Edinburgh Fringe Festival may be gone, but the Pick of the Fringe is an excellent replacement.
Yes, I missed the Fringe too. Yes, I’m still bitter about it. Luckily, good news arrives on the horizon pretty swiftly, as Islington’s Park Theatre bring their ‘Pick of the Fringe’ festival to town. Running from September 9th-14th, it’s your best chance to catch several breakout hits from this year’s Fringe and inject a little late-season drama into your life.
All these productions arrive struggling under the weight of a series of five-star reviews, and there’s even more good news to be found: the more shows you book, the cheaper each one becomes, under Park Theatre’s excellent Fringe Multibuy Offer. Here’s what’s on offer in 2019!
1. Anything with a Pulse
Modern dating makes innumerable appearances in the theatre landscape, but this “cutting”, “fresh and smile-inducing” production is elevated by two likeable leads and insightful writing. Expect plenty of self-reflection and the gradual tumbling of personal walls when this one pitches up. Find out more here.
2. Me, Macbeth and I
Charming, genial TV personality Clive Anderson (Whose Line Is It Anyway?) made a long-awaited return to the Edinburgh Fringe this year, and his warm, funny one-man show marks one of the highlights of Pick of the Fringe. See more here.
3. Wireless Operator
Smartphones and whatnot have put the wireless out of business, but the old girl’s got some life in her yet in this gripping play. Based on the true story of a World War II nighttime bombing raid, it traces the cracks that war leaves in a survivor’s psyche, and makes for some pretty unmissable watching. Find out more here.
4. Einstein
Pip Utton’s storied career as a one-man Fringe machine has seen him bring characters as disparate as Adolf Hitler, Charles Dickens, Maggie Thatcher, and Winston Churchill to life. Touching on science, religion, music, and women, his take on Albert Einstein should be an equally memorable one. See more here.
5. Endless Second
“One of the most charming and real love stories I’ve seen on stage” read one review of this powerful, interrogating play, which examines consent within a relationship. Timely, important, and brilliantly acted, you won’t want to miss out on this one. Find out more here.