Petfringe Comedian Of The Year review

The contest may not have specifically been looking for 'promise', but they found it anyway, in a comic just three years into his career. A mix of old-timers and relative rookies makes the Petfringe competition like few others. And with the anonymous donor pledging to maintain the mega-prize until 2020, it's likely to be hard fought for a couple more years at least.

Can you learn stand-up in six weeks?

Late last year, SSP editor Tim Clark was challenged to write, learn and perform a five-minute stand-up in six weeks. Here's the first of a three part series in what it is like to face the audience for the first time.

Rachel Parris's Valentine circle of death

Rachel Parris has a new love in her life and to be frank the signs were there all along.

Marcel Lucont to release live album 'Vive Lucont'

French comedian Marcel Lucont, who we believe styles himself on Jaques Costeau himself, is set to release an album titled Vive Lucont.

While one doesn't like to laugh at other people's misfortunes, that was pretty much encouraged during I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down, in which comedian and musician Rich Morton chatted to a variety of stand-ups about those nightmares gigs that remain impossible to forget.

While this was a thoroughly entertaining half-hour, Morton rarely gave any of his interviewees a namecheck, which became frustrating for the listener. At the top of the show, we were told he was going to be talking to Jo Brand, Tim Clark, Jack Dee, Milton Jones, Lucy Porter and Ian Stone. True, it was easy to know when Dee, Brand and Porter were contributing, but the rest of the time it was a bit of a guessing game.

However, aside from this hiccup was a stream of amusing anecdotes about disastrous corporate gigs - prompting one comedian to try to escape by hiding in a dumb waiter - horrible hecklers and that one person in the audience who doesn't laugh.

Dee was in particularly good form, describing how if a Comedy Store gig went wrong in the early days of his career, he would tackle the challenge of walking through the audience in order to leave the venue by wearing his motorcycle helmet, as if he had just delivered a pizza.

Secret Edinburgh book - my view

During this Year's Edinburgh Fringe, Tim Clark and Andrew Mickel of the website Such Small Portions published a book called Secret Edinburgh which was sub-titled A Comedians' Guide To The City. It had contributions from over 160 comedians.

Who are... Max & Ivan

A comedy duo with a reputation for trying new and innovative ideas Max & Ivan are best known for their daring show The Wrestling.

Keith Farnan's baptism of taxis

Keith Farnan recalls arriving at his first-ever Fringe

Ed Fringe diaries: David Quirk's whiteout

David Quirk has a white out in his own Edinburgh bedroom.