I could have been on Pam Am103: 5 Fringe comics who cheated death
Alison Spittle
Alison Spittle will be performing her new comedy show 'Big' at Monkey Barrel 1 at 4.45 pm for the entire Fringe.
The show will focus on her life-altering year, where she won Pointless and ended up in the hospital in a near-death experience due to her weight loss journey.
Alison's life took a turn after a fateful train ride, and her show is about the reflections that followed.
Alison Spittle (Image: Matt Stronge)
Alex Stringer
Alex Stringer, who became sober at the age of 23, is set to make her debut at the Fringe.
Her show 'Happy Hour' is a personal recounting of her struggles with alcohol, her mental health battles, attempts at self-harm, and her journey to find help.
Alex Stringer (Image: Rebecca Need-Menear) Alex takes a light-hearted approach to these heavy topics, making her show a unique blend of comedy and real-life experiences.
Happy Hour will take place at the Pleasance Courtyard Bunker 3 at 6pm for the entire fringe.
Grace Helbig
Grace Helbig, an online content creator for 16 years, is set to debut her stand-up show 'Let Me Get This Off My Chest'.
After reaching a point of burnout from a decade of shooting, editing, and posting videos of her own face, Grace started studying psychology.
Grace Helbig (Image: Kim Newmoney)
However, her life took a sharp turn when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Her show will be at the Pleasance Jack Dome at 7pm.
Seaton Smith
Seaton Smith, in his debut show 'Trauma Bonding', shares his near-fatal moped crash and the numerous mishaps that have marked his life.
From a mountain biking disaster to a church bus hostage situation caused by his constipation, Seaton's life has been a series of accidents.
Seaton Smith (Image: Mindy Tucker) His show is a comedic take on these experiences, filled with social commentary and ridiculous incidents.
Trauma Bonding will be at the Pleasance Courtyard Bunker 3.
Annie Lareau
Actor and playwright Annie Lareau debuts her play 'Fuselage', based on her own experience of the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing over Lockerbie.
In December 1988, she almost joined her 35 classmates on the ill-fated flight but could not afford the ticket change.
The play mixes humour and compassion, detailing the optimistic spirit of her group of friends and the horrifying aftermath of the bombing.
Annie Laureau (Image: Giao Nguyen) Fuselage is Annie's journey through the shock, grief, and media attention following the tragedy.
Fuselage makes its worldwide premiere at the Pleasance Courtyard Above.
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The National
33 minutes ago
- The National
10 shows I saw in one day at the Edinburgh Fringe
This year, the total number of shows has risen to 3853, accompanied by a staggering 54,474 performances across 265 venues. While not yet up to pre-pandemic scale, the annual rhetoric of the city being overtaken by the Fringe continues, where else on earth could you step out of a show about four people earnestly attempting to 'improve' a ham sandwich with rice and soy sauce, straight into a demonic retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's greatest works, then find yourself in the lobby of a Radisson Blu, deep in conversation with a physicist, before the two of you try to unravel a queer drama where the only person not confused is the director — who is weeping uncontrollably? READ MORE: I tried to go to 10 Fringe shows in one day. Here's what happened Here are the 10 shows I saw in one day, and what I thought about each of them. A Political Breakfast Advertised as a show were comedians who wake up in time join a panel to discuss a range of topics over their morning coffee, I was actively excited for this. The large room I entered was full, and the 40-plus folk were, in true Fringe style, from all over the world. The parallels in politics from all corners of the earth were drawn as we discussed the monarchy to attitudes towards driving instructors. Will Jeremy Corbyn help Nigel Farage become Prime Minister? Is Charles a better King than Elisabeth was Queen? The comedians in attendance (Liz Bains, Kimmie Dee, Matthew Mckew and Jon Hipkiss) were on fire for 9.30am, and Harun Musho'd hosted the discussion incredibly well. For anyone who's scrolling through social media and thinking the country's politics is a complete mess, this will restore some of your faith in all generations. Rating: 4/5 Find out more here. Florence On Monday, this one-woman show starring and written by Honour Santes Barnes opened on George Street. The satirical tragicomic play follows the story of an ambitious young woman willing to use any means necessary to secure her success in the art world. Even if it means taking on a new identity. READ MORE: 'Cathartic': Indigenous Celtic heritage shines in Mairi Campbell's Fringe show This was the show's first performance and the crowd loved it. It will definitely be one of the many stars of the festival, and its exploration of how image, connections, and wealth dictate your way in the world could not be more apt for our times. Barnes, who plays at least 9 characters, gives a masterclass in character embodiment, one so good it rivals James McAvoy in Split. Potentially the best show at this year's Fringe. Rating: 5/5 Find