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The Best Five Star Rated Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2024 Comedy Shows - Best 5* Gigs


Ahir Shah Ends Best Five Star Rated Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2024 Comedy Show 5 Stars

Check out Comedy in Your Eye's 5* guide to the the best five star Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2025 Comedy Shows as reviewed and voted for by newspapers and reputable Festival review sites


The Five-Star Roll of Honour


For those navigating the festival's vast programme, this summary table provides an at-a-glance guide to the comedy shows that achieved critical perfection in 2025.

Show Title

Performer/Company

Genre

Key Theme/Style

Awkward Prods Get Married (But For Real)

Awkward Productions

Event / Queer Comedy

A live, on-stage wedding filled with camp chaos

Bernie Dieter's Club Kabarett

Bernie Dieter

Cabaret / Variety

Debauched, gin-soaked, breathtaking circus acts

Boiler Room Six – A Titanic Story

Tom Foreman Productions

Storytelling / Dark Comedy

A one-man tour de force from the Titanic's engine room

Dreamscape

Andy Jordan / Hindsight

Spoken Word / Hip-Hop Theatre

Reimagining the true story of Tyisha Miller's death

Footballers' Wives: The Musical

Wildpark Entertainment

Musical Comedy

High-camp, noughties nostalgia, and OTT drama

Funz And Gamez Rebootz

Phil Ellis

Children's Comedy / Chaos

Anarchic kids' show with whip-sharp adult humour

Garry Starr: Classic Penguins

Garry Starr

Clown / Physical Comedy

Naked nincompoopery lampooning classic literature

Glenn Moore: Please Sir, Glenn I Have Some Moore?

Glenn Moore

Stand-up

Rapid-fire, intricately woven one-liners

The Horse of Jenin

Alaa Shehada

Storytelling / Stand-up

Finding humour and resilience in occupied Palestine

Joe Kent-Walters Is Frankie Monroe: DEAD!!!

Joe Kent-Walters

Character Comedy

Ghoulish absurdity from a demonic club owner

Loud Poets

I Am Loud CIC

Spoken Word / Comedy

Fist-thumping, side-tickling fusion of poetry and music

Margolyes and Dickens: More Best Bits

Miriam Margolyes

Storytelling / Comedy

Outrageous honesty and masterful character performance

MC Hammersmith: Hippity Hoppity...

MC Hammersmith

Improv / Hip Hop

Jaw-dropping, quick-witted freestyle comedy rap

Monsterrrr! With Trygve Wakenshaw

Trygve Wakenshaw

Children's Comedy / Clown

A funny, exciting, and lonely monster's tale

Pear: Phobia

Pear (Patrick & Hugo McPherson)

Sketch Comedy

Ambitious, chaotic hour from 6'7" identical twins

Rosie O' Donnell: Common Knowledge

Rosie O'Donnell

Storytelling / Comedy

Masterful, hilarious, and moving family stories

She's Behind You

Johnny McKnight

Theatre / Comedy

A riotous, heartfelt journey into pantomime

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical

Showstopper Productions

Improv / Musical Comedy

An Olivier Award-winning, entirely new musical every night

Ten Thousand Hours

Gravity and Other Myths

Circus / Physical Comedy

Superhuman skill meets down-to-earth charm

Export to Sheets


Awkward Prods Get Married (But For Real)


Awkward Prods Get Married (But For Real)

The Verdict


In a festival first that perfectly encapsulates the chaotic, celebratory spirit of the Fringe, the creative duo behind Awkward Productions, Linus Karp and Joseph Martin, legally married on stage in front of a ticketed audience of 750 cheering fans. More than just a gimmick, this was a joyous, camp, and disarmingly heartfelt event that blurred the lines between performance and reality. Expect guest performers, queer chaos, readings, songs, and the unique opportunity to witness a genuine wedding ceremony wrapped in a "Fergalicious hour" of pure Fringe energy.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "In a Fringe first, Linus Karp and Joseph Martin of Awkward Productions get married for real." - EdFestMag 

