BCG Daily Wednesday 16th July 2014

Best of the rest: Cambridge Comedy Festival

Previews of the Pajama Men, Aruthr Smith, Seann Walsh, Jo Caulfield and Adam Buxton.

Radio Times review

One of 2013's best debut sitcoms returns, as downbeat, sad and kind as ever. Martin (Terry Mynott), the lonely loser with a secret talent for doing impressions, lost his nerve at the end of series one when stardom beckoned. Now here he is, in his pants in the kitchen, heating up tinned food while absent-mindedly perfecting his Walter White. Unwanted help comes from Neil, the nervous newsagent who becomes Martin's new agent - "it's only one letter different!" - and insists he try busking outside Timpson's.

This isn't one of those misery-coms that doesn't have any jokes, but little disappointments drizzle down constantly onto Martin's prematurely grey head, the main source of pain being his own lack of endeavour. Classic sitcom leads are confident but delusional - Martin, played with real gentleness by Mynott, is humble and awfully self-aware. That he somehow finds things for him and us to laugh at is what makes The Mimic quietly comforting, like sugary tea on a wintry day.

Latitude interview: Frisky and Mannish are back!

We had a quick catch up with Frisky & Mannish ahead of this weekend's action…

Edinburgh Fringe preview: Nish Kumar

Nish Kumar is one of those crafty comedians who has been getting better by stealth.

13 up and coming comedians to check out at the Fringe (Link expired)

While the natural progression for modern comedians may seem to involve a quick guest appearance on a panel show followed by a five-minute slot on Live at the Apollo, the more informed stand-up enthusiast will know that the Edinburgh Festival Fringe serves as the true comedic testing ground.

The Ahir Shah three minute interview

This year, Ahir Shah has performed a solo run at London's Soho Theatre and won the award for Best Show at Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival. Using lyrical language, emotional frankness and funny jokes, the alternative comedian presents Texture at the year's Edinburgh Festival fringe.

The Alex McAleer three minute interview

Mentalist, mind-magician or psychological-illusionist - call him what you will, Alex McAleer reads minds. At this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Alex reveals strangers' secrets, demonstrates why you should never play cards with him and teaches one lucky member of the audience how to read minds.

The Alistair Green three minute interview

At this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe, acclaimed stand-up Alistair Green spends an hour on stage ranting, moaning and generally talking about everything he thinks is wrong with the world, including his own pitiful shortcomings as a human being. Martin Walker speaks to the long suffering comedian about his show, Nobody's Twisting Your Arm.

The Dan Clark three minute interview

Best known as Don Danbury from BBC Three's cult hit sitcom How Not To Live Your Life and Johnny Two Hats from The Mighty Boosh, Dan Clark is back at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe after a few busy years away. Martin Walker asks about Me, My Selfie & I.

The Dan Willis three minute interview

At the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe Festival Dan Willis performed six one hour shows a day for a month, repeating no jokes, breaking comedy world records and cementing himself as the single most experienced festival act in history. Martin Walker wonders what he's doing in 2014...

The Devvo three minute interview

YouTube phenomenon, Devvo is Darren Devonshire, an English working class youth. He lets filmmaker David Firth follow him around and record his life in exchange for cigarettes, alcohol and small change. This year he returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The Gareth Cooper three minute interview

The former member of the Delete the Banjax sketch group, Gareth Cooper, returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to share an hour of stand-up comedy with Dan Cook. Martin Walker talks to Gareth by email about what audiences should expect.

The George Rowe three minute interview

At the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year you can experience a trio of stand-ups and musicians make tracks with you, the audience, for the next pop sensation, Mr. Kirby. We're promised beats, art, stories, loops, samples and gags. Martin Walker talks to George Rowe via email about the show.

The James Dowdeswell three minute interview

James Dowdeswell jokes about booze. The ultimate happy hour. Why are ales crafty? Why do girls taste better than boys? What's wrong with a sideways glance at merlot? What's it like to grow up in a West Country pub? Find out at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe with James' new show, Wine, Ale and I.

