Interviews, reviews and all sorts of news about comedy!
Ivo Graham is an award winning comedian, described by Time Out as “one of the best young comedians around”. After only 8 months of gigging, Ivo won the prestigious ‘So You Think You’re Funny’ competition in 2009. Whilst at university, Ivo performed at the Edinburgh Festival, the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal and the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Ivo recently graduated from university and now regularly gigs on the professional comedy circuit all around the U.K.
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Sara Shulman is the Founder and Editor of Comedy Blogedy, TEDxUCL speaker on ‘The Power of Funny’, former Head of Comedy at UCLU Rare FM and produces the Humour Me Comedy Podcast. Sara is also a Classics Undergraduate at UCL and occasionally gigs on the comedy circuit.
www.comedyblogedy.com
www.twitter.com/comedyblog
http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/TEDxUCL-SARA-SHULMAN-The-power;search%3Asara%20shulman
Robert Ross is “the top chronicler of British comedy” (Howard Maxford, Film Review). Robert has written best-selling books such as the Monty Python Encyclopedia, Last of the Summer Wine the Finest Vintage and The Complete Goodies. As a consultant, researcher, writer and audio commentary moderator, Robert has worked on many dvd releases, recording with the likes of Jim Dale, Leslie Phillips, Norman Wisdom and June Whitfield. Robert has narrated documentaries for several Minder releases and was thrilled to re-live one of his childhood television memories when Fabulous Films dubbed the thirteen ‘lost’ episodes of Monkey! into English for the first time. He wrote the narration for the behind-the-scenes documentary Monkey Nuts and interviewed voice-over artistes including Andrew Sachs, Miriam Margolyes, David Collings and Burt Kwouk.
Robert has also written sleeve notes for several compact disc collections of comedy tunes and songs, worked on interactive dvd quiz releases and acted as consultant for various Carry On franchise releases, including the most recent Slowdazzle calendars and a collection of Royal Doulton Character Toby Jugs! He was also the consultant for the official 31st anniversary Slowdazzle Monty Python and the Holy Grail calendar of 2005.
Inaugurating the popular Carry On events at Pinewood Studios that reunited cast and crew alongside devoted fans of the series, Robert interviewed writer Norman Hudis, Liz Fraser, Patsy Rowlands and other stars of the series. Robert has also hosted sell-out events at the National Film Theatre, interviewing The Goodies and the League of Gentlemen on stage, as well as attending the Edinburgh Festival and interviewing classic comedy stars like Terry Jones and Melvyn Hayes.
Robert was a regular guest at the Cult TV conventions from 2000 until 2004, interviewing such heroes as Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, Jack Douglas, Bill Oddie, Don Estelle, Nicholas Courtney and Colin Baker. He is now proud to be involved with the Telly Nation charity festivals as well as the signing conventions run by Showmasters. He was a judge, in the Best Comedy category, for the 2004 British Animation Awards and sat on the committee for the first Best of British Comedy luncheon at B.A.F.T.A. in aide of The Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund. His passion for the best in British comedy also saw Robert contribute heavily to the best-selling part work The Classic Carry On Collection, as well as the part-work devoted to the popular situation comedy Dad’s Army.
Robert co-wrote the television documentary, What’s A Carry On? and the radio special, Thou Art Awful?, a celebration of bawdy British humour through the centuries. More recently he has turned his attention to drama, writing Doctor Who for Big Finish; his star casts including sixth Doctor, Colin Baker, Leslie Phillips, Roy Hudd, Doug Bradley and David Tennant who thrilled as the Doctor from 2005 to 2010.
He is a frequent guest on radio, taking part in hundreds of broadcasts and often being assigned a mammoth talkathon by the BBC during promotions for their latest dvd and cd releases. His many television credits include interviews for What’s A Carry On?, Top Ten: Comedy Records, Will the Real Basil Fawlty Please Stand Up?, Legends: Hattie Jacques, Legends: Terry-Thomas, What the Pythons Did Next, Richard & Judy and the BBC News. As an ‘actor’ he has made several appearances in perennial sitcom favourite, Last of the Summer Wine, playing a pub customer in ‘Last Post and Pigeon’ and a mourner at Compo’s funeral in ‘Just a Small Funeral’.
