For character comics such as Zach Zucker, Bilal Zafar and Jay Bennett, performing as other people is a way to both escape from – and confront – their personal livesAfter an eventful 18 months away, Zach Zucker is back on a London stage, and making a me…
Continue ReadingLondon PalladiumChris and Rosie Ramsey’s material about their married life is jolly enough, but a five-minute advertorial is rather less soIt has 65m downloads and counting. It claims the record for the biggest live podcast audience ever. It sold out t…
Continue ReadingLondon PalladiumThe veteran provocateur, with his usual equal offensiveness policy, is amusing when he isn’t railing at straw men in this revival of his 2019 show Supernature“I’m a white heterosexual millionaire,” says Ricky Gervais, and as such, in a …
Continue ReadingWith the plagiarism claim against him, Kae Kurd joins an illustrious list of alleged copycatsIt’s no joke: standups in legal row over ‘stolen’ comedy routineThe most notable thing about the plagiarism row raging between Kae Kurd and Darius Davies is th…
Continue ReadingRoyal and Derngate, Northampton The spiritual comedian’s lofty aspirations make way for funny riffs on fatherhood and lockdown in a self-ridiculing setAre we here for laughs, or spiritual healing? Both, Russell Brand seems to think, apologising for the…
Continue ReadingThe standup, most famous for Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live, could make the familiar feel strange and newNorm Macdonald, former SNL cast member, dies at 61It was Frank Skinner who first brought my attention to Norm Macdonald. Years ago – I can’t…
Continue ReadingShakespeare’s Globe, LondonThe Mock the Week man clearly enjoys his turn on the prestige stage, and Jen Brister, Athena Kugblenu and Nina Conti are able supporting playersIf you must enter the stage hobbling, a cane tapping the ground at your side, you…
Continue ReadingShakespeare’s Globe, LondonThe Mock the Week man clearly enjoys his turn on the prestige stage, and Jen Brister, Athena Kugblenu and Nina Conti are able supporting playersIf you must enter the stage hobbling, a cane tapping the ground at your side, you…
Continue ReadingSoho theatre, LondonThe Russian-born comic racks up the punchlines as she auditions to be a Bond girl, considers British quirks and recalls her schooldaysThe comedian from far afield, observing British idiosyncrasies for the delight of British audience…
Continue ReadingAfter months of uncertainty and being told to retrain, I got my chance to act at a beautiful and iconic theatre. Fair bit of pressure not to be rubbish …It’s difficult to describe the feelings of jubilation, guilt, disbelief, confusion, gratitude and f…
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