All stories by Brian Logan on BroadwayStars

Monday, November 5, 2018

The Exorcism review " devilishly tricksy haunted-house tale by Brian Logan

Battersea Arts Centre, LondonShifting between eerie ghost story and broad comedy, Ross Sutherland's intriguing solo show about demonic possession never quite makes its intentions clearJust a…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:48AM[SHARE]
Thursday, November 1, 2018

Dave Gorman review " nitpicking fury of a PowerPoint maestro by Brian Logan

Royal Festival Hall, LondonThe comic is on solid form as he deploys graphs, data and ruthless over-thinking to rage against life's tiny detailsChurnalism, fraudulent daytime TV, the idiocies…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:48PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, October 31, 2018

James Acaster review " a comedy genius at the peak of his powers by Brian Logan

Vaudeville theatre, LondonThe standup refines his intricate tales with a note of personal poignancy for a set that will leave you drunk on its brillianceWe had no right to ask more of James …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:06PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Ali Siddiq review " charisma and hard-won authenticity from an ex-con by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonThe US standup, who spent six years in a Texas prison, delivers an accomplished set drawing on his misspent youth One in three black men in the US will spend time in jail…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:24AM[SHARE]
Monday, October 22, 2018

Dave Chappelle and Jon Stewart review " sharp satire at America's expense by Brian Logan

Royal Albert Hall, LondonThe world-renowned pair team up with comics Mo Amer and Michelle Wolf to tackle Trump, the opioid crisis and gun violence in a night which delivers big laughsPlenty …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:06AM[SHARE]
Friday, October 12, 2018

Rob Brydon: I Am Standing Up review " clowning crooner's homecoming gig by Brian Logan

Wales Millennium Centre, CardiffBrydon beats a well-trodden path through crowd work, gags about middle-aged decline and pitch-perfect impressions"Some people have said this show is more hone…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:32AM[SHARE]
Thursday, October 11, 2018

Joanna Lumley: It's All About Me review " Ab Fab gags and Trump tales by Brian Logan

Birmingham Symphony HallThe veteran comic's enduring ability to captivate a crowd saves a best-of evening that occasionally descends into tediumThey're a real pop-will-eat-itself phenomenon,…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:12AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Griefcast's Cariad Lloyd: 'Laughter? It's about survival. It's about living' by Brian Logan

After her standup success and podcast about death, the comic's next step was obvious: starring in a cancer-ward romcom It wasn't, I assume, the toughest decision in the history of casting. W…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:24AM[SHARE]
Monday, October 8, 2018

Aziz Ansari suggests 'wokeness' can go too far at surprise gig by Brian Logan

The US comic is cynical about competitive virtue-signalling in a show that doesn't directly respond to allegations against him but is full of friction What happens to men accused of sexual m…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:04PM[SHARE]
Friday, October 5, 2018

Vulcan 7 review " the Young Ones meet again as old dinosaurs by Brian Logan

Cambridge Arts theatreAdrian Edmondson and Nigel Planer write and star in a Beckettian comedy about two past-it thesps making a sci-fi film on the edge of a volcanoOnce they were The Young O…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:04AM[SHARE]
Thursday, October 4, 2018

Nish Kumar review " apoplectic state-of-the-nation standup by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonThe Mash Report host unleashes a high-octane, self-mocking political show brimming with exasperation and angerYou can tell it's been two years since Nish Kumar's last liv…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:33AM[SHARE]
Monday, October 1, 2018

Trump that: can standups keep up with a president like this? by Brian Logan

In Oh Come On, David Cross matches vulgarity with vulgarity but it's not the only way to mock a political horror showI'm watching David Cross, but I can't help thinking about Brett Kavanaugh…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:12AM[SHARE]
Sunday, September 30, 2018

Lou Sanders: Shame Pig review " lurid gags from the comedians' comedian by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonWith an abundance of eyebrow-raising anecdotes about outrageous social faux pas, the standup is terrific companyThere was louder buzz around Lou Sanders' Edinburgh fringe…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:24PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Catchphrase comedy is dead. Am I bovvered? by Brian Logan

The former head of BBC comedy claims catchphrases are out of fashion. But as Corporal Jones might say, 'Don't panic!' There's life in sloganeering yet Catchphrase comedy is a dying art, acco…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:32PM[SHARE]
Thursday, September 13, 2018

Cameron Esposito: a new kind of comedy hero by Brian Logan

Esposito's last show, Rape Jokes, was hailed as part of a new queer-friendly, woke brand of comedy for the #MeToo era. How does she follow it up?When Hannah Gadsby's show Nanette went supern…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:36AM[SHARE]
Friday, September 7, 2018

Kevin Bridges review " savant of Clydebank laughs in the face of piety by Brian Logan

