2018 Edinburgh Fringe
Mark Thomas - Check Up: Our NHS at 70
Mark Thomas is in the 'theatre' section these days, but his latest high-concept epic is still heavy on laughs, as well as drama: he goes behind the scenes at various outposts of the health service frontline, from spellbinding scenes at A&E to some hilarious predictions from his local doc.
Mark Thomas is 54, the NHS is 70, UK national average life expectancy is 84. If Mark makes it to 84, the NHS will be 100 - what will they both look like? Based on a series of interviews with leading experts in and on the NHS, and residencies in hospitals and surgeries, and with director Nicolas Kent, Mark uses his own demise to explore the state we're in. What's going wrong in our NHS, how it can go right and what the future might hold for all of us.
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Featuring
Creatives
- Nicolas Kent - Director
Reviews
- The Edinburgh Reporter
- Hammy's Comedy Reviews
- Edinburgh Festivals
- West End Wilma
- BritishTheatre.com
- Spiked
- The Scotsman
- ThreeWeeks
- Broadway Baby
- The Arts Desk
- Across The Arts
- The List
- The Telegraph
- Fest Mag
- The Independent
- The Guardian
- The Financial Times
- British Theatre Guide
- LothiansKen
- Exeunt Magazine
Press articles
Final Fringe Reflections
Our Stand-Up Editor looks back at his weeks in Edinburgh.
British Comedy Guide, 30th August 2018Mark Thomas's Edinburgh Fringe Memories
Mark Thomas on his Fringe memories and his 2018 favourites.
British Comedy Guide, 22nd August 2018Fringe First awards: Seven winners from week two
The Scotsman Fringe Firsts recognise outstanding new theatre writing premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe - here are our second group of 2018 winners.
The Scotsman, 17th August 2018The shows serious about accentuating the positives
Perhaps sensing that the news agenda has taken a dark turn, a number of shows are serious about accentuating the positive, writes David Pollock.
David Pollock, The Scotsman, 13th August 2018Edinburgh's festivals of extremes
Here, we list just some of the people at this year's festivals, who have records to their name, or possibly should.
Vicky Allen, The Herald, 5th August 2018From Dawn Till Dusk with Fringe favourite Mark Thomas
Writer, activist, comedian and Fringe favourite Mark Thomas presents his new show at Edinburgh's Traverse this month. Titled Check Up: Our NHS At 70, it's based on interviews with experts and patients. In it, Thomas, aged 54, asks, if he makes it to 84, what will the NHS look like at 100? Before hitting Edinburgh, he tells us about his day.
The National (Scotland), 5th August 2018The best shows we saw before the festival started
Reviews from Melbourne and elsewhere.
Chortle, 2nd August 2018The best theatre, dance and kids shows to see
The best shows to see at the Edinburgh Fringe 2018.
Emily Jupp, i Newspaper, 2nd August 2018Preview: Fringe shows to explore the NHS at 70
Mark Fisher, The Scotsman, 1st August 2018Listen to Mark Thomas' Spotify playlist
The music Mark Thomas prescribes ahead of his new Fringe show about the NHS.
Adrian Lobb, The Big Issue, 31st July 2018Edinburgh Festival: the best of the fest
From the NHS at 70 to Nina Conti's Monkey shtick, our critics pick the must-sees this summer in comedy, theatre, art and dance.
Alexandre Galliez, The Times, 29th July 201850 brilliant shows to see at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe
This summer, the Scottish capital is hosting everything from Jane Austen-inspired improv and Ethiopian circus to Beckett and Bernstein. Here is our critics' pick of what to see.
The Telegraph, 27th July 201810 theatre shows you might be interested in
Fringe plays with a comedy angle.
Chortle, 25th July 2018Happy birthday NHS
As the NHS celebrates its 70th birthday, several theatre-makers are exploring the institution's history and looking nervously towards its future.
Catherine Love, Fest Mag, 24th July 2018Mark Thomas interview
The standup comedian and activist talks about finding humour in unlikely places, such as the NHS... and Brexit.
Killian Fox, The Guardian, 14th July 2018Edinburgh 2018: Lyn Gardner's guide for what to see
The pick of the most interesting shows at the Edinburgh Fringe and International Festival.
Lyn Gardner, The Independent, 6th June 2018Performances
| Date | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 4th Aug 2018 | 21:15 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 5th Aug 2018 | 10:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 7th Aug 2018 | 13:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 8th Aug 2018 | 16:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 9th Aug 2018 | 19:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 10th Aug 2018 | 22:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 11th Aug 2018 | 10:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 12th Aug 2018 | 13:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 14th Aug 2018 | 13:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 15th Aug 2018 | 16:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 16th Aug 2018 | 19:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 17th Aug 2018 | 22:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 18th Aug 2018 | 10:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 19th Aug 2018 | 13:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 21st Aug 2018 | 13:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 22nd Aug 2018 | 16:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 23rd Aug 2018 | 19:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 24th Aug 2018 | 22:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 25th Aug 2018 | 10:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 25th Aug 2018 | 19:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |
| 26th Aug 2018 | 22:00 | Traverse Theatre (Traverse 1) |