The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is going online. (Check out the thirty below.)  Now, officially; the oldest and largest fringe festival has been canceled because of the pandemic. But the festival wants to “Keep the Fringe spirit alive” by encouraging theater companies to put their shows online. This offers New York theatergoers a chance to get a Fringe fix in August for the first time since 2016, when the New York International Fringe Festival celebrated its 20th anniversary, then shut down for a year — and then announced it was moving to October.

Edinburgh’s Fringe is not New York’s  Fringe. It’s unjuried, and it’s….overwhelming. In 2018, there were reportedly 3,548 different shows performed in 317 venues; in 2019, more than three million people attended, which was more than six times the entire population of this city in Scotland.  The New York Fringe never had more than 75,000 theatergoers attending some (juried) 200 shows in 16 venues.

There was never a way to offer an adequate preview of the Edinburgh Fringe (the way I did every year of the New York Fringe), and it’s not much easier now when Edinburgh is coming to your living room — or, in at least one case, your bathroom.

“Play In Your Bathtub,” an audio play that I reviewed when it debuted in April is going to Edinburgh. It’s one of eighty shows “all written and produced in lockdown” that are being presented for free over the next three weeks at The Space UK, which this year is a virtual space. This is just one venue at Virtual Edinburgh, but even 80 is too much. So below are the 30 that are going online starting this Saturday, August 8th at TheSpaceUK  website. A new batch of roughly the same number will go online every Saturday for the rest of August. Click on each poster to read the descriptions.

For what it’s worth, the ones that most intrigue me include two from the Edinburgh-based Anomaly Theatre Company:
“Interrodated, “He thinks he’s interrogating a suspect. She thinks she’s on a blind date. This is not going to end well.”
“Glitch” A driverless car runs over a woman, and has to learn grief.
and “Bookshelf Ballad,” in which the books we always see behind the TV pundits are given voice to say what THEY are thinking.

after/before Out of Kilter Theatre Struggling with feelings of loss and detachment Alicia, waking from a vivid dream, is disorientated; is she really awake? Then an unlikely companion offers an opportunity to find an answer … and perhaps a chance for the contact she craves. @outofkiltermcr

After the Turn: The Mystery of Bly Manor Nine Knocks Theatre Five years after the tragedy of Bly Manor, the world wants answers. Now researchers begin to uncover the sinister truth. Based on Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw, Nine Knocks presents a modernised tale of the ghosts within ourselves. @Nine_Knocks

At the Ghostlight Blue Fire Theatre Co. An Elizabethan Superstar and a heroine of Music Hall meet at the theatre ghostlight and have a “water cooler moment”. Whilst they muse over their life choices, the stars of their rivals, Will Shakespeare and Marie Lloyd shine ever brighter. @bluefire_tc

Awakening The Nottingham New Theatre ‘AWAKENING’ explores the dangers of forced ignorance and deception when it comes to the lives of young people; a group of schoolchildren trying to navigate the unknowns of adolescence leads to disastrous consequences. @thenewtheatre

Being Posy Four in a Bed Theatre Company A reflective look at coming of age, coming out and coming some conclusions. Written during lockdown uncertainty, Posy explores sexuality, friendships and standing out whilst fitting in this light hearted and heart warming show.

Bookshelf Ballad Anne Rabbitt What are the books saying behind the TV pundits? Using only titles found on her own shelves, Anne gives them voice in a poignant poem that is both tender and funny. You’ll never arrange your books alphabetically again. @RabbittAnne

Boom Room Our Star Theatre Company Adrian bravely attempts to enter the Boom Room for a school reunion. However, technological and personal challenges along the way lead to an experience that will probably resound with many people right now, as he struggles to be digitally woke! @ourstartheatre

Bubble Show with Dr Bubble and Milkshake Bubble Laboratory Ecological Bubble Show presents different ways we can save the planet through bubbles. Physical comedy with environmental awareness and bubbles, it contains square and smoke-filled bubbles, rainbows, spinning carousels, vortexes, juggle bubbles, bubble snakes, floating bubbles and a grand finale.

Coronavirus Underwood’s New Taskforce Grubby Gnome Productions Goodly folks the country over volunteer to help the aged and infirm during lockdown. Except in Underwood, where the people who volunteer have ulterior motives more to do with helping themselves rather than others. Apart from Felicity of course.