  • "History with a standing ovation... The ceremony was pure Fringe: chaotic, camp, and disarmingly heartfelt." - ATV Today 


Fringe Facts



Bernie Dieter's Club Kabarett


Bernie Dieter's Club Kabarett

The Verdict


The self-described Mistress of Mayhem, Bernie Dieter, brings her gin-soaked, punk-rock cabaret to the Fringe for a debauched night of breathtaking circus, gender-bending aerials, and fire-breathing sideshow acts. This is more than just a show; it's an immersive experience that starts the moment you enter the room, with a provocative atmosphere of red lights and thick haze. Dieter's powerhouse vocals and her live band provide the soundtrack for a jaw-droppingly impressive roster of performers, creating a wickedly funny, life-affirming spectacle that is a triumphant celebration of "punks, freaks, and weirdos".


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "Bernie Dieter's Club Kabarett isn't just a cabaret. It's a full-throttle, punk-rock, gin-soaked must-see." - EdFestMag 

  • ★★★★★ "F*cking phenomenal." - TheAge.com.au 

  • ★★★★★ "Gloriously decadent and outrageously indecent." - WhatsOnStage.com 

  • ★★★★★ "Deliciously debaucherous, salacious Spiegeltent spectacular." - Time Out 


Fringe Facts


  • Genre: Cabaret / Variety / Circus / Live Music

  • Venue: The Beauty at Underbelly's Circus Hub on the Meadows

  • Run Dates: Until August 23

  • Buy Tickets: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/bernie-dieter-s-club-kabarett 

  • Content Warnings: Full nudity, scenes of a sexual nature, strobe lighting, strong language, and audience participation. Age restriction 16+.


Boiler Room Six – A Titanic Story


Boiler Room Six – A Titanic Story

The Verdict


A powerful and original take on one of history's most famous tragedies, this one-man show offers a little-explored perspective from the scorching engine rooms of the Titanic. Performer Charlie Sheepshanks delivers a tour de force performance as Frederick Barrett, one of the few stokers to survive the sinking. The show masterfully creates an immersive atmosphere, conveying the heat, the camaraderie, and the chaos of the disaster through a script praised as "one of the best ever witnessed". It is a gripping, emotional, and magnificent piece of storytelling that champions the unsung heroes of the fateful voyage.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "This play is magnificent... a mesmerising performance." - Scottish Field 

  • ★★★★★ "A brilliantly written story that runs with a great pace and offers a fantastic performance from its actor. Powerful, emotional and absolutely gripping from start to finish." - Theatre & Tonic 


Fringe Facts



Dreamscape


Dreamscape

The Verdict


A profoundly moving and potent piece of hip-hop theatre, Dreamscape uses beatboxing, spoken word, and dance to reimagine the true story of Tyisha Miller, a 19-year-old Black woman shot and killed by police in California in 1998. The performance contrasts the vibrant, witty, and hopeful depiction of Tyisha's life with the clinical, dispassionate recitation of her autopsy report, creating a chilling and devastating dramatic structure. It's a superbly performed, clear-eyed look at the intersection of race, the body, and violence that captures the power of this vital theatrical form.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "In 1998, Tyisha Miller was killed by police officers who shot her." - EdFestMag 

  • "A superbly well performed and original hour in the theatre... Simple and devastating. Excellent moments of theatre that will stay with audiences." - FringeReview 


Fringe Facts


  • Genre: Spoken Word / Hip Hop / Dance / Theatre

  • Venue: Bramley at Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower

  • Run Dates: Until August 24

  • Buy Tickets: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/dreamscape 

  • Content Warnings: Contains distressing or potentially triggering themes. Age guidance 14+.


