Sunrise, Sunset, Repeat.

At the end of Fringe 2024, our Sunset reviewer posed the tantalising question, "Just how many fringe shows could we fit into a single day?" The Sunrise Sunset Fringe Challenge is our attempt to discover the answer.

The goal

Over the course of five days, we aim to see as many performances as possible, and attempt to embrace the cultural diversity showcasing at the Fringe, whilst having the maximum amount of fun. Here on our website, and on our Instagram account, we will be sharing our preparations, our rationales for selecting the shows, and our reviews - as they happen.

The Planning

With over three thousand shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, how on earth do you decide what to see? It is easy to feel overwhelmed! On the planning page of this website, we share how we went about selecting shows, then whittled them down to a shortlist, and finalised our schedule.

The Shows

These were our 2025 Fringe Challenge shows:

(Note that we were only able to see Haggis, Neeps and Burns, 1984, and Hold the Line after some delay due to cancellations, and were unable to see Song Unburied, which appears to have been cancelled for the full run. Instead we saw A Poem and a Mistake, Our Brothers in Cloth, and Not Without Right. We also saw several other excellent shows not featured here (but listed on our review page) because they weren't part of our "main" Sunrise to Sunset Fringe Challenge.

The Reviewers

Our Sunrise reviewer first attended the Fringe over 15 years ago. From their show "long list", it seems they have a penchant for Oscar Wilde, country and western, political satire, and absurdism. Over the years, they've seen nearly every genres of shows in most of the venues, but this is a first, even for them.

"Just how many shows can we cram into our Sunrise to Sunset challenge? And what kind of state will I be in by the end? l’ve no idea.

Our 5 day cultural quest will definitely test our stamina and probably our friendship too!" - Sunrise reviewer

While our Sunset reviewer is relatively new to the Fringe experience, they have already taken it upon themselves to push it to new extremes. Though they take great care to select the perfect balance between different show types, this reviewer has a soft spot for wholesome queer shows, thought-provoking cultural questioning, and Shakespeare.

"I see the Sunrise to Sunset Challenge as my concentrated boost of cultural capital. It's the tonic I've been craving for almost a year.

Rest assured we're taking this seriously. From sunrise to sunset we'll be on our feet, reviewing and reporting on the shows as it happens."

- Sunset reviewer

Do Connect!

Whether you are an artist, reviewer, fellow audience member, or even interested in doing your own Sunrise to Sunset Fringe Challenge, do contact us through our website form or on Instagram we’d love to hear from you. Please use this link to submit your comments