Monkey Barrel Comedy in Edinburgh's Old Town approaches its first full decade of laughs

Edinburgh's comedy scene has a lot to thank Monkey Barrel for. As the club approaches its first full decade of laughs, it has cemented its place as one of the busiest stand-up venues in the country, with shows in Edinburgh nearly every night.

The club describes itself as Scotland's top-rated comedy club, and its year-round programme runs from new material nights to established touring acts. Every Friday brings The Big Show, its award-winning weekend stand-up showcase featuring a selection of top comedy talent.

During this summer's Fringe, Monkey Barrel announced a second tranche of 62 shows, adding to a programme that already included Ania Magliano, Lara Ricote and Phil Ellis. The List noted that the club has a nice line in Edinburgh Comedy Awards nominees and winners. This year's line-up included Best Show nominees Ed Night and Ian Smith, and Best Newcomer nominee Roger O'Sullivan and winner Ayoade Bamgboye, who is also a cast member of Saturday Night Live UK.

Several writers from Saturday Night Live UK performed at the club too, including Bella Hull, Celya AB, Chris Cantrill and Lorna Rose Treen, alongside Fringe veterans such as Catherine Bohart, Felicity Ward, James Acaster, Nish Kumar and Stuart Goldsmith. Other acts included Eleanor Morton, Finlay Christie, Marc Jennings and Rosco McClelland, winner of the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award.

Monkey Barrel also has a loyal community of supporters, with Patreon members able to access ticket pre-sales, and its Fringe shows ran across the whole festival from 7 to 31 August. The club has become a regular home for comedians who go on to award nominations and television work.

The Fringe may be the headline act, but the club is just as important to the city the rest of the year, giving local comedians a stage and audiences a night of live stand-up in the middle of winter. With the club's tenth year on the horizon, it is a good moment to remember how much the city's comedy scene has grown around it.

Listings for The Big Show and the rest of the programme, along with tickets, are available on the Monkey Barrel Comedy website.