All stories by Brian Logan on BroadwayStars

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Jake Hurwitz & Amir Blumenfeld with Streeter Seidell " review by Brian Logan

Soho theatreJake Hurwitz and Amir Blumenfeld are a double act who make sketches for the US website CollegeHumor.com. On the strength of this live outing, one fears for the state of American …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:34AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, June 25, 2013

TV executives stifling new comedy, says veteran producer by Brian Logan

John Lloyd says system for developing shows is 'a crying shame'. Plus, it's back to the future for Fry and Laurie, and Jimmy Carr defeated by hecklersThis week's comedy newsThe producer of B…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:38AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Reggie Watts " review by Brian Logan

Royal Festival Hall, LondonStandups are easy prey to the accusation that they love the sound of their own voice. But only Reggie Watts loves it enough to sample it, loop it, and sing songs t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:54PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, June 18, 2013

All-male Egyptian sitcom leaves women out of laughs by Brian Logan

Heard the one about the all-male Islamist TV show? Plus: Flight of the Conchords take to the road and Simon Pegg has awkward encounter with a Chinese alienThis week's comedy newsThe debate a…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:15AM[SHARE]
Monday, June 17, 2013

Aziz Ansari " review by Brian Logan

Hammersmith ApolloDating, marriage and having kids: as long as there's standup, there will be routines by young men fretting about commitment. Most of them will no doubt be making the same p…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:00AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Russell Brand to tour mosques and synagogues with new comedy show by Brian Logan

Controversial comic's new show will dissect the lives of religious figures. Plus: Michael Barrymore talks frankly about losing everything and the rape-in-comedy debate rumbles onThis week's …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:52AM[SHARE]
Thursday, June 6, 2013

Blind Date " review by Brian Logan

Charing Cross theatre, LondonFalse starts, moments of connection, and moments when you can't think of a thing to say: Rebecca Northan's Canadian hit makes apparent the overlap between i…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:38AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Judah Friedlander " review by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonJudah Friedlander is the world champion of everything, it would seem " save delivering a good gig when the audience isn't playing ball. Friedlander is a star of the US si…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:33AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Al Murray: comedians should never express political views by Brian Logan

Plus: Joey Barton the comedian, intelligent US debate on rape jokes and your responses to Lena Dunham's take on porn parodiesThis week's comedy newsBring on standup comedy in which no meanin…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:41AM[SHARE]

Al Murray: comedians should never express political views by Brian Logan

Plus: Joey Barton the comedian, intelligent US debate on rape jokes and your responses to Lena Dunham's take on porn parodies Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:41AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Wil Anderson " review by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonAustralia is the world's second-best place for high quality of life, according to the news " yet many Aussies do nothing but complain, says their compatriot Wil …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:38PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Lena Dunham lashes out against porn by Brian Logan

The Girls creator hits back at a porn parody of her comedy show, Doug Stanhope wades into the Oklahoma God debate, and Dutch TV is slammed for satirising the Woolwich murderThis week's comed…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:16AM[SHARE]

Lena Dunham lashes out against porn by Brian Logan

The Girls creator hits back at a porn parody of her comedy show, Doug Stanhope wades into the Oklahoma God debate, and Dutch TV is slammed for satirising the Woolwich murder Continue reading…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:16AM[SHARE]
Monday, May 27, 2013

The Invisible Dot: a hand up for standup by Brian Logan

The agency behind some of comedy's most daring acts now has its own venue " and it wants more than laughsWhen I wrote two years ago about the boom in standup comedy, a veteran promoter told …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:14PM[SHARE]
Friday, May 24, 2013

YouTube Comedy Week, day five: David Brent's guitar hit a rare high note by Brian Logan

Too many in-jokes, too much ephemera, and an overdose of online sterility " it's fair to say YCW hasn't been a huge successReading this on mobile? Click here to watchJudging by your comments…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:21AM[SHARE]
Thursday, May 23, 2013

Robert Newman " review by Brian Logan

Little Angel, London"I know what you're thinking," says Rob Newman, introducing another riff on genetics, social Darwinism and the high-water mark of free-market capitalism: "Rob, if we'd wa…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:21PM[SHARE]

