All stories by Paul Fleckney on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

'Gloriously daft': Steve Martin at 75 by Sarah Silverman, Lucy Porter, David Baddiel and more by Paul Fleckney

He’s a master of slapstick, a surrealist clown, the don of comic film roles from Roxanne to The Jerk. As he turns 75, comics including Reginald D Hunter and Rose Matafeo pay tribute to the…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:54AM
Monday, March 23, 2020

'Comedy is my way of making sense of life': the comics standing up for mental health by Paul Fleckney

As the series Comedy Against Living Miserably launches, two comedians explain how their jobs affect their emotional wellbeing – and how they hope to help their audiences “Every time you …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:18AM
Monday, March 9, 2020

Always on my mind: Tim Vine's Elvis obsession and his Presley one-liner by Paul Fleckney

The comedian, who always wanted to be a pop star, is finally getting the chance with his new show paying homage to the King If you were to list the comedians who would rather be a rock star,…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:42PM
Thursday, January 16, 2020

Frank Skinner: Showbiz review – statesman of standup shows no sign of stiffening by Paul Fleckney

Garrick theatre, LondonHis scattergun style leaves little room for depth, but the veteran gagsmith is still wonderful company as he tackles middle age There’s a pleasure to watching Frank …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:24PM
Monday, December 9, 2019

‘I got obsessed with Chris Tarrant’: comedians on their art by Paul Fleckney

As a new exhibition on comedians’ prints and portraits opens, Harry Hill, Vic Reeves, Lolly Adefope and more talk us through their masterworks Modern Toss on comedians-cum-artists “If it…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:03AM
Friday, September 20, 2019

The 50 best comedians of the 21st century by Hannah J Davies, Paul Fleckney, Harriet Gibsone, Brian Logan and Stuart Heritage

From apocalyptic standup Frankie Boyle to the many hilarious faces of Tina Fey, Steve Coogan, Sharon Horgan and Kristen Wiig, we present the funniest comics of the era Our No 1 comedian’s…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:18AM
Thursday, August 22, 2019

Simon Munnery review – Alan Parker goes to war with the modern world by Paul Fleckney

The Stand, EdinburghThe big-thinking leftie is revived for the age of climate change and Corbyn – but is he still as radical as he once was? The last time Simon Munnery was doing his Alan …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:48PM
Monday, August 19, 2019

Bumbling detectives and Nazi rats: sketch comedy gems at Edinburgh by Paul Fleckney

From a pastry-themed holiday to a bleak take on Thomas the Tank Engine, we round up some of the fringe’s strangest sketch acts Fans of sketch comedy might have to look a little harder than…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:24AM
Friday, August 16, 2019

Will Adamsdale review – a masterclass in self-deprecation by Paul Fleckney

The singular standup’s new show FaceTime is a delightful, devastating and stealthy account of his domestic woes The 2004 winner of the Perrier award (as it was known then) pops up every fe…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:54AM
Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Tom Parry review – bringer of comfort and joy by Paul Fleckney

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghThe best newcomer nominee of the 2015 fringe returns with a smart, satisfying look at the funny side of weddings That title, “Parryoke!”: the pun, the excla…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:36AM
Sunday, May 19, 2019

Al Murray review – the ultimate Brexiteer remains on the fence by Paul Fleckney

Alban Arena, St AlbansMurray’s Pub Landlord character, a patriotic little Englander, is well-placed to comment on our political moment, but Murray seems unwilling to take sides “Having y…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:36AM
Thursday, May 16, 2019

Ed Night review – woke joker with an easy swagger by Paul Fleckney

Soho theatre, LondonForthright and talented, Night doesn’t shirk the issues, from porn to social media, and he has the gags to boot Today’s twentysomethings get a fair amount of flak for…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:18AM
Friday, May 3, 2019

Danny Baker review – heroic good cheer and banging anecdotes by Paul Fleckney

Tyne theatre, NewcastleThe broadcaster and writer’s second live show is a warm storm of rollicking tales about musicians and his family You could ask the question of any comedy show: how m…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:36AM
Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Hands off my anecdote! The couple who mine their love-life for laughs by Paul Fleckney

When you and your partner are both standups, jokes are a competitive business. But are there any limits? Sarah Keyworth and Catherine Bohart reveal all“When something funny happens to us,�…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:04PM
Monday, December 24, 2018

Aladdin review – deadpan dame Paul Merton leads panto supergroup by Paul Fleckney

New Wimbledon theatre, LondonMagician Pete Firman conjures up laughs, while Blue singer Lee Ryan joins the fun in this uplifting 3D pantoGood old panto. Where else would you get Paul Merton,…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:04AM
Monday, October 15, 2018

