Every year hundreds of comics head North of the Border in the hope of fame and glory....

& every year we preview the best shows so that you can catch them before they transfer into the West End at ridiculous prices!

We take care to recreate the real atmosphere and experience of an Edinburgh show...

* no audience *

* no pay *

* great fun! *

 Various Tuesdays and Fridays  at 8pm (doors)       8.30pm (1^st Show)        9.45pm (2^nd Show)

two full shows per night for £7/5 (conc.)

Tickets available from We Got Tickets (click here)

NB Bills may change at late notice - make sure you refresh these pages

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Tuesday 9th June  SOLD OUT - SORRY

Stewart Lee    ~   Bridget Christie

Tuesday 16th June

  Matt Kirshen    ~   Pete Firman 

Matt Kirshen SHORTER THAN NAPOLEON
By the age of 30, Napoleon could already speak fluent French and had decided on a look.
In his 30th year, Matt Kirshen, the star of some things you may have seen on the telly, returns to the fringe in a new show with a needlessly self effacing title. "First class" **** Fest. “His likeability almost goes off the scale” **** Chortle "The laughs are guaranteed and don't stop from beginning to end." ***** Evening News

  Pete Firman THE PETE FIRMAN MAGIC SHOW
The UK's No.1 comedian/magician returns to Edinburgh with his biggest show yet. Big tricks and big laughs from “The MySpace generation’s Tommy Cooper” (Scotsman)
“He is the funniest and by far the most accomplished performer on the New Magic scene...funnier than most comedians and more magical than Dumbledore on a good day. This guy is a complete star.” Time Out “The man from Middlesbrough sets the pace for comedy-meets-magic in the 21st century.” The Times 

Tuesday 23rd June

  Simon Brodkin as Lee Nelson    ~   Matt Green 

Simon Brodkin STILL NOT HIMSELF
Character comedy at its absolute best from the star of ITV1’s Al Murray's Multiple Personality Disorder. Still Not Himself presents 4 inspired creations from one of the country's most exciting comedians "A prodigious talent, Simon Brodkin could well become a household name" The Times. “A veritable feast of character comedy, all packing harpoon-sharp material” The Scotsman “Simon Brodkin’s new show is inspired” Metro. 

   Matt Green TRUTH & PLEASURE
Fresh from a five-star, Guardian Pick of the Week, sell-out success at the Brighton Fringe, Matt Green is proud to present his second solo show: an hour of jokes, stories, chat and fun from a rising star. Is the truth stranger than fiction? Not necessarily, but it might well be funnier...
"Green is a stand-up audience's dream; his off-the-cuff jokes are so good they could have been scripted, and his clever prepared material is delivered so nonchalantly it could have been improvised...an explosion of comedy that left everyone in stitches" ***** Three Weeks (May 2009) 

Tuesday 30th June

Sorry - Cancelled - Alistair Barrie stuck abroad and Weather too hot!

  Dan  Atkinson   ~   Helen Keen 

Dan Atkinson DEATH BY A 1000 PRICKS
It's about honesty, it's about mufti day, it's about practical education between the sheets and it's about making the most. It also contains two foolproof methods for killing a sparrow.

NB Alistair Barrie is unable to appear tonight

Helen Keen The Primitive Methodist Guide to Arctic Survival
Helen (Channel 4 New Comedy Writing Award winner) tells true tales of her devout, whale-hunting ancestor's triumph against disaster in the Arctic. Packed with gags, silliness, science, stiff upper lips, dodgy props, and useful survival tips for any 19th century whaling expeditions you might join. "Startlingly fine entertainment throughout...Crisp, sophisticated comedy" 
(The Guardian) 

Tuesday 7th July

  Nick Doody    ~  Geoff Norcott 

Nick Doody SCHIZO
Screw you, grey area! What’s the good in seeing two sides to every argument if both of them make you angry? It’s time to see the smaller picture. In his fourth year at the Fringe, acclaimed stand-up Nick Doody does away with the nuances of subtlety. 
‘Simply the best unadulterated, gimmick-free hour of pure stand-up’ Chortle ‘You will see many shows before you see another comic hit so hard with such grace…quite brilliant’ Scotsman

Geoff Norcott THE SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT MEN & WOMEN

 Geoff Norcott has been probing the heart of sex and gender.
To his surprise, the stereotypes he once ridiculed may actually be enshrined in our DNA.
‘Funny, charming and optimistic…’ (List) 

Tuesday 14th July SOLD OUT - Sorry

  Stephen K Amos   ~   Dan Atkinson 

Stephen K. Amos THE FEELGOOD FACTOR
Forget the credit crunch and welcome to the show that’s full of fun, warmth, bonhomie and love.
“Unites everyone in laughter" The List
"For sheer entertainment value Amos is tough to beat" Evening Standard

Dan Atkinson DEATH BY A 1000 PRICKS
It's about honesty, it's about mufti day, it's about practical education between the sheets and it's about making the most. It also contains two foolproof methods for killing a sparrow.

