BCG Daily Thursday 31st October 2019
Press clippings
The lighter side of the (former) Brexit deadline
A comedian, author and musician tell BBC News why they wanted to mark the date the UK was to have left the EU.
Neil Smith, BBC, 31st October 2019Ben Elton, Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall review
Magnificent return to stand up.
Veronica Lee, The Arts Desk, 31st October 2019Guilt: bonny murder thriller with surreal twists
Guilt (BBC2), starring Mark Bonnar and Jamie Sives as two Edinburgh brothers who can't bear the sight of each other, is a murder thriller that might have escaped from the imagination of Billy Connolly. Convoluted, paranoid and hypnotic, it was also mordantly funny.
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail, 31st October 2019Guilt review
Plenty of guilty pleasures from darkest Scotland.
Joe Clay, The Times, 31st October 2019Sajeela Kershi talks strength in the face of adversity
"Laughter in these circumstances is a necessary and important release."
Blizzard Comedy, 31st October 2019The finalists in this year's Beat The Frog World series
The finalists have been announced for this year's Beat The Frog World Series - the new act competition run by Manchester's Frog and Bucket comedy club.
Chortle, 31st October 2019Women of improv month - Trynity Silk
This month I chatted to over 30 female improvisers from all over the UK to celebrate the talent that we have - we also discuss some of the important debates surrounding this topic as well. Today I talk to an improviser that is part of City Impro and Plus Support - Trynity Silk.
Holly, Phoenix Remix, 31st October 2019Jessica Barden: 'Alyssa is dealing with depression'
The actress reveals that Alyssa is "dealing with depression and doesn't understand it" following the dramatic season one finale.
Flora Carr, Radio Times, 31st October 2019Review: God's Dice
David Baddiel isn't the first creative person to have learned about quantum physics in all its weirdness and come to the conclusion that it requires an almost-religious leap of faith to believe this is the way unseeable particles actually behave.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 31st October 2019Review: Sophie Duker
This show feels a bit like a whistle-stop tour of Sophie's life and experiences, and therefore can come across a little scatter-gun and hard to invest in. With a touch more tightening up, a stonger focus on specific talking points and ideally a few more impressions -- which she's excellent at -- this has the potential to be an award-winning show.
Hannah Foulds, Londonist, 31st October 2019God's Dice review
Baddiel's big ideas fall flat on the stage.
Nick Curtis, Evening Standard, 31st October 2019God's Dice review
David Baddiel's play starring Alan Davies as a scientist who inadvertently becomes a religious icon is intriguing but woefully heavy-handed.
Tom Whicker, Time Out, 31st October 2019God's Dice review
It ends up being about too much and not enough.
Arifa Akbar, The Guardian, 31st October 2019God's Dice review
As a piece of theatre, it works wonderfully well. As a sort of amusing after dinner intellectual game, it has its merits. As a serious piece of thinking you will either find yourself able to 'buy' what it has to sell or be left wondering why it never occurred to anyone involved that they were maybe barking up the wrong Jesse's Tree.
Julian Eaves, BritishTheatre.com, 31st October 2019God's Dice review
God's Dice is ultimately too wide-ranging and complex to be 100 per cent successful but it is wonderful to encounter new writing that isn't afraid to take on huge themes and refract them back through the prism of relatable human circumstances.
Alun Hood, What's On Stage, 31st October 2019God's Dice review
Baddiel, as one might expect, is very good with words and the ideas here are intriguing too. Maybe a slightly different version would have more impact.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 31st October 2019The Unexplainers review
Like Mulder and Scully played by Laurel and Hardy.
Robin Ince, The Big Issue, 31st October 2019My Perfect Podcast: Flo & Joan
The musical double act tell us about their favourite podcast.
Brian Donaldson, The List, 31st October 2019Charlie Covell interview
"I thought I was making something small and niche."
i Newspaper, 31st October 2019So... what is a joke?
Dave Cohen tries to answer a simple question.
