Edinburgh Comedy 2012

ComedyReviewer Edinburgh Fringe Hot Tips 2012


Joe Lycett
Great new comedian Joe Lycett is no stranger to Edinburgh or to our TV screens for that matter. For the announcer of the BBC show Epic Win and the star of last year’s Comedy Reserve, things are already looking pretty good. Instantly likeable with a great stage presence, he's not far off making a real impact. This is his first full edfringe show but I've no doubt it's going to be good. The comic’s similarity to a young Allan Carr is staggering. Catch him live while you still can!

Sharron Mathews
Sharron Mathews’ show is fantastic! 5 stars no less but back then listed under cabaret. Nowadays you'll find her in the comedy section, so I hope she fills the show with laughs a plenty. She's a larger than life character who you can't help but love. She wouldn't look out of place on any stage no matter how big, so the fact that you can witness her live in such an intimate venue is a real treat.


Paul Chowdhry
I'm really looking forward to his show. Singed to Off The Kerb and a Stand Up For The Week regular, Paul has everything in place to become a major headliner. He's certainly bursting with talent, so I can't see anything holding him back. Make way, Paul Chowdhry coming through!


Cariad Lloyd
Great reviews last year, so much so that she picked up a well-deserved Best Newcomer nomination along the way. I'd expect just as good if not better from this year’s offering, so Cariad Lloyd is definitely one to watch.


Tom Stade
This could be the year that Tom Stade really makes a name for himself. Having just missed out on a Comedy Awards nomination last year, he'll be looking to go one better this time around. Stade needs to believe in himself and his ability. The push is on to find the next big comedy star and it's time for Tom Stade to make the step up.


Hot List 2012
Chris Stokes, Dan Wright, Matt Rees (Comedy Reserve), Adam Kay, Daniel Simonsen, Denise Scott, Hal Cruttenden, Ian Stirling, Marlon Davis, Nish Kumar,  Rob Becketts, Stephen Carlin, Totally Tom, Trevor Noah,

Russell Kane – Manscaping @ Perth Concert Hall

Award-winning comedian Russell Kane proved why he’s one of the hottest comedians around right now with another near-perfect stand-up performance at Perth Concert Hall last Tuesday.

Support was from Glasgow’s Davey Connor, a very likable comedian with an extremely laid-back manner. A complete contrast to Kane’s somewhat fast-paced and in your face style, Connor was an ideal warm-up and on the merit of this performance, I’ll certainly be keeping a close eye on his future.
Right from the start, you knew Kane was up for this gig, bursting with enthusiasm and confidence. He took to the stage like no other comedian I've seen. Like a hyperactive Tasmanian devil he spun across the stage sending out positive messages and constantly reassuring the audience that this gig was going to be great.

So, was it? YES! I can assure you it was. Let’s face it, Kane always delivers a fine performance but this show was something a bit special. In theory it was a fantastic bit of comedy writing but in practice it was even better.

For a comedian who doesn’t tell jokes there were laughs a plenty and throughout. There was storytelling that was more, much more than just that. And there was a stage show with, well just him but the way he pranced and danced around you soon forgot that this was simply a one man stand-up.
This was the 4th time he’d made the trip north, starting out at Just Laugh Comedy Club some years ago before returning with visits to the Redrooms at Perth Theatre and last year’s award-winning show at Birnam Arts. His audience has grown with every visit and deservedly so. Admittedly, this show was in no way a sell-out but the reality is that he's gone from selling 200+ to close to 600 in the space of just a year.
So watch out Perth because if this pattern continues, we're sure to be looking at a sell-out next time around!

Paul Merton – Out of my Head @ Perth Concert Hall

Paul Merton – Out of my Head @ Perth Concert Hall

When a show is billed as “his first stand-up performance in 13 years”, you expect something rather different.

You see, Paul Merton has visited numerous times in the past, what with Impro Chums and Silent Clowns, both of which did well with the Perth audience. So, it remained to be seen how it would take to a more straightforward stand-up style. Well, at least that's what I’d thought.

The show was basically an autobiographical look back at the early years of Merton’s career. This was done using a whole host of formats from storytelling to improvisation and even puppetry.

I'm sure if you liked his previous work you'd have enjoyed this but, personally, I had hoped for more. Yes, at times the show was rather surreal but it was still a long way off the alternative humour that he did so well in the early 90’s.

I'd say entertainment-wise it was certainly value for money but, as for laughs, you may feel a little short-changed. This is a show full of audience applause rather than laughter and that for me tells its own story. Interesting and entertaining but lacking the quality you’d expect from such an established performer.

While he is still much-loved when on the likes of Have I Got News For You, and rightly so, as his quirky one-liners are often comedy gold, sadly, I think that’s where he may offer his best work these days.