EDINBURGH FRINGE 2014
United Agents has some amazing talent up in Edinburgh for the Fringe Festival this year and here is a full list of our unmissable shows.
Ritu Arya, Henry Naylor (Director)
After taking over Saddam Hussein's most brutal prison camp, the allied guards become possessed by its evil... A darkly humorous ghost story set during the US occupation of Iraq... Multi award-winning Henry Naylor was a lead writer on Spitting Image, and half of Parsons and Naylor. His two previous Fringe plays garnered 17 four and five-star reviews, including: 'I cried. It was very powerful' (Telegraph's Critics’ Choice). 'One of the only places where you will find astute political satire on the Fringe this year' (Herald). A haunting premiere.
Gilded Balloon, 16:30, 8-10/12-25 August
On a patch of green that is nowhere to be found here, two women provide a little comfort for one another. Through stories old and new they occupy an imagined space, and invent a world in which they might live together. But how can they stay in a place that doesn't exist? ‘Hisses like sulphuric acid’ (Guardian). Little on the inside premiered at Latitude Festival 2013 and subsequently toured to the Almeida Festival to universal acclaim. Production originally commissioned by the Almeida Festival.
Summerhall, 17:00, 8-12/14-19/21-24 August
Brand new sketch comedy from the critically acclaimed Birthday Girls. Meet Beattie (hamster owner), Rose (timekeeping enthusiast) and Camille (always late, allergic to hamsters) as they bring you odd characters, offbeat sketches, try hard dancing and the best and most rewarding time of your life. Directed by Tom Parry (Pappy's, BBC3's Badults). 'Exuberantly silly, consistently imaginative and delightfully playful' (Guardian). 'One of the best shows of its kind' (BroadwayBaby.com). Birthday Girls are former members of sketch group Lady Garden, 'Britain's funniest women' (Telegraph), who featured on BBC3's Live At The Electric and BBC Radio 4's Sketchorama.
Cowgatehead, 22:00, 8-11/13-25 August
Oxford Revue veteran and graduate of The Second City, Charles Booth returns to Edinburgh with a brand new one-man sketch show. Go Thank Yourself! is a finely crafted hour of solo comedy glowing with rich, splendid and warm characters who’ve all tried seizing the day while smelling the roses and spent a golden afternoon picking thorns out their hands. And better yet this crushing bear hug for the soul is totally free! ‘A masterclass in restrained comic performance’ (Steve Bennett, Chortle.co.uk)
Cowgatehead, 19:15, 8-12/14-25 August
Jessie Cave & Emer Kenny
Grawlix: A spiral-shaped graphic used to indicate swearing in comic strips. A string of typographical symbols, especially "@#$%&!".
Lauging Horse @ Espionage, 12:00, 8-25 August
MR SUSIE’S LAST CHANCE CABERET
Mr Susie, the innocent yet hopelessly confused alien, has one hour to save cabaret. It’s a shame he has no idea what cabaret is. A show about doing a show, with music and dancing and no clue about anything whatsoever. Mark Davison (BBC3's Kerry, Channel 4's Toast of London and The Doctor Brown Show, E4's The Mimic) returns with a brand new Mr Susie show, his fourth consecutive appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe. ‘Rib-crushingly hilarious’ (MumbleComedy.Wordpress.com). ‘Stupidly-childish, feel-good whimsical fun’ (EdFest Magazine). ‘100% charming and totally hilarious’ ***** (RemoteGoat.co.uk). ‘Best free act’ (Stalking Elk Magazine).
Voodoo Rooms, 19:15/8-24 August
Much lauded as resident dunderhead on QI or the charming but reticent crime solver Jonathan Creek, Davies virtuosic story-telling and whip-smart funny bones combine to make this a show not to be missed. ‘One of the best Stand-up comics out there’ (Guardian).
Venue 150 @ EICC, 21:00, 8-9 August
SHAKESPEARE, HIS WIFE AND HIS DOG
April 1616 Shakespeare has returned to Stratford a rich famous and successful man but all's not well. Why is he so unhappy? Why can't he sleep? Why is his wife furious with him? Who is Will waiting for and why can't Anne find the dog? The secrets, lies, resentments and passions of a marriage laid bare. A sleepless night in Stratford, the one hour traffic of our play. Bated Breath presents a new play by Philip Whitchurch with a bit of help from Shakespeare.