out more here. Dreams of Peace and Freedom A song cycle commemorating Edinburgh-born David Maxwell Fyfe, a prosecuting counsel at the Nuremberg Trials, a human rights lawyer and a key figure in drafting the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). This show is performed by his descendants, Robert and Lily Blackmore, alongside Sue Casson with beautiful vocals. The trio gives the audience a love letter to Edinburgh, as well as to the values of peace, freedom and remembrance. I thoroughly recommend Keir Starmer sees this. The extent of research and detail in this show is extraordinary, and what the team has done on a low-budget is commendable. I hope to see it one day with a full budget. Rating: 3.5/5 Find out more here. Zoe Coombs Marr: The Splash Zone Australian comic Zoe Coombs Marr came to the Monkey Barrell with so much energy for The Splash Zone. The premise of the show is what it means to be "in the splash one" of a comedy show, and who a comedian on stage wants in the audience. It is all rooted in one instance when Marr learned Trump fans were in her audience at one show, and she began to ponder about the relationship between performer and audience. Her crowd work and observational comedy was some of the best I'd seen, and it felt there had ultimately been an important topic explored with applause, T-shirt guns, free pants, and laughter integrating her message. READ MORE: 5 of the best things I've seen at the Edinburgh Fringe so far Marr takes us full-circle with jokes multiple times, displaying incredible wit and energy all throughout the performance. Rating: 5/5 Find out more here. Alvin Liu: Love Letter to a Sandwich Chinese comedian Alvin grew up in the heart of Chinese food culture - where families would cook for hours just to avoid a hug. Now living in London, he's facing the greatest challenge of his life: eating cold sandwiches. Although rooted in a fantastic concept, this show leans on the public a bit too much, with audience members getting the biggest laughs. Liu may be funny, and the concept great, it feels like there is still work to be done on rounding out the rougher edges of this particular show. Rating: 2/5 Find out more here. One Man Poe: The Tell-Tale Heart and The Pit and the Pendulum Flyering on the street, I met performer and director Stephen Smith in his full gothic, classical get-up. I was quickly hooked on the show's premise, and could not have been more wow-ed by this "marathon of the macabre". Smith gives a demonic demonstration of Edgar Allan Poe's works, and the audience could not look away from his haunting eyes all show. At several points, the audience collectively took in breath and after an on-stage change of clothes and make-up refresh, Smith's physical efforts are seen by the sweat pooling on the stage and dripping from his hair in the second half as he plays a prisoner of war. A captivating talent, telling legendary stories. Rating: 5/5 Find out more here. When Billy met Alasdair Alan Bissett, award-winning writer takes on the dual roles of two Scottish cultural giants, speculating what (might've!) happened when Billy Connolly attended the launch for Alasdair Gray's 1981 masterpiece, Lanark. Bissett embodies both with his accents, physicality and delivery, and anyone who appreciates Glasgow for its culture will enjoy this immensely. It's an easy show, comforting, and does not leave anyone behind in its historical exploration of Glasgow or Hollywood. As a young writer, this show left me with immense pride in Scottish culture and enough inspiration to last decades, looking at all three; Connolly, Gray and Bissett. Rating: 5/5 Find out more here. Rebecca Lamb: 0 Advice on How to Hide a Body I mistakenly entered into Lamb's performance, thinking it was a different show but the low ceiling room of the Banshee Room's allowed for a small reprieve from the endless Fringe crowds. Lamb, from Nottingham, is innately funny, and beginning her career but was visibly growing more unsure of what to say as the audience grew. Less insults thrown at different countries, fleshing out parts that did land well, and a hint of preparation would probably go a long way. Rating: 1/5 Find out more here. Time Bends Shown in the Radisson Blu, Time Bends is performed by a four-piece cast and although well-staged, was very hard to follow. I was actively intrigued by the premise: "More than twenty years ago, literature student David met an older man called Michael in the bar of an independent cinema. They spoke for an hour, developed a genuine connection, and never met again. Twenty years later, sitting in the same cinema with his wife, David sees a man that looks very familiar. In that moment, David goes back to the afternoon he could never forget." However, the audience is given very little direction on what is going on and as I tried to make sense of it, I looked around and saw other audience members equally puzzled. At one point, the wife and Michael meet, crossing the boundaries of time, but with little meaning attached to why. I and a fellow audience member attempted to decrypt the meaning, when we then saw the director sobbing in the front row. I think this show was trying to be a profound exploration of queer love but in reality, did not invite the audience in to explore with them. Rating: 0/5 Find out more here.
