Bruce Dessau
- Journalist and reviewer
Press clippings Page 231
Review: Jack Dee's Referendum Helpdesk, BBC2
Nobody seems to have told the person that did the opening credits for this comedy version of Question Time that it is about the EU. Instead subject titles such as "relationships" and "money"Romesh Ranganathan rolled past as if our host, serial cynic Jack Dee, was any old agony aunt.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 14th June 2016Preview: Murder In Successville, BBC3
There is certainly a lot of improvisation about at the moment. We reviewed this yesterday and there is this show at the Soho Theatre. But there is nothing quite like BBC Three's Murder In Successville, which features real celebrities winging it to crack a fictional killing alongside comedians playing it for laughs.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 14th June 2016Review: Whose Line Is It Anyway?... Live
At over two hours the show does become a little repetitive towards the end, but it's not the performers or the format that are at fault, just the desire to offer value for money. It's amazing to think that there were no live versions of this in the UK for two decades. The producers must be thinking of all those full houses they missed out on over the years as they count up the takings for this limited run.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 13th June 2016Interview: rarely asked questions - Milton Jones
It is hard to believe there was a time when one liners and wordplay were not particularly popular. These days there are one liner comedians everywhere. There is even a UK Pun Championship. As far as I know Milton Jones has never entered but then if he did there would be no point anybody else turning up.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 11th June 2016Lewis Schaffer: 'Do I have to talk about the show?'
Lewis Schaffer is grumpy. The London based New Yorker would return to the states if only someone would pay for him to go. In a 15 minute chat with Martin Walker he explains why his new show is not new at all.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 10th June 2016Preview: Mum, BBC2, episode 5
As Bruce Springsteen might have said if he was writing about Mum it's darkness on the edge of town this week. It's an October morning, the sun has not risen and Cathy is mooching around, finding various people in various states of distress and undress around her suburban semi.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 10th June 2016Review, Mock The Week, BBC2
"I hate people who phone me up just to complain about the weather, which is how I lost my job with mountain rescue." - Gary Delaney.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 9th June 2016Ed Byrne, comedy review: flushes of comedy gold
Byrne certainly has the skill to spin witty yarns on a diverse array of subjects, but he needs stronger issues to keep things interesting, says Bruce Dessau.
Bruce Dessau, Evening Standard, 8th June 2016Review: Upstart Crow, episode 5
I couldn't see a co-writing credit alongside Ben Elton's name for William Shakespeare, but as anyone with a basic grasp of English literature will spot this week's episode is a comical rewrite of Macbeth. And a pretty nifty one, with David Mitchell as the bard convinced that he has committed murder at the behest of his scheming wife so that they can move to the big house in Stratford before prices rise out of reach.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 6th June 2016Review: Sky Arts Irish Comedy Shorts
Sky Arts has made a bit of a name for itself recently giving new and familiar talent a platform in pithy short films. They've done it before and they have done it again with a new selection of Ireland-based quickies.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 5th June 2016