Championing working-class comedians, Best in Class returns to the Edinburgh Fringe for a new showcase. The comedians selected for the Fringe showcase work tirelessly in the run-up to the festival. They are guided through the process of running a show, from writing press releases to marketing and tech skills. Crucially, none of the acts pay to participate and they all receive payment for the work they do. Dani Johns, co-director of the project with founder Sian Davies and Tom Mayhew, tells us more about Best in Class.
“Two-time Edinburgh Comedy Award winners! Best in Class is an award-winning showcase of working-class comedians from across the UK. Sponsored by waste grounds, knock-off trainers, spam, weed, the unions, crap schools, bunking off, failed MOT’s, failed GCSE’s, bus stops, payday loans, thick sliced white bread, fierce mums, tired dads and empowerment.”
Where: Maggie’s Chamber at Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters
When: 6-30 Aug
Ticket link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/best-in-class
What is the show about, and where did the idea come from?
Best in Class celebrates and amplifies working-class voices in comedy.
We were founded in 2018, when Sian Davies was invited to audition for an Edinburgh Fringe show and told that, if successful, she would need to pay £1,800 to the promoter by the end of the week to secure her place.
Rather than accept the situation, Sian decided to challenge it. Realising the barriers facing working-class performers in the arts were often systemic, she launched a crowdfunding campaign and created her own showcase. Within an hour of launching the crowdfunder, the promoter called to withdraw her audition, saying she was no longer the sort of person they wanted to work with.
Sian brought together eight working-class comedians and created a crowdfunded, profit-sharing show at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe. Since then, Best in Class has grown into a movement that not only showcases and develops working-class comedy talent, but also advocates for greater representation within the industry.
Our goal is simple: to ensure working-class voices are visible at the Edinburgh Fringe and to support our alumni as they build sustainable careers in comedy.
Sell the show to a potential audience in one sentence!
Eight brilliant working-class comedians, one hour, and a chance to discover your next favourite act before everyone else does.
What does the Fringe mean to you, and do you have any particular memories?
The Fringe is hugely important to us because it gives our acts the opportunity to perform on one of the world’s biggest arts stages. For many working-class comedians, simply being present at the Fringe can be a significant achievement.
Some of our favourite memories are watching our acts step onto that stage, be unapologetically themselves, and connect with audiences who genuinely love what they do.
What are you looking forward to in Edinburgh?
As well as performing the show, we’re excited to help our acts experience everything Edinburgh has to offer. From networking opportunities and industry connections to hopefully a few great reviews, it’s all part of helping them build confidence, visibility and momentum in their careers.
What’s next for the show?
We’re always evolving and listening to what our alumni need. Alongside the annual Fringe showcase, we’re exploring more training, mentoring, networking and development opportunities to help working-class comedians build long-term careers in the industry.
We’re ambitious about what Best in Class can become, and we’re always keen to hear from people and organisations who would like to support that journey.