BCG Daily Friday 25th July 2014
News
Features
Press clippings
An audience with Mitchell or Fry? I'd rather have gags
Increasingly, big-name comedians are swapping the usual stand-up format for something that seems more intimate, honest and a bit of a get-out.
Brian Logan, The Guardian, 25th July 2014Frankie Boyle set for Edinburgh TV festival
Outspoken Scottish comic Frankie Boyle is to get top billing at this year's Edinburgh International Television Festival despite his career being blighted by a string of high-profile controversies.
Brian Ferguson, The Scotsman, 25th July 2014McQueen's exclusive video for Comedy Blogedy
Whilst touring with Radiohead one fateful night in Miami, McQueen Adams impressed the band with an impersonation so fresh an idea was born.
Comedy Blogedy, 25th July 2014Zoe Lyons: Champion mustard cutter
Long-term ThreeWeeks favourite Zoe Lyons is back at the Fringe this year with a brand new show called Mustard Cutter, an hour of quality stand-up promising to cover everything "from pan pipes to the price of lobster". Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Gilded Balloon castle, you'll find her appearing in 'Outings', a new show inspired by the YouTube phenomenon that was Tom Daley's 'coming out' statement last year, exploring the real-life coming out stories of various other gay men and women.
Chris Cooke, ThreeWeeks, 25th July 2014Harry Hill settles £1m legal fight with his old agent
Harry Hill and his former agent have finally settled a year-long High Court battle.
Tom Bryant, The Mirror, 25th July 2014Inbetweeners 2 is the end of the road says Simon Bird
Love the Inbetweeners? Then the upcoming movie will be your last chance to see the gang in action.
Mark Jefferies, The Mirror, 25th July 2014Radio Times review
"Try and find your mother some heroin." That's Martin's plea to his bambinos as Jackie starts to fray at the edges. It's the day of Grandma's wedding and nobody is looking forward to it, least of all Jackie, who still hopes her mum might come to her senses.
Given the levels of clattering farce the Goodman household can attain on a regular Friday, you'd think a wedding would cause things to go nuclear, but instead writer Robert Popper keeps things (relatively) relaxed and brings out the warmth that underlies the family madness. Even so, Martin's attempts to give his impression of a pimp are not to be missed.
David Butcher, Radio Times, 25th July 2014Interview with Ellie White
Q&A with character comic Ellie White.
Comedy Blogedy, 25th July 2014Interview with Lead Pencil
A Q&A with all-woman sketch group Lead Pencil.
Comedy Blogedy, 25th July 2014Interview with The Awkward Silence
A Q&A with the sketch group the Awkward Silence.
Comedy Blogedy, 25th July 2014Interview with Rachel Fairburn
A Q&A with stand-up Rachel Fairburn.
Comedy Blogedy, 25th July 2014Edinburgh Fringe preview: David Trent
Multi-media comedy had been done before, but when David Trent appeared on the scene a couple of years ago he turned heads with his angry combination of clips and quips.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 25th July 2014This week's new live comedy
Previews of Felicity Ward, Anthony Jeselnik and Danielle Ward.
James Kettle, The Guardian, 25th July 2014Top ten formats
The last of our Edinburgh Fringe previews.
Chortle, 25th July 2014The newish comic most likely to become successful?
You can never tell who is going to succeed. Some extremely talented performers crash and burn. Some with minimal talent strike it lucky. (See vast swathes of BBC Three.) So who do I guess is the current reasonably-new comedian most likely to succeed...? Archie Maddocks.
John Fleming, John Fleming's Blog, 25th July 2014Camilla Cleese: 'People are looking to hate me'
Comedian Camilla Cleese is ready to emerge from the shadow of her Python father with a new show at Edinburgh.
Celia Walden, The Telegraph, 25th July 2014Big Fat Fringe Bribe blog: McNeil & Pamphilon Go 8-Bit!
A handheld gaming console buys the comedy duo some valuable exposure.
Niki Boyle, The List, 25th July 2014Edinburgh Fringe 2014 interview: Foils, Arms and Hog
'We've got a sketch about an Irish intervention to a son that -doesn't- drink'
Marissa Burgess, The List, 25th July 2014Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014: comedian Jason Cook
'I'm looking at how all the wonderful things happening to me also have a negative effect'
Suzanne Black, The List, 25th July 2014Edinburgh Fringe 2014 interview: Stephen K. Amos
'I can ask the audience the awkward, challenging questions. Ultimately, though, they've got to laugh'
Brian Donaldson, The List, 25th July 2014Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014 interview: Tom Allen
'It's about being happy with yourself. And not holding back. And wearing bigger hats'
Julian Hall, The List, 25th July 2014Edinburgh festival Fringe 2014: Alan Davies
The comedian and QI regular's second comeback show is a reflection on childhood.
Brian Donaldson, The List, 25th July 2014Fringe 2014: 5 hotly-tipped sketch comedy debuts
Featuring Aunty Donna, Gein's Family Giftshop, Massive Dad and zazU.
Brian Donaldson, The List, 25th July 2014Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014: 5 shows about death
Featuring Jim Davidson's Funeral, Tony Law, Lost Voice Guy and Robin & Partridge.
Brian Donaldson, The List, 25th July 2014Simon Munnery gives us his guide to the capital
Simon Munnery's guide to Edinburgh.
Simon Munnery, The List, 25th July 2014Edinburgh Fringe 2014 interview: Katherine Rya
'In the UK, you actually have a choice to put your tits away. And, well, maybe you should'
Brian Donaldson, The List, 25th July 2014Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014 interview: Ivo Graham
The Old Etonian tackles his public schooling and having 'a genuine relationship with issues'
Jay Richardson, The List, 25th July 2014Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014 interview: Miles Allen
'I'm glad I get to be a part of that experience: you can come up and say "bitch" at me all you want'
Mark Fisher, The List, 25th July 2014Opinions: Fringe comics - please actually write a show
Being funny is more about sheer hard work than self-indulgence.
Kate Smurthwaite, The List, 25th July 2014Unsung hero: The Stand's Kenny O'Brien
This week, The Stand's Kenny O'Brien: 'My wife's birthday is in August, apparently'.
Kenny O'Brien, The List, 25th July 2014Five questions for Sarah Campbell
Sarah Campbell returns to Edinburgh in August with her new show, Don't Worry Guys It's Sarah Campbell. She talks to Giggle Beats about the show, her role on ITV2's new show, Bad Bridesmaid, and more.
Lorenzo Pacitti, Giggle Beats, 25th July 2014Five questions for Robin and Partridge
High-energy improv duo Robin And Partridge bring their new show to Edinburgh for a month-long run at the Pleasance. The duo talk to Giggle Beats about their career, their new show's ominous title, working with Jarvis Cocker and more.
Lorenzo Pacitti, Giggle Beats, 25th July 2014Edinburgh Fringe 2014 interview: Nish Kumar
The brilliant Nish Kumar returns to the Edinburgh Fringe after his last two show brought him critical acclaim and two sell out Soho Theatre runs.
Laugh Out London, 25th July 2014Edinburgh picks: Classy Guardian-friendly thinkpieces
Some shows that quite a bit of thinking have gone into...
Andrew Mickel, Such Small Portions, 25th July 2014Edinburgh Picks 2014: The bringers of buzz
The most talked-about acts going into August...
Andrew Mickel, Such Small Portions, 25th July 2014Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy 2 preview
There is a fresh new energy within the cast, but still has the same feelings of warmth and familiarity of previous episodes.
Becca Moody, Moody Comedy, 25th July 2014Edinburgh Fringe survival guide
No point in denying it, it's upon us: the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with all the irresistible draw of its 3,000-plus shows.
Julian Hall, The Stage, 25th July 2014An audience with...
Every summer, a bunch of celebrities will decide that they need to do a run at the Fringe. The reasons are familiar enough - they're going through a costly divorce, or a cushy sinecure has been taken away from them, and now they need a few bob to make it through to retirement.
Ed Ballard, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014The Fest directory: Ian Smith
Comedian Ian Smith lists some of his favourite Edinburgh haunts.
Ian Smith, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014Stuart Goldsmith: What I've learned
Stuart Goldsmith's The Comedian's Comedian Podcast is required listening for anyone who's serious about comedy. Here your host tells how spending more than 80 episodes getting under the skin of stand-up's best and brightest has informed his own material.
Stuart Goldsmith, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014A Slight Ache: achingly hip
Funny men Thom Tuck and Simon Munnery return to the Fringe with a fresh take on a psychological Pinter tragicomedy.
Si Hawkings, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014Kevin Day: a new day dawns
He's not done a full-length show since 1996. But one of the UK's most prolific comedy writers has been coaxed back into live performance. And despite accolades and experience, he's terrified.
Si Hawkings, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014John Robins: "We're not rockstars, we're dweebs"
Content, successful, cool - a standup should be none of these things, says John Robins. Here he casts a matter-of-fact eye on comedy, happiness and love.
Jay Richardson, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014Toby: A lighter shade of dark
They might be sisters, but don't expect familial harmony from Toby. Fest finds a duo pushing boundaries, and pushing each other.
Lyle Brennan, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014Wizards of Oz
"Traditionally, we're not looked at as innovators at all," says Australian Sam Simmons. But with a rich history of Antipodeans migrating to the Fringe, it seems an increasingly difficult viewpoint to sustain.
Jay Richardson, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014Lou Sanders: Calendar Girl
Lou Sanders is a woman on a mission. And no ordinary one, at that.
Ed Ballard, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014The Fest directory: Sara Pascoe
Comic Sara Pascoe talks about her favourite Fringe haunts.
Sara Pascoe, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014Getting to know Pippa Evans
Stepping out from behind her much-lauded character Loretta Maine, Pippa Evans is set to take this year's Fringe... as Pippa Evans.
Julian Hall, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014Target practice
Audience participation needn't mean putting the screws on the crowd. This year, lord of misrule Ben Target experiments with a new approach: being irresistibly nice.
Lyle Brennan, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014Tim Key: poet without a plan
Since winning the Edinburgh Comedy Award, Tim Key has managed that rare feat of marrying mainstream success with uncompromising innovation. But, as he tells Sam Friedman, there is no grand vision.
Sam Friedman, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014The Fest directory: James Campbell
Comedian James Campbell talks about his favourite Fringe locations.
James Campbell, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014Man on the Edge
Not so much transgressing the boundaries of taste, ethics and rationality as stomping noisily over them in hob-nailed boots, Kim Noble is something of an original.
Matt Trueman, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014The Fest directory: Andrew Maxwell
Stand-up Andrew Maxwell talks about his favourite Fringe haunts.
Andrew Maxwell, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014Local heroes
The Fringe brings in acts from around the globe. And also a few from just down the road. Jay Richardson finds the Scottish scene in rude health.
Jay Richardson, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014Natasia Demetriou: on the crest of a new wave
Touted as part of a dream team of fresh young talent, off-kilter character comic Natasia Demetriou sets about finding a voice all of her own.
Arianna Reiche, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014From the harp
Otherworldly comedy singer-songwriter Ursula Burns may seem like she's fallen from the sky. But her art is rooted more firmly in reality than you might think.
Jay Richardson, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014I'm a comic. Everything I say on stage is to get laughs
Often dismissed as part of the pre-PC 'old school' of stand-up, Jim Davidson seems an unlikely fit for the Fringe. He tells Tom Hackett of his plans to win over a younger audience and challenge the new mainstream.
Tom Hackett, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014Kids in tow: an expert guide
For that moment when you're changing nappies in the Assembly toilets at one in the morning while pestering people to turn up for your life-changing 9am show. Comedian Mark Watson has it covered.
Mark Watson, Fest Mag, 25th July 2014Outside the comfort zone
As a fresh crop of ingenious formats dares comics to show us what they're really made of, Fest meets the people throwing down the gauntlet. There's no filter, no script - and no guessing what could happen.
Lyle Brennan, Fest Mag, 25th July 20145 awesome female comedians at this year's Fringe
They're up-and-coming, and they're doing it fast.
Cosmopolitan, 25th July 2014Videos
TV & radio
The News Quiz
Series 84, Episode 8Satirical review of the week's news, chaired by Sandi Toksvig, with regular panellist Jeremy Hardy and guest panellists Susan Calman, Bob Mills and Katherine Ryan.
Passing On
Episode 1Sitcom about two brothers, one a financial adviser, the other in a band, who are forced to spend time together by a clause in their mother's will.
Alan Carr: Chatty Man
Series 12, Summer Special - Alan Carr's Summer SpecstacularAlan Carr returns to our TV screens with his very own summer special.
Friday Night Dinner
Series 3, Episode 6 - The Big DayIt's Grandma's wedding day, and she's getting married to the horrible Mr Morris. The family are distraught, but will Grandma really say 'I do'?