Otto & Astrid: The Stages Tour
Fans of Edinburgh regulars Die Roten Punkte, Berlin's undisputed prince and princess of art rock and europop, will be excited to hear that Otto and Astrid are bringing back to the Festival this year their already critically acclaimed greatest hits show filled with all their best songs.

We are certainly fans and are relieved that the 'siblings' are still touring the show, especially given the last time we spoke to them, they were performing separate solo shows, albeit on the same stage at the same time, for logistical reasons.

To find out more about the greatest hits show, and about the stars themselves, I put some questions to Otto and Astrid ahead of their upcoming Edinburgh run.

THREEWEEKS AT EDINBURGH FESTIVAL 2026
Follow all our coverage of this year's Festival here
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Caro Moses from ThreeWeeks recommends shows to see at this year's Edinburgh Festival in handy sets of three...

RETURNING FAVOURITES

Joseph Morpurgo: Highlander 70 | Pleasance Courtyard | 5-11, 20-30 Aug
We love all the new plays and new people that turn up at the Fringe every year, but we also love seeing people return, especially when it's been a while, and that's definitely the case for our first three picks of 2026. Long term edfringe-goers will be well aware of the work of Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Joseph Morpurgo. Well, he's back with a hilarious new show. Listing here.

Felicity Ward: I Wish I Could Come Out Of My Shell | Monkey Barrel Comedy | 17-30 Aug (pictured)
Another act that we've not seen at edfringe for a while is very excellent Australian comedian Felicity Ward, star of both stage and screen, and it's delightful to think that she will be back this year. "In 2025 Felicity Ward was the happiest she's been in a decade. What happened? Divorce, bisexuality, and 'Dancing With The Stars". So that sounds fun. Listing here.

Julian Clary: Fully Dilated | Assembly Rooms | 14-23 Aug
"I've decided to open up to the public and reveal all. No more hiding behind a stage persona; I'm going to be myself. The question is will you be able to tell the difference?" It's a whopping seventeen years since "camp comic and renowned homosexual" Julian Clary last brought a show to the Fringe, so frankly, it's about time, don't you agree? Listing here.

CLOWNY SHOWS

Daryl J Carrington: Tennish | Underbelly Bristo Square | 5-30 Aug
There are lots and lots of clowny shows happening at this year's edfringe, so honestly it was pretty tough to try and narrow it down to just three to mention here. I managed it, though. First up is Daryl J Carrington, who'll focus his inventive physical comedy on tennis props, using rackets, balls and towels to create a playful and chaotic piece about ambition and failure. Find the listing here.

Underground Monk Show | Assembly George Square Gardens | 5-30 Aug
"Monks find magic water. Magic water makes dreams come true. Monks go crazy". I mean, who wouldn't be interested in something with a name like 'Underground Monk Show'? It's a title guaranteed to pique your interest, but the show itself is definitely worth your time, for it's the work of a highly acclaimed bunch of clowny types. Don't miss it. Find the listing here. 

Here Comes Almost | Zoo Playground | 7-30 Aug
It's an Edinburgh debut for Noah Seltzer, who presents a playful yet vulnerable figure on a mission to cure loneliness, in response to the World Health Organisation's identification of loneliness as a growing threat to global health. Through physical comedy, dance and song the show asks "if we try too hard to be loved, do we end up getting in the way of ourselves?" Find the listing here.

EDFRINGE COMEDY DEBUTS

Dom McGovern: Prize Hog | Pleasance Courtyard | 5-30 Aug (pictured)
I think sometimes the notion of an Edinburgh debut can be a bit misleading, because you know, sometimes they are the work of complete unknowns, but often Edinburgh debuts are made by people who already have a thriving career. Rising star Dom McGovern, co-writer of 'Chicken Shop Date', mines his psychological baggage in this first Edinburgh outing. Listing here. 

Jamie Wolf: Psycho | Gilded Balloon Teviot | 5-30 Aug
Up and coming US comedian, writer, actor and former opiate user Jamie Wolf's debut edfringe show draws on his own life experiences with grief, mental health and American healthcare, in a darkly funny show about a series of personal disasters that include an emergency appendectomy and a period spent in a psychiatric ward. Sounds heavy, but will be funny. Listing here. 

