The Axis of Awesome face a challenge. They are in the Pleasance Grand and that’s a lot of seats to fill. This is a challenge almost everyone performing in the Grand faces – but as the queue filed in I wondered how many of the audience knew the comedy musical troupe from their 4 chords […]
Comedy in Edinburgh
Edinburgh boasts a vibrant and deeply-rooted comedy scene that thrives throughout the year, anchored by legendary venues such as The Stand Comedy Club, a proving ground for countless famous comedians, alongside the multi-award-winning Monkey Barrel Comedy and the ever-popular Just the Tonic, which all provide a consistent programme of top-tier stand-up.
However, this thriving year-round culture is merely the prelude to the comedic explosion that occurs each August during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The city transforms into the undisputed global epicentre of comedy, as thousands of performers—from household names testing new material to ambitious newcomers seeking their big break—descend upon the capital, turning every conceivable space from grand theatres to cramped pub basements into a performance venue. This month-long comedy marathon creates an unparalleled atmosphere of creative energy, solidifying Edinburgh's reputation as the ultimate destination for performers and fans of live humour.
Review of Seann Walsh: Seann to be Wild, Fringe 2012
I’ve been making it a point to watch Seann Walsh at the Festival for a number of years now. It’s safe to say that the size of the venue he fills has grown incredibly in just a short period of time. However, his style of humour, which is deeply personal, hasn’t changed and remains just […]
Review of Adam Hills: Mess Around, Fringe 2012
How do you review a comedy show for which the comedian does not do a show? I sat down in the Rainy Hall, off the Mound, expecting to enjoy a set from the Australian talent Adam Hills. My expectations were quickly dashed; Hills announces, straight off, that there is no show. Hills has discovered that […]
Review of Stephen K Amos: Work in Progress, Fringe 2012
The last time I saw Stephen K Amos at the Festival Fringe was in a large and boiling hot chamber in the Pleasance. Work in Progress is in a far more humble arena; the boiling hot basement of the Stand 3 & 4 building. It quickly became apparent that Amos was all too aware of […]
Review of the Festival of the Spoken Nerd, Fringe 2012
The Festival of the Spoken Nerd was supposed to end tonight but it has been extended by two nights. If you are very quick and very lucky you might be able to grab a ticket for the remaining shows. This is a show worth catching. It’s worth fighting for a ticket. Fire and biscuits. Doctor […]
Review of Dara O’Briain: Craic Dealer at the Edinburgh Playhouse
Dara O’Briain has been on fine form recently. He seems entrenched in the hilarious Mock the Week and shows off his scope with School of Hard Sums as well as Stargazing Live. It seems rather odd that he jokes comedians have no transferable skills, including himself in the micky taking, as the Irish stand-up is […]