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Sydney Fringe Festival is your time to venture to the (sometimes literal) fringes of the Sydney theatre scene and explore the weird, the quirky and the best of the Australian arts industry. You may have already noticed the streets turning pink with banners signalling the start of New South Wales’ largest independent arts festival as artists prepare to take over venues across Sydney this September.
This year’s program boasts more than 350 events and more than 2,000 artists across 64 venues. The cracking line-up itself ranges from theatre, comedy, dance, cabaret, family events and new initiatives, with the festival officially kicking off on Saturday, August 29 with Fringe Ignite! on Darlinghurst’s Stanley Street.
With so many events to choose from, it’s worth checking out the full program to cater to your own Fringe tastes. Sure, you could go to the flashy mainstage productions, they’re always a hit. But have you ever ventured to the true fringes of the festival? To get you started, we’ve curated a list of 10 top picks for Sydney Fringe 2026.
Forget Me, Please
Presented in partnership with the Old Fitz Theatre, this new drama features two of Australian theatre’s biggest rising stars – Kala Gare (My Brilliant Career) and Shannen Alyce Quan (Doubt). Written by up-and-coming playwright Sophie Davis, Forget Me, Please is a contemporary story about love, memory, and how trauma reshapes human connection. This is the perfect opportunity to explore new Australian writing this Fringe within Sydney’s only live theatre pub.
Where: Old Fitz Theatre
When: Sept 1-11
Price: $25-$30
Cold War 2.0
Presented by Doppelgängster – renowned for their “what the f*ck was that?” audience reactions – Cold War 2.0 is a living-wake redux of 2020’s Cold War. Doppelgängster are famous for creating a unique mix of punk twists on entertainment set against the backdrop of global crises. Now, they’ve been given an extended run at Fringe on The Rocks as part of this year’s festival, making Cold War 2.0 the perfect piece of cult-Fringe for you to see this year.
*Some audience members will be offered a snow cone.
Where: Fringe on The Rocks – 6-8 Atherden St, Level 1
When: Sept 9-20
Price: $39-$49
Anna Dooley - Flobber
Award-winning comedian Anna Dooley is back with her outrageous handle on comedy. The concept alone should get your attention – particularly for anyone who grew up on Robin Williams films. Flobber is Dooley’s latest theatrical comedic piece where she plays the character, Flobber, the twin-sister of Flubber from the 1998 film of the same name, who’s making a comeback to shed some light on the ups and downs of her career in Hollywood. This is sure to be, in a word: silly!
Where: Factory Theatre
When: Sept 3-6
Price: $22-$25
Frumpus - Landed
Joyfully fearless, occasionally filthy and frequently hilarious, the legendary theatre group Frumpus return to the Fringe this year. Landed inhabits an epic landscape of swiftly ever-shifting characters, seasons, props, costumes, projected imagery and soundscapes in this latest bold and ballsy work. Armed with fanged sock puppets – wordless, but with plenty to say – Landed is your pick for the underground works of the Fringe Festival and the alternative Australian performance scene. Chaos sparkles and failure shines.
Where: PACT Centre for Emerging Artists
When: Sept 2-12
Price: $35
The Last Single Girl in Sydney
Nikita Waldron (Amber) brings her new razor-sharp work to the Sydney Fringe, diving headfirst into the world of dating – or more specifically, the joys of being single. The Last Single Girl in Sydney follows Poppy as she dives headfirst into the dating world, embracing her newfound singleness and responsibility-free lifestyle. But is it costing her more than she’d like to admit? A story about finding yourself when everyone else has already found their person, stop swiping and come along for this hilarious and heartfelt one-woman show.
Where: Erskineville Town Hall – Emerging Artist Share House
When: Sept 8-12
Price: $30
Jeromaia Detto: Giuseppe's Love Quest
Having seen a taste of Giuseppe’s quest for love in a yurt at Adelaide Fringe Festival this year (it’s a long story), this humble Italian beach boy needs to be on your Fringe Festival list. What is love? How does it feel? When does it happen? Award-winning comedian Jeromaia Detto explores all these questions through his hapless Italian romantic. Maybe tonight might be the night Giuseppe finally finds out what love is…could you be that special connection?
Where: Erskineville Town Hall - Emerging Artist Share House
When: Sept 15-19
Price: $31
Limitless
What began as a single Hub has grown into a curated program throughout the Sydney Fringe, bringing work of d/Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent artists to audiences all month long. Limitless exists to champion access and creativity. From zesty burlesque like FRÜÜT, to new theatrical works like Colossus, and free events such as Bursting Into Life, there’s plenty of curated events to choose from this Fringe.
Multiple Venues throughout the Sydney Fringe Festival. Check out the website for more details!
Strike a Chord
Prepare to ignite your inner dancer with this interplay between Flamenco guitar and dance! Strike a Chord explores rhythm, movement, and visceral emotion - making for an electrifying performance experience. Virtuosic guitarist Marco Van Doornum joins with the trailblazing ensemble Las Flamenkas, under the choreography of artist Pepa Molina to create a bold new work that blends tradition and innovation. This is sure to offer you an intimate, yet electric experience this Fringe.
Where: Eternity Playhouse - Off Broadway Hub
When: Sept 16-19
Price: $44.95
I Couldn't Find a Babysitter
Parents and bubs – this one’s for you! What happens when a single mum can’t find a babysitter but still has a show to run? She brings the kid – and the jokes. Fresh from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Mae Da journeys through the hilarious chaos of motherhood. This piece of theatre promises to transform the hour-long show into a playground where everyone is invited to play, from audiences ages one month to 1,200 months.
*A minimum of 10 per cent of net profits will be donated to organisations supporting survivors of domestic and family violence.
Where: Pottery Lane Performance Space
When: Oct 1-3
Price: $29
Inheritance by Toni Janke A Bold and Deeply Moving Journey of Uncovering
Acclaimed First Nations artist Toni Janke brings a bold and deeply moving theatrical experience to Sydney Fringe as she invites you on a poetic and musical journey. Framed around the metaphor of a “precious jewel” gifted through generations, Inheritance explores ancestry through ballads, soul-infused lyricism and vibrant acoustics landscapes. What do we truly inherit – and what will we choose to pass on? Come along for the journey in this tapestry of profound cultural memory and spiritual reclamation.
Where: Eternity Playhouse – Off Broadway Hub
When: Sept 23-26
Price: $50.00