Hammersmith Apollo, London The 31-year-old breathes new life into well-worn observational comedy in a masterful show that scorns pretensionKevin Bridges is in his 30s now, a time when fear o…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:32PM[SHARE]
Monday, August 27, 2018

Olga Koch review " from Russia with love and oligarchs by Brian Logan

Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh In a spirited Edinburgh debut, the daughter of a former deputy PM of Russia tells her father's fascinating storyPlenty of comics get good material from their p…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:24AM[SHARE]

Sarah Keyworth: Dark Horse review " tomboy tales and top-notch jokes by Brian Logan

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghThe LGBTQ+ standup twists gender into new shapes in a fringe debut that feels like a great intro to a fresh comic personalityShould we be disowning words like "…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:18AM[SHARE]
Sunday, August 26, 2018

The League of Gentlemen review " a brilliantly twisted return to the stage by Brian Logan

Sunderland Empire Exhilarating new material joins favourite vintage sketches as Mark Gatiss, Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton bring their chilling creations to life again on tourTV tie-i…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:42PM[SHARE]
Saturday, August 25, 2018

Edinburgh award champ Rose Matafeo's Horndog is a comedy smash by Brian Logan

The Kiwi standup thoroughly deserves her success with an uproarious, emotionally intimate and feminist show With the triumph of Rose Matafeo in this year's Edinburgh Comedy awards, a sub-par…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:18PM[SHARE]

Larry Dean: Bampot review " cheeky, chatty, all-smiles comedy by Brian Logan

Assembly Checkpoint, EdinburghDean is a standup with the popular touch and an easy swing to his style. Just don't go expecting anything high-conceptWednesday was a day of ups and downs for s…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:33AM[SHARE]
Friday, August 24, 2018

Jason Donovan's Amazing Midlife Crisis review " heartthrob hits 50 by Brian Logan

Assembly George Square, EdinburghThe star revisits his success as a singer and soap-star to find out whether he is older and wiser, or just olderWhat an odd confection this touring show by J…

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

Glenn Moore review by Brian Logan

Just the Tonic @ The Tron, EdinburghSupposedly the story of his attempt to go on a mission to Mars, Moore's set is actually a string of high-quality jokes Comedy is not just about jokes, as …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:24AM[SHARE]
Thursday, August 23, 2018

Felicity Ward: Busting a Nut review " a jumble sale of jokes by Brian Logan

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghFrom gags about vintage frocks to her toilet roll-hoarding mother-in-law, Ward is endearing, if under-poweredNot every Edinburgh comedy set needs a theme, story…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:48AM[SHARE]

Brexit's a joke: Edinburgh fringe's EU comedies by Brian Logan

Britain's exit from the EU is quicksand for artists as well as politicians. This year, it's inspired polemical cabaret and a drama that goes nowhere fastThe Edinburgh fringe's best response …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:24AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Lazy Susan: Forgive Me, Mother! review " brilliant send-up of #MeToo anxiety by Brian Logan

Assembly George Square, EdinburghSketch duo Celeste Dring and Freya Parker are unstoppable in an outrageous and irreverent hour for 'ladies and predators''Good afternoon, ladies and predator…

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

Edinburgh comedy award shortlist includes Ahir Shah and Rose Matafeo by Brian Logan

Felicity Ward, Alex Edelman, Glenn Moore, Larry Dean and Kieran Hodgson also among standups in the running for £10,000 main prize " but the list has some striking omissions The shortlist …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:06AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, August 21, 2018

I saw a man die on stage. It was me | Brian Logan by Brian Logan

He's been derided by Daniel Kitson, shamed by Stewart Lee " and now our comedy critic has been depicted having his brains blown out by Sam Campbell. Just as well he can take a jokeI can see …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:32PM[SHARE]

John-Luke Roberts review " Spice up your life with the nonsense manifesto by Brian Logan

Assembly George Square, EdinburghA parade of daft characters and killer gags illustrate Roberts' credo that absurdism reflects the chaos of being aliveLeft-field standup John-Luke Roberts ha…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:42AM[SHARE]

Camilla Cleese review " drily amusing jokes about dad by Brian Logan

Assembly, George Square, EdinburghIn a set called Produced by John Cleese, the Python's daughter shares the bill with political standup Steve HofstetterHaving eschewed nepotism in the past t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:24AM[SHARE]
Monday, August 20, 2018

Steen Raskopoulos review " tears flow in emotionally raw comedy by Brian Logan

Underbelly Cowgate, EdinburghThe Aussie standup ditches blithe character-comedy for a brave show that is often more sad than funnyNo one who's seen the Aussie act Steen Raskopoulos would ass…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:04PM[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