Radio Times review

I like to laugh. I just don't get enough opportunities listening to the radio. This is where the humourist and writer David Sedaris takes on a heroic status. There was not a single sentence that did not raise a smile, and most of them led to full-on, unadulterated laughter.

Sedaris writes about what he knows: in the case of these three short readings that's a terrifying babysitter called Mrs Peacock, an altercation with a giant human poo in someone else's toilet and a trick that he played upon his partner involving two artificial pistols. He makes the mundane extraordinary and his acute observational powers add a whole new dimension to the everyday experience.

There will be nothing as funny as this on radio this week -- or possibly this year.

Kelly Kingham: from lorry-yard to arts festival (Link expired)

This year I shall be performing my fourth stand-up show on the Edinburgh Fringe but my love affair with the greatest arts festival in the world actually began in 2010 when I wrote a musical comedy called JUMP.

Edinburgh Fringe interview: Aidan Strangeman

Irish musical comedian Aidan Strangeman is his kids' favourite superhero. Can he grow up before they do? Strangeman and his comedy songs have previously featured in the theatre show Singlehood which has played to thousands of people in some of Ireland's largest venues, including the Olympia and Vicar Street.

Edinburgh Fringe interview: Sajeela Kershi

Sajeela Kershi is a comedian, writer & actress. She has performed all over the UK and abroad including taking shows to the Edinburgh, Glasgow and Brighton fringes as well as performing at the Montreal Just for Laughs festival. This year Kershi brings two groundbreaking shows to the festival.

Edinburgh Fringe interview: Kelly Kingham

Kelly Kingham's has been building quite the reputation for himself on the comedy scene and his latest Fringe show Kingham tells the story of a man who can't stop the inside coming out, no matter how hard he tries! After Kingham's realisation that happiness had in fact slipped past him he thought it was reasonable to presume that a man could die before he's even lived and so change was/is in order.

Edinburgh Fringe interview: Steve Hall

The best-educated third of beloved Fringe losers We Are Klang, and one of the main writers on Russell Howard's Good News, Hall has opened for Russell Howard and Lee Mack on tour, and was the first ever stand-up guest on Good News.

Edinburgh Fringe interview: Jennie Benton Wordsmith

Jennie, a young spoken word artist from Tunbridge Wells, is on a quest to bring her show to anyone who will watch it. With best friend Auburn Joe by her side she covers an eclectic mix of subjects, ranging from her stick insect Skrillex, to the nature of true love.

Edinburgh Fringe interview: Spencer Jones

2015 has already been pretty gracious for Spencer Jones having become a runner-up at this years New Act of the year and now Herbert makes a return to Edinburgh with a brand new show stuffed full of physical, musical, prop-heavy insanity. This is what they say he's a sort of grubby Mr Bean with a hint of Tommy Cooper. This guy is such a dickhead.' Seriously they're words we think is ACE!

An expat decodes the world's largest arts festival

For those of us working in the performing arts in London, going up to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe--the world's largest arts festival--is a kind of annual pilgrimage. The Scottish capital in August transforms into an art lover's paradise: It's the only place where I've felt weird for not wearing a costume.

Wellington barista takes Puppet Fiction to Fringe

Lyall Bay barista Jon Coddington is the mastermind behind Puppet Fiction, Quentin Tarantino's cult classic Pulp Fiction in marionette form.

Kid critic: Horrible Histories (Garrick Theatre)

Our Kid Critic Edward Macneill, aged 10, gives the lowdown on the third instalment of Barmy Britain.

Edinburgh preview: Tom Allen

Sometimes the Fringe coverage is so obsessed with unearthing someone new that polished talent can be overlooked.

Jason Byrne interview

Our favourite comedy stars return for another year of laughter, tears and lots and lots of beer.

Dane Baptiste interview

Nominated for best newcomer at last year's festival, the first black British act to be recognised by the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, Dane Baptiste has a new BBC sitcom pilot and a "difficult second album" to deliver.

Interview: Eleanor Morton

In the very short time since her first appearance on the UK comedy circuit, Eleanor Morton has already become a distinct presence there. She did her first Edinburgh Fringe last year, and luckily for us, the experience hasn't dissuaded her from coming back a second time with her new show, Allotted Mucking Around Time.

Spencer Jones: only a bit of a Herbert

"Your comedy character is called The Herbert," I said to Spencer Jones. "Well," he told me, "I wanted to call him The Dickhead. Dickhead to me is quite a nice term: He's a dickhead - I like him. It feels like a warm character to me. But Northerners told me it was too strong."

Pointless Celebrities announces comedy special

Doon Mackichan, Nigel Planer, Adil Ray, Kevin Eldon, Nerys Hughes, Jeremy Dyson and The Chuckle Brothers are due to appear in a Comics edition of Pointless Celebrities. The episode will be broadcast on September 26 on BBC One.

