Preview season is well and truly under way. For comics it is a vital part of the Edinburgh Fringe dominated calendar. For punters, an opportunity to see their favourite comedians at knocked down prices. Though I think an equal number of audience members unwittingly stumble across previews, when what they were actually after was something other than a comedian unwittingly stumble through a notepad of half-written jokes.
Performers are always asking me how to get coverage in the media. The trouble is that I’m in the media and I’m not sure if I know the answer myself. There certainly isn’t a formula. I usually say “work hard” but a more honest answer might be “by accident”.
I've been tipping Canadian Bobby Mair for greatness ever since I stumbled into his 2013 Edinburgh show Obviously Adopted by accident. Though it actually looked as if Mair was the one that had had an accident. He appeared scruffy, distracted, a bit like a scrawny-bearded extra from Deliverance, but he definitely had something. His beard was rubbish but his comedy was great.
Richard Herring’s new series of podcasts kicks off with an illuminating chat with Bob Mortimer. This time round Herring has had funding from a Kickstarter campaign but don't panic, apart from a plug for his sponsor (hello Duncan Thorley of Maximum Whimsy) at the start and a few namechecks at the end it doesn’t feel remotely like a corporate sell-out.
Update: Following the publication of this story Mark Davison has been offered a 9pm slot by Just The Tonic boss Darrell Martin, so he will be appearing in Edinburgh this summer after all. He will be at the Up The Road venue. There is no ticketing or entry fee, just the usual request for a donation at the end. "He's not charging me for the room but will take a percentage of my bucket. It's a good deal and I'm very happy (and relieved) to have accepted it," says Davison.
And so this weirdly wonderful improvised whodunnit series comes to an end with Olympic gymnast Louis Smith, as the tabloids would say, as you’ve never seen him before. And not just because, as you can see in the picture here, he dons a dress at one point, but because he is forced to think on his feet, not just jump around on them.
The Last Leg is due to return for a sixth series this summer. Following on from three election specials earlier this year, the new series, fronted by Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker, will start on Friday, June 26 at 10pm on C4. There will be eleven episodes.
As ever, each week Adam, Josh and Alex will be joined by a live studio audience and a weekly special celebrity guest. In the first show Stephen Merchant will be joining them live in the studio.
Rob Delaney’s latest show is called Meat. There is something perfect about the simple one-word title. Short and brutal and to the point. He also has a routine where he mentions meat, but that’s by the by. This is a show that strips the language of comedy right back to its raw, visceral basics. Yet at the same time it is one of the funniest, most sophisticated, jaw-snapping funny hours of humour you will see this year.
US comedy Parks and Recreation is moving to Dave. The hit ensemble comedy will launch on Dave this summer. Seasons 4 and 5 will air from Monday 27th July with Seasons 6 and 7 following in Summer 2016. It has previously been screened on BBC4.
Comedian Angela Barnes has landed her first Radio 4 series commission. Based on her critically acclaimed debut show at the Edinburgh Fringe 2014, "You Can't Take It With You", Angela shares the big stuff she's thinking about: life, love, family, work and death.
Pages
Zircon - This is a contributing Drupal Theme
Design by
WeebPal.
