This post is for Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026 shows and will be filled with recommendations from the staff of the Edinburgh Street Historians. At first, it’s going to be lists of returning acts as well as promising performances from people we’ve seen in other contexts, but as the month goes on it will also come to reflect something of this years intake. Also, here’s a thing I wrote on the Fringe last year for you all.
In particular, we’ve decided to focus on Scottish and people who live in Edinburgh because otherwise the London mob tend to takeover. The Edinburgh Street Historians is Edinburgh-based, not London-cringe.
Let’s explore together…
The Initial List
This is people I know to be good or have been informed so by people I know to be good.
Poltergeist: Charlie Vero Martin
Charlie Vero Martin, originally from Leith, is doing a show this year called Poltergeist (WIP) in the Yurt at Potterrow. Martin is a comedian and puppeteer, who is going without puppets to do something stripped back in an original standup show about ghosts and past lives.
I’m excited to see this one myself.
Lemonade: Robin Grainger
It’s a show about happiness, something of a rarity! Grainger has been winning a bunch of Scottish comedy awards recently and who knows what he’ll do next. 20:20, Assembly George Square.
Autocorrect Thinks My Name is Rubbish: Ruaridh Miller
An award-nominated comedian joking about middle class topics like being given a name that the tech bros don’t know exist. I’m down. 20:20 , Gilded Balloon Patter House
Gareth Mutch Means Well
A comedian joking about sayng the wrong thing at the wrong time. Feels very relevant to all of me. 16:20, the Stand Comedy Club.
Jungled: Eva Peroni
A story of a woman leaving the medium-ish town of Livingston to go to Costa Rica, only to lose her shoes, her hair and her attraction to men. 16:40, Gilded Balloon at Teviot.
Alba: Daniel Downie
A fellow tour guide, therefore a competitor (not really, different audiences), Daniel Downie is a renowned comedian who has some really great observations. Here he’s doing history and comedy. He’s playing 14:45 at The Beehive.
Homeland Insecurity: Ayo Adenekan
A growing talent, having scooped up many newcomer awards and now a writer on SNL UK, Adenekan is the epitome of one-to-watch.. This promising show is about love in the hospitality industry and the cost of chasing your dreams. 13:30 at Monkey Barrel 2.
60 Minutes About Scotland
This one is worth just copying direct from the page: “A tribute comedy show to the legendary Scottish comedian, Vladimir McTavish who sadly passed in July 2026. Ross Leslie and lots more of Vlad’s friends present an hour-long afternoon showcase featuring the finest stand-ups from north of the border, created by McTavish, a three-time Scottish Comedy Award winner and ‘one of the finest acts on the Scottish circuit’ (Guardian). Top-class guests on a daily changing line-up featuring the cream of the country’s talent. Guaranteed non-stop laughter. World-class comedy made in Scotland. All donations at the show will be donated to a charity of Vlad’s family’s choosing.” 16:30 at Dragonfly.
More to follow as the month goes on and as my ability to write about them develops. Keep an eye on this list and if you’re a Scottish comedian that wants to rank higher, come sing with me!
The writer of this piece is deadly serious about the singing.
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