2016 Edinburgh Fringe

The Defining the Norm Awards: the nominees

Comedian Will Franken honours the most conformist acts at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Opinion: Who will win the Edinburgh Comedy Awards

The List's Comedy Editor on the 2016 award and who he expects to win.

Fringe: Five new acts to see this weekend

Bilal Zafar: Cakes // interview

Cakes - do we have your interest? We caught up with Bilal Zafar to discuss his debut hour at the Fringe and find out a little more about the show!

Ten most controversial acts at Edinburgh Fringe 2016

Comedy on TV and in the clubs is safe and inoffensive. Comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe is no different, because most of the shows don't exist for your benefit. They're being staged in the hopes of grabbing the attention of industry bigwigs and broadcasters. So, it makes sense to be as bland and agreeable as possible, because that's what the real target audience - i.e. people who can help your showbiz career - seem to be looking for. However, not everyone at the Fringe is pandering. Not everyone is desperate to be liked and accepted. And provocative performers haven't gone extinct just yet. If you want politically incorrect jokes, to be taken out of your comfort zone, or to hear someone challenge social orthodoxies, then here's ten acts I'd recommend you go and see at Edinburgh Fringe 2016. If you're a bit of a pussy, though, then best avoid all of these.

Five more go on about race

Five more non-white standups on race.

I talk to: Bilal Zafar

Fresh from winning the 2016 New Act of the Year award, comedian Bilal Zafar has picked the perfect time to brings his debut show Cakes to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Ten award-winning comics at the Fringe

A total of 65 comedy shows this Fringe use the phrase 'award-winning', though most fail to mention exactly what award they've won. Employee Of The Month? The figure shows what a plethora of comedy accolades there are out there. That's way more, even, than the 17 shows which say they are 'hotly', 'highly' or 'much' anticipated... So here's our pick of those award-winning acts.

Bilal Zafar preview

Preview of Bilal Zafar.

Edinburgh Fringe 2016: best food shows

From cake-inspired stand-up to whisky-based personality tests, we round up the best Edinburgh Fringe shows for food and drink fans...

Tackling race head on

Comedians have often suffered--and joked about--prejudice, bigotry, and xenophobia. Jay Richardson speaks to the standups for whom race jokes are about the real thing.

7 pre-Edinburgh Fringe shows not to miss

Unity Theatre stages Fringe warm up shows from rising comedy talent.

Edinburgh Fringe preview: Bilal Zafar

I spotted the very talented Bilal Zafar about a year ago and earlier this year he won the New Act of the Year competition, which is the most prestigious of the umpteen newbie competitions you can enter.