© Swiss Chocolate Pictures Why fat jokes are OK
...but only when they're done well, says stand-up Kate Barron
01/07/2022 … I am pro-choice, especially when it comes to comedy.
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 01 July 2022
© Swiss Chocolate Pictures Tue 28 June 2022
What I've learned about marketing a show at the Edinburgh Fringe
By comedian and advertising creative Alice Brine
28/06/2022 … Being a stand-up comedian can actually take you down a lot of unexpected career paths.
Mon 13 June 2022
Why, 60 years on, Spike Milligan's Bed Sitting Room is as relevant as ever
'Stark, ribald and surreal' satire gets a fresh outing
13/06/2022 … Spike Milligan’s post-apocalyptic dark comedy The Bed Sitting Room has not been performed on stage for almost 40 years.
Tue 07 June 2022
How to pitch to arts journalists at the Edinburgh Fringe
Writer Ashley Davies offers some tips for performers
07/06/2022 … Every August, thousands of comedians, theatre productions and the rest all fight to get noticed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Thu 26 May 2022
© C4 Derry Girls: How joyful to get to see teenage girls challenging taboos just by being themselves
Analysis by Belfast-based academic Alison Garden
26/05/2022 … It’s a summer evening in Derry in 1997, the night before four teenage girls and a wee English fella get their GCSE results.
Sun 01 May 2022
© Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA/CC BY-SA 2.0 How Gilbert Gottfied found his voice
By voice specialist Erica Tobolski
01/05/2022 … Though Gilbert Gottfried’s voice has alternatively been described as 'shrill', 'annoying' and 'grating', you can’t…
Mon 18 April 2022
© LightField Studios Inc / Alamy Stock Photo Religious jokes and medieval cancel culture
Academic Seb Coxon on the role of humour at Easter
18/04/2022 … Just how serious is Easter? For non-churchgoers (like myself) with a sweet tooth (guilty, again) the answer to this question is probably: not very, although the…
Fri 14 January 2022
How to be a bang average MC (and still get paid)
14/01/2022 … Recently, a number of newer comedy acts have asked me for tips on how to become or improve as an MC.