The National
an hour ago
- The National
I tried to go to 10 Edinburgh Fringe shows in 1 day – here's what happened
During my mission, I didn't want to just see and review shows, but observe the city, the energy and how much the public was actually enjoying themselves. This year, the total number of shows has risen to 3853, accompanied by a staggering 54,474 performances across 265 venues. For context, this makes 2025 the second-largest Fringe ever, trailing only the 2019 record of around 4105 shows. While not yet up to pre-pandemic scale, the annual rhetoric of the city being overtaken by the Fringe continues, and so I entered the day wondering; how many shows is too many shows? How it all began AS any good journalist for The National should, I started the day at 9.30am with A Political Breakfast, at the Hot Toddy. Advertised as a show were comedians who wake up in time join a panel to discuss a range of topics over their morning coffee, I was actively excited for this. The large room I entered was full, and the 40-plus folk were, in true Fringe style, from all over the world. The parallels in politics from all corners of the earth were drawn as we discussed the monarchy to attitudes towards driving instructors. Will Jeremy Corbyn help Nigel Farage become Prime Minister? Is Charles a better King than Elizabeth was Queen? The comedians in attendance were on fire for 9.30am, and Harun Musho'd hosted the discussion incredibly well. This was a Free Fringe show. The Free Fringe came into existence in 1996 to try and mitigate what the industry saw as the exploitation of artists by the paid Fringe. "If you see a paid Fringe show, chances are, none of the performers are making any money and they are probably losing loads," Musho'd told the audience at one point in the show where they took five minutes to all plug their individual shows. As he spoke, his fellow comedians nodded. READ MORE: I tried the viral Irn-Bru and espresso drink – here is my verdict Musho'd continued: "That's what happens at most paid Fringe shows, and they are usually screwed by the venues by the way their fee structure is. I think the venues are screwed over on the other end but that's another story. "The only way to make money at the paid Fringe is to be famous in the first place, then have a sold-out run in a big venue. The Free Fringe was designed to do something about that." Artists don't pay for the venue, and the audience is not charged. The whole thing runs on voluntary donations and the fact audience members buy things, such as drink or food, from the venues while they are there. Musho'd added: "The Free Fringe is a non-profit making organisation but is more accurately described as a 'almost goes bust every year' organisation." If A Political Breakfast was a paid Fringe Show, the audience would have been paying about £10-15 each for a ticket, with the average across the Fringe in 2024 at around £12, though prices could sometimes climb as high as £50-60. Musho'd told the audience, don't pay if you don't want to, with another point of the Free Fringe being that the public can see shows before they pay. Musho'd is on the board of trustees for the Fringe Society and he is questioning where the money from the Fringe goes, as according to him, "nobody actually knows". He added: "We need to find out, so I'm actually trying to persuade universities to put up a study about the economics, and the impact [of the Fringe] and where the money goes." Will Edinburgh's visitor levy help see the city see more money from the Fringe? "I think that Edinburgh is unbelievably lucky to have the festival," Kat Brogan, managing director of Mercat Tours, told me after my first show. "It brings everybody here where we can shine, and in this day and age, to have everybody talking and listening and thinking physically together – and they're doing all of that in Edinburgh – it shows us why we were the city of enlightenment. "It's a bit of a scary world out there so the idea that humans can come together and do something really positive, I think that's a huge privilege to host." Having just been in a room where more than 40 folk all discussing politics without any voices being raised or a whiff of tension, I couldn't help but agree. READ MORE: US vice president JD Vance to visit Scotland 'this week' There is also a rhetoric of tourists overrunning the city, however, Brogan tells me that "locals are actually the biggest audience, which is not often reported". Edinburgh locals made up the largest audience segment in 2024, representing 33% of ticket buyers. Combined with visitors from elsewhere in Scotland (15%), local and domestic attendees accounted for nearly half of all Fringe ticket purchases last year. Brogan sees the Fringe as one of the country's greatest adverts for tourists to visit, not just in August, and enjoy Scottish culture – as well as an immense benefit to locals. "The Fringe is a charity, they do work year round to benefit locals, and physically the spread of events is happening, so we just need to keep listening. Ask and listen, they're the experts," she adds, while highlighting Fringe By the Sea as one way the festival is moving out of the concentrated Old Town. Brogan is also on the advisory forum for Edinburgh's Visitor Levy, and is "really excited" about the prospects of it. Councillors in Edinburgh have approved a 5% per night charge, capped at seven nights, which will apply to those staying in hotels, bed and breakfasts, and other forms of accommodation, including holiday lets. "We've got a chance to