All stories by Brian Logan on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Bill Bailey: En Route to Normal review – a joyful reconnection by Brian Logan

Bournemouth International CentreTree snails, Coldplay and the current cabinet all get the full Bailey treatment in a zinging performance Sometime around the second curtain call, you begin to…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:33AM
Monday, December 13, 2021

Take that Fleabag! Liz Kingsman, the comic skewering the ‘messy women genre’ by Brian Logan

Chaotic life, lots of sex, little sense of purpose … the Anglo-Aussie’s hilarious takedown of Fleabag and the booming ‘messy-woman genre’ was halted by Covid. Now, after a year and a…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:24AM
Thursday, December 9, 2021

Inside No 9: An Evening with Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith review – small talk, big laughs by Brian Logan

Brighton DomeThe comedy writers behind one of the BBC’s most successful series perform an entertaining, behind-the-scenes double act ‘If you’re going to cry, cry tears of laughter,”…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:42PM
Monday, December 6, 2021

Nina Conti: The Dating Show review – joy and chaos with the magical matchmaker by Brian Logan

Palace theatre, SouthendAided by audience volunteers, the fleet-footed comic balances several difficult tricks at the same time before a finale set in an erotic fire station Is there an act …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:03AM
Sunday, December 5, 2021

Michael Spicer review – online satirist delivers his greatest hits by Brian Logan

Old Market, Hove The YouTuber drily responds to some chucklesome internet footage, and plays the part of a frustrated political adviser, in onstage re-enactments of his best clips As a rule,…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:54PM
Friday, December 3, 2021

Megan Stalter review – a true star turn from the super-silly comic by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonAs a wannabe stage and screen queen in the spotlight, the American comedian brings to life her character’s unquenchable thirst for attention ‘You guys are a horrible …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:54AM
Thursday, December 2, 2021

String v Spitta review – children’s entertainers do battle by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonThis odd-couple double act of east London MC and toffee-nosed children’s entertainer are great fun for adults The world of children’s entertainment has provided a ric…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:24PM

Sleeping Beauty and the Beast review – fairytale villains get taught a lesson by Brian Logan

Battersea Arts Centre, LondonCaptain Hook and the Big Bad Wolf are sent back to school in a flippant festive mashup that’s carried along by its goofy charm Imagine a reform school for badd…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:03AM
Sunday, November 28, 2021

Aladdin review – emperor Boris on a magic carpet ride with a splash of TikTok by Brian Logan

Lyric Hammersmith, LondonSatire has a disconcerting consequence in Vikki Stone’s punchy and superbly sung version of the traditional panto I’m sure there have been Peppa Pig World jokes …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:24AM
Friday, November 26, 2021

‘People think my videos are real!’: meet Megan Stalter, the new queen of online cringe comedy by Brian Logan

Pinpoint parodies of ‘weird church ladies and soccer moms’ made the Ohio comic famous during the pandemic – even if progressives mistake her for the real thing Megan Stalter put a vide…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:18AM
Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Luisa Omielan: God Is a Woman review – faith, feminism and family by Brian Logan

Komedia, BrightonThe comic’s swaggering take on religion is ebullient before a handbrake-turn brings emotional candour too Luisa Omielan’s last show, Politics for Bitches, ostensibly abo…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:12AM
Thursday, November 18, 2021

Rob Brydon review – croons and lampoons from the affable uncle of showbiz by Brian Logan

London PalladiumThe clubbable comic casts himself as master of ceremonies in a self-effacing musical story of his life – with celeb mimicry ‘I’ve done so many strange things in my care…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:54AM
Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Bridget Christie: Who Am I? review – a comic ahead of the crowd by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonThe standup’s rich and playful show about the menopause combines ingenious silliness with campaigning ferocity A handful of times in the opening stages of Bridget Chris…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:06AM
Thursday, November 11, 2021

Patti Harrison review – whip-smart comic amps up the irony by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonThe American standup delivers so-bad-they’re-good music parodies and sends up millennial entitlement in a bright UK debut Best known in the UK for her scene-stealing tu…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:03PM

Alfie Brown: Sensitive Man review – contrarian comic with a devilish twinkle by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonThe twisty satirist considers mental health, white privilege and youth with vividly acted, wittily phrased jokes Comedy audiences, we’re told, are too sensitive these d…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:42AM

Homeless stars, endless spaghetti and amplified farts: the comedians of TikTok by Brian Logan

