Announcing our Fringe Transfers 2026
Published September 18, 2026
We all hear about Edinburgh Fringe, but there are a plethora of fringe festivals running nationally and internationally throughout the year, particularly during the summer here in the UK. Fringe festivals often act as a gateway for audiences looking to take a risk on something new and experience something that they might not have chosen to watch in another context. Our live event programmers scout the best of these cutting-edge shows to bring to Exeter for your enjoyment. Here are just a few of their highlights transferring from the Fringe to our venue this autumn!
Barleycorn
Sun 20 Sep | 7.30pm
Theatre | Comedy | Music
Fresh from last month's Camden Fringe (which celebrated its 20th anniversary with nearly 500 shows on offer), Bristol-based company Riddlestick Theatre presents Barleycorn: a musical comedy set in a fictional South West village inspired by English folk customs and songs, and folk horror film and TV. The troupe of actor-musicians draw on folk theatre traditions to tell weird and wonderful stories through playful performance and enchanting live music.
★★★★★ “A highly imaginative work that both laughs at and celebrates some of Britain's wackiest folk customs” (A Young(ish) Perspective).
Find out more and book your tickets here>>>
Olga Koch: Fat Tom Cruise
Sun 04 Oct | 8pm
Comedy
Olga Koch has one good story. Only it’s not really her story. Do you wanna hear it?
Fat Tom Cruise is fresh off an exciting run at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, with a four-star review in The Guardian saying, "she performs with such drive and command, a no-nonsense approach to lots of nonsense, pirouetting across the stage to celebrate this or that zinging put-down. And with such well-honed wisecracks too!"
Find out more and book your tickets here>>>
Lovett
Thu 08 Oct | 7.30pm
Theatre
Winner of the Rialto Arts Award for Outstanding Performance at Brighton Fringe 2026, Lucy Roslyn delivers a masterclass in acting in BoonDog Theatre's highly original, darkly comic take on the legend of Lovett (Sweeney Todd's infamous companion before she met him!). The show received wide critical acclaim at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe, with one ★★★★★ review calling it "one of the most relentless, compelling pieces of work at the Fringe" (Broadway Baby).
Find out more and book your tickets here>>>
Paper Swans
Thu 15 Oct | 7.30pm
Theatre
Two years after its Edinburgh Fringe debut, Flabbergast Theatre continue to tour and present Vyte Garriga's original play Paper Swans, inspired by absurdist theatre and her personal experience of post-Soviet Europe. This highly unique work has captivated audiences through the Fringe and beyond, touring to venues such as London's much-loved Soho Theatre, with more UK-wide dates lined up next year. ★★★★★ "Enchants you gradually, drawing you into its strange, delicate world until you're utterly spellbound" (Goldfoil Magazine).
Find out more and book your tickets here>>>
Copycat & Forget About Me
Mon 19 Oct | Copycat 7pm | Forget About Me 8.30pm
Theatre | Comedy
The creators of 2024's hugely popular It's the Economy, Stupid! return to Exeter Phoenix, this time with two solo shows. Joe Sellman-Leava left a big impression on last month's Edinburgh Fringe audiences with COPYCAT, praised in ★★★★★ reviews as a "tour-de-force... that will have you thinking for weeks to come" (Starburst Magazine) and "the most thoughtful exploration of artificial intelligence at this year's Fringe" (A Young(ish) Perspective).
Listed as one of To Do List London's Unmissable Fringe Shows of 2026, Dylan Howell's fresh take on a haunted house story has been described as "charming and extremely clever" (The Herald) and "quietly breathtaking" (The Scotsman), with its seamless use of magic and storytelling that plays with memory, suggestion and free will.
Find out more and book your tickets for Copycat here>>>
Find out more and book your tickets for Forget About Me here>>>
Laura Lexx: Yo-Yo
Sat 31 Oct | 7pm
Comedy
Fresh off the success of her critically acclaimed show ‘Slinky’, multi-award-winning comedy star Laura Lexx is back with her brand new show ‘Yo-Yo’.
Laura's previous work has received four-star reviews from The Guardian, The Scotsman and Ed Fest Mag.
Find out more and book your tickets here>>>
Finlay Christie: Champagne Casanova
Wed 18 Nov | 8pm
Comedy
Finlay Christie humblebrags for an hour about his f*ckboy era and his new search for meaningful, authentic connection.
In a four-star review, Beyond The Joke described him as "a comedian who knows what he is doing and isn't afraid to take his foot off the accelerator, confident that he has a zinger coming and happy to take his time getting to it."
Find out more and book your tickets here>>>
Larry Dean: Hellbent
Sun 22 Nov | 8pm
Comedy
Recently married, emotionally feral. The SNL star returns with a riotous show about refusing to grow up.
Chortle described the show as "a love letter to his partner from the Black Country. He’s also written a show that will get you smiling from ear to ear"
Find out more and book your tickets here>>>
Plus we've got plenty more shows to keep you smiling this Autumn. Check out our full programme here>>>