Burger And A Pint: Treats For The Soul | Pleasance Courtyard | 5-30 Aug
This award winning sketch duo did actually do a short, sold out run at last year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and both of the pair – Ted Milligan and James Trickey – have done acclaimed solo debuts. But this is their debut full length run together and I have justifiably high hopes for it, so I think it counts. Expect something very good. Listing here.

News Briefing: Manifesto for cultural high streets
Last week at the Creative UK Summer Reception in Parliament, ERA – the UK trade body for entertainment retailers and digital platforms – launched its Manifesto For Cultural High Streets.

The aim of the manifesto is to spotlight the challenges faced by cultural businesses in towns and cities around the UK, and what action government could take to help those businesses meet those challenges.

In this TW News Briefing, we team up with ERA to explain what is meant by the cultural high street. Plus we run through three key reasons why the cultural high street matters and three key ways the government could provide more support.

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

MUSICAL STUFF

The Scale Of Power | Union Theatre | 21-22 Jul
Yay, lots of musical things for you to get your teeth into this week, which is nice. Feels to me like it goes well with all this sunny weather. That said, this first one, a new piece of musical theatre, feels a bit dystopian, even though it's a hilarious satire. It has a very intriguing premise, set in a world where your economic power is based on your ability to hit the right notes. More here.

After My Breath / Eden 2.0: A Double Bill | Arcola Theatre | 15-18 Jul (pictured)
Hurrah, I love this time of year, in part because of the different festivals that take place. And kicking off this week is Arcola's Grimeborn opera festival, which is very exciting. Our first pick is this double bill of modern chamber opera: 'After My Breath', a solo soprano love letter to Greta Thunberg, and 'Eden 2.0', which asks what might happen if creation could be rebooted. Click here.

Trains In The Night | The Glitch | 16-17 Jul
"Celine, an aspiring actress, is willing to leap headfirst into love. Margot, a struggling writer, keeps getting caught between what she wants and what feels safe. Every time one is single, the other isn't. Every time they almost say it, they don't". A sapphic, coming of age musical that promises to be funny, intimate, yearny and tender. Find out more and book tickets here.

SHORT STOPS

The Green Room Of Good And Evil | Etcetera Theatre | 17 Jul
This one's actually another musical event that fell out of the above section and into this one, which is apt, because it's only on for one night, sadly. Grasp the opportunity, though and see this cabaret that pits angels against monsters and dreamers against schemers. "Every musical needs a hero and a villain, but who truly steals the show?" Find out more about it here.

Chris Grace: 88% | Park Theatre | 17-18 Jul
A new hour of stand-up comedy from Chris Grace, a performer I got to know through interviewing him about his work at the Edinburgh Festival, and also through watching him in the TV series 'Superstore', as one of the players in a subplot that I really adored. This show poses some interesting questions and heads to edfringe later this summer. More here.

Untold Stories | Greenwich Theatre | 15-18 Jul (pictured)
And speaking of edfringe, this next show is not going to the Scottish Festival this year, as far as I am aware, but it won a lot of fans at last year's Fringe. Modern mime artist Silent Rocco creates worlds and stories in an immersive and cinematic experience. "What if you could wear emotions like masks?" Find out more and book your tickets right about here.

MORE GREAT STUFF 

Cruising | The Hope Theatre | 19-22 Jul
Yes, you may have noticed that this show runs for the same length of time as the last one featured in the short stops section. It's another one that fell out of its place and into a different set of tips, but no matter, it's going to be great, so it belongs here. It's about a dancer and a climate activist who meet on a cruise and realise they are both in a relationship with the same person. Click here. 

Alice In Wonderland | Riverside Studios | 16 Jul-2 Aug (pictured)
It's a classic and it's for a family audience (ages five and up) so I reckon this might be a great way for your young fry to start their summer holidays. Not entirely sure when everyone breaks up but I think we're mostly done by the end of this week. Anyway, you all know Alice and the shenanigans she gets up to and this is a critically acclaimed production, so book here. 

Darling, I Think I'm Turning Into A Chicken | Upstairs At The Gatehouse | 15-26 Jul 
It's a funny title (not one I could ignore) and this is a darkly comedic play, but it's definitely got some serious concerns to talk about: it explores how illness is not just biological, but emotional, social and generational, and looks at "what happens when loss becomes the air a family breathes". Head to the venue website here to find out more. 

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