All stories by Brian Logan on BroadwayStars

Monday, July 18, 2022

NewsRevue review " 43-year-old formula is still good fun by Brian Logan

Canal Cafe theatre, LondonThis high-energy hour of songs and sketches includes a Conservative leadership medley from The Greatest Showman and Boris Johnson's Jailhouse Rock In the 43 years s…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:24AM[SHARE]

Yummy: Iconic review " drag burlesque gets a bit too cheeky by Brian Logan

Underbelly festival, LondonThe acrobatic feats of Jarred Dewey go some way to redeem a show that's way too high on cliches and exposed buttocks Enough buttock already! It's not a sentiment o…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:24AM[SHARE]
Sunday, July 10, 2022

Clownts review " three maestros compete in a celebration of anarchic hilarity by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonArmed with cherry tomatoes, paper boats and a leaf-blower, Julia Masli, Viggo Venn and Sami Abu Wardeh brought the London clown festival to an uproarious close 'I hate cl…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:42AM[SHARE]
Thursday, July 7, 2022

Sarah Millican: Bobby Dazzler review " crude comedy with a baroque flourish by Brian Logan

Oxford PlayhouseThere are some low-wattage anecdotes in this set but the standup delivers gags about farting and haemorrhoids with an undeniable vitality There are seven signs of ageing, acc…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:24PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Edinburgh festival 2022: 50 shows to see by Brian Logan, Mark Fisher and Lyndsey Winship

Phil Wang makes a heroic return, Ian McKellen stars in a balletic Hamlet and Sophie Duker is gleefully carefree. Here are our picks of the festival's comedy, theatre and dance 20 great Edin…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:37AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Patrick Kielty: Borderline review " cautionary Northern Irish tales by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonAt a crisis point for his country, Kielty's 'module on borders' is warm and engaging, though his even-handedness dims some of the laughter "A comedian shouldn't be gettin…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:18AM[SHARE]

Arrest that joke! A history of gags so offensive that punters called the cops by Brian Logan

Standup Joe Lycett has revealed that he was reported to police for one of his routines. From Sacha Baron Cohen to Jo Brand, our writer looks at what happens when laughter and the law collide…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:48AM[SHARE]
Sunday, June 26, 2022

Chris McGlade review " working-class scourge of wokeness by Brian Logan

Conway Hall, LondonMcGlade pours his heart and soul into the show but his picture of a golden age of working-class racial harmony is a stretch When Soho theatre declined to re-book Chris McG…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:42PM[SHARE]
Thursday, June 23, 2022

Travis Jay review " a loose, likable set about fathers and sons by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonThe comedian's troubled relationship with his 'alpha dad' is under scrutiny in this enjoyable show of (mostly) new material There's a choice joke, midway through Travis …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:12PM[SHARE]
Monday, June 20, 2022

Chris McCausland: Speaky Blinder review " genial gags for midlife grumps everywhere by Brian Logan

Leicester 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 l…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:24AM[SHARE]
Friday, June 17, 2022

Brodi Snook: Handful review " caustic comedy of depressing dates by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonMalign males on the dating scene are the focus of this heartfelt set, with keep-fit fans, activists and men who claim to be feminists also under the microscope Hot on the…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:48PM[SHARE]
Thursday, June 16, 2022

Mary Beth Barone review " sex comedy that keeps on giving by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonA delightfully silly but sneakily serious take on hook-up culture and its collateral damage, with bonus standup sets Comedy show or treatment programme? Mary Beth Barone'…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:48PM[SHARE]
Sunday, June 12, 2022

John Waters: False Negative review " the 'sultan of sleaze' at the Barbican by Brian Logan

Barbican, LondonThe veteran film-maker is on fine form in this motor-mouthed show, which mixes slick anecdotes with gleeful transgression Common as it now is for well-loved figures to bring …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:37AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Edinburgh fringe 2022: 20 theatre, comedy and dance shows you shouldn't miss by Brian Logan, Catherine Love, Mark Fisher, Anya Ryan, Rachael Healy, Kate Wyver, Claire Armitstead, Arifa Akbar and Lyndsey Winship

In the first of our festival previews, we round up some of the best offerings we've already reviewed " including Tim Key, Liz Kingsman, La Clique and Hungry This searing, sweaty disco is a h…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:48AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Backstage With Katherine Ryan " the secrets of standups revealed, kind of by Brian Logan

A series that promises to expose the offstage antics of comics including Seann Walsh and Jimmy Carr gets off to a slick and intriguing start Is there anything connected to comedians that TV …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:42PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Jordan Brookes review " a disconcerting deep-dive into existential morality by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonThe comedian's latest show is quarried from the darker subsoil of a disturbed soul, delivered by a man whose warmest smile still stirs a tincture of unease It's quite the…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:48AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, May 31, 2022

Bo Burnham's Inside is a masterpiece " even these outtakes are hilarious by Brian Logan