Summerhall, 14:00, 8-10/12-17/19-24 August
Spring 1944 - seven Soviet soldiers have been captured by the Nazis, stripped naked and abandoned in the locked empty cellar of a monastery in southern Poland. Deprived of all ties to their world, the prisoners redefine their concepts of order and human nature. In order to survive the men resort to murder and cannibalism. How do they reconcile rank, faith and dignity? Powerful, thought-provoking and darkly funny, The Curing Room by David Ian Lee and directed by Joao de Sousa is a bold, shocking thriller based on true events.
The Pleasance Dome, 12:00, 8-10/12-25 August
'...Soft morning, city! Lsp! I am leafy speafing. Lpf! Folty and folty all the nights have being falling... Not a sound, falling. Lispn! No wind no word ...' Olwen Fouéré, one of Ireland’s leading theatre-makers, performs her acclaimed adaptation of the voice of the river in James Joyce's Finnegans Wake, following celebrated performances in Ireland and at the National Theatre, London. In a unique approach to Joyce’s extraordinary sound-dance, RIVERRUN embodies the river Life (Liffey/Anna Livia Plurabelle) who generates a powerful transformative energy as she dissolves into the great ocean of time.
Traverse Theatre, various times, 8-10/12-14/16-17/19-24 August
Frisky and Mannish are back with a brand new hour, packed tighter than Robin Thicke's crotchal region. Now all grown up (just like Miley and Bieber) their barely-conscious recoupling marks the beginning of a new pop-comedy-mashup-infotainment era. They've been everywhere, from the Edinburgh Fringe to the West End, from BBC Radio 1 to E4, and from Shepherd's Bush Empire to the Sydney Opera House. ‘Superb and uncontrollable’ (Sunday Times). ***** (Chortle.co.uk). ***** (Mail on Sunday). ***** (Adelaide Advertiser).
Underbelly, Bristo Square, 19:35, 9-17/19-25 August
The troubled comedian Richard Gadd (Laughing Penguin New Act of the Year 2011 winner, Chortle Student Comedy Awards 2011 finalist) returns to the Fringe after the packed out, award-nominated, critically-acclaimed Cheese and Crack Whores from last year. ‘If you like your comedy on edge, you will love this show … genius’ **** (Scotsman). ‘Wonderfully dark and disturbing, brilliant and inventive … makes his audience cry with laughter’ **** (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘Utterly batshit, frequently horrifying, and often ecstatically funny’ ***** (InformedEdinburgh.co.uk). Nominated for Best Festival Show at the Scottish Comedy Awards 2014
The Stand Comedy Club V, 19:35, 8-10/12-24 August
Three-time Fringe First winner Chris Goode (Monkey Bars) returns to the Traverse with an incendiary piece of experimental storytelling. Framed by two violent deaths – the apparently inexplicable suicide of a young gay man, and the murder of drummer Lee Rigby outside the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich in May 2013 – Men in the Cities is a compelling piece about harm and complicity, and about the forces that shape our relationships. Through fractured snapshots of seemingly disconnected lives, Men in the Cities presents a challenging but radically humane portrait of how we live now.
Traverse 2, various times, 22-23 August
SO YOU THINK YOU’RE FUNNY ? – SKETCH CLUB
The Grand Final of the Gilded Balloon and Sketch Club's exciting new competition for sketch and character performers. In front of a panel of comedy industry judges, the winners of the six heats battle it out for the title! See the stars of the future, today!
Gilded Balloon, 22:45, 18 August
Star of Live At The Apollo and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, Kerry recently appeared as Hannah in Ricky Gervais’ sitcom Derek and played Lacey Turner's mum in Our Girl. You might also have caught her in Miranda, Getting On, Extras, Spoons and Home Time among others. Last year she supported Micky Flanagan on tour and took her critically acclaimed show Wonder Woman to the Edinburgh Festival. She is back this year with her brand new show Face Time. ‘Goes for the jugular. Quick wit, frank and engaging’ (Independent).
The Stand Comedy Club V, 18:45, 12-24 August
Day 6,570. The culmination of an experiment to recreate the Garden of Eden. Four teenagers locked away, never glimpsing another human face. Today they will be released. Director Emily Kempson reimagines Marivaux’s dizzyingly dark, erotic tale.
