one4review | On 01, Sep 2026

The Edinburgh Festival is tough, at times cutthroat. Not only because of the many hoops acts have to jump through just to even find a venue, but also because of the sheer amount of money required up front. Many acts can’t afford it and never get a chance to shine. Best In Class gives them that platform, bringing together an exciting selection of comedians to the UK’s top cultural Magaluf destination.

Sian Davies, one of the show’s co-founders, gets things moving with street-smart, impeccable crowd work, putting a few stags in their place and setting the spirit for the night. Her warm-up barb on Centre Parcs class-war elitism is an early highlight.

Bert Broadbent
Wonderfully sharp, London comedian feels like a perfect fit for what this collective is trying to achieve. With the look and persona of 1990s Damon Albarn and Liam Gallagher fused, Broadbent has an instantly likeable stage presence.

“Don’t judge a book by its sideburns” is a fabulous introduction, with musings on gyms, working from home and the brilliantly daft romance of dog owners. Funny and authentic, Broadbent is an act well worth tracking down.

Selam Amare
Ethiopian-Swedish-born comedian Selam Amare is outstanding, covering becoming a UK citizen, dating red flags, including the ones she recognises in herself, and the stereotypes of Ethiopians that somehow continue to be preserved by the British.

She delivers it all with certainty and growing confidence, leaving you with the feeling there’s plenty more to come. This is a rising new comedy voice who deserves your attention.

Lorna Gray
Botox, emotional lies and small boats all get thrown into the mix, with a right-wing spoof set to The Killers providing one of the night’s biggest routines. It’s brilliantly daft and lands beautifully. Confident, knowing and a mistress of the craft, it’s exactly the sort of left turn that keeps the show moving.

Davies then brings things back around, explaining why Best in Class exists in the first place. It becomes an unexpectedly emotional signal that some great comedians are being overlooked not because they lack talent, but because the monetary barriers to getting on at the Fringe are becoming increasingly crippling and the general economics of the comedy laughosphere can make progression almost impossible.

And that’s why Best in Class is a show that matters. The Fringe should be about discovery, not algorithms serving up big names. On the surface, it’s a great night out, a proper showcase for exciting new voices, and exactly the sort of Fringe gamble that can pay off – not just for the audience discovering them, but for the comedians getting the support and opportunity in the first place.

****
Reviewed by Steve H
Maggie’s Chamber at Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters