The Danebury Metal Detecting Club is back and this time it’s serious. Well, not completely serious. Mackenzie Crook’s countryside sitcom was one of the most subtle, slow-burn comedies to pop up in... more
Previews
When Sky commissioned Rotters as part of their silent comedy season they thought they had cast two recent Edinburgh Comedy Award winners. In fact it is now three. John Kearns (2014 winner) and Phil... more
The final of the annual Funny Women Awards takes place on September 23. Previous finalists include Katherine Ryan, Sara Pascoe, Bridget Christie and Sarah Millican, so it is a pretty good litmus test... more
At the Edinburgh Fringe this August Foster’s Awards director Nica Burns called on TV networks to invest in comedy. Sky is certainly doing their bit already. This week a new series of physical comedy-... more
I was one of the judges when David Mills won the New Act of the Year in 2011 when the competition moved from the Hackney Empire to the Barbican. I suspect it was a pretty unanimous decision. He had... more
Harry Deansway’s place in British comedy history is assured. He is one of those noble idiots who has attempted to make a success out of publishing a comedy magazine. The Fix was a regular fixture on... more
As I wrote in my piece on how to get reviewed at the Fringe, luck can play its part as much as skill. About ten years ago I stumbled into a show by the then unknown Michael McIntyre because I was... more
If you are quick you can get the cream of Edinburgh in one helping in Kings Cross. The Comedy Grotto at The Star of Kings is an all-day event that really does offer Londoners the chance to see some... more
I didn’t want to write a preview of Rob Beckett that focussed on his teeth. Honest. But then I saw that his show was called Mouth of the South and I thought, well, he’s asking for it. Though at least... more
Sometimes the Fringe coverage is so obsessed with unearthing someone new that polished talent can be overlooked. Tom Allen has seen plenty of Edinburgh action since winning So You Think You’re Funny... more
