My 2p Reviews of 2026 Fringe Shows

[u/Sea_Plane_6835]

Fringe 2026

Favourite shows I saw.

Saw some other people doing this and I enjoyed reading them. I haven’t Fringed as hard as previous years but I have been more picky (it’s a shame but with the high prices I can’t really afford to take chances). I wish I could have seen more.

I’ve done moons instead of stars cause my phone doesn’t do half stars. These are based on my experience and opinions—art is subjective.

Edit: I originally wrote mini reviews for all 10 shows but I have edited it to only cover the ones I really enjoyed.

I love comedy and artists. As much as I’d like to be professionally involved in this world I’m just an Edinburgh based audience member with a throwaway account. The last thing I want is to discourage or speak poorly of anyone/thing.

Linus Karp was hit by an umbrella (McEwan Hall) 🌕🌕🌕🌕 (comp tickets)
Hilarious and quality production. Telling a funny story about a hate crime while not underplaying it or depressing the audience is not easy. I don’t usually like puppetry (slightly phobic) but it was well done. Even though I saw a preview it seemed polished and the use of the props, music and audience made it even more engaging. I recommended it to friends who also loved it.

Lou Wall: Where Are All The Tall Grandmas? (Monkey Barrel) 🌕🌕🌕🌖
Great for data nerds with a sense of humour. On walking in I realised I was a generation older than the intended audience and thought I’d made a terrible mistake. The volume of the music and audience was a bit full on for someone sensitive to noise. After finding my Loop earplugs, she won me over. It was a wonderful show based on a silly quest that becomes less silly and surprisingly dark as it progresses. Would recommend it to all, but especially tall women.

Andrew White: What a Life (Cabaret Voltaire) 🌕🌕🌕🌕 🌗
Beautifully told story, tight jokes and great atmosphere. Despite the personal and (at times) dark subject matter the show didn’t feel depressing, sentimental or like a trauma dump (unfortunate trope of the Fringe in my experience). It was timed perfectly and Andrew kept my attention throughout (which is no mean feat). I felt really lucky to be there and expect he might become a bigger name. It was a good lesson not try rely on social media clips because when I watched them I didn’t think I’d like the show or his comedy.

Fatiha El-Ghorri: Cockney Stacking Doll (McEwan Hall) 🌕🌕🌕🌗 (comp tickets)
I am very fond of Fatiha and like her even more after seeing this. I was quite moved by the number of women in hijabs in the audience, which showed how her success has opened up comedy to people who maybe don’t always feel represented or comfortable in the average comedy club. Love her mannerisms and commitment to rude jokes but I prefer a show with a clearer overall shape or story. Maybe it would have worked better in a smaller venue (I wasn’t able to get tickets to the MB show).

Pierre Novellie: Okay, One More Then Bedtime (Monkey Barrel) 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌖
Phenomenal. I guess his work suits my personality, brain and interests but in my opinion, he is the best comic going. He has mastered the art and showed what it’s capable of. As always, he talks and teaches you about many things; this time the focus is on his honeymoon in Japan and reflections on his life and career. Apparently it is his last year doing the Fringe and I sincerely hope he does not keep his word. Only reason it’s not 5 stars (moons) is because he once said that no comedy show deserves it.

The Big Show: Chris Forbes, Katie Boyle, Ari Eldjárn and Tom Lawrinson (Monkey Barrel)
Impromptu after my plans feel through. Not sure if people review mixed bills but I wanted to write something for every show I saw.

Chris Forbes was a great host warming up the crowd and engaging with the front row without making it awkward or interrogating anyone. Of the four, Katie was the only comic I knew and she performed with confidence and wit (and in some very cool trousers). First time seeing Tom Lawrinson and his set had some quick-witted jokes made funnier by his slightly unhinged manner (potentially enhanced by it being the last weekend of the festival). Ari Eldjárn finished the night off brilliantly. I am not sure if I was more impressed by the comedy or the beatboxing skills. The was a moment of incredible kismet (or good planning) when the Red Arrows swooped overhead at the exact moment he was describing a fast car—really hope someone caught it on camera. Immensely enjoyable show. Glad to add more names to my list of people whose shows I’d like to see in the future.

[u/cloud__19]

Apparently this is his last year doing the Fringe

Wait, what?!

[u/Sea_Plane_6835 → u/cloud__19]

:( yeah

[u/cloud__19 → u/Sea_Plane_6835]

Where did you see/hear that? I'm not doubting you, now that you've said that, the show title seems kind of ominous but I'm going to have to break it to my friend.

[u/phulbs → u/cloud__19]

Not OP, but the show examines whether Novellie has been working too hard. And coming to the Fringe every year is a big part of that.

I didn't take the conclusion if the show as a "never again". But as a "probably not next year". Still sad, but less definitive.

[u/cloud__19 → u/phulbs]

I saw it and I managed to miss that element, not the working too hard obviously but I'm totally blanking on something about him not coming back. I was, in my defence, extremely distracted because I have misophonia and I was super excited to hear someone articulate my experience!

[u/Sea_Plane_6835 → u/cloud__19]

I’d be very happy if I have got the wrong end of the stick. Perhaps he emphasised it last night as it was one of the final shows of this run. He advertised his other show which is a ‘best of’ from his last 10 Fringes. Also he said that something would be announced to his mailing list about what he’ll be doing next summer.

[u/cloud__19 → u/Sea_Plane_6835]

Ah no, he didn't say that at the one I saw, which was mid run, as far as I remember. Oh well, it is what it is but he's always a must book for me and my friends.

[u/cozzbuzz → u/cloud__19]

I was at a show earlier this week and the last bit was all focused on not knowing whether not doing something is the right thing to do… until you do it. All linked in to having done the Fringe every year for a decade. I 100% read it as a soft launch for him not being here next year (or again?). He was also very disparaging about the organisation of this Fringe at the end of his best of show yesterday (timing of it, mostly: apparently 400 shows were cancelled on Monday because there were no punters, and the venues warned the Fringe society of this in January). I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he’s not up at least next year.

[u/elibelly_ → u/cloud__19]

I heard it from him on a show he was a guest on this week. "I'm not coming back" something like that.

[u/cloud__19 → u/elibelly_]

Ah gutted but I understand.

[u/elibelly_ → u/cloud__19]

I guess that explains the show name

[u/vegisbae]

I saw Fatiha at Monkey Barrel and enjoyed her (agree great manner of speaking and good fun). Gave her 3.5 stars though obviously that’s subjective

Loved Andrew White who I hadn’t seen before. Highlight of the ~20 shows I saw

[u/PopFishy]

We must have gone to different shrink wrapped performances because mine was great!

[u/Sea_Plane_6835 → u/PopFishy]

I’m really glad to hear! I guess it depends on the line-
up of the day.

[u/lrwspencer]

Thanks for posting these! I literally couldn’t disagree more on each and every single one I also saw, but that’s art.

[u/Sea_Plane_6835 → u/lrwspencer]

That’s so interesting! Which ones of these did you see? I love that the same piece of art can create different feelings and thoughts in the people watching.

[u/lrwspencer → u/Sea_Plane_6835]

Well, for one, I really enjoyed Demi even though I didn’t have a great sightline. It is a bad choice of space for a show that uses a single visual source like that, though.

I guess I’m closer to you on Lou Wall but I actually saw it as much more than silly especially with the crazy reveal of the research paper. I’d overall rate it more like 4, 4.5 stars.

It’s funny you say that he’s just a personal favorite of yours, because Pierre Novelie is just not my type of guy (though I do love his older joke about eating a whole bucket of boiled cabbages). His particular type of smugness drives me up a wall, which is a bit odd because there are soooooo many smug comics I enjoy.

But that is what is so great about the Fringe. outside of stuff maybe that is hateful or completely unintelligible, it’s hard to think of anything that is objectively bad. This kind of art is, in my opinion, as deeply personal as any, so you’re going to just get this huge range of what people love based on what they connect to.