Jay Sodagar

Professional Comedian, Tutor, Project COMEDY Mentor

Project COMEDY is a major news story about recovery of veterans doing comedy and the help it gives its members. What Project COMEDY has done in 5 years since teaching them stand up comedy is truly phenomenal.

From being in lockdown, to podcasts, to doing the Brighton Fringe, to performing 2 shows a day at the World's biggest Arts festival and the donations reflect the public support.

Regarding the Edinburgh Fringe shows by Project COMEDY:

The guys did Project Recce proud. To give insight from an 18 year Edfringe veteran. From where they started in COVID to 5 years later hitting the fringe and doing a full run is a gigantic achievement.

These guys did over 70 shows in a month, the support they gave each other was phenomenal. Which does prove even during a stressful festival, the camaraderie for each other is testament to their will. From knowing thousands of comedians and promoters who have all made a point of saying the Project Comedy team were inspirational and a fun group of people to be around from never meeting them beforehand is again amazing to see.

The publicity and networking these guys received during the fringe will set up future fundraising even more than this year. Edinburgh works by traction each year builds on the previous year. This year has been a solid foundation but also a great learning curve for the team.

The recovery they all went through is proven, there are more who have joined who would benefit from the experience and aid in their own recoveries.

The donations received far exceeded any show debuting at the fringe which shows the support the public have for veterans and their recovery.

This is a reflection of all the feedback from social media to personal comments made to the value of the collections to the reviews and by being with the team on a daily basis and seeing the positivity of the team.

Truly a remarkable event.

Nik Coppin

Professional Comedian, Tutor, Comedy Mentor

What Project Comedy is doing with regard to encouraging veterans to train up and perform stand-up comedy is a great initiative. And from what I've seen so far, they're all going to do fantastically well. An absolute delight to watch and work with.

nikcoppin.com

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Devin Gray

Comedian, Nominee for Best Show Edinburgh Fringe 2025

Working together at the fringe alongside Project Comedy was something I did not expect would be the biggest highlight of my festival this year.

I met the team as they were setting up the room and we all became fast friends. Every person in the group was a delight to be around and kept the long days on a positive note. Knowing that you had friends that had your back during the grueling work is something that kept me going.

Aside from that, the charity association with Project Comedy is something that is particularly needed within what we do. The idea behind using comedy as an approach to help military veterans from all backgrounds is something that I find to be unique but also I can see how comedy can be a great outlet for it.

As an independent artist, I say we need more people like the bunch from Project Comedy at more festivals around the world.

On a more personal note, EVERY single person from this group stepped in on their own accord to help me when I needed it. On the day I had my reviewer in the team jumped up to hand out flyers, on the days I had anxiety, the team was always there for a warm hug and encouragement to keep going, on the days when things were well, the team was there to support and praise. I cannot stress enough how the community around Project Comedy makes me wish I had a community like this of my own.

devingraycomedy.com

Benny Shakes

Comedian, ISH Award Winner Edinburgh Fringe 2025

Well, what can I say about Project Comedy? I come from a family with a strong army background — my grandad served, my brother-in-law was in the army, and my cousin came out with PTSD. So when I first saw Project Comedy at Bar 50, I thought, “Ooh, this is going to be interesting.”

But once I got to know the guys, it all made sense. I run Disabled Cants, which helps disabled people shine in comedy, and I could see right away the similarities in what they’re doing: giving people a platform, building confidence, and turning tough experiences into laughter.

It was an absolute pleasure and privilege to spend a month with these veterans, listening to their stories and seeing how they help each other overcome the fears of life after the army. One man, Ben, really stood out. At first, he was shy and kept needing to head out to his car for a safe space. But as the days went on, he changed — he started opening up, chatting more, getting involved, even performing a set and helping with photos. Watching that transformation was incredible.

Their shows were amazing — funny, but also serious. And I think we need more of this kind of comedy to help others in the future. What struck me most was how these veterans, after everything they’ve been through, have turned their experiences into something positive and funny. It’s inspiring.

I’m really looking forward to working with Project Comedy over the next year, and hopefully sharing the stage with them again in Edinburgh. It’s a brilliant cause, and I’m proud to have spent time with them.

bennyshakes.com