It'll take two weeks, 24hrs a day

Comedians and activists including Omid Djalili, Stewart Lee and Reginald D Hunter are to read out loud the entire Chilcot Report into the Iraq War.

At a mammoth 2.6million words, it is expected to take just over two weeks to complete, reading 24 hours a day, assuming a rate of 120 words a minute

The event, called Iraq Out & Loud, will take place at the Edinburgh Fringe, starting at 6pm on Monday August 8.

Author Ian Rankin, who is also taking part, said: ‘I was on my holidays when the Chilcot Report was published, so this is my best chance to get to read at least some of it. It's either that or wait for the film.’

The reading was the idea of Fringe veterans Bob Slayer and Omid Djalili, who said: ‘Has there ever been a more current and brilliant Edinburgh Fringe Festival idea?’

Slayer added: ‘Producing this is going to be a truly mammoth undertaking, however I know I would totally regret not doing it much more than actually doing it…'

And Lee said: '"I like the length of the Chilcot Report, but am disappointed by the variety of content...'

Iraq Out & Loud will take place in a garden shed, beside Bob Slayer’s Blundabus on South College Street, with two readers each hour, and a rotating audience of just four (tickets go on sale on Monday) – although the reading will also be streamed online.

Other comedians taking part include Arthur Smith, Francesca Martinez, Seann Walsh, Jo Caulfield, Simon Munnery, Tony Law, Ed Gamble, Stephen Frost, Michael Legge, Howard Read, Andy Askins and Andy Smart.

Tommy Sheppard, the SNP MP and founder of The Stand comedy club, will also be reading a section. He said: ‘Delighted to do my part in drawing attention to this damning indictment of Tony Blair's government - pretty much every British military intervention he sanctioned made a bad situation worse.’

Organisers have launched an appeal for more readers to sign up via iraqoutloud.com as well as a Gofundme appeal to cover production costs, with any extra money raised will be donated to the International Rescue Committee, which provides aid to refugees and victims of armed conflicts.

Published: 21 Jul 2016