Robin Ince
Robin Ince's Radio 4 documentary, Tears of a Clown, has been shortlisted for a Mind Media Award.
The documentary, produced by Alex Mansfield, explored the enduring links between comedians and mental illness in the aftermath of the death of Robin Williams. Among those who took part were Jo Brand, Josie Long, Barry Cryer and Simon Amstell.
The Infinite Monkey Cage, BBC Radio 4's highly popular and entertaining science/comedy show is returning for a new series.
As usual Professor Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince are joined each week by well known celebrity science enthusiasts and scientists for a witty, irreverent look at the world through scientist's eyes.
Robin Ince’s Christmas shows in London have become a bit of an institution, but he has slightly reinvented them this year, rebranding them as Christmas Science Ghosts. The line-up will be fairly familiar though - the likes of Tony Law, Sara Pascoe, Josie Long and Stewart Lee will be among the rotating bills, though there will also be some curveballs too. Tonight historian Mary Beard joins the lineup.
Like Robin Ince I was one of those teenagers who devoured Herbert Van Thal’s Pan Book of Horror Stories series. I can still vividly recall the one about the man trapped in a sewer who has to chew his own hand off to escape marauding rats. I also rather like comedy, so if I hadn’t been sent a free copy of Dead Funny I suspect I would have bought this anthology of horror stories written by 16 of our top comedians and co-edited by Ince and Johnny Mains.
Russell Brand is due to be one of the speakers at a major anti-cuts rally in Parliament Square on Saturday, June 21. This will follow a march from the BBC HQ in Portland Place.
The event is organised by The People’s Assembly, which is campaigning against austerity. There will also be speeches from Green Party MP Caroline Lucas and journalist Owen Jones. Stop the War, CND and other peace groups will form an anti-war and anti-Trident bloc on the demonstration.
Mark Thomas has spent much of the last year winding people up with his provocative 100 Acts of Minor Dissent project. It was a hugely ambitious concept that he didn’t know if he would complete – in fact at one point a stressed-out Thomas told me he wished he’d called it “52 Acts of Minor Dissent" instead. But he did finish it, which was lucky, because he had promised to pay UKIP £1000 if he didn’t.
A lot of comedy to get through this week so I’ll cut to the chase. From Monday night Marcus Brigstocke brings his latest show, Je M’Accuse to the Soho Theatre. Brigstocke is usually passionately political onstage, but this is his “and this is me” moment, in which he gets personal, discussing his time as a podium dancer, oil rig worker and over-eater.
This is an exceptionally strong week when it comes to award-winning comedians who really are true masters of the stand-up art. Tommy Tiernan is first up, appearing at the Soho Theatre from Monday. The 1998 Perrier Award winner is a massive star in Ireland and when he graces London with his presence it is easy to see why. He is the kind of comedian that – cliché ahoy – really could make you laugh by reading the telephone directory.
Robin Ince's 9 Carols and Lessons for Godless People gigs are a bit like the universe - constantly expanding. About 25 minutes in our garrulous, cardigan-clad host said that he had to get a move on because there were 23 acts on the bill. Or maybe 23 acts coming up. I'm not sure, I'd already filled up my notebook by then and lost count. It is a bit of a challenge reviewing this annual event in 300 words for the Evening Standard.
I'm not saying Nish Kumar: Is A Comedian should have won the Foster's Award in Edinburgh this summer, but I was surprised that it didn't get talked about more as a contender for a nomination. Maybe this is a problem of just standing onstage and chatting rather than delivering pyrotechnics, feminism-tinged satire or immersive audience participation.
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