Spirit of the Fringe Award-winning comedian Ian Stone will return to Edinburgh Fringe in August 2026 with a brand-new show: The Pleb’s Pow Wow, from 6th – 30th August (excludes Tuesdays) at The Ballroom at Laughing Horse at The Counting House 4pm. Free & unticketed.
According to The Times, Ian Stone is “A masterful exponent of self-mocking Jewish humour”. He has been ranked as “one of the top ten comedians in the UK” by The Independent, and The Guardian has described him as “Seriously funny.” In 2023 Ian played to packed houses with his Edinburgh Fringe show, Ian Stone Will Make It Better, and won a Spirit of the Fringe Award.
Spotlight on Kulture caught up with Ian for a chat… discovering three comedians plus his parents were instrumental in him discovering a love for comedy. “When I was four or five, Laurel and Hardy were huge for me. Still love ’em now. When I was nine, I joined the Ken Goodwin fan club. He was the first stand-up comedian I ever got into. But honestly, I remember my parents arguing over something, and my dad was using his favourite two-word phrase, “fuck off”, to my mum. She said, “Fuck off… is that all you’ve got in your vocal berry?” (I’m fairly certain she meant “vocabulary”), and I found it very funny. I thought, “Comedy is a good thing.“
Ian is looking for audience involvement in the show, but I wondered what challenges that presented “I want people to express opinions in this show. It’s called the Pleb’s Pow Wow and, while I’ll be doing most of the talking, I’d appreciate other views being aired. You don’t have to, but I’m more than happy if you do.” When it comes to working out who in the audience are up for commenting, that is something he has learnt.
“It’s stagecraft, and the longer you’ve been doing it, the better you should be — assuming you’re listening to what’s happening in the room. I remember going to see Jackie Mason once, and the show was great except for one moment when the audience drifted off for a bit. Jackie suddenly stopped the show and asked where we’d all gone (in our heads, not literally). We all snapped back to attention and concentrated that much harder.“
Visits to the Fringe for Ian, are not just about performing. “I try and see other shows, but I tend to make it to fewer than I’d hoped for prior to coming up. I think my record is ten other shows at one Fringe. Last year, I did six or seven, and that was mainly in the last week. I see fellow comedians when I’m out and about.”
Aside from stand-up comedy, Ian Stone is a hugely experienced broadcaster, podcaster, and writer. He currently
presents a very popular (50k downloads per episode), twice-weekly Arsenal podcast, Handbrake Off, for The Athletic. A live version of the podcast sold out Leicester Square Theatre in London. Ian is also a regular contributor on Times Radio. His book To Be Someone was published in 2020 and has received nearly 500 four- and five-star reviews on Amazon.
Whether on stage, behind the mic, or in print, Ian Stone is the voice of sharp humour, biting insight, and perfectly
crafted comedy.
Show: Ian Stone: The Pleb’s Pow Wow
When: 6 th – 30 th August at 4pm (excludes Tuesdays)
Where: The Counting House, 38 W Nicolson St, EH8 9DD
Web: http://www.ianstonecomedian.co.uk/
The Handbrake Off Podcast: https://theathletic.com/podcast/150-handbrake-off/
Twitter: @iandstone
Instagram: @ianstonecomedy
TikTok: @ianstonecomedy
