Tom Walker: Javelin review – lots to enjoy, even if the central conceit does not soar

Assembly George Square, EdinburghThe Australian physical comedian conjures up a career for himself as a professional spear-thrower in this wacky if uneven showThere is a distinguished, if niche, tradition of shows that pursue a comedian’s nerdy sportin…

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‘Did Will Smith hurt me? He played Ali!’ – Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle live

M&S Bank Arena, LiverpoolThey are arguably the two greatest US standups of their generation – and both topical for not always lovely reasons. Could this double-whammy possibly live up to the hype?‘This is going to be one of the most legendary night…

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Jessica Fostekew review – sexuality switch exposes rich vein of fast-paced mirth

Monkey Barrel, EdinburghSince her last show, about weightlifting, the 39-year-old has split from her son’s father and moved in with a woman. Which adds up to hilarity for the audience if not the comicFor all the challenges that must come with redefinin…

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Jessica Fostekew review – sexuality switch exposes rich vein of fast-paced mirth

Monkey Barrel, EdinburghSince her last show, about weightlifting, the 39-year-old has split from her son’s father and moved in with a woman. Which adds up to hilarity for the audience if not the comicFor all the challenges that must come with redefinin…

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Jamali Maddix review – the somewhat funny side of sex addiction

Pleasance, EdinburghMaddix is a fluent, playful comic, but the window opened here on his conflicted psyche feels unresolved – for him as much as his audience‘I needed to say it more than you needed to hear it,” says Jamali Maddix towards the end of Kin…

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BriTANick review – dazzling mirth from two SNL sketch masters

Assembly George Square, EdinburghThere are few bells and whistles in Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher’s fringe debut, just two seasoned US comics in effortless harmony with each otherHere’s the secret to ensuring your Edinburgh debut is a success: accru…

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Sam Campbell once joked about killing me – but the Aussie comedian’s Edinburgh win is well-deserved | Brian Logan

The baby-faced oddball has gone from performing to tiny audiences to winning live comedy’s most coveted prize, the Edinburgh festival fringe comedy awardWhat does an Edinburgh comedy award win mean for Sam Campbell? And what does a Sam Campbell win mea…

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The Edinburgh fringe is too long, too expensive and too gruelling. It must change or die

I’ve spent my whole professional life loving and writing about the fringe. But rocketing rents, a lack of diversity and its overwhelming scale are pushing this world-class cultural crucible to crisis point. No wonder artists are asking themselves: is i…

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Edinburgh festival’s funniest performers for 2022 are revealed

Young Latina whose act tackles disability is among the winners at prestigious awards ceremonyBoth of the top prizes for being funny at the 2022 Edinburgh fringe festival have gone to foreign talent. The Australian comedian Sam Campbell is the winner of…

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On my radar: Ed Gamble’s cultural highlights

The comedian on metallic hardcore bangers, the TV adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman and where to get the best mushroom parfaitBorn in Hammersmith in 1986, Ed Gamble is a comedian, writer and actor. He studied philosophy at Durham University and s…

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