Pleasance claims a record year for ticket sales | And Lauren Pattison is their best-reviewed comedian

Pleasance claims a record year for ticket sales

And Lauren Pattison is their best-reviewed comedian

The Pleasance has claimed a record year for ticket sales at the Fringe, with box office takings up five per cent on 2016.

Bosses also revealed that the most favourably reviewed comedy show at the venue was best newcomer nominee Lauren Pattison, pictured, who got three five star reviews and eight four stars. Phil Wang takes the second spot with 11 four stars.

Both scored higher than John Robins, who shared the main lastminute.com Edinburgh Comedy Award with Hannah Gadsby, and best newcomer winner Natalie Palamides, who were both at the Pleasance Courtyard.

Pattison also won a Herald Angel award alongside fellow Pleasance act Sophie Willan, while Terry Alderton scooped the Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality

The Pleasance had three of the nine nominees for the Edinburgh Comedy Awards –  Robins, Willan and, Jordan Brookes – and five of the eight best newcomer – Darren Harriott, Ed Night and Kwame Asante joining Pattison and Palamides

Pleasance director  Anthony Alderson, said: ‘The 70th anniversary of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe has been one of the best festivals I can remember. The quality of the work created is unprecedented with three Pleasance Fringe Firsts and a Pleasance act winning in both Comedy Awards categories in this landmark year. Our incredible staff have pulled off an amazing festival.’

The sales figure excludes extra tickets sold at the EICC, which it has not previously run; the increase is 12 per cent including those sales

Published: 28 Aug 2017

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