---
title: "Julian Clary, Frank Skinner, NDLOVU, Gail Porter, Afrique en Cirque and more added to Assembly Festival Fringe"
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  "og:description": "We are based in Edinburgh at Assembly Roxy, run Assembly Festival at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and tour with the best of our programme."
  "og:title": "Julian Clary, Frank Skinner, NDLOVU, Gail Porter, Afrique en Cirque and more added to Assembly Festival Fringe"
  "twitter:description": "We are based in Edinburgh at Assembly Roxy, run Assembly Festival at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and tour with the best of our programme."
  "twitter:title": "Julian Clary, Frank Skinner, NDLOVU, Gail Porter, Afrique en Cirque and more added to Assembly Festival Fringe"
  description: "We are based in Edinburgh at Assembly Roxy, run Assembly Festival at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and tour with the best of our programme."
---

# Julian Clary, Frank Skinner, NDLOVU, Gail Porter, Afrique en Cirque and more added to Assembly Festival Fringe

[← Back to News](https://assemblyfestival.com/news)

**Artist****News****Press release**

Assembly Festivalhas rounded off its Edinburgh Festival Fringe announcements with over65 new shows added, meaning 2026’s programme willwelcome over 200 shows from 5 – 31 August. Comedy legends [**Frank Skinner**](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/frank-skinner), **[Mark Steel](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/gail-porter-portergeist)** and **[Julian Clary](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/julian-clary-fully-dilated)**present solo shows, [**‘**](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/afrique-en-cirque)**[Afrique en Cirque](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/julian-clary-fully-dilated)’**** **returns for showstoppingacrobatics, ‘**[NDLOVU](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/ndlovu)**’ brings global music to Edinburgh, as well as‘**[Superbowl Salsa](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/superbowl-salsa)**’ featuring dancers fromhalf-time shows including Bad Bunny, Shakira, plus ‘**[Scaramouche Jones](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/scaramouche-jones)**’ returns for a 25th anniversary celebration reuniting Justin Butcher and Guy Masterson for the first time in 13 years.

![Ndlovu 1920x516](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/1666d974-9971-4d9a-8189-fd9d5da3927e.jpg?width=1920&height=516)

William Burdett-Coutts, Artistic Director of Assembly Festivalsaid, _“We’re thrilled to announceanother fantastic batch of shows for 2026’s Fringe programme - welcoming some of the biggest names in comedy alongside award winning shows from Australia, a host of exciting new work from Ireland and homegrown talent from Scottish theatre.Assuper our 45th season at the world’s biggest arts festival,we’re delighted to be able to shine a light on some outstanding new work, returning favourites and artists from around the world.” _

Legends of the comedy scene will take up residence, as**[Frank Skinner](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/frank-skinner)**, 30 years into his career as one of the UK’s most successful stand-ups, invites audiences toenjoy his success and strugglesin his new Work-in-Progress.Comedian and actor**[Julian Clary](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/julian-clary-fully-dilated)** premieres ‘Fully Dilated’, a show detailing his traumas and secrets living life as a self-proclaimed ‘renowned homosexual’whilst festival favourite** ****[Vittorio Angelone](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/vittorio-angelone-you-cant-say-nothing)** revives his acclaimed show‘you can’t Say Nothing anymore’ for three nights only.

**![Julian Clary Fully Dilated 1920x516](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/d584a0eb-03d9-4717-a748-0f4d77ce8100.jpg?width=1920&height=516)**

**[Lizzy Hoo](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/lizzy-hoo-says-hoo)**, winner of the 2026 Pinder Prize in association with Melbourne International Comedy Festival, will be supported to bring her hit show ‘Says Hoo’ to Fringe, plus Melbourne’s winner of Most Outstanding Show**[Celia Pacquola](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/celia-pacquola-gift-horse)** also joins the bill. Picking up 2025’s Best Newcomer in Melbourne,**[Noah Szto](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/noah-szto-med-school)** makes his Edinburgh debut with‘Med School’ as he guides his audience through the many mishaps he has faced to become a qualified doctor, even featuring a minor medical procedure onstage.

BBC Radio 4’s** ****[Mark Steel](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/mark-steel-what-the-f-is-going-on)**** **asks ‘What The F*** Is Going On?’ as he transfers his radio show format to the Fringe, in a stand-up show about the general state of the world whilst Scottish star [**Gail Porter**** **](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/gail-porter-portergeist)debuts new show ‘Portergeist’ in her hometown, as the TV star goes full ‘Gail Force’ and explains how her infectiouslust for life has kept her going through it all, from fame to homelessness andghosthunting! 

![Gail Porter Portergeist 1920x516](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/48dc90d7-10e9-41b8-83d4-1a671599b90c.jpg?width=1920&height=516)

**[Ben Pope](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/bens-book-club)** welcomes two all-star comedians to his new book club andas heard on BBC Radio 4,**[Pierre Novellie](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/pierre-novellie-do-the-one-about)** will perform his best bits from the last decade of his Fringe stand-up shows. Guaranteed laughs from one of the UK’s most acclaimed live acts.

‘Crowd Work’sees three comedians take on whatever the audiencethrows at them, following a successful debut at Leicester Square Theatre earlier this year. Also joining the programme, [**Funny Women’s****‘The Glitter Challenge’**](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/funny-women-the-glitter-challenge) supports The Glitter Project, running events for female and non-binary comedy performers,writers and creators.

