Comedy at Edinburgh Fringe 2024's opening galas

Variety - in the dictionary sense of something "being varied" or possessing a "diversity of nature or character" - is at the heart of the Fringe experience. And, although some of us writers, bloggers and vloggers will focus on particular performance fields - comedy, for example, or theatre, or dance - many will pretty much take a stab at anything they come across on the Fringe programme.

That nevertheless takes time, which is why the big venues - and even some of the more-established middle-tier operators - organise press events on the days leading up to the Fringe's official launch to give the media a helping hand in discovering what's on their programmes.

Though, of course, these also come in a variety of styles. For example, ZOO this year simply opted to arrange a medium-sized room with some free drinks and an open invitation to both media representatives and performers to turn up, chat, swap flyers and perhaps make some useful connections. Basic, certainly, but it hopefully did the job. Greenside venues - in their swanky new home on George Street - opted for much the same thing, albeit with an hour-long show consisting of "four-minute highlights" in the middle.

In complete contrast were the big, showbiz styled opening galas from big boys Assembly, Gilded Balloon and Pleasance open-to-the-public events with all the atmosphere and energy of genuine variety shows.

Admittedly, for comedy fans these spectaculars tend to be about everything except comedy. Assembly's Thursday evening show, in particular, was primarily about spectacular, gymnastic choreography from around the world, with some kinky burlesque, some singers and a breath-taking magician thrown in for good measure. The principle comedy element came courtesy of Fringe stalwart Jason Byrne as host, displaying all the wit and energy you'd expect to energise the audience and, where necessary, weave comedy gold out of nothing more than some safety mats being brought out on stage. That said, it was only right and proper that, after all the professional bodily exertions, the finale consisted of Byrne and best mate Adam Hills showing everyone just how it "should" be done by two white men who will never see 50 again.

In contrast, Pleasance's Opening Gala (on the first Saturday of the Fringe, sufficiently early to include a free breakfast beforehand for any sufficiently awake media - tea, coffee, and various pastries, yum) offered a more comedic-focused programme of acts, even if they were musicals, puppet shows and faux rock'n'roll. That said, the show was almost stolen from host stand-up Ania Magliano by one certain Fringe institution Arthur Smith, whom she - unlike almost everyone else in the room - failed to recognise while attempting some audience interaction. That ultimately cost her a tenner, minus some small change.

(Unfortunately, Gilded Balloon's gala event clashed not just with a bespoke launch at The Stand Comedy Club, but also me coming down with a stomach bug which put me out of action for 24 hours.)

Despite the many laughs at Pleasance, it was Just the Tonic which once again walked away with providing the most comedy per hour, with a press launch event almost exclusively made of stand-ups, hosted by Scotland's own Connor Burns. To be fair, the range of performers who came on stage proved remarkably diverse in terms of gender, age, ethnicity, disability and preferences, but there was nevertheless a sense of repetition - each performer only really getting into their stride when it was time to check their watches and give way to the next act. The only exception to this was final performer Jimeoin - whose seemingly effortless ability to find humour in the smallest of things was undoubtedly aided by not having quite the same pressure of an immediate deadline. Not that he outstayed his welcome - far from it. Perhaps more than anyone who preceded him, he made sure you were left wanting more - and noting down when his show was on!

Which, after all, was the whole point of the exercise!