Fringe Monkey

The Fierce pub on Rose St is decent if you've not been in.

Possibly the best episode so far.

The Jan 8th edition of the Good One Podcast where Chris Gethard discusses the state of the comedy industry is one of the most interesting things I've heard recently. He's eloquent and impassioned. If you're a comedy nerd it's really worth your time.

Might have found NYC's worst comedy club. Cheap plastic chairs, like you'd find in a shit Free Fringe venue on the Cowgate, spaced with no thought for the punter.

You'd still have been Welsh at that point.

It was excellent Josh. Well done!

Entirely on brand, I turned up for a European comedy show and no other fecker did, so it was cancelled. It's a spectacular entrance tho.

New York Comedy Cellar's newest, biggest venue is certainly progressing but still has some way to go. Apparently scheduled for January, it will be a single performance space with a mezzanine.

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After due consideration, the 2025 Fringe Monkey Talented but Ignored Award goes to Jake Baker! Congratulations Jake! If you DM me an address I'll send you a small, underwhelming trophy.

2025 Fringe Stats

Shows entered: 74
Shows abandoned: 4
Reviews posted: 67
Average mark allocated: 2.9
Smallest audience I was part of: 2
Shortest Hour Show: 31 mins
Best Show: Pierre Novellie
Best Show Title: It's Pronounced "Ruaridh"
Main downtime location: Monkey Barrel Bar

You're welcome!

I'm done with Fringe 2025. Hopefully the reviews were of some help & you found something interesting/dodged a bullet as a result. I don't post much Sep-Jul so feel free to Unfollow. I'll hopefully be back in 2026. Thanks to all the performers & to the venue staff. Cheers!

Paul Hilleard (WIP): He's the reigning BBC New Comedy Award winner working out material for his first proper hour. His short run is over but if you enjoy oddball characters saying unusual things in a lo-energy but charismatic way, get him on your list for 2026's Fringe.

Dan Tiernan: Blimey, there's a lot going on here. The material, initially autobiographical, is relayed around a Glastonbury story. He ramps things up during a psychosis section that could be an unhinged Rob Auton piece & ends on a musical callback. Ambitious/impressive in equal measure. PWYW. 4/5

Thanks man. Looking forward to the 2026 insanity 😀

Pretty successful day at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards. Ate too many sausages, drunk too much white wine, bothered Mark Watson, laughed at Amy Gledhill & hung out with the Monkey Barrel cool kids.

Peter Jones: He starts solidly enough with accessible, generic material. Apropos of nothing he begins to enquire in detail what audience members had for breakfast. This ill-judged, anti-comedy diversion continues for an age & only really ends when the fire alarm goes off, allowing me to escape.

Liam Withnail: He takes us through his life, assessing whether the decisions he's made & the challenges he's faced have ultimately resulted in happiness. It's densely-written & expertly-performed. A beautiful example of what can be done in a Fringe show. PWYW. 4.5/5

Might catch his extra show on Sunday. I'm a fan.

It's the last weekend of the Fringe. Here are some of my favourites you might still get into:

Paid: Daniel Kitson, Sam Jay, Rob Auton, James Trickey, Alice Fraser.

Free/PWYW: Pierre Novellie, Ayo Adenekan, Oliver Coleman, Stuart McPherson, Rosco Mcclelland, Ian Smith, Liam Withnail, Jake Baker.

Ian Smith: Fans may recognise bits from his R4 show but there's tons to enjoy here. He's still stressing about stress - this time he themes the hour around a medical test. Rest assured, a vividly-realised diversion is never far away. He really knows how to construct a Fringe hour. PWYW. 4/5

Fast Reviews:

Sam Lake: Solid start, long sad bit, enjoyable laddish ending. 3/5

Dan Muggleton: Parenting, masculinity, Australia (as always). Dependable. 3.5/5

Laura Davis: Captivating but not her most commercial effort. 2.5/5

CMB: Good at silences. Strong wee guy energy. 4/5

The 2025 EDI Comedy Awards shortlist will be out later today. Here are some of MY favourites so far:

Paid: Daniel Kitson, Sam Jay, Rob Auton, James Trickey, Alice Fraser.

Free/PWYW: Pierre Novellie, Ayo Adenekan, Oliver Coleman, Stuart McPherson, Rosco Mcclelland, Chris Cantrill, Jake Baker.

Ruaridh Miller: It's an assured hour of generic standup from this promising local lad. There's no theme but the set divides into personal material/things that bother him. Delivery is cheery & he keeps things moving along. No doubt he'll be in a bigger room next year. PWYW. 3/5

Dan Rath: Steven Wright is the most obvious reference - think low-energy precision 1 liners but with surreal twists rather than dispiriting puns. He dwells on some topics for a while, allowing momentum to build. Blunt crowdwork displays just how quick his mind works. PWYW. 3.5/5

Mark Silcox: He's a gold trader now apparently. It's a deliberately-shambolic PowerPoint lecture, often with irrelevant diversions. He's the poster boy for the phrase "marmite comedian". His hardcore audience are in hysterics while others stumble out early, dazed & confused. FF. 3/5

Mike Blaha: We're firmly in "He's seems nice but..." territory here. He's a well-travelled lawyer who appears to have forgotten to edit these travel tales down for public consumption. He's like a jovial uncle you try to avoid at a family gathering. A misjudged effort. 1.5/5

Rosco Mcclelland: If you've not seen him recently, he's got really good. He updates us on his life & what's been bothering him. No strongly-present theme but the material is well-worked & it's a very satisfying hour of accessible, charismatically-delivered standup. PWYW. 4/5

Courtney Buchner: Supposedly about her lesbian awakening & her wedding, we get many childhood stories of varying quality. There's strong drama-school energy with this one - she loves an accent & an act-out. The mainly female audience seemed a lot more on board than I was. 2/5