Carl Donnelly

Carl Donnelly

The comedian tells us about his comedy hero Mitch Hedberg

13 Sep 2011

Picking one comedy hero is much harder than it sounds, especially for me as I don’t seem to have had the standard path to becoming a stand-up myself. Comedians tend to talk about how they grew up listening to Richard Pryor albums but I actually watched…

Carl Donnelly 3: Carl Donnelier!

Meandering tales that finally pay off

12 Aug 2011

It’s easy to see why critics and award judges have heaped plaudits on Carl Donnelly. But on this occasion, his easy style of stand-up is muddied somewhat by his inability to stay on topic. In the initial few minutes he becomes preoccupied chatting to…

Edinburgh Festival Fringe podcasts

Shows at 2011 Edinburgh Festival available as podcasts

10 Aug 2011

Richard 'King of Edinburgh' Herring celebrates his 20th Edinburgh Fringe with RHEFP a daily podcast of comedy and chat. His guests include well-known names from Dan Antopolski to Andy Zaltzman as well as up-and-coming comedy…

Comedy picks for the Edinburgh Fringe 2011

20 Jul 2011

David O’Doherty Two shows this year from the beloved man of lo-fi musical comedy with the high-laugh quotient. His usual brilliant sit-down/stand-up fare, David O’Doherty is Looking Up, is augmented by his debut on the one-man comic play scene. Rory…

Edinburgh Comedy Awards shortlist a strong gathering led by Bo Burnham and Josie Long

2010 awards puts two women on shortlist for first time

26 Aug 2010

According to Nica Burns, producer of the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards, 2010 is ‘a vintage year for comedy,’ and the shortlist for the main award ‘reflects the enormous changes in the comedy landscape’. Of course, this might just be the kind of…

Carl Donnelly

Getting his stand-up craft down to a fine art

16 Aug 2010

Being famous is not on Carl Donnelly’s wishlist. Besides, the press now have some pictures of him looking a bit daft filed in their archive, ready to be plucked out at the moment when he attains true celebrityhood and does something shameful. For now…

Carl Donnelly set for The Stand

18 Feb 2010

As a jaw-dropping introduction to the mad old world of stand-up, Carl Donnelly’s second ever gig takes some beating. When telly channel Five were putting together a typically sensitive Race Swap show, it might have seemed like a good idea at the time to…

Edinburgh Comedy Award nominations

Who's up for the Fringe's top prize?

27 Aug 2009

The name may be up for debate, but what isn't in doubt is the prestige of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards and the impact it can have on a comic's career. Known in its most memorable form as the Perrier Award from 1981 to 2005, followed by a brief stint…

Carl Donnelly

A natural gift for spontaneity

18 Aug 2009

Donnelly hates being labelled ‘laidback’ and on this evidence he’s right to quibble. Responding with aplomb to a delightfully feisty audience, he tells his ‘little true stories’ with a very likeable charm. Some of the best moments happen when he gamely…

Carl Donnelly & John Robins

21 Aug 2008

Two chaps with bright futures amble along amiably with their separate stand-up sections, linked by an amusing satisfied drinking sound, fashioning out little urban observations and memories of childhood. Clearly, this has no bearing on the star rating…