BCG Daily Tuesday 11th August 2015
Press clippings
Comic attacks 'liberal left' comedy consensus
One of the most controversial comedians at this year's Fringe Festival has condemned "activism cloaked as stand-up" in a broadside against some of Edinburgh's biggest acts. Andrew Lawrence, performing in his tenth consecutive festival having been nominated for Fringe comedy awards in 2006 and 2007, claims the industry is mired in "leftist snobbery" and defended the right of comics to express conservative views.
Paris Gourtsoyannis, The Times, 11th August 2015The wild world of Willie and Sebastian
Willie Donaldson and Sebastian Horsley were two of a kind.
Neil Cooper, The Herald, 11th August 2015Reviewer review: Daisy Malt (Three Weeks)
Three shows so far. Fifteen stars. Count 'em! Fiffuckingteen. Imagining loving shit that much. Oh to be Daisy Malt, with so much to live for and so much to learn. So tell us, Daisy, what was so great about what you saw?
Edmund Rumania, ThreeWeeks, 11th August 2015Reviewer review: Louise Mason (Mumble Comedy)
Mason turns out sentences the way Eastern Europe used to turn out cars: raw, unfinished, unsafe and liable to collapse under the force of a hard stare.
Billy Coconuts, ThreeWeeks, 11th August 2015Edinburgh Fringe interview: Nicholas Cross, writer
Dark Matter is a political satire and a dark comedy that aims at showing an uncompromised view of our political world seen from backstage.
The New Current, 11th August 2015Edinburgh Fringe interview: Alex Horne
Alex Horne stupidly ambitious, logistically problematic and potentially disastrous DIY comedy show is back. Now even bigger and even less likely to succeed, this is Monsieur Butterfly.
The New Current, 11th August 2015Edinburgh Fringe interview: Jamie Fenton
It's 19-, and the fashion for using dashes to indicate a vague date is taking Paris by storm. Everyone becomes very, very confused when Pablo Picasso and Guillaume Apollinaire are arrested for stealing the Mona Lisa (this actually happened, promise).
ThreeWeeks, 11th August 2015One man's day at the Edinburgh Fringe
Mark, a man of mystery who runs the British Comedy Guide website, had sent me a piece about Abigoliah Schamaun, who has been plastering fake review quotes and stars on her show posters. He suggested she might be a worthy Malcolm Hardee Cunning Stunt Award nominee.
John Fleming, John Fleming's Blog, 11th August 2015Is the Pleasance Dome doomed?
The Pleasance Dome could be demolished within two years, changing the landscape of the Edinburgh Fringe.
Chortle, 11th August 2015Ten things performers say after sex
Abigoliah Schamaun spills some bedroom secrets.
Abigoliah Schamaun, Chortle, 11th August 2015Tania Edwards: Edinburgh Fringe 2015 interview
Tania Edwards has written for Mock The Week but doesn't know how to summarise her Edinburgh Festival show.
Laugh Out London, 11th August 2015Forgotten Rik Mayall drama released
A forgotten TV drama in which Rik Mayall played a racist cop is to be released on DVD later this month. Wolcott aired over three nights in January 1981, breaking new ground for a British cop drama by having a black actor, George Harris, in the lead role. He played a policeman promoted to CID, while Mayall played the bigoted PC Bonham.
Chortle, 11th August 2015Matt Forde in the #WOWwagon (Link expired)
Comedian Matt Forde joined us in the #WOWwagon to discuss his new Fringe show, and recommended going "on the lash" with Nigel Farage.
Matthew Dunne-Miles, WOW247, 11th August 2015Video: behind the scenes at Freestival (Link expired)
Go behind the scenes at the Freestival new venue in the historic Waverley Arches with comedian and organiser Alex Marion. (He'll even give you handy directions on how to find it.)
Alex Watson, WOW247, 11th August 2015Andrew Lawrence on 'lefty, preachy demagogues'
Lately I've been doing the odd bit of material that I suppose, if you took it at face value, politically you might call right of centre. In the comedy industry that's bad enough to put me on par with Hitler.
Andrew Lawrence, The Times, 11th August 2015The geeks inherit the Fringe (Link expired)
The nerds are this year's class clowns, bringing nuggets of knowledge to the Fringe along with the laughs, finds Jay Richardson.
Jay Richardson, WOW247, 11th August 2015Fern Brady: not afraid to stand up and be counted (Link expired)
Fern Brady has gone from being a barmaid at the Pleasance to her first Fringe solo show, writes Jay Richardson.
Fern Brady, WOW247, 11th August 2015The Goodies - Series 5 from Worst to Best
Season five was where everything peaked for The Goodies. Now legitimate pop stars, they had a top five hit, The Funky Gibbon, while the season was on the air...
Anorak Zone, 11th August 2015'Easily offended' are silencing today's Lenny Bruces
Tom Slater says free speech is for everyone. Even bigots.
Tom Slater, Chortle, 11th August 2015Sarah Callaghan: Edinburgh Fringe 2015 interview
An interview with Sarah Callaghan.
Laugh Out London, 11th August 2015Matthew Kelly: Edinburgh Fringe 2015 interview
Matthew Kelly was half of Brian Conley in the 1990s. He's been one of our favourite acts to watch in Edinburgh and his surreal brand of humour is hitting the Fringe again this year with a late night (12.10am) show that's bound to be an unforgettable end to the day for anyone.
Laugh Out London, 11th August 2015Joey Page: Edinburgh Fringe 2015 interview
Joey Page has built a reputation as a surrealist comic existing in the same hypnagogic world of Noel Fielding. At this year's Edinburgh Festival he invites us to a Catastrophe Party.
Laugh Out London, 11th August 2015A six-year-old on The Scarecrows' Wedding
Six-year-old Ruby Foster reviews The Scarecrows' Wedding.
Ruby Foster, Fest Mag, 11th August 2015Fringe Q&As: Yve Blake
Yve Blake discusses Ewan McGregor, Kim Kardashian and turning lies into musical comedy.
The Herald, 11th August 2015Fringe Q&As: Pierre Novellie
Pierre Novellie discusses anxiety, The Goon Show and why there are no good heckles.
The Herald, 11th August 2015Fringe Q&As: Lazy Susan
Lazy Susan discuss double acts, gorilla drummers and being slow-clapped by a drunk.
The Herald, 11th August 2015Fringe Q&As: Brett Goldstein
Brett Goldstein discusses Burning Man, Mr Men and why he loves the Scottish accent.
The Herald, 11th August 2015Carl Donnelly visits the #WOWwagon (Link expired)
Comedian Carl Donnelly talks about what it's like to be a vegan performer at the Fringe and why nobody wants to be gunged during a show.
Matthew Dunne-Miles, WOW247, 11th August 2015Greg Shapiro in the #WOWwagon (Link expired)
Chicago comedian Greg Shapiro shares his thoughts on mysterious dead bodies and how much we could get if we rented out the #WOWwagon.
Siobhan Smith, WOW247, 11th August 2015James Veitch: how to scam the scammers
Ever received a suspicious email about your PayPal account, or from a Nigerian prince? Of course you have, you're a human with an email address.
Ben Williams, Time Out, 11th August 2015How BBC3's 'Totally Senseless Gameshow' came about
To say this project was challenging for me would be a huge understatement.
Martin Dougan, The Huffington Post, 11th August 2015Why I am named in the Daily Star today
Fame is strange and not necessarily welcome.
John Fleming, John Fleming's Blog, 11th August 2015Interview: Julian Clary
Comedian Julian Clary on his 'brutal' school days, caring for his dying partner - and a surprising career highlight.
Adrian Lobb, The Independent, 11th August 2015James Cary's top 10 sitcoms, #2 - Blackadder
How can anyone not love Blackadder? We may be divided about which series we like the most (I'm a 4, 3, 2, 1 man), but we all love the characters and the stories, but most of all, we love the jokes, the memorable, lovely, wordy jokes that draw on the richness of the English language.
James Cary, Sitcom Geek, 11th August 2015Fringe comedians focus on mental health
Comedian Robin Williams died one year ago and mental health is a key theme at this year's Edinburgh Fringe festival.
Pauline McLean, BBC News, 11th August 2015Potterrow works force BBC Edinburgh site move
The BBC's substantial Edinburgh Fringe pop-up venue will have to find new premises next year under expansion plans for its current Potterrow site.
Thom Dibdin, The Stage, 11th August 2015A critic's job at the Fringe is to find something new
Edinburgh is for exploring. That's the fun of the fringe: taking a punt on some oddball show in a damp, disused bank vault and emerging, an hour later, convinced you've seen the future.
Matt Trueman, The Stage, 11th August 2015Gavin Webster: The Sexist's Sexist, Edinburgh preview
Gavin Webster is a comedian I have very much looked forward to seeing in the flesh, having made him my Comedian Of The Month last August. I finally managed to catch a preview of this high-energy Geordie comic's latest show The Sexist's Sexist at the MAC in Birmingham.
Becca Moody, Moody Comedy, 11th August 2015Interview: Aidan Strangeman, Horsey
A chat with Aidan Strangeman.
Alice Carr, Fresh Fringe, 11th August 2015Interview: Steve Mould, Matt Parker and Helen Arney
A chat with Festival of the Spoken Nerd.
Alice Carr, Fresh Fringe, 11th August 2015Interview: James McNicholas and Ciaran Dowd
A chat with the men from Beasts.
Alice Carr, Fresh Fringe, 11th August 2015Interview: Markus Birdman, Grimm Realities
An interview with Markus Birdman.
Alice Carr, Fresh Fringe, 11th August 2015Interview: Andrew Watts, How to Build a Chap
A chat with Andrew Watts.
Alice Carr, Fresh Fringe, 11th August 2015Interview: Ally Houston, Shandy
A chat with Ally Houston.
Alice Carr, Fresh Fringe, 11th August 2015Interview: Kath Hughes and Edward Easton
A chat with some of the cast from Gein's Family Giftshop.
Alice Carr, Fresh Fringe, 11th August 2015Interview: Jess Robinson, The Rise of Mighty Voice
A chat with Jess Robinson.
Alice Carr, Fresh Fringe, 11th August 2015Interview: Sandra Preciano and Graham Richardson
A chat with two of the cast of comedy musical Urinetown.
Alice Carr, Fresh Fringe, 11th August 2015BBC Two has apparently axed Nurse
The BBC has apparently axed Paul Whitehouse's Nurse television series after four episodes.
Katy Finbow, Digital Spy, 11th August 2015Mark Nelson: a 2015 EdFringe interview
Mark Nelson is a very familiar name to anyone who follows the Scottish comedy circuit, and this year he brings his 5th solo show Older Than Jesus to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. As Mark embarks on another crazy August, I caught up with him to discuss his own show, and why he is supporting Scottish comedians at this year's Festival.
Susan Ford, Punchline UK, 11th August 2015Three to see on 12 Aug
Three recommended shows for Wednesday 12 Aug at the Edinburgh Festival 2015.
ThreeWeeks, 11th August 2015Adam Riches: rich pickings in Coach Coach's Fringe team
Adam Riches is Coach Coach this Festival, keeping a whole team of Fringe types in check each night as "the greatest frickin' sports movie you ever done saw" unfolds live on stage. Find out who makes up the team as Coach Coach himself files a short report on each of them.
Adam Riches, ThreeWeeks, 11th August 2015Beth Vyse interview
Beth Vyse balances surreal humour with raw emotion as she brings her experience of breast cancer to the Edinburgh festival fringe.
Hannah Ellis-Petersen, The Guardian, 11th August 2015Absolutely Anything movie review
Directed by Monty Python comedian Terry Jones, Absolutely Anything is a harmless comedy which critics say is fun but could have been pushed much further with stars such as Simon Pegg.
Manchester Evening News, 11th August 2015Film Review: 'Absolutely Anything'
It's devastating to think how far Terry Jones has fallen in the four decades since Holy Grail, in which he got more laughs banging a few coconuts together than he musters from his entire movie.
Peter Debruge, Variety, 11th August 2015Absolutely Anything review
The Python team sound half asleep, their characters never more than a plot device. And the cheeky-chirpy keyboard score sounds like it's wandered in from a particularly low-rent as '90s sitcom, along with most of the jokes.
Tom Huddleston, Time Out, 11th August 2015Five questions for Lee Kyle
Geordie comedian Lee Kyle is bringing his critically-acclaimed kids' show, Gunge! A Show With Gunge In It!, to the Edinburgh Fringe later this week. Ahead of its two show run, we ask him five questions.
Andrew Dipper, Giggle Beats, 11th August 2015Videos
TV
TV
TV
Podcasts
TV & radio
9:35am10 min
Twirlywoos
Series 2, Episode 12 - LongerThe Twirlywoos watch a baker rolling out a baguette, and get carried away when they try it for themselves. In the Boat, the Tea Machine is behaving oddly - the spout keeps on growing longer!
4:30pm30 min
Dani's Castle
Series 3, Episode 6 - Ghost SwappersDylan discovers a strange-looking clock while rummaging around the Earl of Bogmoor's room of secrets. It begins to count down when he brings it to the library and suddenly comes to life.
10pm60 min
Taskmaster
Series 1, Episode 3 - The Poet And The EggCelebs leave their dignity at the door as dastardly Mr Gilbert - aka Greg Davies - sets them some truly bizarre tasks, including building an egg tower.
10:30pm30 min
The Totally Senseless Gameshow
One-off show for BBC Three's disability season. Martin Dougan hosts a humorous, tongue in cheek mock gameshow.