Just The Tonic has done well since it took over the wonderful little caves on Cowgate a few years ago. A small but very well-run operation, this year sees it expand its fringe presence to new venues at The Store (formerly The GRV) and scuzzy watering-hole and Edinburgh institution The Tron.
Finally, comedy magic show Piff the Magic Dragon has become a hot ticket since an extraordinarily well-received appearance on Penn and Teller’s ITV extravaganza this month. Lord knows what the full show will be like, but worth booking a ticket for his name alone, surely? And he has a levitating Chihuahua for crying out loud!
Its canny programming policy makes it a good shout for anyone looking to discover something new, especially since an affordable price structure makes taking a punt far less of a risk than at other venues. As far as this year’s line-up goes, it’s a hodge-podge comedy mixture of decent pros, enthusiastic up-and-comers and interesting outsiders.
Stand-ups on the bill that have caught our eye include the ever-loveable John Robins, teutonic powerhouse Henning Wehn and uber-skilled circuit-pro Michael Legge. Very talented ‘drowned Elizabethan’ look-a-like Tom Bell - one half of comedy duo Tommy and the Weeks – is also definitely one to watch.
On the sketch front fringe regulars – and instantly recognisable - The Ginge, the Geordie and the Geek return with two shows, this could be the year that perennially-tipped WitTank finally break big and hilarious surrealists Oyster Eyes just keep getting better and better: previews of their new show Keeping the Captain Warm have already gone down a storm. It’s also worth mentioning that in recent years university sketch troupes Bristol Revunions and Leeds Tealights have done a bang-up job of standing up to (and often bettering) their more famous Oxbridge counterparts. Don’t assume the Footlights show is the only place you’ll spot stars of the future this August.
