Pear: Phobia 4****

“Sketch comedy isn’t dead. It just grew to six-foot-seven and took its shoes off.” At a time when sketch comedy has been mostly flattened into TikTok quick cuts and algorithm-chasing improv, Pear arrive like a weird, welcome glitch in the … Read More

Zainab Johnson : Toxically Optimistic 4****

Zainab Johnson is an American stand-up comedian, actress and podcaster, making her Fringe debut and judging by the near capacity venue tonight, there is an air of anticipation. Zainab is a confident performer and talented story teller. She has a … Read More

Kathy Maniura: The Cycling Man 4****

The only negative in this show is the set up of the room: you can’t see all of the screen from everywhere. The screen isn’t a huge part of the show, however, and where it is used, it’s used – … Read More

Lorna Rose Treen: 24 Hour Diner People 4****

Lorna Rose Treen seems like she’s having a really good time performing this show, and it’s quite infectious. Though she pulls in members of the audience to – almost literally – be her stooges – the only reason these characters … Read More

Susan Harrison: Should I Still Be Doing This? 3***

Ms Harrison wonders, through this show, if she should still be doing this. She looks like she’s enjoying it, and the audience seemed to be too, so the answer would seem to be yes. There is a sense though that … Read More

Luke Connell: Bloody Marvellous 3***

The word for this show is ‘gentle’. Mr Connell is a tall gentleman with a genial manner presenting a lovely wander through various elements of medievality. Mr Connell is a professor of medieval studies, and as a result of one … Read More

Cat Cohen: Broad Strokes 4.5****

Cat Cohen’s 2024 Fringe show Come For Me saw the comedian perform what was actually her cancelled 2023 show. This year, Broad Strokes is her explanation for her 2023 absence: a mini stroke and the subsequent procedure to fix … Read More

Adults Only Magic Show 4.5****

This popular show returns to the festival and barely needs an introduction. It is a combination of magic and comedy with some bizarre nudity thrown into the mix. Compare ‘Magnus Danger Magnus’, and magicians Sam and Justin ignite the stage … Read More

Leo Still Dies In the End : Alice Fishbein 4****

The show is entirely dedicated to the much acclaimed and multi Oscar winning 1997 movie Titanic, directed by James Cameron and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

Now I cannot overstate the level of obsession or how profound the effect … Read More

Tilly Harrison: Tilly Can’t Lie 3***

A devious comedic mind with real promise. “Do you like to lie?” This is Tilly Harrison’s opening gambit, lobbed playfully at the front row like a grenade. It’s repeated to various audience members, building live comedy from scratch. And here’s … Read More