The Edinburgh Fringe may be a pilgrimage for fans of theatre and comedy, and a rite of passage for makers and performers, but being there – as an artist or even just as a spectator – isn’t cheap. Much has been written about prohibitively expensive accommodation and train costs and rising ticket prices. For many Londoners, Shedinburgh might be the answer. Popping up at the Young Vic from September 12 to October 10, it will bring acclaimed past Fringe shows to the capital by the likes of Bryony Kimmings, Lucy McCormick and Jordan Brookes, plus work-in-progress pieces and brand-new Shed Originals shows.
Shedinburgh began in 2020 as a digital concept, which saw performers staging shows in sheds and streaming them to live audiences online. Last year, it took on physical form as a purpose-built 100-seat venue in Edinburgh. Founded by Francesca Moody Productions, the Olivier Award-winning producers behind Fleabag and Baby Reindeer (which both began life as Fringe shows), Shedinburgh was conceived as a way to support performers and nurture talent. Unlike the traditional Fringe model, Shedinburgh guarantees artists a fee regardless of how many tickets get sold, plus travel and accommodation.
This year, Shedinburgh will run during the Edinburgh Fringe in August, then establish itself at the Young Vic, where it will present more than 40 shows. Among the highlights are masterful performance artist McCormick’s unhinged comedy-cabaret Lucy and Friends, Kemah Bob with an iteration of her roving comedy club Foc It Up!, comic Brookes’s acclaimed 2017 comedy show Body of Work, award-winning stand-up Sam Nicoresti’s 2022 show Cancel Anti Wokeflake Snow Culture and pioneering theatre maker Kimmings’s influential debut 2010 solo show Sex Idiot.
Work-in-progress shows are often great ways to catch performance at its rawest – and Shedinburgh will present new material by the likes of Sh!t Theatre, Sara Pascoe and Rosie Jones.
“Shedinburgh began as a love letter to the Edinburgh Fringe, and we continue in that spirit, celebrating iconic shows that started life in dripping caves, pub back rooms and university lecture theatres in Scotland’s capital, while backing bold new voices,” executive producer Francesca Moody said in a statement. “The programme is a reminder of the breadth of incredible talent that has and is growing out of the Fringe and we’re proud to champion that.”
Shedinburgh runs at the Young Vic Theatre from September 12 to October 10, 2026.