William Quinn

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3.5 out of 5. Tamsyn Kelly needn’t lack confidence in her 2026 show, Rat’s Ass: it’s a cracking set, full of potential and very personal, while – praise be – avoiding the dreaded trauma dump. At the heart of it, childhood memories of her second-hand pet rat make for a genuinely hilarious bit, while around it Kelly weaves a sort of ‘State of Tamsyn Kelly’ set, where she’s come from, and where she is.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4 out of 5. Despite repeated calls to remove it from the curriculum in England, John Steinbeck’s novel – on which the play Of Mice and Men is based – has been read by millions of British schoolchildren over the decades. These calls are based on the racist language, sexist attitudes, and ableist representations which were commonplace at the time it was published, together with its violent themes. 2026 still finds us unsuccessfully grappling with all of this and more.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3.5 out of 5. Bringing a slice of American millennial angst to the Scottish capital, BBC Situationships creator Olivia Raine Atwood – fresh from an award-winning Los Angeles run – bounds onto the Edinburgh stage with a fiercely high-energy, eye-contact-heavy, entirely charming approach. Guided by director William Atwood, this is a talented and very modern clown who makes an immediate impression when wielding her expressive physical gifts alongside a sharp, spirited turn of phrase.