Read about Robert’s latest project “The Forgotten Heroes of Comedy”: http://unbound.co.uk/books/forgotten-heroes-of-comedy
@RobertWRossEsq
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Sara Shulman is the Founder and Editor of Comedy Blogedy, TEDxUCL speaker on ‘The Power of Funny’, former Head of Comedy at UCLU Rare FM and produces the Humour Me Comedy Podcast. Sara is also a Classics Undergraduate at UCL and occasionally gigs on the comedy circuit.
www.comedyblogedy.com
www.twitter.com/comedyblog
http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/TEDxUCL-SARA-SHULMAN-The-power;search%3Asara%20shulman
Sam Simmons is an award-winning comedian. In October this year, filming began for Sam’s four-part series Problems, to be broadcast on primetime ABC 1 television in Australia. Last year, Sam’s show Meanwhile, a mind-bendingly odd, heart-warming hour that put the mental into experimental comedy, was a five-star success, and saw Sam nominated for the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award. 2010’s Fail journeyed into the mind of a 32-year-old desperado, and proved another smash-hit, marking him out as the alternative to straight-talking stand-up. This followed an amazing year for Sam in 2009, which welcomed the debut of his ABC television series The Urban Monkey With Murray Foote and his inaugural Edinburgh and Sydney Opera House outings. As well as his Edinburgh Festival success this year, Sam has notched up an impressive collection of awards, including the main prize at the Adelaide Fringe 2011 and a nomination for the equivalent at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2011.
‘About The Weather’, Soho Theatre
A man is standing next to another man, they have nothing in common and nothing to speak of, perhaps they can talk about the weather. Sam doesn’t do things by halves – enter his world and you’re in for quite an experience. Pitched somewhere in the no-man’s land between psychotic breakdown, ground-breaking genius and outer space, a comedic trip with Sam will explore the furthest reaches of humanity – his and yours.
WINNER – BEST COMEDY, Adelaide Fringe 2011
NOMINEE – MOST OUTSTANDING SHOW, Melbourne Comedy Festival 2011
NOMINEE – FOSTERS COMEDY AWARD, Edinburgh Fringe 2011
Tickets: http://sohotheatre.com/whats-on/sam-simmons-about-the-weather
www.samsimmons.com.au
@samsimmonss
www.youtube.com/samsimmonscomedy
TEDxSydney: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdWECtyM36s
Sara Shulman is the Founder and Editor of Comedy Blogedy, TEDxUCL speaker on ‘The Power of Funny’, former Head of Comedy at UCLU Rare FM and produces the Humour Me Comedy Podcast. Sara is also a Classics Undergraduate at UCL and occasionally gigs on the comedy circuit.
www.comedyblogedy.com
www.twitter.com/comedyblog
http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/TEDxUCL-SARA-SHULMAN-The-power;search%3Asara%20shulman
CB: What inspired you to go into comedy?
SW: I accidentally found myself in this job as I was a street performer who randomly did a spot that turned into a career of comedy. I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t doing this…probably work in a video shop.
CB: You’ve described yourself as a stand-up that doesn’t talk. Have you ever performed stand-up?
SW: I have done most styles of comedy. I have always favoured prop comedy as it goes back to my circus training but I have done most styles of comedy from improv to sketch and was a regular MC back in New Zealand.
CB:Do you have a process of writing and working out your sets?
SW: I spend a long time working out each piece exactly and want to work out every detail so I know how to get the most comedy out of some of the songs. To create material I tend to lock myself in a room for a few months with a stack of props and an iPod and go a bit mental and at the end of it I normally have something that resembles a show that I then fine tune.
CB:You’ve said that your aim is for audiences to remember what it’s like to be a kid and also to change the way audiences feel about participating in live shows. Do you find that audiences across the world differ in their reaction and participation with you on stage?
SW: I find that most audiences act the same way as what I do is very international. I make a point of not choosing music that will limit me to one country as I want to travel with the show. I am also lucky as what I do doesn’t date as I avoid topical references.
CB:Having trained in clowning in New Zealand, do you find that you often have to update your clowning and circus skills?
SW: I am always thinking about working on different tricks and stunts, a lot of it is not relevant for “The Boy” but it is always nice to have other things hiding away for later.
CB: You’ve said that Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton have been influences on your style of comedy. Are there any other performers or skills and experiences that have influenced you?
SW: I favour Keaton over Chaplin as his deadpan style is something I like to bring to my show. I also find that hanging out with my nephew is an influence on my writing. He was nine at the time of writing the second show and ended up being a major writer of the show.