An enchanting fusion of dance, physical theatre, circus, acrobats and storytelling, hit show‘**[Afrique en Cirque’](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/afrique-en-cirque)** returns to entertain all the family this August.Inspired by life in Guinea, the five-star reviewed show is a guaranteed hit from this multi-talented troupe.

With sold out performances and a number one album in South Africa,**[‘NDLOVU’](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/ndlovu)** sees the Edinburgh Fringe debut of the NDLOVU Youth Choir in a high-energy spectacle blending African music, choreography and global hits for a vibrant, family-friendly hour.

[**‘Superbowl Salsa’**](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/superbowl-salsa)is a high-energy dance spectacular,featuring dancers from the most iconic half-time show in the worldas theymake their Fringe debut.With a soundtrack from Bad Bunny, Shakira, Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce and more – the showwill have the audience out of their seats with their stunning acrobatic salsa.

In theatre,Ireland’s national sport takes centre stage inthe UK premiere of [**‘Ham Sandwiches and Discipline’**](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/ham-sandwiches-and-discipline)as GAA fuses with dance,disco and comedyin thisexploration of what shapes Irish national identity. With three award nominations at Dublin Fringe, thismulti-faceted dance performanceencompasses mammies sideline screaming, manic pundits, Taytos in Croke Park and teenage social clubs.

![Ham Sandwichesand Discipline 1920x516](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/9759cd69-fdd6-423e-a066-67897edf123e.jpg?width=1920&height=516)

**[‘Scaramouche Jones’](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/scaramouche-jones)** celebrates its 25th anniversary by reuniting writer/performer Justin Butcher with acclaimed Olivier award-winning director Guy Masterson. The story follows Centenarian clown Scaramouche and his odyssey through the 20th century’s darkest periods in a timeless tale which feels more relevant than ever today as the clown takes on crumbling empires, comic misadventures, love, brutality and more.

Guy Masterson directs the debut of new comedy play [**‘****Ludwig: Unfinished Business’**](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/ludwig-unfinished-business) and, coming from the team behind Baby Wants Candy is, [**‘****Grimm AF’**](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/grimm-af) a dark new musical about victims, villains, and who really gets to write the endings.Plus, Fringe First winners Lynda Radley and Pepperdine Scotland present a new play exploring a future where the few live longer than the many,‘Lifelong’.

One of Ireland’s most celebrated writers,actors and directors,Seamus O’Rourke adapts ‘Love Hungry Farmer’ in the starring role as the wistful, blundering, romantic character of John Bosco McLaine. Originally written by JohnB.Keane, ranked amongst the greatest Irish writers,the story follows the protagonist in his quest for a companion and all the laughter and love in between.

Masters of magic [**‘****Siegfried &**** Joy’**](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/siegfried-joy-las-vegas-in-edinburgh) bring Vegas to the capitalfor two nights onlywith sleight-of-hand spectacle and brilliant comedy, plusAustralian award-winning cabaret performerMillicent Sarre picked up the Frank Ford Award in Adelaide with her fresh musical comedy. An antidote to the world’s collective weariness, the show examines how hard it is to be a human in 2026 soundtracked by Sarre’s poignant social commentary, powerhousevocals and original music.

Homegrown talent is on full display in [**‘Raft of the Crab’****,**](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/the-raft-of-the-crab) part of the Made in Scotland showcase, as Ninon Noiret performs her striking true story of her experience with Cancer and her journey to recover told through puppetry, contemporarydance and gravity-defying stunts.In new Scottish writing, Corinne Salisbury presents [**‘SLAYERS’****,**](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/slayers-corinne-salisbury) a story following a single mother and survivor of abuse trying to protect her daughterfrom the world.

![The Raftofthe Crab 1920x516](https://assemblyfestival.pazaz.studio/assets/2e65b903-1110-406c-aa6e-d082e7589c66.jpg?width=1920&height=516)

Fringe faves [**‘Otto & Astrid****’**](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/otto-astrid-the-stages-tour) return with their musical comedy act, whilstLebanese-Palestinian American Sammy Obeid, known for breaking a world record of performing comedy for 1001 nights in a row, will perform [**‘Sammy KO’**](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/sammy-ko)in the Gordon Aikman Theatre.

Assembly’s programme will welcome these new acts alongsideStamptown, Susie McCabe, Hot Dub Time Machine,Jason Byrne, David O’Doherty,‘Krapp’s LastTape’, ‘Ten Thousand Hours’, ‘Swamplesque’ and more in Assembly’s 2026 Fringe programme.

Marking theEdinburgh company’s45th season at the world’s biggest arts festival, Assembly will return to six venue hubs with genre-spanning shows featuring international and homegrown acts from 05 – 31 August 2026.Assembly willoperate across: George Square Gardens, Assembly Rooms, Assembly Hall, AssemblyRoxy and Dance Base, plusShedinburgh takes over Checkpointin a new partnership for 2026. 

Tickets are now available at [www.assemblyfestival.com](https://www.assemblyfestival.com/). Sign up to the Assembly Festival mailing list for more information, exclusive offers, and all the latest news.

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