The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is now well under way, with some shows already having come and gone from the city.
With more than 3,000 shows included in this year’s programme of events, it can be hard to decide which to see. From theatre and comedy to dance, musicals and more, there is a huge range of entertainment on offer.
But which shows have really stood out from the rest during the 2025 Fringe?
The Scotsman’s critics have reviewed more than 350 shows so far this year and while there are a good number of 4-star reviews only a handful of performances have earned themselves 5-stars.
Here are all of the 5-star shows on at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe.
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1. Dance, Physical Theatre, & Circus — Circa: Wolf
One of the earliest shows to receive a 5-star review from The Scotsman was Circa: Wolf. Brisbane-based company Circa’s acrobatic show with its clever costumes and remarkable feats had our reviewer praising their artistry which “keeps them at the top of their game”. Circa: Wolf is on at Underbelly’s Circus Hub until August 23. | Andy Phillipson
2. Musicals and Opera – Midnight at the Palace
With our reviewer calling it “a whole lot of taboo-breaking fun”, musical Midnight at the Palace follows counterculture trailblazers The Cockettes following their success in San Francisco during the 60s and their failure to break NYC shortly after that. With a “uniformly exceptional” cast, Midnight at the Palace is on at the Gilded Balloon Patter House until August 24. | Contributed
3. Theatre – A Brief History of Neurodivergence
Despite already having finished its run at the 2025 Fringe, our reviewer said A Brief History of Neurodivergence is “a performance that everyone should see”. From Fiona Moon, the production is “equal parts joyous and educational”. Running only until August 10, it was on at the studio at C ARTS. | Contributed
4. Comedy – Nate Kitch: Something Different!!!!!
Described as a show for “true comedy aficionados” Nate Kitch’s Something Different!!!!! plays around with a number of comic ideas, techniques and formulas, essentially ripping up the comedy rulebook. It is on in the Snug at the Gilded Balloon Patter House until August 25. | Contributed