Edinburgh Fringe 2024: Our Ultimate Comedy Recs

With over 1500 shows in the Fringe’s comedy section, it’s hard to know where to start. We’ve already talked up Scotland’s best talent, picked some more alternative shows, and would heartily recommend everyone we’ve featured in July and August’s issues (*deep breath* Kathleen Hughes, Sam Lake, Dean T. Beirne, Alex Franklin, Hannah Platt, Amy Mason, Kemah Bob, Sarah Keyworth, Natasha Mercado, Paulina Lenoir (via Lachlan Werner), Joe Kent-Walters and The Duncan Brothers)...

But just when you thought your spreadsheets were full and your ticket budget maxed, along came these piping-hot recs...

Fringe Debuts

We’ll be seeing Jin Hao Li (Pleasance Courtyard (Below), 31 Jul-25 Aug (not 14), 7.10pm, £9-12) early doors. His first Fringe hour will be a softly-spoken, razor-sharp success.

Dee Allum should also have a stellar year. The ex-Pleasance Reserver’s Deadname (Pleasance Courtyard (Below), 31 Jul-25 Aug (not 13), 4.30pm, £9-13) is a love letter to her pre-transition self through theatre kid beginnings, teen crushes and coming out at an all-boys school.

From Australia, Mel & Sam (Pleasance Courtyard (Below), 31 Jul-25 Aug (not 12), 9.50pm, £8-14) bring a chaotic tangle of music and sketch to Fringe. Hotly tipped in Adelaide and recommended by big Aussie comedy names, it’s one for the unhinged girlies.

Martin Angolo (Underbelly Bristo Square (Clover), 31 Jul-26 Aug (not 12), 5.25pm, £8-12) is already well known back in Ireland, having appeared on telly alongside Catherine Bohart and Aisling Bea. His Fringe debut promises no nonsense observational standup about Irish culture and its quirks.

Returners

Lou Wall’s 2023 show was a sleeper hit, their terminally online, multimedia stylings garnering a cult following. This year it’s The Bisexual’s Lament (Pleasance Courtyard (Beneath), 31 Jul-25 Aug (not 15), 10.20pm, £10-15), a spiralling tale of heartbreak and worse.

Despite no Delightful Sausage this Fringe, we’re excited to see its main ingredients have their own solo shows: Chris Cantrill’s (Monkey Barrel @ The Tron (Tron), 31 Jul-25 Aug (not 12, 13), 12.10pm, £5-10) is a daft dive into male friendship and isolation, while Amy Gledhill’s (Monkey Barrel (MB1), 13-25 Aug, 6.10pm, £10) will be a charming confessional about romantic mishaps and bin bags.

Glasgow-based Amelia Bayler is in town with Easy Second Album (Scottish Comedy Festival @ Waverley Bar, 2-14 Aug, 12.15pm, £5-15 PWYW). Expect an upbeat, energetic show with, undoubtedly, some proper club bangers about snacks.

Back Again

Crazed Regency gal Clementine (Underbelly Cowgate (Iron Belly), 1-11 Aug, 6.40pm, £8-12) is back for a second time. Rosalie Minnitt’s 2023 character show is a wild quest for love featuring some (surprise) Sylvanian Families.

Not content with creating one brilliantly-titled hour, John-Luke Roberts (Monkey Barrel (MB4), 31 Jul-25 Aug (not 5, 12, 13 and 19), 2.10pm, £10) revisits all his past shows in order until the Fringe ends. We’re desperate to see Stdad-Up again, the brilliant clown hour which laid bare his relationship with his late father, and several of his other shows we missed.

Works-In-Progress

Last year’s Best Newcomer, Urooj Ashfaq, returns with a short-run WIP (Assembly Roxy (Downstairs), 16-25 Aug, 12.30pm, £8). Her endearing stage presence will add sparkle to this show’s new beginnings.

Glenn Moore (Monkey Barrel (MB1), 30 Jul-12 Aug, 11.05am, £10) also has a Work-in-Progress at Fringe. One of the master joke crafters in UK comedy, it’ll be a densely packed hour of quickfire laughs.

Post-midnight, we’ve spotted the Underground Monk Show (Banshee Labyrinth (Chamber Room), 4-8 and 11-15 Aug, 12.15am, Free/PWYW) – absurdist clowning from the cream of LA’s scene (including The Amazing Banana Brothers’ Bill O’Neill and Mr. Chonkers – John Norris). We’re giddy thinking about this chorus of late-night stupidity.

One-Offs & Short Runs

Late Night with Terry Wogan (Assembly George Square Studios (Studio 1), Fridays (2,9,16,23 Aug), 11pm, £16) will be a gonzo highlight – a riot of anarchic guests and character comedy perfect for Friday nights at Fringe.

Chunks regular Richard Brown appears with a new show for one afternoon (Monkey Barrel @ Hive (Hive 2), 14 Aug, £8). Close-to-the-bone humour with an alternative edge – snap up your tickets quickly.

Finally, we’d recommend Bedlam Lates (Bedlam Theatre, Thu, Fri, Sat (not 1 Aug), 12.30am, £10). Programmed by Liebenspiel Presents (folk behind the Terry Wogan shenanigans), each one-off show is a slice of alternative fun spanning comedy, cabaret and performance art. Our interest’s piqued by Blokenite, a Drag King pageant co-hosted by Kathy Maniura and Frankie Thompson’s Midnight Movie Marathon.