Unmissable Comedy:
Returning Favourites at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe
With nearly 1500 comedy shows taking place in Edinburgh this August, it can be hard to choose exactly who to see, especially if you’re only in town for a few days.
To help, we’ve compiled a list of unmissable shows that we can personally vouch for, having worked with these artists at past Fringes or on tour.
Still have gaps in your schedule? We’ve got our own 13 unmissable shows here.
Olga Koch: Prawn Cocktail
Having produced four previous shows from Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Olga, we know that she’s an incredible stand-up, and this show promises to be yet another triumph. Tight jokes, brilliant stage presence, and perfectly chosen pop culture references guaranteed to alienate the over 50s and have everyone else doubled over in their seats.
Excitingly for us, we’ve had teases of the true story of Prawn Cocktail, but haven’t yet had the full story spoiled for us - and if Olga’s past shows are anything to go by, this will be a brilliant, twisting rollercoaster of a narrative. We’re really looking forward to catching this as early as possible at the Fringe.
Helen Bauer: Grand Supreme Darling Princess
Having smashed with Little Miss Baby Angel Face (now available as a brilliant special) and Madam Good Tit (which we produced at the Fringe & on tour last year), the phenomenal Helen Bauer returns to the Fringe with Grand Supreme Darling Princess. As brilliant a joke-teller as she is as choosing show titles, Helen’s got a terrifically bolshy stage persona that puts the audience on the back foot without ever losing them, and then rewards this performer-audience dynamic with some of the biggest laughs you’ll have this festival.
Helen’s only in Edinburgh for two weeks, but if that doesn’t work for your dates, the show plays at London’s Roundhouse earlier in August, and then heads out on tour after its Fringe run.
Shelf: Teenage Men
Shelf’s debut hour, Hair, was a very funny & very moving show about queerness, identity, and friendship that used excellent songs from a band that consists of the very musically talented Ruby Clyde, and the slightly less musically talented (though brilliant dancer) Rachel WD. Their second show Teenage Men, this time on the Free Fringe, promises more of what they do best, storytelling mixed with music and sketches, this time all about growing up. We can’t wait.
Shelf: The Kids’ Show
A second entry for Shelf, this time with their children's show at The Pleasance. If you’ve got young people coming to the Fringe with you, this is top of our recommendations. Shelf’s sketches and songs for kids are brilliant, and their ability to bounce off kids’ reactions to the show is a joy to behold. There’s not much of a better way to start the day than watching two best friends getting to play around and play pranks on each other.
An Evening With Christopher Bliss
There are few better character acts being performed live than Christopher Bliss. If you haven’t seen him before, Rob Carter’s alter-ego is ‘Shropshire’s worst novelist’, and his novels (each of which is four sides of A5 at the longest) never get old. His 2017 show Writing Wrongs remains one of my favourite hours we’ve ever produced and last year’s Captain Word Eye was another triumph – this year’s short run of dates at Monkey Barrel (and one at London’s Roundhouse Comedy Festival) promises to be tonnes of fun and a perfect mid-afternoon comedy show for pretty much all the family.
Ben Target: LORENZO
Whilst we’ve not produced a solo show from Ben, my first Fringe was flyering & stage managing Ben’s incredible debut hour ‘Discover Ben Target’ in 2012. Ben and I go way back, I’ve loved all of his shows since, and I can’t wait to see what he’s come back with in his return to live performance after three years away. Directed by the late (phenomenal) Adam Brace, Lorenzo promises to be a stunning, proper ‘Fringe’ piece of work, where Ben fuses his first-rate comedic sensibilities with a more theatrical narrative. Not to be missed.
Dog Park
Hosted by Amy Annette and Tessa Coates, both of whom we’ve produced shows from, this institution of a night at Angel Comedy in London now heads to the Fringe for two shows. It consistently has an incredible line-up of guests, and these two shows are no exception, promising the likes of Ed Gamble, Nish Kumar, and Rose Matafeo, amongst others. But no matter who’s on the bill, Amy & Tessa are both brilliant stand-ups, and these shows are always a joy.
Jo Griffin: Power Hour
We last worked with Jo on two shows from her double act Lola & Jo, who made very clever and very silly sketches that brought the house down. Now, Jo’s gone solo (although Lola directs her shows), and Jo’s taken everything they did brilliantly as a sketch act and worked that into truly great stand-up. Last year’s debut hour People Person was a brilliant hour of big laughs, confessional stand-up, and a phenomenal dance-break ending, and we can’t wait to see what she’s come up with next.
String V SPITTA
Kiell Smith-Bynoe & Ed MacArthur return with their smash hit musical comedy show about two rival childrens’ entertainers. Many, many years ago we produced a show from Ed, and this year we produce Kiell’s Kool Story Bro, so this is the combined talents of two performers we love. Having sold out multiple runs at Soho Theatre, it’s now the Fringe’s chance to see this brilliant show. The blurb says ‘Think Amadeus meets Flight of the Conchords meets Dizzee Rascal’, which really is an unmissable pitch.
Finlay & Joe: Past Our Bedtime
Brilliant sketch performers, we haven't worked with Finlay & Joe on a show of theirs but they were hilarious and a joy to work with when they cameoed in a couple of shows of the Max & Ivan-thology last year. This new show Past Our Bedtime promises very silly sketches from ‘two sleepy boys against the world’ - we think it’ll be a lot of fun.
John Tothill: The Last Living Libertine
Another on the list of ‘great people who’ve previously worked on Max & Ivan shows’, John was M&I’s musical director and tour manager for their 2019 show Commitment. Now, John comes to the Fringe with his debut hour, and there’s no way we’re missing it. Decked out in leather & leopard print, John owns the stage in a way few can. This is one of the last shows to be directed by the phenomenally skilled Adam Brace before his untimely death this year, and the fusion of John & Adam’s wonderful talents make this a not-to-be-missed recommendation.
Graham Dickson - various
One of the best improvisers working today, and co-founder of The Free Association (the UK’s best improv theatre school), Graham can be found across the Fringe in a number of shows. He’s part of the acclaimed Austentatious, alongside the likes of Joseph Morpurgo, Rachel Parris, and Cariad Lloyd, where a new Jane Austen novel is improvised each day based off audience suggestions. And he’s the creator of St Doctor’s Hospital, where a ridiculous and convoluted medical drama (think ER and Grey’s Anatomy) is imagined up on the spot. Plus - not officially announced yet - on August 21st he joins the team of Kiell Smith-Bynoe’s Kool Story Bro, our brand new improv show!
Rose Matafeo: Work In Progress
This doesn’t really need a plug (unsurprisingly it’s all sold out already), but we’ve caught a few short sets of Rose’s new material recently - including when she headlined Live At The Clapham Grand - and it’s as brilliant as ever. A lovely early slot at Monkey Barrel means this is the best possible way to start your Fringe day, and it’s always worth remembering that 10% of all tickets at Monkey Barrel get held back for walk-ups on the day. Get there early enough and there may still be a chance of getting in to see Rose!