BCG Daily Monday 16th October 2017

News

Press clippings

Tim Key review

His first standup set in three years works a treat as Key paints a slyly humorous and heavily ironic portrait of midlife disappointment.

Brian Logan, The Guardian, 16th October 2017

Porridge revival is as thin as cold greul

Kevin Bishop does a good job as Nigel Fletcher, grandson of the original Fletch, immortalised by Ronnie Barker. He makes the Fletch trademarks -- the eye-roll, the sideways grimace -- look like family traits. But the whole production feels as fake as a glass diamond. One look tells you this isn't the real thing.

Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail, 16th October 2017

Review: The Death Of Stalin

Brutal yet consistently humorous, the film makes caricatures of historical figures, retaining the tone of the graphic novel that inspired it.

Mersa Auda, The Upcoming, 16th October 2017

The Death of Stalin review

Armando Iannucci's superlative satire brings together a terrific ensemble.

Eamm Simmonds, The List, 16th October 2017

Russell Brand still enjoys the company of addicts

A loving relationship, largely shielded from public scrutiny, coupled with the birth of his first child has introduced a stable and surprisingly domesticated new chapter in Russell Brand's life.

Jason Chester, Daily Mail, 16th October 2017

Mat Ewins, Soho Theatre review

Multimedia show with twists in the tale.

Veronica Lee, The Arts Desk, 16th October 2017

Punchline Comedy Gala review

A high-end comedy night with a well-balanced line-up.

Tamarin Fountain, The Wee Review, 16th October 2017

Review: Young Frankenstein, (Garrick Theatre)

It's definitely a midweek show, rather than a weekend blockbuster, and probably not for the faint hearted (or the politically correct), as it's quite crude and full of euphemisms (what's not to like?), although it does have a moral. That said, Young Frankenstein is an evening of harmless fun that warrants its standing ovation.

Michaela Clement-Hayes, West End Wilma, 16th October 2017

Why would you even bother with studio sitcom?

On a recent Sitcom Geeks podcast, Dave Cohen and I interviewed Pete Sinclair, who wrote Bad Move with Jack Dee for ITV having previously written Lead Balloon together. Both of those shows are single camera shows, but Pete's previous sitcoms were both studio shows (Mr Charity and All Along the Watchtower).

James Cary, Sitcom Geek, 16th October 2017

Farewell to Sean Hughes

From the bumbling misadventures of Sean's Show to the jaunty misanthropy of his later standup material, Hughes - who has died aged 51 - was a master of telling messy truths.

Brian Logan, The Guardian, 16th October 2017

Tucker tells Partridge: 'Brexit is a death cult'

Malcolm Tucker and Alan Partridge, two of Britain's greatest comic creations, have traded insults over Brexit in this week's edition of The Big Issue. Tucker, a staunch Remainer, and Partridge, a Brexiteer, exchange thoughts on the divisive issue via emails - all of which have been published in a four-page feature in the magazine, which is guest-edited by Armando Iannucci, the man behind both characters.

Finlay Greig, i Newspaper, 16th October 2017

Sean Hughes would hate this tribute

Sean Hughes will, I think, forever be associated in the mortal minds of those who knew him in his prime as the archetypal loveable Irish scamp.

Dominic Cavendish, The Telegraph, 16th October 2017

The original Igor: remembering Marty Feldman

You hear him before you see him. A thudding presence getting ever closer on an almost deserted railway platform in deepest, fog-shrouded Transylvania. Scrape-thud-click, scrape-thud-click, scrape-thud-click. And then, as lightning throws up his frighteningly grotesque face into greater relief, he introduces himself to his new master, "Doctor Frankenstein..." The camera lingers in close-up as both Dr Frankenstein and the audience take in the full-screen vision. "It's Fronkensteen," says Gene Wilder. Pause. "You're having me on," says Marty Feldman, breaking the spell. "No... it's pronounced 'Fronkenstein'." The rest is comedy history.

Bill Borrows, The Telegraph, 16th October 2017

Comedy review: John Bishop

Everything is infused with his startlingly natural personality and the illusion that the words are popping into his head for the first time.

Clive Davis, The Times, 16th October 2017

How Fright Shorts gave me my break

I'd never written a comedy let alone a comedy short for screen - but it was worth a punt - I wrote a weird wee script about an evil Halloween pigeon and sent it in.

Martha Keith-Barnett, BBC Writersroom, 16th October 2017

Young Frankenstein review

Young Frankenstein continues with the laughs, and laughs, and laughs, culminating in the rib breaking song Puttin on the Ritz.

