Edinburgh Fringe previews ft. Patrick Monahan & Mick Ferry at Dancehouse

There’s only two weeks to go until the start of this year’s Edinburgh Fringe and there’s a lot of twitchy-looking comedians around. Not long to get that show up to speed and ready to be scrutinised by critics and panel judges. There’ll probably be some actual audience members watching too – but it can often feel like a media circus, so the Edinburgh preview is a great opportunity to fine-tune a show. These four shows over two nights at the Dancehouse theatre are organised by local promoter Tony Vino. First up on Tuesday 16 July is the excitable Patrick Monahan who’s performed a show at the Fringe every year since 2003 and who you’re guaranteed to get a cuddle off. Sharing the stage that night is accomplished musical comic Mitch Benn who’s written extensively for The Now Show on Radio 4 and has just published his first novel Terra. The second night (Mon 29 Jul) features fine local comedian – as seen on Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow – Mick Ferry (pictured), ‘who’s facing up to his shortcomings’, and former performance poet and sometime artist Markus Birdman with a considered yet humorous look at the break up of his long-term relationship. If you’re not heading up there, it’s an ideal opportunity to catch some of the Edinburgh action.

Tue 16 & Mon 29 Jul, The Dancehouse, 10 Oxford Road, M1 5QA, Tel: 0161 237 1413, 8pm, £10 (£7 conc), www.thedancehouse.co.uk