Footballers' Wives: The Musical


Footballers' Wives: The Musical

The Verdict


A glorious, high-camp spectacle that proves some things from 2002 deserve to be celebrated. Based on the iconic, glossy ITV drama, this musical adaptation is a sequinned, sparkled, and sassy triumph. Following the schemes of captain's wife Tanya Turner, the plot is a delightful mix of crime caper, hospital drama, and noughties nostalgia that is never less than "full bedlam and total bobbins". With a stacked cast of West End talent and a live band, this is a polished, professional, and brilliantly fun show that is already packing out its venue.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "Sequinned, sparkled and stuffed with strong female leads, it's a high-camp spectacle... In short, it's bloody brilliant." - The List 

  • ★★★★★ "Our five star review of Footballers' Wives: The Musical at Edinburgh Festival Fringe." - Brignews.com 


Fringe Facts



Funz And Gamez Rebootz


Funz and Gamez rebootz

The Verdict


Ten years after winning an Edinburgh Comedy Award, Phil Ellis returns with his gloriously unhinged kids' show, and it hasn't lost any of its chaotic magic. Ostensibly for children, the show is a masterclass in balancing slapstick games and sweet-throwing anarchy with whip-sharp, dark jokes that sail gleefully over the little ones' heads. Ellis, as the fragile host whose authority is constantly overrun by feral youngsters, is hilarious, aided by a new cast of misfits. It's a show where the unpredictability of children catalyses the comedy, resulting in a "ridiculously funny, shambolic gigglefest" for the adults who make up the majority of the audience.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "There's always talk about the perfect kids show balancing jokes that both little ones and adults will love, but few relish speaking to children as though they actually were fully employed adults in their mid-20s." - The List 


Fringe Facts



Garry Starr: Classic Penguins


Garry Starr: Classic Penguins

The Verdict


Comic wunderkind Garry Starr is back with a mission: to save literature from extinction by performing every Penguin Classic novel ever written, mostly naked and occasionally with flippers. The result is a joyfully silly and expertly performed hour of physical comedy, puns, and gags that fly thick and fast. Starr's character is a classic idiot who takes himself incredibly seriously, which only amplifies the hilarity as he flings himself across the stage with gleeful abandon. This is pure, frenzied, nincompoopery designed for one thing: to make you laugh so hard you rip a hole in time and space. An absolute must-see.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "Garry Starr has returned to the Fringe on a mission to save..." - EdFestMag 

  • ★★★★★ "A very funny man who is peculiarly averse to wearing trousers." - Scotsman 

  • "Incredibly silly and pure joy. An absolute must-see." - Starburst Magazine 


Fringe Facts



Glenn Moore: Please Sir, Glenn I Have Some Moore?


Comedy Glenn Moore: Please Sir, Glenn I Have Some Moore?

The Verdict


A breathtaking display of the pure craft of joke-writing. In an hour that feels both intricately constructed and relentlessly paced, Glenn Moore solidifies his reputation as one of the masters of the form. The show's loose narrative of a trip through Death Valley serves as a perfect framework for a dizzying array of cross-referenced callbacks, belting one-liners, and clever wordplay that leaves audiences laughing at one punchline while Moore is already halfway through the next setup. It's a dense, rewarding, and astonishingly slick performance that celebrates intelligence and silliness in equal measure.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "One of the best shows I've seen at this year's Fringe." - Scottish Field 

  • ★★★★★ "An absolutely brilliantly-crafted joy from start to finish." - Mail On Sunday 

  • ★★★★★ "This is classy, gag-driven comedy at its most intense and funniest." - Chortle 

  • "The best showcase of pure joke-writing skill." - The Guardian 


Fringe Facts



The Horse of Jenin


The Horse of Jenin

The Verdict


A vital and profoundly moving piece of theatre that uses the disarming power of comedy to tell an essential story. Writer and performer Alaa Shehada delivers a masterclass in tone, blending stand-up, storytelling, and commedia dell'arte masks to recount his coming-of-age in occupied Palestine. The show finds humour, warmth, and resilience amidst the horror, building its narrative around a real-life statue of a horse that became a symbol of freedom before its destruction. It is a performance that begins with laughter and ends with a gut-punch, a large-hearted and unforgettable story of friendship, loss, and the enduring power of art in the face of brutality.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "A funny, haunting coming-of-age tale of boyhood in occupied Palestine." - The Guardian 