CB: Do you ever get the urge to remove the tape and speak when you’re on stage?
SW: No
CB: How does the comedy scene in New Zealand compare to the U.K.?
SW: The comedy scene here in the UK is a lot bigger and the chances to tour are better but back in New Zealand there is more of a chance to experiment with ideas as it seems that here people don’t want to risk stage time.
CB: When you came to London, you were a street performer. Would you recommend street performance to people wanting to pursue physical comedy?
SW: People who are meant to be stet performers will find themselves street performing. It’s a bit like a pirate lifestyle as it chooses you.
CB: Your 2012 Edinburgh show received fantastic reviews and you were also awarded the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award Panel Prize. How did you find performing your show for a month’s run?
SW: I love doing long runs of the show as it gives me a chance to really fine tune all the extra details like being able to add more and more layers of lights to get the most out of the joke.
CB: What are the most enjoyable and difficult parts of performing your show?
SW: The hardest part of the show is that it takes a lot longer for me to work out exactly what I am doing. I have spent up to three months working out one three minute section so I get very jealous of comedians who see something in the news and then have a brand new ten minutes. The best part is the fact that I can take this show all around the world as I love seeing new countries and places.
CB: You’ve performed at festivals across the globe – do you have a favourite festival to perform at?
SW: I will always have a soft spot for the Edinburgh Fringe as it has so many different performing memories for me and it is also the place I met my wife. The New Zealand comedy festival is also wonderful as it is a chance to hang out with friends; it’s more of a holiday festival as it’s not as stressful as most festivals.
CB: To what extent does the venue affect your performance?
SW: I can work in most environments and thank my street performing years for that training but I do find it tricky when I can’t get at the audience because that is one of the key factors of my show.
CB: Do you have any tips or advice for aspiring comedians?
SW: Keep going and find your own voice.
CB: Do you have any tips or advice for students?
SW: Drink more water.
The Boy With Tape On His Face will be performing at The Duchess Theatre, London from 17th December 2012 – 5th January 2013. More info
Sara Pascoe is an award-winning comedian and actress and has co-starred in the Channel 4 series Campus (as Nicole Huggins); Free Agents (Emma), and as series regular, ‘Pam’ in both seasons of the cult series The Increasingly Poor Decision of Todd Margaret. Sara has also carried out guest lead roles in cult BBC shows Twenty Twelve, The Thick of It, Being Human and is one of the key ensemble cast in upcoming BBC sketch show Fit.
As a stand-up comic, Sara has enjoyed 2 previous sell out Edinburgh Festivals (Sara Pascoe V’s Her Ego, and Sara Pascoe V’s The Apocalypse), as well as performing solo sell out shows in both London and nationwide. Sara has been a series regular on 2 series of Channel 4’s satirical stand-up show Stand Up for the Week and on the current BBC series, ‘Live at the Apollo’. Sara has also appeared as a regular comedy panelist on the Sky panel show’s Don’t Sit in the Front Row and Wall of Fame, and C4’s ‘Comedy World Cup.
Sara will be performing her 2012 Edinburgh Show ‘Sara Pascoe: The Musical*’ at The Soho Theatre Tue 27th,Wed 28th, Fri 30th Nov & Sat1st Dec 7.30pm. (*It’s not actually a proper musical – it’s stand-up!)
Tickets: http://sohotheatre.com/whats-on/sara-pascoe-the-musical
This interview was originally broadcast on UCLU Rare FM in March 2012.
“She has an obvious flair for comic timing… Nothing less than full mega-watt charisma” The Guardian
“An enjoyable fusion of silliness and intelligence – a comic who can get Nietzsche and cunnilingus into the same breath has to be applauded” Chortle
“Defiantly idiosyncratic and highly accessible” Evening Standard
“Her delivery is impeccable, and her deft anecdotal style belies the considerable craftsmanship in her storytelling. Sharp, unpredictable, and brutally funny, this is a show not to be missed.” The Skinny
From the brilliant creator of Monty Python and Spamalot, Eric Idle brings together a slice of true comedy history and a celebrated ensemble in a never-to-happen-again event of hilarious proportions. WHAT ABOUT DiCK? will be on everyone’s lips and available to download exclusively from www.whataboutdick.com from 13 November 2012.
