Podcast The comic actor’s exuberant 10-part history unpicks the nuts-and-bolts of what makes sketches funny, from overlooked past acts to SNL, and British favourites including the Two Ronnies“The sexy dangerous first cousin of standup,” Keegan-Michael …
Continue ReadingAvailable onlineBanter and live laughter help NextUp’s show – featuring a grumpy Jen Brister, a lovable Sarah Keyworth and more – replicate in-person comedy“What is this? What are we doing?” Jen Brister is going off on one. “This is our career now!” Ma…
Continue ReadingThe standup won a book deal after an idle tweet. Two books later, his love for publishing was over. He talks about why he’s persisting with the third book in his scifi trilogyA decade ago, a bored tweet landed standup comedian and singer Mitch Benn a b…
Continue ReadingIn the first of a series exploring the stage origins of hit comedies, the actor remembers creating the delusional letting agent at Bristol University“For a lot of series one, I don’t like Stath as a character,” says Jamie Demetriou, the comedian, actor…
Continue ReadingIn our weekly series, funny people share the links that make them laugh online. For Nath Valvo, it’s impressions, pranks and Diane KeatonHello. My name is Nath Valvo. I’m a comedian by trade and I have almost finished the internet. You can finish the i…
Continue ReadingAvailable onlineSofa-bound audiences help the team behind The Play That Goes Wrong to create spontaneous and funny stories on screenThey cornered the West End comedy market. They made it on TV. Now Mischief Theatre is coming for your streaming devices,…
Continue ReadingAvailable onlineSofa-bound audiences help the team behind The Play That Goes Wrong to create spontaneous and funny stories on screenThey cornered the West End comedy market. They made it on TV. Now Mischief Theatre is coming for your streaming devices,…
Continue ReadingThe idea that the artform skews left is widespread, but the prevalence of comedians punching down suggests otherwise“Three-quarters of BBC comedians are liberals,” scream the headlines; or “New BBC boss targets ‘leftwing’ comedy shows.” In the ongoing …
Continue ReadingWhile ‘cancelled’ comedians continue to succeed after making transphobic jokes, their trans peers are still finding it an often unwelcome industryA month before the transgender comedian Jaye McBride was supposed to appear at a festival, she got a phone…
Continue ReadingWhen venues were closed by the pandemic, James Acaster, Maria Bamford and other top comics got to work on a web series to rescue The Bill Murray in LondonIt sounds like the premise for a sitcom – and now it is. The Bill Murray in north London, home to …
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