Press clippings Page 3
The good, bad and ugly faces of political comedy
I often bang on about how comedians make good ambassadors, last week the case both for and against this assertion was vividly made. The most recent case for the defence: Jerry Sadowitz.
Julian Hall, The Stage, 14th January 2014Best of 2014: Comedy preview
Previews of Miles Jupp, John Robins, Miranda Hart, Russell Kane, Michael Che and Lee Mack.
Julian Hall, The Independent, 3rd January 2014The tricky job of balancing politics and comedy
So, David Blunkett thinks that Have I Got News For You should be considered as a current affairs show - not a comedy show - so that it gets more rigorously scrutinised. I can't think of a better compliment to pay a satirical programme really.
Julian Hall, The Stage, 3rd January 2014The best comedy of the year
Bo Burnham, Louis CK, Russell Brand, Paul F Tompkins and the Monty Python Press Conference.
Julian Hall, The Independent, 28th December 2013Even the best comedy will have its detractors
Johnny Vegas' rant at the British Comedy Awards this month caught the imagination of many observers. It was the outburst people seemed to want from the event - a defining moment for a televised industry knees up, and a taking point that wasn't obviously manufactured for the occasion.
Julian Hall, The Stage, 23rd December 2013Do comedians (like MPs) need more life experience?
I recently reviewed Sarah Millican's latest show and noted that her life experience before comedy added value to her observational shtick. It begged the question of whether we should demand that our comedians do more 'living' before they exercise their ultimate chosen profession.
Julian Hall, The Stage, 13th December 2013Comedy goes multi-lingual
Following the success of its inaugural outing at the Comedy Cafe last month the International Comedy Club reprised the francophone stand up night on Tuesday mixing French comedians with English guest comedians Nick Doody and Comedy Store Player Richard Vranch, both of whom performed five minute sets in French.
Julian Hall, The Stage, 9th December 2013Giving Stewart Lee way to an acquired taste in comedy
Well, well, if I ever thought I was in Stewart Lee's comedy 'bad books', I think Dominic Cavendish of The Telegraph may well have topped me.
Julian Hall, The Stage, 15th November 2013Comedy review: Sarah Millican
So much more vibrant than her BBC TV show conveys, Sarah Millican's life experience still weighs heavily on her work, particularly her divorce and her grasp of the working week and our need to seek comfort away from it.
Julian Hall, The Independent, 11th November 2013Drifters exceeds my early expectations
I caught up with Jessica Knappett's E4 sitcom Drifters last week and was more than pleasantly surprised.
Julian Hall, The Stage, 10th November 2013