Critics' Choice

Fay Maschler

quote With a single dessert and just two glasses of wine our bill was kept in check - but the effort of doing so was not much fun quote

Babbo Film

Andrew O'Hagan

quote This is a film with beautiful performances and a visual style that urges you towards reflection quote

Bright Star Theatre

Henry Hitchings

quote Although the first half of Kwei-Armah�s production is pacy, funny and intelligent, the energy level then drops off quote

Seize The Day

Reader reviews

Film

Squiz, Islington

quote I loved this film from start to finish. Take the girlfriend, tell your mum - I'd see it again tomorrow and will buy the dvd. quote

An Education Theatre

Joe, London

quote I saw this last night and can't remember the last time I was so moved in the theatre. quote

This Much Is True Restaurants

Hiroshi Sugiyama

quote I have been to many of London's so-called best Japanese restaurants and none have been as good as the food that I've had at Aqua Kyoto quote

Aqua Kyoto

Critic's choice: top five comedy shows

By Bruce Dessau, Evening Standard 06.07.07

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Top tip: Josie Long is among the highlights of the Edinburgh Festival previews in town this weekend

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There's a comedy adventure at the Museum of London, a plethora of Edinburgh Festival previews, Sean Lock and Mark Thomas all trying to make you laugh in the capital this weekend.

Laughter In Odd Places
Museum Of London, EC2
Not just a comedy gig, a veritable one-off night of comedy adventure with shows taking place all around this museum. Among those taking apart are childlike wag Howard Read, quickfire satirist Andy Zaltzman and if.comeddies nominees We Are Klang. Admission free, but club membership required.
(0870 444 3850) Thursday, 6pm.

Josie Long/Gordon Southern
Monkey Business, NW5
You can pick from a plethora of Edinburgh Festival previews in London this weekend, but one of the best has to be this double-header featuring consistently crowd-pleasing south London resident Gordon Southern and the gifted, irrepressible queen of indie comedy, Josie Long, who might well walk off with every award available in Scotland next month.
(07932 338203) Tomorrow, 7.30pm.

Mark Thomas, AL Kennedy, Armando Iannucci
Purcell Room, SE1
Not so much a comedy gig as a provocative comedy forum, taking place as part of the London Literature Festival - and anyone who saw writer AL Kennedy's dubious stab at stand-up in Edinburgh last year will be relieved she is merely chatting about humour tonight. These three very different artists will be discussing political correctness and the boundaries of taboo-busting offensiveness.
0871 663 2500) Tomorrow, 7.45pm.

Sean Lock
Pleasance, N7
A low-key gig for the skilful performer who has finally notched up some wider recognition after being known as the comedian's comedian for umpteen years. If you were a fan of Lock's cult sitcom 14 Storeys High you'll love his live persona, which is equally absurd but substantially more energetic. If you cannot get a ticket don't panic, there will be a big tour in the autumn.
(020 7609 1800) Friday, 9.15pm.

Newbury Comedy Festival
Various venues
For southerners who cannot face the trek to Edinburgh there are plenty of imminent pocket-sized festivals, and Newbury's is probably the best. Highlights include Ed Byrne (Corn Exchange, Saturday, 7.45pm) and fellow Irishman Ardal O'Hanlon (Corn Exchange, Saturday, 10pm), Mark Thomas (New Greenham Arts, Wednesday, 7.30pm) and classy gagsmith Michael McIntyre (Donnington Valley Golf Club, Wednesday, 9pm). (01635 522733). 7-14 July.