this is an article from 2018What We’re Watching at #EdFringe 2018
Stupid O’Clock
10:15 at Summerhall [26] How to Keep Time: A Drum Solo for Dementia 1-26 (not 13, 20) Yep, you read that right. The Fringiest thing in the brochure, just to wake you up. Antosh Wojcik explores inherited Alzheimers with a Roland electronic drum kit. Come on, it’s at least as much fun as getting old.
11:20 at The Caves (Just the Tonic) [88] Jacob Hatton: Ozymandias 2-26 (not 15) A very silly and occasionally insightful show about stuff in life that is funny. This is as surreal as comedy gets. Probably.
Noon-12.30
12:00 at Finnegan’s Wake (Laughing Horse) [101] Christian Talbot: Desperately Seeking Approval 2-26 (not 14) Such a lovely chap is Christian. And he’s finding great success these days with his brilliant shark cartoons. He writes for Fringepig too, you know? So are we favouring him unfairly? Yes we are. But don’t worry, there are loads of people here we don’t actually like. F
12:15 at The Pear Tree (Laughing Horse) [257] Fopical With Peter E Davidson 2-20, If you watch TV comedy in Northern Ireland, you’ll know Peter E Davidson’s shtick. The rosé-drinking, bearded, indie-music-loving fop finds the funny. Free
12.30-13:30
12:50 at City Café (Laughing Horse) [85] Russell Hicks: A Fistful of Ideas 2-26 >>See page 42 Free>>See Monkey Solids
13:00-13:30
13:05 at The Counting House [170] Njambi McGrath: African in New York – Almost Famous 3-24 (not 13) Scotland’s funniest Kenyan has been making waves on BBC R4 lately, so see her now while she’s in a proper, intimate venue instead of a monstrous tent on Potterow talking to c*nts. Free
13:10 at The Counting House (Laughing Horse) [170] Nathaniel Metcalfe: Chameleon, Comedian, Corinthian and Caricature 2-26 (not 14) There’s no overall narrative to this delightfully silly storytelling show. Metcalfe focuses on individual tales and tells them well. Listeners of Josh Widdicombe’s XFM radio show will be familiar with his patter. This show was directed by cool kids’ favourite James Acaster. F
13:20 at Stand 2 [5] Mary Bourke: I Want an Irish Passport 2-26 (not 13)
Mary Bourke has the demeanor of an inquisitorial vulture in charge of a Magdalene Laundry, but it’s that suffer-no-fools froideur that makes her funny. Here she claims that there are two types of people: those who are Irish and those who wish they were. Wrigley disagrees, but not to her face. Free
13:30-14:00
13:35 at City Café (Laughing Horse) [85] Eat, Sleep, Shit, Shag 2-23 Abbie Murphy tells us of her journey from tomboy to showgirl, and how this has coloured her experience of womanhood. It’s wry, amusing and insightful. Free
13:35 at The Stand [5] Stu and Garry’s Fringe Improv Show 3-11 Stu Murphy and Garry Dobson are longtime masters of the improv art. The audience says things, they say funny thinks back. There’s always lots of adlib at the Fringe but it’s their sharp chemistry that sets them apart. Also (says Wrigley) Stu is really, really fit. Not gym fit; he appears possibly close to death – but still ridiculously handsome.
13:45 at Monkey Barrel [396] Jen Brister – Meaningless 2-26 (not 15) Jen Brister should be better known than she is. She’s fiercely intelligent and utterly withering about the absurdities of modern life. Or, indeed, all life. Does it have ANY meaning? Well no. The clue’s in the title. Free
14:00-14:30
14:00 at Gilded Balloon Teviot [14] Andrea Hubert: Holes of Joy 1-26 (not 15)
At this point in the day you probably want some calm, well-enunciated, slow-burn comedy, for which up-and-comer Andrea Hubert is just the thing. How to describe her? She’s sort of like one of your mum’s funnier and more glamorous friends. Well, I say ‘your’ mum. YOUR mum’s friends may have been frightful harridans. What would I know?
14:30-15:00
14:30 at Spiegelyurt (Heroes) [327] Grace the Former Child: Bipolar Express, 9-13 Grace’s performances are by turns sad, wry and profound. Here she talks about being diagnosed as bipolar at 14… which wasn’t very long ago. See Grace, she is wise beyond her years. Free
14:30 at Fireside [75] Britain, Let’s Talk About the Golliwogs, 2-26 Okay, sometimes we just want to see a show to see how the effing flip the act is going to tackle it. And why? I mean, do we really NEED to talk about golliwogs? I knew a golliwog once and it really wasn’t an issue because we stuffed toys have no history of colonialism, and we’re all the same race: cuddly.
