Tim Clare

Rise of the comedy supergig in 2011

John Bishop, Jimmy Carr, Russell Howard, Peter Kay, Lee Evans and John Cleese set for 2011 UK tours

When we get to this point next year and look back at the comedy highlights of 2011, no doubt much talk will be of the supergigs. John Bishop, Jimmy Carr, Russell Howard, Peter Kay, Lee Evans, Lenny Henry, John Cleese (yes, that John Cleese), Jason…

Tim Clare: How to Be a Leader

Frequently inventive show includes rousing series of raps about iconic women

A frequently inventive follow-up to last year’s excellent debut from Clare, How to be a Leader is a handy guide to anyone who wants to rule over people and land. After drawing links between suicide cultist Jim Jones and chocoholic Willy Wonka, he closes…

Comedy picks for the Edinburgh Fringe 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…

The Poetry Takeaway in residence at 2011 Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Made-to-order poems and rotating cast of the UK’s best performance poets

The Poetry Takeaway is the world’s first purpose-built mobile poetry emporium. Housed in a real fast food trailer (bought off eBay), it’s staffed by a rotating cast of the UK’s best performance poets and specialises in the production of free…

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

2010 awards puts two women on shortlist for first time

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…

Tim Clare's Death Drive

A road trip with a difference

Talented performance poets/live literati talking about going back to live with their parents is all the rage this year. That is, if a ‘rage’ can be constituted by two shows, the excellent piece by Ross Sutherland at the Underbelly, and here in the shape…