British Comedy Guide
British Comedy Guide
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2010 Edinburgh Fringe

Edinburgh Fringe reviews 2010

Here's a list of the shows the British Comedy Guide team watched in 2010, with the best-rated shows at the top.

Chris Addison

Chris Addison

The most important thing to say about Chris Addison's show is simply that it packs in a frankly astonishing number of laughs per minute.

Claudia O'Doherty

Claudia O'Doherty

The whole show is inventive and fun but there is one moment in particular that must be one of the most magical on the Fringe.

Colin Hoult

Colin Hoult

At once unsettling yet strangely touching, Hoult delivers his creations with confidence and a luscious touch of pure theatricality.

Daniel Kitson

Daniel Kitson

Daniel Kitson has created a show so enthralling that it is impossible to adequately sum up in words.

Image shows from L to R: Shane O'Brien, Demian Fox, James Walmsley, Mick Cullinan

Dead Cat Bounce

Original, polished and perfectly crafted, Dead Cat Bounce are a must-see.

Delete the Banjax

Delete The Banjax

Simply put, delightful sketch group Delete The Banjax are adorably funny.

Greg Davies

Greg Davies

Quite simply, this is one of the most joyous hours of stand-up I have seen in a very long time.

Jeremy Lion. Justin Edwards

Jeremy Lion

Jeremy Lion Goes Green is the perfect example of what character comedy is meant to be. Justin Edwards stays comfortably (some might say worryingly) within his capabilities as Lion.

Kevin Eldon

Kevin Eldon

Hyperactively clever, Eldon whisks his way through a deconstruction of comedy, picking apart its exquisite corpse genre by genre.

Asher Treleaven

Asher Treleaven

Asher Treleaven conveys his ideas through an innate gift for story-telling, and the odd talent of expressive 'dance'.

Kev Orkian

Kev Orkian

Kev Orkian's fictional Armenian character may not deliver the most subtle of jokes, but is he a great mainstream entertainer.

Nick Helm

Nick Helm

Nick Helm combines one-liners, poems, audience interaction and songs to create a brilliant hour of entertainment.

Susan Harrison

Susan Harrison - Creatures

Susan Harrison shows off some impressive acting skills as she becomes five very different fantasy characters.

The Boy With Tape On His Face. Sam Wills

The Boy With Tape On His Face

It's painfully funny, and so inventive that you can't recall why you ever bothered going to see common-or-garden stand-ups.

Andrew Collins

Andrew Collins

Collins is an endearing performer, and although most of the audience are made up of Collings & Herrin fans, it wouldn't be hard for him to win over newcomers with this watchable and very funny show.

Andy Zaltzman's History Of The Third Millennium. Andy Zaltzman. Copyright: Avalon Television

Andy Zaltzman

Young comics could do worse than watch this master-craftsman go about his business.

Image shows from L to R: Barry Jones, Stuart MacLeod

Barry and Stuart

Two creepy but cool guys in smart suits doing magic? Thank you very much, Barry and Stuart.

Carl Donnelly

Carl Donnelly

Carl Donnelly's stage presence and comfort in front of the audience, belies the fact that he is one of the fringes newer performers.

Strap In - It's Clever Peter. Image shows from L to R: Richard Bond, William Hartley, Ed Eales-White. Copyright: Pozzitive Productions

Clever Peter

Intelligent material in sketch comedy is sometimes hard to come by, and it is through this that Clever Peter are refreshing.

Four Screws Loose. Image shows from L to R: Thom Ford, Joseph Elliott, Richard David-Caine, George Conan House

Four Screws Loose

A sketch show with lots of laughs - particularly in the skits where music was involved.

Geraldine Quinn

Geraldine Quinn

High-energy fun with the award-winning Australian singer.

Idiots of Ants

Idiots Of Ants

Innovative and different it may not be, but sometimes that's all you want from a gig - to be able to sit back and have a chuckle.

Jim Jefferies

Jim Jefferies

After a lengthy stint in the States, Jeffries seems pretty bloody relieved to be back (drinking) on stage in Scotland.

Jimmy McGhie

Jimmy McGhie

Jimmy McGhie may not be a household name yet, but based on this very likeable mainstream hour it won't be long before he is.

Image shows from L to R: Joe Lycett, Andrew Ryan

Joe Lycett & Andrew Ryan

A double-header featuring two charming young comedians who are clearly destined to go onto bigger things.

