For football fans missing their fix during the inter-season hiatus, some consolation is to be found in various shows at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Sounds like good clean fun, or maybe not.
Let’s kick off with a hat-trick of shows from the celebrated NLP Theatre Company, who never tire of presenting the Celtic–Rangers conflict. Their classic adversarial story, Singin' I'm No a Billy Jr, He's a Tim Jr – Young Offenders, tells what happens when you lock up a Celtic ultra with a Rangers ultra on the day of the big match. Des Dillon entertains and educates on the religious origins of the Celtic–Rangers conflict, while beneath the amusement the generational repercussions of the longstanding feud expose bigotry and ethnic identity on both the macro and micro scale through the lens of the two characters locked in a prison cell.
Of course, it’s not just the boys who are obsessed with their teams, so now the company has created the all-female sequel, Singin' I'm No a Billie, She's a Tim. The re-write promises to be as fanatical and hilarious as the original.
And if you’re still craving more, then Billy and Tim – Old Firm Legends awaits. What could be worse for a Celtic legend and a Rangers legend than being locked up in a police cell together on the day of the Old Firm match? Well, being banged up with fervent Old Firm supporters Billy and Tim! This live show features cameo performances from Old Firm legends Simon Donnelly and Charlie Miller and a meet-and-greet session after the performance. Not one to miss.
On a less focused note, comedy fans can also join fast-rising comedian Andrew White as he embarks on a hilarious personal journey in Young, Gay and a Third Thing. There’s just a modicum of football hooliganism kicking around in a field that features meat raffles, reggae, drag queens, Oscar Wilde and musical theatre. A Best Show nominee at the Leicester Comedy Festival 2025, White is regarded by Joe Lycett as “...definitely one to watch.”
Right on the ball and with humour in classic North London Jewish style is comedian and soccer fan Ivor Dembina. In Millwall Jew, he accounts for why he now supports South London’s most notorious football club. Now that requires a lot of explaining! And as he might say, it proves that Jews are wickedly funny and have a great sense of humour. If you doubt that, see his other show, I Should Have Listened to Ivor Dembina.
Alternatively, if you prefer a small-team version of the game, Brixton Mondays is the story of the reunion of the longest-running 5-a-side football team in Britain (1985–2012) at the south London curry house where they traditionally met every Monday to relive victories and embarrassments. Past rivalries and grudges emerge even before the poppadoms are served. But why is the fifth team member unavailable – and who is the young man lurking by the service counter? A huge hit over three sold-out London runs, apparently it's not about football – it’s about life, death and friendship, and promises to be hilarious, heartfelt and poignant in equal measure.
If you prefer your sport from across the pond and your humour spontaneous, then American Football: An Improv Comedy Show might be the one for you. It makes very few claims other than being “different” and full of “big-time touchdowns.” New York City comedians from Upright Citizens Brigade, Brooklyn Comedy Collective and The Magnet Theatre collaborate in this showcase of experimental and mostly improvised material featuring storytelling and audience interaction.
Meanwhile, why not celebrate that most glorious of years with the new musical 1966? The Beatles are on the radio. Geoff Hurst is on the pitch. And British teenagers have never had it so good. With a world of adventures in front of them, a group of friends gather to cheer on the English football team. Sounds like good clean fun – or maybe not.
Bringing the focus to the Fringe’s home, there are three opportunities to revel in works inspired by local teams Hibernian FC and Heart of Midlothian FC, starting with a leisurely wander around an exhibition by contemporary Edinburgh artist Davy Macdonald. Dyed in the Wool is a new exhibition celebrating the 150th anniversaries of both clubs. This imaginative collection fuses fine art with abstract and conceptual works that reflect the rich history, identity and traditions of both clubs. From bold, colourful paintings to thought-provoking and playful pieces, Macdonald’s art honours the cultural legacy of these iconic teams, their deep connection to the city and the unwavering passion of their devoted fans.
From gallery to theatre next with Colours Run, a vibrant working-class play by BBC Scottish Voices writer Mikey Burnett, described by The Scotsman as “Pinteresque.” This gritty, dark comedy is a two-hander about troubled Hibs casual Pongo, who returns home from the team’s Derby Day to tell his brother, Pete, that something bad has happened. Brotherly love is strained by the potential serious consequences of a brawl – and a can of worms opens that suggests something far worse occurred in their past.
Similarly rooted in the passion and troubles of working-class fans, Nathan Scott-Dunn’s multi-award-winning sell-out hit of five Fringes, 1902, returns for another season in a further celebration of Hibernian FC’s century and a half. Framed around the club’s heroic victory in the 2016 Scottish Cup Final – a triumph that had eluded them for 114 years – four young supporters become embroiled in a tangled web of deceits, family loyalties and financial dealings arising from their devotion to the club and determination to get tickets for the game. Playing in a league of its own, this visceral, in-yer-face drama is both an OffWestEnd and Broadway Baby Bobby Award winner. To miss this one would be like scoring an own goal.
