From performing in a bin to arm-wrestling rivals, the standup cut his teeth at a Nottingham pub’s chaotic Just the Tonic nights. As the thriving comedy club chain it grew into turns 30, he remembers really letting ripFrom a “renegade, rundown pub” to a…
Continue ReadingMore and more comedians are uploading their improvised encounters with audience members. But do these interactions detract from the craft of standup?The front row of a comedy club is a scary place to be. Those courageous enough to brave that spot – or …
Continue ReadingCulden Faw Estate, Henley-on-ThamesThe Scottish clown and his pals have taken over in a family caper combining comedy, slapstick, dropped plates and acrobatic skillsTweedy’s MASSIVE Circus (“but it’s tiny!”, shouts the crowd) unfolds in a bijou village…
Continue ReadingCulden Faw Estate, Henley-on-ThamesThe Scottish clown and his pals have taken over in a family caper combining comedy, slapstick, dropped plates and acrobatic skillsTweedy’s MASSIVE Circus (“but it’s tiny!”, shouts the crowd) unfolds in a bijou village…
Continue ReadingCulden Faw Estate, Henley-on-ThamesThe Scottish clown and his pals have taken over in a family caper combining comedy, slapstick, dropped plates and acrobatic skillsTweedy’s MASSIVE Circus (“but it’s tiny!”, shouts the crowd) unfolds in a bijou village…
Continue ReadingA 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…
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