Attention, laughter lovers! The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is back, and the comedy scene is hotter than a deep-fried Mars bar! From established side-splitters to the freshest faces on the circuit, get ready for a month of belly laughs, sharp wit, and enough jokes to fill a haggis (and then some!).
IVO GRAHAM
This is Ivo’s tenth run at the Pleasance and he’s feeling the pressure. Last year, riding the wave of his shambolic performance in Taskmaster, he played to the biggest audiences of his career, but in keeping with said shambolic performance, he gave himself too much to do and crumbled under the pressure. Proud of his ambition, embarrassed by his execution: we’ve been here before, old friend.
And now, rather than retreat and regroup, he’s come back for vengeance, and to seek it in the Pleasance Grand, no less. He’s called his show Grand Designs, invoking the spirit of Kevin McCloud surveying a great folly and waiting to find out if the relationship survived (it didn’t). He knows what a risk this all is, but he also knows that he’s spent the last decade proving himself as one of the most engaging stand-ups of his generation, a wordsmith with a unique turn of phrase and a life that hasn’t exactly dried up when it comes to source material. This is his moment to seize. Getting to play the Grand is a privilege, and this is a man who doesn’t let that stuff go unchecked.
Ivo Graham: Grand Designs
31st July – 25th Aug, (not 7th, 13th,14th,15th) 21.20
Pleasance Courtyard, Grand
TICKETS: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/ivo-graham-grand-designs
Accessible shows: Captioned performance 19th Aug & BSL performance 20th Aug.
Ivo Graham: Carousel
31st July – 25th Aug, (not 7th, 13th,14th,15th) 14.20
Assembly George Square, The Box
TICKETS: https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/490-carousel
Comedians’ DJ Battles
2nd, 9th, 16th Aug, 23.30
Assembly George Square, Underground
TICKETS: https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/529-comedians-dj-battles
Comedians’ DJ Battles
24th Aug, 23.00
La Belle Angele
TICKETS: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedians-dj-battles-1
ELLIOT STEEL: Soft Boi Core
Underbelly Bristo Square, Buttercup
31 July – 25 August (not 12) at 9.45pm
Following his sold out, highly acclaimed Edinburgh run last year (one of the best reviewed shows, according to British Comedy Guide) Elliot Steel returns with his best show to date Soft Boi Core. Elliot is on blistering form right now, as he looks back on the worst year of his life so far. He has recently gone through incredibly tough times with his Dad – who has cancer, whilst also going through a relationship break up and losing an important MMA match. All subjects very close to his heart. He’ll be looking at masculinity, stoicism and the continuing influence of Andrew Tate.
Elliot recently sold out The Soho Theatre with last year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival hit show Love And Hate Speech. After gaining huge success online, he is a regular at Britain’s top comedy clubs despite being in his mid-twenties.
Marked as ‘One to Watch’, Elliot’s star continues to rise on the UK’s comedy scene.
TICKETS: https://underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/events/event/elliot-steel-soft-boi-core
JOSH JONES: Put A Sock In It
Monkey Barrel Comedy, The Tron
30th July – 25th August (not 14th) at 8.40pm
Following his second, hugely successful UK tour and another sold-out, highly acclaimed run at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Josh Jones is back with a brand new show Put A Sock In It.
Performing at The Tron this year with his best show yet, Josh will be talking about subjects close to his heart, which includes History. He’ll be taking a cheeky look at Henry VIII – especially the treatment of his many wives, the drama that surrounded Elizabeth I and her court and the Myans.
Josh has recently realised how competitive he is, especially with his brother, which coincides with his new hobby, Rock Climbing. Let’s see how that pans out.
TICKETS: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/josh-jones-put-a-sock-in-it
LIAM FARRELLY: Flip Book
The Stand 2
1st – 25th August at 16:10-17:10
(not 6th, 12th, 13th and 20th)
Winner of Scottish Comedian Of The Year, Glaswegian Liam Farrelly is back at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival following his incredible debut last year, which swiftly led to starring on Live At The Apollo. His new show Flip Book will be at The Stand.
At 21 Liam Farrelly had a baby, which, inevitably caused a lot of changes in his life. He went from hanging out with his mate Sharkey, who used to make flip books, to trying to make friends dad friends with much older guys and going to baby ballet. Two weeks before finding out about the pregnancy he broke up with the mother of his daughter, not the ideal way to bring a life into the world and he found out through Instagram that his daughter had been born – which really was sign of what was to come. He was shut out of his daughter’s life for eight months. His life was starting to resemble one of Sharkey’s flip books, with a bunch a pages missing.
Starting stand up at 17, Liam has enjoyed a very rapid rise through the comedy ranks and has proved himself to be a brilliant storyteller. Winning Scottish Comedian Of The Year and appearing on BBC’s Live At The Apollo has definitely marked him out as one to watch.
TICKETS: https://www.thestand.co.uk/fringe/2014/liam-farrelly-flipbook
SUSIE McCABE: The Merchant Of Menace
After winning Best New Show at this year’s Leicester Comedy Festival, winning the Sir Billy Connolly ‘Spirit Of Glasgow’ Award 2024 – at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival and selling out her run at the Glasgow Kings Theatre once again, ‘national treasure’ Susie McCabe is back at Assembly this year with her brand new show The Merchant Of Menace. From having a pint in parliament to her new wife questioning some of her personality traits, McCabe returns on biting form, to troll the absurdities of her own life and to empower the menace and misfit in us all. This is Susie’s best show so far. It is heartfelt, hilarious comedy from one of Scotland’s most exciting acts. Her show last year was one of the best reviewed comedy shows, according to the British Comedy Guide.
Susie is part of the brand new, chart topping podcast Here Comes The Guillotine with Frankie Boyle and Christopher MacArthur Boyd, where they share their subversive and darkly funny opinions on the chaos of the world.
TICKETS: https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/480-susie-mccabe-merchant-of-menace
LIAM FARRELLY: Flip Book
The Stand 2
1st – 25th August at 16:10-17:10
(not 6th, 12th, 13th and 20th)
Winner of Scottish Comedian Of The Year, Glaswegian Liam Farrelly is back at the Fringe following his incredible debut last year, which swiftly led to starring on Live At The Apollo. His new show Flip Book will be at The Stand.
At 21 Liam Farrelly had a baby, which, inevitably caused a lot of changes in his life. He went from hanging out with his mate Sharkey, who used to make flip books, to trying to make friends dad friends with much older guys and going to baby ballet. Two weeks before finding out about the pregnancy he broke up with the mother of his daughter, not the ideal way to bring a life into the world and he found out through Instagram that his daughter had been born – which really was sign of what was to come. He was shut out of his daughter’s life for eight months. His life was starting to resemble one of Sharkey’s flip books, with a bunch a pages missing.
Starting stand up at 17, Liam has enjoyed a very rapid rise through the comedy ranks and has proved himself to be a brilliant storyteller. Winning Scottish Comedian Of The Year and appearing on BBC’s Live At The Apollo has definitely marked him out as one to watch.
TICKETS: https://www.thestand.co.uk/fringe/2014/liam-farrelly-flipbook
ERIC RUSHTON: REAL ONE
Monkey Barrel, Hive 2
31 July, 1-25 August at 3.20pm (not 14)
Eric is back at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year with his intelligent, playful material and hilarious flights of fancy, in his most personal show so far Real One.
It’s a show about shame. What’s more embarrassing: ending up working at the school you went to, or being fired from that school? Everything seemed smaller there: the hallways, the desks, and not least, Eric’s expectations for the future. Turns out the desks were literally smaller as population growth meant they had to cram more kids into each class.
It’s a show about ambition. As a child, Eric’s money making schemes made him the El Chapo of the playground. But his insatiable desire for more money and power eventually led to his downfall and fears of a prison sentence. If it wasn’t for a forgiving headteacher who gave him a second chance, his life could’ve turned out very differently.
TICKETS: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/eric-rushton-real-one
ELVIS McGONAGALL: Gin & Catatonic?
Blether, Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose
31 July – 25 August at 12.20pm
Acclaimed stand-up poet, comedian and broadcaster, Elvis McGonagall is back at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, his first since since 2018. In his brand new show Gin & Catatonic?, he’ll be kicking down the rotting doors of power with his anarchic wit, satirical verse and dazzling Weltschmerz.
Hop aboard with Elvis for a spin round Bus-Replacement-Service Britain and beyond. War, famine, pestilence, Alan Titchmarsh’s trousers. What a world. Motherwell’s hotter than Mozambique FFS. The Wombles are being deported to Rwanda. God’s too busy taking selfies and posting TikTok videos to give a monkey’s. But dinnae fash yersel. Every little thing’s gonnae be alright. Honest. Wee Rishi Sunak said so on Facebook.
So pull up that comfy chair, switch on your Himalayan rock salt lamp and pour yourself a large gin & tonic with ice and a slice. Then just sit back with Elvis and his cat Bonnie Prince Charlie and enjoy the ride….there may be a few potholes in the road.
Elvis says, “It’ll be pure dead brilliant to be back in Edinburgh at The Gilded Balloon where I performed my first Fringe show fifteen years ago and had the honour of sharing a beer with Barry Cryer in the Loft Bar. I’m looking forward to escaping my godforsaken Cotswold idyll to stride in full poetic garb through Scotland’s heather like a majestic Monarch of the Glen. Or at least stagger to the chippy to enjoy a proper fish supper”.
TICKETS: https://tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk/event/14:5328
Rosie Jones: Triple Threat
Pleasance Courtyard, Grand
14th & 15th August at 9.20pm
Rosie Jones will bring her highly acclaimed, debut tour show Triple Threat to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, playing two nights at Pleasance Grand.
Triple Threat was nominated for Most Outstanding Show at the prestigious Melbourne Comedy Festival last year.
Join Rosie as she ponders whether she is a national treasure, a little prick, or somewhere in between! This show is guaranteed to be full of unapologetic cheekiness, nonsensical fun and unadulterated JOY from the triple threat herself.
Rosie has had three sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
TICKETS: https://rosiejonescomedy.com/live/
DANIEL FOXX: Villain
Pleasance Courtyard, Baby Grand
2nd -27th (not 14th) August at 7.05pm
Daniel Foxx is one of the most exciting new voices in comedy right now.
The people’s princess and TikTok starlet will deliver his stand-up hour debut with a show about childhood, Tilda Swinton, and bullying (but in a chic way). With his trademark wit and grandmother’s pearls, he’s taking us back to the 2000s, when the Special K diet was all the rage and the only queer representation was Aladdin’s Jafar.
Daniel is an award-winning comedian and writer. His easy-going delivery and sharp jokes have quickly established him as one of the most exciting new acts on the UK comedy circuit, whilst his comedy sketch videos have earned him a huge online following and millions of views. On screen, Daniel has performed on BBC One and BBC Three as part of the BBC New Comedy Awards and he can soon be seen performing stand-up on Comedy Central Live. He also has a pilot script in development with Greenacre Films based on his Supervillain’s Gay Assistant hit sketch series.
Tickets: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/daniel-foxx-villain
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