Much of the leftover material from Burnham's twisted Netflix special sparkles as brightly as the original A year after the release of his Netflix special Inside " by any measure, one of the…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:12PM[SHARE]

'Our ears were bleeding!' " Harry Hill on making his Tony Blair opera by Brian Logan

Saddam gets a Groucho Marx makeover, Gordon Brown sings about macroeconomics " and Cherie is part Lily Savage, part Lili Marleen. The big-collared comic reveals all about Tony! It's a Tuesda…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:24AM[SHARE]
Monday, May 30, 2022

Norm Macdonald's Nothing Special: a standup says farewell by Brian Logan

The revered comic, who died last year, recorded his last Netflix set at home in 2020. It has the feel of a wake, as fans including David Letterman pay tribute After two years of closed venue…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:33PM[SHARE]
Friday, May 27, 2022

Iain Stirling: Failing Upwards review " familiar territory, but funny nonetheless by Brian Logan

Amazon Prime VideoThe comedian plays it safe with his subject matter, but delivers his show with affable warmth and animation "Why can't I just be normal?" laments the comic and voice of Lov…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:12PM[SHARE]

Chris Redd: Why Am I Like This? review " Saturday Night Live star's random gags by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonThe SNL cast member has some impressive off-the-cuff riffs with the audience but never crafts an answer to his own question If you saw Saturday Night Live cast member Chr…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:37AM[SHARE]
Sunday, May 22, 2022

Joe Lycett review " pranks, partygate and ghostly goats by Brian Logan

Cambridge Corn Exchange From his parody Sue Gray report to his Twitter spat with Alan Sugar, the new stage show by the loveably impudent joker collects and comments on his most successful co…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:37PM[SHARE]
Friday, May 20, 2022

Athena Kugblenu review " class act flips conventional thinking on its head by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonThe daughter of an aspirational mum and an overqualified dad, Kugblenu ruminates on privilege, parenthood and Nigella recipes It's 25 years since New Labour told us: "We'…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:06AM[SHARE]
Thursday, May 19, 2022

Toasting not roasting: these comedians would surely mock Netflix's hall of fame by Brian Logan

Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Joan Rivers and Robin Williams are given their dues in The Hall but the event is oddly sanctimonious How should we celebrate great comedians? Netflix's latest e…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:24PM[SHARE]
Thursday, May 12, 2022

Chris Rock: Ego Death review " taking the temperature of a 'near-destroyed' America by Brian Logan

Royal Albert Hall, LondonThe standup returns to the stage on fine form, though one might wish The Slap was addressed, not glossed "I'm OK, if you're wondering …" Of course, Chris Rock broa…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:24PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Chris Rock in a hard place: will he make comedy gold out of Will Smith's slap? by Brian Logan

As his hotly anticipated tour arrives in the UK, audiences are wondering whether Rock will share some freshly minted material on the Oscars bust-up Might "the slap" " when Will Smith wallope…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:54AM[SHARE]
Thursday, May 5, 2022

Schalk Bezuidenhout review " a fun introduction to a genial misfit by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonThe South African storyteller's expressive presence and assured comedy chops ensure easy laughs With its back-to-basics account of who he is and where he comes from, Sch…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:37PM[SHARE]

Chloe Petts review " cheery comedy confronting thorny issues by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonSkilful standup's debut, Transience, takes the heat out of fraught conversations about gender and is well worth the wait Was ever a debut show longer awaited? Chloe Petts…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:37PM[SHARE]
Thursday, April 28, 2022

Jack Docherty: Nothing But review " fantasy and tragedy at the Edinburgh fringe by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonAs he tells the story of a one-night stand from 30 years ago, the comic explores youthful dreams and midlife disappointment A bittersweet love letter to the Edinburgh fri…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:42AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Alan Partridge: Stratagem review " two hours of tremendous silliness by Brian Logan

Edinburgh PlayhouseIn a joyful return to the stage, Steve Coogan's deathless alter ego delivers a motivational lecture he keeps on derailing The last time Alan Partridge graced the nation's …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:48AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Barry Humphries: The Man Behind the Mask review " basking in nostalgia by Brian Logan

Richmond theatre, LondonWhile an impish spirit remains, the comic behind Dame Edna Everage follows the well-worn template of celebs recounting their life stories At 88, with almost seven dec…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:54AM[SHARE]

All that Chat

2025-2026 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 12, 2025: Call Me Izzy - Studio 54
Sep 16, 2025: Art - Music Box Theatre
Oct 08, 2025: Beetlejuice - Palace Theatre
Nov 13, 2025: Oedipus - Studio 54
Nov 16, 2025: Chess - Imperial Theatre
Mar 23, 2026: Giant - Music Box Theatre
Apr 06, 2026: Becky Shaw - Hayes Theater
Apr 16, 2026: Proof - Booth Theatre
Apr 26, 2026: Drama Desk Cut-Off