‘Our show fits in a duffel bag’: clowning duo Xhloe and Natasha on scoring a triple fringe whammy

They came out of the blue and electrified Edinburgh with absurdist takes on Americana. Now the US pair are doing all three hits back to back – and dreaming of not having to share a roomIt’s a story to keep Edinburgh fringe dreams alive. On their own di…

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‘Our show fits in a duffel bag’: clowning duo Xhloe and Natasha on scoring a triple fringe whammy

They came out of the blue and electrified Edinburgh with absurdist takes on Americana. Now the US pair are doing all three hits back to back – and dreaming of not having to share a roomIt’s a story to keep Edinburgh fringe dreams alive. On their own di…

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Give Edinburgh fringe the same status as Olympics, departing head urges

Shona McCarthy says public authorities have routinely ignored needs of world’s largest arts festivalThe Edinburgh festival fringe should be given the same status as major sporting events like the Olympics or the Commonwealth Games, its outgoing chief e…

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Larry Dean: Dodger review – crowd-pleasing gags with a tender twist in the tale

Monkey Barrel Comedy, EdinburghThe Scottish standup retains his bouncy charm in a show that parallels his recent autism diagnosis with the story of his grandmother’s descent into Alzheimer’sWith victory in last week’s So You Think You’re Funny? prize f…

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Colin Hoult: Colin review – portrait of the artist as a young grande dame

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghThe fringe veteran unpacks his idiosyncratic childhood in a vividly realised show about class, family and neurodiversityColin Hoult has been performing at the fringe for 20 years, but never with what most comics give us at…

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Graham Dickson: No One Deserves This More Than You review – dependably funny desperation

Pleasance Dome, EdinburghThe improv star showcases all his charm and skill playing a delusional actor who keeps pausing his show to record self-tapes for superior productions elsewhereFew figures are more dependably funny than the delusional, disappoin…

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A marathon of mirth and stress: comics with chronic health issues on completing Edinburgh fringe

The festival’s relentless pace is demanding for performers, especially with an underlying health condition. Three acts explain how their month has goneAn hour before she was due on stage for the first show of her month-long Edinburgh fringe run, Nina G…

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Amy Gledhill: Make Me Look Fit on the Poster review – bawdy comedy delivered with a blush

Monkey Barrel Comedy, Edinburgh This show about body image doesn’t always hold its focus, but Gledhill has a winning mix of northern mockery and good cheer‘I’ve had some good news, I’ve had some prosecco.” Today’s performance finds Amy Gledhill in a ce…

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Abby Wambaugh: The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows review – dotty comedy debut belies a surprise

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghBeyond its larky interactive stunts and impersonations, the standup’s restart-the-show gimmick coheres into an affecting personal story of redemptionThe First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows, Abby Wambaugh titles her fringe debut. I…

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Show Pony review – what happens when the circus says goodbye to you?

Summerhall, EdinburghIn a compelling collaboration with Bryony Kimmings, the German company Still Hungry deconstruct, satirise and celebrate the circusThree women are remembering their introduction to the circus as children. It offered not just a world…

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