Summerhall, 15:40, 5 August
AWKWARD CONVERSATIONS WITH ANIMALS I’VE F*CKED
One-night stands are awkward. One-night stands with animals are more awkward. And when you're as desperate to please as Bobby, things get awkward as f*ck. He's just a guy with too much love to give, and a burning desire to give it to consensual adult mammals. A one-man tragi-comedy from award-winning playwright Rob Hayes (Step 9 [Of 12]; A Butcher of Distinction). ‘Finely crafted comic dialogue and strikingly surreal moments... Hayes is no ordinary writer’ (Time Out). ‘Stunning... an extraordinary talent’ (Times).
Underbelly Cowgate, 18:50, 8-12/14-24 August
A SERIES OF INCREASINGLY IMPOSSIBLE ACTS
Do you like your theatre fearless? Never the same show twice pushing the limits of human endeavour to the brink of failure or triumph. The Secret Theatre Company is a 20 strong ensemble of actors, writers, directors and designers created to challenge the way theatre is produced and presented in Britain. The company has taken London by storm since their first provocative show in September 2013 courting controversy and sparking debate and discussion. Now they bring their innovative and inventive style to the Edinburgh Fringe.
Kings Hall, 20:15, 9-13/15-17 August
The Secret Theatre Company is a 20 strong ensemble of actors, writers, directors and designers created to challenge the way theatre is produced and presented in Britain. The company has taken London by storm since their first provocative show in September 2013 courting controversy and sparking debate and discussion. Now they bring their innovative and inventive style to the Edinburgh Fringe.
Summerhall, 15:50, 9-10/12-13/15-17 August
Nick Hall from hit sketch act The Three Englishmen, ‘Impossible not to be won over' (Chortle.co.uk), is back at the Fringe with a brand new show. What a helmet. 'Brilliant' (Times). ‘Side-splittingly funny’ ***** (ThreeWeeks). ‘Crackingly original’ **** (List). ‘One not to miss’ **** (Skinny). ‘Mad cap energy’ **** (BritishComedyGuide.co.uk). As seen on BBC2, BBC3, and BBC Radio 4. Star of cult movie night Hot Tub Cinema and hit football show Comedy Commentary.
George Next Door, 15:55, 8-23 August
Welcome to the 27th year of the best stand-up comedy newcomers competition in the UK! After nationwide showcases, we are now down to the best from hundreds of entrants. See them battle it out to the grand final. Previous winners include Dylan Moran, Lee Mack, Peter Kay and David O'Doherty! Who will be crowned the funniest this year?
Gilded Balloon, 20:15, 5 August
Tom Hescott & Matthew Baldwin (Writers) / David Grindley (Director) / Camille Ucan
Few comings-out attract millions of YouTube views like Tom Daley's did. But for whoever's saying 'I'm gay', it's a life-changing moment. This premiere explores true-life stories with a rotating cast of star actors and comedians - visit www.OutingsTheShow.com for details. Written by Matthew Baldwin and Thomas Hescott, acclaimed authors of West End play The Act. Produced by five-time Fringe First award winners Seabright Productions. Reviews for The Act, by the same writers: ‘Strong, charming and honest ... cunningly constructed’ **** (Libby Purves, TheatreCat.com). ‘Funny, realistic and moving ... not only extremely enjoyable, but also highly important’ ***** (TheUpcoming.co.uk).
Gilded Balloon, 13:00, 8-12/14-20/22-25 August
In 2003 a US led coalition went to war with Iraq and Kieran Hodgson spent 10 days living with a very nice French family. Fresh from appearances on Jonathan Creek and Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, character comedian Kieran Hodgson returns to the Fringe with a brand new hour exploring his formative experiences on an unforgettable school trip where he truly learnt the meaning of croissants, which is crescents. 'Superb ... perfectly observed' **** (Fest). 'Hilarious ... a tour-de-force' **** (ThreeWeeks). 'A one-man Little Britain' (LondonIsFunny.com).
Voodoo Rooms, 15:40, 8-12/14-24 August
A tale of teenage love, friendship and betrayal set at the dawn of the Scottish Enlightenment. Based on the true story of three Edinburgh girls who formed The Fair Intellectual Club in 1717. They recruited other young ladies aged 15-19 with a view to discovering ‘what we might attain unto if we were as industrious to cultivate our minds as we are to adorn our bodies’. Members studied literature, science and philosophy. They were sworn to absolute secrecy, but betrayed by an enemy within who exposed her sisters to scandal.