YouTube Comedy Week, day four: Crabstickz, the Gregory Brothers and Psy by Brian Logan

YCW continues to struggle for belly laughs on day four, with the Gregory Brothers' DJ Play My Song the pick of a tepid bunchReading this on mobile? Click here to viewYou can't accuse YouTube…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:09AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, May 22, 2013

YouTube Comedy Week, day 3: Doc Brown, Jamie Oliver " and Adrian Chiles? by Brian Logan

After a muted response to day two of YouTube's comedy-fest, can Doc Brown and Jamie Oliver raise anything more than a smile?Reading this on mobile? Click here to viewYou weren't much taken w…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:13AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Peep Show creators came within a week of making Flight of the Conchords by Brian Logan

Sam Bain lifts the lid on 'painful' decision to turn down HBO series, Three Men in a Boat stars enter choppy waters " and Britain's smelliest-looking celebrityThis week's comedy newsLaughing…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:31PM[SHARE]

Peep Show creators came within a week of making Flight of the Conchords by Brian Logan

Sam Bain lifts the lid on 'painful' decision to turn down HBO series, Three Men in a Boat stars enter choppy waters " and Britain's smelliest-looking celebrity Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:31PM[SHARE]

YouTube Comedy Week day 2: Sarah Silverman, Reggie Watts and Scooby Doo by Brian Logan

With plenty of mickeys being taken " including out of Rick Astley and Mumford & Sons " the musical content is the funniest so farReading this on mobile? Please click here to viewWhat have yo…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:46AM[SHARE]
Monday, May 20, 2013

Daniel Kitson " review by Brian Logan

Nottingham Playhouse"I don't think anyone really knows who they are," says Daniel Kitson. "So much of what we know about the world is assumed." It's not often standup can be mistaken for Hum…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:05PM[SHARE]

YouTube Comedy Week: we'll be here all week … by Brian Logan

Sarah Silverman and Owen Wilson kicked off YouTube's seven-day comedy extravaganza " and David Brent is displaying his guitar skills. We're aiming to cover the lotReading this on mobile? Cli…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:54AM[SHARE]
Sunday, May 19, 2013

Phill Jupitus " review by Brian Logan

Hazlett, MaidstoneWhen you are comfortably established in comedy's club class, no one expects you to innovate. It is to Phill Jupitus's immense credit, then, that this touring show is genuin…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:45PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Eddie Pepitone " review by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonEddie Pepitone was an unlikely guest star in the gossip columns last summer, when Hugh Grant was turned away from one of his Edinburgh Fringe shows. But it would be hard …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:18PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Alexander Armstrong hits back at 'tribal aversion' to posh comics by Brian Logan

Armstrong and Miller comic lambasts 'inverse snobbery' while Ricky Gervais teaches guitar " and who's the hottest comedian?This week's comedy newsWe begin with the Telegraph's tale of Alexan…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:04AM[SHARE]

Alexander Armstrong hits back at 'tribal aversion' to posh comics by Brian Logan

Armstrong and Miller comic lambasts 'inverse snobbery' while Ricky Gervais teaches guitar and who's the hottest comedian? Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:04AM[SHARE]
Friday, May 10, 2013

Nina Conti " review by Brian Logan

Soho theatre, LondonVentriloquist Nina Conti's show is based on the "seven ages of man" speech in As You Like It: seven of her puppet alter egos are introduced for our amusement. There's a w…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:01PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Eddie Izzard " review by Brian Logan

Brighton CentreEddie Izzard is on the UK leg of what's been billed as the biggest ever world standup tour, and the man himself is telling interviewers: "The key thing is making your stu…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:52PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Susan Calman finds that Scottish independence is no joke by Brian Logan

Deaths threats to comedian prompt calls for nationalists to raise the tone. Plus, Fringe gets new venue and Trump takes revengeThis week's comedy newsAnd this week " a comedian influences th…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:52AM[SHARE]
Thursday, April 18, 2013

Doc Brown " review by Brian Logan

Firestation Arts Centre, WindsorWhat happens to a rapper when he grows up? Doc Brown is 35, with a wife, two kids, and a promising career in comedy, twinning his macho artform with softie su…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:36PM[SHARE]

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