Bruce Dessau
- Journalist and reviewer
Press clippings Page 275
Review: Matt Forde, Soho Theatre
In General Election year it is more important than ever to have comedians engaging with politics. There are plenty who drop a soupcon of satire into their shows, but not many who deliver an hour of solid humour about the people who either are governing the country or want to govern the country. This is precisely what Forde delivers.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 18th February 2015Review: Funny Valentines - Matt Berry: Wild Love
I don't know if Matt Berry has ever done the voiceover for a real wildlife documentary but, boy would it liven them up if he was given free reign by the nature department's Clem Fandangos.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 18th February 2015Review: Funny Valentines - Romesh Ranganathan: Rom Com
Romesh Ranganathan's short film seems to have taken its inspiration from Dapper Laughs. Ranganathan plays a geeky guy on a first date at a bowling alley getting advice from his laddish alter ego, also played by RR, who mocks him for being such a hopeless nerd and suggests he try a bit more banter. Of course, apart from the premise Rom Com is not remotely like Dapper Laughs. This is actually funny, as we see how the date went in flashback alongside a nice montage of previous dates - RR, by the way, can do a mean robot dance.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 17th February 2015Review: Funny Valentines - Nick Helm: Elephant
Nick Helm's deceptively ambitious short feels more like a rough draft for a full-length indie film rather than a TV sketch.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 17th February 2015How not to improvise by Phil Mann of BattleActs
Phil Mann is artistic director of BattleActs and Spacejunk and an IdeasTap Creative Space Associate Member. Improvisation group BattleActs is appearing at the Vault Festival in Waterloo from Wednesdays to Sundays, Feb 18 - March 1. Tickets here. So we asked Phil to give Beyond The Joke his thoughts on improvisation. It's not all Whose Line Is It Anyway? you know...
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 16th February 2015Review: Funny Valentines - Bill Bailey: Love Song
Bill Bailey is known as a nature-loving, eco-friendly comedian so maybe that's why he has recycled a song he has been doing for over a decade for the BBC iPlayer's Funny Valentines series. That's not a negative criticism. Far from it.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 16th February 2015Review: Funny Valentines - Sara Pascoe: Music Lovers
Well worth 7 minutes and 58 seconds of your time.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 15th February 2015Interview: Rarely Asked Questions - Sarah Kendall
I don't know whether it is because she is busy bringing up a family or spending too much time in her native Australia but we don't see enough of Sarah Kendall onstage in the UK these days.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 11th February 2015Daniel Kitson joins Stewart Lee against ticket touts
Daniel Kitson has shown support for Iron Maiden's campaign to outlaw secondary ticketing. This follows Stewart Lee's support for the fight against inflated pricing last week.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 11th February 2015Interview: "This Comedian" photographer Idil Sukan
One of the most interesting gigs this year - OK, I know it's only February - was This Comedian at the Duchess Theatre last month. It was part of an ongoing multi-faceted documentary project by photographer Idil Sukan, who has a major retrospective exhibition opening soon.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 10th February 2015