The Assembly Rooms, 11:00, 8-10/12-24 August
I PROMISE YOU SEX AND VIOLENCE
David Ireland’s brutal and hilarious satire of love and hate dives into the darkest heart of the modern love story. Boy meets girl meets boy meets crippling sexual neurosis. It’s not easy out there when you have no idea who you are supposed to be, no idea how to behave and everyone else seems to be an asshole. This new play from the team behind award-winning What the Animals Say **** (Scotsman). I Promise You Sex and Violence will definitely delight, possibly horrify and probably arouse you. It’s both sexy and violent.
Northern Stage at King's Hall, 18:35, 8-13/15-20/22-23 August
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT TORONTO’S CRACK SMOKING MAYOR (HB)
He’s admitted to smoking crack. He’s been drunk in public. He’s the mayor of Toronto and his supporters adore him. But when one woman’s passionate defence of the world’s most scandalous politician goes horribly (and hilariously) wrong, will her faith waver? Toronto Fringe Festival favourites DeCo. (two-time winners of the Patrons' Pick Award) bring their unique blend of comedy and drama to Edinburgh with the world premiere of this biting comedy. Written by award-winning Canadian playwright Jason Hall whose work has also been seen in London’s West End and off Broadway.
Sweet Grassmarket, 19:50, 8-24 August
Hilarious character com-oddity Dan Jones hammers his relentless debut into your eyes. His rabble of futile characters will make you laugh, cry, wince, recoil and donate as they try and make sense of their desperate lives. Socially awkward, uncomfortably imposing, unhinged character comedy from the least attractive member of last year's Edinburgh Fringe hit: Don't Drop the Egg. Jones will explore his own sanity, social pressure, success and the self, through the eyes of fools, and the ears of you.
Pleasance Courtyard, 15:30, 8-10/12-25 August
THE IRRATIONAL FEARS OF RILLETTES
Award-winning newcomer Harriet Kemsley stars in a work in progress. As featured on BBC3’s Comedy Marathon, BBC Radio 1’s Comedy Lounge and Alex Zane's Funny Rotten Scoundrels for London Live. 'A quirky very funny new stand-up' (Time Out). 'One of the best free comedy shows I've seen at the Fringe' (ThreeWeeks). Winner of Funny's Funny and Bath New Act of the Year. Photo: Andy Hollingworth.
Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 19:00, 8-11/13-18/20-24 August
Key (37 now) wades back to Edinburgh, climbs into his poetry clothes and leans against his mic stand for another hour. Now charming, he will recollect simple tales of love, gaze dead-eyed at the ladies, recite verse and do basic talking. A lot of fairly grubby water's sloshed under Key's bridge of late so he'll be churning that up. He's also fairly interested to lift the lid on Hollywood. There'll be some Indian poetry, Indian beer and, if he can get his act together, a spotlight. Other potential themes will be owls and maybe fairies.
Pleasance Courtyard, 21:45, 13-25 August
CATRIONA KNOX THINKS SHE’S HARD ENOUGH
Good afternoon! I am a character comedian doing a comedy show. I have been in BBC Radio 4's 2525 and Mission Improbable, and on BBC1's Not Going Out, plus an advert for car rental. Some people have written nice things about me but why not come and see for yourself? 'Dazzling comedy ... as good as Joyce Grenfell already, if not better' (Spectator). 'One of the UK's best' ***** (TheNewCurrent.co.uk). 'A peerless character show' **** (List). **** (BroadwayBaby.com). 'Left me breathless' **** (EdinburghFestivals.co.uk). **** (Festival Journal). 'Endlessly entertaining' **** (Chortle.co.uk).
Pleasance Courtyard, 15:15, 8-11/13-25 August
A bucolic psycho-drama by Harold Pinter. Originally written for radio in 1959, A SLIGHT ACHE is an underperformed Pinter classic - a study in marital stagnation and bristling surrealism. When Flora and Edward's life is invaded by a mysterious and taciturn vagrant, their marriage and sanity never quite recover.
Pleasance Courtyard, 12:45, 8-12/14-19/21-25 August
Eamon is a disillusioned pink horse searching for his destiny. Join LetLuce for more anarchic joy in their new show-cum-quest. Think Mighty Boosh meets French and Saunders. 'You're in for a bonkers hour ... together they are dynamite' **** (TheGoodReview.co.uk). 'Bizarre and mental executed with comic flair ... not like anything we've seen before' ***** (SoSoGay.co.uk).
