The Miser review

The Miser certainly isn't tight-fisted with the laughs.

Review: The Miser at the Garrick Theatre

Hits the contemporary spot: Amelia Forsbrook reviews Sean Foley and Phil Porter's adaptation of Molière.

Review: The Miser

'Comedy first, psychological insight later' is Sean Foley's take on The Miser, and indeed his production is fresh, funny and farcical. But maybe his cast can afford to relax a bit more - they're all excellent, after all.

Not Going Out review - Lee Mack's interminable comedy

It's unoriginal, unfunny and unapologetic about its retro roots. Why does anyone like this lukewarm sitcom?

"It's much better, innit, the old music," muses the Not Going Out star during this oddly shapeless set from the Hammersmith Apollo; and it feels heartfelt. Mack, in shtick and delivery a leery, audience-baiting Redcoat, isn't so much a throwback as a 70s re-enactment society, riffing on "big fat lasses", inbred yokels and the Irish. Still, if any gag fails to land (and there are some good one-liners here), at least "I do them with enthusiasm".

Lee Mack's comedy has bounded forward seven years: Lee and Lucy now have three kids and a classic family sitcom set-up - stairs at the back, front door on the left, through-kitchen on the right - and jokes about how annoyed they are by each other's habits. As they spar over who's responsible for the lost romance, the relentless wisecracking style makes the ensuing screwball battle veer close to unpleasant bitterness. Still plenty of great gags, though.

Interview: Lee Mack on Not Going Out

Lee Mack confesses he's reached the age where he can usually be found beavering away in his garden shed. But you won't find him, like a lot of men approaching 50, repotting the begonias or pretending to tinker with the lawn mower. Mack's shed is where he spends hours writing the BBC1 sitcom Not Going Out, which returns on Friday for its eighth series in ten years.

Not Going Out series 8 preview

Not Going Out isn't the sort of emotive, appointment-to-view comedy that so many artistically motivated comics are making. But the rarity of being a light sitcom that's dependably funny thanks to script and character - not the dated, grating extravagance of the likes of Citizen Khan or Mrs Brown's Boys - is quite the achievement. No wonder it's future is assured. The day Not Going Out is not going out on TV is a long way off.

Preview - Not Going Out

I've always enjoyed Not Going Out - probably because I like Lee Mack, so the return of the series was met with trumpets and fanfare at Chez Hargreaves. But that was before I realised that the new series includes kids.

Not Going Out: the family sitcom?

Whilst I didn't find much to enjoy/laugh about in these opening episodes you can never count out Not Going Out. It had faced adversity many a time and coming bouncing back and at time when BBC comedy mainly consists of Still Open All Hours, Citizen Khan and Mrs. Brown's Boys perhaps I should just shut up and enjoy it.