Catch Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Previews this Summer!

This Summer we’re bringing six of the best new comedians to NAC. These previews offer an opportunity for Norwich audiences to be the first to see new shows from the best comedians to have come through the Fringe in recent years. Programmer of these shows, Pip, tells us why you should come and see them…

Jin Hao Li:

I first saw Jin Hao in 2023 when he was chosen to be part of the Pleasance Reserve, a group of brand new comedians cherry picked to debut at the Fringe as the next big thing (previous alumni include Joe Lycett, Brett Goldstein and Sophie Duker). His first full length show “Swimming in a Submarine” was a huge hit last year, selling out audiences at multiple Soho Theatre runs and saw him nominated for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards. That show included some insane stories about his time in the Singaporean Army and affirmed him as a unique voice on today’s comedy circuit. It’s very exciting to see him get better and better and this new show is sure to be a highlight.

Lou Wall:

Lou’s trademark is presenting wild comedic stories with the help of powerpoint imagery and hilarious songs, where the energy never lets up and the laughs keep coming. Their last show was recently nominated for Most Outstanding Show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in their native Australia. Their 2024 show was my favourite comedy show I’d seen at the Fringe that year and I can’t wait to see what silliness their addiction to the internet has led to in the past year with this new show.

Sikisa:

Sikisa has so many strings to her bow. As well as being a comic with irresistible energy she’s also an accomplished burlesque dancer and well respected immigration lawyer. Her new show explores the intersection of her varied interests and I can’t wait for her to share more about her crazy life with us. I’ve seen her win multiple editions of Ivo Graham’s Comedians DJ Battles with her impeccable song choices and ability to whip a crowd into a frenzy. An hour in her company is a guaranteed fun time and I can’t wait for a Norwich audience to witness this.

Susie McCabe:

Susie McCabe’s voice will be instantly recognisable to anyone who’s listened to the ‘Here Comes the Guillotine’ podcast she hosts alongside Frankie Boyle. She’s performed in front of huge audiences as a result of the podcast and her stand up routines are consistently great. She’s the most experienced comic performing as part of these preview shows and will no doubt be presenting a finely crafted show for us.

Lorna Rose Treen:

Lorna’s character comedy has proved a hit with audiences, with her 2023 debut selling out at the Fringe and Soho Theatre and saw her win the Dave Joke of the Year, with the joke “I started dating a zookeeper, but turned out he was a cheetah” (dad joke groan). One of my favourite bits from this show was her impression of Sally Rooney, presenting the children’s book she’d just written, Normal Babies. You might have seen clips from her on the street interviews as part of her satirical take on Women’s Hour, Time of the Week, which regularly go viral. Lorna’s new show has already been chosen as a top pick comedy show to see the Fringe by Time Out and this is a great opportunity to see the show, just days before it plays at the Fringe.

Luke McQueen:

I first saw Luke perform at the Fringe over 10 years ago and have seen all of his shows since. Always exciting and innovative; with this new show, his first in a few years, seeing him pastiche podcasting and AI.