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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 new stars of TV. They might have only made it to our screens in the last couple of years, but they've made a solid platform for themselves for good reason...

 

 

 

 

Pleasance Courtyard, 1-26 August, 19:00

Ed Fringe | Josh Widdicombe

 

Huffity stand-up from the man who's supported more big-name comedians than you've seen (Merchant, Carr and McIntyre among them).

 

It's a here's-what-annoys-me-about-X sort of stand-up that works because of the competency involved (expect to hear that word a lot – there's something very common about the comics currently making it to TV...)

 

A final point of order: why has Josh never done a show called Widdicomedy?

 

Hotly anticipated follow-up to 2011's Fosters Newcomer nominated debut from the star of Live at the Apollo, Stand Up for the Week, 8 Out of 10 Cats and Rob Brydon Show. 'This is one of the most individual, accomplished, hilarious and unforgettable hours I have had this year' (Scotsman). www.offthekerb.co.uk

 

Josh at 'the fest' last year: 

 

 

 

 

 

Pleasance Courtyard, 1-26 August, 19:50

Ed Fringe | Seann Walsh

 

You see, Josh, THAT'S how you title a show. Seann and his it-looks-different-now hair has made himself a TV regular with great ease, landing a captaincy on Argumental thanks to wit fast enough to hold his own on the panel show circuit.

 

He looks to be on cruise control to becoming a family favourite in future: catch him while he's still a young'un. 

 

Star of BBC1's Live at the Apollo, Channel 4's Stand Up For The Week and Dave's Argumental is back with an all-new hour of 'Sharp, creative observational comedy from a precocious newcomer. See him now, before the stadium tour' (Sunday Times). www.offthekerb.co.uk

 

A turn from last year:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pleasance Courtyard, 1-26 August, 19:40

Ed Fringe | Chris Ramsey

 

We're not far off the launch of Hebburn, Jason Cook's sitcom where Ramsey plays someone rather like Jason and Jason plays, erm, someone else. Like a lot of people today, he's another one to file under unfussy, competent banter and storytelling.

 

ATTENTION ALL COMEDIANS ASPIRING TO GET ON TV, that is officially our new theory. (That, and that South Shields produces rather a lot of comedy for a town its size.)

 

How did we get here? Elaborately laid plan, or just pure fluke? Who knows... do you feel lucky? Perhaps you should. Following two consecutive sell-out Edinburgh shows and a sell-out UK tour, Foster's Comedy Award nominee Chris Ramsey returns to the Fringe with his new stand-up show. As seen on Celebrity Juice, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Russell Howard's Good News and Argumental. As heard on his own Radio 4 special, Radio 1, 2, 5Live and 6Music, Chris presents another hour of uplifting comedy. 'A brilliantly engaging natural storyteller' (Evening Standard).

 

In the absence of owt about on Hebburn yet, here's Chris at the Fringe last year:

 

 

 

 

 

Pleasance Courtyard, 1-26 August, 20:50

Ed Fringe | Andrew Lawrence

 

There are some people who work in comedy who always look a bit 'something' in their photos. Russell Kane always looks like he's been taken from behind. Caitlin Moran hasn't fully shut her mouth since the early nineties. And Andrew Lawrence always looks like he's COMING TO HAUNT YOUR DREAMS.

 

Competent, unfussy stand-up, is the point we're making frequently in this article but it remains true.

 

Star of Live at the Apollo, now a regular on Channel 4's Stand Up for the Week, Andrew Lawrence arrives in Edinburgh following a sell-out 50 date tour of the UK. Twice nominated Best UK Headline Act at the Chortle Awards 2010/11, also a former double Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee, audiences can expect Lawrence to deliver an hour of top-class stand-up. 'He discharges kamikaze philosophies a-hundred-to-the-dozen. And it is outstanding.' (List) 'His almost Victorian blend of rage and good grammar is still a delight.' (Sunday Times). www.andrewlawrencecomedy.co.uk.

 

Comedy Roadshow time, he's one of 'them': 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assembly George Square, 1-27 August, 21:15

 

Campus may have died early but it did give some fantastic live acts more TV exposure, and top of that list is Sara. 

 

Incredibly it's only two years since Pascoe's debut Edinburgh solo show, but she's had her fingers in so many other comedy pies you wouldn't tell.

