FESTIVAL COMEDY | Day Planner Needing laughs all day long and into the wee small hours? Brian Donaldson helps sketch out your itinerary between the unsociably early and the fashionably late
11AM
Bridget Christie Bright and early does it for the Edinburgh Comedy Award winner as she allows us to dip into her literary career in A Book for Her. She’ll only go and make you think and laugh all at the same time again. The Stand, 558 7272, 8–31 Aug (not 17), 11am, £9 (£8). David Callaghan The sharply dressed Callaghan (watch as he lets us down with CK-esque t-shirt and jeans) delivers some goods despite claiming to have No Momentum. Free Sisters, 622 6801, 6–30 Aug (not 24), 11.15am, free. NOON
Fern Brady A round-noon slot for one of the country’s rising stars whose Radges recently aired as part of the Beeb’s Comedy Feeds. The Stand 4, 558 7272, 7–30 Aug (not 17), 12.10pm, £8 (£7). Preview 6 Aug, £7 (£6).
1PM
Tony Law Canada’s absurdist jester develops into Frillemorphesis, his new ‘super good’ show. The Stand 3, 558 7272, 7–30 Aug (not 17, 23), 1pm, £12 (£10). Ali Brice With a character-comedy show entitled Eric Meat Has No Proof, Only Memories of Pasta, it’s not easy to know what to expect. Other than daftness, hopefully of the grand kind. The Hive, 226 0000, 6–30 Aug, 1.30pm, £5. 2PM
Jack Campbell We hear a lot up here about the Scottish Comedian of the Year, well, this guy is the English equivalent. Banshee Labyrinth, 226 0000, 7–31 Aug, 2pm, free. Seymour Mace Is he a Fringe veteran by now? The former Ideal star does the stand-up thing in the only way he knows how. Differently. The Stand 2, 558 7272, 7–30 Aug (not 17), 2.30pm, £8 (£7). Preview 6 Aug, £7 (£6). 3PM
Jellybean Martinez This comedic Lothario and unlikely agony uncle claims to be Mr Saturday Night TV. A nostalgic trip back to the days when staying in of a Saturday evening was very much the done thing. The Caves, 220 1212, 8–29 (not 18), 3.15pm, £6–£7 (£5–£6; family ticket £20–£24). Previews 6 & 7 Aug, £5 (£4; family ticket £16). Simon Munnery A true Fringe legend, the former Cluub Zarathustra impresario simply keeps providing annual Edinburgh fun to his fanbase while maybe serving a dish of confusion for those who can’t (or won’t) quite get it. The Stand, 558 7272, 7–31 Aug (not 17), 3.30pm, £10 (£9). Preview 6 Aug, £9 (£8). Robin Morgan Guten Morgan really had to be done as a title by someone, hadn’t it? Another feather in this guy’s cap is that his show runs for just 30 short but sweet minutes, a blessed relief from some of those hour-long affairs. Counting House, 667 7533, 8–30 Aug (not 19), 3.45pm, free. Previews 6 & 7 Aug.
4PM
Gyles Brandreth A delightful Conservative (yes, such things do exist) who is indulging in more Word Power this year. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 8–30 Aug (not 17), 4pm, £16–£18 52 THE LIST FESTIVAL 6–13 Aug 2015
9PM Stephen K Amos This perennial Fringe favourite has another work-in- progress to share with us. The Stand 3, 558 7272, 6–29 Aug (not 17 & 18, 24 & 25), 9.10pm, £10. Gary Little He’s the big man with a Little name. Scotland’s very own Gary gives us a full Fringe run while Just Trying to Be Friendly. The Stand, 558 7272, 7–30 Aug (not 17), 9.30pm, £10 (£9). Preview 6 Aug, £9 (£8). Chris Turner One of the Racing Minds chaps delivers more jokes and, maybe if you ask politely, some quickfire freestyle rapping. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 8–31 Aug, 9.45pm, £8–£10 (£7–£9). Previews 5–7 Aug, £6.
10PM
The Barry Delusion The award- winning Ferns guy returns for more innovative mayhem. Counting House, 667 7533, 7–30 Aug (not 11 & 12, 18 & 19, 25 & 26), 10pm, free. The Story Beast One of the Beta Males (John Henry Falle by name) pops by with ‘unrelenting Anglo-Saxon lolz’. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 8–31 Aug (not 19), 10.30pm, £7.50–£9.50 (£7–£8.50). Previews 5–7 Aug, £6. The Jest We described this sketch fivesome as ‘clever’ last year. We’re expecting more of the same plus a late-night dark twist. Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, 8–30 Aug (not 19), 10.45pm, £7.50–£10 (£6.50–£9). Previews 5–7 Aug, £6. 11PM
Simon Slack With a show called The Fantasist, it’s not too much of a surprise to discover this is the place where ‘imagination and reality collide’. Banshee Labyrinth, 226 0000, 8–30 Aug (not 19), 11pm, free. A-Z of Improv Comedy A frenetic Whose Line caper with much ad libbing and stuff made-up on the spot. Pretty much a dictionary definition for improv just in case you hadn’t a clue. Kilderkin, 226 0000, 8–29 Aug (not 11, 18, 25), 11.15pm, free. Frost and Ireland This time of the night certainly benefits from fast-paced business and here’s more from this duo as two submariners contemplate their existence. Gilded Balloon, 622 6552, 8–31 Aug (not 12, 24), 11.30pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). Previews 5–7 Aug, £5. MIDNIGHT
Spank Cabaret and comedy a-go-go across three manic hours every night of the Fringe. Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, 7–30 Aug, midnight, £13.50–£15.50 (£12.50–£14.50). The Improverts Edinburgh’s improv troupe await your suggestions in their 26th year of doing this kind of thing at the Fringe. Bedlam Theatre, 629 0430, 7–30 Aug, 12.30am, £8 (£7). Previews 5 & 6 Aug, £7 (£6).
