A one-woman 90s romcom, boundary-testing standups and a new Taskmaster contestant make our comedy critic’s list of the fringe’s most promising ticketsOlga Koch stepped into the big league at Fringe 2023 with a show, Prawn Cocktail, pairing sassy tales …
Continue ReadingHackney Empire, London Well-spun jokes and great audience rapport elevate the comedian’s show above standard fall-guy fare, though slick management inhibits its sparkHow good can standup be without being very distinctive? This good, I thought, watching…
Continue ReadingHackney Empire, London Well-spun jokes and great audience rapport elevate the comedian’s show above standard fall-guy fare, though slick management inhibits its sparkHow good can standup be without being very distinctive? This good, I thought, watching…
Continue ReadingSoho theatre, London She’s a convivial host, but 70 minutes of shops chat, family home videos and the odd song about our comic’s love life may leave you eyeing the exitMany is the standup show where – well-crafted hours, be damned! – I’ve happily been…
Continue ReadingHackney Empire, LondonThe east Londoner’s show majors in blunt putdowns of anything the ebullient standup finds to be up-itself or overrated“I’m doing alright for myself, gang!” That’s quite the understatement. Laura Smyth at Hackney Empire is more tha…
Continue ReadingRAC Arena, PerthWhile it does start to feel like ‘older comedian bemoans changing times’, the veteran comic’s 70-minute set is frictionless and funny“What else is annoying in the world today, besides everything?” asks Jerry Seinfeld, about 10 minutes i…
Continue ReadingThe comedian and Lady Dynamite creator talks about Godzilla, her deep hatred of Steven Spielberg’s War Horse, and living in Australia for a yearIn your memoir Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult, you shared your personal email address with explicit encouragement…
Continue ReadingFive-star standup, late-night debauchery, staggering circus tricks … as the arts spectacular approaches, here are some of the shows rated by our writersGary McNair builds a joyful one-man show from interviews with ordinary people about what they think …
Continue ReadingInvestment management firm cancelled deals with UK literary festivals over links to Israel and fossil fuel companiesThe chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has robustly defended its sponsorship by Baillie Gifford, after the investm…
Continue ReadingThe social media star on performing to silent audiences, turning spite into success and still having to prove herself as a ‘proper’ comedianCan you recall a gig so bad, it’s now funny?I was once booked for an outdoor, family friendly village fete where…
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