With side-splitting performances from comedy greats including Billy Connolly, Eddie Izzard, Russell Brand and Tracey Ulman, Idle’s imagination comes to life in this uniquely off-the-wall all-star event.
Filmed earlier this year at the Orpheum Theatre, LA, WHAT ABOUT DiCK? is as hilarious as it is peculiar – just don’t ask anyone, including the cast, to describe the story line! Described by Idle as “Oscar Wilde on acid, or like Downton Abbey, only even funnier”, it is full of lyrical quips and a good dose of double entendre, Idle narrates in his role as The Piano. Set in the early 1900s, the young Dick (Russell Brand) is an Oxford student of philosophy and gynaecology, living with his emotionally-stunted cousin, Emma (Jane Leeves), her kleptomaniac sister Helena (Sophie Winkleman) and their dipsomaniac Aunt Maggie (Tracey Ullman).
With Tim Curry as the Reverend Whoopsie, Billy Connolly as the incomprehensible Scottish sleuth Inspector McGuffin and Jim Piddock as Sergeant Ken Russell a plot is set afoot that can be solved only by a private Dick, several years on. The magnificent Eddie Izzard wows as the inventor of the vibrator, Deepak Obi Ben Kingsley, while John Du Prez plays the piano.
Telling the story of the subsequent decline of the British Empire, as seen through the eyes of the play’s narrator, The Piano, WHAT ABOUT DiCK? is sheer and utter madness and will be available to download from 13 November 2012 exclusively from www.whataboutdick.com .
Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/whataboutdick, follow on Twitter @WhatAboutDick, or add on Google+ at http://gplus.to/WhatAboutDick
Become an Eric Idle fan on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/EricIdle, follow him on Twitter https://twitter.com/ericidle and check out his blog http://www.ericidle.com/blog/.
“A comic free-for-all.” Tim Curry
“It’s a huge laugh. It could rip your lungs out. People could watch
this and laugh too much and die, so that’s, that’s the danger. It’s
actually dangerous to watch this…” Eddie Izzard
“These people are people that live for laughter! They’re dangerous people to be around. They’ll do anything!” Russell Brand
“Genuinely a spirit of anarchy.” Eric Idle
“Most of the audiences have no idea what it is… They know there’s a vaguely suggestive title and they know the list of
names and that’s why they’re in here!” Billy Connolly
“The audience loves hearing those Python rhythms and
that Python language… but we’re adding ourselves to it
too and going off in riffs of madness…” Tracey Ullman
“This cast is unique. You’ll never see this cast together again doing something like this.” Eric Idle
Paul Foot is an award-winning comedian and has been described by critics all over the world as a “genius”. Paul started performing comedy at university and has since performed live, on television and radio as well as festivals across the globe. Paul has won several awards and was nominated for the Barry Award in 2011 and 2012 as well as a Perrier Best Newcomer Award in 1998.
In this podcast, Paul Foot improvises a story on Halloween, Sara Shulman interviews Paul Foot about his experiences of performing comedy and there are some exclusive outtakes from the podcast recording as well! (Paul’s interview was originally broadcast as part of the Humour Me Comedy Show on UCLU Rare FM in December 2011.)
The rather bizarre nature of the introduction to the podcast may need decoding:
“Hello and welcome to a special Humour Me podcast with Paul Foot and Sara Shulman. For those of you that listened to Paul Foot on Humour Me last year, you’ll remember Paul’s improvised story about Christmas. Paul will be performing his Edinburgh Show Kenny Larch is Dead at The Bloomsbury Theatre this year on Halloween but, if you haven’t got tickets already, the show is sold out. However, an extra date has been added on 14th December so get your tickets quick!
So that you don’t miss out on the fun of seeing Paul Foot perform on Halloween, thanks to all the suggestions that you’ve e-mailed, Tweeted and Facebooked into the show, Paul Foot will be improvising another story on Halloween.”