Chortle, 31st October 2019How Europe Stole My Mum review
The mix of educational and humour is a bit like a Horrible Histories for grown-ups, but with a wit that's sharp as the insight it makes for a wonderfully entertaining and eye-opening piece of television.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 31st October 2019TV review: How Europe Stole My Mum, C4
I presume this comedy-slash-documentary was scheduled for the late night slot on C4 on Halloween night because that was the point when Britain was scheduled to leave the EU.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 31st October 2019Radio review: Little Brexit, Radio 4
I'm not sure if they said it would never happen, but it didn't seem likely to happen. Yet Brexit may not have brought the country together but it did bring Matt Lucas and David Walliams back together for a special one-off Little Britain reunion 20 years after their Radio 4 debut, complete with numerous familiar characters, old cast members and the booming voice of Tom Baker bellowing "Everybody loves Brexit".
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 31st October 2019Review: Little Brexit
News that David Walliams and Matt Lucas had reunited after more than a decade sparked mixed reactions - from fans happy that the once all-conquering partnership was returning to those concerned that some elements of their comedy, especially regarding race, would be more troublesome than ever.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 31st October 2019Lou Sanders review
Sanders is genial company in her new hour, Say Hello to Your New Step-Mummy, but this isn't a big-hitting show.
Brian Logan, The Guardian, 31st October 2019Little Britain review: neutered by impartiality rules
The delay to Brexit plus strict pre-election guidelines left few chances for trenchant jokes in David Walliams and Matt Lucas's sketch show.
Mark Lawson, The Guardian, 31st October 2019Videos
Podcasts
TV & radio
So Awkward
Series 5, Episode 8 - None Of Your BusinessOllie manages Mugshotsz, Lily and Jas go on strike and Mr Malone and Lou are trapped.
GiggleQuiz
Series 1, Episode 4 - Keith Fitt's Quiz FitProfessor Muddles's new invention, the Quiz Fit, causes chaos for Keith as he tries to exercise and quiz at the same time. Meanwhile, Nana catches cabbages in her Panto Showdown.
Little Britain
Special - Little BrexitBrexit. Brexit. Brexit. The referendum has united this country like never before. Everybody loves Brexit. But how will Brexit affect the ordinary people of Britain? Matt Lucas and David Walliams return for a special episode of their much-loved sketch show, where Brexit is explained by Vicky Pollard, we learn why Daffyd Thomas voted to leave, and we find out that Sebastian Love is not keen on the new Prime Minister.
Blockbusters
Series 2, Episode 6The contestants this week are in their early twenties; team of two from Kent, Lynette and Ayo, take on Salford University student Joe.
There's Something About Movies
Series 2, Episode 4Joining Alan and team captains Michael Sheen and Jennifer Saunders for another bought of movie flavoured trivia and challenges are Hollywood star and California Man Brendan Fraser, comedian Guz Khan and star of After Life and Derek, Kerry Godliman. Plenty of jokers, but can they solve Alan's riddles?
Pants On Fire
Episode 4Emma Willis hosts the show in which three daredevil teams try to convince celebrity jury Katherine Ryan and Maya Jama that they have carried out dangerous stunts.
Frayed
Series 1, Episode 6Sammy gets good news about her husband's estate. But as she plans their escape, things prove far more complicated than she imagined.
Celebrity Juice
Series 22, Episode 4 - Halloween SpecialPaddy McGuinness, Anna Richardson, Will Mellor and Queer Eye's Tan France join Keith Lemon, Holly Willoughby and Mel B for a spooky special of the cheeky game show.
Guilt
Series 1, Episode 2Max does his best to take control, while Jake finds himself falling in love with Angie, the dead man's niece.
Newsjack Unplugged
Series 4, Episode 2In this Halloween special, Newsjack Unplugged host Darren Harriott and guest Chiara Goldsmith find themselves stuck in a Brexit time loop and need to find a way out!
The Skewer
Special - The Halloween SkewerJon Holmes's immersive, topical, mind-twisting satirical river of sound returns to Radio 4 for Halloween, after a successful pilot earlier in the year.
How Europe Stole My Mum
One-off one-hour comic documentary about Brexit, starring Kieran Hodgson.