Comedy Reviews

Mark Watson's Carpool Comedy Club, Hever Castle review - mixed bill with gags and gourmet food

Veronica Lee Wednesday, 22 July 2020

Drive-in comedy shows are now well into their groove (although sadly a couple of promoters have had to cut their losses because of poor sales at some venues), and distinct differences in approach to what's on offer have emerged. Clearly going for the upper end of the market is Dine and Drive Theatre, an old hand at curating outdoor events, whose USP is classy locations and food catered by top chef Tom Kerridge.

Car Park Comedy, Henley review - Comedy Store's mixed bill

Veronica Lee Monday, 13 July 2020

Hot on the heels of The Car Park Club and @TheDriveIn comes Car Park Party, a series of shows presented in partnership with The Comedy Store. Car Park Party presents an evening of four comics doing short sets, presented by an MC.

@TheDriveIn, Blackheath review - comedy and car-aoke

Veronica Lee Friday, 10 July 2020

Drive-ins are now firmly establishing themselves as the only method by which culture fans can see live arts in person for the future. Hot on the heels of The Drive-In Club comes @TheDriveIn, sponsored by Suzuki and produced by Jericho Comedy.

Dom Joly / Daniel Sloss, Brent Cross reviews - UK's first drive-in comedy shows

Veronica Lee Saturday, 04 July 2020

It was a weary and frustrated Dom Joly (★★) who left the stage after performing the first drive-in comedy show in the UK. Sadly it had been, as he said earlier, “the first car crash at a drive-in”.

Desiree Burch, Soho Theatre On Demand review - fantastical storytelling

Veronica Lee Monday, 25 May 2020

You may have seen Desiree Burch, a Californian now living in London, on The Mash Report on BBC One.

Jerry Seinfeld, Netflix review - not bad for a swansong

Veronica Lee Tuesday, 12 May 2020

Jerry Seinfeld said in a recent interview that this Netflix special – 23 Hours to Kill – may be his last stand-up show. That's a shame, as there's much to enjoy here, even if he is retreading some old ground.

Aditi Mittal, Soho Theatre On Demand review - cows, mothers and fempowerment

Veronica Lee Wednesday, 22 April 2020

“There are places in India where it's safer to be a cow than a woman” is a seemingly innocuous statement, but for Indian comic Aditi Mittal it was a dangerous one to make in a comedy show.

Simon Amstell, Netflix review - wisdom and wisecracks

Veronica Lee Tuesday, 14 April 2020

Who knew in the early days of his career, when Simon Amstell was taking the mick out of celebrities on Popworld and then Never Mind the Buzzcocks, that he would turn into one of the cleverest comics of his generation, with a special talent for making existential angst funny?

Rachel Fairburn, Go Faster Stripe review - smart and subtle gags

Veronica Lee Monday, 06 April 2020

Rachel Fairburn says she didn't know what to wear for the gig. She's dressed in an all-black ensemble; hotpants, animal-print boots and a feather bolero jacket. “I've come as a mistress at a funeral.”

Lazy Susan, Soho Theatre On Demand review - sketch duo's ingeniously plotted show

Veronica Lee Friday, 03 April 2020

You may have seen Lazy Susan's excellent BBC pilot last year; now a series has been commissioned from Freya Parker and Celeste Dring so we can look forward to more sketches, surreal interludes and tiptop visual gags – as well as returning characters including Northern lasses Megan and Michaela, tottering on their heels to a night out where they “don't want any drama”.