August 3rd sees the launch of the 2011 Edinburgh Festival, and with a smattering of TVO faces in amongst the hundreds of comedic faces who have descended upon the Scottish city for the next few weeks, we decided it was as good a time as any to remind you of exactly who’s going to be where.

With full-length festival appearances from Rich Fulcher, Colin Hoult and Paul Foot, plus a limited run for Dan Clark and a one-night-only appearance from Hot Brew, we at TVO were naturally going to want to give our favourites a spot of extra exposure.

However, we also felt this was as good a chance as any to break out of our usual remit somewhat, and recommend a few shows from outside Booshdom that any peelers visiting the Festival may wish to check out. Wherever possible, we’ve provided you with ticket links and in some cases, video links to allow you to peruse these artists at your own leisure.

Now, we could be here all day extolling the virtues of dozens of shows, but we decided to narrow it down to a top ten – including shows with a Boosh connection, and other gigs we felt just had to be shouted about.  There’s a selection of runners up highlighted at the bottom of the list – and don’t forget you can browse the program yourself to find your favourites at the Fringe website.  Feel free to tell us and your fellow peelers who else is worth checking out via the comments box, our Facebook/Twitter or the forum!

Keep your eyes on TVO over the next few days, as we have a few video exclusives coming up around some of our friends making the trip to the biggest comedy event of the year.

To check our run-down of the acts we think you should see, click to Continue Reading.

RICH FULCHER’S TINY ACTS OF REBELLION

DATES: August 3rd-28th [not 15th]

TIME: 8.30pm

WHERE: The Billard Room @ The Gilded Balloon Teviot [Googlemaps]

PRICE: Monday-Thursday: £11 (£9 con.)  Friday-Sunday £12 (£11 con.)

Selected dates cheaper.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

Starting life as an essential paperback guide to sticking it to the man in small doses, Tiny Acts Of Rebellion sees Rich Fulcher return to Edinburgh for his second solo show with his usual cathartic style.  High on audience interaction and innovative ways to eat soup, the show sees Rich and compadre in rebellion Arnab Chanda promise to teach the good people of Edinburgh how they too, can stop the Man in his tracks and make him look like a complete dick.  If you love Rich, and let’s face it – you probably wouldn’t be on this site if you don’t – then you’ll adore this fresh slice of vintage Fulcher madness.  No two hours will ever be quite the same, as the improv master is famed for not sticking to the script, but from the previews we have seen, the written parts are a glorious sight to behold too.  An essential show.

Stay tuned to TVO for an exclusive interview with Rich about all things Tiny Acts very soon!

COLIN HOULT’S INFERNO

DATES: August 3rd-29th [not 16th]

TIME: 7.05pm

WHERE: Pleasance Two @ The Pleasance Courtyard [Googlemaps]

PRICE: Monday-Thursday: £12 (£10.50 con.)  Friday-Sunday £14 (£12.50 con.)

Selected dates cheaper.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

The final part of a very loose trilogy of shows, Colin Hoult’s Inferno is a dark, verbose and totally bonkers vision of tragicomic characters, that’s every bit as inventive as everyone tells you it is.  TVO were lucky enough to see one of the previews of the show last month, but we wouldn’t dream of spoiling the surprises – except to tell you you’ll be coming home with the name of a progressive jazz group stuck in your head, and that Colin’s impressions of a certain animal are just a little bit too convincing.

Oh – and if you struggled to get last year’s Boogieman Song out of your head, just wait till you hear The Heroes Graveyard…

PAUL FOOT: STILL LIFE

DATES: August 4th-28th [not 16th]

TIME: 7.40pm

WHERE: The Underbelly @ Cowgate [Googlemaps]

PRICE: Monday-Thursday: £10 (£9.50 con.)  Friday-Sunday £11 (£10.50 con.)

Selected dates cheaper.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

The continuing misadventures of the bafflingly brilliant Paul Foot.  This time around, the comic, set to appear in the forthcoming Luxury Comedy series with last year’s director Noel Fielding, is being tight-lipped about what the show will contain.

However, the lyrical press release is enough to whet the appetite – as he explains: The walls of Baron Ryan Carter’s castle have ears and a rudimentary mouth, which whispers of the 23 comments of old that changed the world, now in the hands and voice box of Mr Paul Foot.

DAN CLARK: 3 NIGHTS ONLY

DATES: August 5th-7th

TIME: 9:50pm

WHERE: Pleasance One @ The Pleasance Courtyard [Googlemaps]

PRICE: Friday 5th: £6 Saturday 6th: £12 (£10 con.)  Sunday 7th: £14.50 (£12.50 con.)

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

Dan’s first Edinburgh Fringe dates in 4 years come at the end of a successful nationwide UK tour, and act as a showcase for his unique brand of comedy and finely tuned musical numbers.  Reviews from the tour were glowing with praise for this inventive set, making this a vital check-in for any early birds.

Clark is playing just three nights at the start of the festival, so get in while you can – these are almost guaranteed to sell out fast!

THE FORGERY CLUB: HOSTED BY HOT BREW

DATES: August 14th [evening of]

TIME: Midnight on 14th/15th.

