Tom Parry: Parryoke! review – bringer of comfort and joy

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghThe best newcomer nominee of 2015 returns with a look at the funny side of weddings in this smart and satisfying showThat title, “Parryoke!”: the pun, the exclamation mark, the reference to karaoke. I must admit I went int…

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Anna and Helen review – self-care klutzes conjure comedic bliss

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghMining the comedy of motivational seminars with a delectably clownish touch, this double act could make anything funnySelf-help and motivational speaking have provided rich pickings for comedy over the years, and do so aga…

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‘Whenever you have sex, it’s on your mind’: Tom Rosenthal on turning circumcision into comedy

The procedure left the comedian with sexual anxiety – and a tell-all show at the Edinburgh festivalJournalistic etiquette decrees that any delicate questions are usually saved until near the end of an interview. That doesn’t apply, however, when you ar…

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Did you hear the one about the comedians sharing a flat at Edinburgh festival?

Performing at the fringe can cost a fortune – little wonder so many comics bunk in together. We drop in on Jon Richardson, Rose Matafeo and Josie Long, among others, to see how they liveIt is the world’s biggest comedy festival, with jokes cracked all …

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Edinburgh festival 2019: the 10 best jokes

From Chic’s ‘free cow’ to the perils of free-range chicken … the funniest gags so far from this year’s standupsSteff Todd: My new boyfriend told me he’s got my face as his wallpaper, which I thought was cute until I saw his lounge.Steff Todd: Reality…

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Wild oversharing comic Phoebe Robinson: ‘I do dumb things. That’s who I am!’

Is the fringe ready for the brash standup who used to get paid in nachos and chicken wings? We meet one half of 2 Dope Queens as she fills her shoes with sweatWhat does Phoebe Robinson want to see when she arrives at the Edinburgh fringe? “Just tons of…

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Edinburgh festival 2019: the shows we recommend

Plan your schedule with our roundup of top shows, ordered by start time. This page will be updated daily throughout the festivalBoutSummerhall, 10.20am, until 25 AugustAn exploration of brotherhood through the motif of boxing, Chang Dance Theatre’s sho…

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The Edinburgh fringe is obsessed with food – so I went and gorged on the best shows

From comedy about carveries to clean-eating rants, food is a huge theme at this year’s festival fringe. The Guardian’s restaurant critic gets stuck inAt Valvona & Crolla, a venerable Edinburgh deli dating from 1934, I am eating arancini for breakfa…

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For one night only: how Edinburgh’s standups spend their day off

For performers, the fringe is a delirium-inducing month of nonstop work. They get just one day off throughout August – so they have to use it wisely…I love my show and when you have a day off, the next day is a bit lacklustre. But I do need it because …

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Space hoppers and superstars: Edinburgh festival 2019 – in pictures

Our photographer Murdo Macleod has been seeking out the wildest, weirdest and best shows during the second week of the Edinburgh fringe festival Continue reading…

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