Just the Tonic @ The Mash House, 15:40, 8-10/13-24 August
A comedy of betrayal. Mark Thomas tells his true story of how Britain's biggest arms manufacturer (BAE Systems) came to spy on a comedian. A tale of hubris, planes, demos and undercover deceit told by an award-winning performer.
Traverse Theatre, various times, 9-24 August
Inspired by real-life experiences. When employees Marlin and Josh discover their role in a corrupt corporate charity, can they reconile their choices? This celebrity backed charity wants you to 'give a piece of yourself' - literally. But how much is enough? A darkly comic satire examining the ethics of giving when we donate first and ask questions later.
Pleasance Courtyard, 12:15, 8-10/12-25 August
A new father-son comedy from Fringe First winner Richard Marsh. Mum’s dead. Annoyingly, dad’s not. After twenty years apart, can father and son say goodbye to mum without saying hello to each other? This achingly funny story reminds us: no matter how bad life is, family can make it worse. Previous shows: Dirty Great Love Story (Fringe First winner, co-written with Katie Bonna), Skittles and Love & Sweets (Best Scripted Comedy, BBC Audio Drama Awards 2014). ‘Lovely, witty, delicious… Warmly and fuzzily recommended’ ***** (Independent). ‘Restores your faith in human nature and the Fringe… bliss’ **** (Telegraph).
Pleasance Dome, 14:10, 8-11/13-25 August
Tim Mascall (Lighting Designer)
Help Boy cook magic porridge! Splat porridge in a magic food fight! Jump in the huge sea of porridge! Professional interactive theatre for kids who don't just want to sit still and watch! Little 'uns come onstage throughout! Join Boy as he ventures into the woods to find food for his sick Dad. He meets an old woman who gives him a magic porridge pot and the secret words: 'Cook little pot, cook!' But a greedy thief spots them and sets out to steal the pot! 2009/10/11/12/13 Fringe sell-out! 'A great introduction to theatre' **** (Herald).
Pleasance Courtyard, 14:50, 8-12/14-19/21-25 August
Tim Mascall (Lighting Designer)
The Olivier nominated West End hit show returns in a newly extended version featuring even more classic material. 'Like Morecambe & Wise themselves, this is a wonderfully funny, genuine, and beautifully played two-hander' ***** (Herald). 'Ashpitel and Stephens have got the duo's mannerisms down pat to such a winning extent... you could watch this for hours' **** (Telegraph). 'It's easy to become so absorbed you imagine that you're watching them in one of the musical halls where it all started. Lovely stuff' **** (List). 'Beautifully balanced, brilliantly acted and incredibly moving' **** (Chortle.co.uk).
Gilded Balloon. 14:40, 8-12/14-19/21-25 August
Tim Mascall (Lighting Designer)
Luke Kempner's hit impressions comedy returns following a West End run and tour. This updated version features over 30 voices from the 'Energizer Bunny of impressionists' (Huffington Post). As celebrities start appearing at Downton Abbey, cultures clash and eras hilariously collide. This brilliant parody takes in many other popular TV shows and celebrity voices to help the cast of Downton save the estate from financial ruin – again! 'Remarkable tour de force one-man show' **** (Telegraph). 'Gloriously funny ... affectionate spoof' **** (Sunday Independent). 'Consistently funny ... Kempner's impersonations are a deconstructive delight' **** (Metro).
Pleasance Courtyard, 18:20, 8-12/14-19/21-25 August
Orwell’s satirical masterpiece staged by Georgia’s premier theatre company. Olivier Award winner Guy Masterson directs a cast of thirty in an epic new production of stunning physicality. From the home state of Josef Stalin, the world famous Tumanishvili Film Actors Theatre poignantly recreates the barnyard satire that exposes his totalitarian abuses. ‘The richness and beauty of the Georgian theatre tradition shines through’ (Scotsman on Tumanishvili Film Actors Theatre)
Assembly George Square Theatre, 12:00, 8-10/12-17/19-24 August
Brand new and 'utterly excellent' (BroadwayBaby.com) sketch comedy group Massive Dad make their much anticipated Edinburgh debut at the Pleasance Courtyard. Finalists in the upcoming Best New Sketch Act 2014, Stevie Martin, Tessa Coates and Liz Smith will be performing the best of their material for an hour. Book now before they sell out or the festival ends.
