The Definitive Guide to Comedy
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ian Smith received a Best Show nomination this year, as he had two Fringes ago in 2023, but he’s not holding out any hope that his local newspaper will herald his success. His failures, however? They’ll report ’em! It probably doesn’t help much to have a “bland name” that …
(unrated, work in progress) Seaton Smith’s Fringe debut is an intimate affair, not just because he’s telling stories about his family and his relationships, but even more so because of the cramped quarters of the Pleasance bunker he’s performing in this month. Perhaps that’s why Smith is treating this more …
⭐⭐⭐⭐ The irony of Ireland finally becoming a pro-choice nation just as the United States begins rolling back abortion rights for women has not been lost on Irish comedian Katie Boyle. Particularly as she found herself navigating the American citizenship web site in 2025, now with a “Make America Safe …
⭐⭐⭐½ I’m not surprised that Sam Jay could put on one of the best stand-up hours at the Fringe (I had Jay’s 2020 special ranked second in my year-end list). I am surprised the judges at the Edinburgh Fringe decided this was one of the best shows among the 3,000+ …
⭐⭐⭐ Not to be Throwing Shade, as it were, but Bryan Safi’s show feels like a cabaret show yearning for the full cabaret experience. Safi’s tech is proficient enough, but what Safi really could benefit from here is a piano player who can not only chime in, but also add …
⭐⭐⭐⭐½ Lorna Rose Treen was one of my favorite newcomers at the 2023 Fringe, and she has made a triumphant return with her sophomore show, upping the ante, the antics, and the anticipatory delight for what might come next. But first, we’re treated to a showcase shining a light on …
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Me like show very much. Monkey Barrel’s two rooms at The Hive are far from the only converted bomb shelters you’ll find Fringe shows in across Edinburgh each August. But The Hive, normally a bustling dance club, just might bear the most distinguishable stench still lingering in the air …
⭐⭐⭐½ This could and should be a 4-star review and perhaps is on a lot of days, but my audience simply wasn’t up to the task Jeromaia Detto assigned us. That’s not his fault. But it is a particular risk in fashioning a clown show where so much responsibility is …
⭐⭐⭐½ Irish actress Sarah Maria Lafferty co-starred in a two-hander “The Bad Daters” at the 2023 Fringe, and she returns this summer with a solo show bearing a slightly misleading title. After all, Lafferty will be the first to acknowledge she’s no movie star yet. But she has a plan. …
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Weight-loss by injection has become so popular, so fast, it’s really changed the body-positivity game overnight. Irish comedian Alison Spittle feels betrayed by Adele for slimming down, and she’s keeping an eye on Lizzo. At least Spittle still has Shrek to count on as a role model. But if …
