Julian Hall

Elis James - Do You Remember The First Time?

Starstruck Welsh comedian divulges secrets

26 Jul 2011

Beguiling storyteller Elis James returns to the Fringe this year with a show about his earliest experiences, borrowing its title from the iconic Pulp song for Do You Remember the First Time? ‘The first time I did a few of the formative things everyone…

Kerry Godliman - Wonder Woman

The comedian and actress putting her superpowers to the test in Edinburgh 2011

26 Jul 2011

Comedian and actress Kerry Godliman will be appearing in Ricky Gervais’ new sitcom Life’s Too Short in the autumn. But before that achievement is marked, Godliman will be entertaining her Fringe audiences with tales of ‘trying to be a superhero and…

Stalwart of deadpan John Moloney back at The Stand for Edinburgh Fringe

A traditional stand-up returns with hope in his heart

27 Jul 2010

As a stalwart deadpan of the comedy circuit, you don’t expect John Moloney to be the most expansive of interviewees. He seems to live up to that preconception by leaving my question unanswered about whether he was bothered by being on the original…

Sean Hughes: Giving up and giving in

The comic talks adverts, anti-depressants and acting your age

13 Aug 2009

When former Perrier winner Sean Hughes was last in town he lit up The Gilded Balloon, in the right way, allowing the audience to forget a torrential downpour outside. The only damp squib of the evening inside was the enforced sing-a-long to a Waterboys…

Laura Solon: Bunny Girl

The last ever Perrier winner returns to the Fringe

24 Jul 2009

As a comedian who performs with a great deal of poise and has a taut, controlled quality about her, I wonder if Laura Solon is going to prove a somewhat distant subject for interview. My apprehension is soon dispelled in our small talk during which she…

Rebel With a Cause - Jack Whitehall

He's fresh out of his teens, and already onto our screens. Mum still does his washing though.

24 Jul 2009

Given the small screen and stage swagger and poise of Jack Whitehall, it’s hard to believe that this bright young thing of comedy still lives at home with his parents. This startling fact will be centre stage of his debut solo Fringe show, Nearly…

Julian Clary - Lord of the Mince

Intimate, retrospective stand-up from the New Statesman columnist

13 Jul 2009

Offstage, Julian Clary is a man of relatively few words and the ones that he will proffer are certainly not minced. He’s direct but he doesn’t go deep, choosing the trivial over the heavyweight. It’s partly because I need to have two bites at Clary’s…

The Meeting - Suits you sir

31 Jul 2008

Three young talents have variously got a boardroom comedy, a sketch show and a student competition to contend with. Our chair Julian Hall asks if there is any other business This year it’s going to be hard for many Fringe-goers to leave work too far…

Mick Sergeant

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

22 Jul 2008

Touted as the next Steve Coogan, this year marks the first solo show for character comic Lee Fenwick who has previously delighted Fringe crowds as one half of spoof German techno band Die Clatterschenkenfietermaus. For his debut, Fenwick is presenting…

Death in Benes - Carol Leifer

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

22 Jul 2008

Having been convinced that playing a Fringe show in the late afternoon is no bad thing, US comic and Seinfeld muse Carol Leifer is now getting excited about her Edinburgh August. Julian Hall makes sure he doesn’t mention the ‘E’ word You may not know…

Punt and Dennis

9 Aug 2007

It’s quite astonishing that Punt and Dennis, one of the household names of British comedy, have never quite performed a live show in Edinburgh as a duo.

Resurrection man

1 Aug 2007

Murray Lachlan Young went from being a poet with a huge record deal to playing imaginary gigs in a barn. Julian Hall discovers how he got his mojo back

Will Adamsdale

1 Aug 2007

As befits someone who plays, by his own admission, ‘mad adults wrestling with technology and the modern world’, Will Adamsdale has asked me to read the press release for his new show back to him.

Former Perrier nominee with a comedy campaign

Jimmy Tingle

1 Aug 2007

Last year, US comic Doug Stanhope told The List how he was going to stand for the Libertarian Party in the 2008 Presidential Election.

Charlotte Hudson & Leila Hackett

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

19 Jul 2007

Charlotte Hudson and Leila Hackett aim to bring audiences a much needed breath of fresh sea air with their show Two Left Hands. The duo derived inspiration for this collection of breezy vignettes from what Hackett describes as ‘the faded seaside towns…