Soho theatre, LondonThe Coming 2 America star’s UK debut is genial and enjoyable – but should probably feel more finessed than it doesTonight, says Jermaine Fowler, “I’m just prepping stuff for my next standup film.” It’s an underwhelming opening from …
Continue ReadingLeicester Square theatre, LondonThe standup rallies from backstage illness to deliver a show about love, fear and roller skating‘I’ve just been sick behind the curtain.” It’s an inauspicious start to a gig. But Lou Sanders is not very well and, being L…
Continue ReadingTate’s sweary grump went from TV to stage show to a misfiring film, proving how tricky it is to keep audiences on a lifelong journey with a comic creation‘Brutally unfunny.” “Lacking in charm and good jokes.” “As interminable as it is revolting.” The r…
Continue ReadingKings Place, LondonThe Stranger Things actor discusses her experiences on male-dominated sets, alongside hosts Susan Wokoma and Deborah Frances-White’s standup comedySince its first episode in 2015, The Guilty Feminist podcast has explored topics such …
Continue ReadingWith rare footage and personal insights, the documentary Oxide Ghosts is a must-see for fans of Chris Morris’s satire, which is 25 years oldIts original broadcast was postponed by a nervous Channel 4, it led to questions in the House of Commons and to …
Continue ReadingSouth Street, ReadingThe standup reflects on returning to her native Wales in a show that lacks the purposefulness of her earlier campaigning routinesKiri Pritchard-McLean made her name with consciousness-raising comedy drawing on her own experiences –…
Continue ReadingThe comedian on shamanic ceremonies, vegan diets and the catharsis of performanceYou can imagine how the prospect of turning 40 was particularly problematic for Simon Amstell. The film-maker and comedian, who started as a stand-up at 13 and was present…
Continue ReadingEven as a child, the comedian knew her brain was atypical. But it was only in her late 20s that her anxiety, depression and meltdowns finally made senseYou don’t have to be an expert to know that people with autism don’t get to speak about their own ex…
Continue ReadingSoho theatre, London In a serious-minded comedy show, with a splash of frivolity, the standup considers politics, class and racismWhat do we have to do to be accepted? When will we have done enough? Dane Baptiste has a chip on his shoulder about racism…
Continue ReadingNetflixIn the TV version of her hit Edinburgh show, the standup’s charisma, songs and self-absorbed swagger are still sparklingWhen Catherine Cohen’s The Twist …? She’s Gorgeous played the Edinburgh fringe in 2019, I fell hard for its charisma and swag…
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