Whether you’re after drama, comedy, dance or something brand new – or none of the above – here are ten Dublin Fringe Festival productions that new Festival Director Bee Sparks believes you should have on your radar.
When it comes to choosing what to see, Bee Sparks advises taking a chance. “It’s always good to balance one of your ‘Fringe Favourites’, whether that be Alison Spittle or somebody like that, with somebody that you don’t know, or an art form that you haven’t seen before, because Fringe is that place where you might discover the person who would be your favourite in three years.” And with almost one third of programmed artists making their professional debut at Fringe, the odds of finding the next big thing are definitely in your favour!
1. Aliens
Join a real-life mother and daughter on a road trip from Donegal to southern Italy, as they weave their personal stories with those of Italian immigrants in Northern Ireland and present-day migrants, activists, and strangers meet along the way. Blending performance, video, and live music, this show invites you to explore what it means to live between countries, generations, and identities – a meditation on inheritance, migration, and those who live in between: the aliens. Booking details here.
2. Constriction
Mai Ishikawa’s play is set inside a Japanese bullet-train, where we hear two voices talking about a woman who headed West to give up her baby. Sometimes serious, sometimes playful, they discuss the implications. But the more they talk, it seems, the less there is to say. And who are they, really? This experimental work is a surreal exploration of motherhood and identity, using sound and movement to explore the pain of facing reality. Written by a poet-and-translator who has lived in three different countries, the piece also transcends cultural boundaries; she draws inspiration from her Japanese heritage while delving deep into a universal theme. Booking details here.
3. Change by Croí Glan
This dance performance weaves a powerful call-to-climate-action through movement, music, and diverse bodies in motion. Created by Croí Glan, a disabled-led dance company, and inspired by Rebecca Solnit’s Not Too Late and Christiana Figueres’s The Future We Choose, this hope-filled performance reimagines the world through resilience, connection, and community. Created in collaboration with scientists from the Environmental Research Institute at UCC, and with diverse performers from diverse lands, this interdisciplinary dance theatre piece is a vibrant celebration of what we’ve lost—and what we can still save. Booking here.
4. CIRQUE DU HONEYPOT
Presented by Dublin Fringe Festival this collaborative party for women comes to Dublin Fringe Festival 2025, curated by HONEYPOT. CIRQUE DU HONEYPOT is a queer circus-themed extravaganza encompassing music, visuals, performance and interactivity with collaborations from local creatives and friends of HONEYPOT. Expect HONEYPOT residents, special guest DJs, face painting, and hypnotic dance floor energy. Get your freak on. More here.
5. Pea Dinneen: Raising Her Voice
Raising Her Voice is a new show that mixes cabaret and theatre to tell the personal narrative about Pea’s own transgender liberation in the face of an uncaring system. Pea, a trans woman and recently married to their partner, brings her trans fantasia show devised in collaboration with theatre maverick Ronan Phelan and musical great Paul Prior.
Pea asks ‘How do you raise a voice? And how do you get a whole country to hear it?’ She believes 1990s pop bangers adapted to fit this personal narrative are the key. This is as much a play about three decades in the history of a nation, as it is a vast ongoing vanity project from a disenfranchised millennial hag. Booking here.
6. Testo by Wet Mess (UK)
Wet Mess messifies transitions, testosterone and the edges of drag. Combining movement with prerecorded interviews, expect surreal spectacles, dykey desires, and a choreography of guttural sexuality as Wet Mess pinches at the dull flesh of life where the magical is in the mundane and made-up shit becomes real. Booking here.
7. The Shape of Quiet Feelings by Maisie Lee
Presented in association with dlr Mill Theatre this a theatre show to bring the kids to and let their imaginations lead the way! What does climate change feel like and what if that feeling came to life as a creature?
Children in Galway and Dublin explored this idea, inspiring a theatrical, sensory experience where big questions meet playful creativity. Created by artists Maisie Lee, Jessica Wilson, Stephen Dodd, Anna Mullarkey, and Tommy Casby, this is a family-friendly journey into emotions, imagination, and how we face the future together. For audiences 8+ More here.
8. Queens of Comedy
Queens of Comedy brings three nights of fearless, fast-paced stand-up to Dublin Fringe Festival. Hosted each night by resident royals, the unstoppable Aideen McQueen and the ferociously funny Sophia Wren.
Each night, a rotating cast of Ireland’s fiercest gas women join the court, serving bold laughs, outrageous tales, and serious sass. From rising stars to comedy icons, this is a celebration of women who rule the mic and own the stage. These queens are ready to reign. Booking and further details here.
9. Train Man by Caroline McEvoy
A captivating tale of sibling rivalry in post-Troubles Northern Ireland. With gut-punch gags and emotional blows, Caroline reckons with her lifelong battle with her younger brother, who loves trains, buses and getting his way.
Funny, joyful, and deeply personal, this is a story about coming to terms with a messy past and complicated future, one where Caroline might have to balance caring for her adult brother with her own desires. Expect sibling spats, visits to the London Transport Museum and a whole lotta Disney as Caroline explores family, love, and full-time care. Booking here.
10. Pick ’n’ Mix: An Improvised Youth Musical by Bum Notes
A sweet, silly, interactive musical adventure where young folk are the writers. Shout out your wildest characters, games, dream sweets or whatever your imagination can cook up and watch eight fearless improvisers and a live piano turn them into a toe-tapping tale on the spot.
No two shows are the same and every performance is a freshly-mixed bag of songs, laughter and colourful surprises. For young people of all ages, and fun-loving grown-ups alike. Booking here.
Words: Emer Tyrrell
Get more information on these events and many more, and other ways you can get involved at dublinfringefestival.ie.
As Bee Sparks takes the reins as Artistic Director at Dublin Fringe Festival, check out our interview with her here.
