The Second Best School Shooting
The Second Best School Shooting is a show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026, performing at Pleasance Courtyard. It has 24 performances listed, running from Wed 5 Aug, 12:45 to Sun 30 Aug, 12:45. The run has finished — every listed performance has taken place.
About this show
Two best friends struggle to process surviving a school shooting that is overshadowed by a much worse school shooting on the same day. A dark comedy about America’s traumatized, despondent, yet somehow hilarious youth. Developed with hundreds of students, teachers, and survivors whose gallows humour helps them cope with the United States' gun violence epidemic. Written by former US public school teacher Alice Stanley Jr and directed by Riley Rose Critchlow. 'Captivating, provocative, inspiring' (Executive Producer Adam McKay – All the Empty Rooms, Succession, The Big Short, Step Brothers).
Details
- Venue: Pleasance Courtyard
- Space: Baby Grand
- Genre: THEATRE, Dark Comedy, New writing
- Country: UNITED STATES
- Running time: 60 minutes
- Room size: about 66 seats (Baby Grand) — the Fringe box office sells a share of the room, not all of it
- Performances listed: 24, of which 0 still to come and on sale
Accessibility
- Wheelchair access: ramp
- Access features: Step-free access, Accessible toilet, Hearing loop
- Venue notes: Accessible entry: Via a driveway from the main road. Permanent Ramp is 1200mm wide x 2400mm long. Approx. drop will be about 200-250mm. Angle of elevation will depend on the sitting in the car park itself. Max. load 500kg. Wheelchair access type:Permanent Ramp Stairs: None 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 11 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.
A darkly funny, unsettling and well-played account of a generation trained to live with the unthinkable.
— Edinburgh Guide (4 out of 5 stars)
4.2 stars Parker (Rachael DeBoer) and Ava (Shaylaren Hilton) are besties, hanging out in Parker’s bedroom, studying and painting their toe nails. So far, so ordinary.
It’s a highly credible storyline, with Ava’s attempts at garnering a viral response to her social media output falling victim to the law of unintended consequences.
— Theatre in Edinburgh (4 out of 5 stars)
Performance dates and ticket availability
- Wed 5 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £9.00
- Thu 6 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £9.00
- Fri 7 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00
- Sat 8 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00
- Sun 9 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00
- Mon 10 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00
- Tue 11 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00
- Thu 13 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00
- Fri 14 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00
- Sat 15 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00
- Sun 16 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00
- Mon 17 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £13.00
- Tue 18 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £13.00
- Thu 20 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00
- Fri 21 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00
- Sat 22 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00
- Sun 23 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00
- Mon 24 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £13.00
- Mon 24 Aug, 16:35 — Already performed — £13.00
- Tue 25 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £13.00
- Thu 27 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00
- Fri 28 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00
- Sat 29 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00
- Sun 30 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £15.00