Category: Review

Premier Comedy & Speaker Booking Agency

Professor Brian Cox Horizons

Professor Brian Cox in Horizons: A 21st Century Space Odyssey

Professor Brian Cox brings his unique style of scientific presentation to a series of Live Arena events. This Manchester University lecturer known for his highly popular BBC TV series – ‘Wonders of the Solar System’ (BBC 2010) and ‘Wonders of the Universe’ (BBC 2011) takes his gigantic knowledge into a two-and-a-half-hour spectacular show. Supported admirably…
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The show up and running - Jim Tavaré

Jim Tavaré Touring & Speaking (Deadpan to Bedpan)

Jim Tavaré returned to the UK in May 2019 to tour his award winning Edinburgh show – ‘Deadpan to Bedpan’ Arts Centres & Venues Jim appeared at a number of arts centres and venues including Swindon Arts Centre, Joker Comedy Club (Southend), The Junction (Cambridge), Royal Spa Centre (Leamington Spa), The Capitol (Horsham), Hazlitt Theatre…
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Best book Banner - Michael Parkinson on George Best

Book Review: George Best A Memoir by Michael Parkinson

Michael Parkinson was friends with George Best (1946-2005) for over 30 years; if anyone could shed light on this genesis of a footballer surely, he could. Yet throughout the book (George Best: A Memoir) it contains memories as the title suggests, but does not shed any new light on this complex but highly charismatic footballer.…
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Jasper & Alistair Web Banner

Tour Review: Jasper Carrott & Alistair McGowan

Jasper Carrott and Alistair McGowan, the bacon and eggs pairing, are a surprising mixture of comedy talent touring the country together with their different but complementary styles of stand up. Well Observed Impressions McGowan’s well observed impressions drive his act forward, one after the other, some nicely catching the ear, especially those where other impressionists…
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kevin-keegan-event

Book Review: Kevin Keegan My Life in Football

It’s more than 40 years since Kevin Keegan was the face of Brut, Pirelli slippers, Smith’s crisps and the Green Cross Code. He possessed the most famous autograph in football. Kevin was England’s golden boy. The best player in the country. At a time of under achievement for the nation at international level. He followed…
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Streetcar named desire

A Streetcar for the Modern Age

Richard Inverne vigorously approves of Chelsea Walker’s new production of the Tennessee Williams classic, currently running at NST City, Southampton. In a 1975 interview with New York Times columnist Robert Berqvist*, Williams insisted that his plays contained ‘very little’ autobiographical content, although John Lahr’s excellent 2014 biography of the writer, Tennessee Williams: Mad Pilgrimage of…
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Royal Shakespeare Company - Cicero's Rome

Imperium: the RSC’s imperious view of Cicero’s Rome

In 2014, Mike Poulton adapted Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall novels for the Royal Shakespeare Company. The result was a huge success, garnering such plaudits as ‘As in Mantel’s book, you feel this is history made manifest’ (Michael Billington, The Guardian) and ‘an adaptation that knows exactly when to speak and when to stay silent and…
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The team (Luise Usiskin, Tori James, Dr.James Bellini & Kirk Kinnell)

Delegates Held Hostage by 4 Speakers

A Business Speakers Conference provided its members with a group of diverse, interesting and thought-provoking guest speakers (Luise Usiskin, Tori James, Dr.James Bellini & Kirk Kinnell) at South Lodge, Hotel tackling a number of interesting subjects. The team met as a panel to discuss delegates questions, with the conference hosted by BBC reporter / compere…
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Alan Ayckbourn: How the other half Loves

Alan Ayckbourn: ‘How the other half Loves’

In ‘How the other half Loves’, Alan Ayckbourn explores the different social attitudes to supposed infidelity. This, six hander play (three couples), set in the 1960’s, contains all the hallmarks of strong comic plotting with moments of extreme farce. Originally written by Ayckbourn in 1970, being his second work, much waited for after the success…
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Portsmouth - The Pompey Story

Life & Chimes: The Pompey Story

The Chimes of Pompey rang out to all Portsmouth fans to come to the Kings Theatre to watch a potted amusing, informative theatrical history of their football club: The Pompey Story. This highly entertaining show was introduced by BT Sports commentator Ian Darke with the help of Peter Brackley bringing his now famous caretaker character…
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theatre show

Sunday Night At…

NOT Sunday Night at the London Palladium! But Sunday Night at the Theatre Royal Brighton with all the glamour, glitz and talent associated with the London Theatre, along with the variety talent which had many switching on their TV sets in the 50’s and 60’s, but now making their way to Brighton for the same…
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Brian Conley - Hire A Hero

