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Darkly comic solo show written and performed by Nikki Fagbemi (Netflix, C4, Sky Arts, Amazon Prime), based on her lived experience of invisible illness. Shade is a young woman with sickle cell disease whose life depends on the blood of strangers. Between hospital admissions, emergency transfusions and a family that expects her to keep going no matter the cost, she’s become an expert at hiding her pain. But when a near-death crisis and the loss of a friend force her to confront her mortality, the cracks begin to show. Unforgettable characters bring this chaotic hospital ward to life.
This is an archived listing from the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Bed Five is by Nikki Fagbemi, listed under Comedy in the Fringe programme. It plays at Gilded Balloon Teviot, Teviot, EH8 9AJ, 18 August to 25 August.
The show runs 60 minutes and is suitable for ages 16+. Tickets from £13. Content warnings: Distressing or triggering themes and Strong language.