On stage there's just a comedian and a mic. But behind the scenes, directors such as John Gordillo and Phil Nichol can make or break the show. What exactly do they do?It's one of the great s…
Jonny Pelham, Tez Ilyas and Lolly Adefope aren't among comedy's big names " yet. But there is charisma, fresh material and young talent to spare at the festival this year. Here are eight of …
The comedy veterans " not related " sit down for a drink and a debrief and wonder what their 24-year-old selves would make of them nowJason Byrne sips a glass of red wine. "If the 24-year-ol…
Rhys James, Katherine Ryan, Bridget Christie and more offer the standout standup gags of the summerUmbro is named after what your friends say to you if they see you wearing it.Remains is at …
After a storming five-minute spot on The John Bishop Show, Funmbi Omotayo is hitting Edinburgh with his debut solo hour, Legal Immigrant. It's the tale of his family's move from Hackney to L…
After endless disputes over non-payment, sexism and exploitation, leading players such as Sara Pascoe have joined forces to stamp out funny businessShows being pulled last-minute without com…
The standup on making fun of Australians, his school of comedy, and why the Conchords' Bret and Jemaine are his role modelsCalifornia-born Arj Barker arrived at the Edinburgh fringe in 1997 …
As he reaches the end of his UK standup tour, the comic speaks about being a frustrated musician, what his family thinks of his shows and why he's returning to the Perrier-winning role of th…
Reports of the Canadian standup's retirement have been exaggerated. Touring his new show Pun Gent, he says he's ditched his anxiety " and is asking UK audiences to connect the dots Continue …
The controversial American comic is embarking on a new UK tour. He's less angry, he reckons, but is always going to say what he thinksThe velvet-voiced US comic Reginald D Hunter recently pr…
An award-winning joke about a chocolate bar gave the impression that Rob Auton was a ruthless gag-merchant. But his meandering, poetic shows, riffing on his amazement at the world, encompass…
The comic and QI star opens up about his highly personal new show, Little Victories, which covers sexual frustration, family life and Alzheimer's What's your pre-show routine?I'm normally in…
As her Lady Like tour stops off at Soho theatre in London, the Scottish comedian talks about the referendum, feminism, her hatred of spa treatments " and the night nobody laughedHow are thin…
Doctor Brown, the alter ego of American comic Phil Burgers, on playing the idiot with Sam Simmons, watching his audiences walk out and how he never set out to be a comedianWe haven't seen to…
Al Murray's comic creation is standing against Nigel Farage in South Thanet with a '13-point common-sense action plan'. But what would Otis Lee Crenshaw and The Boy With Tape on His Face do …
The standup on classism and sexism in comedy, her part in the Miranda Christmas special and her new show, Am I Right Ladies?!Not many comics have a debut show as successful as yours (What Wo…
Championed by the BBC, fellow comedians and her own dad, who inspired her debut show, this rising comic specialises in heartfelt funnies Continue reading...
From Cambridge Footlights in 1981 to Bridget Christie in 2013, explore the history of the Edinburgh comedy awards. Find out who won, who they beat and how the art of comedy changed each year…
From Luisa Omielans feelgood hour to Liam Williamss pensive set, here are 10 fringe shows where you pay on the way out Continue reading...
Whether you want to overcome your fear of the front row or just feel more invested in the action, these are the acts to catch How to be an Edinburgh festival stooge Continue reading...
Winning best newcomer at the fringe can turn the heads of comedy's kingmakers. Here are five faces in the frame Continue reading...
What's it like to be an onstage helper for a comedian who specialises in bizarre, possibly messy stunts? Paul Fleckney steps up to find out Continue reading...
Eddie Izzard has done it in French, German, Spanish, Russian and Arabic. But are the jokes essentially the same and do foreign comedians at Edinburgh get lost in translation? Read more cove…
Ten years after his Perrier victory with Jackson's Way, the one-time Human Computer is back at the Edinburgh festival with a new show about borders 'Comedy today is tweeting with one hand an…
Every year at the Edinburgh fringe festival, the comedian pushes his luck a bit further and his latest show is outright folly Continue reading...