Steve Bennett (I)
- Journalist and reviewer
Press clippings Page 96
Preview: Tracey Ullman's Show Series 2
Overall, the strike rate, upped with some hit-and-run quickies, is impressive. Tracey Ullman's Show could be that most elusive of things: a primetime BBC One show that pleases critics as much as audiences.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 3rd February 2017Review: Simon Munnery: Standing Still
Simon Munnery could be his generation's Peter Cook. A bone fide comedy genius, but one showing little drive, at least in his performance, to maximise his innate brilliance.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 3rd February 2017Review - The Maydays: Happily Never After
While there were a reasonable smattering of laughs from bona fide funny lines, the show relies more for its amusement on a sense of strangeness and the occasional struggles of its talented cast with their ad-hoc logic.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 2nd February 2017Review: NATYS 'Top Of The Bill' final 2017
Rahul Kohli is a slick gag-machine, packing in gags about Brexit that almost seem nostalgic now we're in a whole other world of racist madness. But he laughs off bigotry and uses politics as a bouncing-off point for silly gags rather than labouring any points.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 30th January 2017Review - Phill Mann: Nothingism
The Vaults Festival, an underground Edinburgh Fringe-type warren of venues beneath Waterloo station, has kicked off its six-week comedy programming with Phil Mann's one-man improv show, Nothingism. But unfortunately it lives up to its name, and is pretty much a 'nothing' of a show.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 26th January 2017Theatre review: ...And This Is My Friend Mr Laurel
The affection Jeffrey Holland has for a comedian who was both inspired and inspirational, toiling tirelessly away to hone the comic talent he was born with, is palpable - ensuring this tribute is as heartfelt as it is fascinating.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 23rd January 2017Review: Comedy at the Hippodrome, London
The first comedian to play the London Hippodrome was Charlie Chaplin, who was a youngster in extravagant 1900 circus variety show, headlined by Little Tich and featuring on its packed bill a water spectacle on a flooded, sunken stage, a horse act, 21 lions and 'Lavater Lee and his screamingly funny bucking mule'. The last comedian to play the London Hippodrome - now a casino but with a classy cabaret venue within - was Glenn Wool, who had to work his Canadian socks off to get a reaction from a largely sluggish crowd last night. How times have changed.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 19th January 2017Jack Whitehall At Large review
It's a peculiarly British trait to have affection for the posh. Whatever their unfair advantages of birth or the entitlement that imbues, when the assuredness is undercut with a knowing self-disparagement or comic buffoonery, we forgive them a lot. It's what Boris Johnson has built his career on.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 17th January 2017Not Going Out series 8 preview
Not Going Out isn't the sort of emotive, appointment-to-view comedy that so many artistically motivated comics are making. But the rarity of being a light sitcom that's dependably funny thanks to script and character - not the dated, grating extravagance of the likes of Citizen Khan or Mrs Brown's Boys - is quite the achievement. No wonder it's future is assured. The day Not Going Out is not going out on TV is a long way off.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 13th January 2017The Chris Ramsey Show preview
This is the WKD of comedy. Broadcasters are putting their faith in Chris Ramsey being the next Russell Howard in the 'cheery comedian with youth appeal' demographic, but this is a cheap and vacuous platform, even if his innate, good-natured likability keeps the show afloat.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 11th January 2017