On what feels like the sunniest day of the year, a cosy bed rests on the red decking outside Summerhall. There are bean bags and rainbow-brite bedding, fidget toys and technicolour sunnies. Friendly women in lab coats greet you to Burst, a neurodiverse-friendly sanctuary in the storm that can be the frenzied Fringe.
This is a brilliant creation by Creative Electric who have brought an immersive audio installation to the festival this year as part of the Made in Scotland showcase. They have made an inclusive and accessible sensory experience where giant bubbles float overhead and the breeze grazes your skin. While wearing headphones for around six minutes of the experience, you are free to roam around the space and move as you wish before, during and after the audio portion. One of the ‘bubble doctors’ joins you towards the end for a guided relaxed stretch and it’s genuinely warm and welcoming. Through their work with Refuweegee, the viewer (or viewers, as the experience admits up to 4 people per session at no additional ticket cost) has the choice to listen in English, Arabic, Farsi or Ukrainian.
The festival is an intense sensory experience, ripe for overstimulation. This is the perfect way to gather yourself, take a breather and relax all while supporting Scottish-made, connective art, created by and for neurodivergent people and their loved ones. It would be good to see this rolled out in more venues and for more dates in 2026 and beyond.
Burst
All performances relaxed and accessible
Until 16 August (sold out)
Age Guidance 0+