John-Luke Roberts

John-Luke Roberts

John-Luke Roberts has clearly lovingly crafted and honed his quips to the distilled state in which they are performed.

Just A Minute. Image shows from L to R: Nicholas Parsons, Paul Merton. Copyright: BBC

Just A Minute

Nicholas Parsons returns to the Festival once again to chair two episodes of Just A Minute.

Late Night Gimp Fight. Image shows from L to R: Richard Campbell, David Moon, Lee Griffiths, Paul Richard Biggin, Matt Ralph

Late Night Gimp Fight

Some fast-paced, high-energy, well directed - if a little over-crude at times - sketch show fun.

Loretta Maine. Pippa Evans

Loretta Maine

Loretta Maine, the singer with the feel-bad factor, is back in Edinburgh to spread her jaded-fairy magic via the medium of music.

Miles Jupp

Miles Jupp

Miles Jupp has a gift for storytelling, and someone you could listen to forever on almost any subject.

No Son Of Mine. Image shows from L to R: Alexander Kirk, Rufus Jones

No Son Of Mine

This mid-afternoon play at the Pleasance starring Rufus Jones and Alex Kirk is brilliantly written and performed.

Pete Firman

Pete Firman

Pete Firman's tongue-in-cheek style and clever rapport with the audience leave him worlds apart from the old style cheesy magician.

Pete Johansson

Pete Johansson

As a performer Pete Johansson ticks all the boxes.

Roisin Conaty

Roisin Conaty

Roisin Conaty is going to be a big-name comedian one of these days...

Sammy J

Sammy J

Telling the audience that they will one day die is usually a route to the graveyard shift of live comedy, but not for Sammy J...

Simon Evans

Simon Evans

Make no mistake, the well-brought-up, seemingly old-fashioned Simon Evans is a man on a mission.

Stand Up For Freedom 2010

Stand Up For Freedom

Amnesty International's legendary annual stand-up Fringe showcase delivered a top quality line-up.

Stuart Goldsmith

Stuart Goldsmith

Stuart Goldsmith says he has spent his whole life trying to be interesting. He has definitely succeeded.

Terry Saunders

Terry Saunders

Terry Saunders genius for storytelling shines brightly in his new show, Six And A Half Loves.

The Golden Lizard. Image shows from L to R: Mike Wozniak, Henry Paker

The Golden Lizard

With the aid of just one chair, a pair of clip-on spectacles, some Aviators and a visor, Mike Wozniak and Henry Paker play out the tale of Roy.

The Lunchtime Club 2010. Image shows from L to R: Liam Williams, Ian Smith, Rob Beckett, Joel Dommett, Tom Rosenthal

The Lunchtime Club

This year's Lunchtime Club line-up is as strong as ever. It's a chance to see five very talented young comedians for a bargain price.

The Penny Dreadfuls. Image shows from L to R: David Reed, Humphrey Ker, Thom Tuck

The Penny Dreadfuls

Now unconstrained by corsets and breeches, The Penny Dreadfuls are clearly having a ball.

The Three Englishmen. Image shows from L to R: Jack Hartnell, Nick Hall, Tom Hensby, Ben Cottam

The Three Englishmen

The Three Englishmen, a four person sketch group, have got charisma, wit and talent - and this should take them far.

Tim Fitzhigham

Tim FitzHigham

Wide eyed and bounding around, FitzHigham has a brilliant air of enthusiasm, and is incredibly keen to involve his audience in every aspect of his storytelling.

Tim Vine

Tim Vine

You might want to limber up your face before you go to Tim Vine's gig...

Tom Craine

Tom Craine

Choirboy to Addict and Back Again is a revealing story, well-told.

Tom Wrigglesworth

Tom Wrigglesworth

Tom Wrigglesworth takes to the stage after his intro video with an air of glee and genuine delight to be there.

Tony Law

Tony Law

This didn't look a guaranteed sure-fire winner, it's probably fair to say but it turns out an hour of Tony Law is not enough.

Tripod

Tripod

Tripod Versus the Dragon would be a runaway family success if it was in an earlier time slot.

Two Episodes Of Mash. Image shows from L to R: Diane Morgan, Joe Wilkinson. Copyright: BBC

Two Episodes Of MASH

The press release may say "don't expect any hefty punchlines" but the show is, in fact, full of them.

Alex Horne

Alex Horne

Alex Horne admits early on that there are only three actual jokes in the show, and, true, it is one of those Edinburgh efforts that more traditional comics moan about.

Image shows from L to R: Ivo Graham, Alfie Brown

Alfie Brown and Ivo Graham

Although not everything went right on the evening this review was conducted, its clear young comedians Alfie Brown and Ivo Graham are going to be big stars in the future.

Celia Pacquola

Celia Pacquola

Celia Pacquola one-woman show Flying Solo hinges on the fact that she can't play the piano.

Comedy Bitch

Comedy Bitch

A review of sketch group 'Comedy Bitch'... "It's a comedy review cliche to describe a sketch show as a 'mixed bag', but with Comedy Bitch said mixed bag consists of the hilarious and the merely funny.

Horse & Louis. Image shows from L to R: Nick Horseman, Louis Fonseca

Horse and Louis

It is in the songs that these two shine, with ridiculous notions and genuinely catchy lines. It's just a shame the venue isn't great.

John Robins

John Robins

John Robins takes to the stage and speaks with the confidence and charm of someone with many more years of Fringe experience.

Jollyboat. Image shows from L to R: Ed Croft, Tommy Croft

Jollyboat

Jollyboat, a musical comedy duo from Liverpool, look set to be one of the hits of this year's Free Fringe.

Alexis Dubus

Marcel Lucont

Lucont works his way through the material effortlessly. Quick witted and exceedingly sharp, his one-liners shouldn't be taken for granted.

Pappy's. Image shows from L to R: Tom Parry, Matthew Crosby, Ben Clark

Pappy's

It's an hour of easy fun - and that's what Pappy's is, and always has been, all about.

Paul Foot

Paul Foot

Paul Foot delivers a lot of odd ideas, punctuated by cheeky smiles.

Sarah Campbell

Sarah Campbell

Sarah Campbell has been singled out as a newbie comedian to watch out for, and with good reason.

Tiernan Douieb

Tiernan Douieb

This isn't the finished article but Douieb is a wonderful storyteller and clearly has the nous and nerve to negotiate the peaks and troughs of a proper hour.

Tom McDonnell

Tom McDonnell

Tom McDonnell takes to the stage with a kind of strung out silence and awkwardness that he seems to often crave.

Matt Forde

Fordy's Lock In

You aren't going to learn anything from this late-night hour and a half, but you will have fun.

Gemma Goggin

Gemma Goggin

Gemma Goggin's pretty liberated show certainly has something, but it just doesn't hit the right spot this time.

Helen Arney

Helen Arney

Helen Arney sings beautifully. The only issue is, her songs aren't that funny.

Laura Solon

Laura Solon

A fun hour and a great demonstration of vocal acting, but don't expect any deep laughs.

Mark Allen

Mark Allen

Whilst the audience aren't rolling around in the aisles, they're clearly having a good time.

Matt Green

Matt Green

A mildly amusing show, but Matt Green would probably have been better sticking to the audience banter which is where the main humour was.

Matt Tiller

Matt Tiller

Some funny songs about the awkward situations in life, but some issues stop the show being as funny as it could be.

Nat Luurtsema

Nat Luurtsema

Overall this is an enjoyable hour performed by a warm, witty comic with a vivid imagination.

Pros From Dover

Pros From Dover

The Pros From Dover were fine, you know, just fine. Not brilliant, not bad - just fine.

The Comedy Doodle

The Comedy Doodle

This PBH Free Fringe show starring Matt Thomas, Stephanie Laing, Andrea Hubert and Robbie McHugh is a mixed bag.

Real MacGuffins

The Real MacGuffins

The Real MacGuffins, made up of three rather plummy blokes, are fine if you like your comedy unchallenging and easy to digest.

Tom Allen

Tom Allen

Tom Allen delivers a delightful hour, but its just gently moving rather than anything with any heavy laughs.

Lady Garden. Image shows from L to R: Eleanor Thom, Jessica Knappett, Hannah Dodd, Rose Johnson, Camille Ucan, Beattie Edmondson

Lady Garden

Lady Garden have delivered some great ideas in their sketch show this year, but the laugh count is lower than it should be.

Suitcase Royale

Suitcase Royale

Something has gone wrong when all you can remember about a show is the set.

Everyone Quite Likes Justin. Justin (Justin Moorhouse). Copyright: BBC

Justin Moorhouse

Justin Moorhouse is a talented performer, and has a nice way of expressing himself, It's just that his material is trite.

His Eyes Were Like Oysters

His Eyes Were Like Oysters

Possibily the most surreal comedy show you'll ever see and thus impossible to rate.

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