The Edinburgh festival: a ‘cultural hypermarket’ – from the archive
See how the Guardian and Observer have reviewed the festival since the very first one in August 194723 August 1947 Continue reading…
Continue ReadingAuthor: TheGuardian
Lou Wall: the 10 funniest things I have ever seen (on the internet)
From James Acaster breaking down on Bake Off to a Sylvanian TikTok drama, here is the Australian comedian’s selection of fine memes and hilarious videosGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailOh, internet … my best friend, my arch nemesis, my ride o…
Continue Reading‘The first time I did cocaine, I thought: That’s expensive’ – Keith Allen on his wild years
He blazed through the 90s, an explosive mix of hellraising laddishness and sheer comic talent. As the 68-year-old resurfaces in Rehab, a musical about a drug-addicted pop star, he hits the Groucho to relive his triumphs and ponder his regretsKeith Alle…
Continue ReadingDerry Girls effect boosts Northern Irish talent at Edinburgh fringe
Record number of NI performers at this year’s festival, with C4 comedy hailed for raising awareness of nation’s comic giftsThe biggest ever cohort of playwrights, comedians and artists from Northern Ireland are bringing their work to the Edinburgh frin…
Continue ReadingMarkus Birdman: ‘If anything bad happens to a comic, we think: this will make a good routine!’
The standup on writing material about two strokes, his comedy bugbears and how the Edinburgh fringe has changedHow did you get into comedy?By mistake really. My girlfriend’s friend thought I was funny and entered me into the Daily Telegraph’s new act c…
Continue ReadingThe best theatre to stream this month: Edinburgh fringe, Jane Eyre and more
Our roundup of drama to watch at home includes highlights from the world’s biggest arts jamboree and startling fresh takes on Charlotte Brontë and Henrik Ibsen“I was struck by her spirit and strong will, her peculiar and brilliant mind. She lashes out …
Continue Reading‘I’ve come to say thank you’: big names return to support Edinburgh fringe
Comedians such as Omid Djalili and Rachel Parris are back after festival’s tough two years due to CovidWhen Omid Djalili first performed at the Edinburgh festival fringe in 1993, it was to an audience of three, and they all requested refunds after it w…
Continue Reading‘It comes down to taste’: how the Edinburgh comedy awards find tomorrow’s funniest stars
Nica Burns, driving force of the festival’s comedy prize, talks about the winners and losers in 40 years of the hugely influential eventComedians have a reputation for being tough: the street fighters of the entertainment world. But in just a few weeks…
Continue Reading‘Standup was a weapon to him’: Ian Cognito, the comedian who died on stage – literally
Three years ago, the caustic comic had a fatal aortic dissection mid-show. Now a new documentary about the self-proclaimed ‘most banned act in Britain’ reveals a saga of booze and outrageWhen Ian Cognito walked on stage in Bicester, Oxfordshire, on 11 …
Continue ReadingPaul Verhoeven: the 10 funniest things I have ever seen (on the internet)
The podcaster and author reveals his favourite online things, including Ben Affleck’s Armageddon commentary, a song about the Wii shopping channel music and Jinkx MonsoonGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailMalcolm Gladwell said that it takes 10,…
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