14:40 at Apex Grassmarket (Sweet) [18] Aidan Goatley is the Vicar’s Husband, 3-26 (not 15) A storytelling show about how it feels when you’re an atheist going through comedy hell and your wife starts communing with the divine – or, at least, training to become a vicar. A cosy little tale well told.
15:00-15:30
15:00 at Bannerman’s (PBH) [357] The Trevor Lock Experience (4-26)
Trevor was once best known for getting into scrapes with Russell Brand, but now that the world has forgotten about the big-mouthed fornicator perhaps Trevor can emerge from his career bushel. He is a fidgety, short-circuiting maelstrom of tics and tangents and he is tremendously funny. Free
15:00 at Espionage (Laughing Horse) [185] Stephen Carlin: The Opinionater, 2-26 (not 14)>>See Monkey Solids
15:00 at The Counting House (Laughing Horse) [170] Stand-Up Philosophy – Free, 2-26 At last, some–thing worthy of our massive intellects here at Fringepig. Stand-ups join academics and brainy types to discuss philosophical quandaries. You ought to go. Although, according to Laplacian determinism, you either will or won’t anyway. F
15:20 at The Stand [5] Simon Munnery: The Wreath, 3-26 (not 13) Former League Against Teduim legend and creator/director of the FYLM School comes the 32nd Fringe show from Simon. Usually his titles have little or nothing to do with the content, but it’s guaranteed to be hilarious. He’s the guv’nor.
15:30-16:00
15:35 at Stand3&4 [12] Nick Revel: BrokenDreamCatcher 2-26 (not 13) Years ago, the editor of this great organ was on stage when Nick Revell came into the venue, yelled “Get the f*ck off the stage you pr*ck” and then apologised, explaining that he had just given up smoking. So the Ed would like you to do the same thing to Nick this year. Actually don’t. Just go and see the only comedian brave enough to explain Baudelaire to a Saturday night crowd at Jongleurs. Also, to be fair, the Editor IS a pr*ck.
15:35 at The Counting House (Laughing Horse) [170] Charmian Hughes: Bra Trek, 2-26 (not 13) Charmian started doing comedy in 1987 and has played the Glastonbury Festival, the Houses of Parliament and HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs. She is a 34H. This is her Bra Trek. Free
16:00-16:30
16:00 at Gilded Balloon Teviot [14] Lost Voice Guy: Inspiration Porn, 1-26 For reasons that should be obvious to anyone with a telly, this is going to be massive and you’ll need a ticket well in advance because he’s in the Turret which is a tiny space to put a BGT winner. It’s the same show as last year, but then you didn’t see it last year did you? No. Seriously, what’s the point of you?
16:00 at Boteco (Heroes) [516] Phil Kay: Lighter Hour, 2-12 Phil Kay is utter Fringe; somewhere between a Scottish John Cooper Clarke and a Scottish UK Subs; like both he has a punk situationist soul and seems to endure forever, through good times and bad. He is possibly the only person to be booed off stage in Auchtermuchty for juggling with his own snot. Go! F
16:10 at Underbelly Bristo Square [302] Viv Groskop: Vivalicious, 1-26 (not 13)
Viv Groskop is an accomplished feminist writer and journalist who turned to standup six years ago and fitted right in. This is her slant on self-help and therapy.
16:30-17:00
16:30 at Free Sisters (Laughing Horse) [272] Kate Talbot Has Peaked Too Soon, 2-11 Kate Talbot, daughter of comedian Christian, says that being alive is kinda rubbish, despite doing it successfully for 16 years. Since winning the Malcolm Hardee Cunning Stunt Award in 2014 she’s been building up to this, her Fringe comedy debut. F
16:30 at Stand 3&4 [12] Phill Jupitus: Sassy Knack, 2-26 (not 13) One of three shows Phill is bringing to Edinburgh this year, this is the one where he recalls funny true stories, although he ‘will exaggerate wildly’. Hopefully there’ll be some stuff about being Billy Bragg’s roadie, and being in Hairspray.
