Assembly Festival has announced its largest first on sale in the company’s history, revealing 38 shows for Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026.
Audiences can look forward to titans of comedy, circus, cabaret, dance, theatre and family entertainment across six major hubs this August.
Highlights include Hot Dub Time Machine, Samuel Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape directed by Stockard Channing, Fringe favourite wrestling spectacle Mythos: Ragnarök, award winning drama Shotgunned, gravity‑defying circus works Ten Thousand Hours and By A Thread, and acclaimed musicals Come From Away and Dear Evan Hansen.
The 2026 programme marks Assembly’s 45th Fringe season, with performances running from 5 to 31 August across George Square Gardens, Assembly Rooms, Assembly Hall, Assembly Roxy, Checkpoint and Dance Base.
David Westhead, Krapp’s Last Tape said, “We rehearsed in Stockard’s kitchen. I was Krapp. Literally and metaphorically. Her first comment was, “Well, who the hell’s going to watch this?” Slowly things improved and we moved gingerly into the lounge. The play involves a couple of bananas. Benny the dog kept trying to eat them. So, we moved back into the kitchen. Since then, we’ve played all over the UK, Europe, and the US. Odd how it all came together.”
Stockard Channing, Krapp’s Last Tape said, “David assured me we’d only play his pal’s arts centre and a site-specific, derelict function room in North London. It’s now been touring the globe for 2 years and played to thousands of people. Talk about Theatre of the Absurd.”
Matt Anderson, Shotgunned said, “Shotgunned is a play that celebrates the relationships that fail, acknowledging that sometimes it’s the individuals we grow apart from, that have the biggest impact on us. It is a personal story about loss, love, and finding joy in the bittersweet, and I’m incredibly proud to be bringing it back to the Fringe as part of the Made in Scotland showcase this year.”
Susie McCabe said, “I am really looking forward to Fringe 2026 – bringing my brand new show ‘Coming of Rage’ to my home at the Gordon Aikman where we will be laughing at the madness of being in my mid 40s and the state of the world.”
Hot Dub Time Machine returns to Assembly Hall for eight performances, delivering a high energy house party experience full of hits from 1970 to 2026.
Mythos: Ragnarök brings a dynamic fusion of theatre and wrestling to Assembly Rooms’ Music Hall, retelling Nordic myths with battles between Thor, Odin, Loki and more.
Directed by Academy Award nominee Stockard Channing, Krapp’s Last Tape stars David Westhead and will feature post‑show Q&As on selected dates.
Fringe favourites Ten Thousand Hours and By A Thread return with world‑class acrobatics, while Susie McCabe debuts her new show Coming of Rage and Rob Auton presents JUPITER. Chris Grace of Superstore also joins the comedy line‑up.
Further programme highlights include Sarah‑Louise Young’s interactive The Bob Ross Effect, Beckett adaptation Diary of a Mad Man, historical comedy 5 Mistakes That Changed History, and music‑led productions such as Elton Reimagined and 27 Club.
Musical fans can enjoy limited runs of global sensations Come From Away and Dear Evan Hansen in the Assembly Ballroom.
Family audiences can look forward to The Listies: 110% Ready, the Explosive Science Show!, Monski Mouse’s Baby Disco Dance Hall and 360 All Stars.
Local talent will also be showcased with PRIME, Dance Base’s company for dancers over 60, and Lothian Youth Dance Company.
Assembly will once again present world‑class talent across its Edinburgh venues throughout August, continuing its legacy as one of the Fringe’s longest‑running multi‑venue operators.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
