‘She’d been drinking with Julie Walters. I heard a crash’: Victoria Wood’s genius – by her friends, fans and actors

Dazzling performer, brilliant writer, maddening perfectionist, Easter Egg hunt maestro … on the 10th anniversary of Wood’s death, those who knew her best celebrate the shy introvert who redefined comedyDuncan Preston Continue reading…

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‘Fisk really changed my life’: Aaron Chen on leaving Australia for the US and his meteoric rise

The gently offbeat comedian is a beloved presence on Australian TV, but he’s now relocated to New York and made his first Hollywood film. He reflects on ‘a big time of growing up’Get our weekend culture and lifestyle emailNear the end of his Netflix sp…

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Fortune Feimster: ‘The stage was a crate, the sound system was a karaoke machine. No one enjoyed the show’

The standup on playing a beaver in Zootropolis 2, being inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger and why her mother is a great source of comedyWhat is the best advice you’ve ever been given?I used to be quite the worrywart. Especially in this business, there …

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Hit New Zealand comedy duo Flight of the Conchords reunion gigs sell out in minutes

Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement announce four shows at Wellington venue Meow Nui from next week – their first gigs since 2018New Zealand’s self-described “fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo-a cappella-rap-funk-comedy-folk duo” Flight of the …

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Josh Thomas: ‘If I could fight someone, I’d go big: Harry Styles. Or is Margaret Thatcher still alive?’

The Australian comedian on being tackled by 80 children, his nemesis and swapping bodies with Abbie ChatfieldIf you could change the size of any animal to keep as a pet, what would it be?Sometimes I take these too seriously, it’s the truth. Like, somet…

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‘I’m a big bear. I lumber’: showbiz superstar Richard Kind on delivering performances you can see from space

The first time Kind starred in Nazi-spoof The Producers, he lost 30lb. Is he – and the West End – ready for his return? And why is he so worried about his old flatmate George Clooney?Richard Kind has played everything from a child’s imaginary friend in…

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‘How could this be anything other than funny?!’ Behind the scenes of Saturday Night Live UK

SNL is a US comedy institution – can a British version rise to the challenge of finding the funny in our comparatively beige politicians every week? We speak to the team hand-picked to do just thatIt is the calm before the storm. The storm being the im…

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Four decades after we wrote Yes Minister, politics is still reduced to the pleasure of power | Jonathan Lynn

Our sitcom character Jim Hacker continues to cling on – as he takes to the West End stage, nothing has really changedWhen people praised Tony Jay and me for Yes Minister’s prescience, we accepted the compliments graciously. But the reason the TV series…

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Men Behaving Badly: The Play review – boorish flatmates prattle like it’s 1999

Barn theatre, CirencesterSimon Nye brings back the characters from his hit TV series for a misconceived comedy set on millennium eveIn a nervy theatre economy, with familiar material most likely to sell tickets, nights out often feel nostalgic for nigh…

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‘Shakespeare? I’d have a go!’ Paul Chuckle on his 50-year comedy career and his new gangster film

As he dons sunglasses to play a tough guy on screen, the actor, AKA Paul Elliott, answers your questions about moustaches, Gogglebox, Bond, Judge Jules, Liam Gallagher and missing his brother, BarryPaul, you must rank as one of the most committed moust…

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