steer potential decisions and then listen and and take the right path for locals. There's an awful lot of negativity and speculation about something that doesn't actually exist yet," Brogan explains. The advisory forum is meeting in September, where they will be given proposals by the council of what they suggest spending the money on, before members consult and discuss and make recommendations back. She added: "We're the first visitor levy in the UK, there's a lot of people working awfully hard to try and get it right, and I would just urge people to give it a try and get behind and understand the intention, and yes, there's still work to be done, but it's not here yet. "There's still time to make changes and and steer us on the correct course as far as the community and businesses are concerned." Up next ... With the very live concerns of the Free Fringe, the festival acting as an advert for the city, and the visitor levy swirling in my brain, I continued on my quest to see and review 10 shows. Next was Florence, a one-woman show starring and written by Honour Santes Barnes on George Street. The satirical tragicomic play follows the story of an ambitious young woman willing to use any means necessary to secure her success in the art world. Even if it means taking on a new identity. READ MORE: 'Cathartic': Indigenous Celtic heritage shines in Mairi Campbell's Fringe show This was the show's first performance and the crowd loved it. It will definitely be one of the many hits of the festival. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the demographic of the audience (mostly young women) and found that throughout the day, taking in what kind of audience turned up for each show was just as entertaining as the shows themselves. Then, heading back to politics, I ventured to the C-venues on Victoria Terrace. This meant a 20-minute walk up the Mound. It was at this point I realised I had to be much more tactical about my geographical decisions if wanted any chance of seeing 10 shows. With a much-needed coffee, I saw Dreams of Peace and Freedom, a song cycle commemorating Edinburgh-born David Maxwell Fyfe. Fyfe was a prosecuting counsel at the Nuremberg Trials, a human rights lawyer and a key figure in drafting the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Performed by descendants of Maxwell, Robert and Lily Blackmore (above), alongside Sue Casson, the trio gave the audience a love letter to Edinburgh, as well as to the values of peace, freedom and remembrance. Three down, and all quite intense, I needed some comedy to perk me up. A change of pace Australian comic Zoe Coombs Marr (below) came to the Monkey Barrel with so much energy for The Splash Zone. The premise of the show is what it means to be "in the splash one" of a comedy show, and who a comedian on stage wants in the audience. It is all rooted in one instance when Marr learned Trump fans were in her audience at one show, and she began to ponder about the relationship between performer and audience. Her crowd work, full-circle jokes, and observational comedy was some of the best I'd seen, and it felt there had been an important topic explored. "If we get locked in our own zones, we lose all the other stuff and people outside," she said at the end. READ MORE: 'We are sovereign': The people's constitution that could see an independent Scotland "We have to stay engaged, keep looking into each other's eyes, and leaning into the discomfort." Marr is also donating 50% of everything she earns during her run to an aid charity supporting those on the ground in Gaza. Afterwards, I went to Love Letter to a Sandwich by Alvin Liu, a performance of One Man Poe by Stephen Smith, When Billy met Alasdair by Alan Bissett, a very late comedy set by Rebecca Lamb, and an even later show called When Time Bends. You can read all reviews from the day here. I saw 9 shows in one day — and loved it As you have probably figured out by now, I did not manage the 10. I ended the Monday night with nine shows under my belt. I did gain a new sense of love for the city — when I hadn't planned to. Yes, the exploitation of artists must be faced, and questions have to be answered over where the money from the Fringe really goes. There also has to be more work done on shifting further towards the festival's candid grassroots origins rather than the current corporate, profit-driven model, acknowledging when the oversaturation of shows should end, as well as the physical and mental toll on both artists, festival staff and other businesses in the city. READ MORE: See the setlist for AC/DC at Edinburgh's Murrayfield Stadium this August However, credit must be given on where organisers are making moves to improve aspects, such as providing mental health support for artists, creating networking hubs for peers, collaborators, agents, and producers, as well as the continued ultimate success of the world's largest arts festival. I thought I'd end the day grumbling, frustrated by the tourists clogging the pavements, the lack of space to move, and the ever-climbing festival ticket prices. But where else on earth could you step out of a show about four people earnestly attempting to 'improve' a ham sandwich with rice and soy sauce, straight into a demonic retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's greatest works, then find yourself in the lobby of a Radisson Blu, deep in conversation with a physicist, before the two of you try to unravel a queer drama where the only person not confused is the director — who is weeping uncontrollably?
