Comedy Reviews

Ayesha Hazarika, Soho Theatre review - feminism examined

Veronica Lee Monday, 29 October 2018

As a former adviser to Harriet Harman and Ed Miliband – and a woman who has put her name forward to be a Labour Party candidate at a Westminster election – Ayesha Hazarika certainly knows her politics from the inside.

Ciarán Dowd, Soho Theatre review - terrific spoof swordsman tale

Veronica Lee Monday, 15 October 2018

The Edinburgh Fringe does throw up some oddities – in comedy shows, of course, but also in its dishing out of awards. And so it was that Ciarán Dowd's marvellous Don Rodolfo deservedly gained the Edinburgh Comedy Award for best newcomer, even though he's an old Fringe hand.

Ivo Graham, Soho Theatre review - the perils of growing up

Veronica Lee Monday, 08 October 2018

Considering where Motion Sickness ends up, Ivo Graham's new show begins a million miles away, as he talks about his love of trains and his favourite train company, Chiltern – or “The Chilt”. But don't be fooled by this quotidian fare; what begins as a seemingly aimless wander down a path of nothing very much packs an emotional punch by the end of the hour.

Nish Kumar, Soho Theatre review - the state we're in

Veronica Lee Friday, 05 October 2018

Blimey, Nish Kumar is angry. Angry about Donald Trump, angry about misogyny, angry about racism, angry about Brexit – angry about a lot of things.

Katherine Ryan, Garrick Theatre review - feminism with extra sass

Veronica Lee Friday, 21 September 2018

Katherine Ryan was making her West End debut – a big moment in any comic’s career – but she made her entrance on stage at the Garrick unannounced. Yet if the opening to Glitter Room was strangely underwhelming, it wasn’t long before the Canadian’s trademark waspish style was to the fore and the sass kicked in.

The League of Gentlemen Live Again!, Sunderland Empire review - going local for local people

Veronica Lee Tuesday, 28 August 2018

When the League of Gentlemen – Mark Gatiss, Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, plus non-performing writer Jeremy Dyson – reformed for an excellent series to update us on events in Royston Vasey (“portal to another world, or just a shit hole?”) for the BBC last year, they enjoyed it so much that they announced a tour for 2018, their first live show since late 2005.

Edinburgh Fringe 2018: Rose Matafeo review

Veronica Lee Monday, 27 August 2018

As we enter the venue, Rose Matafeo is playing a game of mini table tennis with a member of the audience. Nothing that follows seems to relate to this “just a bit of fun to start the show” – but, trust me, it's one of the cleverest bits of misdirection you will ever see.