1AM
Late’n’Live It’s broken many a tough stand-up cookie and cracked plenty comedy hard nuts. And now the legendary late-night bearpit helps the Gilded Balloon celebrate 30 years of festivalling. Gilded Balloon, 622 6552, 8–31 Aug, 1am, £12–£16 (£11–£15). Preview 7 Aug, £10. Trevor Feelgood Last year he was a Sex Machine, this time around The Dork Knight Rises in 3D. But will Feelgood be worth staying up this late to catch or, depending on how you roll, setting your alarm for? Counting House, 667 7533, 8–22 Aug, 1.15am, free.
MATTHEW CROSBY Pappys will be coming at us later in the month, but for now one-third of said troupe will be doing his fun-clubby thing. ■ Mash House, 226 0000, 8–30 Aug (not 18), 7.40pm, £5. Previews 6 & 7 Aug, £4.
(£14.50–£16.50). Previews 5–7 Aug, £8. The Clean (As Possible) Comedy Show See a regular collection of Fringe stand-ups managing to keep it curse and filth-free for an hour. City Cafe, 220 0125, 7–30 Aug, 4.15pm, free. Sophie Pelham Rural life is captured to a tee in a series of characters concocted by this talented act. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 8–30 Aug (not 18), 4.45pm, £7–£9 (£6–£8). Previews 5–7 Aug, £6. the Glasgow-born Yorkshireman delivers more solidly excellent comedy in A Show with a Man in It. The Stand, 558 7272, 7–30 Aug (not 17), 6.30pm, £10 (£9). Preview 6 Aug, £9 (£8). Diane Spencer With a Power Tool to hand, Spencer recalls the writing job she undertook with little pleasure simply to raise cash in order to afford a house in London. It’s not all glamour, this comedy lark. Gilded Balloon, 622 6552, 7–31 Aug (not 12), 6.45pm, £9–£9.50 (£8–£8.50). Previews 5 & 6 Aug, £6.
5PM 7PM
Mark Thomas It’s always a treat to see what Thomas is up to and this time around he’s looking at the laws (ass-like, obviously) of trespassing. Summerhall, 560 1581, 7–30 Aug (not 10, 20), 5pm, £12 (£8). Preview 6 Aug, £10. Lou Sanders Daft as a brush just about covers it. Excuse Me, You’re Sitting on My Penis Again is Sanders’ latest escapade. City Cafe, 220 0125, 9–30 Aug (not 19), 5.30pm, free. Clare Plested Having directed Tamar Broadbent’s Fringe shows, one-half of Plested and Brown is back with her Essential Collection, dubbed as ‘the comedy equivalent of an emotional breakthrough album’. Ciao Roma, 557 3777, 8–29 Aug (not 19), 5.50pm, free. 6PM
Trygve Wakenshaw He’s going to be a busy boy this year, what with a new 90-minute show Nautilus at the Pleasance, and this reprise of KRAKEN, last year’s monster hit. Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, 8–30 Aug (not 12, 17, 24), 6pm, £11.50–£12.50 (£10.50–£11.50). Previews 6 & 7 Aug, £7.50. Alun Cochrane The master of observational comedy that’s OK to like,
The Wee Man Just to prove that the Fringe really is open to all, here comes Glasgow’s favourite ned with his not-so passive-aggressive patter. Mash House, 226 0000, 7–29 Aug (not 9, 16, 18, 23), 7pm, £7 (£5). Stephen Carlin The laconically dry Scot proves an excellent addition to the free roster. Canons’ Gait, 226 0000, 8–30 Aug (not 18), 7.15pm, free. 8PM
Angela Barnes The BBC New Comedy Award winner returns with a fresh hour entitled Come As You Are. One to watch, as they say. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 8–30 Aug (not 17), 8.15pm, £8.50–£11 (£7.50–£10). Previews 5–7 Aug, £7. Lloyd Griffith Who can resist a show with a title such as Great Grimsby’s Big Turn On? The comedic choirboy is back. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 8–30 Aug, 8.30pm, £7.50–£10.50 (£6.50– £9.50). Previews 5–7 Aug, £6. Bobby Mair Few holds barred here from the UK-based Canadian. He’s a Filthy Immigrant, you see? The Hive, 226 0000, 6–31 Aug (not 17), 8.50pm, £5 (£4).