Lara Ricote is among the standups whose gags have landed with deaf and hearing people thanks to the work of stenographer Claire HillWhen Lara Ricote watches fellow comedians’ gigs, she likes to be near the stage. “I tend to sit in the front row – readi…
Continue ReadingAs a comedian, Jones is known for her wit and enthusiasm, but her new documentary tackles the horrendous abuse she and other disabled people face. She discusses fame, therapy, flaws and backlashRosie Jones always wears earphones when she’s out alone. S…
Continue ReadingAs she tours her latest show, the sanguine standup talks about trolls, deafness and finding joy through performingAs a BBC regular Angela Barnes is used to triggering the anti-Auntie trolls, be it her political views, voice, appearance or – in one biza…
Continue ReadingJoke by joke, standup sensation Sherihan El Hadwa is challenging lazy stereotypes about victimhoodOn a small stage in Tulkarm, a city in the north of the occupied West Bank, Sherihan El Hadwa emerges from the wings to a Palestinian pop song. Dancing an…
Continue ReadingYoung Latina whose act tackles disability is among the winners at prestigious awards ceremonyBoth of the top prizes for being funny at the 2022 Edinburgh fringe festival have gone to foreign talent. The Australian comedian Sam Campbell is the winner of…
Continue ReadingLeicester Square theatre, LondonEngaging, blokey, old-school standup about domesticity, parenthood and the frustrations of modern life is mixed with material specific to the scouse joker’s life as a blind manChris McCausland riffs at the start of Speak…
Continue ReadingHow do you translate a pun into an entirely different language on the fly? What do you do when there is simply no sign for a joke?Many of us have come to associate sign language with serious moments, from emergency announcements to natural disaster upd…
Continue ReadingWe’re told comedy is becoming much more diverse. So why does the very busy Channel 4 star sometimes feel like she’s the only disabled comedian in the country?I’m writing this article from a lovely cafe in Poole, Dorset, and a sweet man has just asked f…
Continue ReadingAs social distancing disappears at UK arts venues, artists and audiences who need to shield are uncertain of the futurePerformers and audiences who are clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) are being shut out of the arts due to a lack of ongoing safety…
Continue ReadingSouthbank Centre onlineThis Zoom gig of eyecatching diversity closed the Unlimited festival and felt like a family gathering with its affectionate mutual mockery‘‘Disabled entertainment,” jokes comedian Steve Day, “is a dog-eat-dog world.” He does some…
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