Edinburgh Fringe Picks 2012: Solid sorts

The Edinburgh Fringe brochure is, no matter how you slice it, a thumping information overload of a tome. It's hard to even know where to begin – so we've done the work for you, slicing August's bible up into 30 easy-to-consume guides. From the all-important first hours to Fringe favourites, and from the Free Fringe to the best flyers, these are intended as starting points to help you snaffle out the best shows. They're not exhaustive, instead picking out the shows that caught our eye in given categories, but when your brain can't process another flyer we're pretty sure this is the best way to work out what to see.

 

We're publishing them every working day until the Fringe as a sort of advent calendar of comedy, and today we're doing solid sorts. These are comedians who have been around the block a few times, so you know you're going to get a great show.

 

 

 

 

Underbelly Bristo Square, 1-26 August, 20:15

Ed Fringe | Richard Herring

 

All at once thrillingly immature (COCK LOL) and willing to engage honestly with grown-up topics, Herring is chalking up 25 Edinburgh Fringes this year, a fact that can simultaneously make you feel young and old. This is essentially an updated version of Talking Cock, his male version of the Vagina Monologues. He's also doing podcasts during the day at The Stand, which you can go and see too. 

 

An object of shame and pride; inspiring laughter and fear; a symbol of power, yet incredibly fragile; it creates life, it can condemn us to death... and it can do wees too. For his 25th anniversary Fringe, Herring updates the hit show that exposes the truth about the porridge gun. 'Man's answer to the Vagina Monologues' (Guardian). 'An impassioned and thoughtful disquisition on masculinity' (Observer). 'His C*ck is as funny and fascinating for women as it is for men. I loved it. I only wished it could have been longer' (Scotsman).

 

Here's Richard taking a heckler down during his Nicky Clarke hair period: 

 

 

 

 

 

Assembly George Square, 1-27 August, 12:05

 

What we say

The genial Irish raconteur general, who landed an Edinburgh award nomination last year, is back. He's always been willing to engage on social commentary and political button-pushing, so it seems safe to say that this year he's not going to be short of material.

 

Edinburgh's most bankable act returns after last year's Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination. You have seen him on Mock The Week, Celebrity Juice, Have I Got News For You, Argumental, Great Unanswered Questions, Wall of Fame, Alexander Armstrong's Big Ask, The Panel, 9/11 Conspiracy Roadtrip and storming Live At The Apollo; now see him live and in person... That's the spirit. 'One of the most significant comedians working in the country today' (Independent). ***** (Scotsman). ***** (Herald). ***** (Scotland on Sunday). ***** (Times). ***** (Independent). ***** (List). ***** (TimeOut). ***** (Edinburgh Evening News).

 

A chat about last year's show with STV:

 

 

 

 

 

The Stand, 1-26 August, 20:15

Ed Fringe | Jo Caulfield

 

There was a time when Jo Caulfield was labelled as the comedian who was always about to break TV. While that's never fully happened, TV's loss is live fan's gain: as a professional bitch, she's been in this game long enough to know how to take down her targets without getting lazy.

 

Award-winning comedian asks: Why are drunken girlfriends so much fun? Who watches hotel pornography? What constitutes an airtight alibi? Is friendliness overrated? The answers are yours for the price of admission and your dignity. As featured on Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, Mock The Week, Have I Got News For You, News Quiz, and Radio 4’s Jo Caulfield Won’t Shut Up! 'Feisty, funny and wonderfully bitchy' (Observer). 'Sharp-witted comedy that goes down a treat' (Times). 'An hour of blistering fun that is over far too soon' (Edinburgh Festival Magazine). www.jocaulfield.com.

 

Here's Caulfield on La McIntyre:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Venue150@EICC, 1-12 August, 21:20

Ed Fringe | Jason Byrne

 

Messing with audiences might be terribly du jour but Byrne has been doing it for almost two decades. Big name TV spots and a Sony-award winning radio show have helped him land the EICC for this August.

