It’s very nearly August, which means it’s time to scour the Edinbugh Festival Fringe programme for the best shows to see.
The physical programme has over 3,350 shows across 265 venues, meaning it can be a daunting task to work out what exactly you are going to see.
While it’s fun to take a punt and hope for the best, it’s sometimes nice to go for a known quantity - a performer who has delivered acclaimed shows in the past.
At The Scotsman we review hundreds of shows every year, with the best receiving a sought-after four or five star rating.
While previous success is no guarantee that they will deliver the goods again, it’s as good an indicator as any - particularly since many of the shows in Edinburgh have never been performed before.
So, here are all 31 returning comedians who earned a four or five review from us in 2024 - and what we said about their shows.
17. Katie Norris: Go West, Old Maid
What we said about last year's show: "Weaving a demented love story of sorts through exquisitely varied and uproariously funny songs, flippant personal anecdotes and some sublime character comedy, it's a wonderfully packaged introduction to Norris's talents." (Four Stars) | Contributed
18. Lara Ricote: I Don’t Yet Know Anything (WIP)
What we said about last year's show: "On stage in a white robe the Mexican/Venezuelan/American who lives in the Netherlands finds fresh ways to talk about her relationship. (Her boyfriend moved from Argentina to Holland a few years ago to be with her, but she’s hardly ever there because of her job.)" (Four Stars) | Contributed
19. Mark Nelson: Nearly Liquid Gold
What we said about last year's show: "An hour of Mark Nelson is like finding the funniest new friend imaginable. A great bloke with a potty mouth telling you about fat bastards, football and family." (Four Stars) | Contributed
20. Phil Ellis: Soppy Stern
What we said about last year's show: "There is such cleverness in his way of bumbling along what would be the edge for any other comic that anything is forgiven." (Four Stars) | Contributed