Hire a Hero – Gala Charity Night

You’ve fought in the Falklands, completed trips to Afghanistan and Northern Ireland, perhaps seen awful things that many of us in our life will fortunately never see. Yet what does one do when leaving the service? How does one cope adjusting to what most of us consider everyday life? The yearly average net outflow from…
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Poster Lyric Theatre

Backstage: Tavaré All-Star Comedy Benefit Night

Over 500 people packed into the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury avenue, to enjoy a Comedy Benefit Night show that only comes around once in a lifetime. There seemed more stars than the night sky. All giving their time free to support their colleague Jim Tavare who had been through an horrendous car accident and now faced…
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Comedy Impressions

Comedy Impressions: Making An Impression In The Modern World

Nowadays, Comedy Impressions and Impressionists are a rare sight on stage and screen. This art form has been left behind with flared trousers and the eighties word processor. Comedians are now more observational, chatty, satirical and find no room for impressionism within their acts. A vocal jamboree of celebrity characters is seen as ‘old hat’…
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Best of British Farce

Best of British Farce: Ray Cooney’s ‘Out of Order’

Farce is never an easy form of theatre to succeed in. Yet Ray Cooney has made it his lifetimes ambition and work to create some of our best loved and well written British Farce. ‘Out of Order’ is not one of Cooney’s best (even though it won an Laurence Oliver award for Best Comedy 1991)…
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The-Play-That-Goes-Wrong

Theatre Review: Play That Goes Wrong by Lewis, Shields & Sayer

Following its humble beginning at the Old Red Lion, Islington (2012) ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ is drawing strong audiences in its West End run. It further gained attention after appearing on the Royal Variety Show and has since gone from strength to strength. This is the play that turns slapstick comedy into an intelligent,…
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John Hartson

Welsh Football’s John Hartson: Big Heart & Balls

What better way to celebrate St. David’s day than in the company of Welsh footballing legend John Hartson who joined a lunch on behalf of the Sussex cricket Foundation to celebrate the occasion. The former footballer, now turned television soccer pundit on BBC and BT Sports, addressed a keen audience on his career and life.…
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Brighton & Hove Albion - Albion in community

Seagulls The Goldstone Days – Brighton & Hove Albion 20 Years On

Brighton & Hove Albion are sitting at the top of the championship, expectation around the city is cautiously positive. The Seagulls have knocked on the door of promotion (through the play off’s) three times in the last five years. Last year success seemed finally on the way, yet more heartache. This season confidence is high…
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Volkswagen advertisement

Comedy Ads: Horses Laugh Hysterically at Bad Car Parking

Laughter is infectious. Even more so when the laughter is coming from a group of animated horses. These horses are the stars of a new Volkswagen commercial advertising the trailer assist feature of the new Tiguan car. The hilarious Volkswagen advert was published onto their YouTube channel on the 12th October and now has over…
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RSC The Tempest

Royal Shakespeare Company’s High Tech Tempest – Does It Work?

Did the RSC’s high-tech The Tempest work with or against Shakespeare’s dark, enigmatic comedy? The Tempest apparently premiered with a performance at Whitehall Palace in 1611, performed by the King’s Men before King James I and his court. Whilst we do not know much about this occasion, we can assume that His Majesty was pleased…
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Marcel Lucont (Alexis Dubus) - French comedian

A German Company, A French Comedian & 50 Scots

At the end of a conference it is refreshing for delegates to look forward to the evening dinner and entertainment. At this event, a German company, with a subsidiary in Britain, organised a French comedian to entertain its 90% male UK workforce containing an abundance of Scotsmen, Irish and a some English, all in relaxed…
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Ian Wright

Book Review: Ian Wright ‘A life In Football’

Ex footballer Ian Wright plots his rise from a South London Council Estate to Summariser on ‘Match of the Day.’ In his autobiography ‘A life in Football’. He lifts the lid on his career and personal life. In a very honest and self-critical publication. From Sunday morning football to Arsenal legend. Being a professional footballer…
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Henry Blofeld - Rogues on the Road

Cricket Masterclass: Rogues On The Road

Observing Ian Botham coming towards you in a very aggressive mood at an airport, is not a pretty site on tour, but this was one of many stories told by darling cricket commentator Henry Blofeld in a short tour of shows with his old BBC Test Match special (TMS) producer Peter Baxter who joined in…
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Where Cricket Meets Beaujolais Nouveau 2016

French Beaujolais Meets English Humour

The first bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau were gently mixed with some comedy, light music and Camembert cheese at the county ground on Thursday 17th November. This being the first day of the season for such a celebrated French wine, much loved around the world, particularly in its home country where corks were pulled in great…
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