A Taste Of Edinburgh In The Heart Of Birmingham with Fringe Previews At The Old Rep

Iain Stirling

The Old Rep is bringing a taste of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to Birmingham, as they present a programme of stand-up comedy previews. From 21 to 23 July, a series of emerging UK comedians will take to the stage at The Old Rep to give audiences a glimpse of what will be on offer in Edinburgh later this year.

With tickets at just £5, The Old Rep’s Edinburgh Fringe preview season is a fun and affordable night out for all. Also, if you book to see all three Edinburgh preview shows, you will receive one ticket for free – that’s 3 nights of comedy for just £10.

The Edinburgh preview programme opens on Tuesday 21 July at 8pm with the double bill of Julian Deane, who makes his Edinburgh Fringe debut this year, and Steve Bugeja. Bugeja’s set Day Release follows the story of the time he went to a friend’s wedding and, on the way, had to pick up the bride’s dad who was leaving prison for the first time in 18 years.

The programme continues on Wednesday 22 July, 8pm, with Alex Smith and Ahir Shah, in what promises to be an intriguing evening of comedy. Alex Smith - a stand-up comedian, Huffington Post columnist and You & Your Wedding magazine’s resident groom – talks about the trials and tribulations of the recently engaged. Thoughtful wastrel Ahir Shah’s erudite and philosophical style has seen him perform across the UK and abroad, earning critical acclaim at every turn. His set Distant is about cigarettes, vegetarianism, extremism, disengagement, depression, walking and pirates.

The Old Rep’s season of Fringe previews will conclude on Thursday 23 July at 8pm, with Edinburgh’s very own double BAFTA nominate Iain Stirling. Iain is known for his appearances on CBeebies’ Scoop (with his canine pal Hacker T Dog) and CBBC’s The Dog Ate My Homework, so his show at The Old Rep will give parents a chance to see his more grown-up material! His show, Touchy Feely, covers post-referendum Scotland and that time he annoyed the armed forces. Iain will be accompanied on the 23 July by an as yet unannounced supporting act.

This string of previews at The Old Rep follows the recent announcement that the theatre will host comedians Lee Nelson and Chris Ramsey in October.

To book your tickets for any of The Old Rep’s Edinburgh previews, call the Box Office on 0121 359 9444, or visit oldreptheatre.co.uk (online booking fee applies). Tickets are just £5 each, and the performances are expected to finish at approximately 10:15pm.