All stories by Brian Logan on BroadwayStars

Friday, March 4, 2016

Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle roars back with more deceptive deadpanning by Brian Logan

Lee’s peevish reaction to being pipped to a Bafta unravels into a rant about James Corden in another set of brilliant routines that force us to puzzle out whether this self-pitying schtick…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:37AM
Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Adam Hills review – bland standup packs a feeble comic punch by Brian Logan

G Live, GuildfordThe ‘nicest man in comedy’ is soft-hearted to a fault, in a set of optimistic but entirely safe and familiar routines Adam Hills is “widely referred to as ‘the nices…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:58AM
Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Nina Conti review – the audience are the dummies for this ventriloquist by Brian Logan

Criterion, LondonThe comedian chucks out the art form’s creepiness for a thrilling interactive set in which her most essential prop barely features“Most ventriloquists …” says Nina C…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:39AM
Thursday, February 25, 2016

Romesh Ranganathan review – irresistible gags with stink-bomb impact by Brian Logan

Haymarket, BasingstokeOn his third solo tour, the standup retains his cynicism but there’s now light amid the shade and warmth underlying the weariness Related: Romesh Ranganathan and Sean…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:22AM
Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Rhys James review – standup with a superiority complex by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonThe 24-year-old comedian is charming and verbally virtuosic sending up his own white privilege, but can’t bring himself to be profound“Nothing bad has ever happened t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:27AM
Thursday, February 11, 2016

Tar Baby review – passionate comedy slams the sham of a post-racial America by Brian Logan

Vault festival, LondonDesiree Burch invites the audience to rebut racist cliches and face up to centuries of injustice in a show that loses some impact due to its scattershot approachThe US …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:50AM
Tuesday, February 9, 2016

'Bakers, eh? They're so kneady': ringside at the UK Pun Championships by Brian Logan

There were plenty of laughs at the quick-fire punning contest hosted by Lee Nelson, but the maligned art of wordplay deserves more of a rap-battle format“Some comedians don’t take puns s…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:56AM
Monday, February 8, 2016

Woody Allen wants to make a Louis CK comedy by Brian Logan

The director reveals he is a 'great fan' of the US standup comic. Meanwhile, Geri Halliwell looks set to star in her own TV comedy show and London's Glee Club isn't happyWoody Allen has been…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:20PM

Tony Law review – a standup parping one long raspberry by Brian Logan

Leicester Square theatre, LondonOutlandish non sequiturs stack up as the wild-eyed, broad-grinned Law works the myth of his own zaninessIt’s Tony Law’s ambition, he tells us, to make a s…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:51AM
Friday, February 5, 2016

Isy Suttie review – standup's endearing, embarrassing search for Mr Right by Brian Logan

Cambridge JunctionThe ex-Peep Show star co-opts Roy the papier-mache penguin and her Slovenian flatmate Anya in a warm and wise show about her quest for loveWe’re not in unfamiliar territo…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:49AM
Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Nick Thune review – a standup too cool for anything as hack as a punchline by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonThe US comedian’s anecdotes are unstructured, overlong and underpowered, but he has ragged charm and there’s delight to be had in his throwaway asidesYou expect comed…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:55AM
Thursday, January 28, 2016

The Jon Ronson Mysteries review – stories from the eye of the Twitter storm by Brian Logan

Leicester Square theatre, LondonThe chronicler of society’s oddest habits leads an endearing book reading-plus-debate about social media shaming – with a bonus appearance from Bridget Ch…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:49AM

Daniel Sloss: Dark Revoir review – wannabe outré comedy by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonSloss tries to hide an uncertain stage persona in self-consciously provocative standup, but too often shoots himself in the footDaniel Sloss claims not to know what the t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:58AM
Sunday, January 24, 2016

It's about time comedians asked if science stands up by Brian Logan

With The Brain Show, Robert Newman provides a welcome counter-argument to the many comedians hymning the virtues of rational inquiryComedy and science have been intimate bedfellows these pas…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:33AM
Thursday, January 21, 2016

Eddie Izzard: Force Majeure Reloaded review – surrealism-lite and self-delight by Brian Logan

Palace theatre, LondonThis erudite-magpie’s tour of human history yields vintage Izzard moments of delightful silliness, yet lacks in jeopardy over two-and-a-half hours “I didn’t want …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:22AM
Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Robert Newman: The Brain Show review – chewy neuro-comedy by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonDissing bad science, capitalists and Brian Cox, Newman’s low-octane cabinet of neuroscientific curiosities has nonconformist bite Related: Rob Newman: 'Bill Hicks wante…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:54AM
Monday, January 18, 2016

