Considering oneself "an artist who works in the field of comedy" is the starting point for a fascinating re-framing of the whole goddamn thing, in this conversation with the wonderfully funny, curious, and extraordinarily inventive Ben Target. We discover a shared inspiration in an Argentinian circus, explore Ben's holistic approach to theatre-in-the-round, and find out why minor authority figures are inherently funny...

See Ben's Edinburgh Fringe show 'Splosh'

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23/05/2018 Swindon Arts Centre

26/05/2018 Farnham Maltings

30/05/2018 Aldershot, West End Centre

01/06/2018 Sheffield, The Lescar

02/06/2018 York, The Basement

03/06/2018 Newcastle – The Stand

04/06/2018 Leeds, Duke Studios

08/06/2018 Southampton, Hanger Farm

09/06/2018 Cambridge Junction

12/06/2018 Edinburgh, The Monkey Barrel

13/06/2018 Glasgow, The Stand

15/06/2018 Birmingham Glee

17/06/2018 Brighton Komedia

21-23 June London, Soho Theatre

29/06/2018 Tringe Festival

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Filed Under: Age, Audiences, Awards, Character, Clown, Depression, Drama School, Ed Gamble, Eddie Izzard, Edinburgh, Festival, Festival Comedian, Fringe, Fuerza Bruta, Improv, Interview, Isolation, Jobs, Johnny Vegas, Leicester Comedy Festival, Liam Williams, Mental Health, Nick Helm, Nish Kumar, Open Mic, Pappy’s, Simon Munnery, Sketch, Spencer Jones, Stage Persona, Stereotypes, Street-Performing, Structure, Success, Surreal, The Herbert, Tony Law, Zach Galifianakis

Recorded in 2017, this episode refers to Anne's previous Barry nomination and not her most recent one, which might hint at the kind of quality of comic we've got here...  We talk about her ability to inhabit incredibly funny and idiosyncratic Australian characters, her eye for detail, and then completely miss out on her excellent ABC "noir"-ish sitcom "The Edge Of The Bush".

@anneedmonds1

@comcompod

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16/05/2018 Norwich, Epic Studios

18/05/2018 Northampton Royal & Derngate

19/05/2018 Warwick Arts Centre (Coventry)

20/05/2018 Shrewsbury, Henry Tudor House

23/05/2018 Swindon Arts Centre

26/05/2018 Farnham Maltings

30/05/2018 Aldershot, West End Centre

01/06/2018 Sheffield, The Lescar

02/06/2018 York, The Basement

03/06/2018 Newcastle – The Stand

04/06/2018 Leeds, Duke Studios

08/06/2018 Southampton, Hanger Farm

09/06/2018 Cambridge Junction

12/06/2018 Edinburgh, The Monkey Barrel

13/06/2018 Glasgow, The Stand

15/06/2018 Birmingham Glee

17/06/2018 Brighton Komedia

21-23 June London, Soho Theatre

29/06/2018 Tringe Festival

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Acting, Audiences, Aunty Donna, Australia, Barry Award, Competitions, Edinburgh, Equality, Fame, Feminism, Festival, Fringe, Gender, Interview, Jobs, Mainstream, Money, Persona, Stage Persona, Stereotypes, Storytelling, Success, TV, TV Comedy, Twitter, YouTube

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Filed Under: Age, Audiences, Drinking, Edgy, Edinburgh, Ego, Fame, Festival, First Open Spot, Fringe, Heckles, Interview, Jeff Dunham, Jim Jefferies, Jobs, Leicester Square Theatre, Live, London, Louis CK, Mainstream, Money, Netflix, Onstage Persona, Persona, Radio, Reviews, Soho Theatre, Stage Persona, Stereotypes, Storytelling, Structure, Success, SXSW, TV, Twitter, USA, Writing On Stage

Very funny, amazingly watchable, and offering genuine insight into his personal and social politics, Tez Ilyas is a Northern, working-class, muslim comic capable of going all the way. Exceptionally frank about his disappointment on being overlooked for award nomination, he goes on to identify the historic lack of diversity on the judging panel of one of the most highly regarded prizes in British comedy...

