Joe Lycett review – pranks, partygate and ghostly goats

Cambridge Corn Exchange From his parody Sue Gray report to his Twitter spat with Alan Sugar, the new stage show by the loveably impudent joker collects and comments on his most successful comic stuntsAs the Sue Gray report – or the long wait for it – a…

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Athena Kugblenu review – class act flips conventional thinking on its head

Soho theatre, LondonThe daughter of an aspirational mum and an overqualified dad, Kugblenu ruminates on privilege, parenthood and Nigella recipesIt’s 25 years since New Labour told us: “We’re all middle class now” and it’s not a claim that’s weathered …

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Toasting not roasting: these comedians would surely mock Netflix’s hall of fame

Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Joan Rivers and Robin Williams are given their dues in The Hall but the event is oddly sanctimoniousHow should we celebrate great comedians? Netflix’s latest exercise in live comedy is called The Hall: a new pantheon for l…

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Ed Gamble: ‘Terrifying ego and an astonishing lack of self-esteem got me into comedy’

The standup on his worst gig, being inspired by his cat, and the comic genius of RylanWho inspires you?My cat, Pig. He wakes up, eats a bowl of tuna, does a huge dump, acts like an idiot for an hour and then naps. It’s the day-to-day routine that every…

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Ed Gamble: ‘Terrifying ego and an astonishing lack of self-esteem got me into comedy’

The standup on his worst gig, being inspired by his cat, and the comic genius of RylanWho inspires you?My cat, Pig. He wakes up, eats a bowl of tuna, does a huge dump, acts like an idiot for an hour and then naps. It’s the day-to-day routine that every…

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Chris Rock: Ego Death review – taking the temperature of a ‘near-destroyed’ America

Royal Albert Hall, LondonThe standup returns to the stage on fine form, though one might wish The Slap was addressed, not glossed“I’m OK, if you’re wondering …” Of course, Chris Rock broaches right at the start of his show the incident we’re all thinki…

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Chris Rock in a hard place: will he make comedy gold out of Will Smith’s slap?

As his hotly anticipated tour arrives in the UK, audiences are wondering whether Rock will share some freshly minted material on the Oscars bust-upMight “the slap” – when Will Smith walloped Chris Rock at the Oscars ceremony – have been a publicity stu…

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Netflix announces release dates for the specials filmed at Netflix is a Joke

For the past 2 weeks, Netflix took over Los Angeles with their first ever comedy festival, which we were on… MORE
Netflix announces release dates for the specials filmed at Netflix is a Joke appeared first on The Laugh Button.

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Ria Lina: My best heckle? ‘I love you!’

The standup on starting out in comedy, increasingly savvy audiences and the best advice she has ever receivedHow did you get into comedy?I think I fell into it. It was a night out with the comedy society at my university and we all got up and gave it a…

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Schalk Bezuidenhout review – a fun introduction to a genial misfit

Soho theatre, LondonThe South African storyteller’s expressive presence and assured comedy chops ensure easy laughs With its back-to-basics account of who he is and where he comes from, Schalk Bezuidenhout’s set might be mistaken for a debut hour. Come…

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