Wednesday August 12th 2026
Keith Alessi’s sell-out show Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me but Banjos Saved My Life
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
An award-winning Edinburgh Fringe show has celebrated its 100th performance at Summerhall Arts after raising more than £100,000 for the independent arts venue.
Keith Alessi’s Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me but Banjos Saved My Life reached the milestone today (Wednesday, August 12), having become a sell-out success at the Fringe since first arriving in Edinburgh in 2022.
Since 2023, the production has raised £100,000 for Summerhall Arts, with Alessi donating 100 per cent of his Fringe ticket sales to support the venue, independent theatre and artist development.
The fundraising forms part of a wider total of £750,000 raised by the production internationally.
The milestone comes at a challenging time for Scotland’s arts sector, with former Edinburgh Festival Fringe director Shona McCarthy recently describing the pressures facing the industry as “death by slow cuts”.
Alessi’s decision to donate his Fringe takings provides valuable support for artists and independent venues, helping create opportunities for performers who may otherwise struggle to bring their work to the festival.
Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me but Banjos Saved My Life tells the true story of Alessi’s journey from the corporate world to pursuing his passion for the banjo after receiving a life-threatening cancer diagnosis.
Combining music, humour and storytelling, the show explores overcoming adversity, following your passions and the healing power of music and the arts.
Alessi has toured the production internationally since 2018, with the show receiving multiple awards and performing to audiences around the world.
Reflecting on the milestone, Keith Alessi said: “When I came to Edinburgh in 2022, I never expected for this to happen. Much less at Summerhall.
“And they scheduled a solar eclipse to celebrate the occasion! Coincidence??”
Tom Forster, Summerhall Arts Fringe Programme Manager, said the 100th performance was a significant achievement for both Alessi and the venue.
“Only two artists in Summerhall history have celebrated their 100th performance with us in our short history, and we’re delighted to welcome Keith to the centurion club,” he said.
“There’s something absolutely remarkable about how this show keeps growing audiences of all ages and interests – it’s truly universal, and a testimony to how anyone from any background at the world’s largest open access festival can keep this trajectory going with just four banjos, three lighting states and one story.”
The 100th performance marks another milestone for a production which has combined its Fringe success with significant fundraising for the arts, while continuing to share Alessi’s personal story with audiences around the world.
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