's 'Overcome', a powerful piece that shines a light on the courage and resistance of black historical figures. Find out about that here.

SHORT STOPS

Rosaline And Juliet | Union Theatre | 25 May (pictured)
And talking of festivals, here's a show from another one, the Union One Act Festival. And this, as you might have gathered, is a reimagining of 'Romeo And Juliet' that sees Juliet and Romeo's ex-crush Rosaline analysing their predicaments through a mixture of contemporary, humorous dialogue and original Shakepeare lines. Head to the venue website here for more.

Dancing In The MIrror | The Fellowship Inn | 22-23 May
The playwriting debut of Sunday Times best-selling author Rhik Samadder is a site specific play that features live music and tells the story of Jade, a young boxer who grew up in care, and Mica, an aspiring actor. The piece explores identity, inheritance and whether we can escape our past, and covers a century of South London life. Head to this page here to get your tickets booked.

Holding Ground | Camden People's Theatre | 20-23 May
This one sounds pretty fascinating – a "multilingual live performance that weaves story-theatre, song, and poetry to explore home, memory and connection across distance". It's the work of Nomakhwezi Becker, South African-German interdisciplinary performer, and looks at communal craft traditions and stories passed down by grandmothers. Find out lots more on this page here.

MORE GREAT STUFF

Albatross | Omnibus Theatre | 26-30 May (pictured)
And finally, three more delectable morsels for you to get your teeth into. Though, maybe that's not the best metaphor when talking about a show called 'Albatross'. Anyway, this is a show about love in the age of climate catastrophe, and focuses on Alice, a scientist returning home to her mother and her daughter following a gruelling Antarctic trip. Book tickets here.

Patronage | Drayton Arms Theatre | 26-30 May
This sounds interesting, not least because artists are interesting, and his is about Michelangelo, but it's a contemporary retelling of his life conveyed via a "modern lens of artistic power, financial dependence and inherited responsibility". The play looks at patronage, succession and the relationship between creativity and commerce. Book your tickets right about here.

Before I'm Dead | The Glitch | 25 May-22 Jun 
"Zara is dying. At seventeen, with a terminal diagnosis and a very limited tolerance for nonsense, she has one final project: record her own eulogy, in her own words, before her brain tumour makes that impossible". Stuart, meanwhile, thinks he is there to help, but Zara doesn't need help, but a witness. Head to the venue website here to find out more and book.

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