A Betrayal of Penguins are one of the highest rated Irish comedy sketch groups to head across the wee pond to take part in the Edinburgh Fringe. Seeing the guys live takes your breath away slightly due to their undeniable energy and freedom to ad lib in a way that gives you the impression of a well oiled comedy set…yet they also remain a trio of guys who want to have fun.

Musicals are hard to put on a fringe festival and even harder to put on when you take in the scale of a production like The Prodigals. Set around the timeless tale of sibling rivalry, the love of a father, excess and the inevitable consequences one will have to face The Prodigals makes it premier at the 2011 Fringe Festival.

It is fair to say that Andrew Bird comedy is perfectly suited for the subject of his 2011 Edinburgh Fringe Show. There is an openness to the way he performs that comes across charming but never smug or arrogant. Some of his stories and anecdotes are well delivered and have been well written and fit into his personal ‘chat’ style stand up. His show this year is even more stripped back as he brings to the fringe the day to day going’s on of a small village.

Comedy in The Dark is, well, what it is, a comedy show in the dark. Basically it is an hour stand up showcase featuring some of the biggest names at the fringe that takes place in the dark. The concept is rather intriguing and though a hundred things went through my head before I got to the venue the reality of what they do is a lot more simple.