Comedy
Preview
Don’t miss these comedy acts at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025
The choice can be overwhelming at the world's biggest performing arts festival – plan your visit with these essentials
This week all of the bars, theatres and makeshift venues of the Scottish capital are opening their doors for another year of the Edinburgh Fringe – the world’s biggest performing arts festival. Stand up comedy, theatre, children’s shows, cabaret, spoken word poetry and music: you name it, and you’ll find something up a cobbled street to your taste.
With thousands of shows across hundreds of venues, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when starting to plan your visit. This is especially true of comedy, which in one form or another, makes up the bulk of the Fringe’s billing. To help make a start, you can find our guide of must-see comedy acts below.
Ivo Graham
12–24 August
21:20–12:20, Pleasance Courtyard – Grand
Ivo Graham’s Grand Designs show at the Fringe last year was a joyous and moving insight into the self-deprecating comedian’s life as he explored personal moments that didn’t quite go to plan. This year he presents Orange Crush, a show about “hats, haters and hometown heroes”, and where you can expect more hilarious autobiographical anecdotes in forensic detail.
Can’t make the Fringe? Catch Ivo Graham across the UK in September and December
Rosie Jones
11–17 August
16:00–17:00, Pleasance Courtyard – Cabaret Bar
From Taskmaster to her recent Channel 4 comedy hit Pushers, Rosie Jones is everywhere right now. At the fringe she’ll be fine-tuning her new tour I Can’t Tell What She’s Saying. Expect a lot of chat about gravy.
Can’t make the Fringe? Catch Rosie Jones across the UK in September and December
Paul Merton & Suki Webster
7–17 August
15:30–16:30, Pleasance Courtyard – Grand
As well as being a married couple, Suki Webster and Have I Got News For You‘s Paul Merton have also always clicked when it comes to improvised comedy. No stranger to the Fringe – Merton has been performing there for forty years – their improv shows have become a regular favourite.
Geoff Norcott
11–24 August
15:50–16:50, Underbelly, Bristo Square – Friesian
Embodying the modern everyman archetype, Geoff Norcott brings new tour Geoff Norcott: Basic Bloke 2 – There’s No Bloke Without Fire to the Fringe before taking it around the country. “This will be Geoff’s first UK tour under a Labour government,” a statement notes, “so he’s got plenty to get off his chest.”
Can’t make the Fringe? Catch Geoff Norcott across the UK September 2025 – March 2026
Chloe Petts
30 July–24 August
19:00–20:00, Pleasance Courtyard – Forth
If you couldn’t guess from the name of her new show, Big Naturals, Chloe Petts explores new territory on her new return to the Edinburgh Fringe this summer: Sex. See if the critics’ darling can get through it without blushing.
Can’t make the Fringe? Catch Chloe Petts across the UK in 2026
Emmanuel Sonubi
30 July–25 August
20:10–21:10, Pleasance Courtyard
With two sold-out Fringe runs and consecutive Edinburgh Comedy Award nominations, expect Emmanuel Sonnubi’s new personal and cathartic show about coming close to death to be a busy one!
Can’t make the Fringe? Catch Emmanuel Sonubi across the UK September – November
Jason Byrne
31 July–24 August
19:50–20:50, Assembly Hall
Jason Byrne’s Assembly Hall showings have long been one of the biggest hoots of the festival. They’re just pure unadulterated silliness and take audience participation to new levels (if you don’t want to get involved, maybe don’t sit in the front row!) A must-see this Edinburgh Fringe.
Can’t make the Fringe? Catch Jason Byrne across the UK in October & November
Matt Forde
7, 3 & 21 August
14:45–15:45, Gilded Balloon at the Museum – Auditorium
Political comedian, satyrist, impressionist and presenter Matt Forde brings his hit podcast The Political Party to a live audience for three showings only at the Edinburgh Fringe. Expect some side-splitting truths and hard-hitting gags with some high profile guests. If topical comedy is your thing you also won’t want miss Forde’s stand-up show Defying Calamity, which is showing throughout most of August at Beyond at Pleasance Courtyard.
Can’t make the Fringe? Catch The Political Party with Matt Forde across the UK in 2026
Rachel Galvo
30 July–24 August
19:00–20:00, Pleasance Dome – Ace Dome
A breakout act at last year’s fringe, Rachel Galvo will have even more eyes on her this year as she presents Shite Feminist, an empowering and raunchy new show in which she explains the reasons why she is the way she is, such as her time in an all-girls school run by nuns.
Can’t make the Fringe? Catch Rachel Galvo across the UK in October & November
MC Hammersmith
31 July–24 August
13:55–14:55, Monkey Barrel Comedy – Monkey Barrel 1
Ever wanted to hear a painfully middle-class man from West London improvise a rap based on a subject of your choice? Expect a lot of mic drop moments from MC Hammersmith, a recent support for both Josh Bishop and Jason Manford, as he presents his Hippity Hoppity Get Off My Property freestyle-cum-comedy show.
Can’t make the Fringe? Catch MC Hammersmith across the UK in 2026
Josh Baulf
11–13 August
16:25–17:25, Monkey Barrel Comedy – The Tron
He charmed the nation on Britain’s Got Talent five years ago and has kept them laughing with his relatable social media skits and bits, now Josh Baulf is stepping up with his own tour hitting the UK in autumn. Catch Lovely Stuff as a Work In Progress as he charts the ups and downs of millennial life.
Can’t make the Fringe? Catch Josh Baulf across the UK September – November
Stamptown
1–23 August
23:30–01:00, Pleasance Courtyard – Beyond
The brainchild of Zack Zucker, Stamptown is bawdy and raucous variety show that has earnt a cult-like following in recent years from shows all over the world, from Glastonbury to Broadway, and has sold out quickly at every Edinburgh Fringe. Previous acts in the show have included David Cross, Aisling Bea, Rachel Sennott and Jamie Demetriou, but Zucker is the real star of the show.
Can't make the Fringe? Catch Stamptown in London 04 September
Matt Parker
30 July–25 August
18:30–19:30, Pleasance Courtyard – Beyond
If you've doubted whether mathematics could ever be funny, then you're not alone. But NYT bestselling author Matt Parker is putting this myth to bed at the Edinburgh Fringe Getting Triggy With It: Matt Parker Does the Maths. Expect to learn and laugh in equal proportions.
Can't Make the Fringe? Catch Matt Parker across the UK in October and into 2026
