2014 has not been a good year for comedy departures. Robin Williams and Joan Rivers left us, but it was Rik Mayall’s sudden death on June 9 that struck the most resonant chord with me. Without... more
Reviews
Apart from the absence of a mention for Rik Mayall, the other notable omission at last week’s British Comedy Awards was Brian Pern. The lead singer of prog legends Thotch, alias Simon Day, did not... more
The usual thing to say about Nick Helm, who won Best Comedy Breakthrough Artist at the British Comedy Awards last night, is that while his audience participation style is intimidating, the joke is on... more
Last year I reviewed the BBC Radio New Comedy Award Final from a seat in the Comedy Store stalls. While winner Steve Bugeja was excellent there seemed to be a disparity between what people... more
And so the BBC saves the best until last. This second series for Brian Pern is shaping up to be one of the undisputed TV comedy highlights of 2014.The second episode in this all-too-brief trilogy... more
Editor's note: this is a review of Riches' performance at the Edinburgh Festival in August. He is doing the same show at the Soho Theatre until January 3. Tickets and dates here.Some winners of the... more
I think I know where Puppy Love is going wrong. They actually seem to have played down the presence of pooches in an effort to avoid the humans being upstaged. Yet what’s the point in creating a... more
Oh no. It’s another one of his stories about a lonely young person and a lonely old person finding something in common. But Daniel Kitson’s Christmas story is different. Sort of. And if you don’t... more
Lee Mack’s brand of comedy feels so old school at times I’m surprised he has brought out a DVD. His demographic would probably prefer it to be on VHS. That’s a good joke but maybe a little unfair.... more
You don’t often get surprises in TV comedy. But it was a genuinely brilliant surprise when Peter Gabriel pitched up on a segway in the final episode of Brian Pern: The Life Of Rock on BBC4... more
