2. Ten shows from the Theatre section

Edinburgh 10x10

1. Jigsy

Les Dennis, borderline fashionable after his knowing appearances in Extras, plays the title role: an old-school comedian working the dying Liverpool club circuit and sharing his story of 30 years on comedy’s sharp end. Assembly Rooms Fringe 14:50

2. Appointment With The Wicker Man

Still Game’s Greg Hemphill co-wrote this show about an amateur theatre company staging a version of the cult horror film on a remote Scottish island. Frankie Boyle said: ‘It was brilliant, just laugh laugh laugh all the way through’ Assembly Rooms Fringe 15:10

3. Coalition

This satire has an impressive list of comedians in its cast, including Thom Tuck, Phill Jupitus, Jo Caulfield, Alistair Barrie and Simon Evans. And the setting is intriguing too - as the next election approaches both the Tories and Lib Dems are in chaos, with the minority leader desperate to save his party. Pleasance Dome 14:00

4. As of 1.52pm GMT on Friday April 27th 2012, This Show Has No Title

It’s Daniel Kitson’s latest. What more do you need to know? Traverse Theatre various times.

5. Formby

Written and performed by Ewan Wardrop, Formby follows George Formby's rise from awkward stable boy to one of Britain's biggest stars. Although we think of Formby as a bit cheesy now, in his day his comic songs were so risqué they were banned. And it might surprise you to learn that he was a bold anti-apartheid voice, defying South African authorities to play in the townships. Assembly George Square 16:45

6. The Lad Himself

Another tribute to a dead comic, this time Tony Hancock and the writing of Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. The Lad Himself is written by Roy Smile, who’s made a career out of this sort of thing, with previous credits including Pythonesque and Ying Tong: A Walk with the Goons. Gilded Balloon 13:30

7. Comedian Dies In The Middle Of Joke

Poet Ross Sutherland plays stand-up Joe ‘Pops’ Pooley, who is murdered while on stage of a comedy club in the early Eighties. Pleasance Dome 14:30

8. Re-Animator The Musical

It’s got Norm from Cheers in it! George Wendt stars in this camp romp based on the cult classic, H. P. Lovecraft's Re-Animator, about a medical student who has discovered a serum that can bring the dead back to life . But don’t sit in the Splash Zone unless you don’t mind a little splatter. Assembly George Square 22:40

9. Shopping Centre

Smart stand-up Mathew Osborn follows up last year’s enjoyable suburban character piece Cul-De-Sac with the story of an unhappy loner who finds solace in a shopping centre ‘until one day it descends into a riot of sex and violence’. Gilded Balloon 16:30

10. The Intervention

Another of this year’s offerings from the Comedians' Theatre Company (like Shopping Centre), The Intervention is a ‘darkly humorous’ new play from Dave Florez about alcoholism and how it has destroys a family. Though that sounds more dark than humorous. The cast features Jan Ravens, Waen Shepherd and Phil Nichol. Assembly Rooms Fringe 19:05

>> Part one: Ten overseas visitors

Published: 21 Jul 2012

Live comedy picks

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