  • ★★★★★ "Hits exactly the right balance of life-enhancing comedy and utter tragedy." - The Scotsman 

  • ★★★★★ "It takes a special kind of personality, writer, [and] performer..." - EdFestMag 

  • "Warm, large-hearted show about finding hope in art." - The Stage 


Fringe Facts


  • Genre: Storytelling / Stand-up / Theatre

  • Venue: Pleasance Dome

  • Run Dates: Until August 24/25

  • Buy Tickets: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/horse-jenin 

  • Content Warnings: Contains haze, strong language, and potentially triggering themes including displacement, loss/grief, war, violence, and military occupation. Age guidance 12+.


Joe Kent-Walters Is Frankie Monroe: DEAD!!! (Good Fun Time)


Joe Kent-Walters Is Frankie Monroe: DEAD!!! (Good Fun Time)

The Verdict


The Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer of 2024 is back, and this time he's dead. Joe Kent-Walters returns as Frankie Monroe, the nation's favourite demonic Working Men's Club owner from Rotherham, dazzling audiences from beyond the grave. This show builds on the success of his debut, delivering a bigger budget remake of his unique brand of ghoulish absurdity. It's a triumphant, one-man old-time variety show that is weird, charismatic, and utterly class-act comedy.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "Ghoulish absurdity at its classiest." - Evening Standard 

  • ★★★★★ "A one-man old-time variety show... Triumphant." - BeyondTheJoke.co.uk 

  • ★★★★★ "Exactly what I wanted it to be, which is to say that it’s basically a bigger budget remake of his first show." - Time Out 


Fringe Facts




Loud Poets


Loud Poets

The Verdict


Celebrating over a decade at the Fringe, Loud Poets have become a Scottish institution, and this year's show demonstrates why. It is a fist-thumping, side-tickling, and heart-wrenching fusion of spoken word, live music, and comedy. The core trio of Katie Ailes, Mark Gallie, and Kevin Mclean, accompanied by guitarist Jack Hinks and a different guest poet each night, deliver a masterclass in wordplay and performance. The show is a joyous smorgasbord of words, seamlessly shifting from intimate solos to exuberant double acts and participatory segments that prove poetry can be a truly communal and exceptionally entertaining experience.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "A poem... 'can be many things', and there is no better proof of this fact than the astonishing range of spoken word talent seen during this Loud Poets show." - Binge Fringe 

  • ★★★★★ "Wordplay masterclass... It's impossible not to be swept up in the sheer vitality of these performers at the top of their game." - All Edinburgh Theatre 


Fringe Facts



Margolyes and Dickens: More Best Bits


Margolyes and Dickens: More Best Bits

The Verdict


After a sell-out run in 2024, the force of nature that is Miriam Margolyes returns, and her performance is as electric as ever. At 84, she commands the stage with wild, raunchy, and hilarious energy, weaving her own life stories with passages from her favourite author, Charles Dickens. She embodies character after character with formidable talent, bringing dusty literary figures to vibrant life. The show concludes with an unfiltered Q&A, where Margolyes delivers outrageous honesty and unapologetic opinions, making for a warm, shocking, and delightful hour with a true icon.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "She is wildly hilarious, bold and warm." - EdFestMag 

  • ★★★★★ "I am writing this from the Meadows in Edinburgh, still basking in the glow of Miriam Margolyes's performance. And yes, her show really was just as exquisite as last year." - One4Review 


