Edinburgh Fringe comedy picks

The ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards have just announced the longlists for best show and best newcomer at this year’s Fringe - and they are VERY long.

A total of 62 shows feature  – 40 for best show and 22 for best newcomer – as compiled by volunteer judges. Producers even said they had difficulty keeping the lists down to this level.

These will now be whittled down into shortlists of fewer than ten, shows which will be released on Wednesday – the same day the main Edinburgh Comedy Awards announce their shortlist. 

CASSIDY/BOWLES AWARD FOR BEST SHOW

• Alice Cockayne: Licensed, Professional. Trained. - Pleasance 22:40
• Alice Fraser: A Passion for Passion - Underbelly 18:50
• Amy Webber: Wannabe - Just The Tonic 17:20
• Barry Ferns: My Seven Years as Lionel Richie – Just The Tonic 18:40
• Christopher Macarthur-Boyd: Howling at the Moon - Monkey Barrel 21:00
• Danny Ward: The Holiday - PBH Free Fringe @ Banshee Labyrinth 12:00
• Ed Night: Your Old Mucker - Monkey Barrel 16:45
• Elouise Eftos: Australia's First Attractive Comedian - Pleasance 20:30
• Eric Rushton: Innkeeper - Monkey Barrel 15:20
• Gareth Mutch: Maybe Tomorrow - The Stand 18:05
• Garry Starr: Classic Penguins - Underbelly 21:30
• Hal Cruttenden: Can Dish It Out But Can't Take It - Pleasance 21:30
• Ian Smith: Foot Spa Half Empty  - Monkey Barrel 12:30
• James Barr: Sorry I Hurt Your Son (Said My Ex to My Mum) - Underbelly 20:15
• Joe Kent-Walters is Frankie Monroe: DEAD!!! (Good Fun Time) – Monkey Barrel 21:30
• John Tothill: This Must Be Heaven - Pleasance 21:00
• Jordan Brookes: Work in Progress - Pleasance 22:40
• Jordan Gray: Is That a C*ck in Your Pocket, or Are You Just Here to Kill Me? – Assembly 21:05
• Kate Dolan: The Critic – Assembly 18:25
• Katie Norris: Go West, Old Maid – Pleasance 19:40
• Kieran Hodgson: Voice Of America - Pleasance 21:30
• Laura Davis: Despair is Beneath Us – Monkey Barrel 17:45
• Laura Lexx: Slinky – Monkey Barrel 15:50
• Luke McQueen: Comedian's Comedian - Pleasance 21:40
• Mark Forward Presents Safari Time – Gilded Balloon 20:20
• Mike Rice: Cruel Little Man – Monkey Barrel 21:15
• Nate Kitch: Something Different!!!!! – Gilded Balloon 17:00
• Olaf Falafel Asks: Orange You Glad? - Free Festival @ Counting House 14:30
• Pauline Eyre: Anyone For Tennis - Hoots 12:30
• Pear: Phobia – Underbelly 19:20
• Phil Ellis: Soppy Stern - Monkey Barrel 12:45
• Raymond Mearns: Roast Master – Scottish Comedy Festival @ Beehive Inn 19:45
• Reuben Solo: Someone in This Crowd Will Betray Me - Just The Tonic 20:50
• Robin Grainger: People Pleaser – The Stand 20:20
• Roger O’Sullivan: Fekken – Hoots @ The Apex 12:40
• Ruaridh Miller: It's Pronounced "Ruaridh" - Hoots 21:50
• Sam Nicoresti: Baby Doomer – Pleasance 17:40
• Sikisa: Serving Justice - Monkey Barrel 17:50
• Stephen Buchanan: Cold Meat – Monkey Barrel 16:20
• Tim Biglowe: Landlubber – PBH Free Fringe @ Slow Progress Cafe and Records 12:15

PATRICK MONAHAN AWARD FOR BEST NEWCOMER  

• Ada & Bron: The Origin of Love - Pleasance 23:00
• Alana Jackson: Last Orders – Gilded Balloon 17:00
• Alex Stringer: Happy Hour - Pleasance 18:00
• Alex Bertulis-Fernandes: May Find Distressing – Free Festival @ Counting House 16:30
• Amelia Hamilton: Forget Me Not - Pleasance 21:45 
• Arthur Vinegar: Good Boy – PBH Free Fringe @ Greek Gyros Grill 00:30
• Ayo Adenekan: Black Mediocrity – Pleasance 13:30
• Ayoade Bamgboye: Swings and Roundabouts - Pleasance 16:45
• Dirty Work – Underbelly 17:25
• Ed Mulvey: Pregnant Gollum – PBH Free Fringe @ Carbon 17:40
• Jessie Nixon: Don’t Make Me Regret This – Assembly 19:20 
• Jodie Sloan: Is She Hot? – Pleasance 16:35
• Kayleigh Jones: I Fed My Dad to a Pelican – Gilded Balloon  19:00
• Kit Loyd: Frenzy - Assembly 20:20
• Love Hunt - Just The Tonic 12:10
• Molly McGuinness: Slob - Monkey Barrel 14:55
• The Mayor and his Daughter – Assembly 16:10
• Shalaka Kurup: Get a Grip – Pleasance 20:20
• Su Mi: THISMOTHERPHUCKER – Underbelly 18:40
• Ted Milligan: United – Pleasance 21:45
• Thor Stenhaug: One Night Stand Baby – Pleasance 20:40
• Toussaint Douglas: Accessible Pigeon Material – Pleasance 19:25

Head judge and awards producer Sarah Bowles said: ‘We've said the same thing for the last two years, but it bears repeating, these lists are by no way a list of everything that is exceptional at the Edinburgh Fringe.  

‘Our main rule was did the show make the audience and/or judges laugh lots on the day we saw it and do we think it could be judged as the best show or the best newcomer on the Fringe.  

‘Not being on these lists doesn't mean the shows weren’t exceptional, we saw a lot of exceptional shows that aren't on this lists as we need to keep the list down and make the cut somewhere.’

Published: 15 Aug 2025