Here are some choice acts who geared up at the GICF who are heading to the capital this August!

Nerine Skinner

Indecision seems to inform a lot about Nerine Skinner’s work. For ‘Decisions, Decisions (WIP)’, Nerine plans to step into the forefront with a more autobiographical approach.

What is it about audience involvement that you like so much?

There’s something really fun about talking to people and letting that take over for a little bit, and pull yourself out of the show [so] the audience gets some fun and it can be about them. I think it injects a bit of energy into the room, as well, because they don’t know what to expect. It becomes quite fizzy and really exciting.

In honour of your show name, we are going to do something a bit different and have a quick-fire round of decisions:

Dogs or cats?

Dogs. Dogs.

Original Characters v Impressions?

Oh, no. Original characters… but also impressions. Original characters for starters and then impressions as the main.

Musicals or Comedy?

What about musical comedy? Comedy, because I think you can get music/musicals into comedy. Oh that’s tricky! You’re cheeky!

Alesha Dixon or Amanda Holden? (in honour of Nerine’s success on Britain’s Got Talent)

Amanda Holden, because I like all of her programmes with Alan Carr.

Sum up your shows in five words?

Variety, truth, silly, fun, revelation.

‘Decisions, Decisions WIP‘ is at Just the Tonic from Wed 11 Thu 20 August 2026 

Kate Hammer

Maybe the busiest comedian in Scotland, I managed to talk to Kate Hammer. She loves to bring something different to the table every time, with the help of her audience.

You’re calling yourself a government approved comedian – how did you manage that?

This is my third visa; I was on a student visa, then a Youth Mobility Scheme, which was a real liberal use of the word ’youth’! And then this Global Talent visa. Super stressful to apply for and super expensive. Official letters from big people and organisations, both in the UK and internationally. [UK comedians] are my people! Everyone’s so silly and sense of humour, then you go back home and people, especially in Toronto, just dress so terribly.

You love audience interactions and with your improv background- are you planning to have an audience member recreate the long and painful visa process?

I love it when an audience surprises me and is ready to play and bring something to the table. What some people would call bullying I call fun! That makes me sound like a bully but I’m not! My goals isn’t to make people uncomfortable… I’m trying to bring us and laughing together. Like, I’m gonna talk to you about admin! It’s bad.

Sum up your show in five words?

Personal, silly, controlled chaos, hot.

‘Government Approved Comedian‘ is at Monkey Barrel, The Studio (Niddry Street) from Mon 3 to Sun 30 Aug 2026

Gareth Gwynn

While ‘Cyril’ started as a piece about his great-grandfather for a local poetry festival, it has blossomed from straight storytelling to a stand-up set. ‘And it is good!’ as Gwynn succinctly summarises. Even though he is reluctant for his cousins to come and see it in case they have corrections, this show is about family, place, and time.

You did this as a WIP in Edinburgh last year – what did you learn?

Edinburgh really helped to get a sense of what people know about Wales. There was a couple from Florida on the first day and at the end there was this really great moment where they were like, ‘Right, how does Wales work?’ And then… ending up explaining the legislative powers of the Welsh government, trying to compare it to the state of Florida! I needed a map of Wales because I realised I needed something that I could point on. I went online and ordered a tea towel! I maintain that Wales has been mapped more extensively by tea towel than by Ordnance Survey.

What’s your favourite thing you’ve discovered about Cyril?

Somehow he becomes friends with the Churchill family.

Sum up your show in five words?

My great-grandfather wrote a book (We are allowing the hyphen).

‘Cyril‘ will be at Gilded Balloon Patter House (Snug) from Wed 5 to Mon 31 Aug 2026

Jade Gebbie

Jade is debuting her first hour with ‘The People Pleaser’, hoping to unite those with the pushover tendencies but bring something for everyone, with her high-energy insights into millennial anxiety.

You’ve named the show ‘People Pleaser’- where did that come from and can you think of the worst case of this?

I was initially going to do a show about how I am quite scared of the concept of death. Quite deep, I know. Then I started to worry people would come to the show and… it would bring up bad feelings for them. I think, ‘Maybe I’ll change the theme of the show”… And isn’t it funny that you’re not going to do the show that you initially set out to do, because you want to make sure everyone’s happy and you’re being a people pleaser. I’ll call it what it is, it does what it says on the tin. People who are people pleasers will see it and think, ‘Ah, that’s the show for me’.

Who is one ‘Very Important Person’ you’d like to please?

