Features

Aziz Ansari delivers a lot of bang for your buck

The lithe and livewire US comedian Aziz Ansari arrives in London next week to play five nights at London's Soho Theatre. Though this run doesn't quite have the ring of playing the Carnegie Hall back in New York, as he did in January, Ansari's already sold out Soho dates are another sign of the growing interest in this business graduate-turned-comic, who will have just turned 28 when he lands here.

Inside Features

Cultural Life: Ruby Wax, comedian

Friday, 18 February 2011

Books: I've recently finished Jonathan Franzen's fantastic novel, 'Freedom'. Every sentence is so dark and to the heart of what is wrong with America. Celebrating dysfunctionality, as an expose of American psyche, it doesn't just hit the nail on the head – it slams it into the ground and kills it.

Cultural Life: Sandra Bernhard, comedian

Friday, 11 February 2011

Films: I saw 'Never Let Me Go' and found it very impressive. In such a believable way, it incorporates science fiction with the strangeness of the times we actually live in. It was deep, haunting and beautifully shot. My other favourite is 'The King's Speech'. Top drawer!

The Diary: Tracey Emin; Chortle's 10th Comedy Awards; National Theatre's Frankenstein; Daniela Lavender; Evening Standard British Film Awards

Friday, 11 February 2011

Comedy albums are no laughing matter

Monday, 7 February 2011

From Bo Burnham to Harry Hill, stand-ups are rediscovering the joys and profits of the long-player, says Julian Hall

Tim Key: Deadpan poet's society

Sunday, 6 February 2011

Steve Coogan is a big fan, but Tim Key doesn't do sold-out arenas and TV stand-up – and he loves it when no one laughs at his verse

Lucy Porter: ‘I’ve been hoodwinked by nature into loving this creature’

Sunday, 6 February 2011

There should be no taboos in comedy Its job is to provoke, shock and create discussion. But you should think long and hard as to whether what you're saying is actually funny; if it's purely to shock then you become a performance artist. Frankie Boyle, he's transgressed in all kinds of ways [the comedian recently caused controversy over sexual jokes about Katie Price's disabled son, Harvey] and it's not to everyone's taste, but he's challenging the liberal heterodoxy and I think that can be a funny thing to do.

Can you really be too posh to perform?

Monday, 31 January 2011

Pop and comedy stars have been pasted for their privileges – but inverted snobbery in the arts is nothing new, says Fiona Sturges

The Diary: Smack the Pony; Kate and William artwork; John Wonnacott; Tim Westwood; Vidal Sassoon

Friday, 28 January 2011

The Horne Section: Songs in the key of silly

Friday, 28 January 2011

It's the perfect match. The improvised musings of the country's best comedians combined with the free-form noodlings of a five-piece jazz band. When The Horne Section debuted at Edinburgh this summer, it quickly became the talk of the Fringe. Punters clutching pints queued round the block for the occasional, lightly shambolic midnight shows. Jimmy Carr dropped by to rap out 10 one-liners over 10 different beats, Tim Minchin improvised a song about cheese and Tim Key performed a track by the Russian punk band Leningrad. There were burlesque dancers, shared bags of chips and 2am Bon Jovi singalongs, led by Josie Long with Mark Watson on drums.

Cultural Life: Sarah Millican, comedian

Friday, 21 January 2011

Comedy: I recently drove all the way to Derby to see Sean Lock perform. Professional and hilarious in his interaction with the crowd, it was exactly how it should have been: a great reception for a great comedian. Sometimes at comedy gigs I find myself analysing the material but this really felt like a night off. I also really enjoyed hearing new material from Juliet Meyers and Sally-Anne Hayward when I performed alongside them in Manchester. It's great to see comedians totally different to yourself. They are both exceptionally funny.

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