“ABF 20” was writ large on stage as the audience filed in – this was the twentieth year of Abnormally Funny People at the Fringe. There was a good sense of camaraderie amongst the lineup after the show, and during it, the style of humour was largely tongue-in-cheek. Instructions to the audience at the start of the show included, amongst the usual stuff about mobile phones and electronic devices, advice not to heckle – the punchline, if I recall correctly, was that it applied irrespective of whether a punter had Tourette’s.
The lineup differs from day to day, which theoretically means one could go multiple times and see completely different shows, and the nature of the Fringe means the lineup is subject to last-minute alterations. Ria Lina hosted on the day I went along, and was too successful in drumming up cheering and applause for each act, in the sense that I couldn’t hear the names of comedians being introduced. She might have been making a point there about the lived experiences of people in the d/Deaf community. Or maybe she was doing her utmost to be supportive of fellow acts. Or maybe both.
I might have forgotten I was watching ‘disabled comedy’ as I was more than sufficiently amused, save for the fact that none of the acts allowed the audience to forget because it is a key aspect of their (abridged) sets. An improv section seemingly proved a challenge for Lost Voice Guy (aka Lee Ridley, a previous winner of Britain’s Got Talent), although all of his punchlines were worth the extended wait. When it came to his own standup set, the punchline that stayed with me was one expressing thanks for hearty laughter and applause, with the caveat that there might not have been that, but it isn’t possible to change a pre-programmed set.
The other acts on the day I attended were Jake Donaldson, partially sighted or partially blind, depending on whether you’re a glass half-full or half-empty person, Don Biswas, a self-confessed socialist who does corporate gigs to pay the bills, and Gabby Rolls, a wheelchair user with cerebral palsy, which she described as like signals from her brain to her legs being delivered by Evri. Some material treaded on very, very familiar ground as far as the disabled community is concerned– d/Deaf people cannot be offended by d/Deaf jokes, because they can’t hear them anyway. And whose cruel idea was it to name word blindness ‘dyslexia’, such that people who have it find it difficult to spell?
But the point is that it is highly enjoyable stuff. Well done to Abnormally Funny People for platforming comedians who bring the challenges and lived experiences faced by disabled people to the table, and do so with good grace and gentle humour. A chaotic but charming comedy hour.
Review by Chris Omaweng
Created by Steve Best and Simon Minty and launched in 2005, this critically acclaimed show was the first to be led by disabled comedians on stage together, although they had a non-disabled comedian for balance. Two decades on, it continues to deliver sharp, no fear comedy that delights audiences.
ABNORMALLY FUNNY PEOPLE
Pleasance Courtyard at the Edinburgh Fringe
30 July to 25 August 2025
