British Comedy Guide

Phelim O'Neill

  • Actor

Press clippings Page 4

Addison takes to the stage of the Hackney Empire to deliver a live clip show based around his favourite year. His comedy odyssey takes us back to 2001, when Bush Jr came to power and ITV's Popstars gave us Hear'Say. News footage shows the year to be not that funny at all, with the twin towers falling and mass culling of foot and mouth-infected livestock, but this just gives Addison a chance to deploy the stockpile of gags he's had a decade to gather.

Phelim O'Neill, The Guardian, 7th October 2011

Although the pilot was a BBC affair, this new comedy series arrives on Sky. Created by and starring comedians/music video directors Chris Bran and Justin Chubb, it's set on the isolated fictional isle of Jinsy. It's all about silly situations and funny wordplay, more like The Goons and Stanley Unwin than Little Britain. Its good supporting cast includes Alice Lowe (Darkplace), Harry Hill and even David Tennant.

Phelim O'Neill, The Guardian, 19th September 2011

How long can they keep making Shooting Stars? The answer to that poser seems to be: forever. As a game show, it's always been more show than game - the competition provides a frame for Reeves and Mortimer to hang a variety of jokes on. Tonight we get a nice "entertaining the troops" gag from Angelos and some familiar R&M characters such as Charity Peter, from their recent web shorts, and the return of some popular brothers. It's impossible to say you've seen it all before when dealing with a show that ends with a demonic exorcism performed on Tess Daly.

Phelim O'Neill, The Guardian, 14th August 2011

The BBC4 comedy makes the move to BBC2. There will come a time soon, after the cost is tallied and the results examined, when the 2012 London Olympics will be no laughing matter. Until then, it's fair game. Writer-director John Morton previously helmed the great People Like Us, and here the tone is similar and the standard just as high. Set in the Olympic Delivery Committee, complete with dreadful logo, we meet the excellent cast - Hugh Bonneville, Olivia Coleman, Jessica Hynes, Vincent Franklin - as they prepare to relaunch their website. A terrific start.

Phelim O'Neill, The Guardian, 19th July 2011

After his wonderfully shocking introduction last week, lurching into the final shot with a shiv, Robbie Coltrane returns to hold Jack Dee's Rick Spleen hostage - he even gets co-headline billing in the opening titles. It's good to see him back on the box; he's always a huge presence on the small screen, and not just because of his immense girth. They're trapped together in the prison library and all that he wants from Spleen is some honest conversation, so having an inveterate liar as a hostage may prove problematic.

Phelim O'Neill, The Guardian, 28th June 2011

Psychoville: in a different league

Killing most of their characters off in the final episode was ruthless but ensured this dark comedy kept you hooked.

Phelim O'Neill, The Guardian, 7th June 2011

The second and, by all accounts, final series of Psychoville draws to a close tonight. While it has a wonderfully twisting (and twisted) plot, it's in the details that this has impressed the most. Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith throw in pick'n'mix influences from Hammer horror, 50s schlock sci-fi, Lindsay Anderson's Britannia Hospital and much more. The secret of the locket is finally revealed - but who, in a show that has seemingly been intent on killing everyone off this series, will still be around to see it?

Phelim O'Neill, The Guardian, 6th June 2011

Jack Dee's sitcom returns for a fourth season. Not much has changed, and that's not a bad thing. This is a show that follows an effective routine, in which Dee's Rick gets some crazy notion into his head then parades it in front of his family, friends and neighbours as they bring him slowly back down to earth. This week, wife Mel is picked as the subject of a Sunday supplement piece and Rick tries to hijack it for some press for himself. It's up to his sarcastic writing partner, stoner daughter, depressed maid etc to deflate his ego.

Phelim O'Neill, The Guardian, 31st May 2011

A new series in which comedians perform a gig in their home town. Really, the gig could be anywhere - other than a quick introduction in Manchester city centre there's nothing particularly illuminating. It's as if they started the show with a clear premise then decided they couldn't be bothered to go through with it. Addison's stand-up is all about whining about everyday stuff, and the audience love it. He's joined by comedians Jo Enright and Craig Campbell (respectively from Birmingham and Canada) to continue ignoring the Mancunian theme.

Phelim O'Neill, The Guardian, 14th April 2011

The second episode sees the Olympics Deliverance Committee on a hellish journey to meet Sebastian Coe at the Olympic stadium. After picking up delegates from Brazil's committee, the going gets slower and slower, allowing the team to deliver more of their trademark government-speak nonsense while Graham, Head Of Infrastructure, turns into a punishing backseat driver. It's a good mix of The Thick Of It and People Like Us, two shows this shares its DNA with.

Phelim O'Neill, The Guardian, 21st March 2011

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