Some readers may know that the Office Watch head honcho, Peter Deegan, goes to the famous Edinburgh Festivals each year. Here’s some shows he’s looking forward to seeing and a few sadly MIA in 2025.
Get the most for less money (and hassle) at the Edinburgh Festivals
Mitch Benn
Mitch has been doing great shows in Edinburgh for longer than anyone, including he, can remember. Funny and insightful songs with commentary. Mitch’s show is a ‘must see’ each year I hit the Edinburgh Festivals.
Mitch Benn – The Lehrer Effect
https://www.mitchbenn.com/ Mitch usually meets his audience after the show and sells a USB ‘stick’ with songs and copies of his ebooks, including the delightful Terra trilogy.
A Letter To Lyndon B. Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First
Consecutive 2022 and 2023 Fringe First Award winners Xhloe and Natasha come to Edinburgh again with their absurdist two-hander about the idealised American childhood and the boys it left behind.
Boyhood encompasses the innocence of spit-shakes, rope swings, and mock battles. Yet, what occurs when fantasy intersects with reality, making once-easy childhood narratives more challenging to recount? Be it tales shared by the campfire’s glow, heartfelt letters sent home, or a reverent plea to a revered president, these two Boy Scouts yearn for the chance to embody the role of the hero… Scout’s Honour.
Book at Edinburgh Fringe
Hold on to Your Butts
The highly celebrated and fully booked New York comedy returns in 2025. A duo of actors, accompanied by a Foley artist, present a shot-for-shot comedic spoof of the most renowned dinosaur movie ever made. It’s a brilliantly creative display of humour, physical theatre, and live sound effects artistry.
Book at Edinburgh Fringe
Temping
An interactive solo show awaits you in a basement office in Illinois. Cover for Sarah Jane while she’s away by diving into her workspace, handling her calls, and managing her faxes. As you navigate through the narrative of Sarah Jane, immerse yourself in a contemplation on existence and mortality amid the grids of an Excel document.
Already sold out but check Edinburgh Fringe for more opportunities.
Compilation shows
There are many ‘pick of’, ‘best of’ shows in the Fringe and Free Fringe.
These give comics a chance to show their stuff in a tight ten minutes or so. If you’re in Edinburgh for only a few days, these compilation shows give you good value for your time and money.
Filthy Funny Females
Filthy Funny Females is my go-to “Best of” show. For some years, Katharyn Henson has been hosting a changing roster of excellent female comedians who each do a quick set.
Buy a ticket in advance to guarantee entry or turn up for free with a donation at the end of the show.
Wish you were here
Some acts that I look forward to seeing in Edinburgh are sadly missing from the 2025 lists.
Nick Revell
Nick Revell – it’s hard to think of a Edinburgh Festival without enjoying Nick’s hilarious recounting of his last year (sort of) sitting in a cozy basement room. Always a lot of fun. Strangely I’ve never seen Nick perform above street level., coincidence or acrophobia?
Gin Palace Productions
Gin Palace Productions – I first saw their show about Marnie Nixon and it was a revelation. Sam Nixon and Alasdair Carson-Sheard have also made charming shows about Noel Coward, Gertrude Lawrence and Julie Andrews. Vastly underappreciated in the crowd of shows in Edinburgh, they’ll be sorely missed in 2025.
Get the most for less money (and hassle) at the Edinburgh Festivals