16:45 at The Counting House (Laughing Horse) [170] Show Up, 2-26 (not 22) This was one of Wrigley’s favourite shows here last year so he’s glad it’s back. Mr Marino presents an improv show good enough to be enjoyed by the improv-averse. What’s it about? It really is up to the audience. You’ll probably go more than once. There’s a kid’s version here at noon and 15:00. F
17:00-17:30
17:00 at The Hive (Heroes) [313] Luke McQueen: Monster, 2-26 (not 15) McQueen is funny, and uniquely exciting, and hopefully this year he’s stopped banging on about Joel Dommett. F
17:15 at The Pear Tree (Laughing Horse) [257] Jimmy McGhie 3-25 (not 6,13,20) >>See Monkey Solids
17:15 at Whistlebinkies (PBH) [158] Carey Carey Quite Contrary, 4-26 (not 14) >>See Monkey Solids
17:15 at Gilded Balloon Teviot [14] Alison Spittle: Worrier Princess, 1-27
Kipper very much enjoyed Alison Spittle Discovers Hawaii a couple of years ago. Alison is an Irish human-shaped collection of over-examined neuroses and gnawing self-doubts, all of which seem genuinely debilitating and most of which (thank goodness) also make her very funny.
17:30-18:00
17:30 at Assembly George Square [8] John-Luke Roberts: All I Wanna Do Is [FX: GUNSHOTS] With a [FX: GUN RELOADING] and a [FX: CASH REGISTER] and Perform Some Comedy!, 1-27 (not 15) One of ACMS’s chief raspberry-blowers, JLR is building up his Fringe reputation for bonkers absurdism. It’s new, it’s brash, it’s something you haven’t seen before… but it’s kind of in the tradition of Spike Milligan when he did utterly leftfield stuff like There’s A Lot Of It About.
17:45 at Pleasance Courtyard [33] Jacqueline Novak: How Embarrassing For Her, 1-26 This looks like a real treat. Jacqueline is massive in the US where she has been on all the late night talk shows, but remains oddly unknown here. Her style is very warm, disarming and utterly obsessed with food and the way women eat it.
17:45 at Gilded Balloon Teviot [14] Zoe Lyons: Entry Level Human, 1-26
>>See page 42
18:00-18:30
18:00 at Dragonfly (Heroes) [414] Twonkey’s Night Train to Liechtenstein, 3-26 (not 8,22) No doubt Twonkey will be doing his usual stuff. This will include singing heartfelt nonsensical torch songs to friends he’s made from household objects and going on an adventure pulled from the fever-dreams of Hieronymous Bosch. We wouldn’t have it otherwise. F
18:00 at Riddle’s Court (PQA Venues) [277] Andrew White: Coming of Age, 3-27 (not 21) Last year Andrew White made his Fringe debut at just 17 – and he was annoyingly good. Now the boy has become a man and Coming of Age is loosely based around that.
18:00 at The Caves (Just the Tonic) [88] Henning Wehn: Get On With It 2-26 (but not Mondays or Tuesdays) For the last couple of years Henning has been doing megashows at the Queen’s Hall and wotnot, but now he’s back in the relatively intimate setting of the Big Cave – so you’ll need to buy a ticket NOW. Too late.
18:30-19:00
18:30 at La Belle Angele (Just the Tonic) [301] Rob Rouse, 2-12 >>See Monkey Solids
18:30 at The Stand [5] David Kay, 3-12 Oh bloody hell, we love David Kay. But how hard he is to describe. He’s sort of like a very Scottish Giles and Mary off Gogglebox obsessing about everything and nothing forever. Except wonderful.
18:40 at Underbelly Cowgate [61] Awkward Conversations With Animals I’ve F*cked, 2-26 (not 13) This little shocker apparently lost its writer, Rob Hayes, quite a few friends – but audiences who came to be appalled stayed for the ultimately sympathetic, if bestial, protagonist. This time the part so well played by Jack Holden in 2014 is performed by Linus Karp.
18:40 at The Blundabus (Heroes) [212] Yuriko Kotani: Moreish, 2-26 (not 15) Hailing from Japan, this winner of the BBC New Comedy Award 2015 brings a work-in-progress show to Bob’s bus. Wrigley saw her at the Camden Head in London earlier this year and she was effing brilliant. Free
18:45 at The Counting House (Laughing Horse) [170] Strictly Carl Donnelly!, 2-26 (not 13) >>See Monkey Solids
19:00-19:30
19:00 at Underbelly Bristo Square [302] Nina Conti is Monkey, 1-27 (not 13) If you’ve never seen Nina Conti communing with her egocentric monkey then it’s about time you rectified this error. Especially now that monkey has entirely consumed his creator like a simian Skynet.
