Eddie Pepitone: For the Masses review – cult angry comic on bracing form

Available onlineThe gruff comic from Brooklyn appalls and entertains as he rages against the debauchery of modern AmericaEddie Pepitone’s closest brush with UK fame came in 2012, when the incongruous story broke of Hugh Grant being turned away from the…

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Stream with laughter: top comics experiment with lockdown festival

From a daft James Bond spoof to reliving a disastrous audition over Zoom, the Upload comedy extravaganza had some delectable momentsAs the black hole left by the cancelled Edinburgh fringe exerts its gravitational pull, the hankering not only for comed…

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Honk if you like my arias: the summer of drive-in culture

With venues locked down, entertainment-starved audiences are getting in gear for a season of opera, comedy shows and movies experienced from your own car seat – but is it an artistic cul de sac? Britain has never been good at drive-ins. Historically ou…

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Jon Pointing: ‘The funniest book I’ve ever read? I, Partridge’

The actor, writer and character comedian on the things that make him laugh the mostThe first one that came to mind was Sally Phillips hiding a slice of toast between her toes in Smack the Pony. Related: The Guide: Staying In – sign up for our home ente…

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The refugee standup night: ‘none of us can believe how successful it is’

Coached by Tom Parry, the comedy collective No Direction Home are bucking stereotypes about refugees and migrants – and thriving online during lockdown‘Let me tell you something more about my miserable life,” says Usman Khalid, with a miserable face. T…

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Edinburgh international festival announces citywide Ghost Lights celebration

The festival will roll out a series of ‘artistic interventions’ across the Scottish capital in AugustA series of “artistic interventions” has been announced by the Edinburgh international festival (EIF) to take place across the Scottish capital in Augu…

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The best blissfully silly comedy for lockdown

Looking for some escapist laughs? Here are a few tips, from John-Luke Roberts’ chaotic sketches to Flight of the Conchords’ smile-guaranteed songsHottest front-room seats: the best theatre and dance to watch onlineStories are “a fantastic way of being …

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Dave Chappelle addresses George Floyd killing in Netflix special

Chappelle performs a surprise new set, entitled 8:46, before a socially distanced audience Comedian Dave Chappelle has released a blistering Netflix special in which he addresses the killing of George Floyd, police brutality and the horrific legacy of …

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Sarah Squirm: ‘I made a necklace out of my dead grandma’s glass eyeball’

The New Yorker comedian, illustrator and gross-out merchant on the things that make her laughI’ve never seen her live, but I remember watching a Joan Rivers standup special for the first time and literally thinking she was magic. Related: The Guide: St…

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A Kind of Magic review – Magical Bones casts a spell during dazzling hour of Zoom tricks

Available onlineDeception is rife and amazement is constant in this uplifting night of gripping tricks, full of audience interactionMagical Bones has got me ripping up playing cards in my living room, which he promises will be worth it. After tearing f…

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