The Double Act: A History of British Comedy Duos

The double act has been at the heart of British entertainment for over 150 years, yet there has never been a book detailing how this form of comedy continues to develop. From music hall turns such as Flanagan & Allen, to variety acts who managed to make the transformation to television such as Morecambe & Wise, to more recent performers – Armstrong & Miller, Mitchell & Webb – The Double Act explores the dynamics of this form of entertainment. It encompasses the often neglected field of female double-acts, such as Victoria Wood & Julie Walters and French & Saunders, and the acts associated with alternative comedy and the Edinburgh Fringe, from Rik Mayall & Ade Edmondson to Stewart Lee & Richard Herring. There would also be chapters on the double-acts created by TV sitcoms – e.g. Tony Hancock & Sidney James, Terry & June, George & Mildred – and on the subtle art of the straight man.

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