Rob Beckett, St David's Hall, Cardiff review - a mixed bag of observations

★★★ ROB BECKETT, ST DAVID'S HALL, CARDIFF Killer lines and tame misses

Scattergun approach yields both killer lines and tame misses

There’s been no avoiding Rob Beckett in recent years. His high beam smile and infectious personality have made him a mainstay of comedy shows. Now he’s back on the road with what he calls the best job in the world, stand up. You can tell he means it, with a show that thrives on enthusiasm if not consistency.

Eddie Izzard, Brighton Dome review - splendidly surreal storytelling

★★★★ EDDIE IZZARD, BRIGHTON DOME Splendidly surreal storytelling in farewell tour

Farewell tour hits the heights

Eddie Izzard is dressed in a killer outfit of black leather jacket, tartan mini-kilt, thigh-length stiletto boots – and false boobs. “I got them at IKEA,” he deadpans. He’s in jovial form for Wunderbar, his farewell tour before he hopes to enter politics.

Russell Howard, Cardiff Motorpoint Arena review - a return with bite

★★★★ RUSSELL HOWARD, CARDIFF MOTORPOINT ARENA A return with bite

Testing times call for some big targets and bigger laughs

It’s been two years since Russell Howard last performed stand-up. That’s a long gap for such an established fixture of British comedy. As he points out, the world has changed, something reflected in his new show Respite. There are still the whimsical anecdotes that made him a star, but he now has bigger foils than his own family.

Ed Byrne, Berry Theatre, Hedge End review - musing on middle-age angst

★★★★ ED BYRNE, TOURING Cheery physicality in an entertaining hour

Cheery physicality in an entertaining hour

Ed Byrne's new show takes a philosophical bent as he muses on middle age and fatherhood. But don't worry, he's not getting soft at the age of 47 – he's as sarcastic, caustic and self-deprecating as ever in If I'm Honest...

Count Arthur Strong, Leeds City Varieties review - stargazing and mangled syntax

★★★★ COUNT ARTHUR STRONG, LEEDS CITY VARIETIES Stargazing and mangled syntax

Steve Delaney's meticulously created character

Count Arthur Strong, the character created by Steve Delaney, started life in the late 1990s and  became a cult figure at the Edinburgh Fringe over several years. Radio shows and three series of a television sitcom (written with Graham Linehan) followed and now he’s taking the character back on the road with Is There Anybody Out There?

Brydon, Mack and Mitchell, Portsmouth Guildhall review - family-friendly fun

★★★ BRYDON, MACK AND MITCHELL, PORTSMOUTH GUILDHALL Family-friendly fun

'Would I Lie to You?' team on the road

Rob Brydon, Lee Mack and David Mitchell are the host and team captains respectively of Would I Lie to You?, the long-running BBC One panel game. Now they are touring together in Town to Town, which is family-friendly fun (with occasional naughtiness from the delightfully sweary Mack).

Edinburgh Fringe 2019 reviews: Jordan Brookes/ Catherine Cohen

EDINBURGH FRINGE 2019: JORDAN BROOKES / CATHERINE COHEN Dave's Edinburgh Comedy Award winners

Dave's Edinburgh Comedy Awards winners

Jordan Brookes Pleasance Courtyard ★★★★

Jordan Brookes doesn’t tell gags. Well, he does but not in a traditional stand-up way. Rather, his jokes are subtly inserted into I’ve Got Nothing’s seemingly disjointed narrative.