Tickets to see Paul Foot at The Bloomsbury in December 2012: http://www.thebloomsbury.com/event/run/1754
“Go to Paul Foot’s show with an open mind and you’re in for one of the most ingenious nights of comedy you’ll ever see.” – The Herald Sun, Australia
“Choice silliness which no other comic could deliver anywhere near as effectively.” – Time Out
“There is no logical reason why Paul Foot’s comedy should work, but work it does – to hilarious effect. Never before has so much been laughed at so little. ” – Metro
“Rarely, if ever, has this reviewer seen an audience laugh as hysterically or long.” – The Scotsman
“It’s inspired, surreal and incomprehensibly funny. Don’t question it, just go with it.” – Chortle
Nick Helm is a comedian, writer, poet, actor and musician. Nick was nominated for the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Show (Dare To Dream) in 2011 and also won Dave’s Best Joke of the Fringe in 2011 with “I needed a password eight characters long so I picked Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.”
Nick has also appeared on BBC’s Live At The Electric, Russell Howard’s Good News, The Boyle Variety Performance, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Chris Addison’s Show & Tell as well as having his own Comedy Blaps on Channel 4!
Nick will be performing his 2012 Edinburgh Show ‘This Means War’ at The Bloomsbury Theatre on Friday 19th October.
“Genuinely exciting.” ***** The Telegraph
“A loveable monster” **** The Scotsman
“Funniest show on the Fringe.” **** Evening Standard
“Laugh-out-loud” **** The Times
“Hysterical and terrifying” **** Time Out
Tickets: http://www.thebloomsbury.com/event/run/1705
A one night only show of award winning and critically acclaimed stand-up with a headline set of theatrical re-interpretations of Robin Williams’ career by the Weirdos Comedy all-stars will take place on Monday 15th October 2012 at The Wilmington Arms.
Following the success of the Weirdos’ recent weekend run of their Edinburgh Fringe Shows at The Leicester Square Theatre, this exceptional comedy gala tribute gig is a fundraiser for a three-night run of “an anarchic, wonderfully silly theatrical interpretation of the 1991 Disney hit Hook” (Time Out) that is set to take place on 17th,18th and 19th December at The Working Men’s Club in Bethnal Green with all funds raised being donated to Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Weirdos Comedy usually run free fortnightly gigs at The Lion in King’s Cross that pilot alternative, bizarre and refreshing approaches to comedy but the thirty strong cast of some of the best comedians on the comedy scene have been using these gigs to rehearse their version of Hook for audiences to watch and be part of the journey towards something truly magical.
Adam Larter, Head of Weirdos Comedy said of the event: ‘We knew we needed to raise funds for the Hook project but didn’t think any sponsor would want to be involved in something so stupid so we’re doing what we do best and putting on an ace comedy night. The fundraiser is more accessible than the majority of events that we put together but hopefully just as entertaining. Plus the idea of doing a tribute to Robin Williams seemed quite funny!’
Tickets are £10 and available from WeGotTickets in advance: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/187245
Come and support the magic of this incredibly innovative, exciting and hilarious upcoming production!
Recommended:
The Guardian: http://bit.ly/Up4Vul
Time Out: http://bit.ly/QQwqXB
Londonist: http://bit.ly/SDNNhw
Spoonfed: http://bit.ly/SNVePk
London is Funny: http://bit.ly/RFQTAF
Chortle: http://bit.ly/OH3W6C
ThisWeekLondon: http://bit.ly/Pe63ic
PLEB Talks is the world’s only comedy think-tank. The platform for comedians to dispense their unconventional wisdom. Unlike traditional lectures that are serious and useful (like ‘TED Talks: Ideas worth spreading’), the PLEB Talks lectures are reckless, fuelled by comedy and intellectually…worth nothing.
The night’s topic of ‘Myths & Legends’ will be tackled by David Trent (Foster’s Best Newcomer Nominee 2012), with support from speakers Pat Cahill (New Act of the Year 2012, Chortle Best Newcomer 2012), John Kearns (Pleasance Comedy Reserve 2012), Ian Smith (“ebullient and witty” – LondonIsFunny.com), John-Luke Roberts (“A talent to watch” – Time Out), Bec Hill (“an act to watch out for” – Time Out), Joe Wells (Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2012 – runner up) and Rick Turpin (Winner). All presided over by PLEB’s Resident Academic Host Nish Kumar (“A skilled comic” – Chortle) with Ben Target (Foster’s Best Newcomer Nominee 2012).
There is a special discount for members of the UCL community, with tickets at £3! Tickets are available at: www.plebtalks.com/live With all previous London nights sold out, and having completed a festival tour of Leeds Laughter Lines, Glade, Secret Garden Party, Wilderness & Bestival – PLEB’s homecoming gig is set to be a true education!
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