WHERE: The Belly Laugh, Underbelly @ Cowgate [Googlemaps]

PRICE: £10.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

For one night only, Hot Brew are coming to Edinburgh!  The folktastic duo of Oona & Crispin Wheatflake will be headlining a very special one-off Forgery Club with special guests galore.

The last Forgery Club Hot Brew event featured the likes of Colin Hoult and Steve Oram amongst its guests, so who knows what the latest one will bring.

We’ll keep you posted about guests as soon as we hear anything from the Wheatflake’s transient communicators, Alice Lowe and Antony Elvin, and don’t forget we have part two of our exclusive video interview the pair helped us set up with the Hot Brew duo still to come before the event.  You can see Part One again below…

JOEY PAGE: SPARKLEHORSE SUPERBRAIN

DATES: August 4th-28th [not 16th]

TIME: 7.40pm

WHERE: Just The Tonic @ The Tron [Googlemaps]

PRICE: £8

Preview dates cheaper.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

Describing Joey Page to those who haven’t seen him is a dangerous game, not least because there’s a slight element of a Beano character brought to life about him.

Many have commented on how his cheeky comedic charms and flights of whimsical fantasy remind them of a young Noel Fielding, and indeed it is via Fielding that he has come to our attention – first, by sharing the bill at Just The Tonic last year to rave reviews, and now by his association with the forthcoming Luxury Comedy series.

Indeed, Noel himself has joined in – suggesting they are two unicorn brothers in arms.  But to just dismiss him as a Fielding wannabe does Page a great disservice – he’s hilarious and charming in his own right.  We swear that this time next year, our peelers won’t be able to get enough of Joey, so believe us when we say you should check out his stunning new live show to stay one step ahead of everyone else.  Footage of Page is low on the ground right now, but below you can see a 2009 interview with comedy website Laughing Gas.  Enjoy.

LATE NIGHT GIMP FIGHT

DATES: August 3rd-29th [not 20th]

TIME: 10.30pm

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard [Googlemaps]

PRICE: Monday-Thursday: £9.50 (£8 con.)  Friday-Sunday £12 (£10.50 con.)

Selected dates cheaper.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

A gloriously silly sketch troupe who are regulars on the London circuit, Late Night Gimp Fight are rising stars who truly deserve to go onto enormous successes.

Winners of the 2011 Chortle Award, the five-piece recently completed a successful run of their Greatest Hits at the Soho Theatre, consigning old favourites to the archives and/or the wheelie bin, in order to deliver a totally new hour of rapid fire sketch work up in Edinburgh.

Outside of the obvious TVO links above, these guys are one of the biggest pulls for us across the festival, and we urge you to give them an hour of your life… you’ll never quite be the same again.

Check out their tv pilot below, to get a taste of classic Gimp action.

PHILL JUPITUS: STAND DOWN

DATES: August 3rd-28th [not 15th or 22nd]

TIME: Times vary, usually 8:25pm.

WHERE: The Stand Comedy Club [Googlemaps]

PRICE: All dates: £12

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

At long last, Phill Jupitus returns with his own stand-up show, over ten years since his last major tour.

We have to be honest – TVO knows very little about this show, but the long-standing Never Mind The Buzzcocks captain has previous form for great stand-up routines and inspired impressions: as anyone who has seen his stunning take on Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace will attest.

A regular at the festival with various projects, Jupitus is also appearing as part of improv group The Phill Jupitus Quartet at the Gilded Balloon Teviot throughout the festival.  For more information on this show, click here.  In the meantime, have a classic slice of Quadrophobia!

DAVID REED: SHAMBLEHOUSE

DATES: August 3rd-29th [not 16th]

TIME: 8.30pm

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard [Googlemaps]

PRICE: Monday-Thursday: £10 (£8.50 con.)  Friday-Sunday £11 (£9.50 con.)

Selected dates cheaper.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

One third of sketch troupe The Penny Dreadfuls, David Reed brings his debut solo show to Edinburgh after a handful of London previews.

TVO were lucky enough to attend one of these recently, admittedly somewhat unaware of Reed’s true potential, and were left incredibly impressed.  And not just with his impression of Morgan Freeman.

The one-man show is highly energetic, ridiculously clever and preposterously silly, and has some truly inspired sequences that have to be seen to be believed.  Check it out while you can!

RICHARD HERRING: WHAT IS LOVE ANYWAY?

DATES: August 3rd-28th

TIME: 8.50pm

WHERE: Udderbelly’s Pasture @ Bristo Square [Googlemaps]

PRICE: Monday-Tuesday: £12.50 Wednesday-Sunday: £14.50

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

Comedy legend Richard Herring returns with a brand new show that, on the surface appears to be far less controversial than his last two touring hours: Hitler Moustache and Christ On A Bike!

Nevertheless, we expect the usual biting social commentary and witty deconstruction of an iconic figure – in this case, the concept of love itself.

Celebrating his twentieth Edinburgh Fringe, Herring is always a pleasure to watch live and his proven track record makes us certain this is one to watch.

Whilst there, Herring is also hosting a regular podcast at the Stand Comedy Club, almost daily.  For more info, click here.

Also watch out for…