Search

Toggle dark mode:

Saved articles

You have not yet added any article to your bookmarks!

Browse articles

GDPR Compliance

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service.

Ten Shows to Catch at This Year’s Prague Fring​e

Nicholas Abrams Nicholas Abrams
16 Apr 2026

There’s a particular moment, somewhere between your third venue of the day and your second plastic cup of something questionably labelled “wine”, when the Prague Fringe really clicks. You stop trying to see everything, accept that you’ll miss something brilliant, and instead lean into the chaos of it all.

This list is not definitive. It’s not even especially sensible

This list, then, is not definitive. It’s not even especially sensible. But it is ten shows that, for one reason or another, feel worth carving out an hour for.

King John - Rendered Retina Theatre Company (England)

There are many ways to sell a Fringe show. Declaring you’re staging Shakespeare’s “worst play” is certainly one of them.

Rendered Retina made a minor miracle of King John when they brought it to Prague a couple of years ago. Armed with little more than a box, a guitar, and an alarming number of hats, they delivered a production that was inventive, fast-paced, and genuinely impressive in its clarity. I described it at the time as “a truly excellent performance from a talented trio” - and I stand by that.

If this revival retains even half the energy of the original run, it should be one of the safest bets of the Fringe.

Fake - Snap the Arrow Limited (Scotland)

Magicians at fringe festivals are ten a penny. Magicians with a story are rarer.

Chris Cook’s Fake arrives with strong word-of-mouth from Edinburgh, not to mention a Mervyn Stutter Pick of the Fringe award - which, for those who track such things, is usually a reliable indicator that something interesting is going on. The premise - a layered tale of fraud, illusion, and identity spanning centuries - suggests this is less about tricks and more about narrative sleight of hand.

Boxeur - Pequodcompagnia (Italy)

Sometimes five minutes is enough.

I caught a short extract of Boxeur at the Catania Fringe press launch last year, and even in that brief window, Stefano Detassis’ performance stood out. There was a physical precision and emotional clarity that cut through the usual preview chaos - no small feat when you’re surrounded by a dozen other acts all vying for attention.

Set in post-war Paris and centred around a high-stakes boxing match, the show promises themes of resistance, identity, and perseverance. On the strength of what I’ve seen so far, this feels like one to catch in full.

Shallowspace - Elastic Fantastic (England)

Science fiction on stage is a tricky beast. Too often, it gestures at scale and ends up feeling small.

Shallowspace is a rare exception. I saw it in a late-night slot at Edinburgh last year - the kind of time when half the audience is running on adrenaline and the other half on fumes - and it still managed to cut through. The combination of synth-heavy sound design, projected visuals, and a tightly controlled solo performance creates something properly immersive.

More importantly, it understands that good sci-fi isn’t about the technology; it’s about the people (or, in this case, the person) at the centre of it. It’s strange, unsettling, and unexpectedly moving. One of last year’s highlights at the Edinburgh Fringe, and well worth seeking out.

Last Train From India - UnErase Poetry (India)

Prague Fringe has, in recent years, developed a strong pipeline of work from India, and this year is no exception, with multiple shows making the journey over.

Last Train From India edges into this list largely because of the performers involved. UnErase Poetry have built a reputation for sharp, emotionally direct spoken word, and setting that against the backdrop of Partition - one of the most turbulent moments in modern history - feels like a potent combination.

Three friends, one room, and a world dividing outside. It’s an intimate setup with big themes: identity, nationalism, and the personal cost of political upheaval. If it lands, this could be one of the more affecting hours on the programme.

Of Mice and Men - Fringe Management (England)

There are certain stories that follow you around. For many of us, Of Mice and Men is one of them - usually encountered in a GCSE classroom.

Fringe Management have a solid track record of delivering strong work across fringe festivals, and Steinbeck’s novella is well-suited to the kind of stripped-back storytelling the Fringe does best. The challenge, of course, is finding something fresh in a story so widely known.

Still, hope springs eternal. Perhaps this time George and Lennie will finally get those rabbits - though I wouldn’t recommend betting on it.

The High Priestess - Johanna - Beatrice Schiaffino (Italy)

Another Italian import, this time arriving via the Milano Off Fringe.

The High Priestess - Johanna leans into myth, legend, and religious history, telling the story of a woman who defies convention to rise - improbably - to the papacy. It’s a premise that sits somewhere between historical drama and allegory, with a clear thematic focus on knowledge, power, and gender.

Having seen the strength of work coming out of festivals like Catania, I’m curious to see how this translates to Prague. It has the makings of something bold, if it can match its ambition with theatrical clarity.

(W)holy Helga - Nazaret Froufe (Spain)

Every Fringe needs a bit of mischief.

(W)holy Helga looks set to provide it. Drawing on bouffon and cabaret traditions (with a nod to Philippe Gaulier’s training methods), this solo show promises an irreverent dive into faith, desire, and power - with audience interaction and a healthy dose of the unexpected.

There’s always a risk with this kind of work that it tips too far into chaos, but in the right hands, it can be electrifying. At the very least, it’s unlikely to be forgettable.

Norman’s Big Day Out - Adam Havsky (England)

Fringe circus has been quietly evolving over the past few years, moving away from pure technical display towards something more character-driven.

Norman’s Big Day Out seems firmly in that camp. Combining lasso work, acrobatics, and clowning, it centres on a delivery driver whose evening spirals into increasingly surreal territory. The hook here is the self-awareness – a performer explicitly interested in showing the effort behind the spectacle, rather than pretending it’s all effortless grace.

Shortlisted for Best Dance Work at Brighton Fringe, it arrives with decent credentials and an appealingly odd premise.

Mike Blaha: Pivotal Nomad (USA)

Stand-up at the Fringe can be hit or miss, but occasionally you come across a comic who you know will deliver the goods.

Mike Blaha is one of those. A familiar face on the circuit, he returns to Prague with a new hour built around the existential drift of remote working, international living, and the vague sense that adulthood hasn’t quite gone to plan.

More importantly, he’s a reliable performer - the kind who can turn a loosely structured set into a genuinely enjoyable hour. If you’re in need of something straightforwardly funny amid the more experimental offerings, this is a solid option.

As ever with the Prague Fringe, the real joy lies in the unexpected: the show you wander into on a whim, the late-night slot that turns out to be the highlight of your week, the act you recommend to everyone for the next three days.

This list is a starting point. The rest is up to you.

Nicholas Abrams

Nicholas Abrams

Nick runs Broadway Baby's Brighton operation.

Related to this article:

The Producers
Matilda
Wicked
Popular now
Titanique
Les Miserables
The Play That Goes Wrong