The Lost Disc review – tall tale of a great Glastonbury bootleg by Paul Fleckney

Soho theatre, LondonWill Adamsdale shapeshifts to play a crooner, a troubadour and a country singer in an ambitious mockumentary show‘Virtually every writer I know would rather be a musici…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:33AM
Thursday, August 30, 2018

Joke's over: why standups should refresh the tired 'Edinburgh show' by Paul Fleckney

The classic Edinburgh comedy show lasts an hour, with a strong narrative component and an inevitable ‘sad bit’. But this rigid template is stifling creativityThe late Sean Hughes had a r…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:33PM
Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Arj Barker: Flight of the Conchords? We played cartoon versions of ourselves by Paul Fleckney

The standup on making fun of Australians, his school of comedy, and why the Conchords’ Bret and Jemaine are his role modelsCalifornia-born Arj Barker arrived at the Edinburgh fringe in 199…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:33AM
Monday, July 31, 2017

Angela Barnes: the salty standup mentored by Sarah Millican by Paul Fleckney

Championed by the BBC, fellow comedians and her own dad, who inspired her debut show, this rising comic specialises in heartfelt funniesAs legacies go, launching your offspring’s comedy ca…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:54AM
Thursday, July 13, 2017

Daniel Kitson: standup's most restless, theatrical polymath by Paul Fleckney

Did you hear the one about the comedian who was as good at avant-garde theatre as he was at cracking gags?The "thing" about comedian Daniel Kitson has always been the belligerent modus opera…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:48PM
Friday, May 19, 2017

Luisa Omielan: Go out with a comedian? Only if they stopped being so needy by Paul Fleckney

The standup on classism and sexism in comedy, her part in the Miranda Christmas special and her new show, Am I Right Ladies?!Not many comics have a debut show as successful as yours (What Wo…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:12PM
Saturday, September 17, 2016

Rich Hall on bringing back Otis Lee Crenshaw and shocking his relatives by Paul Fleckney

As he reaches the end of his UK standup tour, the comic speaks about being a frustrated musician, what his family thinks of his shows and why he’s returning to the Perrier-winning role of …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:12PM
Monday, September 12, 2016

Stewart Francis: If I only made my wife chuckle, that would suit me fine by Paul Fleckney

Reports of the Canadian standup’s retirement have been exaggerated. Touring his new show Pun Gent, he says he’s ditched his anxiety – and is asking UK audiences to connect the dotsTwo …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:55PM
Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Katy Wix: 'I’ve written women who swear and are allowed to be intelligent' by Paul Fleckney

She plays the naive Daisy in Not Going Out and stars in sitcoms Together and Fried. But Katy Wix has also created dozens of her own comic characters, based on her friends and herselfYou’ve…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:26AM
Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Rob Newman: 'Bill Hicks wanted to support us. I regret not letting him' by Paul Fleckney

The comedian on his odyssey into the human brain, why he never wants to play a stadium again – and the reason he turned down his comedy hero Hi Rob. So why are you doing a show on the brai…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:58AM
Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Swing your pants: Trev and Simon are back by Paul Fleckney

The groovy Going Live! duo, who spent Saturday mornings mucking around with Sting and Kylie, are embarking on a sci-fi adventure with Sophie Aldred. It’s a journey into space, time and daf…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:02AM
Thursday, September 24, 2015

How do you direct a standup gig? Meet the experts behind the comics by Paul Fleckney

On stage there’s just a comedian and a mic. But behind the scenes, directors such as John Gordillo and Phil Nichol can make or break the show. What exactly do they do?It’s one of the gre…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:57AM
Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Class of 2015: who are the Edinburgh fringe's funniest newcomers? by Paul Fleckney

Jonny Pelham, Tez Ilyas and Lolly Adefope aren’t among comedy’s big names – yet. But there is charisma, fresh material and young talent to spare at the festival this year. Here are eig…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:06PM
Monday, August 17, 2015

Byrnes night: Jason and Ed Byrne on how the Edinburgh fringe has changed by Paul Fleckney

The comedy veterans – not related – sit down for a drink and a debrief and wonder what their 24-year-old selves would make of them nowJason Byrne sips a glass of red wine. “If the 24-y…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:30PM

Top 10 jokes of the Edinburgh fringe festival so far by Paul Fleckney

Rhys James, Katherine Ryan, Bridget Christie and more offer the standout standup gags of the summerUmbro is named after what your friends say to you if they see you wearing it.Remains is at …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:20AM
Thursday, July 30, 2015

Funmbi Omotayo: the Harrods porter turned Hackney gag merchant by Paul Fleckney

After a storming five-minute spot on The John Bishop Show, Funmbi Omotayo is hitting Edinburgh with his debut solo hour, Legal Immigrant. It’s the tale of his family’s move from Hackney …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:25PM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards