Cheers as comics join Fringe birthday

Published on Friday 29 May 2009 22:24

COMICS Frank Skinner, Al Murray and Stephen K Amos are among a string of big names yesterday unveiled for the 25th programme of one of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe's largest venues.

A spectacular orchestral show fronted by veteran DJ Goldie and a musical revue featuring work by major composers such as Sally Beamish and Rick Wentworth are also expected to be among the highlights at the Pleasance in August.

Jonathan Ross's house band, 4 Poofs and a Piano, cult cabaret outfit the Tiger Lillies, a musical fronted by Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills and former Blue Peter star Peter Duncan recalling his heyday in the children's programme also feature in the line-up.

The Pleasance is to return to one of its old venues, Over the Road, for this year's Fringe, which is expected to boast a record 2,100 productions.

Some of the best-known names to make their break at the Pleasance are expected to return in a series of special weekend gala shows.

Graham Norton, Jack Dee, Steve Coogan, Harry Hill and Jenny Eclair – all of whom were unknowns when they first appeared at the venue – are among those tipped to make special appearances.

Other major shows include playwright Nichola McAuliffe's latest work, about a British man who spent 18 years on death row in Pakistan, a new comedy about Charles Darwin's early life and a star-studded version of the comedy of errors School for Scandal, starring Lionel Blair, Marcus Brigstocke and Phil Nichol.

The Pleasance was masterminded by impresario Christopher Richardson from its debut in 1985 until he retired in 2005. Its current director, Antony Alderson, started his career at the Pleasance as a volunteer in 1989.

A spokeswoman said: "The Pleasance was simply the name of the street in Edinburgh where Christopher Richardson began the Pleasance in 1985.

"It consisted of a small, narrow theatre and a tiny cabaret bar and just 11 shows. The site appropriately sat on what had been a home for 'fallen women' in the 19th century.

"This year the Pleasance will have 28 spaces and 225 shows. Now the unofficial core of the Fringe, the sun-drenched – we hope – Pleasance courtyard, heaving with famous actors, comedians, Fringe-goers and revellers, is probably one of the most iconic and enduring images of the Festival."

Meanwhile The Scotsman can reveal details of a host of other shows which will be in this year's Fringe programme.

At the Assembly Rooms, veteran director Guy Masterson will be unveiling a new play lifting the lid on the life of the late comic Eric Morecambe and producing Go to Gaza – Drink the Sea, which promises to stir controversy about conflict in the Middle East.

Former Steps singer Lee Latchford-Evans and Hollyoaks actor Paul Hollowaty will be making their Fringe debuts in a "psycho-sexual thriller", Wolfboy, at the George Square Theatre.

Other comedians bringing new shows to the Fringe this year include former Perrier winner Laura Solon, Russell Kane, Richard Herring, Lucy Porter and Dan Antopolski.

Scots singer Eddi Reader will be appearing with her band at the Queen's Hall. It emerged last week that another veteran of the Scottish music scene, Edwyn Collins, would be performing on the Fringe this year.

Ricky Gervais, Julian Clary, Jason Byrne and Dylan Moran are confirmed for shows.

Full details of this year's Fringe are due out next month.