All stories by Brian Logan on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Rhys James: Forgives review " quickfire comedy is packed with gags by Brian Logan

Available online This online stream of a 2016 Soho theatre show whips through the young comic's angst and uncertainty There's a moment in Rhys James's 2016 show Forgives when the 25-year-old…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:36AM[SHARE]

From Brexit to breakups, James Acaster is an audacious king of comedy by Brian Logan

Two years on, the Kettering comic's show Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999 remains personal, painful and electrifying. What will he do next? In the drear of a socially isolated Christmas, it was…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:06AM[SHARE]
Monday, December 21, 2020

What a joke: the 10 funniest comedy shows of 2020 by Brian Logan

There wasn't a lot to laugh about as venues closed and gigs were cancelled. But standups still delivered silly, edgy and heartfelt gags. Our critic picks his favourite new material More best…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:18AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, December 16, 2020

The Comeback review " comedy that sparkles by double act The Pin by Brian Logan

Noël Coward theatre, LondonDescribed as 'the cure for theatre' by producer Sonia Friedman, Alex Owen and Ben Ashenden's debut play is full of heart, pleasing pratfalls and endless flips o…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:24AM[SHARE]
Monday, December 14, 2020

Robin Ince's 24-hour carnival of comics, comets and the Cure by Brian Logan

From Harry Hill to Helen Sharman, Ince's Christmas mashup of comedy, science and music " Nine Lessons and Carols for Socially Distanced People " reached dizzy heights It's Sunday morning, an…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:24AM[SHARE]
Friday, December 11, 2020

Death Drop review " murder most rollicking with Dragatha Christie by Brian Logan

Garrick theatre, London Panto innuendo, outrageous caricatures and death by crispy pancake haunt a riotous Christmas whodunnit A cast of drag kings and queens have been summoned to a West En…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:03PM[SHARE]
Thursday, December 10, 2020

Petrichor review " cringingly funny web sitcom with a fantastic cast by Brian Logan

Available online The Pin's Alex Owen, Katy Wix and Lolly Adefope are among the cast in a superb series about a delusional wannabe auteur Where there is sitcom, there is (usually) self-delusi…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:42PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Joel Dommett review " playground humour elevated to an art form by Brian Logan

Available onlineThe I'm a Celebrity survivor and Masked Singer host makes irresistible use of his tabloid sex scandal in this fun set Standup doesn't work on TV, they used to say. But now TV…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:12AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Elvis meets the Evil Dead as comedy rewinds to the VHS era by Brian Logan

The cult show that splices Evil Dead II with Elvis Presley hits is now on video cassette as standups hark back to retro formats The movie was a sequel to one of the original video nasties, s…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:18AM[SHARE]
Sunday, December 6, 2020

Cinderella: the Socially Distanced Ball review " a show that radiates delight by Brian Logan

Turbine theatre, LondonWith high-end performers, rude jokes and lashes of self-irony, there's throwaway fun to be had " despite the Perspex screens For those who associate pantos with fun fo…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:32AM[SHARE]
Thursday, December 3, 2020

Ari Eldjárn: Pardon My Icelandic review " footie, Thor and Scandi noir by Brian Logan

NetflixPuncturing his country's national stereotypes stays just the right side of charming in Eldjárn's twinkly routine 'First Icelandic standup on Netflix" may be as hollow a claim as "t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:18PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Nate: A One Man Show review " outrageous and electrifying comedy by Brian Logan

Natalie Palamides's drag king show remains both raucous and subtle, as it explores grey areas around consent There can be sacrifices when live comedy transfers to TV " and I expected them wi…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:32AM[SHARE]
Sunday, November 29, 2020

The Comeback: the farce with James Corden, Catherine Tate and Stephen Fry on board by Brian Logan

Comedy duo The Pin have livened up lockdown with their Zoom send-ups. Now their end-of-the-pier stage debut is being hailed as 'the cure for theatre'. Is that why so many stars are lining up…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:42AM[SHARE]
Friday, November 20, 2020

Tim Minchin review " bittersweet musings from comedy's Mr Marmite by Brian Logan

Live stream from Sydney, available onlineIf the performer gets in the way of himself and his impressive lyrical skills, the best of him still shines through in a fine set Reactions to Tim Mi…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:03AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Kevin Hart: Zero F**ks Given review " fighting talk with a glass jaw by Brian Logan

NetflixThe US standup has his say on celebrity culture and Covid, but not the Oscars row, and ends up buffering his own ego in a new special 'It's my fucking household, I'm not holding back!…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:24PM[SHARE]
Sunday, November 8, 2020

An Evening with Tim Heidecker review " bad-standup spoof hits low notes by Brian Logan

YouTube In character as an offensively aggressive comic, Heidecker weaves dodgy jokes with engaging meta twists, but ultimately a lack of variety spoils the party Parody hack standup is a ge…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:06AM[SHARE]
Friday, November 6, 2020

Kevin James Doyle: The 30 Year Old Virgin review " sex and scripture by Brian Logan

Amazon Prime VideoThe American comic largely abstains from telling about his adventures in celibacy in a slick and wry standup special It's an odd one, this. American comic Kevin James Doyle…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:32PM[SHARE]
Monday, November 2, 2020

Russell Kane review " a cathartic shot of Covid comedy by Brian Logan

Rose Theatre, Kingston Before live comedy disappears once more, Kane delivers a terrific, barnstorming set sending up the pandemic " and the government's laughable response to it On Wednesda…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:48AM[SHARE]
Friday, October 30, 2020

'It feels good to bring the virus down a peg or two': should comedians joke about Covid? by Brian Logan

Some standups see it as their job to provide collective catharsis for the coronavirus, while others see pandemic gags as off-limits " even ones about Trump "I've been getting a lot out of l…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:42PM[SHARE]
Monday, October 26, 2020

Sunday Antics review " gloves-off cross-cultural banter by Brian Logan

21Soho, LondonBritain's Got Talent botherer Nabil Abdulrashid leads an impressively forthright and sometimes edgy night of standup dealing with race and identity Comedian Nabil Abdulrashid …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:24PM[SHARE]
Friday, October 23, 2020

Adam Kay: This Is Going to Hurt review " penis gags delivered in full PPE by Brian Logan

Apollo theatre, London London's theatre district reopened its doors to stage an evening of well-aimed wrath that somehow finds comedy in kidney surgery After seven months away, the West End…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:32AM[SHARE]
Monday, October 19, 2020

The Yes Queens review " digital crowd pipe in impro oxygen by Brian Logan

Battersea Arts Centre, London, and online Audience participation at arm's length via screen happily injects some welcome randomness into this six-person improvised sketch show How do you do …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:24AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, October 6, 2020

From standup to stanzas: Frank Skinner's terrific guide to poetry by Brian Logan

The comedian's new podcast is bursting with enthusiasm for poems. If standup forces him to be funny, here he forces himself to be true 'Phwooar " Ginsy Ginsy Ginsy, I love you so much!" You …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:12AM[SHARE]
Thursday, October 1, 2020

Flamboyant drag on a laptop? It cramps cabaret's style by Brian Logan

Britain's Got Talent star Myra Dubois turns agony aunt in a show that might raise the roof in a theatre " but not online Myra Dubois was a staple of the cabaret scene for years before Simon …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:18PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Michelle Buteau review " winning hour of camp theatrics and Jersey sass by Brian Logan

NetflixJoyous reflections on new motherhood, Amsterdam's museums and working with J-Lo see the charismatic standup cresting a career-high wave Welcome to Buteaupia, Michelle Buteau's Netflix…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:54PM[SHARE]
Sunday, September 27, 2020

Greenwich Comedy festival review " starry lineup relishes return of live banter by Brian Logan

National Maritime MuseumSara Pascoe, Rich Hall and Aisling Bea warm to an excited crowd " and a divine heckler " in the chilly outdoors 'Comedy isn't essential?" asks Rich Hall, incredulousl…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:36PM[SHARE]
Sunday, September 20, 2020

Drag star Diane Chorley hits the big time: 'Death threats didn't stop me' by Brian Logan

As the 'Duchess of Canvey' releases a greatest hits album, her creator relives an extraordinary journey from Southend to the West End via schoolteaching and Ibiza superclubs 'Diane is based …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:48PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Michael McIntyre: Showman review " super-trivial pursuits on Netflix by Brian Logan

Netflix The horizons may be narrow in the British standup's special but nobody does this sort of material better There's something odd about watching Michael McIntyre's first Netflix specia…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:12PM[SHARE]
Sunday, September 13, 2020

Felipe Esparza: Bad Decisions review " cynical, in any language by Brian Logan

Netflix The Mexican-American comic offers English and Spanish versions of his show, but the sexist fare is depressing however you look at it With Bad Decisions/Malas Decisiones, Felipe Espar…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:06PM[SHARE]
Friday, September 4, 2020

Jokes, guffaws and hardy perennials: Shedinburgh mows down the fringe by Brian Logan

With the Edinburgh festival shelved by Covid, standups have turned a garden shed into a stage for an online extravaganza. Our writer enjoys flashes of brilliance amid a dislocating experienc…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:18PM[SHARE]
Thursday, September 3, 2020

Standup Under the Stars: comics bounce back with a live show " and a sheathed mic by Brian Logan

Bridget Christie pokes fun at Madonna, Suzi Ruffell talks smear tests and John Robins is heckled about Butlins. Our critic's first standup gig in months is a riot of joy and tension 'This is…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:32PM[SHARE]

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