Who had the best reviewed shows of the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe?
Dave Johns and Jordan Gray top the analysis
Dave Johns was the best-reviewed show at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, followed by award nominee Jordan Gray.
That’s according to new analysis by the British Comedy Guide – which takes a strict average of the star rating achieved by each performer, regardless of whether the verdict comes from an experienced reviewer or a fan blog.
The only criteria is that a show must have received at least six reviews in total – a threshold that means Dave’s Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Sam Campbell does not make the list. He dissuades critics and received just four reviews, from five stars in the Telegraph to three in The Times.
Long-term circuit stalwart and I, Daniel Blake star Johns received five-star reviews from The List as well as obscure sites Get Your Coats On, Pow! Showbiz, Entertainment Now – which combined with a couple of other reviews to give him a 4.75 average.
Gray received five stars from most of the broadsheets: The Independent, Telegraph, Scotsman and Guardian, plus fours from The Times, Evening Standard and Chortle. In total, she averaged 4.69 stars.
Here are the top 20 reviewed shows
- Dave Johns: A Comic's Tale
- Jordan Gray: Is It a Bird?
- Mischief Movie Night
- Paul Sinha: One Sinha Lifetime
- Colin Hoult: The Death of Anna Mann
- Olga Koch: Just Friends
- Tim Key: Mulberry
- Garry Starr: Greece Lightning
- Liz Kingsman: One-Woman Show
- Amy Gledhill: The Girl Before The Girl You Marry
- Glenn Moore: Will You Still Need Me, Will You Still Feed Me, Glenn I'm Sixty Moore
- Leo Reich: Literally Who Cares?!
- Maisie Adam: Buzzed
- Larry Dean: Fudnut
- Rhys Nicholson - Rhys! Rhys! Rhys!
- Flo & Joan: Sweet Release
- Tarot: Cautionary Tales
- Mr Chonkers
- Ellie MacPherson: Happy Birthday, Mr. President!
- Emily Wilson: Fixed
A longer list is available at the British Comedy Guide.
Pow Showbiz! appears to have briefly reviewed only 11 shows, all in the first few days, awarding them all four or five stars. In contrast, Chortle awarded just four five-star reviews out of the 200 written.
Published: 12 Sep 2022
