2025 Fringe Stats
Shows entered: 74
Shows abandoned: 4
Reviews posted: 67
Average mark allocated: 2.9
Smallest audience I was part of: 2
Shortest Hour Show: 31 mins
Best Show: Pierre Novellie
Best Show Title: It's Pronounced "Ruaridh"
Main downtime location: Monkey Barrel Bar
Eric Rushton (Preview): He mines his personal life, particularly childhood, for this meandering set. Delivery is low energy & the well-written material is wordy/nerdy (Jon Richardson fans should enjoy). There's a steady ripple of laughs though it's not the show to make his name. PWYW. 3/5
Dan Boerman (his Beehive show): He readily concedes that this is a WIP & he's workshopping material. 10 mins of crowdwork is followed by him doing his best with scribbled, under-developed premises crowd-selected from 1 of 3 boxes. Kitson could get away with this but he ain't no Kitson. PWYW. 2/5
Ayo Adenekan: Goodness, this is accomplished. These autobiographical tales of growing up black & queer in Edinburgh are knitted together into a cohesive show. Delivery is measured & engaging & the punchlines regularly surprise. One of the most impressive debuts I can remember seeing. PWYW. 4/5
Billy Kirkwood: He's energetic, engaging & excels in good-natured, occasionally bawdy crowdwork. There's no real theme, though his family feature frequently & regular comedy club attendees may have enjoyed some of these bits before. It's a fun, dumb hour that welcomes your input. PWYW. 3/5
Ben Pope: Delivery is soft & quick, occasionally reminiscent of Izzard. The theme (circumcision) mercifully does not make up the whole hour. He dwells on family & relationships, carefully sprinkling the set with some lovely use of language, callbacks & the obligatory sad bit. A pleasing hour. 3.5/5
Kate Dolan: The personal material is solid but the theatrical delivery won't be for everyone - sentences frequently have an accent forced into them & punchlines are often sung. The counter-narrative inner voice has been done to death by Alderton/Kirson. Worth watching for the future though. 2.5/5
Bennet Kavanagh: It's an odd/ambitious mix of Bill Bailey-style whimsical musicality, terse Jordan Brookes-y anti-comedy & Acaster-esque surreal obsessions. It's not my bag (so no score) & some sections unarguably dragged but the audience seemed happy & the missteps will soon disappear.
Danny Ward: The film The Holiday provides the (very) loose structure for this multimedia-heavy show. He seems perfectly nice in a sort of "dad's gone mad" kind of way & the brief detour into film-making trivia is interesting but you won't kick yourself for missing this. Free Fringe. 2/5
Adam Riley: The audience for this 31 minute set of dark, occasionally graphic, deadpan 1 liners is likely to be limited. There's no theme & even fewer facial expressions. Expect densely-written misdirect & pull-back-&-reveal based material, invariably about wanking. PWYW. 2.5/5
1 Lung Marathon: He's distractingly handsome. Delivery is confident & he's good reacting to the audience. The script is patchy - curiously the cancer & running stuff gets more than his generic material on languages, smoking & that old favourite, Celsius v Fahrenheit. PWYW. 2.5/5
Sam Jay: Delivery is quick & unaffected. The theme is the state of (US) society, how it got that way & some thrillingly insane ideas for improving it. She readily veers off into very silly flights of fancy & these work extremely well. Caustic but accessible - I'm impressed. 4.5/5
Trevor Lock: It's an ambitious/self-indulgent project (delete as applicable). Repetition is used to address topics/thoughts in a manner that a cynic might call half-arsed. If 16 mins of sentences starting "Put your hand up if..." doesn't pique your interest, best give it a miss. PWYW. 1.5/5
Lab Rats: It's not being mean to point out that this is pitched as a fun hour, rather than a hilarious one. Expect a family-friendly (no swears) science-based quiz hosted by 2 jovial Irish lads. No spoilers but fans of a Pointless periodic table round might do well. PWYW.