I was going to say Bad Bunny, but that’s a different kind of please. (That’s the pleasing that I meant, wink, wink.) Oh, right! Well, people pleasers will know that the main people you want please are just complete random people… that will never see you again and probably haven’t even clocked your existence. So just all of those people are who I want to please. And Bad Bunny.

Sum up your show in 5 words?

Millenial, high-energy, friendly, funny, warm

‘The People Pleaser‘ is at Hoots @ Nicholson Square, Nic 4 from Fri 7 to Mon 31 Aug 2026

Sarah Bradley

Self-proclaimed Romantic Comedy scholar, Sarah Bradley, wants to build the ultimate story, with the help of her audiences this Fringe. ‘How to Write a Romcom’ could be seen as Sarah’s PhD thesis.

You’re planning a lot more audience interaction with this show, is this something you knew you wanted to do after your first hour?

Audience connection definitely was the highlight. I knew I wanted to speak to people, it was all about building community around the concept… Performing the last show for a whole Fringe run helped me run the gamut of different reactions. So by the last times I was performing that, I kind of knew when people were going to be reacting and adding in little moments. The whole point of it was connection.

Do you have a favourite and least favourite Romcom trope?

I really make a distinction between best and worst vs. favourite and not favourite. There are broader tropes and more narrow tropes, they all bring something different. I do have a least favourite, might be controversial… I’m really over fake dating. Have you ever heard of anyone fake dating, ever? My suspension of disbelief is really getting strained with all of this fake dating.

Sum up your show in five words?

Joyful, informative, creative, fun, heartfelt.

‘How to Write a Romcom‘ is at Gilded Balloon Patter House, Bothie from Wed 5 to Sun 20 Aug 2026

Juliette Burton

At the intersection of nerdiness and comedy sits Juliette Burton, who loves to take her audiences on journeys through far off lands and her own brain.

What is it about nerdy comedy that appeals to you so much?

There was always an undercurrent, I think, in my comedy because I’m a massive nerd in general, but I think it was the pandemic that really shifted things for me and I started to realise… looking back at my childhood and I realised how much I had distanced myself from. Suddenly this big box of joy just sprang open in me! My inner silliness. I’ve been squashing that down, as much as I’ve been attracted to comedy and doing comedy for years before that. Suddenly it all exploded!

How did you come up with your idea for ‘Villain Era’?

It’s very much about sexual liberation and finding your – not only your inner nerd, your inner sexuality, which is different from sensuality, which is separate from eroticism. And becoming the empowering woman I’ve wanted to be but never reached that extra power-up. I’ve had so many people come up to me after [shows], wanting to chat about the sexualisation of women in comic books and the sexualisation of character [in] cosplay. And I was fascinated because, actually when I cosplay as these characters, more often than not, I feel incredibly powerful! It’s definitely the silliest and sexiest show I’ve ever done!

Sum up your shows in five words?

Sexy Nerdy, silly, hilarious, empowerment

‘Villain Era‘ is at Gilded Balloon Teviot, Turret from Wed 5 to Sun 30 Aug 2026 

Mara Joy

This show serves as a culmination of some of Mara Joys best shorter sets, while (maybe) answering the question – is she secretly a robot?

Based on the title of your show, can you think of one particular time you felt like you might be a robot?

There are hundreds of moments I can think of. Generally speaking, I remember being at school… dance and I was just sitting there going, ‘This doesn’t hold any appeal to me.’ And I remember thinking at that moment, going, ‘Of course not – robots don’t dance.’ I remember being at the – I wanna say 1997 Scottish Cup final. And everyone in that stadium stood up and roared and cheered and… this doesn’t compute. Well done for these 11 men, I don’t know them.

There’s great value in stupid humour, esp. when broaching serious subjects – is this your intent for the show?

I have a bit [not in this show] where I get possessed by the ghost of Macho Man Randy Savage which is the stupidest bit because… it’s me as a trans woman giving advice from a character literally called Macho Man. Similarly, this is going to be a show about robots but it’s actually probably a show… about identity. Being honest about these things on stage, while being very, very stupid, is the way that makes most sense for me to tackle some really difficult subject matter. The whole concept of a biological woman…and I’m going, ‘Wait, so, am I mechanical woman?’ I hope that they see themselves reflected in this, or if they don’t have that experience they can watch and go, ‘That was really funny but also that sounds really tough.’

Sum up your show in five words?

Am I robot or dancer? (Cue The Killers’ song?)

‘I AM (NOT) A ROBOT (WIP)’ is being performed as part of Cool WIP Club at Hollywood at Laughing Horse @ City Cafe from Fri 28 to Sun 30 Aug 2026