Nottingham's finest!

Hull, you did yourselves proud. 😊

This multi-media performance explores the vibrant textures, voices, and contradictions of a continent both dazzling and daunting. ‘…. a feast of vivid poetry, harmonious voices, exquisite drawings and evocative music’.

Its rooted in Chrys Salt’s highly regarded collection The Punkawallah’s Rope which marked the 70th anniversary of the Partition of India and was born from her performance at the Kolkata Book Fair in 2016 and an immersive month in Kolkata and North East India.

The Punkawallah's Rope - Chrys Salt Wednesday 22nd July 2026, Tilstone Arena Theatre, Pay-As-You-Feel, 6pm, Rating: Universal www.midlandsfringe.co.uk/shows/22ndju...

***** (Mirror). 'Every moment he is on stage something funny, and then funnier, is happening' ***** (Scotsman). ****½ (Chortle.co.uk).

Following his three big award wins at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe, Phil, the very definition of funny bones, presents his new show in readiness for the Edinburgh Fringe. Jam-packed with laugh-out-loud profound silliness, superbly crafted gags and constant surprises.

This will be your chance to be among the first people to hear Phil’s new material and help him decide what will – and won’t – make it into his new show. Not to be missed!

Work in Progress - Phil Ellis Wednesday 22nd July 2026, Arena Theatre, 8pm, Rating: 18+ Headline show! £15 full price and £12 concessions, tickets available here: wlv.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/... Note: This show will be BSL Interpreted

Coming to @midlandsfringe.bsky.social Photo by @tessafoley.bsky.social. My house is ankle-deep in sequins and tassels. Come and see me! Sat 25 July, 5.45pm, The Pack, 25-26 Queen Square, Mander Centre, Wolverhampton, WV1 1TQ. Turn up, pay-as-you-feel www.midlandsfringe.co.uk/shows/25thju...

Beethoven - Edge of Silence - Mike Venables Thursday 23rd July 2026, Tilstone Arena Theatre, Pay-As-You-Feel, 6pm, Rating: 12 The mystery of Beethoven's Immortal Beloved brought to life through theatre and live music. www.midlandsfringe.co.uk/shows/23rdju...

Shazia Mirza is an award winning British stand up comedian and writer, and this is a work-in-progress show for her new tour starting later in the year.

Work in Progress - Shazia Mirza Thursday 23rd July 2026, Arena Theatre, 8pm, Rating: 18+ Headline show! £15 full price and £12 concessions, tickets available here: wlv.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/... Note: This show will be BSL Interpreted

The tales in this show all have a link with Staffordshire. Some will be based on actual historical events. Local legends and myths form a significant part. There will certainly be a ghost story. The stories may be amusing, comical perhaps ridiculous.

Stories from Staffordshire - Janet Crouch Friday 24th July 2026, K-Teas Cakes, 4pm, Pay-As-You-Feel, Rating: 12+ www.midlandsfringe.co.uk/shows/24thju...

"Stunning" ***** Three Weeks. "Funny, insightful, tender, Sederholm exceeds expectations and offers an hour of genius storytelling." edfringereview.com

Aged 57, Tina’s worked out that life’s not all about winning big trophies. But how else do you measure a successful life? Join her as she interrogates Indiana Jones, Douglas Adams and a Famous Poet to uncover the answer to Life, the Universe and basically Everything in under 55 minutes.

Based on an imaginary first draft, this is a different version of the play before it was famous. Lots of laughs. A few well-known lines. No boring bits.

This is not Therapy - Tina Sederholm Friday 24th July 2026, K-Teas Cakes, 5.15pm, Pay-As-You-Feel, Rating: 12+

Well lucky us, we get to do it all again this year 🥰

"Fantastic concept. Trustworthy curation." "Please keep it supported so it can happen every year and grow!" "Overall the quality of acts and organisation has been really good." "It's been amazing, we only wish we could have made it to more shows, and already looking forward to next year's."

Don't believe us when we say how good the Fringe will be this year? We have some comments here made by festival-goers from 2025, and here is what they had to say:

It begins in just a few hours! We can't wait to see everyone 🥰

We sat down with @jamesvukmirovic.bsky.social of @expressandstar.com to chat about all things #MidlandsFringe in the run up to the festival, which starts this Friday... www.expressandstar.com/news/hard-wo...

Be prepared for wry humour and keen observation in local dialect and relatively standard English!