Nick Hornedo: The US seem to have much more of an appreciation/tolerance for long form storytelling/one man shows than we do. Expect meaningful silences & quite long gaps between laughs in this solipsistic story of teenage crushes. I struggled to care but the crowd got on OK. 2.5/5
Tom Rosenthal: I was a fan pre acting fame but the audience demographic worried me. There are flashes of interest & he commits to the bits fully but some of this is very weak. His autism features & there's an Alex Turner device in play but he'd be in a small room if it wasn't for his TV job. 2.5/5
James Trickey: Delivery is smooth & material is mostly solid. Unsurprisingly there's no distinct comic voice but his unusual parental setup provides fertile ground for comment. He doesn't waste much time on transitions but it's a minor quibble. An accessible, pleasing hour. 3.5/5
Gavin Webster: It feels old-fashioned with its dad jokes, puns, posh-voice mockery & harking back to the 70s (Acker Bilk gets referenced FFS). Over the accessible set he's always progressive in his views, while insisting that his opinions are irrelevant. His crowd adore him. 3/5
Rory O Hanlon: He's a Fringe regular & this is by-the-book accessible, anecdotal standup. He chats amiably with the crowd, often launching into travel anecdotes/cultural stereotype material, all done with a keen ear for accents. You could do worse if you have a gap to fill. PWYW. 3/5
Dylan Adler:
Genre: Musical Comedy
Song Quality: High
Material: Autobiographical
Performance: Polished, Exuberant
Gayness Level: Dangerously High
Audience Pre-requisites: Knowledge of Musical Theatre (optional), Queerness (optional)
Kimono: Yes
Backflip: Yes
Rating: 3.5/5
Rob Auton: He's tweaked the format slightly but fans of this Fringe institution shouldn't be concerned. He's still a charismatic oddity, utilising beautiful language & an almost hypnotic delivery to celebrate humanity in a life-affirming way. He could probably start a cult. I'd join. 4/5
Clayton Smith: He's come from Yuma, Arizona via NYC & I hope he's enjoying himself. The material is autobiographical with some tangents & a LOT of act outs. The last one dissolves into a meta dissection of itself & would require quite a skilled comic to pull it off. PWYW. 2/5
Mary O'Connell: It's presented as a character piece (a theatrically-delivered monologue). She's shallow & selfish (or "high maintenance"). You better be on board as that's all she really talks about - the young female crowd certainly were. I failed to empathise with her "struggles".
Seaton Smith: He starts fast. We cover the rich, abortion, trans, Biden & Jews in the first 6 mins. Delivery is rapid & energetic & transitions consist of him pausing for one whole second. There's no theme but he tackles longer bits slightly less successfully as the set winds down. 3.5/5
Tim Biglowe: Expect fairly generic anecdotal standup, interspersed with crowdwork sections. All the bits are quite short so we're not on any topic for long & some end abruptly. He seems relatively new to comedy & will doubtless be a better comic by the end of the run. FF. 2/5
Friz Frizzell: It's an odd mix. Very short song parodies (an Aldi Adam Kay?) plus assorted tales of personal illness/medical challenges. You could argue that the former should be more to the fore but he keeps things moving. Worth a punt if you want a stupid laugh at 4pm. Free Fringe. 3/5
Yukata Cowboy: I might have dreamt this. He has a deadpan Moldovan opener do 20 mins (she's actually ok) then, what I assume is an Andy Kaufman character, does the remaining 24 mins of the hour. When he wants to add emphasis, he turns his baseball cap around. No. Just no. 1.5/5
Liam Farrelly: It's personal, anecdotal standup of a solid standard. Oddly, he remains seated, hunched, for the whole show, which limits his options for expressing himself. There's no theme, too many fucks and he ends abruptly but it's a decent effort. 3/5
SMUT: This is a camp extravaganza of graphic sexual content with burlesque elements. It's a very theatrical character piece - the script is not strongly comedic in itself. The performance can't be faulted but I'm surprised it's not in the Cabaret section. Not for the prudish. 2/5