Pleasance Courtyard, 18:00, 8-12/14-25 August
Award nominee and star of the Edinburgh Fringe, Andrew Maxwell returns for just 12 shows, with a fantastic new hour of mischievous charm and boundary-nudging wit. As seen on BBC’s Live at The Apollo, Mock The Week and Have I Got News For You, ITV’s Celebrity Juice, RTE’s The Panel and so much more… Total sell-out 2006-2013. Book now! ‘Furiously funny and utterly invigorating’ ***** (Times). ‘Currently on fire. A knack for vivid story-telling ... the complete package’ ***** (Independent on Sunday).
Assembly Rooms, 22:20, 10-12 August
Nick Mohammed, featuring Kieran Hodgson
Masterful character-performer and 21st century polymath, Nick Mohammed returns with a much-anticipated new solo outing of his critically acclaimed alter ego maniac monster. Star of Radio 4, E4'sDrifters and triple Bafta nominated sketch show Sorry, I've Got No Head. ‘One of the most outstanding comic talents of his generation’ (Evening Standard). **** (Guardian). **** (Independent). **** (Scotsman). **** (Time Out). **** (Chortle.co.uk). www.nickmohammed.com, @NickMohammed, @MrSwallow.
Pleasance Dome, 20:00, 8-24 August
Jason Patterson in All About The Pattersons! Jason entertains us with affable tales of growing up in a house and moving to a rough council estate, having a popular older brother, how being a fan of Prince nearly got him beaten up, and having a school teacher with unorthodox methods of teaching. This debut hour from one of the circuits most hilarious performers is 55 minutes of guaranteed laughs. PS, meaningful endings and a voyage of self-discovery not included!
Laughing Horse @ The White Horse, 15:30, 8-16/18-24 August
Anna Murphy (Producer) / Sarah Esdaile (Director)
The broadcaster, author and Spitting Image puppet probes pogonophobia, underpants and the human condition. With surprises galore and your opportunity to quiz the grand inquisitor, Paxo unstuffs the man ranked by GQ Magazine as 'Britain's 26th rudest person’.
Pleasance Courtyard, 17:20, 18-25 August
Nationalist, heroine, witch, feminist, bisexual, schizophrenic, martyr... Who was St Joan? Only a dead saint is a useful saint. Three women from different cultures revisit the past as Joans of Arc. Can they find the right moment in history and change its bloody course? Is it a crazy dream? Three women return as modern warriors to challenge the idea that those who can't be controlled must be killed and thereby reclaim Joan as an anarchic force against the manipulations of power.
Bedlam Theatre, 16:30, 8-11/13-24 August
James Perkins (Designer)
Welcome to Hampton Court Palace. The year is 1533. Please turn off your mobile phones. Jess, Sophie and Sam re-enact Henry VIII's weddings, feasts and river pageants. They take pride in authenticity. Well, they try. They aren't sure if potatoes exist yet. Can you wear glasses with a kirtle? Now visitor operations have ideas about the future of the past - it has never been more vital to keep the Tudors alive. From the writer of Stephen and the Sexy Partridge, Trafalgar Studios: 'One of the funniest offerings in the West End this season' (Stage).
Pleasance Courtyard, 13:45, 8-10/12-25 August
Ravenhill vs Hollywood. Torrid scenes of passion, the dark spectre of international terrorism and big, big explosions. Right now, Julia is a hot young starlet. But has Leah (Olivia Poulet: The Thick Of It; In The Loop; Outnumbered) got the perfect script to save her from B-movie hell? From the critically acclaimed writer of Shopping and F*cking, Some Explicit Polaroids and Mother Clap’s Molly House. Product premiered at the Traverse in 2005, performed by Mark Ravenhill himself; this is the first revival. ‘A withering satire on the world of entertainment’ (Herald).
Assembly Hall, 14:45, 8-20 August
2011 Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Adam Riches returns with a brand new hour of phenomenal bullshit. ***** (Independent). ***** (Telegraph). ***** (Scotsman). ***** (Time Out). ***** (Chortle.co.uk). ***** (Fest).
