All stories by Viv Groskop on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

In (partial) defence of Jo Koy's comedic disaster: hosting the Golden Globes is far harder than it looks | Viv Groskop by Viv Groskop

Stars in Spanx and borrowed jewellery make for a tough crowd, and we love nothing more than when a comedian bombs When are we going to get over the idea that hosting a huge awards ceremony i…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:24AM
Wednesday, March 2, 2022

A rehearsal for war: Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s path from comic to symbol of courage by Viv Groskop

As the president of Ukraine, his defiance has made him a hero across the world. Could his success as a politician lie in his years as an entertainer? Hugh Bonneville was as surprised as anyo…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:18AM
Tuesday, April 2, 2019

How funny is the comedian who may be Ukraine’s next president? by Viv Groskop

Volodymyr Zelenskiy is the leading candidate to take the top job in his country – so who is he, and will he bring the laughs? It’s a gag worthy of an Armando Iannucci screenplay. And yet…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:25AM
Monday, February 19, 2018

Polski sklep-stick – is Brexit Britain ready for eastern European standup? by Viv Groskop

A wave of comedians from Poland, Hungary, Latvia and Romania are helping to tackle stereotypes about EU immigrants in the UKIt’s not easy being a Polish comedian in Brexit Britain. “I ha…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:56AM
Friday, October 13, 2017

Happiness is a salty potato – and other life lessons from Russian literature by Viv Groskop

Don’t trust a woman who wears too much perfume and know your limits – Viv Groskop on the 10 top tips Chekov, Tolstoy and others have for us todayWar and Peace by Leo TolstoyThis is the f…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:12AM
Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Viv Groskop: Playing Shakespeare without a rehearsal? Now we’re talking by Viv Groskop

With no rehearsals, cast bonding or even full scripts, the idea of cue-script Shakespeare left actor and comedian Viv Groskop terrified. Now

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM
Tuesday, February 14, 2017

A new satire must emerge – one that breaks out of the liberal bubble | Viv Groskop by Viv Groskop

We need a rebirth of political comedy: preaching to the converted about Trump and Brexit isn’t going to be enoughMelissa McCarthy’s Saturday Night Live impersonation of Sean Spicer, the …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:12AM
Saturday, November 19, 2016

My 21st-century Wendy by Viv Groskop

The director Sally Cookson is renowned for turning family shows upside down. As her National Theatre Peter Pan opens, she talks about why she made Wendy the real star of the show“I have vi…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:02AM
Sunday, November 22, 2015

The Master and Margarita: fiends reunited by Viv Groskop

The Master and Margarita, a novel about the devil and his cat wreaking havoc in Moscow, is said to be impossible to adapt. Can Simon McBurney succeed where Fellini and Polanski failed?Simon …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:19PM
Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Kim Cattrall’s nearly 60 – what can she teach me? | Viv Groskop by Viv Groskop

Even the Sex and the City star dwells on ageing. Which leads the rest of us to realise we must be old, while she is still – well, very like SamanthaThe French call it a coup de vieux: that…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:49PM
Monday, July 20, 2015

A Book for Her by Bridget Christie review – a hybrid of writing and performance by Viv Groskop

The prizewinning standup’s comic genius transfers brilliantly from stage to pageChristie sets this book up to be a story of failure, which is, of course, immediately winning. “You’ve i…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:09AM
Monday, May 25, 2015

British comedy 'offensive'? Don't make me laugh! by Viv Groskop

This obsession with what is allowed to be funny and what is not is all very wearing, writes a part-time standup comedian.

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:58PM
Sunday, January 18, 2015

Why don’t female standups crack more puns? by Viv Groskop

It may be Miranda Hart’s catchphrase, but ‘pun intended’ doesn’t seem to be the case for many female comedians Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:30AM
Saturday, December 13, 2014

Matthew Bourne: If people say, ‘You made me cry’, I think: ‘Oh good’ by Viv Groskop

The British director and choreographer on following Swan Lake, why Edward Scissorhands is ideal for Christmas, and who should win Strictly Come DancingJudith Mackrell: Edward Scissorhands is…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:00AM
Tuesday, July 29, 2014

The free spirit of the Edinburgh fringe is alive and kicking by Viv Groskop

Yes, some people will cash in, but there is a backlash in Edinburgh against the involvement of big business Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:30AM
Saturday, August 3, 2013

Did you hear the one about the Edinburgh Fringe show that made a profit? by Viv Groskop

New performers are being forced out by the festival's surreal economicsHere's a Facebook status update from Canadian comic Mae Martin, whose show Slumber Party is at the Edinburgh fringe's U…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:04PM
Sunday, June 9, 2013

Taking a stand: when stand-up comedy turns ugly by Viv Groskop

When, in her 40s, Viv Groskop discovered that stand-up comedy was her calling, she decided to kickstart her career with 100 gigs in 100 days. Here she relates the very worst – courtesy o…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:07AM
Friday, November 11, 2011

Tim Minchin: My life as a dad by Viv Groskop

Musical comedian Tim Minchin met his wife when he was only 17 – they've been together 19 years. When he became a father, he discovered a whole new world of feeling to inspire his songs abo…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:04PM
Saturday, October 22, 2011

Jack the lad: Jack Whitehall interview by Viv Groskop

After his success in Fresh Meat, Jack Whitehall is touring the nation. Viv Groskop asks him: 'So, are you the next Michael McIntyre or the next Russell Brand?It would make sense to hate Jack…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:05PM
Thursday, September 29, 2011

Crying with laughter by Viv Groskop

Who would do standup comedy in front of sleep-deprived mothers and their babies? A growing number of female comics, it seemsIt is lunchtime in the back room of a pub in Sheffield, and a grou…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:30PM
Saturday, September 24, 2011

Stella McCartney: she does things after her own fashion | profile by Viv Groskop

Once accused of using her father's name, the designer has long established her own credentials. Perhaps that's why now she feels happy to collaborate with Sir Paul on his first classical bal…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:04PM
Saturday, June 18, 2011

US funny women lead the way as Bridesmaids hits the big screen by Viv Groskop

Bridesmaids, the US comedy and 'fem-friendship' movie is being seen as a cultural landmark, as women get the killer linesThe film is fast-paced and riotous and represents a dire warning abou…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:04PM
Saturday, January 29, 2011

Into the Whirlwind - theatre review by Viv Groskop

Noel Coward theatre, LondonFrom the first scene of Eugenia Ginzburg in solitary confinement, dignified but desperate, to the final tableau of outstretched hands reaching through the iron bar…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:05PM
Saturday, January 1, 2011

British comedy 'offensive'? Don't make me laugh! by Viv Groskop

This obsession with what is allowed to be funny and what is not is all very wearing, writes a part-time standup comedianNever mind Little Britain. Middle England is having a sense of humour …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:05PM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards