FESTIVAL COMEDY | Day Planner
Needing laughs from high noon to round midnight? Brian Donaldson helps map out your itinerary between the unsociably early and the fashionably late
NOON Mike Wozniak The clever moustachioed one is here to Take the Hit in a tale about living with the in-laws. The Stand II, 558 7272, 2–25 Aug (not 12), 12.10pm, £8 (£7). Preview 1 Aug, £7 (£6). Helen O’Brien Want a show about memories of the late 80s and ra-ra skirts and Irish dancing tourneys? Bronagh’s Big Weekend is surely for you. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 3–25 Aug, 12.50pm, £8.50–£10 (£7–£9). Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £6.
1PM
Baconface The cult Canadian comic sticks some rashers on his phizog and does the funnies. Wonder if he’ll go to see The Colour Ham? The Stand II, 558 7272, 3–25 Aug (not 12), 1.20pm, £5. Jonny Donahoe He of & The Baptists fame (also doing a number at Pleasance Dome this year) goes a bit solo with a show about the class system. Brave chap. Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 3–26 Aug (not 12), 1.25pm, £7.50–£8.50 (£6.50–£7.50). Previews 1 & 2 Aug, £6. 2PM
Eric’s Tales of the Sea A firm Fringe favourite now, as Eric yarns some more about being deep down in a nuclear submarine. Just the Tonic @ The Caves, 556 5375, 2–25 Aug (not 13), 2pm, £8–£10.50. Gráinne Maguire Missing the whole election lark this summer? So is Ms Maguire as she chats about boundaries and swingometers and hanging chads (maybe). Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 3–25 Aug (not 16), 2.45pm, £8.50–£10 (£7–£9). Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £6.
E N R O H T A L L U E V E T S
3PM
Eleanor Thom Going solo after pottering about in the Lady Garden, Thom transmorphs into ‘Bev’. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 3–26 Aug (not 14), 3.30pm, £8–£10 (£7–£9). Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £6. Chris Fitchew He used to be one half of Lick & Chew (you can probably work out which half) and is in town with a debut solo hour of crazy character stuff. Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, 3–26 Aug (not 7, 14), 3.45pm, £10–£11 (£8.50–£10). Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £5. 4PM
Ben Verth The hairy local chap gets into the Scottish Comedy Festival vibe and asks What Is This Place? Good question. Beehive Inn, 225 7171, 2–25 Aug (not 8, 15), 4pm, £5. Previews 31 Jul & 1 Aug, £3. John Lloyd The TV pioneer of Spitting Image, QI and plenty others makes a somewhat long-awaited return to the Fringe. Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 3–24 Aug (not 13), 4.40pm, £11–£13. Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £7. BEASTS Some hot upper-cased sketch action from the boys we described last year as ‘slick’. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 3–26 Aug (not 13), 4.45pm, £7.50–£10 (£6.50–£9). Previews 31 Jul– 2 Aug, £6.
5PM
Mark Restuccia More internet dating 54 THE LIST FESTIVAL 1–8 Aug 2013
DIANE SPENCER Sharp as a tack and cutting with it, Spencer has a couple of solid Fringe hours behind her now. This year, we expect her to blow hot and hotter with Hurricane Diane. Brace yourselves people. ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, 2–25 Aug (not 13), 5.45pm, £9–£9.50 (£8–£8.50). Previews until 1 Aug, £6.
gear here from Mr Restuccia; this time we dip into The Diary of a Serial Internet Dater. Just the Tonic at Bristo Square, 556 5375, 3–25 Aug (not 13), 5.30pm, £7.50–£8.50. Previews 1 & 2 Aug, £5. Kieran Hodgson Getting all wet with Flood is the lad who once was part of Kieran & The Joes. Again, it’s not a massive stretch to guess which one he was. Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 3–26 Aug (not 15), 5.40pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £6. Mary Bourke Something of an eye-catchingly punnable title here, as her Muffragette flies in to town. The Stand III, 558 7272, 2–25 Aug (not 12), 5.50pm, £8 (£7). Preview 31 Jul, £6. 6PM
Mixed Doubles We can’t guarantee they’ll make a racket, but their sketches are there to be loved. Just the Tonic @ The Caves, 556 5375, 2–25 Aug (not 13), 6pm, £7–£9.50. Preview 1 Aug, £5. Keith Farnan Intelligence and the funnies don’t always go hand in hand, but with this Irish jester, they most certainly do. Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, 3–25 Aug (not 13), 6.20pm, £9–£10.50 (£8–£9.50). Previews 1 & 2
Aug, £6. Lee Camp The passionate American political comic brings us his passionate, political and comical wares. Just the Tonic at Bristo Square, 556 5375, 3–25 Aug (not 13), 6.50pm, £10–£12. Previews 1 & 2 Aug, £5. 7PM
Andrew Maxwell The clown’s clown rustles up the masses with more of his pinpoint comedy. He’s in a Banana Kingdom this year, seemingly. Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 2–26 (not 12), 7.15pm, £10–£15 (£12–£14). Previews 31 Jul–1 Aug, £8. Jenny Eclair Another comic back after a bit too long away, the only solo female winner of the Perrier during the 1990s is still as frank as ever. Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, 2–17 Aug, 7.30pm, £13.50–£14.50 (£12.50–£13). Milton Jones Will there by anyone on the Fringe telling more puns to the second? Unlikely. Assembly Hall, 623 3030, 2–14 Aug (not 5, 6), 7.30pm, £16.50.
8PM
Lost Voice Guy Lee Ridley makes his Fringe debut with some of his silent-ish
comedy. The Stand III & IV, 558 7272, 2–25 Aug (not 5, 12, 19), 8.10pm, £8 (£7). Preview 31 Jul, £7 (£6). Lee Kern He appears to have birdy poo all over his head in his publicity pic, but don’t worry, it’s just a comment on our Twitter culture. Though it might still be real birdy poo? Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, 3–26 Aug (not 12), 8.15pm, £9–£9.50 (£8–£9). Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £5. Daniel Simonsen No pressure on the Norwegian lad then, now that he’s back to follow up his Best Newcomer- winning show from 2012. No pressure at all. Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, 3–26 Aug (not 12, 19), 8.20pm, £8.50–£11 (£7.50–£10). Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £6.50. 9PM
Josh Widdicombe Massive already: well done to that lad. Assembly George Square, 623 3030, 1–15 Aug, 9pm, £12–£13 (£11–£12). George Ryegold A welcome return to the stand-up stage for Toby Williams’ graphic medic character after a bit of a comedy-play dabble last year. Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 3–26 Aug (not 14), 9.40pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7–£8). Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £6. Claudia O’Doherty Pioneer is as pioneer does. The innovative Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee aims to raise some bars again this year. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 3–26 Aug (not 12), 9.50pm, £9–£11.50 (£8–£10.50). Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £6.50. 10PM
Carey Marx Given that he’s recovered from a massive health scare, there was only ever one topic that the Marx man was going to cover on his Fringe return. Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, 3–25 Aug (not 12), 10pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £6. Felicity Ward Irregardless is the rather headspinning title of this rising Aussie comic’s Fringe noodlings. Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 3–26 Aug (not 12), 10pm, £11–£13. Previews 31 Jul–2 Aug, £7. Loyiso Gola Massive in South Africa and hoping to do the same in Edinburgh with his Professional Black! show. Assembly George Square, 623 3030, 3–26 Aug (not 12, 19), 10pm, £9–£11. Previews 1 & 2 Aug, £7.
11PM
Brendon Burns & Colt Cabana The full title of this one is Brendon Burns and Colt Cabana Sit in a 50-Seater Around Midnight and Provide the Commentary to Bad Wrestling Matches. Not sure anyone could add anything more to that. The Stand II, 558 7272, 2–25 Aug (not 5, 12, 13, 19), 11.50pm, £8. Björn Gustafsson The Fringe comedy world spreads its international net again and ensnares another major Scandic talent. Gustafsson has been dubbed ‘Sweden’s funniest guy’. Which means he’s more amusing than Magnus Betnér, Björn Borg and the chef from The Muppets. Well, that’s going some. Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, 3–12 Aug, 11.59pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). Preview 2 Aug, £5. MIDNIGHT
Just the Tonic Comedy Club’s Midnight Show End your day with a 90-minute showcase of various funny folk. Just the Tonic @ The Caves, 556 5375, 2–24 Aug (not 4–7, 11–14, 18–21), midnight, £10–£12 (£8).