Find tickets for Tez's DVD taping at the South Bank Centre on 7th May at www.tezilyas.com  @tezilyas   

Stu's tour info at www.comedianscomedian.com/tour @comcompod  

Access exclusive extra material from Tez, plus all extra content from the podcast, by signing up for COMCOM MEMBERSHIP with a recurring donation at comedianscomedian.com/donate  

* Get tickets for An Evening With David Sedaris in July from www.myticket.co.uk *

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Filed Under: Audiences, Awards, BBC, Bo Burnham, Channel 4, Chris Rock, Competitions, Criticism, Dave Chappelle, Diversity, Drama School, Eddie Murphy, Edinburgh, Ego, Equality, Fame, Fear, Festival, Festival Comedian, First Open Spot, Free Fringe, Fringe, Interview, Jobs, Live At The Apollo, London, Mainstream, Netflix, Nish Kumar, Persona, Peter Kay, Radio, Reviews, Romesh Ranganathan, Russ Peers, Russell Brand, Soho Theatre, Stage Persona, Stereotypes, Storytelling, Success, The Comedy Store, The Pleasance, Touring Comedian, Trevor Noah, TV, TV Comedy, Up The Creek, Writing Jokes

Her laid-back style masking a sly wit that rewards your full attention, Beth Stelling is an indomitable comic force. Live at SXSW, we discuss risk and reward with regard to pace, bridging alt and mainstream, "putting your briefcase away" when it comes to your set-list, and why she'll never make another bagel sandwich...

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Filed Under: Acting, Age, Alternative Comedy, Audiences, College, Comedy Central, Dark Humour, Diversity, Edgy, Equality, Fame, Fear, Feminism, First Open Spot, Gender, Inspiration, Interview, Jim Carrey, Jobs, Live, Mainstream, Mental Health, Netflix, Open Mic, Persona, Plagiarism, Reviews, Robin Williams, Sarah Silverman, Stage Persona, Success, SXSW, TV, TV Comedy, Twitter, USA, Writing Jokes, Writing On Stage, YouTube

It's hard to imagine a more expressive, searingly honest and comprehensively funny comic than Maria Bamford.  After a year which saw her series and new special on Netflix propel her finally to the earning that befits her talent, Maria reflects on how money, property and prestige don't solve anything, what it's like to be an ex-underdog, and whether it's possible to make a not for profit TV show. We also cover the relationship between her bipolar and her day to day happiness, and ask how you function when "weakness is the brand"...  

@MariaBamfoo
mariabamford.com  

See Stu on tour: www.comedianscomedian.com/tour

Support the podcast: www.comedianscomedian.com/donate

LISTEN HERE

Filed Under: Acting, Age, Audiences, Depression, Directing, Edinburgh, Ego, Equality, Fame, Fear, Festival Comedian, Fringe, How To, Inspiration, Interview, Isolation, Jobs, Lady Dynamite, Leicester Square Theatre, Mainstream, Mental Health, Money, Netflix, Old Baby, Persona, Problems, Reviews, Risk, Seinfeld, SNL, Soho Theatre, Stage Persona, Storytelling, Structure, Success, Touring Comedian, TV, TV Comedy, USA, Writing Jokes, Writing On Stage

Celebrating the release of hilarious and terrifying new movie "Ghost Stories", co-creators Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson talk to Stu about the myriad connections between comedy and horror... Now known primarily for his acting work, Andy was once the silent partner of genre-redefining magician Derren Brown. We talk in detail about misdirection, rhythm and dramatic tension, share Andy's indignation at copycat performers, and find out whether it's cooler to be Bernie than Elton...

 

See Stu on tour: www.comedianscomedian.com/tour
Support the podcast: www.comedianscomedian.com/donate  

Ghost Stories is out this week at UK cinemas!

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Filed Under: Acting, Andy Nyman, Audiences, Derren Brown, Directing, Fame, Ghost Stories, Inspiration, Jeremy Dyson, Jobs, London, Magician, Mainstream, Mental Health, Money, Persona, Plagiarism, Risk, School, Seinfeld, Stereotypes, Storytelling, Street-Performing, Structure, Success, TV, Twitter

Marvellous Maeve Higgins has an apparently meandering style that conceals some seismic punchlines. Now resident in the US, she reveals how running a comedy workshop in Iraq and podcasting with different immigrants has led her to a more global consciousness. She shares some brilliant writing "cheats" for silencing your inner critic, and we explore in detail the close relationships she has cultivated with the editors of her novels and column...

@comcompod
See Stu on tour in the UK HERE 
Give generously at www.comedianscomedian.com/donate

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Filed Under: Alternative Comedy, Audiences, Equality, Fame, Feminism, Gender, Inspiration, Interview, Ireland, Jobs, Josie Long, London, Money, New York, Pappy’s, Persona, Podcasting, Stage Persona, Stereotypes, Stewart Lee, Storytelling, Structure, Success, TV, USA