Meka Mo is a stand-up and podcast host who has a burgeoning presence on the international comedy scene. Named a Comic to Watch by the New York Comedy Festival, she won Best of Fest at the Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest and the Sandy Gunar Award at the Jersey City Comedy Festival. A regular on the New York comedy circuit, Meka has performed at top clubs including Gotham Comedy Club and The Stand, and internationally at venues such as Top Secret Comedy Club (London), Tokyo Comedy Bar and the Barcelona Fringe Festival.

In 2024, Meka brought ‘3 Queens of New York‘ to the Edinburgh Fringe, where the show received strong critical response and an award nomination. FringeReview praised the hour as “a hugely entertaining hour of stand-up and stories,” while BroadwayWorld called it ‘Priceless… very New York!’ She returns in 2026 with her full-length debut, ‘New York City Dreams’. We spoke to Meka about the show, how impressed she is with British audiences, and her hopes for the show.

Can you tell us about ‘New York City Dreams’?

‘New York City Dreams’ is my one-woman show about how being a New Yorker has shaped everything — including what happens when you take that Queens energy somewhere completely unexpected, like India or West Virginia. It’s a fast-paced, laugh-heavy hour that uses New York not as the destination but as the lens. Through punchy jokes and vivid stories, I explore ambition, identity, chaos, and the everyday absurdities of modern life. It’s a love letter to multiculturalism — unfiltered, fearless, and very funny. I’m returning to Edinburgh Fringe after a 2024 run of the ‘Queens of New York’.

For those who might be unfamiliar with you, how would you describe your comedy and your approach to performance?

My comedy is observational humour rooted in my own life — the things I’ve seen, the places I’ve been, the moments that made me stop and think, ‘Wait, that’s ridiculous.’ I explore cultural themes, but you don’t need to be well-read or well-travelled to get it. The jokes land on their own. That said, if you are a worldly observer — someone who’s curious about people and places and how we all collide — you’re going to have a really good time. It’s a worldly show for a worldly audience.

You came to the Fringe as part of ‘3 Queens of New York’ in 2024. How was that as an experience? How did British fans compare to American crowds?

2024 was a brilliant introduction to the Fringe — doing it as part of ‘3 Queens of New York’ meant I got to experience Edinburgh with a crew, which was special. But what really stuck with me was how sharp the British audiences were. I went in thinking I’d need to explain a lot about the New York perspective, about the cultural references, the context. I didn’t. They were completely up to speed on Americana — sometimes more so than audiences back home. They understood the New York point of view straight away, and that energy in the room was something else. It’s a big part of why I knew I had to come back.

What are your hopes for the show? What would constitute a successful Fringe for you?

Success at the Fringe for me is pretty clear: get reviewers in, entertain audiences, and walk away with the momentum to tour. That’s the dream. The Fringe is such a unique opportunity to put your work in front of people who can open doors — promoters, programmers, press — and I want to make the most of that. But at the core of it, every single night, I just want the audience to leave having had a genuinely great time. If I’m doing that consistently, the rest tends to follow.

What for you about the best and worst things about the Fringe?

The best thing is simple — the performing. There’s nothing like it. The Fringe has this incredible concentrated energy where everyone is there for the art, the laughs, the experience, and you feel that as a performer every single night. It’s electric.

The worst things? The weather and the food. I’m from Queens. I was not built for Edinburgh in August. And let’s just say the culinary options when you’re running between venues late at night are minimal.

Besides the show, can we expect to see you performing elsewhere during August; guest spots, compilation shows, etc?

Yes — ‘New York City Dreams’ at Just the Tonic at the Caves is the main event, but I’ll also be producing ‘Purple Park Comedy‘, a showcase comedy hour with Laughing Horse Free Fringe. From the 17th – 30th.  I wanted to use my time in Edinburgh not just to perform but to put on something that gives other comedians a platform too. It’s going to be a really fun hour. Come along.

Are there any other shows/ performers at the Fringe that you would recommend?

Fellow NYC comic Sydnee Washington will be running Her show Black Barbie from 5-15/8. A must see if you ask me. She’s hilarious.

‘New York City Dreams‘ is at Just Out of the Box at Just the Tonic at The Caves from Thu 20 to Sun 30 Aug 2026