Brilliant! The Fast Show's quickfire comics return
10 February 2012 12:00 AM
Lovers of The Fast Show will be heartened to know that the release of a second batch of internet-only episodes is due next week.
Slapstick to serious can be a bumpy ride
06 February 2012 12:00 AM
Miranda Hart has made the best of moving from comedy to drama, says Gerard Gilbert
Being Modern: Arena comedy
05 February 2012 12:00 AM
You see those two tiny dots in the distance? That's you, that is. Well, it was if "you" were Rob Newman and David Baddiel. Oh, how we chuckled at their "History Today" sketches in the early 1990s. How we roared as they took their shtick to Wembley Arena, becoming the first comedians to fill its 12,000 seats. How we wept when we realised we were sat so far from the stage that they might as well have been sarcastic marionettes.
Has Billy Connolly lost his mojo?
05 February 2012 12:00 AM
He's still on tour at 69, but Britain's 'greatest stand-up' is turning into a cantankerous and unpredictable diva, says Simmy Richman
My Secret Life: Jackie Mason, 75, comedian
04 February 2012 12:00 AM
My parents were... fantastic. My father was a rabbi, my mother was a typical Jewish mother who fussed over her children and thought they could do no wrong.
In the thick of a new satire: Peter Capaldi on his new foray into gentle comedy
03 February 2012 12:00 AM
Foul-mouthed Malcolm Tucker has allowed his creator to explore his range of talents on film, TV, and stage.
The Diary: Roman Polanski; BBC Radio; Denmark's best stand-ups; Royal Court
27 January 2012 12:00 AM
Go no more a Roman
Where are all the female comics?
21 January 2012 12:00 AM
Decades after they started out, French and Saunders are still Britain's best-known 'funny girls'. But a new generation of women is about to change all that, discovers Gerard Gilbert.
The Diary: Keira Knightley; Absolutely Fabulous; Tony Blair; Ben Kingsley; Hatchet Job of the Year Award
06 January 2012 12:00 AM
Keira aura
2012: The unmissable cultural treats
30 December 2011 12:00 AM
Next year promises to be a cultural jamboree, with world-class films, art exhibitions, gigs and theatre performances around the country. Our critics select the most exciting highlights
Sarah Millican: Gossip girl
24 December 2011 12:00 AM
She's the unlikeliest comedy hit of the year – the one-time lowly civil servant from South Shields whose total candour and killer punchlines have won her a vast audience
Critical mass: The Independent's cultural picks of the year
23 December 2011 12:00 AM
We've seen 12 months of famous returns, fabulous new works, and once-in-a-lifetime exhibitions. Relive the best here...
My Secret Life: Tim Key, poet and comedian, 35
17 December 2011 12:00 AM
My parents are... Carol and Bill. They are both retired. Carol is flourishing, Bill is on a sharp descent towards Meldrewdom. He recently had a letter published in the local paper where he vented his spleen about the wording on signs for cyclists. They continue to be supportive and are delighted when I do any comedy without swearing.
A cultural Christmas: The best films, shows, art, comedy, gigs and dance over the festive season
16 December 2011 12:00 AM
Looking forward to watching The Great Escape again? Or listening to that Christmas CD one more time? Why not go out instead?! Miranda Kiek and Ben Walsh select the best cultural treats on offer
Free trial of new Independent iPad app
Get your daily dose of the best of British journalism, sponsored by American Airlines
Win a three-week coastal jaunt
Spend three weeks exploring every nook and cranny of gorgeous Atlantic Canada.
Amazing restaurant offers
Three glasses of free champagne and a special menu at 46 top London restaurants.
Latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
