Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe end-of-year reports for the BBC were essential viewing. Last year though he did a caustic commentary for Netflix, Death To 2020, without appearing onscreen himself, which... more
Reviews
Fifteen acts made the final of this New Comedian of the Year competition. That’s a lot of laughs and hopefully a lot of bar takings with two intervals taking the evening over the the marathon three... more
There was a show at the Soho Theatre a few years ago that I was keen to write about but found difficult to get a commission because it was one of those odd shows that straddled comedy and drama,... more
If I ever get pulled over by the police I'd like to get pulled over by the Welsh Traffic Police. Or more particularly the north Wales-based coppers in Bravo Two Charlies.In this short television... more
Every year I go to the brilliant Laugharne Weekend arts festival in Wales and every year I miss David Quantick's quiz. It's traditionally one of the first events on Friday afternoon and almost... more
I hesitated about reviewing the second series of In My Skin. While I've seen it described as a comedy drama I watched the first episode and felt that there wasn't much of a comedy element to it. On... more
I was a bit confused by the first episode of the second series of The Cockfields, written by and starring Joe Wilkinson as genial son Simon bringing his girlfriend to stay with his family on the Isle... more
It's a bit like Life on Mars but it's set in a Welsh school and instead of a hard-boiled detective thrown back in time it's an unreconstructed PE teacher with a good heart thrown forward.I guess you... more
Something of a change from the usual comedy nonsense here. Beyond The Joke has branched out into restaurant reviews. Not any old reviews though. I've reached an age where I tend to go to the same... more
The Shark Is Broken was a hit in Edinburgh in 2019 and has taken a while to open in London for obvious reasons. It has been worth the wait though. This 90-minute three-hander has something for film... more
