Canadian-born comedian who rose to fame in the 1950s credited with ‘yanking comedy into the modern age’Tributes have been paid to the trailblazing standup comedian Mort Sahl after his death at the age of 94.The Canadian-born comic was credited with rev…
Continue ReadingHaley McGee, James McNicholas and Mo Gilligan talk about the tricky business of turning stage performances into a reading experienceWhen developing her solo show The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale, theatre-maker Haley McGee was struggling for an ending. “A fri…
Continue ReadingTaskmaster’s creator is happy to belt out a tune when fronting the Horne Section. But what’s on his stereo when there’s no one around to judge him?The Loco-Motion by Kylie Minogue. My brother and I were both big Kylie fans and I still stand by it: she’…
Continue ReadingWhether it is epic sci-fi, hilarious standup or a new album to listen to, our critics have your plans for this week coveredBigfoot HuntersOut nowHarking back to the days when first-time directors would borrow a camcorder and make an essentially zero-bu…
Continue ReadingThe comic has come blazing out of lockdown fearless and on full throttle, buying a motorbike for her 50th birthday and turning the menopause – along with an incident in a park – into comedy gold‘I must tell you how old I’m going to be when I die,” says…
Continue ReadingMilton Keynes theatreGood albeit digressive gags keep the routines endearingly amusing in the comic’s new touring show Regional Trinket“I hate being camp,” says Alan Carr, which would be surprising if true – his signature style having secured TV ubiqui…
Continue ReadingSoho theatre, LondonKingsman spoofs the look-at-me egotism that sometimes animates solo shows, as she heaps meta layer upon layer in a tour de forceIt seems like five minutes ago that Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag was show-of-the-moment at this venue….
Continue ReadingStandups including Suzi Ruffell, Paul Sinha and Lee Peart reveal how hecklers, bookers and ‘the gay slot’ have affected their appearances in the spotlightThe comedian Stephen Bailey was hosting an Instagram Live earlier this year when he got a message …
Continue ReadingThe award-winning standup is known for his exuberance, but, as he writes in his memoir, he has had to dodge snobbery throughout his career. He discusses family, fame and being funnyRob Beckett is one of those comedians without whom many TV formats woul…
Continue ReadingHammersmith Apollo, LondonGilligan’s cartoonish parade of misunderstandings and manipulations have perspective and heartWhen you get rich and famous for your relatable comedy, how do you stay relatable? It’s a perennial problem, but Mo Gilligan dodges …
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