Brighton Fringe 2022: Comedy shows to see at this year’s festival
Brighton Fringe is back!! It’s running May 6th — June 15th, so take a trip to the seaside and do some lovely laughs. Here are a few suggestions if you’re struggling to narrow down the hefty programme.
Lachlan Werner: Voices Of Evil
May 6th & 31st, June 1st & 5th. Tickets here
It doesn’t need to be Halloween to enjoy scary witches and possessed dolls. In case you hadn’t noticed, horror is for LIFE, not just for daylight savings time. It might look like ventriloquist Lachlan Werner is in control of his small witch Brew, but in Voices of Evil, she is the one sacrificing him. Expect really excellent puppetry and a lot of very sinister vibes *cackle cackle*.
Extra Topping
May 6th, 7th, 13th, 14th, 20th, 21st. Tickets here
You’ll find no traditional stand-up here. Instead, every Friday and Saturday of the Fringe you’ll get a specially prepared pudding of sketch, clowning, improv, musical comedy, poetry and characters at Extra Topping — including acts such as Selena Mersey, The SugarCoated Sisters, Siblings and Julia Masli.
Viggo Venn: Club Comedian
May 6th & 8th, June 1st & 2nd. Tickets here
It’s time to get serious about comedy. It’s 2022 for god’s sake; this is no time for silly physical jokes. So one very tall clown, Viggo Venn, has decided that conventional stand-up is the best route. Viggo is one of my all time favourite clowns so I’m very excited to see him completely fail at sticking to stand-up.
Sara Segovia: !Supernueva!
May 7th & 8th. Tickets here
It only takes one alien to invade the Earth and right now, the alien of the week is Sara Segovia, who is touching down at Brighton Fringe to take your jobs and your women. Describing herself as the “Spanish mutant lovechild of E.T. and a Powerpuff Girl”, I have a feeling she’s going to be successful. I personally will surrender.
Privates, Christian Brighty, Luke Rollason
I’m smushing three shows together here, because I can. It makes sense though, bear with me. All three are iterations of comedy trio Privates. Firstly, it’s Privates with Great Ideas by Geniuses (May 14th & 15th) who have inventions to blow your mind. Nextly, it’s Christian Brighty with Playboy (May 6th, June 4th & 5th) bringing his saucy high society swoonfest. Thirdly and endly, it’s Luke Rollason’s Bowerbird (June 2nd, 3rd, 4th), back on the stage after a lovely stressful interlude curating comedy festivals. If you are as much of an Interior Design Masters nut as I am, Bowerbird is for you (me) with this makeover of the mind.
Farah Sharp & Alex Beighton: In Her Shoes
May 15th, 16th, 18th. Tickets here
This is such a fantastic concept for a show. I love it. Farah Sharp and Alex Beighton are taking inspo from Freaky Friday to write material for each other to perform. Farah is ‘a mixed-race, confidently anxious overthinker’ while Alex is ‘a self-proclaimed gay and gross heartthrob’ and together they’ll examine their differences and solve world peace. Big tick.
Ian Lynam: Autistic License
May 15-18th. Tickets here
As an autistic person, Ian Lynam has been told he can do anything but connect with people. Well, fuck that, he’s doing comedy and sticking a middle finger up at Dr Asperger’s assertion that he’s destined for humourlessness. The Irish comedian’s UK debut at Brighton and Edinburgh Fringes this year explores neurodiversity, sexuality, creativity and the history of autism.
Carr Crash: Father/Daughter Comedy
May 22nd. Tickets here
It’s always nice to find new ways to spend time with your parents, especially in this day and age amirite? Ruby Carr (Instagram Queen) and her dad (Professor of Web Science) are teaming up for a Gen Z and Boomer catch-up about all things technology and family. Honestly, the thought of doing that with my dad fills my tummy with custard, but that’s why I’m the one scribbling away behind a screen.
Julia Masli: Choosh!
May 26-29th. Tickets here
We’ve made no secret of our love for Julia Masli over here, and the genius that is her repertoire of LEGS and LOGS with the Duncan Brothers. Her debut solo hour Choosh! is an absurd homage to migration, in which a hungry Eastern European clown travels to America for a hot dog. Julia is an absolute master of physical comedy and you’d be a FOOL to miss this. It is my mission to make Julia Masli a household name.
Séayoncé: Res-Erection
May 29th, June 2nd, 3rd. Tickets here
In the mood for a lil exorcism? A sweet small dearly departed soul cleanse? Séayoncé is all over it, ghost whispering their way around the docks. This is the only séance worth gracing with your presence, as Dan Wye brings history’s greats back to life with this cabaret, drag comedy show. That’s the spirit.
Eleri Morgan and Priya Hall: Power Struggle
May 30th. Tickets here
An excellent comedy combo from two Welsh greats. The split show with Priya Hall and Eleri Morgan has been lying in wait for a couple of years so it’s a treat for you and you be grateful now. They’ll be peddling tales of socialist grandmas, accidentally courting the alt-Right and spicy opinions on giant squids. My kind of chat.
Siblings and Sami
May 31st & June 1st. Tickets here
I may be a little biased but only a little because Siblings (Maddy — of this parish — and Marina Bye) and Sami Abu Wardeh are one of the best on-stage team-ups I’ve seen. You’ll get three idiots for the price of two, probably with some wigs, a bit of nutty dancing and most definitely a bunch of very silly characters. They won actual awards for this at last year’s Brighton Fringe, so you know I mean it when I say it’s great.
Aruhan Galieva: Eco Maniac
June 2nd & 3rd. Tickets here
Have you come to Brighton Fringe to go to a TED Talk? Well, GET OUT! This isn’t a TED Talk! TED Talks don’t have nearly this many original songs. Aruhan Galieva brings together the natural pairing of musical comedy and the climate crisis in her first solo show, as well as exploring her experiences as a mixed race British-Kazakhstani woman.