Mime superstar Trygve Wakenshaw: 'I just want to be Mr Bean' by Brian Logan

The gangly New Zealander trained as a clown and spent 10 years in theatre before his masterclasses in mime set tongues wagging at Edinburgh. Where next for the new king of silent comedy?Come…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:46PM
Friday, January 15, 2016

The absurd comedy that is London's housing crisis by Brian Logan

When we set out to make a show about the baroque horror of the capital’s property problem, it quickly became clear that the result would be tragicomicHow do you make theatre out of the hou…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:08AM
Sunday, January 10, 2016

Kumail Nanjiani – Edinburgh festival review by Brian Logan

Assembly RoomsAmerica's indie comedy scene has supplied some great fringe acts recently, including Perrier-winner Demetri Martin and Flight of the Conchords' Kristen Schaal. Kumail Nanjiani …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:01AM
Monday, December 21, 2015

The comedy trends of 2015: nostalgia, oversharing and new-school mimes by Brian Logan

From newfound political awareness to a resurgence of clowning, 2015’s comedy landscape was bumpy but invigoratingIn election year, it was apt that political comedy seemed to be back on the…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:33AM
Saturday, December 19, 2015

Sean Hughes | Comedy review by Brian Logan

The Capitol, Horsham"I'm not saying I'm perfect," says Sean Hughes, as he mocks all the things the rest of us do wrong. But part of Hughes's charm is that he does claim to be, if n…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:56PM
Friday, December 18, 2015

Margaret Cho review – sex-positive comedy with knobs on by Brian Logan

Leicester Square theatre, LondonCho gleefully goads the demure with an in-yer-face set that, amid the name-dropping and self-promotion, has some almost fabulous momentsIf you noticed US come…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:36AM
Thursday, December 17, 2015

Sara Pascoe's Christmas Assembly review – a fun school nativity mashup by Brian Logan

Battersea Arts Centre, LondonGanesh, Odin and Princess Diana substitute for the three wise men in Pascoe’s endearingly silly, variety-pack Christmas playThe bar was set high last year for …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:10AM
Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Brian Logan's top 10 comedy of 2015 by Brian Logan

Bridget Christie was belligerent, Doug Stanhope was savage, and Nish Kumar was reborn a rightwinger. But a touching show about Lance Armstrong wins our critic’s best comedy of 2015• More…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:22AM
Sunday, December 13, 2015

Sofie Hagen review – digging deep with a very light touch by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonThe Edinburgh best newcomer award-winner explores her own teen Westlife obsession and self-harming in this compelling, beautifully constructed setIn the future, maybe eve…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:27AM
Friday, December 11, 2015

Bill Bailey review – back to his blithe best by Brian Logan

Vaudeville theatre, LondonFrom riffs on Labour’s ‘experimental’ period to a German-language heavy-metal Waterloo, Bailey’s ticklish joy in the trivial delights a warm crowdBill Baile…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:39AM
Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Ricky Gervais back as David Brent, while Derek passes the taste test by Brian Logan

Plus, Joan Rivers defiant on Holocaust 'joke' – and in hot water over Adele weight wisecrackTen years after his final appearance on British TV, Ricky Gervais's best-loved and, let's face i…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:39PM
Monday, December 7, 2015

Five of the best comedy gigs for Christmas 2015 by Brian Logan

Sara Pascoe, Margaret Cho, Brian Cox and Kevin Bridges are among those promising better laughs than you’ll get from your Christmas crackersThe leftfield comedy club Weirdos stages the four…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:58AM
Monday, November 30, 2015

Nath Valvo's Grindr: A Love Story? review – slap-and-tickle comedy by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonPart idiot’s guide to the sex app, part confessional standup, this show blends gaudy anecdotes and Valvo’s relatable awkwardness into a night of easy humourGrindr –…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:28AM
Friday, November 27, 2015

Politicians and comedy: a rather funny business by Brian Logan

Donald Trump tried to be witty on Saturday Night Live, Barack Obama has honed his own standup style and Boris Johnson continues to play the clown. But are politicos’ attempts at humour amu…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:05PM
Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Hal Cruttenden review – mocks the weak with brio by Brian Logan

Leicester Square theatre, London The TV regular has constructed a plausible world full of self-absorbed, middle-class misanthropy, with occasional strikes against conformity“I think I have…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:58AM