Fringe Comedy

Last year, we began a Skinny Comedy tradition of cutting out the dull journalist element and getting comics to interview other acts. People seemed to like it, so we're doing it again. We didn't give much of a brief to the comics, preferring to see what they'd come up with themselves, and we've ended up with some great different approaches: N’Irelander Martin Mor speaks to Edinburgh expat John Scott about his first ever solo show (check out the website for John interviewing Martin) and we keep it in the family as Aussie Fiona O'Loughlin interviews her daughter Biddy. Helen Arney and Robin Ince, who have been touring together this year with the massively popular Uncaged Monkeys, discuss the creation of new comedy audiences, whilst Sammy J and Randy discuss scrambled eggs and snow globes. Finally, Phil Nichol celebrates his thirteenth Fringe by talking punk comedy and Monty Python with fellow Stand performer Stephen Carlin, and those crazy kids from Pleasance sketch show Jigsaw bribe each other with biscuits. Something for everyone, we like to think.

We’ve got straight interviews too; US-based American W Kamau Bell discusses whether he’s more popular in Scotland, UK-based American Dave Fulton tells us why he’s been banned by the sponsors of the Fringe’s biggest award, and Scottish-based Scot Des Clarke talks about his arse.

Because of all this Fringey goodness, we’re not running our regular New Act of the Month this issue. However, look out for our New Acts of the Month from the past year popping up all over the festival: Richard Hanrahan, Mr July, appears in Hitch and Mitch: Genisis (6-27, 8pm, Banshee Labyrinth, part of the Free Fringe). Sarah Cassidy features in sketch show The Impenetrable Click (6-9 and 11-14, 2:15pm, Bar 50, part of the Free Fringe) and Richard Gadd, Matthew Winning and James Kirk are all banding together to what we like to think of as a Skinny Comedy New Act of the Month extravaganza, Well… This is Awkward (6-16, 1:45pm in Bannermans, part of the Free Fringe).

It’s not just new acts who are playing the free venues of course. After the runaway success of Imran Yusuf’s free show at Espionage last year, which was nominated for an Edinburgh Comedy Award, free shows at the Fringe have gained more credibility than ever, and there are some fantastic shows on this year at even more venues. Keep an eye on our website for this year’s hot tips (Yusuf himself is playing the Pleasance Courtyard every day at 7pm and well worth checking out).

We’ll be posting up more interviews and features online throughout the Fringe, as well as the usual onslaught of reviews. We’ve also got a new blog, run by Bernard, our trusty Assistant Comedy Editor and true punsmith, in which, Bernard tells me ‘Past, present and future stars of the Fringe tell stories of the manic hustling involved in selling your show on the streets of Edinburgh’. It’s called Come Flyer with Me. Sorry.

Talking of Bernard, he’s nicking my job next month as I step down for pastures new, making this my last Fringe with The Skinny. I’m determined to cover more stuff than ever before, especially all the Scottish folk. Comedy agrees with Performance on this one (if on nothing else): we’ve got so much home-grown talent right here in Scotland that we’d be crazy to ignore.

Follow us on Twitter for the latest: @skinnycomedy.

Lizzie x