Edinburgh Fringe Festival is agog with talent.

Whether it’s right on your doorstep, or a couple of hours away on the train, it’s an ideal trip if you want to see some of the funniest, most talented and moving performances by women in the industry this August.

We mention women specifically because there’s been an all-too familiar bias towards males in the performance arts since, well … the dawn of time. We’ve all heard the tired old line of “I’m not sexist, but men are funnier than women”. We all know that just 4% of the lines in Mock The Week are contributed by women. And we’re painfully aware of the fact that, in a 49 year history of British TV and radio, there has been just one comedy programme in which the presenter and all the panel were women.

But, despite what misogynists might have you think, women are bold, and brilliant, and funny, and the organisers of Edinburgh Fringe know it, too: that’s why they’ve booked some of the quirkiest and brightest voices in comedy, drama and cabaret to perform at their epic festival this year.

So, whether you’re interested in the anti-hero of Fleabag, or a female-led take on The Last King of Scotland, there is undoubtedly a show to suit your tastes and mood. Here are just a few of our must-see recommendations…

The 14 feminist shows every woman needs to see at Edinburgh Fringe 2017