Adam Bromley: This is remarkable but not in a good way. The loose theme is catastrophising but it's not dwelled on. He covers his drinking (as he did last year), then there's audience participation - revealing fears, waving a flag & pretending to be a dragon. Incredibly poor. 1/5
Edy Hurst: This is extremely broad comedy (think children's show or pantomine). There's some physical comedy, clowning, titting about with props & shouting. So much shouting. Initially about witch trials, it takes a turn 50 mins in & becomes exclusively about The Venga Boys. 2/5
Any Objections?: She calls it "harp-based shenanigans" which about covers it. 3 songs, some lovely playing & a bit of loop pedal mullarkey. Her main skill, it's probably fair to say, isn't comedy but she gets by. The last 3rd goes slightly awry with a quiz & then some baffling astronaut stuff. 2/5
Topical Comedian: His excuse for reading off cards is that it's topical/newly-written. Diana, Jeffrey Archer, Truss, Jan 6th - you know, topical. The script is a mix of vague statements, simplistic misunderstandings & worst of all, puns, delivered to a persistent silence. FF. 1/5
Jake Baker: The theme is loosely "how to be a modern man". Delivery is gentle & slightly hesitant & he wears his beta male status with pride. The writing is solid & the gag rate can't be faulted. He excuses it as a "sort of work in progress" but there's nothing to complain about. FF. 3.5/5
Seymour Mace: He's on new medication so this is slightly more cohesive than recent efforts. Expect stupid props, daft endeavours & expletive-rich surreal rambling. He's a genuine oddity & this might be mainly for existing fans but could be worth a punt for the adventurous. 3/5
Vulnerable White Passing Male: Delivery is energetic & skittish - sentences often don't get finished. The theme of male role models is vaguely present in this mix of social comment & personal anecdote. It's reasonably successful, generic standup with an American focus. 3/5
Andy Barr: Adam Bloom's book on standup talks about the material fitting the character & that's the issue here. These whimsical flights of fancy don't suit the person delivering them. They're unconvincing, almost jarring. I wish him well for the future. 2/5
Chris Scott: Delivery is robust. There's no theme or segues, each bit barrels straight into the next. The material covers everyday subjects with the occasional impressive flourish, but also includes the 1st outing this Fringe for the old "...then it's you" hack joke. PWYW. 2.5/5
Gareth Mutch: He's incredibly relaxed on stage. There's no theme but the first half concentrates on learning to drive, then he moves on to shorter storytelling bits. He swears like a man with scant regard for delicate souls or, indeed, word economy. The room is very warm. 2/5
Susan Harrison: It's character comedy so expect wigs & accents. Her background includes improv so there's significant audience interaction, culminating in an improv game with a punter that goes as badly as you would expect. The mature crowd were oddly thrilled by it all tho. 2/5
What Men Want: A split bill featuring Katie Green & Evaldas Karosas. The former describes it as a WIP & there's some note checking but the comic timing is good. The latter is a much slicker product, moving quickly through everyday topics with confidence. An accessible 50 mins. Free Fringe. 3/5
Heather Marulli: It's her 1st Fringe & I'm sure she'll learn a lot during the run. We don't need to go into specifics but it's fair to say that this show needs a bit of work. And I think it's best to leave it at that. 1/5
Michael Shafar (Inappropriate): An interesting mix of social comment & personal anecdote (including an odd "viral" story). The material is well-worked with all the fat trimmed off & the callbacks aren't crowbarred in. No real theme but it's a decent use of your time. PWYW. 3/5
Haunted House: It's a combination of mime & clowning so the script is minimal. More notable is the theatrically-dramatic (hammy) performance, full of gurning & mannered hair-flicking. The extended mime sequences quietened even the most enthusiastic audience members. Not for me.
Joe Tracini: The energetic, camp delivery, coupled with the slideshow gives it a TED talk feel. He recaps his childhood before going hard into the many sad bits - drugs/mental health/ suicide. The audience were ecstatic at the life-affirming wrap-up but one jaded reviewer at the back was unmoved.
