Comedian, producer and Edinburgh obsessive Stephen Gordon (Mirror, LADBible) brings Notes: The Comedy B-Sides - a late-night rotating format show - to Just the Tonic at The Caves, Edinburgh Fringe, 6th–30th August 2026.

 

In an era of meticulously rehearsed solo hours, Notes: The Comedy B-Sides pulls back the curtain on the process that comes before the polished show. Every comedian has a Notes app full of half-formed premises, 3am voice memos, and ideas that went somewhere unexpected and never made it into the hour. This is the show where four rotating acts open their phones and perform them live - whether they're ready or not. A different line-up every night. The green room made public.

 

Acts confirmed: Abby Govindan, Adam Flood, Alex Kitson, Ali Woods, Alvin Bang, Bilal Zafar, Candace Bryan, Charlene Kaye, Cheryl Hurst, Chris Rutter, Ciaran Franco, Claire Cox, Craig Alexander, Dan McKenna, Dee Allum, Dom McGovern, Eva Peroni, Finlay Christie, Gabriel Panic, Gareth Waugh, Geoffrey Asmus, Gianmarco Soresi, Hannah Morton, Hasan Al-Habib, Ifrah Qureshi, Jack Brookmyre, James Gardner, Jenny Gorelick, Jess Fuchs, Jonno Johnson, Kate Hammer, Katie Boyle, Krystal Evans, Laurie Brewster, Layla Adam, Lucas Jones-Ho, Marc Jennings, Marjolein Robertson, Marty Gleeson, Matty Ross, Matt McDonald, Matthew Gallagher, Meka Mo, Milo Edwards, Nate Kitch, Patrick Monahan, Paul Hilleard, Pernille Haaland, Richard Stott, Robin Grainger, Roddy Gordon, Ruaridh Millar, Saiorse O’Hooligan, Sarah Roberts, Serena Thiel, Shannon Brooke, Sofie Hagan, Sophie McCabe, Struan Logan, Stuart Goldsmith, Susie McCabe, Tamsyn Kelly, Tattoo Dave, Tez Ilyas, Tom Ballard, Tony Cantwell, Valeria Vulpe, William Thompson, Yvette Segan, Zoe Wohlfeld.

 

Will the brave, bare-all acts find a fully formed idea hiding in plain sight? Will the voice memo from 2am last Tuesday turn out to be the funniest thing anyone in that room has ever heard? Or will it be a single word with three question marks and absolutely no context? At 23:40, in the most atmospheric room in Edinburgh, anything can happen - and that's exactly the point.

 

Comedian Stuart Laws describes it as ‘a horror-show of an idea, asking us smart and talented genius comedians to delve into our most vulnerable thoughts - half-ideas and jokes that have never been uttered out loud? Incredible for an audience to watch.’

 

Notes: The Comedy B-sides creator, Stephen Gordon, is a Scottish comedian with an English accent - which is either his best bit or his biggest problem, depending on the room. He spent twenty years studying how great comedy works from every possible angle. He performed in musical theatre at the Edinburgh Fringe from the age of sixteen. He busked on the streets of Scotland writing improvised comedy songs about strangers, which led to support slots for America's Got Talent finalist Piff the Magic Dragon and The Blanks - the a cappella band from Scrubs. He was signed to a record label and played over a thousand live shows. He went viral via the Mirror and LADBible for a comedy song performed to Professor Brian Cox. He spent years flyering the Royal Mile for established acts including Howard Read and Joe Wilkinson, filling 500-capacity rooms and learning from the inside how the Fringe actually works. Notes: Comedy B-Sides is the show he always wanted to see - the comedy geek who finally got the keys to the green room and decided to leave the door open.