ED2018 Comedy ED2018 Preview Edition ED2018 Three To See

Three To See 2018: Three stand-ups with a story

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 stand-ups with a story.

I Am Ross Smith | Just The Tonic At The Caves | 2-26 Aug (pictured)
Okay, so one could argue that many stand-ups have a story. Hell, you could argue that they all do and you’d be right. But here I’ve picked out three comedians with tales to tell that sounded extra dramatic or intriguing. So let’s start with this: “On March 20th, 7:13pm. Ross Smith received a message from a stranger, with an even stranger invitation. What followed is the incredible true story of an ordinary name leading to an extraordinary adventure”. Well, that caught my attention, how about you?

Stuart Mitchell: Gordon Ramsay’s Karma Cafe | Gilded Balloon Teviot, 1-27 Aug
This one’s got an attention grabbing title, so you might have noticed it yourself without me pointing it out to you. But if you dig further you’ll discover that’s not just a random reference to everyone’s favourite angry chef. Stuart Mitchell is a former high-flying City banker – “smooth-talking banking elitist who’d rip you off at a moment’s notice” – who went through something of a moral awakening one day when his path crossed with the culinary and monetary extravagance of Gordon Ramsay. And if that doesn’t sound like the potential for a great set, I’ll eat my hat.

John Hastings: Float Like A Butterfly, John Hastings Like A Bee | Pleasance Courtyard | 1-27 Aug
“Last year, John Hastings was hit by a car and broke his arm. He then became homeless (his choice) with a long distance girlfriend (her choice) and now has a lot of thoughts on pigeons and bicycles (your choice). Now he’s written this comedy show”. Hastings is a comedian who was very swiftly appointed a TW favourite on account of his fabulous anecdotal comedy. “This charming, loveable comic is truly engaging and well worth checking out”, wrote one of our reviewers a few years back. And she was right.

Photo: Matt Crockett



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