The Stand Comedy Club is arguably the home of stand-up comedy in Edinburgh, hosting a mixture of comedians already in the midst of success as well as providing newcomers with the space to introduce themselves to the scene.
The Student were lucky enough to be invited to their comedy showcase for the Fringe – taking place at The Stand’s New Town Theatre on George Street – one whole day before the official start of the Fringe Festival.
In the space of two hours, we saw a wide range of acts, each given a whirlwind three minutes to essentially pitch themselves to a room full of eagle-eyed professional journalists.
So, who are our Stand-out acts of the night?
Mark Thomas
The last to take the stage, but the first on our list of must-sees. One of comedy’s greats and no stranger to the Fringe. His utterly hilarious commentary on the dire state of British politics almost started a revolution in the audience. You’ll come away feeling fuelled with anti-capitalist, anti-Tory, anti-government-in-general ideas.
‘Mark Thomas: Black and White’ at The Stand Comedy Club (Stand 1), August 5-14, 16-28, 13:30
Paul Sinha
You may know him as that guy from The Chase, but Sinha is more renowned as a stand-up comedian and has a long-standing history of performing at Edinburgh Fringe. Having been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease three years ago, Sinha’s show delves into what life has been like since his diagnosis. Oh, and there’s also a song about Channel 4’s The Last Leg, which he definitely (wink wink) holds no grudges against.
‘Paul Sinha: Once Sinha Lifetime’ at The Stand’s New Town Theatre (Lower Hall), August 5-15, 17-28, 16:40
Flat and the Curves
This act was a much-needed escape from all the doom and gloom jokes about the pandemic, the government and the general state of the world. Appearing on stage donned in their finest disco-ball frocks, Flat and the Curves spent their three minutes singing a song about vaginas (you’d be surprised how many synonyms exist), and why we should stop telling each other to ‘grow a pair’.
Flat and the Curves at The Stand’s New Town Theatre (Lower Hall), August 16-28, 22:35
Seann Walsh
A deep-dive into the life of a thirty-something who just discovered crumbs, and the art of cleaning them up. Walsh somehow managed to bring his Henry Hoover to life as a cocaine addict hell-bent on snorting every last bit of dirt in his house. Expect more existentialism (and probably more Henry content, too).
‘Seann Walsh: Is Dead. Happy Now?’ at The Stand Comedy Club (Stand 1), August 4-14, 16-28, 22:00
Gavin Webster
Finally, we recommend you see this Blaydon-born Geordie. He brought a unique awkwardness to the stage which he punctuated with outbursts of disco-dancing and tribulations about growing up in the seventies. We’re still unsure if Newcastle United actually ruined his life, so we better see the full show!
‘Newcastle United Ruined My Bloody Life’ at The Stand Comedy Club (Stand 2), August 5-14, 16-28, 17:20
You can view all the shows on offer at The Stand throughout the Fringe here.
Images: Jay Dawson, provided by The Stand Comedy Club.