Oliver Coleman: It's probably the closest he's come to "normal" standup. Expect an intense, vivid performance as he dwells on life, his relationship & the state of the planet. He has a razor-sharp comic mind & is quick to riff on any tiny detail. See him before he's famous. PWYW. 4/5
Daniel Kitson: "I'll fanny around for a bit & then you lot'll pop off" is the theme. Riffing on his genius/mediocrity, discussing cows & hydration, getting owned by some chopsy audience members, it's 75 mins of unique freestyling from probably the UK's most talented comic. 4.5/5
Alice Fraser: This is a mix of autobiographical tales, a love letter to books (especially romantic fiction) & a discussion on modern masculinity. She's smart & engaging & there's some precise, beautifully-florid language. Worth catching, especially for fans of The Bugle. 3.5/5
Pierre Novellie: The delivery is measured & every word has been carefully planned - it's a brutally efficient hour of conventional standup. Nominally about a house move, he's also keen to discuss the state of the nation, all with a world-weary sigh. Unspeakably good. PWYW. 5/5
Jack Traynor: The lad's not short of confidence. Delivery is fast & loud as he paces around the stage. There's no theme or much time spent on transitions. The performance makes a bigger impact than the material but there's clearly talent there. I'll be watching his progress. 3/5
Stuart McPherson: It's an accessible hour as he considers ageing, his relationship & the pros/cons of having a child. It's densely-written & he belligerently forces you into laughing through sheer weight of jokes. He's a consistently impressive performer. PWYW. 4/5
Gareth Waugh (WIP): It's a blend of new stuff (often about his growing family), some older material fans might be familiar with & improvised thoughts inspired by audience suggestions. He's always extremely watchable & quick-witted. If you have a gap at lunchtime he's worth seeking out. PWYW. 3/5
Chris Cantrill (WIP): He's definitely still working the show out but there's much to enjoy meantime. Bob Mortimer fans may enjoy his irregular, compelling delivery & slightly skewed view of life. ATM he's discussing living in the countryside. 2 shows left, so be quick! PWYW. 4/5
Courtney Buchner: Supposedly about her lesbian awakening & her wedding, we get many childhood stories of varying quality. There's strong drama-school energy with this one - she loves an accent & an act-out. The mainly female audience seemed a lot more on board than I was. 2/5
Rosco Mcclelland: If you've not seen him recently, he's got really good. He updates us on his life & what's been bothering him. No strongly-present theme but the material is well-worked & it's a very satisfying hour of accessible, charismatically-delivered standup. PWYW. 4/5
Mike Blaha: We're firmly in "He's seems nice but..." territory here. He's a well-travelled lawyer who appears to have forgotten to edit these travel tales down for public consumption. He's like a jovial uncle you try to avoid at a family gathering. A misjudged effort. 1.5/5
Mark Silcox: He's a gold trader now apparently. It's a deliberately-shambolic PowerPoint lecture, often with irrelevant diversions. He's the poster boy for the phrase "marmite comedian". His hardcore audience are in hysterics while others stumble out early, dazed & confused. FF. 3/5
Dan Rath: Steven Wright is the most obvious reference - think low-energy precision 1 liners but with surreal twists rather than dispiriting puns. He dwells on some topics for a while, allowing momentum to build. Blunt crowdwork displays just how quick his mind works. PWYW. 3.5/5
Ruaridh Miller: It's an assured hour of generic standup from this promising local lad. There's no theme but the set divides into personal material/things that bother him. Delivery is cheery & he keeps things moving along. No doubt he'll be in a bigger room next year. PWYW. 3/5
The 2025 EDI Comedy Awards shortlist will be out later today. Here are some of MY favourites so far:
Paid: Daniel Kitson, Sam Jay, Rob Auton, James Trickey, Alice Fraser.
Free/PWYW: Pierre Novellie, Ayo Adenekan, Oliver Coleman, Stuart McPherson, Rosco Mcclelland, Chris Cantrill, Jake Baker.
Fast Reviews:
Sam Lake: Solid start, long sad bit, enjoyable laddish ending. 3/5
Dan Muggleton: Parenting, masculinity, Australia (as always). Dependable. 3.5/5
Laura Davis: Captivating but not her most commercial effort. 2.5/5
CMB: Good at silences. Strong wee guy energy. 4/5
Ian Smith: Fans may recognise bits from his R4 show but there's tons to enjoy here. He's still stressing about stress - this time he themes the hour around a medical test. Rest assured, a vividly-realised diversion is never far away. He really knows how to construct a Fringe hour. PWYW. 4/5
Liam Withnail: He takes us through his life, assessing whether the decisions he's made & the challenges he's faced have ultimately resulted in happiness. It's densely-written & expertly-performed. A beautiful example of what can be done in a Fringe show. PWYW. 4.5/5
Peter Jones: He starts solidly enough with accessible, generic material. Apropos of nothing he begins to enquire in detail what audience members had for breakfast. This ill-judged, anti-comedy diversion continues for an age & only really ends when the fire alarm goes off, allowing me to escape.
Pretty successful day at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards. Ate too many sausages, drunk too much white wine, bothered Mark Watson, laughed at Amy Gledhill & hung out with the Monkey Barrel cool kids.
Dan Tiernan: Blimey, there's a lot going on here. The material, initially autobiographical, is relayed around a Glastonbury story. He ramps things up during a psychosis section that could be an unhinged Rob Auton piece & ends on a musical callback. Ambitious/impressive in equal measure. PWYW. 4/5
Paul Hilleard (WIP): He's the reigning BBC New Comedy Award winner working out material for his first proper hour. His short run is over but if you enjoy oddball characters saying unusual things in a lo-energy but charismatic way, get him on your list for 2026's Fringe.