EdFringe to welcome back world’s oldest touring spiegeltent for six-week cabaret

The world’s oldest touring spiegeltent will return to the Edinburgh Fringe this summer, 10 years on from its previous appearance.

The Famous Spiegeltent, which was built 105 years ago, was a fixture at the festival for 20 years between 1996 and 2015 but has not visited the event since then.

The tent will be pitched in St Andrew Square from July 10 until August 31, where it will present a six-week season of its in-house cabaret show La Clique, which was originally conceived in 2004.

The Famous Spiegeltent’s creative producer, David Bates, said: “To our Edinburgh audience, we can’t wait to return and raise a glass with you for La Clique’s 21st birthday.”

Bates added: “This will be the sexiest, funniest and most dangerous birthday party in town, and we are honoured to share this celebration with the people and the place that has forever changed all our lives.”

Spiegeltents are circular venues decorated with mirrors built in Belgium during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, only a handful of which survive today.

The Famous Spiegeltent was constructed in 1920 by craftsmen Oscar Mols Dom and Louis Goor out of timber, canvas, velvet and glass, and has toured to festivals around the world. It has hosted performances by artists ranging from Marlene Dietrich to Tim Minchin.