Short in stature, tall in comedy terms, Matt Kirshen introduces us to his 2009 Edinburgh show. What is your show, Shorter Than Napoleon, about? My show’s about confidence and self awareness. And it’s about America and France. And older relatives. Plus there’s a story about an optician. Who doesn’t like opticians? Not me, that’s for(…)

Jack Whitehall’s fast-track to TV fame makes him an easy target, but the 21-year-old has a pretty good debut Edinburgh show, writes Jay Richardson. Having established himself on television with varying degrees of success, Jack Whitehall makes a pretty efficient attempt at polishing his stand-up reputation with this slick Fringe debut. Despite his cocksure swagger(…)

How does John Gordillo follow up his formidable 2008 show? With a brilliant, if uneasy hour on sexual politics, writes Paul Fleckney. Tricky one to pin down, this. F#ckonomics is not as memorable as his 2008 show Divide and Conga, but that was as powerful a comedy show as you will ever see (~wags finger(…)

Sunken Luggage provide a fun if lightweight hour of sketch comedy on the Free Fringe. Pappy’s Fun Club aren’t the only ones doing meta-sketching this year, with their show about a world record of sketches. Sunken Luggage on the PBH Free Fringe lure you into one of those drippy caves on Cowgate and tell you(…)

If you don’t enjoy Adam Riches’ Rogue Males, writes Paul Fleckney, I’ll hit you till I pass out. You know those episodes of Blackadder where Lord Flashheart thunders in and takes over, and everybody is fixated by this battering ram of testoserone that’s entered the room? Rogue Males feels like that. From the moment Adam(…)

Alistair McGowan’s attempt to become known a serious comedian is either brave or hubristic, either way it’s misguided writes Paul Fleckney. Alistair McGowan definitely wants to be known as a comic. It’s a good ten minutes before he does his first impression, he opens with some stock local observations and he even refers to himself(…)