Preview: An Evening With Hot Gulp & Friends

Newcastle sketch group Hot Gulp are to make their live debut in the city tomorrow night.

Meet Damien Slash - Ed Fringe 2015

I'm a character actor and voice artist who built an audience on YouTube before going back to my roots as a stage performer. I've also been a music producer, a mobile app developer and a viral video researcher. My show is a portfolio of interactive and relatable characters from TED Talkers to Gambling Addicts presented with lots of audio-visual frills. Each of the characters is a contemporary stereotype and between them they offer something for everyone but not something for anyone. It's been put together to feel like a one man interactive sketch show.

Meet Nick Cody - Ed Fringe 2015

Nick Cody. Australian Comedian. Sweet beard.

Meet Dane Baptiste - Ed Fringe 2015

I'm Dane Baptiste and my show is called Reasonable doubts. It's about all the doubts and fears we have personally, socially and globally ... with hopefully hilarious results.

Fringe preview: Seriously Funny

Amid all the knockabout fun of the Fringe, some comedians are tackling bigger, more serious subjects.

Interview: rarely asked questions - Joanna Neary

If you like your comedy off-the-beaten track you really should have come across Joanna Neary by now.

The 10 funniest cyclists

It's a well-known fact that professional cyclists are hilarious, spending endless hours tearing up and down the world's roads trying to make each other giggle.

Funz and Gamez interview

An interview with Funz and Gamez.

Fringe 2015 - Adam Hess

Hotly tipped, award-winning comedian, Adam Hess will perform his highly anticipated debut hour Adam Hess: Salmon at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2015.

Fringe 2015 - Expect the Unexporcupine

2015 New act of the Year Michael Stranney and Laughing Horse New act of the year runner up Olaf Falafel bring you an hour of fun filled silly comedy.

Fringe 2015: My Favourite Words in the English Language

Comedian Omid Singh is coming to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the first time! Singh is an American touring stand-up, based in Los Angeles.

Fringe 2015 - Barry From Watford's Bingo Bonanza

Continuing to defy the years, the nation's favourite octogenarian Barry from Watford returns to Edinburgh this year with his Bingo Bonanza show in tow.

Fringe 2015 - Annabelle's Skirting Board Adventures

Annabelle's Skirting Board Adventure is a brand new theatre show for young children and families produced, written and starring Howard Read, creator of the hugely successful CBBC and live theatre touring hit Little Howard.

Geoff Norcott - (nearly) the only Tory in the village

Edinburgh intros #13: The cuckoo in the nest presents his latest, um, egg.

Bobby Mair - coming to a Periscope near you

Edinburgh intros #14: The acidic Canadian is making Edinburgh HISTORY by being the first comic to stream their show live on Periscope, meaning anyone in the world can hear his views on Malala and Katie Hopkins.

Fringe 10x10 - 9. American idiots...

Ten US comics performing at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Netflix to save The Delivery Man?

Netflix could move into commissioning British comedy by picking up axed ITV sitcom The Delivery Man.

You're Back In The Room heads to France and Netherlands

Kate Philips, Creative Director, Formats, BBC Worldwide says: "We are delighted that BBC Worldwide France and Blue Circle will be producing our first international sales of You're Back in the Room and we hope to announce further territories soon. We're extremely proud to have this hilarious and highly innovative show in our formats catalogue."

Yonderland it is like a comedy Jaffa Cake

Once you watch this innovative comedy from the stars who brought you Horrible Histories there is no going back.

Ha Ha Hamilton unveil acts for 2015 comedy festival

Performances from Des Clarke, Robert Florence, Iain Connell, Greg McHugh, Sanjeev Kohli, Michael Redmond, Jane Godley and Tom Stade.

Edinburgh Fringe 2015 Ones To Watch: Thunderbards

The acclaimed comedy sketch duo return to the Fringe for a third consecutive year, with Chapter III featuring more surreal scenes and off-beat characters.

Talks fail to halt protests over Frankie Boyle gig

Demonstrations will still take place against Scottish comic's appearance in republican west Belfast after jokes about disabled people divided community.

ALOTO producer Jim Pullin dies

Jim Pullin, the Bafta award-winning executive producer of A League Of Their Own, has died at the age of 57.

Limmy: 'I used to be straightforward kinda mental'

Limmy talks to Paul Whitelaw about finding an outlet for his madness.

Access all areas

Disability access to events across the festivals is improving, but the situation is still far from ideal. Jo Caird looks at the challenges of creating a truly accessible Edinburgh.

Fringe Q&As: Nathan Caton

Nathan Caton discusses life, late night gigs and Scottish insults.

Fringe Q&As: Colin Leggo

Colin Leggo discusses Cornish pasties, double acts and why Edinburgh is a lovable but tempestuous beast.

Fringe Q&As: Steve Hall

Steve Hall on zebra, We Are Klang and unusual ways to play the recorder.

