The Guardian view on pantomime: the goose that keeps on laying | Editorial

There’s nothing like a panto to banish the blues, especially if it stars Sir Ian McKellen as Mother Goose – the grande dame of seasonal fun and frolics The actor Sir Ian McKellen and the comedian John Bishop are stepping out on to the West End stage ov…

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The secret life of cracker jokes: how bad gags became a Christmas classic

Cracker industry bosses and comics shed light on the art of the cracker joke, from winning formulas to ‘innovation teams’ – and why they’re more important than ever in the digital ageWhat do you get if you cross a potentially awkward, booze-soaked fami…

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One Woman Show review – joke-packed Fleabag parody is perfectly pitched

Ambassadors theatre, LondonLiz Kingsman’s slick, self-conscious ‘troubled woman’ show nests its complex jokes within jokes to tremendous effect‘We need women’s story,” says Liz Kingsman in One Woman Show, her slick parody of Fleabag and the countless c…

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The best comedy shows of 2022

From dazzling comic debuts at the Edinburgh fringe to occult sketches, soul-searching standup and deeply strange revelations, it was a top year for laughing matters• More on the best culture of 2022A set delivering all the livid topical comedy we expec…

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Jack and the Beanstalk review – no expense spared for giant all-star entertainment

London PalladiumDawn French, Julian Clary and Alexandra Burke join an animatronic giant with a vast beanstalk in an innuendo-heavy, story-light showPantos are usually cheap and cheerful, so it’s disorientating to see millions of pounds (I’m guessing) t…

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Aiden Willcox: the 10 funniest things I have ever seen (on the internet)

Each week we ask comedians to explain what makes them laugh online. Aiden wants to share Weird Al, a Lenny Kravitz parody and the perfect comedy noiseGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailHello, the Guardian. I am Aiden Willcox and I use the inter…

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Jazz Emu review – a joyful hour with a delusional musical star

Soho theatre, LondonWith his Scandi-nowhere accent and cool-dude aspirations, Archie Henderson’s comic character is improbable, clever and very funny‘I’m in control,” sings Jazz Emu, while the routine (synth noodling, cool funk stylings, malfunctioning…

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Naked truths slathered in hummus: Lucy McCormick’s intimate and alarming cabaret

The disruptive artist’s new show is a boisterous evening, with her brazen persona an exhilarating challenge for audiencesLucy McCormick’s half-naked body is covered in tomato puree. The floor is littered with confetti and broken glass. Everything is sl…

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Standup success was sweet, but the review I cared about most was written on a biscuit | Jordan Gray

It was hard not to get caught up in my own hype at the Edinburgh fringe. A heartfelt gift restored my humilityThere is no version of this article that doesn’t cast me a braggart. But I hope you’ll forgive me a spot of self-aggrandising when I tell you …

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‘This is it. I’m winning!’ Mo Gilligan on his new Saturday night TV blockbuster

He used to upload sketches to YouTube while folding jeans in a shop. Now he gets chauffeur-driven through Hollywood. As his celebrity-studded new gameshow hits primetime, the comic shares his view from the topThe first time I interviewed the comedian –…

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