Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023 – Our top ten most eye-catching show titles

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet…” These immortal words from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet may ring true, but when it comes to the Edinburgh Fringe, an unusual, intriguing or utterly outlandish name can certainly help a production stand out among the multitude of shows on offer at the annual festival.

We’ve had a long look through the schedule of theatrical pieces and here are just ten of our favourites (in alphabetical order) for 2023…

Cat Sh!t Crazy

Crazier than bat sh!t crazy, we wonder?… This one-woman dark comedy follows “seriously hot mess” Cindy who has unresolved mommy issues alongside childhood trauma and a terrible taste in men. Ready to end it all, her best friend suggests she may want to get a cat, but can her new-found obsession prevail when the unthinkable happens? theSpaceTriplex, 4 to 26 August

Chopped Liver and Unions

A fine theatrical delicacy indeed! This piece of new writing centres around Sarah Wesker, a woman from London’s East End, who led a 12-week strike in 1928 and went on to fight in the battle of Cable Street in 1936. Long before Made in Dagenham, this formidable lady was campaigning for the cause, but did it cost her the love of her life? theSpace on the Mile, 4 to 26 August

Do Rhinos Feel Their Horns or Can They Not See Them Like How We Can’t See Our Noses

This one wins the award for the longest title on our list! Inspired by Ionesco’s classic play Rhinoceros, Do Rhinos Feel Their Horns?, this Singaporean production follows two friends who are making an online radio play about the “Rhinoceritis” epidemic in the 1980s. Summerhall, 15 to 27 August

Four Felons and a Funeral

We do love any titles that rip off 90s movie classics! Billed as a “queer rom-com road-trip musical”, Millie and three dysfunctional friends in a Fiat Punto are on a mission to steal and scatter one of their mate’s ashes. What could go wrong?! Pleasance Courtyard, 2 to 27 August

How to Find a Husband in 37 Years or Longer

Notebooks at the ready! But is this solo show quite what it seems? Set in a little truck in Indiana, surrounded by cornfields, we find JJ Pyle, stuck there with her dad for Christmas. Brace yourselves for her tale of criminal activity, dysfunctional families and ultimately, acceptance and emancipation. theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 4 to 26 August

Les Millénniables

Les Misérables gets a millennial makeover? We’re in! Take Jean Valjean, a millennial crippled with student loan debt, who is ruthlessly pursued by a Boomer (and debt collector) named Javert, and throw in the hit songs of yesteryear and we’re dreaming a dream of a perfect pop parody! theSpace @ Niddry Street, 14 to 26 August

Nobody’s Talking About Jamie

Move over, Jamie New! And say hello to Jamie Finn! We meet the latter after being dumped and taken in by his spin instructor friend Lily. But while the iconic musical theatre character has truly stepped out of the darkness and into the spotlight, alas nobody is talking about the protagonist of this piece. Underbelly, Cowgate, 3 to 27 August

One Week in Magaluf

What happens in Magaluf… gets told to audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe, of course! Join Amy, Megan, Nicole and Olivia (and a plethora of 00s bangers) on their quest for sun, sex and sangria in the popular Majorca destination, but can their friendship survive the trip? theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, 4 to 19 August

This Is Not a Play (It’s a Pathetic Cry for Help)

Is this the most refreshingly honest title at the Fringe this year or is the joke on us?! Jonas Müller’s debut play follows Amanda – a woman whose “close to perfect” life is about to be shattered. Assembly George Square Studios, 2 to 13 August

Why I Stuck a Flare Up My Arse for England

Why you did what now?! Exploring the themes of belonging, tribalism and toxic masculinity, Alex Hill’s one-man play follows a die-hard football fan named Billy who goes viral after a questionable “show of support” for his country’s team which, in turn, leads to him questioning his own love for the beautiful game. theSpace @ Niddry Street, 4 to 22 August