...and it's during the Fringe

Michael McIntyre has come under fire for charging £31 for ‘work in progress’ shows.

The comic has also chosen to do the shows in Edinburgh on the opening weekend of the Fringe, prompting accusations he could be taking much-needed audiences away from festival comics.

He is to play the 3,000-seat Edinburgh Playhouse on August 5 and 6 – where tickets will be priced just £4 cheaper than when the tour proper kicks off in October.

The shows – which are not listed in the Fringe programme – are billed as him ‘trying out new material prior to his third and biggest UK arena tour to date’.

But the comedy editor of Scottish what’s on magazine The List, Brian Donaldson, has blasted the ticket price for ‘half-complete jokes, unfinished silly dances and ill-fitting Morningside accents?’

In an article published today, Donaldson added that the ‘showboating’ dates will nonetheless sell out ‘depriving those struggling comedians crawling up and down the Royal Mile just about mustering the strength to force a rain-soaked flyer into a Belgian’s hand’.

The increasing number of ‘work in progress‘ shows to feed the ever-growing Fringe has thrown up many other anomalies. Richard Herring is playing a ‘work in progress’ show in Ealing on Friday, which the venue has priced at £15 – £1 more than most of his dates in Edinburgh.

And there are plenty of shows taking part in the Free Fringe or Free Festival which are being previewed in clubs that carry a door charge.

Reginald D Hunter’s show at the Fringe is titled Work In Progress... And Niggas, and carries a ticket price of up to £13.

Published: 25 Jun 2012