The sound of no hands clapping
Diane Spencer on playing to tiny audiences
05/06/2009 … A man wakes up from a coma, to an empty, evacuated London city.
Latest Opinions
Chortle's Opinions section is an arena for fans to share their views on any aspect of comedy.
We invite general comment pieces about particular aspects of the comedy scene (although reviews of individual shows or performers tend not to be suited to this section except in very rare circumstances). Contributions should be at least 500 words in length, in a similar tone to something you might read in a broadsheet newspaper, and emailed to steve@chortle.co.uk
We reserve the right to edit pieces – although we will be careful not to change the meaning of anything – or not to use them at all. By submitting an article you grant Chortle indefinite licence to use it freely; though you retain the copyright on it to use it elsewhere.
Fri 05 June 2009
Fri 22 May 2009
Carry On films... they're just not funny
22/05/2009 … I put to you the most controversial statement in comedy: You do not actually like Carry On movies.
Why I became a stand-up
22/05/2009 … What do I want to be when I grow up? Policeman - nah too fat! Astronaut - nah, I get a nose bleed climbing a ladder! Entertainer - bingo! I love to make people laugh,…
Mon 18 May 2009
Still bringing sunshine
Sean Prower pays tribute to Morecambe and Wise
18/05/2009 … It was Eric Morecambe’s birthday last week – he would have been 83 on Thursday – so I felt the urge to write about how much Eric and Ern made me admire comedy.
Fri 15 May 2009
Harry Hill vs The BNP? Fight!
Dave Cohen recalls alternative comedy's finest hour
15/05/2009 … I’ve written a few pieces for this section of Chortle and the last thing I want is to become the Grand Old Bore and Ranter-In-Chief about ye goode olde dayze of…
Wed 06 May 2009
Armando Iannucci, comedy genius
06/05/2009 … There is nothing better in comedy than savage satire, and we usually turn to the likes of Chris Morris or Frankie Boyle for that.
Tue 05 May 2009
Are you experienced?
Nicola Vaughan De'Wheel on comedy's cult of youth
05/05/2009 … I have just read a biography of a comedian on a comedy club website which wrote of his meteoric rise from nervous open spot to headliner of major comedy clubs in…
Thu 30 April 2009
The wrong man in the right place at the wrong time
Dave Cohen remembers the legendary Wizo
30/04/2009 … Ask any comic of a certain age, who was the maddest, drunkest, most reckless, over-the-top person they’d ever met on the circuit - nearly all would answer Malcolm…