6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Best of the fest: 10 of the best shows to catch at this year's Edinburgh fringe
Kent-Walters, winner of best newcomer at Edinburgh last year, has created one of the most gleefully funny characters of
recent times. This time, Frankie Monroe (above), the sinister working men's club proprietor, has been dragged into hell – but that won't stop him putting on a Barrel: Cabaret Voltaire, 28 July to 24 August.
Her surreal take on standup has delivered brilliant bits on Crufts and the spinning jenny. Now Jain Edwards is back with a more personal show. She-Devil promises to explore class, autism, internalised misogyny, and what happens when the boys' club turns on you. Expect her trademark deadpan and delightfully surprising Bristo Square, 30 July to 25
She's known for clever twists, and has previously broached time travel and conspiracy theories with a cheeky lightness. Now Heidi Regan follows up on the personal tale of IVF from her 2022 show, finding humour in an unexpected diagnosis, and her and her wife's quest to Labyrinth, 2 to 24 August.
John Norris, the American clown behind Mr Chonkers, cooked up a word-of-mouth hit with this wondrously weird character in 2022. Now he's back for a full fringe run, so expect Gregorian chants, some elastically physical comedy, a nonsensical backstory and creative audience interaction. Summerhall, 31 July to 24 August.
She's been firmly in star territory for a while thanks to turns on Taskmaster and Have I Got News for You. Now the charming American standup is back at the fringe doing what she does best, while exploring mid-life, perimenopause and the freedom of righteous anger. Monkey Barrel 3, 28 July to 10 August.
Leila Navabi made an eye-catching debut in 2023 with a musical comedy about identity. This year brings another genre-busting blend of comedy, music and theatre as she tells the tale of attempting to make a baby with her girlfriend and their sperm-donor best Courtyard, 30 July to 25 August.
A master of the craft, it's a joy to see Josie Long at work, but she's also the comic we need most when the news becomes unbearable. Her knack for imbuing comedy with hope, wonder and galvanising rage offers welcome reprieve, and her new show promises tales of dinosaurs and hamsters Dome, 30 July to 24 August.
If you like comedy that probes the edges of comfort, Luke McQueen is your man. In TV and on stage, he loves to play with the audience, and tThis year's show, directed by Jordan Brookes, has a tantalising conceit: after being overlooked by the Comedian's Comedian podcast, he's using AI to interview himself, no doubt with disastrous Dome, 30 July to 24 August.
Even in the embryonic preview stage, Sam Nicoresti's new show displayed signs of pure brilliance. She'll explore the increasingly hostile environment for trans people, 'doomerism' in the face of global crises, plus a personal journey of breakdown, recovery, and love. Expect intelligent punchlines, surreal detours and thought-provoking Courtyard, 30 July to 24 August.
This year's festival features a promising crop of up-and-coming character acts and Alice Cockayne takes centre stage among them. Her debut was a wig-filled fiasco where a day in the office descended into madness. Her follow-up promises even more wigs, unhinged characters and messy musical Courtyard, 30 July to 24 August
