The Edinburgh Fringe Festival – that month when entertainment engulfs the Scottish capital – is round the corner.

And I can’t let a year go by without my regular audit of shows for linguists. As ever, there’s a raft of exciting shows both in our target languages and in English, connected to our target language countries. These are artists travelling from all over the world that can’t wait for our enthusiastic support.

Buckle up – it’s another good one for language learners.

French

• F*** Me I’m French! by Paul Taylor (The Stand Comedy Club) : A bit of a cult icon, is Paul Taylor. You might have seen him on YouTube, and enjoyed his unique brand of franglais comedy. Laughs guaranteed.
• No Regrets (Pleasance at EICC) : Where would an #EdFringe be without a Piaf show? This year it’s singer Christine Bovill who keeps the flag flying.
• Yazmina Reza’s Art (C Arts) : For French drama in English translation, look no further than Clarendon Productions’ reimagining of this deeply explorative piece.
• More Than Nude (C Arts) : This bilingual French-English production by the Group Performatif Famapoil deconstructs beauty standards in another C Arts presentation – long a familiar, trusty name in our non-anglophone show lists!

German

• Ute Lemper – Rendezvous With Marlene (The Queen’s Hall) : A retrospective on the great songstress’ life with anecdotes and song, this one looks a real treat.
• Fear and Misery of the Third Reich (Central Hall) : A production of Brecht’s cautionary tale in English translation, sure to chime a little too true in current times.
• Achtung!! The Germans Are Coming! Second Coming by Jürgen Strack (Brewdog Doghouse Hotel) : Shade of Henning When here, with quirky Teutonic comedy (and free, too!).
• Marriage With Benefits (Just the Tonic at the Caves) : Fresh, funny writing (in English) on the back of the post-Brexit landscape by German production outfit Intention Theatre Company.
• 2 Artists, 2 Concerts, 2 Premieres (Greyfriars Kirk) : Schubert’s Lieder are something of a hardy Edinburgh Fringe perennial, and they turn up in the programme here, in the wonderful surrounds of Greyfriars Kirk.

Spanish

• Don Quixote Rides Again (Scottish Storytelling Centre) : The venue couldn’t be more apt for this retelling of the classic adventures, with Spanish guitar and flamenco.
• Flamenco Fiesta (Alba Flamenca) : With flamenco as much of a stalwart at Edinburgh Fringe festivals as Piaf and Brecht, this represents this year! It’s a bit of a theme, as…
• Flamenco Guitar Odyssey (Alba Flamenca) : …fans of Spanish guitar will delight at this solo show, whose artist has garnered fabulous reviews.
• Flamenco Jazz Sketches (Alba Flamenca) : Another offering at Edinburgh’s Alba Flamenca, this fusion presentation features two equally fêted artists.
• Flamencodanza (C Arts) : Showstopping dance from this internationally proven dance duo. And great to see C Arts leading the way with overseas productions again!
• Found Our Funny – Barcelona Comedy Tapas and Barce-laughter (Greenside) : Two revues of Barcelona’s burgeoning comedy scene.

The Best of the Rest!

• Who Owns Languages? (The Stand Comedy Club) : A thoughtful exploration of languages by Edinburgh University’s own Dr Thomas Bak.
• The Secret Life of the Scots Language (St Columba’s by the Castle) : Dr Clive Young introduces a language finally moving towards official recognition.
• 100% C*ntinental (Laughing Horse) : Hot takes on European life galore in this stand-up revue show, which promises to be a fun one.
• Hygge (Just the Tonic at the Caves) : Humorous Scandi takes by a group of Norwegian comedians. Maybe together, we’ll pin down this mysterious hygge…

So there you go – a wee selection of affordable (sometimes free!) shows covering all manner of languages. They take in the whole track of the emotional rollercoaster, too, from high drama to belly laughs. It must be said, when it comes to international artists, the Edinburgh Fringe never disappoints.

I’ve focused on the big ‘mainstream’ languages for the most part here, but this little lot should whet the appetite. Do comment if I’ve missed any goodies, though!

And above all: have a great laugh.