Bruce Dessau
- Journalist and reviewer
Press clippings Page 282
Maxine Peake confirmed as Women In Comedy patron
Maxine Peake has been confirmed as Patron of the Women in Comedy Festival, which opened in Manchester over the weekend. On her appointment, Peake commented, "I'm proud to be supporting the UK Women in Comedy Festival as a patron. A festival filled with laughter combined with feminist principles taking place in the North ... what's not to support!"
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 14th October 2014Book review: More Fool Me by Stephen Fry
This is, of course, a well-written book. But it is also a very big book, which it didn't need to be. The opening eighty pages or so are a recap of his life so far, while a hefty chunk at the end is Palin-style diary entries with intermittent added footnotes. But the thing about Fry is that he is a larger-than-life figure, making huge sums of money, dining with the Great and the Good, hoovering up marathon lines of marching powder back in the day. He could hardly deliver a piddly paperback could he?
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 13th October 2014The Tommyfield - comedy review
Sometimes club gigs toss you a curveball. Last night's first act, Suzi Ruffell, was taken ill just before going onstage. Newer comics Alex Smith and Mark Silcox gamely plugged the gap while supersub Lloyd Griffith biked over from Battersea.
Bruce Dessau, Evening Standard, 10th October 2014Review: Just Like That! - The Museum of Comedy
I arrived a little late for Just Like That! but I soon worked out what was going on. I had originally assumed that this was a revival of the play by John Fisher about Tommy Cooper's life that ran in the West End a few years back. In fact it is a more straightforward trick-by-trick tribute to the comedian famous for his fumbling manner and his fez.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 9th October 2014Robert Newman, Leicester Square Theatre - comedy review
Robert Newman sets himself up against his bogeyman Richard Dawkins, satirising his concept of the selfish gene with a routine about a postman trying to deliver a parcel to Dawkins and ending up wrestling naked with him.
Bruce Dessau, Evening Standard, 9th October 2014Review: Angela Barnes, Soho Theatre
I know awards aren't everything and Barnes is obviously going to be a TV regular anyway, but I really can't see how this missed out. If you like a flutter place your bets now on the panel making amends in 2015.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 8th October 2014Review: Daniel Kitson, Stewart Lee & more
It is hard to believe but there have been mutterings of a Daniel Kitson backlash. His latest theatre piece, Analog.Ue was not greeted by the usual ecstatic reviews. Maybe - though I fully expect he would deny it - that is why he has been getting back to his first love of stand-up recently, compering a number of benefits with a few more in the pipeline. This really is what he does best. As he jokily boasted onstage at the Palace Theatre last night, he is, after all, the finest comedian of his generation.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 7th October 2014Interview: Cassetteboy
f you have a broadband connection you will have surely already seen this clip in which David Cameron's speeches are exquisitely edited to fit into the melody of Eminem's Lose Yourself. Last night it had had a million YouTube hits. I woke up this morning and the number had almost doubled. Cassetteboy - two publicity-shy comedians who want to hide their faces - have totally gone overground with this sample of spot-on satire. Beyond The Joke asked for an interview and while they were not prepared to meet face-to-face, half of the team, "Mike", did answer some questions via email.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 3rd October 2014Jason Byrne offers cash prize for best show title
Each year Jason is asked for the name of his touring show and each year Jason has to think up a title. This year he is handing the power back to the people and is asking his audience to name the show for him. Hence the provisional title of You Name The Show. The best name will win £500. There will be a leader board on stage each night and by the end of the tour the show will have a name.
Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 3rd October 2014Alan Davies, Indigo at The O2 - comedy review
Alan Davies's latest show, Little Victories, features shameless nostalgia, fart jokes and a moving portrait of British eccentricity.
Bruce Dessau, Evening Standard, 3rd October 2014