Fringe Facts



MC Hammersmith: Hippity Hoppity Get Off My Property


MC Hammersmith: Hippity Hoppity Get Off My Property

The Verdict


The world's leading freestyle rapper from middle-class West London delivers an hour of jaw-dropping, hilarious, and utterly unbelievable improvised comedy rap. MC Hammersmith's ability to weave audience suggestions into spontaneously brilliant punchlines is endlessly impressive. His brain works at astonishing speed, creating a unique and stomach-achingly funny show every single time. With brand-new routines for 2025, this is an improvised hip-hop masterpiece that leaves audiences astounded.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "Endlessly impressive and unbelievably quick-witted." - Elodie Marriott, EdFestMag 

  • ★★★★★ "Stomach-achingly funny raps." - EdFringeReview.com 

  • ★★★★★ "An improvised hip-hop masterpiece." - VoiceMag.uk 


Fringe Facts



Monsterrrr! With Trygve Wakenshaw


Monsterrrr! with Trygve Wakenshaw

The Verdict


A delightful and inventive kids' show from a master of physical comedy, Trygve Wakenshaw. The story follows a hideous, evil monster who is also big, strong, tough, clever, and very, very lonely. The performance is exciting, different, funny, and not a bit boring, inviting the audience to look past the nasty claws and bristles to see the character within. It's a charming and engaging piece of clowning that will captivate children and adults alike.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "There's a Monsterrrr loose in the Piccolo Tent – much..." - Jacqueline Ross, EdFestMag 


Fringe Facts



Pear: Phobia


Pear: Phobia

The Verdict


The 6-foot 7-inch identical twin comedians Patrick and Hugo McPherson return to the Fringe after multiple sell-out runs with their most ambitious and chaotic hour yet. Pear's unique brand of sketch comedy is blisteringly hilarious and effortlessly funny. Having honed their craft with sell-out shows in Edinburgh and at London's Soho Theatre, they are a duo truly destined for greatness, and

Phobia is a riotous showcase of their undeniable talent.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "Pear is back! This year, 6'7” identical twins Patrick & Hugo McPherson..." - Berlyn Lee, EdFestMag 

  • "An effortlessly funny hour." - Independent 

  • "They are destined for greatness." - The List 


Fringe Facts


  • Genre: Sketch Comedy

  • Venue: Belly Dancer at Underbelly, Cowgate

  • Run Dates: Until August 24

  • Buy Tickets: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/pear-phobia 

  • Content Warnings: Audience participation, strong language, haze, flashing lights, loud noises. Age guidance 12+.


Rosie O' Donnell: Common Knowledge


Rosie O'Donnell: Common Knowledge

The Verdict


In her Edinburgh Fringe debut, American actor, comedian, and former talk-show host Rosie O'Donnell reveals herself to be a masterful storyteller. This one-woman show is a by-turns moving and funny, tear-inducing and hilarious hour about family and inclusion. Primarily focused on her heartfelt and often laugh-out-loud funny relationship with her youngest daughter, the show is a powerful, personal, and compelling piece of theatre from a celebrated voice in comedy and cultural conversation.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "In this by turns moving and funny, tear-inducing and hilarious one-woman show about family and inclusion, the US actor, comedian and former talk-show host reveals herself to be a masterful storyteller." - The List 


Fringe Facts



She's Behind You


She's Behind You

The Verdict


A riotous and surprisingly moving journey into the wild world of pantomime, led by Scotland's premier dame, Johnny McKnight, and directed by the award-winning John Tiffany. The show unearths the magic and madness behind the curtain, as McKnight reflects on his twenty-year career and the evolution of the art form. It's a hilarious, heartfelt, and deeply personal celebration of shifting traditions, queer identity, and the unexpected joy found in the anarchy of panto. A stunning and multi-faceted piece of theatre.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "Hilarious and highly personal... a surprisingly moving piece of theatre." - The Queer Review 


Fringe Facts


  • Genre: Theatre / Comedy / Storytelling

  • Venue: Traverse Theatre

  • Run Dates: Until August 24

  • Buy Tickets: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/she-s-behind-you 

  • Content Warnings: Contains haze, flashing lights, strong language, themes of discrimination & homophobia, and audience participation. Age guidance 14+.