Defying GraviTT The Fabulous TT With 2020 hindsight (magnified by her new designer reading glasses) The Fabulous TT aka Tish Tindall asks where the year has gone, why she will never be painted green, and what on earth happened to her under-there-webcam-wear? @FabMusicals

Detachment Blueberry Goose Theatre Group A 10-minute drama, set in COVID-19 lockdown and inspired by real events, about lust, betrayal, revenge and tins of pain(t). @goose_group

Glitch Anomaly Theatre Company First we taught Artificial Intelligence to drive. Then we taught it to feel. But when a driverless car runs over Neil’s girlfriend, both Neil and the A.I. are having to learn grief. Is emotion just a glitch in our programming? @AnomalyTheatre

Haunted Three Chairs and a Hat Do you believe in ghosts? When there’s no-one else in the house, it can be difficult to decide. Three Chairs and a Hat present HAUNTED, a study of isolation and obsession, written and performed by Nia Williams. @ChairsHat

Hyper-Nice: Passive Aggresive Co-vid Poetry David Watson Comedy Poetry born in lockdown . The new hell of the Friday night zoom cocktail hour and the schadenfreude behind the Thursday Clap provide the subject matter for poetry @hypernice2

Interrodated Anomaly Theatre Company He thinks he’s interrogating a suspect. She thinks she’s on a blind date. This is not going to end well. @AnomalyTheatre

Lockdown Drag-out Batty Hatsters At first, Audrey revels in the unexpected gift of time at home, but outside influences force changes that could destroy her and all she has worked so hard to achieve.

Love , Loss and Quarantine The Swells A brief story with three songs, rejoicing in new-found love during lockdown after the pain of personal bereavement. A 15-minute show that was put together two metres apart without breathing!

Play in Your Bathtub Flying Solo! and This Is Not A Theatre Company This Immersive Audio Spa for Physical Distancing is a site-specific immersive experience taking place in your own bathtub (or a foot bath or bucket of water). Join us for poetry, singing, and Dances for Small Appendages. Soundtrack at thisisnotatheatrecompany@gmail.com @notatheatreco

Rehearsal Etiquette Swell Theatre This short play captures one small theatre company’s attempt to rehearse for their new musical during lockdown, an online rehearsal spirals into chaos as they discover that rehearsing online is easier said than done. @swelltheatre

The Silly and Unnecessary Variety Show Lori Hamilton Live from New York, it’s comedian Lori Hamilton’s one-woman variety show. Featuring Opera Product Placement • Lori’s Cats Tell Kid’s Jokes • Winning at Work During Covid • A Tipsy Midwest Mom • Audience Questions!! What more could you ask for? Cats @TheLoriHamilton

Spring The Nottingham New Theatre ‘SPRING’ tells the story of a group of teenagers, as they rebel against their controlling parents, struggle to navigate love, and deal with tragedies around them; they begin to discover their individuality, their sexuality, and ultimately their freedom of choice. @thenewtheatre

The Murder(ed) Musketeers Highly Suspect Join acclaimed ‘Mystery maestros’ Highly Suspect for a hilarious interactive online murder mystery which you, the audience, must solve! There’s a fiendish plot, evidence to examine, and cryptic clues to crack, but can you catch the killer and deduce whodunnit

The Van Raised Voices Life is hard just now, for everyone. For those who’s life was hard before though, well you can imagine. Watch a snapshot into the lives of some who struggled with everyday life in normal times, you might just be surprised.

The Writings on the Wallpaper Paper Dolls Theatre A light-hearted comedy following the clueless Tim and Samantha, as they sit down to interview hopeful applicants for their brand new tech firm. Get your CV ready as we beg the question… ‘on the scale of 1 to 10’ @paperdolls2020

Those Girls JAM Productions Those Girls shines a light on the important issues riddling our youth today: sexual abuse, discrimination and mental health. Award winner, Abigail Cook’s poem, “How We Survive (Girlhood)” is reinvented and reimagined in this striking, hopeful piece of digital theatre.

Too bored to stay in, too scared to go out! Nigel Osner Cabaret songs and monologues reflecting the varying implications of Covid-19 for male and female characters. ‘Tremendously talented and very entertaining’ and Fringe Review said ’a performer with finesse and charm’ (Scotsman) @nigelosner

Under Heaven’s Eyes Christopher Tajah A new 45 minute solo-play which asks; Did George Floyd’s killing mark a turning point for real change or another false dawn? While exploring how systemic and systematic societal racism squeezes’ BAME communities to the margins. @ctajahofficial

Until the Ad Break Maverick Charles Productions Until the Ad Break is an absurd comedy sketch set just before the end of the world. Follow plucky daytime TV hosts Francine, Dale, and their weather reporter Gabriel as they come to terms with impending apocalypse live on air. @MCharlesProd

When Judas Met John – songs of Dylan and Lennon Brothers Broke Irish duo Brothers Broke compare, adapt and perform selected songs by both artists, and consider their compositions and influences on each other.Presented in an acoustic bluesy style with tight sibling harmonies.