Ross Noble review – master of nonsense unleashes his fizzing comic brain

Pavilion theatre, GlasgowThe surrealist standup’s two hours of fantastic off-the-cuff material covers topics as divergent as dugongs, Gregg Wallace and hypothetical horror musicalsShould we be more amazed that, three decades in, Ross Noble’s comedy sti…

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Prunella Scales was a queen of comedy with a passion for classical theatre

The actor best known as TV’s Sybil Fawlty dazzled over five decades on stage, in roles from from Shakespeare to Alan Bennett • Fawlty Towers actor Prunella Scales dies at the age of 93Prunella Scales will always be remembered for her TV performances in…

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Simon Amstell review – time to move on after Hollywood party crush

Arches London Bridge New show I Love It Here is billed as a departure from the comedian’s familiar neurotic self-analysis, but it proves frustratingly unchallenging“An exciting departure from [his] previous work,” claims the publicity for Simon Amstell…

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Ardal O’Hanlon: ‘I fell asleep on stage once – I could hear someone doing my material, got annoyed and woke up’

In the lead-up to the new series of Return to Paradise, the actor and comedian talks Father Dougal’s knitwear, Van Morrison and his disappointing sauerkrautGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailWhat’s the longest word you can make out of the lette…

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Kerry Godliman: Bandwidth review – After Life star in superbly splenetic form

Queen’s Hall, EdinburghThe standup zeroes in on hormonal chaos and domestic indignities with rage, absurdity and self-awarenessTalk about a hot flush: menopause, and its peri-predecessor, have gone in no time from being The Great Unmentionable to a fav…

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BBC sitcom Two Doors Down to be adapted for the stage with full TV cast

The hit Scottish comedy about suburban neighbours will move from screen to stage next year at Glasgow’s HydroTwo Doors Down, the BBC comedy series about a suburban Scottish couple with constantly knocking neighbours, is to be brought to the stage.Unusu…

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Janine Harouni: This Is What You Waited For review – new mum’s return to her own childhood

Soho theatre, London These deftly sprung riffs on extended family and motherhood gain in power when mayhem offsets the tightly controlled setThe last time I saw Janine Harouni perform she was eight months pregnant and delivering a show about imminent p…

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Tom Rosenthal: ‘I quickly forget nice gigs and will take bad ones to the grave’

The Friday Night Dinner star on returning to standup, being inspired by Arctic Monkeys and his bugbears with the comedy industryHow did you get into comedy?I was in a public speaking club at school and competed internationally. I am greatly indebted to…

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Tom Rosenthal: ‘I quickly forget nice gigs and will take bad ones to the grave’

The Friday Night Dinner star on returning to standup, being inspired by Arctic Monkeys and his bugbears with the comedy industryHow did you get into comedy?I was in a public speaking club at school and competed internationally. I am greatly indebted to…

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Jessica Fostekew: Iconic Breath review – furious, frustrated yet cheerfully funny

Soho theatre, LondonFrom the trials of family life to irritating podcasters, this sometimes eyebrow-raising hour of personal comedy is consistently entertainingMuch as Jessica Fostekew would love to be one of those “airport comedians”, she tells us, th…

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