Edinburgh Fringe Comedy
Print Interviews
For a full A-Z of interviews with performers at the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, CLICK HERE
Aatif Nawaz
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018I have seen some extremely mean-spirited reviews which make me wonder if they reviewer in question is aware of the negative impact their words could have on the performer. But generally, it’s one person’s opinion… and everyone is entitled to their own.
READ HERE
Catherine Bohart
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018My feeling is that reviews aren’t really for comics, they’re for the audience to get a sense of whether or not a show is for them. I’m sure I’ll be told how they’re going but I might wait until September for full on self-flagellation.
READ HERE
Chris Chopping
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018My worst review was from Broadway Baby, who focused on my “nasty weak moustache” and “horrible shoulder length hair” rather than my material. Luckily, I had a girlfriend who helped prop up my self-esteem. This year I’m single so I plan to shave every morning and hope that the reviewers are kind…
READ HERE
Chris Grace
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018I’m unable to refrain from reading reviews. I mean, I can’t stop checking my Facebook page likes, what hope I have of resisting arts critics?
READ HERE
Chris Turner
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018The Guardian wrote a piece a couple of years ago about rap at the fringe, where it all rhymed, and dedicated two whole verses to me, including the word ‘virtuoso’, so that’s very kind.
READ HERE
Christian Finnegan
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018There’s a reviewer reading this right now, isn’t there? If so, I think YOU are wonderful and insightful and probably very attractive, sexually!
READ HERE
Adele Cliff
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018I think every reviewer is a special individual flower, with a kind soul and their own unique voice Although there is sometimes a lull about 3/4 of the way through a conversation with them. 4 stars.
READ HERE
Aidan Goatley
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018I think the worst review was from The List that claimed its problem with ’10 Films’ was that ‘his father isn’t even dead!’ The best is probably from my friend Steve’s boy who said I was ‘funny, like the joker in the Batman Lego movie.’ He’s six years old and that’s on the flyer.
READ HERE
Aidan ‘Taco’ Jones
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018I got a review off Steve Bennett this year at the Melbourne Comedy Festival, and while he only gave me 3 stars, it read really nicely, and he did preface one of his paragraphs with the qualifying phrase, “a natural writer”, which was a very nice way of saying that my 3 star show at least made logical sense.
READ HERE
Alex Edelman
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018The best review was from a punter at T in the Park who told me I was “less than shite” and the worst was from his brother, who loudly disagreed with him.
READ HERE
Alexander Bennett
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018If they genuinely care about comedy, I have no issue with any reviewer, they are people expressing their opinions. You can tell when a comedy reviewer has contempt for the art form, or thinks it’s beneath them. Those reviewers can get screwed.
READ HERE
Alice Fraser
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018You know how no news is good news? No review is a good review. The best thing about being a comedian is that you’ll find the one sentence in a five star review that’s even slightly critical and take that one to bed with your self-esteem for the next month.
READ HERE
Alice Frick
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018I think my best review was when a 75 year old man came to me after my solo show, cried and thanked me that I made him laugh so much. He lost his wife a year ago and this was the first night he could laugh again. That was more worth than any newspaper reviews and made me cry as well.
READ HERE
Alison Spittle
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018The best reviews are well thought out and quotable, the worst are the ones where they just list out your bits and regurgitate your punchlines as their own. My worst review has my best quote, comparing my stuff to Sharon Horgan and Pheobe Waller Bridge.
READ HERE
Alistair Williams
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018“Alistair Williams is another white male” is one of my least favourite review lines. You’re supposed to read criticism and improve. Struggling to see how I can be less of a white male on stage.
READ HERE
Andrew Maxwell
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018I’ve had my fair share of good reviews mediocre and bad, but I don’t remember them. I’m very grateful for good ones that encourage me and the bad ones for the kick up the arse.
READ HERE
Andrew Sim
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018My best review and worst reviews are both from Broadway Baby. The best was nothing but complementary about my stand up with an in depth acknowledgement of my process and effort, the other review was the complete opposite. My sketch group put on a reasonably risky and out there show which received a lot of love and support, however the reviewer was seventeen years old and ‘specialised’ in musicals and opera.
READ HERE
Andrew White
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018Yes, but I’m not bothered by reviewers… I promise… I think… A good review is obviously a nice selling point, but at the end of the day, professional or not, it’s just one person’s opinion. Comedy is especially subjective, and the audience in the moment is the more important thing.
READ HERE
Andy Quirk and Anna J
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018Our best review contained vast numbers of quotable lines about audience enthusiasm and stagecraft, making it our best, but by the end of it you still had pretty much no idea what the show was actually about or what we did in it, making it also our worst.
READ HERE
Anthony Jeannot
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018My best review described me as narrative comedy of the highest calibre, gave me four and half stars and described my comedy pretty much exactly the way I’d hoped to see it described.
The worst described me as ‘floating around like a bearded butterfly aimlessly on stage.’ I shaved the next day.
READ HERE
Anya Anastasia
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018The Scotsman quote from last year was a favourite. “First rule of the Fringe (or, indeed, life): never mess with a woman who can do a handstand across your lap while maintaining perfect pitch.”
Worst review was from Fest Mag in 2016. It was bizarrely and relentlessly cruel, stating the opposite to what 99% of critics say they enjoy about my work. The reviewer astutely observed that, before the show started, “There is the sense that an event is about to occur.” Yes. Well. Top notch journalism there from Fest Mag.
READ HERE
Archie Maddocks
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018A man in Nottingham once tweeted me to tell me I was so unfunny that he hoped my whole family died. I actually thought the gig didn’t go too badly.
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Arnab Chanda
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018My best review said I was a “star of tomorrow” (which didn’t come true and probably wasn’t true), and my worst review said that I was “overhyped,” which hurt, but was probably also true. So I guess they really just cancelled each other out and the universe went back to equilibrium.
READ HERE
Ashley Haden
First published in Fringepig - Sunday, June 24th, 2018My best review was for last year’s show “We are still all C*nts” it was from Three Weeks and they said “Haden is like a drunk, tortured, prophet of truth” Which is a mental thing to be called.
READ HERE