BCG Daily Friday 11th March 2016
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Review: Sacha Baron Cohen hits comedy rock bottom
Sacha Baron Cohen is a very smart, very funny man. One of the best parts of his publicity tour for The Brothers Grimsby has been hearing him give interviews out of character about his process when working on Da Ali G Show, Borat, and Bruno. The worst part of it, unfortunately, is the movie The Brothers Grimsby, which is an entirely laughless affair and easily the low point of Cohen's career so far.
Drew McWeeny, HitFix, 11th March 2016Shazia Mirza: my life in luggage labels
Shazia Mirza on why her scrapbooks of luggage labels are a 'diary without words'
Shazia Mirza, The Big Issue, 11th March 2016Review: Ed Byrne, Salford
Byrne is undoubtedly a funny man and while some of the material in Outside, Looking In isn't particularly new, his talent for injecting hilarity into the monotony of everyday life is sure to get a few belly laughs.
Donna Kelly, The Reviews Hub, 11th March 2016Review: Mark Thomas - Trespass
Here's something you don't see every day: Trespass begins as a comedy gig and concludes as a political protest with polite theatre patrons turning the air blue with obscenities.
Dave Cunningham, The Reviews Hub, 11th March 2016Review: Gary Delaney, Salford
Watching Gary Delaney in such a small space, this is less of a production and more of a friendly performance as he paces around the stage area. Errors are made fun of and the atmosphere is highly informal. However if bad language or rather dubious subjects are not your style of humour then this is not the show for you, but if you're open-minded and enjoy watching Gary Delaney on Mock The Week then this is a night you will remember.
Helen Jones, The Reviews Hub, 11th March 2016Interview: Craig Campbell (Link expired)
Craig Campbell is a Canadian comedian wh''s been based in the UK, specifically Devon, for a long while now.
Tom Crosby, WOW247, 11th March 2016Preview: Stop/Start
It's a great cast: John Thomson as watchable as ever, Nigel Havers seems to relish being the ageing lothario worried about the age difference with his trophy wife (even though this can't hope match his performances with Brian Pern) - and whatever the script's failings this won't do any harm to Kerry Godliman's growing reputation as a subtle comic actor. But the jokes, from the usually fine Docherty and based on his Radio 4 sitcom, feels sluggish and obvious, a few nifty turns of phrase notwithstanding. Of course being unsubtle is no barrier to big audiences - quite the opposite, as Mrs Brown's Boy and Citizen Khan have proved. So expect this to be the one of the Comedy Playhouses to be commissioned.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 11th March 2016Ben Miller: science has always been my inspiration
Science, complained Ben Miller a couple of years ago, remains in a ghetto, despite the public's keen appetite for it. The comedian and actor was referring to television scheduling: "Most TV execs are arts graduates," he said. "They hated science at school...I loved science."
Matthew Stadlen, The Telegraph, 11th March 2016Chris Ramsey cuts show short after vomiting
A comedian has apologised for cutting his Aberdeen stand-up show short - because he vomited while performing....
Aberdeen Evening Gazette, 11th March 2016Preview: Comedy Playhouse, Stop/Start, BBC1
Stop/Start is the sort of sitcom which would prompt the Daily Mail/Express to say "At last, a BBC sitcom that is actually funny." Yes, Stop/Start is pretty broad and pretty old fashioned but it is also genuinely funny, thanks to great performances from a quality cast and a script which mostly stays on the acceptable side of politically incorrect old hat.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 11th March 2016Stand-ups need better banter
The token opening of a comedy set - even in its postmodern guise - is becoming tired and uninspired. All hail the trad crowd-work of masters like Al Murray.
Brian Logan, The Guardian, 11th March 2016This week's new comedy
Previews of Adam Riches Is Coach Coach, Richard Gadd: Waiting For Gaddot and Gein's Family Giftshop.
James Kettle, The Guardian, 11th March 2016Lloyd Langford on fun and sustenance
Ahead of his visit to Glasgow International Comedy Festival, Lloyd Langford chats about how the blues can be joyous, wrestling with Greg Davies and what makes a true friendship.
Jay Richardson, The Skinny, 11th March 2016Rhod Gilbert working on Llanbobl sitcom
Rhod Gilbert is working on a sitcom based in his fictional Welsh hometown. Back To Llanbobl is being developed by Steve Coogan and Henry Normal's production company Baby Cow, which hopes to shoot a pilot episode this autumn.
Jay Richardson, Chortle, 11th March 2016Standups need better banter
The token opening of a comedy set - even in its postmodern guise - is becoming tired and uninspired. All hail the trad crowd-work of masters like Al Murray.
Brian Logan, The Guardian, 11th March 2016This week's new comedy
Previews of Adam Riches, Richard Gadd and Gein's Family Giftshop.
James Kettle, The Guardian, 11th March 2016Interview - Mel Giedroyc: my family values
The comedian and actor talks about how how she learned to be funny - as the youngest of four it was the easiest way to get attention - and her close family relationships.
Richard Barber, The Guardian, 11th March 2016Q&A: Stuart Goldsmith
Stuart Goldsmith is a former street performer, an actor, and a stand-up comic with a series of lauded Edinburgh hours under his belt. But he's a podcaster too - having launched The Comedian's Comedian Podcast back in 2012. The podcast began as Goldsmith's way of talking to mostly UK comedians and learning more about how they approach and create comedy, but has since grown into a platform where listeners will find in-depth, sometimes two-part interviews with internationally-renowned comics like David Cross or Patton Oswalt. Now, Goldsmith is embarking on his first ever national tour with his 2015 Edinburgh show: An Hour. Below, we talk about the show itself, gimmicky titles, the podcast - and how it's helped him develop both his approach to comedy and his audience - how to get more people in the UK listening to podcasts, before finally we talk Edinburgh and his recent jump to the Free Fringe.
Chaplin Moustache, 11th March 2016Review: Robin Grainger, Glasgow
On the first night of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival, Robin Grainger delivered an early version of his debut hour, successive tales of woe that he's still wrangling into a coherent structure.
Jay Richardson, The Scotsman, 11th March 2016Videos
TV
Podcasts
TV & radio
9:35am10 min
Twirlywoos
Series 2, Episode 25 - SmallerThe Twirlywoos learn about small things when they pursue a tiny butterfly around a butterfly house. Back on the boat, they are tickled by a mysterious creature who keeps getting smaller to avoid being caught.
1:30pm30 min
Breaking The News
Series 3, Episode 1Join host Des Clarke and guest comedians Andrew Maxwell, Alistair Barrie and Gareth Waugh plus journalist Anna Burnside for a satirical swipe at the week's big news.
4:30pm30 min
The Dog Ate My Homework
Series 3, Episode 9Iain Stirling is joined by child team captains Eddie and Angel, and special guests Radzi Chinyanganya, Ellie Taylor, Suzi Ruffell and Ricky Martin, who battle it out in a series of games.
6:30pm30 min
The Now Show
Series 48, Episode 2Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis are joined by Suzi Ruffell, Jon Holmes, Mitch Benn and Jessica Ransom. This week the gang explore the binary nature of news reporting and discuss the implications of a future dominated by Artificial Intelligence with Dr Nick Hawes of Birmingham University.
10pm60 min
The Last Leg
Series 7, Episode 5More of The Last Leg with Adam, Josh and Alex. Richard Ayoade joins the team in front of a live studio audience.
10:30pm30 min
Sam Delaney's News Thing
Episode 10 - CensorshipSam tries to beat the ban on parliamentary footage in comedy shows, MP Michael Fabricant reveals exclusively that he used to be a spy.
10:35pm30 min
Stop/Start
Jack Docherty’s sharp sitcom about three marriages in various stages of disrepair makes its television debut as part of the BBC Comedy Playhouse series.