January 2014
Kurt Braunohler usually comes to the UK with queen of kookery Kristen Schaal. This time round he is doing solo shows. I hope he will still be working with Schaal though, as some of their two-handers have felt really special and unlike any other double acts I've ever seen. By contrast this was a gig that was never dull and had penty of laughs, but somehow lacked the USP of the twosome's bizarro banter.
I should say straight off that I haven't watched Celebrity Big Brother since it moved to Five. Somehow some of the magic had worn off since the early days when Jack Dee was one of the winners. But when I heard the line-up for the current series my interest was aroused. Not enough to watch it of course, but enough to think that another JD – Jim Davidson – might have a chance of winning.
No press tickets issued, no reviewers invited to Julian Barratt's first "love blast" at the Soho Theatre in the guise of relaxation guru Jon Breeze, who wants to "touch your now". So as soon as the one-off was announced the credit card was cranked out and a ticket was bought. What follows then is not a review but a small hint of what goes on within the strange cult of Breeze. I've tried to keep spoilers to a minimum.
2013 Foster's Award Winner Bridget Christie and Nick Helm have been victorious today at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards.
There has been talk recently of stand-up producing an endless conveyor belt of identikit observational comedians with one eye on a spot on Live at the Apollo. The cynics saying this clearly don't go to the New Acts Of The Year Final. This long-running competition, previously staged at the Hackney Empire, always throws up a few curveballs, but last night at the Bloomsbury Theatre it excelled itself with a particularly high score on the eccentricity-meter.
The exciting news earlier this month that the Mighty Boosh were to tour in 2014 was promptly quashed by the management but you can see half a Boosh tonight at the Soho Theatre when Julian Barratt appears in the guise of guru Jon Breeze. Tickets sold out in a blink, of course, but check the Soho Theatre website every few seconds today in case extra tickets are released.
Comedian, illustrator and filmmaker Alasdair-Beckett King was crowned the latest New Act of the Year at the Bloomsbury Theatre tonight (Sunday). Except that in a change to the usual tradition instead of being named winner, he was proclaimed "Top of the Bill". An unusual title, but one in keeping with the organisers Claire and Roland Muldoon's old school left-wing philosophy in which everyone is a winner.
The news that Rufus Hound is planning to stand as an MEP for the pro-NHS National Health Action Party makes him the latest in an increasingly long line of comedians dipping their toes into stormy political waters. In February last year Italian comedian Beppe Grillo received the most votes in his country's general election. In Iceland Jon Gnarr fronts the Best Party and is the current Mayor of Reykjavik.
Tommy Tiernan had one of those people in last night at the Soho Theatre. You know, the ones who insist on interrupting your seamless routine and think that they are helping you out. I think she said she was from Lettermore, though after a while I began to think that she wasn't even sure where she was from herself.
I've been going to comedy gigs for as long as I can remember and reviewing them for nearly as long, but last night there was a first. I was sitting in an aisle seat about eight rows back from the stage at Frank Skinner's opening show at the Leicester Square Theatre. During his set there was a tap on my shoulder. It was one of the ushers: "Please do not take notes." "Why?" I asked. "It's policy."
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