 

Utterly engaging in a distracted sort of way, the description of this year's show sounds like the best take on the 'here's my life' solo show. Should be a winner.

 

What they say

The uplifting and inspiring tale of Sara who lived from the 1980s to 2012. Sara was born as a baby, meaning she could neither talk nor walk, but she didn't let this hold her back, she faced adversity in the face and grew up to be the overachiever you're all jealous of today. The show includes catchy tunes, stand-up and many morals. Sara's life includes being on TV in Stand Up For the Week, Todd Margaret, Free Agents and Campus (C4), The Thick of It, Being Human and Twenty Twelve (BBC).

 

A video

Here's one of those they-get-good-people Amnesty videos featuring Sara:

 

 

 

 

 

Pleasance Dome, 20-25 August, 20:20

Ed Fringe | Cardinal Burns

 

A one-week run from the E4 sketch boys, mixing the TV characters with 'other stuff'. It was interesting to see how they reshaped their live stuff for TV; it's interestingier to see how it's been reshaped in the other direction. That being said, still expect people going a bit nuts for the Young Dreams girls. Read our chat with them from last week here. 

 

Fresh off the back of their debut hit E4 series, Cardinal Burns return to their spiritual home of the Pleasance for a special six-night run. Mixing favourite characters from the television show alongside a variety of sketches, stand-up, music and more, Seb Cardinal and Dustin Demri-Burns invite you into their surreal and offbeat minds. 'Rare comic energy and control. Very funny' **** (Times). 'The interplay of silliness and dark intelligence is perfectly pitched' **** (Guardian). 'Tremendous stuff' **** (Scotsman). ‘A rare treat: a funny sketch show' (Bob Mortimer). **** (Age, Melbourne).

 

OFFICE FLIRT:

 

 

 

 

 

Pleasance Courtyard, 1-26 August, 20:30

Ed Fringe | Carl Donnelly

 

Carl is rapidly making inroads into Mock The Week et al for a simple reason: his stand-up is unfussy and effortless. Read our interview with Carl here. 

 

Join Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Carl Donnelly (as seen on Mock The Week, Russell Howard's Good News, and Stand Up for the Week) as he reads and discusses choice excerpts from his unpublished and hugely embellished autobiography. Spend an hour with the man described in such terms as 'gripping, unmissable stand-up' (Guardian) and 'Impossibly effortless' (Fest). 'This degree of innate comic talent is a rare and beautiful thing' (BroadwayBaby.com). Why wouldn't you book a ticket?

 

Carl on Mock The Week: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 1-26 August, 20:00

Ed Fringe | Patrick Monahan

 

This time last year Patrick was winning ITV1's Show Me The Funny, but this year he's fully wedged in Edinburgh for the month. 

 

If you haven't seen him live before, he's the archduke of relaxed stage presence that really makes him a friend to the audience. 

 

While the material may not exactly be cutting edge, but the delivery is unbeatable. Read our interview with Patrick here. 

 

(Incidentally, had everyone else forgotten that he won £100,000 for the programme last year? 'Blimey'.)

 

Brilliant new material from the fastest rising comedy star! Patrick has had a sparkling year with appearances on ITV1's Comedy Annual (Stand-Up) and Let's Dance (BBC 1). He won the 2012 Loaded LAFTA's Best Newcomer for stand-up and the 2011 Edinburgh’s Forth Radio Best Stand-Up People’s Choice Award! Be sure to book early! Patrick Monahan is one comedian you don’t want to miss! Seen on ITV’s Comedy Annual. ‘Born to be a stand-up’ (Metro). ‘High energy and conviction, his material is great; he’s going to go far’ (Sunday Times).

 

Kate Copstick talking to La Pat the day after the TV win: 

 

 

INDEX | First hours | Young guns | New Reliables | Solid sorts | Comedian's comedians | TV stars | New TV faces | Double headers and team efforts | Antipodeans | North Americans | Podcast folk | Radio 4 sorts | Free Fringe and free gigs | Innovative formats | Musical comedy | Chat shows | Story-tellers | Character comedy | Political cuts | former Edinburgh Comedy Award winners | former best newcomer winners | former panel prize winners