James Acaster, graphic novels and the Edinburgh Fringe

The Independent’s entertainment newsletter [View in browser]( [The Independent]( August 20, 2022 [The Independent]( Written by Jessie Thompson   The IndyArts Newsletter   Is it possible to laugh TOO much? My colleague Isobel Lewis can let you know at the end of the month. She’s currently running around the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, seeing more comedy shows that I thought humanly possible. Her excellent dispatches on [what to see]( are well worth a read, not least because she’s on this year’s Edinburgh Comedy Prize panel. Check out her all-important round-up of [the best jokes]( of the Fringe so far, and [don’t miss the rest of her coverage here](. I was fascinated by [Nick Duerden’s encounter with graphic novelist Nick Drnaso](. A few years ago, Drnaso's Sabrina was the first graphic novel to ever be nominated for the Booker Prize. But it turns out he hates it, and wanted it to be pulped before it was published. The experience hasn’t put him off publishing completely, though - his latest novel, Acting Class, is released this month. Isobel Lewis has an essential guide to the must-see comedy at this year's Edinburgh Fringe   Earlier this week, we had [an exclusive extract from Cosey Fanni Tutti’s new book Re-Sisters](. It’s a fantastic piece of writing that has made me want to dig out the whole book. She writes powerfully about Delia Derbyshire, a pioneer of electronic music, and how both women were underestimated in the industry.   [The Saturday Interview – James Acaster]( [Oscars image]( James Acaster has written a book about leaving social media (Pal Hansen) Is James Acaster quitting stand-up? Apparently not. This week, the five-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee tells Isobel Lewis how people were wrong to think he was giving it up. They also chat about his book on leaving social media, why he doesn't want to romanticise his mental health struggles and his viral routine about Ricky Gervais. [Oscars image]( James Acaster on Celebrity Mastermind (BBC/Hindsight/Hat Trick Productions/William Cherry/Press Eye) Read an extract from our Saturday Interview below… I was in the audience for the taping of Cold Lasagne in 2019, and it certainly felt like it could have been Acaster’s last ever show. I mention this to him and he nods. “When you would have seen it, that was the last time I did the show and I was definitely ready to not do stand-up for a bit and just have a break,” he says. But it was always intended to be just that – a break. The pandemic certainly made it seem more permanent, but in reality, he was probably “taking the same amount of time off as most people”. Now, Acaster is returning on his own terms. He’s spent the last few months popping up at random shows across the UK, and just last week he announced a run of US tour dates for his new show (fittingly titled Hecklers Welcome). It was news that prompted a collective sigh of relief from his fans. [Read the full interview here]( [What to binge this week]( Sean Bean and Nicola Walker in 'Marriage' (BBC) Marriage Sure, [everyone’s going on about House of the Dragon](. But I just want to watch Sean Bean and Nicola Walker [mope about in puffer jackets](, grappling with their suburban disenchantment. Stefan Golaszewski’s BBC drama has split opinion, I can tell it’s making an impact by the sheer number of WhatsApps I’ve had asking “you watching Marriage??” 'Marriage' is available on BBC iPlayer Out and about Jordan Gray: Is It a Bird? Five-star review klaxon! Isobel Lewis had the highest praise for Jordan Gray's Edinburgh Fringe debut. The musical comedian mines her own identity to powerful effect, in a show that's not only funny but has the potential to be life-changing. [Read the review]( Leo Reich: Literally, Who Cares?! The precocious stand-up Leo Reich is just 23, but already winning acclaim for his show in which he satirises Gen Z narcissism and wrestles with his own privilege. It's another must-see debut, according to Isobel Lewis. [Read the review]( Seann Walsh: Is Dead. Happy Now? Four years after he became a target for the tabloids, Seann Walsh is purging memories of Strictly snog-gate with an excellent comedy show at this year's Fringe. Isobel Lewis has strong praise for his highly personal new show – see her verdict in tomorrow's Week on Stage column. 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