This year marks the 105th birthday of The Famous Spiegeltent, the original travelling venue and oldest peripatetic spiegeltent in circulation, that reflects its name as it offers delights and intrigues in its fantastical portable space. As a bonus, the 21st birthday of the notorious, multi-award-winning house show, La Clique, is part of the centenary plus celebrations.
Built in 1920 by master craftsmen Oscar Mols Dom and Louis Goor, the iconic structure is the largest and most beautiful of the last-remaining antique Belgian mirror tents and has spent a lifetime appearing at festivals and village fairs throughout Europe, Australia and beyond, playing host to the world’s greatest cabaret performers and musicians. Since Marlene Dietrich sang ‘Falling In Love Again’ on its stage in the 1930s, it has hosted multi-award-winning shows and launched careers of countless variety, cabaret, independent music and new circus arts from across the globe.
This summer, having travelled and played host across the world, the internationally acclaimed venue, that’s been an iconic fixture at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe since 1996, returns to Edinburgh’s St Andrew Square after almost a decade’s absence.
Its arrival in Edinburgh marks the 21st Birthday of La Clique for an unprecedented six-week season inside The Famous Spiegeltent. The theatrical phenomenon, that is La Clique is a mélange of cabaret, new burlesque, circus and modern vaudeville, making it an exciting and memorable night of live entertainment. For the past two decades, this prestigious show has played to sold-out audiences in 21 cities across 11 countries, winning countless awards along the way.
Creative producer and Spiegelmaestro David Bates says “Leave your troubles at the doors of The Famous Spiegeltent and step into our Edinburgh-born internation sensation, La Clique. This will be the sexiest, funniest and most dangerous birthday party in town, and we are honoured to share this celebration with the people and the place that has forever changed all our lives. To our Edinburgh audience, we can’t wait to return and raise a glass with you for La Clique’s 21st Birthday! Over your head, under your skin, below the belt – hang onto your hat and strap yourself in, as we present … La Clique!”
In 2024, La Clique kicked off its international 20th anniversary tour at the Sydney Opera House, followed by a show at London’s Leicester Square, and is spending the first part of 2025 traversing the Antipodes.
La Clique has proved itself to be very essence of live entertainment, providing a unique blend of daring acrobatics, jaw-dropping stunts, scintillating burlesque and raucous comedy. Visceral, ethereal and in-your-face, with individual acts displaying artistry and athleticism, La Clique promises a riotous troupe of crème de la crème artists from around the world.
Tickets go on sale on Wednesday 12th March
Dates: 10th July – 31st August 2025
Venue: St Andrew Square, Edinburgh
Follow thefamousspiegeltent.com for updates
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 