ED2018 Comedy ED2018 Preview Edition ED2018 Three To See

Three To See 2018: Three historical comedy shows

By | Published on Saturday 28 July 2018

ThreeWeeks Co-Editor Caro Moses helps you navigate the Festival with her Three To See tips. This time three comedy shows with historical themes.

Douglas Walker Presents – Of Christmas Past | Underbelly Bristo Square | 1-26 Aug (pictured)
I’m a bit of a fan of anything historical. I studied history, I read history, and I can often be found pretending that I don’t really enjoy costume dramas when it’s clear that I absolutely love them. But anyway, that’s why I’m often attracted to historically themed shows, and here’s one which has the bonus of referencing one of my favourite Dickens stories. Douglas Walker is the only star of this epic piece, playing what’s described as a “dizzying cast of characters spanning 100 years of history”. Brilliant.

Nick Hall: Spencer | Underbelly Bristo Square | 1-27 Aug
Have you heard of Spencer Percival? No? Well, given all my pretensions to loving and absorbing history, I didn’t know who he was, either. I mean, you know, the name sounded familiar and all, and when it was revealed to me who he was, I went “ahhhh”, in that way you do. Because I realised that in fact I probably did read or hear about him at some point in the past but then forgot. But anyway, would you like to know? Well, he was the only British Prime Minister ever to be assassinated and, 206 years later, Nick Hall is going to tell you his story, in an inventive and hilarious manner. Hurrah.

The Freedom Machine | C royale | 1-27 Aug
“There are a worrying number of ‘ists’ in society today – racists, sexists, even fascists – who’d have thought they’d make such a comeback?! For her debut Edinburgh show, Elaine Gallagher focuses on a positive ‘ist’ in society: the cyclist!” See, history doesn’t have to be all about boring kings and queens and battles and politicians. It can be about cyclists and suffragettes too. Expect a show that mixes “past and present, fact and fiction, personal, political and historical, to explore cyclists, motorists, and feminists”. It sounds like a definite recipe for success to me.

Photo: Steve Ullathorne



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