But Is It Funny?

• The Edinburgh fringe is too long, too expensive and too gruelling. It must change or die
• Fringe audiences are 99% white? As a South Asian critic, I found Edinburgh’s screaming lack of diversity hugely troubling
• About The Fringe Society

Mo

• Mo on Netflix
• We had to show that the immigration system is a mess’: how Mo Amer’s refugee status led to comedy gold
• Hollywood puts 'no face' on the Palestinian experience. Mo Amer plans to change that
• No Direction Home

Joe Lycett

• The satire of Joe Lycett is a fitting response to our era of scorched-earth politics
• Hun-culture

• Jacqueline Novak
• Frankie Thompson: Catts
• Sarah Sherman
• Jerry Sadowitz

And topics including:

• The impact of positive high profile reviews
• The Fringe on TikTok (room for improvement!)
• Bringing babies to shows

• Sophie Duker
• Cat Cohen
• Sarah Keyworth
• Bloody Difficult Women
• Ragu to Riches
• Sheeps
• Crizards
• Lara Ricote
• I Miss Amy Winehouse

Plus:

• Watching and reviewing 7 shows a day
• 
  
• Are critics a dying breed?

And:

• How do critics leave a show?!

• Patti Harrison 
• Sketch versus stand-up 
• Trigger warnings in stand-up: a timely development … or the end of days?
•  Amy Gledhill

And how to review Seann Walsh

Join Jamal Khadar and our regular panel of comedy critics and writers Brian Logan and Suchandrika Chakrabarti as they look forward to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022.

Including:

• How comedians prepare for the Fringe
• Being a critic at the Fringe
• Is it still viable for new comedians?
• What shows are the panel most looking forward to?
• And what is the best shape for a flyer ... ?

The next four episodes of But Is It Funny? will be recorded at the Fringe.

LINKS

• Soho Theatre Edinburgh Lab
• ‘Someone’s making money but it’s not us’ – the comics spurning the Edinburgh fringe
• Archive: Show me the money | Edinburgh festival 2002 
• Archive: All white on the night | Edinburgh festival 2002

SHOWS THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO

Suchandrika:

• Life of The Party
• I Am Not A Gorilla
• Illegally Funny
• No More Mr Nice Chelsea
• Ragu To Riches

Brian:

• Catherine Cohen
• Sheeps
• Catts
• Leo Reich
• Rosie Holt

Jamal:

• Patti Harrison
• I Miss Amy Winehouse
• Sophie Duker
• Lara Ricote