Previews: Up and comers

Maff Brown

Brown started his comedy career as warm-up for ITV's Loose Women; and if he can handle the hordes of frenzied, maniacal housewives then one suspects the Edinburgh Fringe will be a doddle.

The ex-footballer is no stranger to the Fringe, but this year's Looking After Lesal will mark his Fringe solo debut. Expect a multimedia extravaganza as he tackles the poignant issues of death and family in mischevious, rather than melancholic style. A seemingly endless list of illustrious awards is backed up by a whole host of Edinburgh veterans citing Brown as being destined for bigger and better things. 

Eric Lampaert & Joel Dommett

A steady murmur of hype has been building up around these two young and gawky upstarts. Lampaert ('lamp-air'), with his joker's grin and rubbery physicality, is the type to storm the stage and startle his audience into appreciation, exuding a sort of trendy oddball appeal that should serve him well with younger crowds. Dommett, on the other hand, comes to Edinburgh with a trail of awards, and a finalist spot in the English Comedian of the Year awards. Having racked up over 300 gigs in his first year, the youngster already has the benefit of experience.

Joe Lycett & Andrew Ryan

The odds are that by the end of this year's Fringe, Lycett and Ryan will be well on their way to becoming circuit favourites. Lycett arrives as the reigning Chortle Student Comedian of the Year, and glowing reviews since his 2009 win reflect a young man unfazed by the burden of expectation.

Affable Irishman Ryan, meanwhile, is inevitably being touted alongside the Irish comedic greats, though early comparisons to Ardal O’Hanlon tell only part of the story. The pair's joint show at The White Horse comes at the very reasonable price of zero pounds, so if you fancy some fresh talent, you can't go far wrong here.