BCG Daily Friday 18th July 2014

The Barry Ferns three minute interview

For his first solo stand-up hour, Barry Ferns invites you to The Barry Experience. He won the Malcolm Hardee Award last year for distributing realistic but fake copies of the Broadway Baby and ThreeWeeks reviews sheets, containing five star reviews of his show. What does he have planned for 2014?

Radio Times review

A gem of an episode. Each episode the Goodman gathering ends in a domestic meltdown of some sort, and each time the seeds of disaster are carefully sown in the foibles of family members. Here, Jackie has had the downstairs carpets cleaned and Martin has bought a piano on a whim (he expects Johnny to teach him to play) - two plausible developments that interact and escalate to deliver comedy gold, starting when a relentlessly sarcastic piano tuner turns up late, and with dirty shoes.

It builds beautifully from there, via a visit to a Chinese restaurant (it's Jackie's night off), Martin's love of fish paste and the comic possibilities of the word "elm".

The Brains Mcloud three minute interview

Brains Mcloud is attempting to convince the world that he's the best half Scottish American half South African rapping stand-up comedian at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe. At least he's narrowed down the competition and found a niche market. The title of the show in the programme is Brains Mcloud: 15 Reasons Why Justin Bieber is Gay.

The Danny Ward three minute interview

Infra Dig is the follow-up to award-winning Edinburgh Festival Fringe show Pressure Point. At last Danny Ward is on the up. He's escaped living in Auntie Annie's conservatory, upgraded the T-reg Polo and even bought some red trousers...

The Donald Mack three minute interview

This Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Donald Mack will talk about his adventures and challenges whilst seeking to get his audiences to participate and identify their own inner monkey. Is he simply another delusional individual who wanders the streets of Britain and talks to strangers for money? Or is he a comedian who, just happens to be black and has jokes and japes?

The Eric Lampaert three minute interview

Eric Lampaert studied at École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in France and Middlesex University in the UK. So naturally he became a stand-p comedian. Martin walker asks what to expect from his intriguingly titled 2014 Edinburgh Fringe show.

The Fraser Ross three minute interview

Exploring humour in sincerity, whilst explaining how to lick a pussy dry, Fraser Ross has his finger on the pulse and a tongue in his cheek. A bit of a ratbag, and a goofball wordsmith, his folk songs get the fun in ya, pretty deep. This Edinburgh Festival Fringe, you can discover Another Name for Thesaurus.

The glöcK three minute interview

This Edinburgh Festival Fringe you can visit zazU - the parallel universe sketch show. A whole world with a tiny village mentality, you can only get to it by following a bee through a portal in one particular map kept in a secret Swiss vault... or by coming to see the show. Martin Walker caught up with their special guest star, glöcK.

The Kwame Asante three minute interview

Kwame Asante is a twenty three year old student and stand-up comic currently studying and living in London. According to his website, his material touches on a wide variety of topics, drawing humour from his background and student life, as well as the topical, observations and true stories. Martin Walker catches up with Kwanme ahead of his appearance at the 2014 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The Gary Shaw three minute interview

This Edinburgh Festival Fringe you can enjoy four comedians doing their best ten minutes in Now That's What I Call Stand-Up #1. The show is lovingly MC'ed by stalwart of the London and Home Counties open mic circuits, Gary Shaw.

The Lloydie three minute interview

Lloydie is an improviser and writer who has performed with MissImp in Nottingham and The Maydays in Brighton. He has also guest performed at Chinese Menu Comedy in Washington DC and at the Del Close Marathon at the UCB Theatre New York. His latest Edinburgh Festival Fringe offering is Life Deconstructed.

The Marc Jennings three minute interview

Fresh from their sold-out show at the Glasgow Comedy Festival, Marc Jennings and Stephen Buchanan make their Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut. If you haven't caught any of their online sketches or seen them performing stand-up live already, you can join the boys for an afternoon of hilarity, hijinks and high fructose corn syrup. Martin Walker catches up with Marc.

The Matty Grey three minute interview

Game On! is a wild, interactive comedy show about video games for kids. It's written and performed by Matty Grey who won the Director's Choice award for best kids show at the Sydney Fringe Festival 2013. He is at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the first time following a sold-out season at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

The Mat Ewins three minute interview

Six months ago, secret agent Mat Ewins was killed and died. Now he's back at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. You may or may not expect intrigue and nonsense about a spy bionically revived to complete his last mission. And the show may be about pizza. Or not.

The Nick Elleray three minute interview

Return to Superglad showcases the stand-up comedy of Ben Clover and Nick Elleray. Ben combines top-notch joke writing and silliness with whip-smart one-liners. Nick, mines his own life for ... something else. Martin Walker catches up with Nick by email.

