The Secret Reviewer #54: The Big Stage

Every month our clandestine critic reveals the murky truths behind that infamous trade, and live comedy generally. This month: Should we be sniffy about arena comedy?

I made a rare trip to the 02 this week, which was quite a change of pace after all the black-draped portacabins and converted pub rooms at the Edinburgh Fringe last month. Arenas are rarely the connoisseurs' preferred way to watch comedy, although one good takeaway: it made the price of beers in Edinburgh seem cheap.

(Which obviously, for Brits of a certain age, is still the easy shorthand for working out how enjoyable...