What’s A Comedy Director – And Do You Actually Need One?

Katie Palmer
February 22, 2026

It’s that time of year again.

You’ve decided to do the Fringe.
You’re chatting to venues.
You’re building a budget.
You’re mildly stressed.

And now you have to actually write the show.

And that’s where a comedy director can help.

So… What Does a Comedy Director Actually Do?

A comedy director helps you shape the show.

You’re still writing it. You’re still performing it. A director isn’t a co-writer or someone who “takes over”. But they are:

A fresh pair of eyes
A structural brain when yours is too deep inside the material
Someone who keeps you on track
Someone who pushes you to make the show the best it can possibly be

A director looks at both the micro (jokes, rhythm, punchlines) and the macro (structure, through-line, emotional arc, pacing).

It’s about turning a collection of good bits into a proper show.

Do You Need a Director?

In short, no.

The Fringe is expensive. There are venue costs, marketing, PR, accommodation, travel… you have to decide what your budget is and where your priorities lie.

But here’s when a director can make a real difference:

You’ve got material, but you’re not sure how it fits together
You’re hitting a creative roadblock
You know something isn’t quite working, but you can’t see what
Your priority is writing the strongest show possible, even if that means trimming marketing spend

How Does Working With a Director Actually Work?

At Brass Tacks, directing is done on a per-session basis.

Each session is £125.
You can book a one-off, or we can work together longer term.

Here’s what a typical session looks like:

1. You send a recording

You send over a recording of your latest preview in advance.

2. I deep-dive into it

Before we meet, I watch or listen to the show multiple times and type up detailed notes.

These go joke-by-joke, the real nitty gritty, and then zoom out to look at structure, transitions, tone, and overall flow.

3. We meet for approx two hours

Sessions are two hours, either in person (Edinburgh or Glasgow) or online.

We go through everything together, unpack the notes, and brainstorm solutions. It’s collaborative and practical.

4. You leave with a clear plan

Afterwards, you get the notes to take away and implement. Sometimes there’s homework. Sometimes there’s rewriting. Sometimes there’s ruthless cutting.

It depends on the show.

How Many Sessions Do You Need?

That’s entirely your call.

A one-off session can be incredibly useful at any point in the writing process.

Or longer term, around five sessions often works best. That gives us time to:

Audit material and clarify the concept
Punch up and expand
Review performance and delivery
Do a full show “MOT”
Fine-tune before Fringe

But every show is different. The plan is always tailored to you.

Is It Worth It?

If you want to grow as a writer.
If you want to push the show further than you would alone.
If you don’t just want to “get through” the Fringe, but actually be proud of what you’ve made.

Then yes — it can be transformative.