Expect sketches, songs and lots of silliness.
Whilst television fell out of love with the format, sketch shows and sketch groups have continued to thrive in Edinburgh and with the likes of Ellie & Natasia, Lazy Susan and Britney, sketch shows are slowly but surely making their way back to our screens.
So if you're a lover of all things sketch, here are 7 shows I recommend going to see...
1. Britney
You'll recognise Charly Clive from Channel 4 drama Pure and more recently starring opposite Paapa Essiedu in Sky Max drama The Lazarus Project, but what you might not know - unless you watched their excellent BBC Three pilot last November - that together with best friend Ellen Robertson, she's part of a comedy duo called Britney.
Returning to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe after five years away with a brand new sketch show, Friends and Nothing More, Britney's third Fringe show is about Ellen and Charly’s 15-year friendship and their desire for attention and love. Disclaimer, both are currently single. Disclaimer, both are currently single.
Expect sketches on dating apps and social media, Disney’s 1991 classic Beauty and the Beast, gender reveal parties, and how they both froze on stage at their disastrous Year 11 Christmas Talent Show.
And with the promise of songs, satire and the possibility of adult Heelies, this is a show not to be missed!
2. The Delightful Sausage
Fresh (pandemic aside) from their 2019 nomination for Best Comedy Show at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, Amy Gledhill and Chris Cantrill - better known as sketch duo The Delightful Sausage, are returning to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with a brand new hour.
Nowt But Sea promises to be their darkest ever adventure. When The Delightful Sausage are invited to the luxury private island retreat of elite celebrity agent Cedric L’Shay, played by Paul Dunphy, Amy and Christopher-Louise can’t believe their luck.
But with the island seemingly deserted and madness on the horizon, the situation looks increasingly dire for Yorkshire’s finest meat-themed comedy duo.
Aside from The Delightful Sausage, both Amy and Chris are also putting on solo shows this year. Amy is one of my 9 exciting newcomers to see and you can read my interview with her on Wednesday 13th July.
3. Foil Arms and Hog
Irish sketch comedy group Foil Arms and Hog - Foil being Sean Finegan, Arms being Conor McKenna and Hog being Sean Flanagan - are returning to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, more specifically Underbelly's McEwan hall, with a brand new hour.
Hogwash, their tenth Fringe show, promises a mix of sketch comedy, audience participation, and improvisation.
4. Just These Please
Georgie, Will, Philippa and Tom - better known as sketch group Just These Please - are returning to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with a brand new hour.
Honestly No Pressure Either Way promises 25 brand new sketches and songs.
5. Mother
Laura Curnick and Jack Mosedale - better known as sketch duo Mother - were one of the few acts who braved the 2021 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and now with the festival back to what we all know and love it to be, they're back with the same show for those who didn't get a chance to see it.
Their latest hour Colleagues promises to be an unapologetic hour of deranged characters and unhinged sketches in a live mockumentary so close to the bone you'll be like... get that bone away from me.
And with a seal of approval from Miriam Margolyes, what more convincing do you need?
6. Siblings
After selling out three consecutive runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, character comedians and sisters Maddy and Marina Bye - better known as sketch duo Siblings - are returning to the with a brand new hour.
Siblage promises to be a raucous hour of absurdist sketch comedy and if their track record is anything to go by, you're going to want to book quickly!
7. Tarot
One of the biggest surprise hits of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe was the coming together of two sketch groups, Adam Drake from Goose and Ed Easton and Kath Hughes from Gein's Family Giftshop to form Tarot.
Now, following their 2019 show, which was the festival's fifth best-reviewed show, Tarot are returning with a brand new hour. Cautionary Tales promises to offer life lessons from five people still doing sketch comedy in their thirties.