Festival almost up to 2019 strength

Another 146 Edinburgh Fringe shows have gone on sale today – bringing this year’s tally to 3,385 so far.

The total is 11 per cent down on the 3,800 shows that registered for the last full festival in 2019.

Preview performances start in earnest next Wednesday, with the festival officially opening on Friday,

New highlights of the comedy section include  a work in progess from medic turned comedian turned bestselling author Adam Kay, plus the cult New York show Drag His Ass with Mary Beth Barone, a deconstruction of modern dating culture.

Ukrainian comedians Dima Watermelon - his real name - and Pavlo Voytovych will be hosting a showcase, From Ukraine with Laughs at Laughing Horse @ The Counting House on August 17.

Elsewhere, Love and Sex on the Spectrum ‘explores all of the awkward firsts that come with dating, sex and love from a late bloomer’s perspective’, Jew Talkin’ to Me? sees Rachel Creeger and Philip Simon live record their ‘unashamedly Jewish podcast’, and Róisín and Chiara: Sex on Wheels is ‘a whirlwind of synchronised, audience-tickling, stream-of-consciousness mischief’

At the BlundaBus, clown Dan Lees presents Mustard or Custard?, and at Gilded Balloon at the Museum is improvised Sherlock Holmes comedy play Spontaneous Sherlock.

The Scottish Comedy Festival presents Ah! My Name is Yoky Yu, about ‘healing, trauma, love, shame, guilt, mom, intimate relationships, and sexuality’, and The Lunch Rush gives a sample new comedy talent on the Scottish circuit.

At The Stand’s New Town Theatre, Des Clarke hosts a lunchtime showcase of Edinburgh Fringe acts. Mark Watson has a work in progress and the same venue – while  Dr Brown also tries out new material at the Underbelly in a show entitled: Workdsff intlsdjfj Progressdsdfdfn.

» Chortle’s Edinburgh Fringe listings.

Published: 29 Jul 2022