With just three weeks to go until this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe officially kicks off, we thought it high time that the +3 team share their 49+3 top picks for shows to see in 2016.

As the official Fringe programme once again contains over 3,000 listings, it’s been a challenge for us to compile our (fairly) short list, but the team of myself, Alan Brown and Jacob Close have used all our experience and guile to highlight those which we think really are worth a watch.

And just like last year, we haven’t been bribed, cajoled, threatened or in any other way influenced in making our selection, we’ve each made up our minds independently on what we’re looking forward to. Here they are, alphabetised by genre.

Theatre:
2044
A Streetcar Named Desire
Albatross
Bully Boy
Care Takers
Criminology 303
Daniel
Escape from the Planet of the Day that Time Forgot
The Gin Chronicles: A Scottish Adventure
Leaf by Niggle
Life According to Saki
The Marked
Mungo Park: Travels in the Interior of Africa
Nuclear Family
Of Wardrobes and Rings
Queen Lear
Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally
The Silence at the Song’s End
The Six-Sided Man
Still Here
Teatro Delusio
Three Jumpers
The View from Castle Rock by Alice Munro
Villain
William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged)

Spoken Word:
The Harry and Chris Show
Robert Adam: Architect of Enlightenment

Cabaret & Variety:
Hot Brown Honey
Roulston and Young: Songs for Lovers (And Other Idiots)
Triple Entendre: Love, Life and Other Stuff
Tony Roberts – Card Magic

Comedy:
1 Woman, a Dwarf Planet and 2 Cox: Samantha Baines
I Don’t Believe It! An Evening With Victor Meldrew
Katy Brand: I was a Teenage Christian
Mixed Doubles: Fundraiser
Paul Merton’s Impro Chums
Tiff Stevenson – Seven

Musical & Opera:
[title of show]
Crapapella
No Horizon
Paper Hearts the Musical

Dance, Physcial Theatre & Circus:
Are We Stronger Than Winston?
Elixir
Escape
Linger
Lost in Complete
Ockham’s Razor: Tipping Point
The Rooster and Partial Memory

Children’s Shows:
Molly Whuppie

+3 extra special shows:
Ronnie & Jonny: Friends Disunited – Griffin and Muddiman’s debut show, published by our friends at 49 Knights, and featuring a very familiar face…

Don’t Panic! It’s Challenge Anneka – a frank and funny exploration of the taboo topic of anxiety, supporting the fantastic #itaffectsme campaign.

One Day Moko – a moving portrait of homelessness in New Zealand, which I think will have particular resonance in Edinburgh.

And that’s it. If there are any other shows you think should be brought to our attention please get in touch with us at plus3@edinburgh49.com.