Edinburgh Fringe 2024: 10 Alternative Comedy Picks

If you liked the look of our feature on The Elysian Theatre in LA, chances are these shows will be so up your street!

Another show which popped across to the Elysian is Troll from Marie Kallevik Straume, Anna Marie Simonsen and Cecily Nash, which transforms Norway’s most mystical inhabitants into clowns (Underbelly Cowgate (Belly Laugh), 1-11 Aug, 5.50pm, £7-11.50). Nash also lends her directing talents to Lil Wenker’s debut BANGTAIL (Pleasance Courtyard (Cellar), 31 Jul-25 Aug (not 12), 4.15pm, £9-12), where the baddest cowboy in Texas inexplicably gets an office job.

Demi Adejuyigbe (Pleasance Courtyard (Beneath), 31 Jul-25 Aug (not 12), 6.20pm, £9-15) has also graced the Elysian’s stage pre-Fringe. The writer and comedian makes us a promise in his debut hour – he will do precisely one (1) backflip, amidst songs, 'bits' and knee cracking.

The Duncan Brothers. Image: Rob Trendy.

Our interest is piqued by Jaz Mattu (Just the Tonic @ Caves (Just Out of the Box), 2-25 Aug (not 12,19), 6.40pm, £5/PWYC). His second hour sounds like a storm of all kinds of comedy with shades of clown, stand-up and multimedia. Joz Norris and Ben Target are named as having some input on the show too, which sounds like a stamp of approval to us.

Silly Aussie boy Josh Glanc (Monkey Barrel (MB1), 31 Jul-25 Aug (not 7,14), 3.20pm, £5-8) is also here. In Glanc’s latest he faces a choice – should he settle down and become a Family Man or is the late night comedy-party life more alluring?

Finally, we’d be remiss not to mention that Mr Chonkers makes an appearance at Fringe for TWO NIGHTS ONLY. The cult Skinny-fave is at Monkey Barrel 7 Aug (MB4, 5pm) and 19 Aug (MB3, 11pm, both shows £10). Chonkers also hosts Piggy Time (Monkey Barrel (MB1), 1-3 Aug, 11.55pm, £10), his madcap showcase which boasted spots from Natalie Palamides, Furiozo and The Duncan Brothers last year (all of whom have their own shows this Fringe too).