The Nik Coppin three minute interview

Nik Coppin is a mixed race British comedian who was labelled 'racist' in a major Australian newspaper. This, the legal repercussions thereafter, as well as other experiences surrounding his heritage was the inspiration for his Edinburgh Festival Fringe solo show Mixed Racist.

The Ola three minute interview

Still in his early twenties, Ola writes for The Now Show, The News Quiz and Nathan Caton Can't Tell Me Nothing. You may of seen him on MTV Base. He performs all over the UK and as far afield as the US and Dubai. Now he is at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The Paul B. Edwards interview

At the year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe you can cram in the highs and lows of medieval English history. Scotland comes out of it all rather well, Wales and France less so. Paul B. Edwards has been doing stand-up comedy for so long that he was there for some of this...

The Trevor Feelgood three minute interview

Last year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Trevor Feelgood was in a show called The Barnes Identity - and after the show's run, Trevor had a nervous breakdown and ended up in his pants in the middle of Toys R Us. He also accidentally electrocuted himself and put half of Newcastle into darkness. He quit stand-up comedy but, like Jesus and Noel Edmonds, he is back for a second go.

The Rhys Nicholson three minute interview

Following sold out international tours and award wins, Rhys Nicholson returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with a new show, new suits and an inflatable llama. The llama has context in the show. This is filth with heart, vulgarity with meaning. This is Rhys Nicholson, the comedian you deserve.

The Rik Carranza three minute interview

The charming Rik Carranza returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe after a successful 2013. Martin Walker chatted to Rik via email about his show, and he explains why his comedy is like a world cuisine all you can eat buffet.

Whitehall: We'll have to change show after Gove exit

Jack Whitehall has said that he will have to make some changes to his BBC comedy Bad Education following this week's cabinet reshuffle.

Five questions for BEASTS

Silly comedy trio BEASTS return to Edinburgh in August, bringing their mad bag of sketches to the Pleasance. They let Giggle Beats in on their new show, SOLO, working with Tom Parry of Pappys, and more.

This week's new live comedy

Will Franken, Sarah Kendall and Romesh Ranganathan.

DJ Beats and MC Grindah's top 10 pirate radio anthems

The superstars of west London's Kurupt FM, whose comedy People Just Do Nothing is coming to BBC Three on Sunday, pick their favourite bangers.

Noel Fielding returns with Luxury Comedy series 2

"The first series was strange to penetrate, I wanted to make it a bit more charming," says The Mighty Boosh comedian.

Peter Kay to switch on Blackpool Illuminations

Peter Kay will switch on this year's Blackpool Illuminations.

Rufus Hound cast in Channel 4's gay drama Cucumber

Rufus Hound has joined the cast of Russell T Davies's new series Cucumber.

Cuckoo Series 2 preview

Kristen Stewart may be surprised when she sees her friend and Twilight co-star Taylor Lautner in his new British comedy, Cuckoo. Not that it is bad - it's actually rather good - but the vomit-fuelled antics of series two may not be something she's used to seeing him in...

Glee comedy club wins court battle with Fox show

Comedy club owners of Glee in Nottingham have had the last laugh after winning more than £100,000 damages from film giants for the use of its name in a globally-successful TV show.

Ruth Jones receives MBE at Windsor Castle

Ruth Jones receives MBE at Windsor Castle but doubts Queen has seen Gavin & Stacey.

Edinburgh Fringe 2014 interview: Lou Sanders

Lou Sanders' 2012 Edinburgh Fringeshow was packed with ideas that you doubt anyone had ever come up with before in the entire history of human thought.

Wonders from down under

Today's Fringe previews are all shows that did well in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival earlier this year.

Latitude review: Alex Horne

Alex Horne’s shows are always wildly ambitious, and Monsier Butterfly is surely stand-up at its most creative.

Review: Joe Lycett at Latitude

Lycett can drop a c-bomb with such precision that it’s more of a c-missile; while his set piece finale involving tacky holiday souvenirs again finds brilliance in what could be merely workaday, and proved a good tonic for this afternoon crowd.

Review: Felicity Ward at Latitude

Self-deprecation is her strongest suit, gurning away to show how she can pull off a great ugly face â€" projected larger than life on the big-screens either side of the stage.

Racist Joke Show causes a stir

A comedian has had to change his Edinburgh Fringe poster - because it looked as if taxpayers were funding an hour of racist jokes.

Salmond: play is the authentic voice of young Scotland

A play created and performed by teenagers who will be voting for the first time in the independence referendum is the "authentic voice" of young Scotland, the First Minister has said.

In pictures: Salmond visits cast of Now's The Hour

A picture gallery of Alex Salmond see a preview of Now's The Hour.

Ben Whishaw replaces Colin Firth as voice of Paddington

Bond star Ben Whishaw is the new voice of Paddington Bear after Colin Firth "consciously uncoupled" from the role last month.

The English actor, 33, stepped in after Paddington director Paul King decided that a "slightly more open and younger voice" was needed.