Comic Fringes: 21 Short Stories by Top Comedians

by Various

A cracking collection of comic monologues, written and read by leading comedians.

Recorded in front of a live audience at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, this fantastic anthology features a host of diverse short stories, composed and performed by a veritable Who's Who of stand-up comedians. By turns hilarious and irreverent, poignant and bittersweet, together they make up a superb selection box of tasty treats.

Among the all-star line-up, Romesh Ranganathan tells a comic tale of unrequited love among the orangutans; Susan Calman takes a wry look at office politics; Jon Richardson explores the perils of internet dating; and Sarah Millican takes us into the worlds of a compassionate undertaker's assistant and an elderly woman who fears she's becoming invisible.

Russell Kane recalls his tempestuous ex; Aisling Bea recounts the dark, funny tale of a pensioner with murder in mind; Robert Florence reveals the shady doings of the Scottish branch of the Illuminati; and satirist John O'Farrell asks, 'what if Judas had written the Gospels'?

Also sharing their fantastic fiction are a wealth of other literary comics, including Sanjeev Kohli, Joe Lycett, Bridget Christie, James Acaster, Jenny Eclair, Shazia Mirza and Mark Watson. Short story fans, rejoice: here are five hours of some of the most charming, absurd, dark, thoughtful and funny tales you'll ever find in one place.

Contents:

1. May Contain Nuts by Janey Godley

2. The Hair of the Dead by Sarah Millican

3. Gone Phishing by Jon Richardson

4. The Woman Who Sniffed by Susan Calman

5. Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Be in the Green by Patrick Monahan

6. On the Dot by Shazia Mirza

7. Stairlift Us Up Where We Belong by Sarah Millican

8. Spooky and the Van by Joe Lycett

9. A Difference of Opinion by Bridget Christie

10. The Three Times I Dumped Eleanor, and the Manner of Her Death by Russell Kane

11. Sorry For Your Loss by James Acaster

12. Club Sandwich by Mark Watson

13. The Understudy by Jenny Eclair

14. Kill Dilly by Aisling Bea

15. I Bought a Monkey To Stand Out in the New York Art Scene by Sanjeev Kohli

16. Love and Orangutans by Romesh Ranganathan

17. Bad Fairytale by Grainne Maguire

18. The Gospel According to Judas by John O'Farrell

19. Pick Me Up by Angela Barnes

20. Apocalypse Soon by Dane Baptiste

21. Cats Who Walk Like Gentlemen by Robert Florence

Production credits:

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 August 2009-6 September 2015

Genres: Short Stories, Humor, Audiobook

5 pages, Audible Audio

Published November 24, 2022

About the author

Various is the correct author for any book with multiple unknown authors, and is acceptable for books with multiple known authors, especially if not all are known or the list is very long (over 50).

If an editor is known, however, Various is not necessary. List the name of the editor as the primary author (with role "editor"). Contributing authors' names follow it.

Note: WorldCat is an excellent resource for finding author information and contents of anthologies.

Reviews

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite what I was expecting. I thought it was comics telling personal stories, not telling fiction stories. Some of the comics told some great stories, but some not so much. Enjoyed it though.

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was funny with a lot of great comedians, it would have been five stars if it would have stated who was talking, or who’s story it was. You can guess by voices, but I don’t know them all, and I would have loved to know their other pieces.

[Kirsti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny collection that bafflingly does not reveal what the stories are called or who tells them. Here's the list from the library edition:

<1. May Contain Nuts by Janey Godley
2. The Hair of the Dead by Sarah Millican
3. Gone Phishing by Jon Richardson
4. The Woman Who Sniffed by Susan Calman
5. Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Be in the Green by Patrick Monahan
6. On the Dot by Shazia Mirza
7. Stairlift Us Up Where We Belong by Sarah Millican
8. Spooky and the Van by Joe Lycett
9. A Difference of Opinion by Bridget Christie
10. The Three Times I Dumped Eleanor, and the Manner of Her Death by Russell Kane
11. Sorry For Your Loss by James Acaster
12. Club Sandwich by Mark Watson
13. The Understudy by Jenny Eclair
14. Kill Dilly by Aisling Bea
15. I Bought a Monkey To Stand Out in the New York Art Scene by Sanjeev Kohli
16. Love and Orangutans by Romesh Ranganathan
17. Bad Fairytale by Grainne Maguire
18. The Gospel According to Judas by John O'Farrell
19. Pick Me Up by Angela Barnes
20. Apocalypse Soon by Dane Baptiste
21. Cats Who Walk Like Gentlemen by Robert Florence
Production credits:
Produced by Kirsteen Cameron
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 August 2009-6 September 2015
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.>>

My favorites were by Sarah Millican and Aisling Bea. The James Acaster and Mark Watson stories were also very funny.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think you either really enjoy short stories or you just don’t.

I thought this was great collection of comics. My favorite stories were the very first one, (Because more times than I can count, I have had the very same conversation about people in our old neighborhood who have died. And then I have to rack my brain and try to remember the « departed » from the reaches of my brain.) the fractured fairy tale, the Gospel of Judas, and the very last two stories.

[Honest Mabel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rated it 3 bc the stories are alright but it was a dnf I just wasn’t getting it

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed how varied the style of short stories are from all the comedians.

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cats Who Walk Like Gentlemen by Robert Florence - A perfect closer with the Illuminati, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and cats.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were quite a few laugh out loud moments for me that made up for any I “didn’t get”. But y’all. It was the hairdresser in training for me. I’m usually not into morbid humor but wow that was just so witty and well done. Won’t forget it. As an American, the accents of these comedians sure added to the charm as well.