Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me but Banjos Saved My Life
Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me but Banjos Saved My Life is a show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026, performing at Summerhall. It has 24 performances listed, running from Thu 6 Aug, 11:40 to Mon 31 Aug, 11:40. The run has finished — every listed performance has taken place.
About this show
'Storytelling at its best!' (Playbill.com). Sold-out runs in 2023, 2024 and 2025. This highly awarded, internationally touring, inspirational true story is about overcoming obstacles, pursuing passions and the healing power of the arts, and is told with warmth, humour and banjo music! Through donations, including 100% of all artist fees, the show has raised over $1.2 million dollars (CAD) as of December 2025 for various charities, including cancer organisations, music programmes, community groups and artist funding and development. All proceeds from this Edinburgh Fringe run will benefit Summerhall Arts.
Details
- Venue: Summerhall
- Space: TechCube 0
- Genre: THEATRE, Storytelling, Live music
- Country: CANADA
- Running time: 70 minutes
- Room size: about 114 seats (TechCube 0) — 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: level
- Access features: Step-free access, Accessible toilet, Hearing loop
- Venue notes: Accessible entry: Once in the Courtyard, follow the signs up the access ramp, pass in front of the decking bar and into the main reception. Follow signage down the corridor, past the Café turning left at the neon corridor. Once past the double doors, go past the Red Lecture Theatre and through the next set of double doors and Tech Cube 0 is directly ahead of you. Wheelchair access type:Permanent Ramp, Level Access 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 5 published reviews and 28 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.
There are programmes given out as you enter the theatre. It is worth taking one and reading it as this show is about so much more information in there than the tomatoes, banjos, and even Keith Alessi himself. The one…
— Theatre and Art Reviews (5 out of 5 stars)
“Everyone has a story”, notes Keith Alessi, as he takes to the stage. Alessi was a successful corporate CEO – so what’s he doing here with banjos and what’s with the homicidal tomatoes? 4 Stars
— RIALTO
I booked Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me but Banjos Saved My Life because I play a little banjo myself. Beyond that, I knew there was a cancer story somewhere in there, but had no idea what the tomatoes had done. 5 Stars
Performance dates and ticket availability
- Thu 6 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £10.00
- Fri 7 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Sat 8 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Sun 9 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Mon 10 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Tue 11 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Wed 12 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Thu 13 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Fri 14 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Sat 15 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Sun 16 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Mon 17 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Wed 19 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Thu 20 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Fri 21 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Sat 22 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Sun 23 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Mon 24 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Wed 26 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Thu 27 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Fri 28 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Sat 29 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Sun 30 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00
- Mon 31 Aug, 11:40 — Already performed — £17.00