Speech is out. Daft captions are in. Nearly everyone is beautiful. And one guy amassed 11m followers while living in emergency accommodation with his mum. Our critic samples TikTok comedy I�…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:12AM
Thursday, November 4, 2021

Ahir Shah: Dress review – laughs about life under lockdown by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonCoronavirus and woke capitalism lead to pleasing, if patchy, polemics in the comic’s latest show “A chronicle of everything that’s happened to me over the last 18 m…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:32AM
Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Brian & Roger: A Highly Offensive Play review – podcast duo’s OTT exploits by Brian Logan

Menier Chocolate Factory, LondonThe misadventures of a hapless hero led astray by his false friend are funny but don’t quite fill three dimensions There was a setback last month for this p…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:42AM
Sunday, October 31, 2021

Simon Brodkin: Troublemaker review – quality jokes hide man behind the prankster by Brian Logan

Leicester Square theatre, LondonThe comic who showered Fifa’s Sepp Blatter with banknotes reveals little of the person under the character comedy mask What a coy coming-out party of a sho…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:36AM
Tuesday, October 26, 2021

From hilarity to hardback: the comedy shows that became books by Brian Logan

Haley McGee, James McNicholas and Mo Gilligan talk about the tricky business of turning stage performances into a reading experience When developing her solo show The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale,…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:12AM
Sunday, October 24, 2021

Grayson Perry: A Show for Normal People review – embracing eccentricity by Brian Logan

Royal Festival Hall, LondonThe artist’s energetic live show splices together standup, anecdotes and singing – all inspiring us to flee the monochrome and mundane “Ted Talk – the pant…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:54AM
Thursday, October 21, 2021

The Lemon Table review – Julian Barnes’ stories of mortality and musicality by Brian Logan

Salisbury PlayhouseIan McDiarmid is outstanding in two pieces, one as an angry audience member and one a composer’s coda Halfway through Vigilance, the first act of Ian McDiarmid’s solo …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:36PM
Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Alan Carr review – saucy riffs and showbiz tales by Brian Logan

Milton Keynes theatreGood albeit digressive gags keep the routines endearingly amusing in the comic’s new touring show Regional Trinket “I hate being camp,” says Alan Carr, which would…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:24AM
Friday, October 15, 2021

The Good Life review – self-sufficiency sitcom loses the plot on stage by Brian Logan

Theatre Royal BathThe much-loved TV series becomes a series of set-pieces rather than a satisfying drama in this stage adaptation Much is made, in the publicity around this stage refit of Th…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:03PM
Thursday, October 14, 2021

Liz Kingsman: One-Woman Show review – wicked, whip-smart skewering of Fleabag and co by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonKingsman spoofs the look-at-me egotism that sometimes animates solo shows, as she heaps meta layer upon layer in a tour de force It seems like five minutes ago that Phoeb…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:42AM
Sunday, October 10, 2021

Mo Gilligan review – expert social anthropology from the boy next door by Brian Logan

Hammersmith Apollo, LondonGilligan’s cartoonish parade of misunderstandings and manipulations have perspective and heart When you get rich and famous for your relatable comedy, how do you …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:24PM
Friday, October 8, 2021

Glamrou: From Qur’an to Queen review – coming-of-age comedy with pizzazz by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonAmrou Al-Kadhi’s drag alter ego, poised between self-absorption and self-irony, delivers a tart, funny and swaggering tale “Too gay for Iraq, too Iraq for gay.” Tha…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:48AM
Thursday, October 7, 2021

Njambi McGrath: Accidental Coconut review – a fresh take on colonialism by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonMcGrath is smart and sardonic about the after-effects of British imperialism in Africa – even if she’s just skimming the surface The Berlin Conference of 1884, the le…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:12AM
Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Dave Chappelle: The Closer review – aggressive gags and feeble protests by Brian Logan

NetflixRather than explore the blind spots within modern gender and racial thinking, the comedian’s latest special triples down on the phobia ‘I’m going all the way,” is Dave Chappel…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:03AM
Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Jenny Eclair: Sixty! (FFS!) review – sexagenarian schtick from a joyous comic by Brian Logan

Bloomsbury theatre, LondonThe comedian is on ebullient form in a gossipy touring show about entering one’s seventh decade You can understand why Jenny Eclair might focus her standup on the…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:03AM
Monday, September 27, 2021

Sh**ged Married Annoyed review – hit podcast makes mildly amusing night out by Brian Logan

London PalladiumChris and Rosie Ramsey’s material about their married life is jolly enough, but a five-minute advertorial is rather less so It has 65m downloads and counting. It claims the…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:24PM