Charis King: Wummy is at Canal Café Theatre and Hen and Chickens Theatre

IN The History of Pigtails four females reveal their inner worlds. Genevieve a successful stage actress in her 50s recounts her life on the stage. Carmen a dancer in her 20s, dances away from the demons that haunt her. Melody, a singer in her 30s dreams of love without truly ever holding it, and Amy a young writer still living in her family’s home escapes on the page. Age16+. 6pm, July 29-31. Occasionally emotional, mostly ridiculous, How to Drink Wine Like a W***** involves a flight of South Australian wines and 12 months of sobering self-discovery. Follow one woman’s journey in this part performance, part storytelling, part wine-tasting show. Various times, Aug 21-25, The Libra.

In Inner Idiots a group of exceptional idiots prepare to help you evolve into the person you always knew you could be. Confused about… they’ve got you covered. Worried about… they know what will make it better. Always wondered why… they have the answers. Join them for an evening of problem solving as we work though the mysteries of life together. Age 18+. 7pm, July 31, Museum of Comedy.

Charis King: Wummy is a about a wannabe yummy mummy inspired by Charis’s own experiences as a single, 30-something teacher in London; stuck living with awful strangers and craving financial freedom. Wummy transforms her appearance and becomes a social climber in an attempt to marry rich and break free from her mundane existence. 7.30pm, July 30, Canal Café Theatre and 6pm, Aug 1-2, Hen and Chickens Theatre.

Acclaimed German director Gabriele Jakobi adaptation of Franz Kafka story, Report to an Academy, stars Robert McNamara. An intelligent ape named Red Peter is captured in a West Africa hunting expedition and sent to Europe on a ship. On board, he endures excessive taunting and abuse. Peter learns to mimic and imitate the ship’s crew and their language, devises a brilliant escape and presents his tale of transformation to a top Scientific Academy. 7.30pm, Aug 1-6. A man, an interview and an unexpected encounter, The Monkey is a modern tale that explores themes of self-doubt, societal expectation, and personal growth, through a mixture of humour, drama, physical theatre and puppetry. Be ready to embark on the profound journey of confronting one’s inner demons in a world that is often indifferent. Age 16+. 7pm Aug 11 & 8pm, Aug 18-19, The Courtyard Theatre.

In Hassan Govia’s solo show, Because, Jade has all the answers, until some unexpected news resurrects painful memories. Thrust into an existentialist journey of self-discovery, Jade finds himself at loggerheads with his most trusted voice of reason… himself. 9pm, Aug 6-9. Sanctuary explores through dance theatre what it means to search for sanctuary – physically, mentally, and spiritually – and maintain it. A story of individual journeys, re-building oneself and reconnecting to others and our communities. 6.30pm, Aug 20, The Cockpit.­

Suchandrika Chakrabarti’s solo show, Doomscrolling, explores the media with a touch of character comedy, as she tries to explain our chronically-online era to her five-year-old niece and speculates about the future. 6.30pm Aug 8-9, Camden Comedy Club.

Billed as a dark psychological drama, I Believe in One Bach by Chris Brannick follows the unravelling of Alan Gottlieb, an ageing orchestral violinist coasting his way to retirement. When an appraisal finds him wanting, he risks losing the one thing that gave his life meaning. Shunned by colleagues, management and friends, he reaches for inspiration from Bach. 5pm, Aug 7-9 & 11, Etcetera Theatre.

Stomach follows three parallel lives, winding in and out of doctor’s appointments, raw instinct and hope. A satirical mapping through the mind and body of female existence. Three stomachs. One’s beaten. One’s hollowing. One’s filling with blood. Sounds like stress. Instinct and butterflies. Enzymes and acids. Gut tangled, and untangled. 7pm, Aug 11-13, Camden People’s Theatre.

Steph Darcey’s political satire Prototype tells the story of AMEXA: The Robot Politician and her journey into British politics, featuring various other characters along the way. Prototype takes aim at out of touch politicians, disinformation, the rise of artificial intelligence and the erosion of democracy. Audiences can expect a show full of clowning, satire, improvisation, and silliness. 7pm, Aug 13-16, Old Red Lion Theatre and Aug 18, Museum of Comedy.

When it comes to relationship advice, some people turn to friends, some people turn to family; Fran turns to long-dead Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. A Series of Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis: The Musical charts the budding relationship between medical student Fran and her library crush Anna, alongside her friendship with four lovable but confusing housemates. 9pm, Aug 20-24. King’s Head Theatre.

The Pirate Bookshop is a play for all the family, aged 7+, written by award-winning playwright Ezra Harker Shaw. Our young hero, Zee, is fighting to save their family’s beloved bookshop. But their parents seem to have lost heart, and the bookshop has gained an infestation of pirates. Can Zee save the day? 2pm, Aug 22-23 & 25, Rosemary Branch Theatre.

When you’re a middle-aged, blind, and obsessive compulsive, life can be confusing and more than a little rude. London’s gentlest comedian, and Camden local, Stephen Portlock, accompanied by his dog Hamlet, presents Stephen and Hamlet: Blind & Mad, a ramshackle guide through the highways and byways of life’s weirdness, exploring his ambivalent feelings about identity politics, and musing on how we can learn to be nicer to one another. 9pm, Aug 2, Etcetera Theatre; 8.30pm Aug 23, 7pm Aug 24, Museum of Comedy.

• All Camden Fringe events can be booked at camdenfringe.com/