Fringe performers get married ahead of Fringe

John Hinton performs with his partner Jo Eagle. They got together in 2013 and quickly decided to do a show together - his last, Albert Einstein: Relativitively Speaking. Jo played Einstein's wife Elsa, and they ended up touring the world together with it and fell in love.

Meera Syal interview

Modern India collides with the UK's hidden trade in overseas surrogacy in Meera Syal's new novel about motherhood.

Jesse Armstrong interview

Jesse Armstrong, the writer of Peep Show and The Thick of It debuts his first novel, which mixes the personal with the political.

Three to see ED2015: autobiographical

ThreeWeeks Co-Editor Caro Moses tips three fantastic autobiographical theatre pieces.

Meet Lucie Pohl - Ed Fringe 2015

I am a small, German born-New-York-City-raised certified Germinican Kraut Jew comedian, writer, actor and professional maniac.

Meet Tez Ilyas - Ed Fringe 2015

I'm Tez Ilyas, a stand-up comedian from Lancashire. In my debut Fringe show, TEZ Talks, I endow the audience as potential converts to Islam (yes really!) and give them a 'Talk' on how to integrate effectively into British society.

Harriet Kemsley: Edinburgh Fringe 2015 interview

It's no exaggeration to say Harriet Kemsley is one of our favourite comedians in the world today. We've long been impressed by her, but in the past year she has excelled herself to create a show that looks to bring together all of her incredible comedic attributes: a positive energy, an endearing scattiness, kitchen sink silliness and an eye for poignancy. This will be one of the highlights of the Fringe.

Funmbi Omotayo: Harrods porter turned Hackney gagster

After a storming five-minute spot on The John Bishop Show, Funmbi Omotayo is hitting Edinburgh with his debut solo hour, Legal Immigrant. It's the tale of his family's move from Hackney to Lagos - and back again.

Interview: Loud Poets

Loud Poets are a collective of ten performance poets who collaborate with a variety of artists. They present their latest Fringe show at the Scottish Storytelling Centre from the 6 - 31 August. We chat to them about their new show and how they keep spoken word exciting and interesting.

Fringe preview: ZOO venues

ZOO venues celebrate their fifteenth anniversary with a bold, rich programme that has a self-proclaimed "fiercely independent" streak.

Sofie Hagen profile

Steve Bugeja interview

Interview with Steve Bugeja.

Katia Kvinge interview

Interview with Katia Kvinge.

Lolly Adefope interview

Interview with Lolly Adefope.

Chris Betts interview

Interview with Chris Betts.

Jonny Pelham interview

Interview with Jonny Pelham.

Larry Dean interview

Interview with Larry Dean.

Funmbi Omotayo interview

Interview with Funmbi Omotayo.

Jenny Bede interview

Interview with Jenny Bede.

Phil Jerrod interview

Interview with Phil Jerrod.

Harriet Kemsley interview

Interview with Harriet Kemsley.

Ally Houston interview

Interview with Ally Houston.

Kyle Kinane interview

Interview with Kyle Kinane.

Daphne interview

Interview with Daphne.

Damien Slash interview

Interview with Damien Slash.

Marcus Brigstocke interview

Interview with Marcus Brigstocke.

Nish Kumar interview

Interview with Nish Kumar.

Luisa Omielan interview

Interview with Luisa Omielan.

Phil Nichol interview

Interview with Phil Nichol.

Austentatious interview

Interview with Austentatious.

Colin Cloud interview

Interview with Colin Cloud.

Aisling Bea interview

Interview with Aisling Bea.

Aaaaaaaah! on tour

The excitement is mounting.... As we've mentioned previously, Aaaaaaaah!, the new film by Steve Oram, which features a bevy of TVO faces, will be getting its world premiere next month at Film4 FrightFest at Leicester Square! But for those of you who can't make it there, don't despair - because the film may be coming to a screen near you!

Amy Howerska: dead funny (Link expired)

Every comic has a terrific story about the worst time they died on stage, and it's true that there has been no shortage of Edinburgh comedy shows over the past few years that confront the realities of sickness and death. But for Amy Howerska, death has been so commonplace it makes her stand up regarding it a little different.

Aunty Donna: is silliness a universal language? (Link expired)

Last year, Aussie sketch group Aunty Donna wrote about the differences between Australian and British humour.

Limmy interview: daft punk

In Scotland he's a national hero up there with Andy Murray, and now he's the name on everyone's lips in London. Here are six things you need to know about Limmy, the man behind the comedy book of the year.

Taking no prisoners

Prison costs £30,000 a year per criminal in this country. That is nearly ten times more than we spend on each child's education. We want to punish these people so much that we are willing to spend a small fortune to do so. £30,000 a year, think of all the good that could do; it could employ 1.5 nurses, 1.5 social workers or could cover an MP's entire annual wage increase. Now, I understand that breaking the law needs to have consequences, but do they really need to cost as much as a brand new Jeep Cherokee?