 

Jason Byrne is back with a brand new show where he effortlessly conjures an ordinary room into a night of hilarity. Featuring new stories, props and of course, the star of every show, The Audience. Jason’s Sony Radio Gold Award for The Jason Byrne Show (Radio 2) and ‘best use of an audience’ 2011, confirms his place as the definitive clown of comedy. As seen on Live at the Apollo (BBC1), Dave’s One Night Stand (Dave) and heard on The Jason Byrne Show and Father Figure (Radio 2). ‘Unmissable’ (Evening Standard ). ‘ Comic Nitroglycerine’ (Metro).

 

Here's Jason on Dave's One Night Stand: 

 

 

 

 

 

Pleasance Courtyard, 1-26 August, 21:45

Ed Fringe | Hal Cruttenden

 

The king of London club comics returns to Edinburgh. Expect a master in form delivered in the most cuttingly delicate fashion. Read our chat with him earlier this week here.

 

Hal returns for his fourth Edinburgh debut. As seen on The Royal Variety Performance, Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow and The Rob Brydon Show. 'Hugely talented' (Times). **** (Scotsman). ***** (ThreeWeeks). **** (Metro). Chortle Award Nominee 2012. www.halcruttenden.com.

 

Hal on Comedy Rocks. Something good should come out of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assembly George Square, 1-27 August, 19:40

Ed Fringe | Mark Watson

  

As a theme for a show, 'there's too much information in the world' isn't the freshest going, but this is Mark Watson: you know he's going to have put the time in to writing and crafting a show that does something fresh with the idea. Don't miss Mark Watson's Edinborolympics during the Fringe too.

 

The world has never had such free access to information. Is the internet making us better or worse, smarter or more dependent? Mark Watson, as seen on BBC's Live At The Apollo, Graham Norton, and Michael McIntyre's Roadshow, considered these questions, then stopped considering them long enough to come up with a barrage of jokes, stories and observations. He presents the results of this in a new show. 'A kind of unstoppable funny superhero' (Sunday Times). 'A hilariously funny master of the comedy of mild complaint' (Theage.com.au). Email markwatsonspreview2012@gmail.com for pre-show briefing.

 

Live at the Apollo. Very nice suit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Stand, 2-26 August, times vary

Ed Fringe | Lucy Porter

 

Back in Edinburgh after a couple of years off having children (tsk), one of the merriest comedians in the business is back with a new hour.

 

Since her first solo show - 10 years ago - Lucy has consistently enjoyed critically acclaimed, sell-out festival runs. She has established herself as a Fringe favourite, is a regular voice on Radio 4 and has featured on TV shows such as Mock the Week, Have I Got News for You and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. In her brand-new hour of stand-up, Lucy asks whether human beings are intrinsically good or evil. 'Great gags and superbly worked material' (Edinburgh Evening News). 'Charmingly twisted, articulate and witty' (Sunday Times). 

 

Some Porter from before she upped and vanished on us: 

 

 

 

 

 

Underbelly Cowgate, 2-26 August, 19:30

Ed Fringe | Paul Foot

 

Having been crushing Australia of late, the swirling absurdist returns with a show that sounds like it will be as internally coherent and outwardly baffling as his best. A reliably hot ticket.

 

Deep within the sinking sands of the Perspex jungle of youth, in the forgotten nebula of nothingness, just off the warm waste waters of New Norfolk, comes an objet du désir - a trombone fruit. Needless to say, it's another warm year. ‘The most meaningless comedy ever seen. An entirely pointless evening, or your money back’ (Paul's disastrous guarantee). ‘A very funny man’ (Edinburgh Evening News). **** ‘The show was quite simply one of the best I’ve ever seen in Edinburgh … true alternative comedy at its very best’ (Comedy.co.uk). ***** ‘Unobtrusively masterful’ (Scotsman).

 

Why DO men drink beer?