Tuesday 21st July

  Micky Flanagan    ~  Paul Sinha 

Micky Flanagan SPIEL
If.comedy nominee Micky Flanagan returns with a brand-new hour of comedy, following his sell-out UK tour earlier this year. Star of BBC1 and Radio4, Micky is also one of only a handful of comics to perform their own Comedy Central special. ???? Times. Critic’s Choice Observer. Book now. Total Sell-out 2007
“The rising star Micky Flanagan" - Stephen Armstrong, The Sunday Times
“Highlight of the night was Micky Flanagan… a class act." – Steve Bennett, Chortle
www.mickyflanagan.com

Paul Sinha 
Paul, single since 1991, is increasingly unable to deal with the world at large. Surely an obsession with television quizzes can't be the answer. Or can it? ‘Superlative’ Telegraph. ‘Superb’ Times. If.comedy nominee 2006 & Chortle Best Headliner nominee 2009. www.paulsinha.com.

Friday 24th July

   Lucy Porter    ~   Paddy Lennox 

Lucy Porter FOOL’S GOLD
Festival favourite Lucy Porter’s latest solo show is a witty romp through the history of gold. In these times of recession, gold is prized more highly than ever, as other forms of currency grow worthless. What’s so special about gold, and why is it that human beings have long been obsessed with the yellow, shiny stuff? The show will feature live alchemy, a tribute to Mr T. and a very valuable, big gold thing with security guards and everything!

Paddy Lennox Who Does He Think He Is?
In an effort to find out who he really is Paddy got himself tangled up in his family tree, but also discovered plenty of laughs in the characters, contradictions and gruesome past of his ancestry. 400 years of family skeletons via Oliver Cromwell, King Billy, Westminster Abbey and Giant’s Causeway. Simply a scream’ **** (Telegraph) ‘Comedy the way it should be’ **** (Fest) ‘Vastly entertaining’ **** (ThreeWeeks) 

Tuesday 28th July

  Wilson Dixon    ~  Chris McCausland  

Wilson Dixon Wilson Dixon's American Dream
Comedy Star of The Wilson Dixon Line, BBC Radio 2. Chortle Nominee 2009. The outlaw country singer and cowboy philosopher, hits the road to find the American Dream… but like all abstract concepts, it can't actually be found. Instead, he finds a Vietnam Vet who thinks America won the war, a town called Nameless in Tennessee, and a “beauty queen” in Iowa that redefines the term. “...gut-bustlingly funny … beautifully crafted songs that really impress.” **** The Scotsman. “...made me cry with laughter...” The Stage “...brilliantly oddball...” Chortle “...an object lesson in intelligent, understated comedy...” Best Of The Fest Top Picks, The Age On Sunday (Aus). **** Sunday Times. **** Metro

Chris McCausland 7 Strikes
"Excellent" - The Times Critics Choice. During his life Roy Sullivan was struck by lightning 7 times. That's just mental! How do you even compete with a story like that?... What's the bloody point. The award-winning Scouse comedian takes a look at the eventfulness of life amidst Roy's incredible story. "McCausland is the genuine article, a comedian with a true talent" - Edinburgh Guide.com "Exhilarating! Pure Joy!" - The Stage. 

Friday 31st  July

  Phil Nichol    ~   Gordon Southern 

Phil Nichol A Deadpan Poet Sings Quiet Songs Quietly…
Ridiculously deadpan one-liners, fantastically sublime comic poems and quietly engaging comedy songs interspersed with the hare-brained musing of an idiot. ‘Famous for being entertainingly unpredictable’ ****List. ‘Brilliant’ ***** 

Gordon Southern THE UNOFFICIAL ANNUAL 2009
The international word clown returns from Adelaide ("one of the best in the business" DB) and Melbourne ("so charming you want to take him home" The Age) to smash out this awesome evolving scrapbook. 

Tuesday 4th August

Ivor Dembina  ~ Carey Marx 

PLEASE NOTE:  Barry Cryer is feeling a little under the weather and his Doctor has advised

waiting a little while before performing live.  Therefore we are postponing his appearance until

either 11th or 18th August.  Tickets already purchased will be valid for the new date.  Keep your

eyes on this space for further information.  Fri 31st July.

Ivor Dembina - This is not a subject for Comedy

A rare chance to catch Ivor's acclaimed solo show

Carey Marx THE DOOM GLOOM BOOM
Da-doo doo doom doom, ba-boo boo boom boom, da-doo doo doom doom, doomy gloomy gloomy BOOM BOOM. ‘A genius’ The Guardian ‘An analytical gift’ The Herald ‘The darkest realms of comedy’ The Fest

 

Tuesday 18th August

BARRY CRYER and RONNIE GOLDEN

Rescheduled from 4th August