Target Audience
Target Audience is a show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026, performing at Pleasance Courtyard. It has 25 performances listed, running from Wed 5 Aug, 16:50 to Sun 30 Aug, 16:50. The run has finished — every listed performance has taken place.
About this show
A TV production company gets word from Whitehall that they must adapt their programming to align with the government's new policy to rapidly prepare the country for war. Panicked, the producers offer writer Tobias an exorbitant amount of money to pen a 'pro-weapons sitcom', forcing him to choose between his morals and his mortgage. Comedy play from Dan Bishop, writer of smash hit Brainsluts. Previous praise: 'Bishop writes so well' (Guardian). 'Laughs come fast and furious' (Stage). 'Bishop's witty play could easily be the pilot for a sitcom' (Times).
Details
- Venue: Pleasance Courtyard
- Space: Above
- Genre: THEATRE, Comedy, New writing
- Country: UNITED KINGDOM - ENGLAND
- Running time: 70 minutes
- Room size: about 146 seats (Above) — 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
- Wheelchair access: lift
- Access features: Step-free access, Accessible toilet, Hearing loop
- Venue notes: Accessible entry: Main queue on road outside. Lift access through Pleasance Bar — ask at Box Office or bar for assistance. Performance space is on the First Floor up 20 steps on a permanent stone staircase that has handrails. Lift dimensions are 1200mm x 1200mm, max. weight 500kg. The lift can accept power wheelchairs. Wheelchair access type:Lift (Building Lift) 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 33 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.
Ironically for a play called Target Audience, Dan Bishop’s new play works superbly when it is satirising the media and everything associated with the entertainment industry, but falls flat when it moves on to what it’s…
— The Reviews Hub (4 out of 5 stars)
When Tobias (Henry Calcutt) arrives at a television production company, he is surprised first by creative executive Angie’s request for a hug and then by how young he is.
A provocative, incendiary and searing insight into the current creative and political climate.
— A Young(ish) Perspective (4 out of 5 stars)
Performance dates and ticket availability
- Wed 5 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £9.00
- Thu 6 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £9.00
- Fri 7 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00
- Sat 8 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00
- Sun 9 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00
- Mon 10 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00
- Tue 11 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00
- Wed 12 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £13.00
- Thu 13 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00
- Fri 14 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00
- Sat 15 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00
- Sun 16 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00
- Tue 18 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £13.00
- Wed 19 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £13.00
- Thu 20 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00
- Fri 21 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00
- Sat 22 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00
- Sun 23 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00
- Mon 24 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £13.00
- Tue 25 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £13.00
- Wed 26 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £13.00
- Thu 27 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00
- Fri 28 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00
- Sat 29 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00
- Sun 30 Aug, 16:50 — Already performed — £15.00