Tamsyn Kelly needn’t lack confidence in her 2026 show, Rat’s Ass: it’s a cracking set, full of potential and very personal, while – praise be – avoiding the dreaded trauma dump.
At the heart of it, childhood memories of her second-hand pet rat make for a genuinely hilarious bit, while around it Kelly weaves a sort of ‘State of Tamsyn Kelly’ set, where she’s come from, and where she is. Reviewing her final preview show (brava Tamsyn), I found a comic on the cusp of hitting her proper stride. However, long sections where she rode the many superb beats in the set showed a comedian with a potential hit on her hands.
Whether it’s her lifelong goal of becoming a Blue Peter presenter by virtue of being a tap dancer, or being the working-class oddity in a performing arts school full of rich kids, she blends self-deprecation with withering social observations.
There’s more to mine from thematically rich anecdotes such as embodying an animal in mime class, but I’d bet on Kelly digging out more with each performance. Elsewhere, she has one of the livelier takes on the modern neurodivergence discourse I’ve seen in a while, while stories from years working in a deaf charity call centre offer some outrageously funny moments as well as opportunities for crowd connection. As for her excruciating tales from a time working as a musical theatre entertainer in care homes, what’s not to love?
Tamsyn Kelly: Rat’s Ass – Stand-Up Comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe
In case you’re worried, on the evidence of this outing, Tamsyn Kelly isn’t out to generate viral content through provocative crowdwork. I think she just wants to know her audience so she can better entertain them. The result is an easy rapport between comic and crowd, which makes the hour oddly merry. All audiences want a comedian to be funny, but Kelly has the knack for getting them on her team.
“Tamsyn Kelly needn’t lack confidence in her 2026 show, Rat’s Ass: it’s a cracking set, full of potential and very personal, while – praise be – avoiding the dreaded trauma dump.“
Then there’s the very meaty finale — essentially the last quarter of the show, so rich with possibilities that if it weren’t so incredibly personal, it would be a stand-up’s dream. What becomes clear, though, is that as much as Kelly will deliver some cracking bits here, it also hits her square in the heart. Anyone with lived experience of life without a financial safety net will know precisely where she’s coming from, and in a Fringe increasingly dominated by privileged offspring, Kelly’s continuously funny testimony is necessary.
So while I’m quite sure that audiences catching this show today and over the weekend will get a technically stronger show, I’m very glad I caught it. There are no sure things in the performing arts, and definitely not comedy, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a very good Rat’s Ass evolves into something special before the Fringe is out.
Show details
Venue: Venue 338: Monkey Barrel Comedy (Cabaret Voltaire), 36-38 Blair Street, EH1 1QR (Google Maps)
Date(s): Mon 03 Aug to Sun 30 Aug (27 shows)
Time(s): 4:20pm (60 mins)
Age recommendation: 14+
Price: From £8 (concessions available)
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