Alive
Alive by Steve Burns is a show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026, performing at Underbelly, Cowgate. It has 25 performances listed, running from Wed 5 Aug, 17:20 to Sun 30 Aug, 17:20. The run has finished — every listed performance has taken place.
About this show
What happens when the world thinks you're dead but you're very much alive? From 1996 to 2002, Steve Burns was America's beloved problem-solver on Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues. When he left the show, the internet decided his fate: car crashes, drug overdoses, murder conspiracies. Steve Burns was dead... except he wasn't. In Steve Burns Alive, Burns dissects the bizarre phenomenon of being mourned while alive. This isn't just his story, it's an excavation of how parasocial relationships shape reality, digital mythology replaces truth and what happens when millions of strangers grieve a version of you that never existed.
Details
- Performer: Steve Burns
- Venue: Underbelly, Cowgate
- Space: Belly Button
- Genre: THEATRE, Solo show, Storytelling
- Country: UNITED STATES
- Running time: 60 minutes
- Room size: about 123 seats (Belly Button) — 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
- Venue notes: Accessible entry: There are 16 steps into this venue from the cowgate entrance. Stairs: 11- 20 Number of stairs is provided as guidance and is not in addition to any wheelchair access type (lift/ramp etc) stated above.
What the reviewers said
We have captured 5 published reviews and 73 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.
Masterful storytelling in a complex, crafted and devastatingly moving work that dives deep into the dangers of intensely toxic media manipulation. Charged with searing pain and balmed with care, this is a phenomenal…
Whether you grew up on Blue’s Clues or are just vaguely aware of it as a cultural phenomenon, you’ll enjoy Steve Burns: Alive at Underbelly Cowgate (Belly Button).
Steve’s not a kid anymore, and neither are we. I laughed, I cried, I snorted, I remembered how it was Steve who came online in the midst of the pandemic on the 25th anniversary of Our Show and told us how proud he was…
— Speak The Speech (5 out of 5 stars)
Performance dates and ticket availability
- Wed 5 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £9.00
- Thu 6 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £9.00
- Fri 7 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £9.00
- Sat 8 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Sun 9 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Mon 10 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Tue 11 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Wed 12 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £13.00
- Thu 13 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £13.00
- Fri 14 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Sat 15 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Sun 16 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Tue 18 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £13.00
- Wed 19 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £13.00
- Thu 20 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £13.00
- Fri 21 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Sat 22 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Sun 23 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Mon 24 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £13.00
- Tue 25 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £13.00
- Wed 26 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £13.00
- Thu 27 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £13.00
- Fri 28 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Sat 29 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £14.00
- Sun 30 Aug, 17:20 — Already performed — £14.00