Fringe 2025: Six Bold Shows Where Men Take Centre Stage

As Edinburgh’s Fringe countdown ticks down, a fresh breed of men’s shows is stepping into the spotlight — unapologetic, complex, and defiantly modern. This year’s standout line-up cuts through the noise with raw explorations of masculinity, identity, and power, told with wit, grit, and unexpected tenderness. From cowboy clowns flipping the Western on its head to sharp sci-fi satire and intimate tales of cultural survival, these six shows prove one thing: men’s stories at the Fringe have never been more compelling — or necessary.

And Then the Rodeo Burned Down

theSpaceUK @ Niddry St (Upper), 1 – 23 Aug 2025 (not 10 & 17), see press release for timings

And Then the Rodeo Burned Down is a meta-theatrical subversion of the traditional Western following Dale, a rodeo clown aspiring to be a cowboy, and Dilly Dally, Dale's mischievous shadow. Exploring masculinity, power, and the American Dream in the context of cowboy culture, the pair playfully switch between characters, shift power dynamics, and turn the story around at breakneck speed, challenging the audience to keep up. Dale and Dilly bicker, antagonise and flirt through synchronised physical theatre, dance and clowning, scored by a soundtrack from Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, and Elvis. The performance is flipped when the duo are forced out of character to reflect on the financial pressures put on performers in the industry. They question the events of the narrative, whether they will be able to afford to find the end, and most importantly, who burnt the rodeo down? 

Elon Musk: Lost in Space

theSpaceUK @ Surgeons Hall (Grand Theatre), 11– 23 Aug 2025, 15.05 (16.05)

In a darkly comic sci-fi satire about one of the world’s most famous men and the dangers of unchecked ego and limitless wealth, Elon Musk is en route to Mars aboard one of his own spacecraft with only the ship’s AI, M-UTHA, for company. Just as he leaves Earth’s orbit, a call from President Trump sends his mission, as well as his mind, spiralling off-course. Lost in deep space, Musk - played by Ben Whitehead, the voice of Wallace from the Wallace & Gromit franchise - begins to experience sinister shifts in his relationship with M-UTHA who becomes more determined to take control of her creator. Pestered by a Fly he just can’t kill and haunted by apparitions of iconic figures from astronomy and science fiction, including Sir Patrick Moore, Musk’s paranoia escalates and a standoff between creator and creation follows where only one can survive…

The Alchemy of Sadness

theSpaceUK @ Niddry St (Upper), 11 – 23 Aug 2025 (not 16 & 17), Week 1 12:50 (13:50) & Week 2 11:10 (12:10) 

Inspired by writer Alex Garcia-Laguer’s personal experiences of working at a high-pressure, fine dining restaurant with an unstable and emotionally demanding manager, The Alchemy of Sadness is a new drama that examines boundaries, power struggles, and the complex energy exchanged between colleagues. Set in a PR firm, the story follows Thiago, a rising young professional, who is assigned to work alongside his demanding boss, Liam, on a high-stakes crisis management project for a renowned chef. Both view the assignment as an opportunity to advance their careers, but as pressure mounts, their relationship becomes increasingly unstable, marked by shifting balances of control, rivalry, and unresolved emotional tension. Incorporating elements of surrealism, the play depicts physical transformations tied to their emotional unravelling, creating a tense exploration of how love and hate intertwine to forge unexpected bonds. 

English Ako

theSpaceUK @ Surgeons' Hall (Theatre 2), 1 – 23 Aug 2025 (not 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 & 18), 21:00 (21:45)

Inspired by the lived experience of being born in the Philippines and raised in the UK, writer-performer Jules Chan’s solo semi-autobiographical play explores the complexities of growing up between cultures. Blending physical comedy, honest storytelling and character multi-rolling, English Ako follows Boy, a young working-class migrant born in Manila and raised in England, on a search for his estranged brother and, ultimately, for a version of home where both his Britishness and Asian-ness can coexist. Set against the backdrop of coming-of-age encounters – from playground racism and awkward Hinge dates to tense universal credit meetings – Boy transforms people in his life into beloved Shakespearean characters like Tybalt and Malvolio in a nod to British culture. The play offers an unfiltered account of identity, self-acceptance, and cultural survival, candidly exploring the challenges and contradictions faced by those navigating dual heritage in contemporary Britain. 

A Letter To Lyndon B. Johnson Or God: Whoever Reads This First

the SpaceUK @ Niddry St (Upper), 1 – 23 Aug 2025 (not 10 & 17)

Show One: 1 – 9 Aug 13:40 (14:40), 11 – 23 Aug 19:20 (20:20) & Show Two: 21:20 (22:20) 

A Letter To Lyndon B. Johnson Or God: Whoever Reads This First is a farcical two-hander that blurs the lines of 1960s American Boy Scouts and drafted US Soldiers in Vietnam. Drawing on their own upbringings in military families and being taught that the USA was the greatest country in the world, Xhloe and Natasha play two scouts who directly address the audience, telling stories, playing soldiers and declaring their admiration for current president Lyndon B. Johnson. Exploring children’s innocence and their relationship with war as well as the androgyny of gender traits that society allows boys to have, the performance is set to a Beatles’ soundtrack, complete with live harmonica and spit-shakes.  

Wayne Stewart and ArtHouse Jersey presents: Chrome Yellow

ZOO Southside Studio, 1 – 24 Aug 2025 (not 12 & 19), 12.25 (13.35)

Blending storytelling, travel journal entries, and original songs, comedian and performer Wayne Stewart attempts to understand why he made a 650-mile solo walk across France in 2021, and whether it meant anything at all. Wayne re-traces his journey from Saint-Malo in Brittany to Argeles- Sur-Mer on the Mediterranean, a trek that began as just a walk, but evolved into a deeper exploration of meaning, resilience and our shared need for human connection. Chrome Yellow is a spiritual and philosophical reflection on purpose, an obsession with the colour yellow, and what it is we’re all really searching for.

These six shows do more than entertain; they interrogate, provoke, and dismantle outdated notions of manhood with wit and flair. Whether through biting satire, heartfelt storytelling or avant-garde physicality, they offer a fresh lens on masculinity’s complexities in 2025. At a festival overflowing with voices, these performances stand out — not just for their craft, but for their courage to confront what lies beneath the surface. Keep these titles in your sights; they’re shaping the future of theatre, one bold narrative at a time.