A few months ago, he was pulling pints. How did he end up writing for Sharon Horgan, acting with Jeff Goldblum and storming the West End?Until a few weeks ago, Freddie Meredith’s IMDb page was full of names like “Seb” and “George” and “Philip Noonan”. …
Continue ReadingThe ex-marketing manager’s win, for his spoof Sycamore Gap-inspired whodunnit Rewilding, arrives just as he’s gearing up for a new season of hit sketch show SNL UK – which he calls ‘the hardest job of my life’For the last month, Chris Cantrill has been…
Continue ReadingPleasance Courtyard, EdinburghThe Chicken Shop Date co-writer gives a gossipy, erudite account of his relationship with how he looks in this assured debutAt a fringe noticeable for the polish even of its rookie standups, here’s another debut showing no…
Continue ReadingPleasance Courtyard, EdinburghThe comic’s unique tale of assimilation and romance-related limbo has a high joke rate and emotional intelligenceI want to tell Omar Badawy to take a breath. This debut moves at a frantic, almost dizzying pace, so much so …
Continue ReadingAssembly George Square Gardens, EdinburghFour clowns stir up a strange stew of ideas about faith in this playful and highly physical comedy‘Anyone ever been born before?” That’s a rare bid for relatable crowd work in this buzzy, bizarre hour by a bunch…
Continue ReadingNominated in three previous years, the rambunctious standup – one half of The Delightful Sausage – wins the prize for his show Rewilding while Marty Gleeson is named best newcomerThe annual Edinburgh comedy award has been won by the standup Chris Cantr…
Continue ReadingMonkey Barrel Comedy, EdinburghCantrill shares his struggles descending into middle age and his awkward interactions with fellow villagers in a fun showNow a four-time nominee for the Edinburgh comedy award, Chris Cantrill is bearing down on James Acas…
Continue ReadingPleasance Dome, EdinburghBehind this grab-bag of papier-mache heads and walkies banter lies a celebration of simply talking to one anotherFirst came Ricky Gervais’s cynical cats; now here are Spencer Jones’s optimistic Dogs. One was tawdry, the other c…
Continue ReadingPleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh Hopping from a PowerPoint on hairlines to songs about favourite motorways, Towelling’s set is fun but drops a stitch or twoThe route from the classroom to the comedy stage is well travelled, and ex-maths teacher Tom Towel…
Continue ReadingPleasance Courtyard, EdinburghIn his award-nominated show, the standup ruminates on myth and memory with some lovely observations‘There’s a moment when that ends,” muses Li Jin Hao, “and this begins …” As well as being jam-packed with swoonsome one-lin…
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