The Gay UK, 16th October 2017

Sean Hughes's greatest TV moments

The Irish comedian was best known for deconstructing the sitcom with Sean's Show. But he should also be remembered for his stint as an unqualified medic - and for bringing us Finbar the Mighty Shark.

Stuart Heritage, The Guardian, 16th October 2017

GameFace review

Ultimately, your enjoyment of GameFace will hinge on whether you empathise with Marcella's irresponsible, self-involved persona.

Natalie Golding, Telly Binge, 16th October 2017

Milton Jones is Out There - The Lowry, Salford review

If you want a couple of hours in the theatre when you barely stop laughing - this is the show for you.

Jo Beggs, The Reviews Hub, 16th October 2017

Mitch Benn: Don't Fear the Reaper review

Benn is an authentic comedian and musician whose pop parodies and patiches are original and humorous, but as Daniel Kitson may wryly observe, Benn is not as successful when he performs without the aid of his 'cheating stick'.

Paul Maguire, The Reviews Hub, 16th October 2017

Jack Whitehall feared for his life after ALOTO crash

I can reveal paramedics rushed to a racing track in Essex after Jack's co-star Freddie rammed his car into a wall at 70mph.

Dan Wootton, The Sun, 16th October 2017

The Death of Stalin film review

Blimey, but this is a comedy, isn't it? This is a mockery and so it's intended to be barbaric and exaggerated, right? Well, comedy is not a carte blanche for bigotry. There are limits of what's acceptable. We have grown to dismiss blackface and exaggerated representations of homosexuals as a no-go. I think that the humour of The Death of Stalin is plainly founded on xenophobia and prejudices, and so it belongs in a very similar category. Laughing at someone dead on a pool of piss is neither funny nor subversive. It's simply silly and vulgar. Despite the presence of Michael Palin, The Death of Stalin simply isn't The Life of Brian.

Victor Fraga, Dirty Movies, 16th October 2017

New TV comedy show to be dedicated to Bobby Knutt

An episode of a new TV comedy show is to be dedicated to late Sheffield actor and comic Bobby Knutt who died before his scenes in the show could be filmed.

The Yorkshire Post, 16th October 2017

Videos

Podcasts

TV & radio

Radio 4
10:45am
15 min
Sarah Millican: How To Be Champion. Sarah Millican

Sarah Millican: How To Be Champion

Episode 1 - Pre-Stand-Up, Stand-Up

Sarah describes the life-changing moment, in her late twenties and in the aftermath of a divorce, that she discovered her talent for writing and performing comedy in front of an audience of strangers.

Radio 4
6:30pm
30 min
The Unbelievable Truth. David Mitchell. Copyright: BBC / Random Entertainment

The Unbelievable Truth

Series 19, Episode 3

David Mitchell is joined by Lloyd Langford, Henning Wehn, Ellie Taylor and John Finnemore as they lie on the subjects of dinosaurs, China, cake and bees.

BBC Two
8:30pm
30 min
Upstart Crow. Image shows from L to R: Gussie (Dominic Herman Day), Will Shakespeare (David Mitchell), Kate (Gemma Whelan). Copyright: BBC

Upstart Crow

Series 2, Episode 6 - Sweet Sorrow

Will has finished Romeo and Juliet but now there's competition over who will play Juliet. Kate feels the part should be hers. If only lady-acting weren't against the law.

Comedy Central
9pm
60 min
Joel & Nish Vs The World. Image shows from L to R: Nish Kumar, Joel Dommett. Copyright: Rumpus Media

Joel & Nish Vs The World

Series 1, Episode 5

Joel Dommett and Nish Kumar are in Brazil where, under Nish's watchful eye, Joel will train with the 'Xavante' and take part in a punishing relay race like no other.

Up North

Up North

Series 2, Episode 1 - Wildlife Up North

After the fire in the pub, Mick blackmails local taxi driver Patch Thatch into giving him 10 free taxi rides, since Patch was the one who started the fire by accident. Mick then comes up with a plan to frame Penelope Bottomley for starting the fire and gets his wife Rosie, next door neighbour Geoffrey, and Penelope's twin sister Rebecca, to go along with it. Daft Dave gets a new job as a Zoo Keeper at Sheffield Zoo and gives Mick two free tickets... but disaster strikes when Dada the gorilla escapes from the zoo.

BBC Two
10pm
30 min
W1A. Image shows from L to R: Siobhan Sharpe (Jessica Hynes), David Wilkes (Rufus Jones). Copyright: BBC

W1A

Series 3, Episode 5

The renewal group has to respond to rumours that Strictly Come Dancing presenter Claudia Winkleman is about to leave the BBC.

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