Comedy - stand-up and comedian interviews, previews and profiles

Preview Comedy Sessions at The HiFi Club

We look ahead to the latest stand-up gigs at the basement venue

The HiFi Club is one of the gems of the Leeds nightlife scene, providing an intimate venue for live music gigs, club nights and stand-up. It’s one of the most welcoming night spots in the city and it hosts an eclectic roster of entertainment throughout the week, helping it to attract a diverse and friendly crowd. Every Saturday evening it’s comedy night, when you get to see performances by three… Read more...

Preview The Library Autumn/Winter Line-Up Revealed

Top comics set to perform this autumn season

When winter starts to draw in and the weather gets frosty, a dose of The Library‘s rip-roaring comedy should warm you up nicely. With a whole host of top comedy names performing at the venue this autumn and winter, there should be something to suit all comic tastes. And with a mere 150 tickets available for each show, guests are in for an up close and personal affair… Read more...

Preview Live Comedy in Bradford: Autumn Season

Yorkshire comedy fans have a busy season of stand-up ahead

A number of exciting acts are in store for Bradford’s St George’s Hall this autumn season. If you can’t wait till September to start the comedy season, Jongleurs will tide you over until then, as it returns to Bradford on Friday 23rd July. Two hours of stand-up comedy from the best and brightest stars will kick-off at 8pm. The event, for over 18s only, is guaranteed to keep you laughing… Read more...

Interview Silky

We catch up with the Leeds-based comic and Kill For A Seat promoter

Kill For A Seat seems to be ever expanding throughout Yorkshire! How many shows do you promote now?

Three in Leeds (Kill for a Seat at Seven Arts, the Courtyard Comedy Club for the West Yorkshire Playhouse, various things at Verve); Kill for a Seat Comedy Clubs at Great Northern Wine in Ripon, the Hop in Wakefield, Nosh in Almondbury, and the Arts Centre in Helmsley; and gigs further afield… Read more...

Review Monty Python's Spamalot

Tom Goodhand gets down to The Grand to check out the musical "lovingly ripped off from" Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Monty Python were comedy geniuses. There is little question of that fact, and their two full length feature films, Holy Grail and Life of Brian, are hilarious, subversive British comedies.

Spamalot isn’t merely based on Holy Grail, it takes huge great chunks of it and repeats it verbatim. This is no criticism. There are scenes in Holy Grail which are more-or-less impossible not to laugh at, and when hammed (or… Read more...

Review Lockipedia

Sean Lock's encyclopaedic approach to comedy

A suited, booted and bespectacled middle aged dad-of-three. On appearance alone, the last thing you would expect the star of Channel 4’s ‘8 out of 10 Cats’, ‘TV Heaven, Telly Hell’ and BBC’s ‘QI’ to be is funny. But think again.

Sean Lock finds humour in the absurdity of the everyday, sharing a knowing wink of everyday experience with the audience. “It’s a funny old world…” he muses with a… Read more...

Review Highlight Comedy Club

Lizzie Pillinger reports from the Leeds branch of Highlight on 4th June

Drew Barr

Mr Barr describes himself as a mixture of Bond villains. Notwithstanding a crude Blowfeld/Oddjob contraction ensuing, this is the sinister impression created by his three piece suit, brogues and ‘Allo ‘Allo style twirled moustache. He is skilful at his role of warming up the crowd – comprising three or four tables of middle-aged groups, two hen do’s and a couple of couples – gaining momentum for the acts… Read more...

Interview Barry Cryer

Simon O'Hare speaks to the comedy legend supporting the City Varieties fundraising effort

“It was a complete accident, me in showbusiness – a complete accident,” says comedy veteran Barry Cryer, speaking exclusively to the Leeds Guide. Cryer is in town to support the launch of a major new fundraising campaign for the refurbishment of the City Varieties theatre on Swan Street, a Grade II listed building with national significance. Back in the late 19^th century more than 300 such music halls existed nationwide,… Read more...

Review John Bishop: Elvis has left The Building.

Matthew Dyas watches the stand-up John Bishop perform in Bridlington. If you like what you hear, he's playing Harrogate later this year

What connects John Bishop with The Big Lebowski star Jeff Bridges? Their grandfathers are both from Liverpool. That is just one of the events that Bishop recounts in painful detail in his show Elvis Has Left the Building. Shortlisted for last year’s Edinburgh Comedy Award, the sell-out show tells the whirlwind story of Bishop’s rise to fame and how in some ways he just isn’t ready for it.

At 44… Read more...

Interview Lucy Porter

The comic talks bling with Simon O'Hare before her Fools Gold tour calls into Leeds

Do you enjoy touring or is it a pain being away from home?

No, it’s quite nice. I just find myself drifting around the shops during the day and eating too much, but it’s fine.

Do you know Leeds well?

I do. I’ve spent quite a lot of time in Leeds. For shopping it can’t be beaten!

Your show’s all about gold – what sparked your interest in… Read more...