The 1975 tour documentary Big Banana Feet captures a comic growing into his extraordinary talents – and adjusting to unprecedented fameIn an age where our every selfie, photogenic breakfast and “thing I’m ashamed to admit” is preserved eternally online…
Continue ReadingRestored 1976 doc of Connolly’s tour of Ireland shows that, despite his bombastic stage presence, he is impeccably polite. But his naughtier material hasn’t aged wellHere is a 70s time capsule as pungent as a brimming pub ashtray. Restored and rereleas…
Continue ReadingColchester Arts CentreThe comedian’s rightwing alter egos have not yet evolved beyond the two-dimensional in this droll but conventional setIt’s lovely to be here in Colchester, says Rosie Holt, “where people still voted Tory on Thursday”. For most com…
Continue ReadingCliffs Pavilion, SouthendThe standup delivers an unstructured show with autobiographical anecdotes and routines about henpecked husbands and women called FannyHow hard should a comedian try when they’re already a household name? Some still go the extra…
Continue ReadingThe pair, whose final season of the hit horror-comedy will air on the BBC this month, say the West End production will feature familiar characters and fresh surprisesAs the ninth and final series of their BBC hit Inside No 9 begins this month, Steve Pe…
Continue ReadingSpeaking at launch for West End adaptation, Cleese complains about literal-minded viewers ‘not playing with a full deck’John Cleese said that he decided to cut the N-word from a scene in his West End Fawlty Towers revival because in contemporary Britai…
Continue ReadingSpeaking at launch for West End adaptation, Cleese complains about literal-minded viewers ‘not playing with a full deck’John Cleese said that he decided to cut the N-word from a scene in his West End Fawlty Towers revival because in contemporary Britai…
Continue ReadingSoho theatre, LondonA lesser act might have struggled to follow the brilliant Sydnee Washington, but Faustin’s swaggering, gossipy shtick is superbHas Marie Faustin blundered? Support acts are supposed to be warmup funny, not red-hot funny. Faustin’s N…
Continue ReadingThe comedian’s claim that wokeness is the reason why comedy is no longer as funny is lazy – and inaccurateJerry Seinfeld is currently at saturation point, promoting his new Pop Tarts movie Unfrosted. Still a canny operator, however, Seinfeld understand…
Continue ReadingUnderbelly Boulevard, LondonThere are shocks aplenty as daredevils perform death-defying acts hair-raisingly close to the audienceCircus used to happen in big tops. The Underbelly Boulevard is a very small top, a venue where the fire-breathers almost s…
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