We're heading to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this weekend in search of some big bellylaughs.
We've done a bit of research about who we should see and so we thought we'd share it. If you want to get involved, make your recommendations below.
David Hasselhoff – An Evening with David Hasselhoff.
It’s a night with The Hoff. We don’t really know what else you need us to say.
Ok, well apparently, due to the official blurb it’s an “intimate, hilarious and fun-filled behind-the-scenes look at his amazing life through media, song, dance and audience interaction.
“Hoff crazy? You bet it is! Come party Hoffstyle! You'll like him, he's nice! Tall but nice!”
Are our tickets booked? You bet they are!
Jigsaw – Gettin’ Jiggy
Sketch team Jigsaw are made up of Dan Antopolski, Tom Crane and Nat Luurtsema and you may have seen them on BBC Three’s Live At The Electric or heard them on Radio 4’s Sketchorama. Their debut show last year was a sell-out Smash and we LOVED it. We’ve already seen a preview of their show and it mixes their usual eccentric take on everyday situations with some humungous belly laughs. Must see.
Paul McCaffrey – Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellylaughs
Putting Bellylaughs in the title of your comedy show is a big shout, but all the reviews we’ve read suggest you won’t leave disappointed. The main story revolved around Paul trying to reunite his old raving crew at Glastonbury, with the word’s “Paul, you’re not 18 anymore” ringing in his ears. Sounds like it’d suit anyone who’s found themselves in a field this summer thinking “I’m too old for this”. Not us obvs, we’re well young and stuff.
David Trent – Spontaneous Comedian
Apparently David’s show uses a computer and projector, so maybe we’ll feel like we’re back in school again. There’s also music, video, animation and comedy (luckily enough). The show is made up of 153 slides and some of the names - One Armed Scissor, Hoppipollistic Alexithymia – intrigue us so we’ll probably pop along.
Iain Stirling – Happy to be the Clown?
Lots of people are saying lots of good things about Iain Stirling, but we’re not ones to follow the crowd here at heat. We’re quite excited by the fact that Iain (who’s also a BAFTA and Chortle Best Newcomer nominee) is a CBBC presenter and we normally only find those unintentionally funny. As he tries to work out why he’s such a ‘clown’ Iain apparently touches on trains, Hinduism and Cliff Richard, so it sounds nothing if not diverse.
Gareth Richards – Introvert: Never been to Disneyland.
We’re lucky enough to have the inside track on this one after catching Gareth’s preview show last month. And laughing a lot. The Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominee this year this year tells us about being an introvert stuck in an extrovert’s world and the devastating effects of your parents going to Disneyland without you.
Nish Kumar – Who is Nish Kumar?
According to his pre-show blurb the short answer is, “A British-Asian idiot, who remains fixated by Jimi Hendrix, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and books. He has pursued a number of ill-advised ventures, including taking a DIY approach to self-defense, living next door to a drug dealer and going to see the film "Shame" with his dad.” Apparently though it’s still worth seeing the show to find out a bit more…
Danny McLoughlin – The Truth, The Half Truth and Nothing Like The Truth
After winning Chortle Student Comedian of the Year in 2008 and supporting people like Micky Flanagan, Sean Lock and Justin Moorhouse on tour Danny sounds like hot property. His show is all about lies though and whether comedians should tell lies and what’s funnier, so who’s to tell whether he’s really any good or not. Apparently he is though. Honest.
The Blanks – The Blanks
This is ‘Ted’s Band’ from TV show Scrubs. There’s not much else to say is there? Amaze.
Cariad Lloyd – The Freewheelin’ Cariad Lloyd
All the reviews of Cariad Lloyd’s new show seem to have a ridiculous amount of stars next to them and she was a Foster’s Best Newcomer nominee last year. Her choice of characters apparently include a crime-solving Moomin and there’s a Zooey Deschanel slap-down. We’re SOLD.
Rhod Gilbert – The Man with the Flaming Battenburg Tattoo
We’re pretty upset that lovely Welshman Rhod Gilbert doesn’t start his show in Edinburgh for another week, because we’ll miss him, but we thoroughly recommend everyone else gets involved. Rhod’s performing at the festival as part of his 101-date UK tour, so if you’ve not caught him as he went past your hometown, this would be the time to catch him.