19:00 at The Free Sisters (Laughing Horse) [272] Milo McCabe: 1001 Moments With Troy Hawke!, 2-26 (not 13) Troy Hawke is a delight. From his #metoo reading of Mr Men books to his Shakespearean paean to the Wetherspoon’s budget boozer chain, this foppish anachronism elicits giggles from the toughest crowd. We’ll enjoy seeing what he does with the punters in Maggie’s Chamber, who can be, erm, ‘spirited’ at times. Free
19:00 at Underbelly Cowgate [61] Paul Foot: Image Conscious, 2-26 (not 13) Members of Mr Foot’s Guild of Connoisseurs will already have this at the top of their Fringe lists. Nobody does modern surrealist comedy better. When you’re not laughing at the comedy you’ll be chuckling at the horrified looks of the small number of punters that just don’t get it. Unless, of course, that’s you.
19:10 at The Stand New Town Theatre [7] Limmy’s Vines, 3-12 There is nothing dafter than Limmy, and his vines are masterpieces of bite-sized absurdism. You could save yourself £16 by watching them on the internet, but then you wouldn’t get the Q&A with the man himself. We will ask him why it costs £16.
19:15 at Pleasance Courtyard [33] Angela Barnes: Rose-Tinted, 1-16 (not 13) Kipper has known Angela since her days in the South London amateur dramatic scene, and she is just t’riffic. Am dram’s loss has been comedy’s gain. She has since been on all ‘those’ panel shows but we think her wise ‘n’ wobbly take on the world works much better onstage.
19:30-20:00
19:30 at Subway (PBH) [56] Nick Doody: PG, 4-25 (not 14,21) Since he interviewed a relatively-unknown Bill Hicks at Oxford many moons ago, Agent Smith of the Matrix look-alike Nick has been honing his comedic craft. He was one of the first ‘proper’ acts to embrace the free Fringe model and he’s here again providing excellent stand-up for bucket money. Unjust. Free
19:30 at Monkey Barrel [396] Glenn Wool: Glen Wool’s Gold II (The Iron Pirate), 2-25 (not 13) Glenn Wool is a rheumy-eyed, grizzled Canadian bundle of joy and wreckage, and we’ve never seen him be anything less than hysterical. Seeing him shuffle through 25 years of greatest hits (and maybe some comedy B-sides too) is going to be an utter and unalloyed delight. Free
19:30 at Assembly George Square [8] David O’Doherty: You Have to Laugh, 1-27 (not 14) If you haven’t seen David O’Doherty yet then you’ve probably been living in the dungeon of a Trappist monastery. There’s nothing we can tell you about his life-affirming Bontempi declamatories that you don’t already know. So we won’t.
19:35 at theSpace on North Bridge [12] Filth, 3-18 (not 12) You’re in Edinburgh, so how about basking in the extreme dystopianism of Irvine Welsh? This monodrama with Harry Gibson explores the story of Welsh’s deeply corrupt and disordered policeman from the novel of the same name. We assume. But maybe Irvine is f*cking with us.
19:40 at Stand 3 & 4 [12] Jo Caulfield: Killing Time, 3-26 (not 13, 20) >>See Monkey Solids
19:40 at The Hive (Heroes) [313] Phil Ellis is Ready for the Big Time, 2-26 (not 15) Northern master of hubris Phil Ellis has had an excellent five years at the Fringe – from deliberate heroic failures to accidental successes with Funz and Gamez. So why he has sequestered himself in the back room of the sticky-floored Hive, we’re not entirely sure. But we’re sure as hell going to find out! F
20:00-20:30
20:00 at Monkey Barrel [396] Tim Renkow Tries to Punch Down, 2-26 (not 8,15,22) Tim is without doubt Fringepig’s favourite ‘crippled redneck Mexican Jew’. Delivering a massive f*ck off to his own cerebral palsy and everyone else’s pettier problems, Tim has more gallows humour than a drunken Saturday night at Tyburn. Gloriously cathartic. Free
20:00 at Pleasance Courtyard [33] Alex Edelman: Just For Us, 1-26 We won’t lie: Many comedians on the circuit have an ‘Alex Edelman being a bit of a dick’ story; he’s an unboundaried New York American and that’s all part of his frustrated genius. Since he won best newcomer in 2014 he’s actually mellowed a lot. This will be good.
20:00 at Boteco (Heroes) [516] Brendon Burns: Mansplainin’, 3-26 If you want dependable, gruff Aussie standup for the incredible price of whatever, then look no further than Brendon Burns performing (for some reason) in a Brazilian BBQ restaurant. If you imagine Jim Jefferies with twice the anger and a genuine, yearning conscience, you’ll be roughly in the Burnsy zone. Meaty. F
20:10 at Assembly George Square [8] Andrew Lawrence: Clean, 1-26 >>See Monkey Solids
20:05 at Assembly George Square [8] Demi Lardner: I love Skeleton 1-26 (not 13) >>See Monkey Solids
20:30-21:00
20:30 at Pleasance Dome [23] The Raymond and Mr Timpkins Revue: Ham, 1-27 (not 13) A favourite with comedy bookers all over the land, this is Raymond and Timpkins’ first foray onto the Fringe. This is an act that has honed its style in a billion bread-and-butter venues and will be as sharp – and as silly – as all buggery.
