Fringe Preview: Fiona Allen & Eli Matthewson — Live at The Jesters Comedy Club, Bath

A double bill Edinburgh Fringe preview at Bath's basement comedy club, with two of the most distinctive voices heading north this summer trying out new hours before the festival.

Fiona Allen | White Lies

Fiona Allen, of Smack The Pony, returns with her follow-up to a sellout 2023 Edinburgh debut. White Lies is about her search for the perfect excuse to avoid a social engagement, namely her neighbours' party, which she considers a fate worse than death. The clock is ticking, the obstacles are mounting, and she's going to have to wargame her way out of it. Honestly.

"Punchlines delivered with cutting execution" — Scotsman

"Appealingly barbed company" — Guardian

Eli Matthewson | Blood Bender

Eli Matthewson is the first New Zealander to move to London, having scraped onto a youth mobility visa on the last week he was eligible. Now he's ready to make something of himself, with only two small obstacles in the way: his age, and the impending apocalypse. Blood Bender takes in his short-lived ballet career, the lofty heights of performing at Dining In The Dark, and a personal show that critics have called smart, silly and genuinely warm.

★★★★ Scotsman

★★★★ Chortle

★★★★ Three Weeks

★★★★ EdFest Mag

★★★★ Voice Mag

About the night

Fringe previews are how comedians road-test the hour they're taking to Edinburgh, which means you're seeing material in its most alive, slightly dangerous state, in a 50-seat basement that suits it perfectly. Hosted by Sam Hawkins.

Bath comedy, done properly.