WITH Donald Trump almost becoming a caraciture of himself and Theresa May being ridiculed for her "strong and stable" mantra it would be no surprise to see Edinburgh Fringe comedians having a field day at their expense.

But it appears this year's acts are giving Trump, May and political scenarios a wide berth and finding other targets to poke fun at.

The confusing political situation and general malaise following the Brexit vote has been cited as one reason for the lack of political satire by the founder of the annual comedy award at the festival.

It's a far cry from the 1980s when the young upstart alternative comedians railed at the Conservative government and the divisive policies of Margaret Thatcher.

Nica Burns, the founder of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, which since 1981 has honoured winners such as Al Murray, The League of Gentlemen, Dylan Moran, Jenny Eclair, Lee Evans and Rich Hall, said biting political polemic on Brexit or Scottish independence has been replaced by shows focussing on personal stories and confessional routines.

She said her panel of reviewers, who have seen nearly 700 shows at the Fringe, have so far seen few political routines.

The Edinburgh Comedy Awards panel of judges will whittle down their long list into a short list which will be unveiled next week, the last week of the Fringe.

Ms Burns, who also runs several theatres in London, said: "This year there are a lot of shows about mental health, and personal confessionals are also a lot of what people are talking about.

"There are maybe half a dozen political acts and that is less than usual - there is really not a lot of political comedy like the 1980s, the politics were all very clear cut then.

"Now everyone is just confused. Politically I think there is a lot of confusion, people don't know who to take against.

"The shock of the Brexit vote is not there anymore, last year people were rushing to change their sets at the last minute but this year is different."

She said a year after the Brexit vote, as many details of the process of the UK leaving the EU is still unclear, comics have shied away from that subject matter too.

There are several political acts at the Fringe, with some focussing on Donald Trump's presidency in the US, and the former First Minister Alex Salmond is also hosting a show.

However, Gayle Anderson, the comedy critic for The Herald, agreed with Ms Burns's analysis.

She said that some comedians were tackling politics, notably Andrew Maxwell and Kinsey Sicks.

She said: "Their flyer says, 'If You Love Trump, You'll Hate This Show!'

"Apart from them, there's lots on sexual politics, lots on the politics of racial profiling but very little on party politics."

Ms Anderson added: "I agree with Nica. I think people are confused over the political scene and they are also weary and they don't want to bring that to audiences.

"The themes are more personal and confessional and using the 'big reveal'.

"Sophie Willan [who won a Herald Angel last week] is political, and she is very angry, but it's more in the way she talks about her life and growing up in the care system, with a huge 'reveal' at the end."

She added: "I think with Trump, the feeling might be that he is already getting enough attention and he does not need anymore."

A weariness over politics - after two referendums, local elections and a general election- may also play its part, she said.

"It may be like comedians not wanting to do jokes about their kids, because the audience has just paid for baby sitters," she said.

"You are there to forget about those things."