The digital age has changed comedy profoundly... for better and worse
10/08/2026 … I feel the digital age has profoundly disrupted comedy, but not necessarily in the ways people first imagined.
2026 Opinions
Chortle's Opinions section is an arena for fans to share their views on any aspect of comedy.
We invite general comment pieces about particular aspects of the comedy scene (although reviews of individual shows or performers tend not to be suited to this section except in very rare circumstances). Contributions should be at least 500 words in length, in a similar tone to something you might read in a broadsheet newspaper, and emailed to steve@chortle.co.uk
We reserve the right to edit pieces – although we will be careful not to change the meaning of anything – or not to use them at all. By submitting an article you grant Chortle indefinite licence to use it freely; though you retain the copyright on it to use it elsewhere.
Mon 10 August 2026
Brain cancer made me do stand-up
Aarian Mehrabani on how a terrifying health scare made him consider his legacy
10/08/2026 … Most of you will likely have no idea who I am (which is very, very fair).
Sun 09 August 2026
How to flyer
Ashley Frieze on one of the most important skills at the Edinburgh Fringe
09/08/2026 … I recently did a stint flying at the West Berkshire Comedy Festival.
I never thought I could be queer AND a parent
...but I am, and it's a joy, says Edinburgh Fringe comic Adi Parmar
09/08/2026 … A hip wine bar in the east of Amsterdam.
Sat 08 August 2026
I miss the internet's old days, when you were a person not a brand
Lucas Jefcoate gets nostalgic... at the age of 25!
08/08/2026 … I’ve done some pretty embarrassing things to get attention – and, shockingly, stand-up comedy is only second on that list.
Progressives put me in a box – then asked me to celebrate the box
Iranian comedian Sepideh Kaav on doing a Fringe show on her terms
08/08/2026 … Post-revolution Iran is the only Iran I’ve ever known.
© Ezzthetic Photography Getting this show to the Fringe was so stressful, I ended up sectioned
Comedian Struan Logan on being bipolar, and reacting badly to setbacks
08/08/2026 … My Edinburgh show, Chaotic Good, is essentially a reintroduction to me as a stand-up.
Fri 07 August 2026
Genres were meant to be broken – especially by queer artists
Refusing categorisation is the whole damn point, says Michael John Ciszewski
07/08/2026 … 'Genres are a funny little concept, aren’t they? In theory, they have a simple definition that's easy to understand,’ says legendary Black American…