2,034 stories by "Brian Logan"
A man being persuaded to compromise on his lofty ideals could make for great comedy " but given the best satire kicks against the strong, it could be hard to wring gags from the underdog Cor…
Hammersmith Apollo, London The Glaswegian comic's new show may be more personal than political but he still makes for a sharp social commentatorKevin Bridges' new show restores observational…
Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghRussell Hoban's tale of an adventure to a lollipop mountain is adapted with some lively flashes but this show loses the original's oblique charms I'm all for ch…
Novello, LondonWhen Stephen Daldry's An Inspector Calls appeared at the National Theatre, it was lauded for its three-way timeframe. This expressionist refit was set in 1912 (when its action…
I've just left the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where Camden People's Theatre associate artist Sh!t Theatre scored a hit with its comic tour
Veteran comic Bobby Ball has a new job teaching vicars how to be funny " but humour and religion don't always coexist comfortablyIf you want a crash course in how to be funny in front of a r…
UnderbellyAlfie Brown is opening himself up to ridicule " more even than the comedian's usual share. The 25-year-old has set himself up as a passionate critic of our cultural life, and of th…
'At the end of the show I'd just hide' … the actress-comedian's Edinburgh fringe hit lays bare her relationship anxieties with furious inventiveness and painful honestyThere's a fine tradi…
Get ready for comedy on a grand scale: Kevin Bridges is doing a mammoth Glasgow run, two huge double acts (Harry and Paul, Vic and Bob) return, and Sara Pascoe is reinventing ChristmasNinety…
Soho theatre, LondonThe Australian comedian offers technically adept set-pieces and sends up his relentless misanthropy, but it takes a long time to go from snark to laughsComedy doesn't hav…
Pleasance Dome, EdinburghThe duo's latest multi-character show looks at what the (many) residents of Sudley-on-Sea do with their last moments on earth, in a richly enjoyable hour They've don…
Australian standup takes prize for best comedy show at the fringe, while Sofie Hagen is named best newcomer and Karen Koren gets panel prizeEdinburgh comedy awards: explore all the past winn…
Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghThe angular New Zealander has the audience in raptures with his wonky physical comedy " and a brilliantly inventive finaleThere's nothing new under the sun, the…
Stand Comedy Club, EdinburghEdgy material about liberal concerns " Bill Cosby, Ebola " lacks the confidence required for such a bloodless deliveryIf fans of The Daily Show are seeing anyone …
Political comedy used be an orthodox, tub-thumping affair. Today, it's a far subtler art, with Nish Kumar, Sheeps, Stewart Lee and Ahir Shah all reinventing the form You can tell plenty abou…
Heroes @ The Hive, EdinburghThere are goofy set pieces aplenty in this exuberantly silly show in which Jones's alter ego, The Herbert, gets a 'proper job'From Mr Bean to Mr Tumble, there'll …
Assembly George Square studios, EdinburghThe comedian's heartfelt story about the shark-infested waters of her teenage life sits uneasily with the truth, but this makes for a gripping experi…
The comedian's standout show Lance would be a worthy winner, if he can triumph over four-time nominee James Acaster and the inventive Joseph MorpurgoThe 35th Edinburgh comedy award nominees …
Underbelly Cowgate, EdinburghLike a more manic Woody Allen, the funny standup lives out her anxieties onstage as she presents her unplanned family lifeChannel 4's hit sitcom Catastrophe feat…
Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghJohn Henry Falle romances mermaids and roars through Beowulf in an enjoyable yet inconsistent performanceNominated this week for the Malcolm Hardee award for co…
She started at eight years old and is now the youngest comedian to appear on the funniest jokes of the fringe list. But she's taking fame and stardom in her strideGrace the Child is not taki…
Some of YouTube's comedy stars have had millions of hits, but performing on stage is a very different skill " and not all of them are up to the challengeIn any given year in Edinburgh, a new…
Stand Comedy Club, EdinburghScorn is scattered liberally in an engaging show that also lets slip a welcome peek at the charismatic entertainer underneath"I am a horrible person," says Fern B…
Voodoo Rooms This show's bracing lack of sentiment finds a new and compelling angle on the 'dead dad' comedy tropeThe "dead dad" comedy show is now much mocked: it's seen as a cliche, and a …
Pleasance Dome, EdinburghThe droll meta-comedy duo explain what a funny sketch is " and have plenty of appealing examples of their ownMeta-comedy double act the Pin impressed on last year's …