Showstopper! The Improvised Musical


Showstopper! The Improvised Musical

The Verdict


Now in their 16th year at the Fringe, the Olivier Award-winning West End hit continues to be an absolute must-see. Every night is the opening night for a brand-new musical, created on the spot from audience suggestions. The sheer skill of the performers is astonishing, creating a fully-realised, polished, and achingly funny show that defies belief. It's a consistent audience favourite for a reason and a testament to the magic of spontaneous musical comedy at its finest.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "In its 16th year at the Fringe, Showstopper! proves to..." - Elodie Marriott, EdFestMag 

  • ★★★★★ "So polished, it defies belief." - Telegraph 

  • ★★★★★ "This festival mainstay is a consistent audience favorite for a reason." - Playbill 

  • ★★★★★ "Achingly funny...worth seeing again and again." - TimeOut 


Fringe Facts



Ten Thousand Hours


Ten Thousand Hours

The Verdict


An ideal festival show that combines supreme levels of skill with humour, charm, and audience participation. Australian circus company Gravity and Other Myths have created an ode to the countless hours of practice required to master their extraordinary craft. The show presents tricks not as magic, but as hard-won rewards, allowing the audience an up-close insight into their process. With gasps, laughs, and even a gymnastic game of Pictionary, this is a show full of down-to-earth charm performed by a superhuman squad at the top of their game.


What the Critics Say


  • ★★★★★ "The level of thought, skill and emotional courage on display is breathtaking." - Scotsman 

  • ★★★★★ "An awe-inspiring display of acrobatic brilliance." - Edinburgh Festivals Magazine 

  • ★★★★★ "A visual masterpiece of the human body in motion." - StageWhispers.com.au 

  • ★★★★★ "Mesmerising." - List 


Fringe Facts



Conclusion: A Vintage Year for Laughter


The 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe will be remembered as a banner year for comedy, one defined not just by the quality of its top-tier shows, but by their astonishing variety. The five-star standard was awarded to a rich tapestry of performances that pushed boundaries, shared vital stories, and demonstrated the enduring power of a perfectly crafted joke. The trends are clear: comedy is becoming more theatrical, more personal, and more ambitious than ever before.


The rise of "event comedy" was undeniable. From a real wedding to a debauched cabaret, performers demonstrated that in a crowded field, creating a unique, unmissable experience is a powerful path to acclaim. The success of high-production musical comedies like Footballers' Wives: The Musical and the perennially brilliant Showstopper! suggests a growing appetite for shows that blend comedic genius with spectacular showmanship, a trend likely to inspire even more ambitious productions in 2026.


Simultaneously, the Fringe stage solidified its role as a vital platform for testimony and truth-telling. The profound impact of shows like The Horse of Jenin and Dreamscape illustrates a powerful evolution in autobiographical and political comedy. These performers are not just mining their lives for laughs; they are inviting audiences into complex realities, using humour as a tool for empathy and social commentary. This move towards raw, authentic storytelling will surely inspire a new generation of comics to use their voices not just to entertain, but to bear witness.


Yet, amidst the spectacle and the soul-baring, the festival also celebrated the fundamentals. The rapturous reception for a joke-writing purist like Glenn Moore and a freestyle genius like MC Hammersmith proves that pure comedic craft, when executed at the highest level, remains an exhilarating art form. And in a heartening show of the genre's health, the Fringe's best included a remarkable number of five-star shows for children and families, proving that smart, silly, and inclusive comedy can and should be for everyone.


This list represents the pinnacle of comedic artistry in 2025. These are the shows that delighted, moved, and astonished critics and audiences alike. They are a testament to the creativity, resilience, and sheer hilarity that makes the Edinburgh Fringe the most important celebration of arts and culture on the planet. Seek them out on tour, find them online, and celebrate a truly vintage year for laughter.


Catch the best comedians off the London Comedy Circuit by buying tickets to our shows on the main page







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Want to see more recommended shows? Then check out our top 15 most recommended shows guide.

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