Opinion: Small is Beautiful
It started, appropriately enough, as a joke. In autumn 2007 I was writing a review for the Evening Standard and I moaned about how difficult it was becoming to find a parking space in the centre of...
View ArticleOpinion: The Chortle Awards – Safe But Sound
When the fifth Chortle Award winner was announced last night and Pappy's won best Character or Sketch Act I received a sharp nudge in the ribs from my partner as she said "you know the results already...
View ArticleReview: Pappy's, Edinburgh Fringe 2012
This is my review of Pappy's that ran during the Edinburgh Festival last August. I was on the Foster's Award Panel and I really thought they had a chance of winning it. Their shows had always been huge...
View ArticleTV Review: Badults, BBC3
There is a lot riding on Pappy's new BBC3 sitcom Badults. The much-loved sketch combo has already had two tries at transferring their lunatic stage sensibility, doing a pair of C4 Comedy Lab pilots, so...
View ArticleOpinion: What's In A Name?
Hold the flipping front page. Comedy sketch group Lebensmüde has changed its name to Lazy Susan. I don't know exactly why. Maybe they were worried people would think they were German. Maybe they got...
View ArticleNews: Simon Amstell & More Added to Latitude Line-Up
Simon Amstell is the latest big name to be added to the line-up of the Latitude Festival, which takes place in Henham Park, Suffolk from July 17 - 20. The comedian has been working on new material at...
View ArticleOpinion: Why I Hate Sketch Comedy
Well, of course I don't hate sketch comedy. But, heck, it’s a crowded market out there, I’ve got to get you to click on the link somehow. So now I’ve got your attention I’ll explain and expand. Sketch...
View ArticleTV Review: Badults, BBC3
There hasn't been a huge fanfare to mark the return of Badults for a second series, which is maybe understandable. The first series had mixed reviews, so maybe BBC3 wants this run to grow via...
View ArticleEdinburgh Preview: Matthew Crosby
Pappy’s in split shock?! Not as far as I know, but if it gets you reading this preview I’m not complaining. Matthew Crosby’s solo show is actually his third show without the rest of Pappy’s. I’ve...
View ArticleInterview: Rarely Asked Questions – Tom Parry of Pappy's
Whether you are in a band or a sketch group when members start doing solo shows it can mean various things. Maybe their egos are too big contain as part of an ensemble. Maybe they just want to flex...
View ArticleInterview: Rarely Asked Questions – Matthew Crosby of Pappy's
Following yesterday's interview with Pappy's lynchpin Tom Parry, today we are gently probing the tiniest (in height) member of Pappy's, Matthew Crosby, whose solo show is at Just The Tonic's Mash House...
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