The Abyss
The Abyss by Brendan Scannell is a show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026, performing at Gilded Balloon Patter House. It has 25 performances listed, running from Wed 5 Aug, 21:20 to Sun 30 Aug, 21:20. The run has finished — every listed performance has taken place.
About this show
After a sold out 2026 Hollywood Fringe run and Top of the Fringe and Solo Theatre Award nominations, Emmy nominated actor and comedian Brendan Scannell makes his Edinburgh debut with The Abyss. Part stand-up, part deep dive in a sinking submersible, descend to the depths of Brendan's brain where his Irish mother is a life coach obsessed with death, his brother is communing spiritually with Gwyneth Paltrow, and his inner child is a total asshole. Star of Netflix's Bonding and Paramount's Heathers, Scannell has headlined at Netflix is a Joke, NY Comedy Festival and SF Sketchfest.
Details
- Performer: Brendan Scannell
- Venue: Gilded Balloon Patter House
- Space: Bothie
- Genre: COMEDY, Stand-up, Solo show
- Country: UNITED STATES
- Running time: 60 minutes
- Room size: about 58 seats (Bothie) — the Fringe box office sells a share of the room, not all of it
- Performances listed: 25, of which 0 still to come and on sale
Accessibility
- Access features: Accessible toilet
What the reviewers said
We have captured 2 published reviews and 48 audience reviews for this show from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s own listing. The excerpts below are the reviewers’ words, not ours — follow each link for the full review.
A playful stand-up routine descends into a moving meditation on loving and losing someone to severe mental illness
— The List (5 out of 5 stars)
4.5 Stars Judged on its own terms, this is a fairly perfect show — but be warned once more, if you’re expecting stand-up, this is not the show you’re looking for.
Performance dates and ticket availability
- Wed 5 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £9.00
- Thu 6 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £9.00
- Fri 7 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £9.00
- Sat 8 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Sun 9 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Mon 10 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Tue 11 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Wed 12 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £11.00
- Thu 13 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £11.00
- Fri 14 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Sat 15 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Sun 16 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Tue 18 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £11.00
- Wed 19 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £11.00
- Thu 20 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £11.00
- Fri 21 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Sat 22 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Sun 23 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Mon 24 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £11.00
- Tue 25 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £11.00
- Wed 26 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £11.00
- Thu 27 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £11.00
- Fri 28 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Sat 29 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Sun 30 Aug, 21:20 — Already performed — £14.00