Winning best newcomer at the fringe can turn the heads of comedy's kingmakers. Here are five faces in the frame
The Edinburgh fringe still has the ability to make a career. Any
comedian performing their debut show knows that getting a nod in the
best newcomer award will turn the head of the industry kingmakers, and
it is often a stepping stone to being nominated for the main award.
Last year's was a vintage,
with John Kearns edging out charismatic Irish storyteller Aisling Bea
and gloomy wordsmith Liam Williams; and you'll be hearing plenty more of
them in the years to come.
Previous winners include Tim Minchin,
Sarah Millican, The Mighty Boosh, Josie Long and Milton Jones. The award
was created in the first place for Harry Hill, whose 1992 show was
deemed too raw and chaotic for the main award, but was such a revelation
it had to win something.
Here are some of the fresh faces hoping to follow in their footsteps:
Alex Edelman
A
bright 25-year-old with assurance beyond his years, Edelman shows all
the signs of a standup with a big future: he's charismatic, very funny,
and is a heavy gigger. In his first show, the Bostonian assesses his
credentials as part of the "millennial" generation. Think of a prickly,
politicised Jerry Seinfeld, and you're about there.
Angela Barnes
A latecomer by newcomer standards, having turned pro at the age of 33
after a career in social services. You Can't Take It With You showcases
Barnes as a blunt yet charming standup, and one who lets you into the
most heartfelt and darkest corners of her life.
Mark Cooper-Jones
Cooper-Jones
is a former geography teacher and a current member of sketch trio
Wittank. His impassioned eulogy to geography is a geeky delight, and
makes a change from the standard "this is me" debut show. It's roaringly
middle class, but even that is a target for his keen comic eye.
Rhys James
The
23-year-old is a raw talent, but one who's almost certainly going
places. He's the archetypal wisecracker in the Sean Lock mould, all
front and mischievous energy, and has amassed quite the Twitter
following thanks to his artful gag-writing.
Tim Renkow
"I
mess with people because I can", says Renkow, a reference to the
cerebral palsy that informs much of his material. From Memphis,
Tennessee, Renkow is a smart comedian who also knows how to handle dark,
risky material
