Amelia Hamilton’s 2025 comedy performance at Fringe is high-energy, grossly funny, and a truly great debut. Combining stand-up, crowd work, and rap, she breaks just about every boundary of the respective genres and punches well above her weight. Funny, charming, and ever so slightly dangerous, Hamilton embodies the spirit of the Fringe with her sometimes foul-mouthed performance.
Starting with a rap about self-confidence—her self-confidence, to be precise—Hamilton sets the tone for the show. She shows off her skills, delivering bit after bit. Her energy is infectious, especially when she raps, to the point that it’s almost exhausting for the audience. Her stage presence is surprising, and viewers are right to feel just a bit intimidated by her.
Topics in her comedy reflect her generation: her dating life—or maybe her not-dating life—living with her parents, and figuring out what to do in life. The stand-up is at times personal and revealing, and stories from her life have a charming touch, whether they’re true or embellished for the bit. The stories about her mum being highly risk-averse (including a pretty stupid pun with a great payoff that’s worth the wait) include a rap about what could burn the house down, which is entertaining and perhaps all too familiar for many younger people when they’re around their parents. And I might have to agree that I’m the idiot—couches should be flame-retardant.
Her jokes about calling our romantic partners pet names such as baby or daddy are perhaps hitting an easy target, but a target that’s well worth it. Babes—or perhaps “Baby”—I can get on board with; not sure I can say the same for “Daddy.” And while she could have turned her sights on being called “Mummy” in a relationship as well (does that exist?), she chooses a different relative, which pays off just as well and leaves a lasting impression on everyone’s mind.
The crowd work is generally well performed, picking people in the audience who are willing participants (which, in this case—full disclosure—was me). She has an eye for spotting the best crowd members, choosing a couple on their fourth date for her example of people who are in relationships. And while it’s perhaps a testament to her crowd work, the guy saying “ish” when asked if the two of them were in a relationship might have been the single best joke of the night. And just when things are about to get a bit awkward (the guy raises his hand when asked if he’s single), Hamilton cleverly steers away and promises to leave them alone—a promise she mostly fulfilled until the last part of her show.
The part about being a woman in STEM is funny, perhaps hitting close to home for me as well. The song about women in STEM is catchy and will hopefully be on her debut album, which she should release everywhere shortly. The songs are often the high point of her comedy, combining her astute observational skills with her rapping chops. She promises not to be a spiteful person, then quickly raps about what she’d like to happen to her ex-boyfriend, which isn’t too bad (buy a single item in a two-for-one special) but still makes you prefer to be on her good side.
Self-doubt and the anxiety of her generation are also brought into the show. In what is likely the most challenging part for the viewer, a mix of comedy, rap, and general performance art vocalises her self-doubt—the doubts of just about anyone in the performing arts. At times self-reflective, at times challenging the very performance she’s currently delivering, she addresses the anxieties of a generation. Truly clever and ever so observant, even bald middle-aged men are in on the joke.
Hamilton’s show is funny, highly energetic, and truly charming. It’s strong belly laughs and a bit of reflection on young people’s lives and their happiness. I would strongly recommend her show to almost everyone—you’ll leave thoroughly entertained and without regret. Well, I do regret not getting her debut album, which isn’t available online yet, but the show was too captivating for me to have a clear mind and buy it at the exit.
Five stars.
Amelia Hamilton is performing her show “Forget Me Not” at the Fringe until August 24.
The atmospheric Pleasance Courtyard, where comedy magic happens daily during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.