20:50 at Assembly Roxy [139] Lolly Jones: Fifty Shades of May, 1-24 (not 13)
We don’t normally go near Burlesque, but we’re intrigued by this satirical/political/girlie show mashup. And… for goodness sake… ‘A suspender-clad Theresa May revels in fields of wheat’. What more do you need? Might eat before we see this.
21:00-21:30
21:00 at Monkey Barrel [396] Phil Nichol: Your Wronger, 2-26 From Corky and the Juice Pigs to full-frontal nudity, Phil Nichol has taken Fringe performance to its very extremes. Last year’s Your Wrong was an altogether more thoughtful Phil exploring ‘the modern day need to be right about everything’, including grammar. This is part two. F
21:00 at Gilded Balloon Teviot [14] Luisa Omielan: Politics For Bitches,
2-26 (not 14, 23) >>See here
21:15 at Gilded Balloon Rose St Theatre [76] Tom Stade: I Swear To, 1-26 (not 13) >>See Monkey Solids
21:20 at Pleasance Courtyard [33] Gary Delaney: Gagster’s Paradise, 2-11 >>See Monkey Solids
21:30-22:00
21:30 at Underbelly George Square [300] Abandoman: Pirate Radio, 1-27 (not 13,20) Hmmm, Kipper just wrote ‘Irish improv mixmaster’, which sounds terrible. But this isn’t. Abandoman is a joyous, uplifting riff on everything in the room from aardvarks to zucchinis.
21:30 at Monkey Barrel [396] Alfie Brown: Lunatic, Aug 2-26 (not 13) Son of comic actress Jan Ravens and Spitting Image puppet-basher Steve Brown, Alfie claims that he was ‘genetically bred for comedy’. Much like Fluck and Law’s political demolition, Brown goes to some dark places. He will spend an hour exploring taboos, walking elephants through the room and triggering your face off.
21:40 at The Stand [5] Alun Cochrane: You. Me. Now. 3-26 (not 13) >>See Monkey Solids
21:55 at The Mash House (Just the Tonic) [288] Dan Nightingale: Sex, Drugs and Nana’s Bungalow
2-25 (not 5,12,13, 19)
See Monkey Solids Free
22:00-22:30
22:00 at Banshee Labyrinth (PBH) [156] Lloyd Langford: Why the Big Face? 4-26 (not 10,11, 12)
>>See Monkey Solids
20:40 at The Hive (Heroes) [313] Paul Currie: Hot Donkey, 3-27 (not 8,15,22) Anyone who enjoyed FFFFFFFMILK! two years ago is sure to enjoy Hot Donkey. The Skinny says that Currie sets ‘a new standard in absurdism’. But then how do we police standards in absurdism? Should there be an Absurd Standards Bureau? Paul is certain not to tell us. F
22:30-23:00
22:30 at Assembly George Square [8] Thrones! The Musical Parody, 1-26 The sniffier Fringe rags may turn their noses up at this, especially those who think the HBO adaptations of RR Martin’s books are exploitative bollocks. Kipper loves it, and he’ll be there hoping for nudity, incest and cock-severing. To music.
22:30 at City Café (Laughing Horse) [85] Aidan ‘Taco’ Jones: 52 Days, 2-26 Over 52 Days this Aussie comedian made weekly journal entries on a deck of playing cards, spanning three continents, jail, fireworks and heartache. Every night the audience picks a card for him to reminisce about. F
22:45 at Pleasance Courtyard [33] Richard Todd: We Need the Eggs, 1-26 (not 15) This show – see pic below – has a bit in it that’s Kipper’s favourite premise EVER. Richard finds a prawn cocktail crisp in his bed. Neither he nor his girlfriend like prawn cocktail crisps. What is it doing there? So begins a spiral of mental recriminations and obsession, and a fun study of what we’ll put up with for security.
Late
23:55 at Monkey Barrel [396] Alternative Comedy Memorial Society, 3-26 (not 8, 15, 22) Everyone loves ACMS, apart from Scotsman critic Kate Copstick, who walked out and called it ‘smug’ and ‘middle-class’ like that’s a bad thing. This is sort of like a variety show meets uni rag week on acid. F