A scene that started as a counter to straight standup at the end of the 1970s is still hard to peg – but it’s much more than just weird stuff that doesn’t work on tellyA giant sentient disco ball sits in the front row at Party, the Bristol comedy night…
Continue ReadingThe comedian’s new podcast plunders neighbourhood messageboards for fun, feuds, gossip and second-hand goldfish. She explains all – and looks ahead to her Edinburgh show, a support group for men in crisisJayde Adams is flying the flag for that most mal…
Continue ReadingSoho theatre, LondonAt a crisis point for his country, Kielty’s ‘module on borders’ is warm and engaging, though his even-handedness dims some of the laughter“A comedian shouldn’t be getting on stage unless they’ve got something to say,” according to P…
Continue ReadingStandup Joe Lycett has revealed that he was reported to police for one of his routines. From Sacha Baron Cohen to Jo Brand, our writer looks at what happens when laughter and the law collideWhen news broke last week that comedian Joe Lycett had been re…
Continue ReadingThe rise of an Islamic arts industry is celebrated by its screen, music and comedy stars, but the view rarely strays beyond a western perspectiveIn this survey of the expanding Islamic entertainment industry, The Balance presumably refers to the line f…
Continue ReadingSoho theatre, LondonThe comedian’s troubled relationship with his ‘alpha dad’ is under scrutiny in this enjoyable show of (mostly) new material There’s a choice joke, midway through Travis Jay’s show, about therapists – whom Jay approaches, he tells us…
Continue ReadingThe comedian is ‘bad at the internet’, but has done her best at sharing her online faves – including a 1990s rugby league ad and a fight from Home and AwayI’m bad at the internet. I’ve always been more of an observer than a participant. My cousins were…
Continue ReadingThe standup on the upsides of touring, her worst gig and finding reasons to be optimisticWhat’s an important lesson you’ve learned from being a standup?Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. Put your head down and focus on being the best comedian…
Continue ReadingComedian says he was asked to explain context of gag to investigating officers, and will keep it in his showThe comedian Joe Lycett has said he was investigated by the police after an audience member made a complaint about a joke in one of his shows.In…
Continue ReadingLeicester Square theatre, LondonEngaging, blokey, old-school standup about domesticity, parenthood and the frustrations of modern life is mixed with material specific to the scouse joker’s life as a blind manChris McCausland riffs at the start of Speak…
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