comedy

Thomas Crapper and a toilet seat made from the Elgin Marbles

I’ve been up and down to London like a cockney yo-yo the past few days. Thursday: a sketch rehearsal at Theatre Deli in the city, followed by a show at Hoopla Impro in London Bridge with some visiting pals (one a big improv enthusiast) from Istanbul. Friday: an improv session with an experienced improviser, Melissa Read more

January 26, 2026

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jamesofwalsh

in

Diary, London, comedy, art, Improv

Writing, Hoopla Impro, Mr Crapper, Editing
An evening with John Lloyd and Steve Pemberton

Tonight was an End of the Pier show – not in the traditional sense, but these talks with comedy greats did take place at Horatio’s, the old karaoke bar at the end of Brighton pier. It was an interesting place to be on a dark and stormy night, and the waves looked garish in the Read more

January 16, 2026

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jamesofwalsh

in

Acting, art, comedy, Diary, science fiction, Sketch Comedy

Brighton, comedy, John Lloyd, League of Gentlemen, Steve Pemberton
De-ice the cycle lanes before widening the motorways

I came off my bike while navigating the cycle lane by Preston Park (pictured) yesterday. I had seen a pedestrian slip over in the same area when passing the same junction in the opposite direction earlier the same day, and I’d already been warned that the cycle lane along the seafront hadn’t been gritted. Plus Read more

January 8, 2026

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jamesofwalsh

in

Brighton, comedy, Diary, Next Level Sketch, Trains
Bad Luck: Void Show, Aces & Eights, Camden

Laurie Black’s beautiful and sporadic Bad Luck Cabaret is one of the most consistently excellent nights out in London, or Brighton, or wherever it is Black decides to pitch her tent filled with alternative music, comedy, performance art, and other wonderful strangeness. Tonight [1], the big top is a seedy basement in Tufnell Park, and Read more

January 4, 2026

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by

jamesofwalsh

in

art, comedy, Diary, music, Reviews

Bad Luck Cabaret, comedy, Jamie Mykaela, John Robertson, Laurie Black
The Highchurches Do Totally Acoustic and Next Level Sketch, The Highchurches, and Robin Ince do This Machine Kills Wasps

Hello! I’ve been Not Updating my blog lately, as I’ve reached the limit of my plan data wise, and have been weighing up whether to move to a new blogging platform or not. It’s a tricky decision, as on the one hand I’m very annoyed with WordPress for their brazen and very stupid embrace of Read more

December 11, 2025

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by

jamesofwalsh

in

Brighton Folk Choir, comedy, Diary, folk, Sketch Comedy, The Highchurches, This Machine Kills Wasps

Brighton, comedy, Jo Burke, Next Level Sketch, Robin Ince, Sketch Comedy, The Highchurches, This Machine Kills Wasps
Next Level Sketch with Siblings, Joz Norris, Stephen Catling, Mikey Bligh-Smith – and not me!

Due to a fatality on the line, myself and fellow cast member Kat couldn’t make it up to Brighton for the show last night. I spent a weird hour at the station, surrounded by sad Arsenal fans, one crying about missing their match in the Littlewoods Cup (as I think it’s still called). Annabel Edmonds Read more

October 30, 2025

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by

jamesofwalsh

in

comedy, Diary, Next Level Sketch, Sketch Comedy

comedy, Hoopla Impro, Joz Norris, London, Next Level Sketch, Siblings, Sketch Comedy
Eric Idle live at The Royal Albert Hall

There’s a kind of person who loves Terry Pratchett. A hoopy frood who always knows where his towel is. They could be neurodivergent, or maybe not – it doesn’t matter. They respect Brian May, as an astronomer. They’ve dabbled in steam punk, know Alan Moore better than he knows himself, and could quote any scene Read more

October 11, 2025

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by

jamesofwalsh

in

art, comedy, Diary, London, music, Places, Sketch Comedy

Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life, comedy, Eric Idle, London, Royal Albert Hall
Next Level Sketch Comedy with special guests Lil Wenker, Alex Bertulis-Fernandes, Verity Sharpe and Sir Kier Starmer QC

Opinion was divided on how good a show this was, in terms of our own set. For [fellow producer] Rebecca, it was an 8/10. Very good, but not in the top echelons, for which you need a room absolutely rammed full of sketch appreciators, was her view. I disagree – I think this was the Read more

September 26, 2025

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by

jamesofwalsh

in

Acting, comedy, Diary, Next Level Sketch, Sketch Comedy, theatre

Alex Bertulis-Fernandes, Hoopla Impro, Lil Wenker, Next Level Sketch, Next Level Sketch Comedy, Sketch Comedy, Verity Sharpe
The Return To The Land Of Zero Consequences

She is somewhere in the citySomewhere watching televisionWatching people being stupidDoing things she can’t believe in Pulp – Sheffield: Sex City Ten months ago, I applied to be in a Hoopla Impro house team, then forgot all about it. I didn’t even turn up to the audition. Oh well, my life was heading in a Read more

September 14, 2025

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by

jamesofwalsh

in

comedy, Diary, Improv
Special guest appearance at Boast In Show: Ultimate Champion, Komedia Brighton

Surprises stress me out. If anyone out there was plotting a surprise birthday for me, with all my friends popping out of various cakes, I would probably look stunned for a few minutes and then leave without a word. So it was with a degree of trepidation that I agreed to be the special guest Read more

September 11, 2025

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by

jamesofwalsh

in

Brighton, comedy, Diary, The Highchurches

Brighton, comedy, The Highchurches