The James Meehan three minute interview

James Meehan and Will Duggan are friends who also happen to be stand-up comedians. At this year's Edinburgh Festival fringe, you can watch them do thirty minutes of stand-up comedy each, as they prepare for their future debut hour long solo shows, when they can finally stop working together. Martin Walker talks to James via email.

The James Veitch three minute interview

In James Veitch's 2014 Edinburgh Fringe show, The Fundamental Interconnectedness of Everyone with an Internet Connection, he investigates scam emails, distant princes, unclaimed inheritance and close friends marooned in a foreign country. Standard procedure is to delete on sight, but what happens if you reply?

The Jay Islaam three minute interview

Edinburgh Festival Fringe goers can enjoy a live recording of a daily podcast in a showcase of comedy, sketches, spoken word, music and variety acts from the Fringe. Martin Walker talks to POD Comedy host Jay Islaam, about his own controversial show, which has been banned in some venues in the UK.

The Jennifer Belander three minute interview

Jennifer Belander's 2014 Edinburgh Festival Fringe offering, is MommAutism, a one-woman show about raising a son with autism. She created the show to highlight issues most parents of autistic children have to deal with, whilst having a good laugh about the whole experience. Martin Walker finds out more.

The Demi Lardner three minute interview

Award winning Australian comedian, Demi Lardner, describes herself as a writer and jungle cat fighter. According to her website she grew up in constant fear of birds. Her first stage appearance was at age sixteen and she's never looked back. Martin Walker asks about her 2014 Edinburgh Fringe show, Birds With Human Lips.

The Lucy Fennell three minute interview

This Edinburgh Festival fringe you can join SmART Attack on a whimsical trip through 90s kids' make and do TV shows! Grab your glitter glue, toilet roll tubes and PVA as they use retro craft to bring you something a bit different. We're promised fast-paced character and sketch comedy with a heart. Lucy Fennell explains...

The Sarah Campbell three minute interview

Have you been mis-sold PPI? Sarah Campbell hasn't either and her friend got seven grand! This Edinburgh Festival Fringe you can join Sarah for an hour of mind-blowing stand-up. Martin Walker interrupts her writing the impressions show, Dead Ringers, to ask about her latest Fringe offering.

The Pippa Evans three minute interview

Character comic Pippa Evans first made a splash on the comedy scene with an incredibly successful debut Edinburgh show in 2008, when she was nominated for the if.comedy Best Newcomer Award. She returns to the Fringe this year with a show... about being Pippa.

The Lizzy Mace three minute interview

In July and August last year Lizzy Mace spent six weeks studying improvisation and sketch comedy at the legendary Second City Training Center in Chicago. She then teamed up with award-nominated director Logan Murray to devise her new character-based solo show. Which brings us to this August and her two shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The Cal Wilson three minute interview

A diverse and prolific character comedian, Cal Wilson bounces between Australia and New Zealand. This Edinburgh Festival fringe you can see who she might have been if she'd made different decisions... Like become a surgeon. Or a poet. Or a dude. It Could Have Been Me.

Terry Mynott on impressions, failure and more

We talk to the star of Channel 4's beautifully understated sitcom about how he found his voice, and how not to impersonate Nicolas Cage

Best musical comedy shows at the Edinburgh Fringe 2014

Here's 10 of our favourite musical comedy acts we recommend you see at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year.

Alan Carr interview

Working in a call centre was good practise for Chatty Man!'.

Sarah Bennetto on the Storytellers' Club

During both Saturday and Sunday you can enter the Shed of Stories for Storytellers' Club, and the lady behind the shed, Sarah Bennetto.

Edinburgh Fringe preview: Hardeep Singh Kohli

Following his hit nationwide tour, the comedian, broadcaster, writer and chef Hardeep Singh Kohli returns for his first full Fringe season in three years, reflecting on romance in middle age. TPR had a chance to grab a five minute interview with the Scottish star.

Edinburgh Fringe preview: Short & Curly

Cue the ominous music, it's a crime scene! Short and Curly - Who Dunnit? is a mysterious sketch show featuring the comedy nonsense Short & Curly are known for. Was it the short one? Or was it the one with curly hair? What was it that they did anyway? TPR met up with the duo to find out.