Pleasance Dome, 21:45, 10-15/17-22/24 August
A dude who is fast becoming a recognisable face on British TV with appearances on BBC1's Live at the Apollo and Let's Dance for Comic Relief, BBC2's Mock the Week, QI and Never Mind the Buzzcocks, C4's 8 Out of 10 Cats and more, Katherine Ryan embarks on her second UK stand-up tour which begins with a limited run at the Fringe. The fresh, often dangerously fierce, pop-culture-obsessed Canadian, was unaffected by publicised death threats and survived the world's first crack smoking mayor. 'Warped wit ... striking presence ... killer lines ... calm confidence' (Scotsman).
The Stand Comedy Club V, 18:45, 9 August
Jonathan Sayer, Henry Lewis and Henry Shields
LIGHTS, CAMERA, IMPROVISE ! – THE IMPROVISED MOVIE
You suggest the genre, location and title. We improvise a breathtaking movie. Your host; Oscar pauses and rewinds the best bits and cuts to hilarious DVD extras. Winner Spirit of the Fringe Award 2013. Top five Edinburgh Fringe Shows to see (Independent). 'There are no words to describe the brilliance of this show' ***** (ThreeWeeks). 'More of a party than a show' ***** (TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk). 'Outstanding' ***** (BroadwayWorld.com). 'Hollywood writers are paid millions to come up with something a fraction as funny' ***** (CultHub.com). 'Side-splitting... hysterical' ***** (BroadwayBaby.com).
Pleasance Courtyard, 20:30, 8-11/13-25 August
Only two human activities happen in front of a brick wall. Standing at a mic telling jokes or being shot by firing squad. After a twenty year pause from stand-up, Andy de la Tour went to New York to rediscover his comedy roots. This is the story of what happened. Andy was last in Edinburgh 30 years ago with Rik Mayall and Ben Elton. Now he's back, older but not much wiser. ‘Andy de la Tour deserves a noble place in the history of stand-up’ (Chortle.co.uk).
Gilded Balloon, 17:00, 8-11/13-25 August
Chicago, 1924. Two wealthy college kids. One obsessed with crime, the other love. A contract signed in blood... They believed that they'd committed the perfect murder - or had they? So many events were called the ‘crime of the century'. None however engaged the world like the case of self-confessed Thrill Killers. This musical thriller provides a thought-provoking examination of a relationship fuelled by domination, manipulation and sexual pleasure. 'There is no production more intelligent, atmospheric and haunting than this' ***** (Sunday Telegraph). 'Critic's choice' (London Evening Standard).
C Venues, 20:55, 8-10/12-25 August
THE MAN WHO ALMOST KILLED HIMSELF
Daniel tried to end his life many times. He failed in funny ways. Join us in Uganda as we re-live his attempts. A comic true story from acclaimed young director Josh Azouz and BAFTA-winning writer David Watson, plus live music from BAFTA nominated The Ganda Boys.
Summerhall, 15:40, 8-11 August
In her debut show, the urgently striving to be unstoppable Ellie White presents an hour of idiosyncratic character comedy.
Viva Mexico, 14:30, 8-12/14-23 August
‘A phenomenal character comedian’ (Skinny). ‘Excellent characters’ (Spoonfed.co.uk). ‘A pleasure to watch … satisfyingly outlandish’ (ThreeWeeks). As heard on BBC Radio 4's Fresh from the Fringe 2013, BBC Radio 4 Extra's Newsjack, and seen on BBC3's Live at the Electric and Jamie Demetriou's Comedy Blaps. Join this character comedian as she coughs up her debut hour of human creations.
Viva Mexico, 14:30, 8-12/14-23 August
SOPHIE WU IS MINGING, SHE LOOKS LIKE SHE’S DEAD
Star of Channel 4’s Fresh Meat, Sophie Wu rises magnanimously above taking petty revenge for her teenage humiliations, in her well-balanced, light and sane debut show. ‘Sophie Wu is almost too good’ **** (Times). ‘Sophie is an isolated child’ (Mrs Peckham, Geography). ‘Sophie Wu is unnervingly good’ **** (Evening Standard). ‘Sophie's had an ongoing battle with acne, but has now developed nasty looking eczema formed in sore patches behind her knees and elbows’ (Pastoral Care Report, age 16). I mean, who was this absolute raging pervert studying my knees and elbows
Wee Red Bar, 17:00, 8-24 August