Edinburgh Fringe Dispatch #1
Comedy reviews from Edinburgh Fringe 2025
Hello from Edinburgh!
The first Fringe-tastrophe has happened, and it’s the weather, obvs. The Pleasance Courtyard has been closed for most of the day because of bloody Floris, and so I’ve had a couple of extra hours to catch-up on writing and thought I’d send the newsletter a day early! SURPRISE.
It’s all going very nicely so far. I’m enjoying myself, I’m not stressed beyond belief and I’m seeing some REALLY good comedy. I am slightly stressed about all the amazing things I want to see but won’t be able to but such is the nature of the beast.
If you’ve been keeping up with LMAOnaise so far, you’ll have seen I have been publishing some reviews on the website already (linked below in case you missed it). I’ve had a bunch of new subscribers in time for the Fringe, so welcome to all of you <3, but it means I must do my necessary ‘this is how I review and why’ spiel:
I like comedy and I write about comedy that I like – no negative reviews, everything is a thing I would recommend.
No star ratings – I had a flashback yesterday during a show to when I had to do this and it filled me with dread. I don’t like giving art a numerical score! I actually don’t think anyone likes doing it, so it baffles me why we still do…
Reviews come out when they come out – which is ideally quickly, but I am JUST ONE INNOCENT MAN and I don’t want to rush my thoughts. It’s taken people a year or longer to make these things! Feels mad that I have to sum it up in like a day.
I’m maximising my reviewing capacity – again as JUST ONE MAN – by reviewing some in the newsletter as well, so here is that first batch. Tuck in! Book now!
I will see you again here, either in a week or in a random amount of time before that when I’ve filled up on more reviews and want to send another newsletter. Time is different here, that’s just the way it is.
In the meantime, spread this newsletter far and wide! We are a small publication and rely on you to help us get the message out (the message being, be cool about comedy because comedy is cool).
Here’s my first round-up of Fringe recommendations! Enjoy!
Comedy shows to see in Edinburgh right now!
Alice-India: See You In Hell
(Underbelly Bristo Sq, Daisy, 19:15)
Alice is making her debut with a stand-up show about being a good/bad person, getting arrested right before getting diagnosed with autism and ADHD, and teaching actual devils (children). After a break-up with someone who was ostensibly Good, Alice is trying to quantify exactly how good she is, and checks in throughout to make sure the audience are still on board with her stories. Shout out to that one impression she does of one of her students – haven’t met the child but it seems completely spot on. For the whole hour, she’s daring you to call her a bad person, but you won’t be able to. SORRY!
Jordan Brookes: Until The Wheels Come Off (WIP)
(Pleasance Courtyard, Baby Grand, 22:50)
It feels completely redundant to say anything about what happens in Jordan Brookes’ new show, as I’m sure it’s going to be entirely different by the end of the month. I went to see the very first WIP and here’s the thing that I’m always blown away by with Jordan: his WIP could very easily be another comedian’s finished show. It is, of course, mad. There is an extended part where I sat there, unable to breathe laughing, but also at the same time just saying ‘what the fuck!’ Which, I think, sums it up really. I wish I was still here at the end of the month to see what it looks like then.
Pedro Leandro: Soft Animal
(Pleasance Courtyard, Bunker 2, 20:10)
Rosa Garland: Primal Bog
(Assembly Roxy, Downstairs, 21:50)
Ben Pope: The Cut
(Assembly, the Box, 17:05)
The Cut is about Ben Pope’s recent circumcision. It’s also about his love for charity shops, fathers and sons, and different kinds of masculinity. It’s a show about loss in many ways and is peppered with some really beautiful, tender moments, as well as hilarious musings on how we remember loved-ones after they are gone. A sequence about his parents – a drama teacher and a librarian – becoming unlikely pig-smugglers is SO brilliant. Ben’s a fantastic storyteller, and weaves everything together so delicately. It’s wonderful to see him back with such a gorgeous show.
Just The Two of Us
(Pleasance Courtyard, Cellar, 16:15)
Unbridled silliness from two lovely friends, celebrating the best double acts throughout history. Sketches including Romulus and Remus, Bend It Like Beckham, and Sharpay and Ryan from High School Musical fly by at breakneck speed. It’s all physical comedy, lip-synching AND a smattering of (actually good!) tap dancing. They race through costume changes and pack in so much over to a nostalgic soundtrack, clearly having a whale of a time. A highlight for me is a lipsync to an iconic moment from the X Factor – I was howling in a very embarrassing way. A good show for people who have friends and love them very much!
Anna Hale: Control Freak
(Pleasance Courtyard, Cellar, 17:30)
Sharon Wanjohi: In The House
(Pleasance Courtyard, Bunker 2, 6:55pm)
Ada & Bron: The Origin of Love
(Pleasance Courtyard, Attic, 23:00)
Shalaka Kurup: Get A Grip
(Courtyard, Attic, 20:30)
Go and see Shalaka Kurup for excellent joke-writing, love of the Fast and Furious franchise and her life-long commitment to doing things for the plot. She’s on a mission to be interesting and WILL get a mental health diagnosis to prove it. Her account of working at what sounds like the worst mental health helpline in the country is just smashing and extremely grotesque. But Shalaka is unfazed by it all, as long as it can be therapised. She’s a really excellent stand-up, and I can’t wait to see her again. So, so much to love here.
Jessica Barton: Dirty Work
(Underbelly Cowgate, Delhi Belly, 17:25pm)
Miss Floppins is a woman of few words and many withering looks. Jessica Barton arrives onstage in her pristine coat and perfect posture to that song from the Ministry of Sound work-out DVD, and leads the audience in a lesson on labour. Throughout the show she calls on multiple men to pick up the slack – hasn’t Mary Poppins, sorry, Miss Floppins done enough cleaning by now? This show is magnificent, surprising and a vehicle for Jessica’s many, many, many talents.
(I absolutely will not say that a highlight of the show was her showing us how to actually fold a fitted sheet because it’s not true and negates the whole point of the show (!!!) but there were actual gasps around the sold out room when she completed this, and it is nice when comedy teaches you something.)
Zara Gladman is… Aileen: Cameron’s Gap Year Fundraiser
(Monkey Barrel, Hive 2, 19:35) only running til 10th, but has added an extra show at 18:10 on Weds
If you can squeeze into this, you should definitely give it a go. Aileen is hosting a fundraiser to send her bassoon-playing prodigy of a son to every continent in the world, but things don’t go quite to plan – the rest of the neighbourhood watch are just not as committed to their jobs as she is, and Waitrose have rearranged the aisles without telling anyone first, so she’s peeved about that too. Zara is a new one for me as a loser Londoner, but her character of Aileen is known and beloved up here – for good reason! She performs a few songs as herself too, including one about death that is just brilliant. I’m thrilled to have been able to see this.
Ayo Adenekan: Black Mediocrity
(Monkey Barrel, CAB VOL 2, 13:30)
I will see you soon! In the meantime, spread the word about LMAOnaise.
Love you,
Zoë x