Laughing In The Face of Absurdity is a performance of original songs and poetry from Brendan’s wide and varied canon that try to make sense of the ludicrous trials and tribulations of modern life through ageing eyes and mind!

Laughing in the Face of Absurdity - Brendan Hawthorne Saturday 25th July 2026, The Wheatsheaf, 12.30pm, Pay-As-You-Feel, Rating: 12+ www.midlandsfringe.co.uk/shows/25thju...

Pub Crawl Posts present Throwing in the Trowel. A powerful working-class spoken-word performance that gives voice to frustration, resilience and the dream of a fairer life. Honest, direct and unapologetic, these are poems from the sharp end of modern Britain. We don't want to be poor anymore.

Pub Crawl Poets. AP Staunton & Rob Redford Saturday 25th July 2026, The Wheatsheaf, 1.45pm, Pay-As-You-Feel, Rating: 18 www.midlandsfringe.co.uk/shows/25thju...

Cath Edwards has kicked off the fringe with a fabulous storytelling of the tattles and tales of Shakespeare himself, at K Teas Cakes! What a great way to start 🎉

Daisy Green has been telling us all about finding her voice in her wholesome one woman show this afternoon, focusing on how spoken word can change lives. It was beautifully delivered and inspirational; fantastic second show of the festival.

This is your chance to hear them as they were always meant to be told, from the mouth of the storyteller to the ears of the listeners.

In real life, we don't always get our happy ending. In this new storytelling show to commemorate the launch of his new book, Tom performs some of the stories he has committed to print.

Unhappily Ever After - Tom the Tale Teller Saturday 25th July 2026, The Pack, 3.15pm, Pay-As-You-Feel, Rating: 12+ A stunning storytelling show. www.midlandsfringe.co.uk/shows/25thju...

Naomi Johnson rounded off the first day of the fringe with the third show, telling us all about the pull of Lower Gornal, the beauty of touring Nepal on a bike, and reminded us we only have one life, and one opportunity. Breathtaking shows today, we cannot wait for tomorrow!

Today's the day, and our roadside posters are ready!! 😎#MidlandsFringe midlandsfringe.co.uk

This is what I'm up to at the moment... with @pandemonialists.bsky.social 😊

We’re all set up and ready to go! #MidlandsFringe

Day One of #MidlandsFringe done and dusted! Tomorrow we've three shows at the Lych Gate Tavern, followed by another three at The Qattery. All pay-as-you-feel events. See you there! 😊

Amazing opportunity to see a film and here a Q and A with the subject of the film and the filmmaker. I imagine it won't just be fans of Chumbawamba that might find this fascinating...

It's then just a short hop, skip, and a jump (you can walk if you prefer) to The Qattery, which is another of our city's excellent cafes. This one has cats upstairs, though our performance space will be on the ground floor. Sorry. Three more shows here. 😊

It includes poems inspired at the time and now and will answer three critical questions (for those who don’t know) 1. why I was so crap with girls, 2. how I got to see one of the biggest bands in the world without realising and 3. why Radio One still owe me a favour.

In 1979, despite my pogoing credentials, I’m DJing a Christian Rock Radio show. This show follows my journey from a Christian Youth Club to the Greenbelt Rock festival and centres round three songs which inspired me on a course towards social justice and environment protection.

How Christian Music Changed my Life - Gerald Kells Sunday 19th July 2026, Lych Gate Tavern, 2.15pm, Pay-As-You-Feel, Rating: 12+ www.midlandsfringe.co.uk/shows/19thju...

Blending sharp stand-up, vivid storytelling, and cheeky character work as she channels the conservative Indian mother as easily as a middle class British granny!

High energy and full of bite! Join award-nominated comedian CK Nath as she takes you through the juiciest bits of her life growing up in India, finding herself in the UK and the inevitable culture clash in this work-in-progress show.

A Bit of Foreign Stuff - CK Nath Sunday 19th July 2026, Lych Gate Tavern, 3.30pm, Pay-As-You-Feel, Rating: 18 www.midlandsfringe.co.uk/shows/19thju...

Imogen is a theatre-maker and actor based in Wolverhampton and she is committed to telling women's stories and holding up a mirror to what we just accept in our world: this is her debut play and she is so excited to be sharing it in her home city, Wolverhampton.

'Our Lost Sisters' uses live music and poetic storytelling to follow Jord's journey and make us question what wool we have over our own eyes.