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Fringe may have to live with Murrayfield clashes after Oasis
The two tourists waiting patiently behind me to get into a late night comedy show at the Banshee Labyrinth - where Richard Gadd performed before his Golden Globe, Emmy and Bafta success – are sporting garb that has become increasingly familiar sight around the Fringe in recent days: black t-shirts emblazoned with the logo of the band Oasis. Read more: It is almost a year since the Britpop icons confirmed their comeback was definitely on and would be heading to Edinburgh at the height of its festival season. At that time, I was not alone among those involved in Edinburgh's festivals in feeling a sense of despair that much of the next 12 months would be dominated by the three instantly sold-out shows. The questions began to pile up almost immediately across the post-festival landscape which had barely had chance to draw breath after the 2024 season had drawn to a close. Who agreed to that? How on earth will Edinburgh cope? Where will everyone stay? Who is going to be able to afford to come to the Fringe? The levels of excitement about Edinburgh landing some of the biggest reunions shows in the history of British rock music were almost drowned out by the groans about their potential impact on the city's annual cultural fixtures, particularly the Fringe. On the final day of the festivals, the then Fringe Society chief executive Shona McCarthy published a bleak open letter warning that emerging artists, risk and ambition were being 'squeezed out' of the event due to the impact of a 'relentless rise in the cost of everything' and an unhelpful policy environment. Within days, the Fringe was facing the prospect of three Oasis shows sending accommodation prices soaring, not just on the days of the band's concerts, but across the board in Edinburgh. In February, it was confirmed that a fourth Murrayfield concert would be clashing with the August festivals, this time involving rock legends AC/DC playing their only UK show in Murrayfield. By then, Ms McCarthy was in her final weeks in the job, her impending departure, announced in early October, seeming to herald a new, perhaps more uncertain, era for the festival. If those Murrayfield concerts and the rise in hotel prices have undoubtedly dampened demand from some artists and performers to come to Edinburgh this August, there is little evidence of it in how its programme has taken shape in recent months. Published in early June, the final printed programme boasted 3352 shows, the fourth biggest in the 78-year-old history of the event, with 49,512 shows across 265 venues. Remarkably, the festival has grown significantly in the space of the last two months, despite widespread reports over the crippling cost of accommodation in the city. The Fringe Society tell me their latest figures have grown to 54,921 performances of 3913 shows – the highest tally on record - across 308 venues. The big question, as ever, is how ticket sales have gone, especially given the single biggest new addition to the festival calendar since the first events were staged in 1947. As I waited to get the tram home from the city centre on Sunday night, it suddenly struck me that Edinburgh was winding down from what must have been its busiest ever weekend of live events in the city. As far as I could tell, things could not have gone better at Murrayfield. Just three reports were reported from the two concerts – all on the first night – and the vast operation to get almost 70,000 fans in and out of Murrayfield, and in many cases in and out of the city, seemed to go smoothly. Just one Fringe venue operator, Assembly founder William Burdett-Coutts, was prepared to discuss the impact of the Murrayfield concerts on their box office performance, suggesting that the Oasis effect was not as bad as some had feared or predicted. However, tellingly, the Fringe Society has made it clear that it would not be keen on any future Murrayfield concerts clashing with the Fringe in 2026 and beyond, telling The Herald that this year's run has been 'unnecessary pressure on an already busy city.' DF Concerts, the promoters of the Oasis shows, are acutely aware of the biggest issue, the cost of accommodation, which has clearly impacted on fans of the band, who have of course paid eye-watering prices for their tickets, and many of those who have been working on the gigs. So what are the prospects of any similar happening in future years? Pretty strong, I reckon. Senior officials at Scottish Rugby, the game's governing body, was discussing ambitions to host up to 12 concerts a year at Murrayfield in future. There would have been six this year had Billy Joel not cancelled his planned show due to illness. DF Concerts told me the weekend shows and gone 'incredibly well on all fronts.' It will be no surprise if they are inundated with more approaches to use the stadium throughout the year and August is prime time for large-scale outdoor shows. I suspect that everyone involved in the Fringe, the other festivals and the city council will have to live with a new reality of having to grapple with the impact of the Murrayfield concerts, which are nowhere near any other venues hosting events. This will, of course, do nothing to reverse the trend of Edinburgh becoming an increasingly expensive place to visit, especially during its festivals. The need to come up with imaginative, viable solutions, as would happen during major sporting events, seems more pressing than ever, especially given their 80th anniversary is looming in 2027. The Herald has teamed up with to make the purchase of tickets for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe so much easier. To buy tickets, please click here.
