The very best of Edinburgh Fringe Comedy

Following a number of sell-out seasons, a line-up of the best and up-and-coming specially-selected comedians from Edinburgh Fringe, embark upon a post-festival tour.

With shows scheduled for venues all over the country, a night of hilarity is ensured here at the Barbican Theatre.

"A solid comedy show well worth the ticket price" ★★★★1/2 - Fringefeed

"The best thigh-slapping, cackling laugh of a time I've ever had. Something for everyone" ★★★★ - Fringefeed

"A comedy smorgasbord" ★★★★ - GreatScott.media

"A fine set of comics, who entertained everyone in the room" Rip It Up

Nik Coppin (MC)

Stand-up comedian Nik Coppin has performed all over the world and developed an international following.

He has performed all over the UK and in many European countries such as Germany, Spain, Ireland, Hungary, Poland, France, Denmark and Norway. He has also done shows in the USA, Canada and frequents Southeast Asia, regularly touring in Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong, The Philippines and Japan.

He has also toured multiple solo shows at the Edinburgh and Adelaide Fringe Festivals, New Zealand and Melbourne International Comedy Festivals, all over Australia and the inaugural Hollywood Fringe Festival in Los Angeles, all to critical acclaim.

His confident, amiable and energetic style of comedy is quick to build rapport, as he talks about subjects as wide-ranging as human nature, his experiences in The Antipodes, Europe and Asia, his knowledge of wildlife, superheroes, current affairs and his mixed-race upbringing in North West London. His mother is English and his father is from the Caribbean island of Barbados.

As well as becoming one of the most professional acts on the comedy circuit, his versatility has also made him a much sought after compere. He has the ability to adapt to a multitude of audiences and is skilful, observant and affable enough to immediately put them at ease.

"Amazingly funny stories, wickedly clever insights and a sense of fun that will drag anyone in. Super funny, super fun and charisma up the wazoo, Nik's awesome! ★★★★ 1/2 - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

"A rapid fire non-stop act full of energy. His hour went so quick, his charming smile and easy manner had the audience eating out of his hand and wanting more. Go and see him" ★★★★ 1/2 - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

"Fast and funny...The audience loved it...Sweetly, wildly hilarious" ★★★★ - Rip It Up, Adelaide Fringe 2014

Josephine Lacey

Josephine Lacey first came onto the London comedy circuit in October 2008.
Drawing on her Jamaican-Irish heritage and life experiences, she delivers her
material with an honest humour and a natural raw energy with the guile and
wisdom of someone that has been there, done it and bought the t-shirt,
delivering her material with an effortless charm and huge smile that leaves
audiences loving her and wanting more.

Josephine is a regular performer on the London and UK comedy circuits. She is
regularly booked as the headline act, and is a sort after emcee around the UK,
being one of the resident emcees at London’s best known comedy club, The
Top Secret Comedy Club, where audiences and comedians alike are safe in her
hands!

2022 saw Josephine selling out her debut solo show ‘Autism Mama’ at the
fabulous Soho Theatre, London.

In 2023, Josephine was listed as one of Chortle’s “One to watch”, and a
nominee for the ‘Leicester Comedian of the Year Award’.

In August 2024, her solo show, Autism Mama was the talk of the prestigious
Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it gained a collection of four-and five-star
reviews, so she brought it back for another run at the Edinburgh Fringe 2026.

Josephine delights in working closely with The Comedy School and regularly
supports the fabulous work they do with their ‘Wellbeing Projects’, where
comedy is used to support the wellbeing of mental and all-round health.
Quotes:

“A comedy Bombshell” – BBC

“Unmissable” – The Guardian

“Her timing is perfect” - WhatsOnStage

“Heartwarming and hilarious” – ReviewsGate

“Lacey’s lovely presence wins the audience over immediately” – West End Best
Friend

“An instantly likeable and warm comic” – A Young(ish) Perspective

Dion Owen

Dion Owen is a professional comedian and a cycling advocate. Originally from a small town in British Columbia, Canada. He spent almost a decade in Montreal. But after acquiring a British Passport he's "over there taking your jobs".

He won an ISH Comedy Panel Award at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe. Filmed a TV Gala at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival. Has been featured on the BBC, CBC and Sirius XM. Toured across Canada and completed a cycle/stand up tour involving 200 shows, in 10 countries over 7 months. Starting with a sold out run of his solo show Cyclopath at the Edinburgh Fringe.

"A true entertainer." -The National Post

Paul Dennis

A multi instrumentalist and skilled vocal artiste, Paul Dennis brings something unique to the musical comedy table.  With a mix of original songs and parodies, he takes the audience on a whistle stop tour of pop history with his hilarious, relatable, clever and sometimes absurd world view.  

Paul reached the semi finals in British Comedian of the Year 2025, and his 2026 Edinburgh show has earned 4 stars and 100% positive audience reviews.

"Absolutely incredible...Smart, sharp and side-splittingly funny." - Ignacio Lopez
 
 "You literally never know where the next gag or song is going to take you " - One4Review 

"An incredibly fun hour that absolutely flies by. I love pop music, and Paul Dennis's brilliant parodies get stuck in my head forever." - Steffan Alun

Audience reviews:

"Fantastic and funny. I was laughing so much I spilled my drink down my shirt and didn't realise until I went for my wallet at the end. Fantastic!"

"Very funny, inventive and touching"

"Hilarious songs.  Just brilliant!"

"Amazing musician, clever writing and very funny"

"I laughed until I cried.  A must see!"

Grab the "comedy-sheep..."

Ben Dali

Ben Dali is the world's only stage-hypnotist-turned-primary school teacher-turned-comedy-cabaret-poet.  His Edinburgh Fringe show, Humdinger Words for Lollygaggers & Fuddy-Duddies, combined poetic stand-up, interactive rap and improvised rhyming mind-reading into a blithering smorgasbord of discombobulating codswallop. He's now coming to Barbican Plymouth to say some stuff.

***** UK Cabaret Review

"A quirky delight!" Rory Bremner

"So funny my glasses fell off" Performance poet Felix Hodcroft

----

Spirit of the Fringe Award Winner, Brighton Fringe 2024

“Fast and funny … the audience loved it … sweetly, wildly hilarious” ★★★★ - Rip It Up, Adelaide Fringe

“Fast-paced, witty, fun and amazing, all without any pretension" ★★★★★ - Funny Tonne, Melbourne International Comedy Festival