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—this book 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 are also 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.

Andrew Roberts contributes film articles to Sight and Sound, History Today, Observer, Independent and Guardian. He has contributed chapters to Ealing Revisited, British Comedy Cinema and Routledge Companion to British Cinema.