'Catherine Tate made one of the best sketch shows ever'

Edinburgh Fringe comedian Kate Dolan picks her comedy favourites

Comedian Kate Dolan is at the Edinburgh Fringe with her second hour-long show, The Critic, in which she has to share the stage with her inner monologue. Here she picks her Perfect Playlist of comedy favourites.

Bridesmaids

No doubt about it I still watch this film once a month to keep the horrors at bay. A cast of incredible comedic performances that made it clear there is an appetite and a huge audience for female-led comedy (please see Barbie box office, also).

Kristen Wiig is phenomenal in everything she does, it almost feels insulting to mention SNL because if you haven’t seen her work on the show I will unfortunately have to fight you in the street. Worth mentioning that she is a co-writer of the film and it shows.

Megan McCarthy is a scene stealer in the best way. Shout out to the movie Bottoms as well, the Bridesmaids for Gen Z imo.

The Catherine Tate Show

When The Catherine Tate Show was on TV in my house my mum would shout through the house: ‘Kate, your mate is on TV’ because I loved it so much she didn’t want me to miss a second of it.

I don’t know how that made us friends in Mum’s eyes but as it stands it’s a very one-sided friendship. I so admire Catherine Tate and I think this is hands-down one of the best sketch shows that has ever been made.

Catherine Tate has long been a beacon of inspiration for me, she crafted those characters with such specificity, the comedy was based in truth and reality which is what made it so funny. She is not only a fantastic sketch performer and writer, but an incredible actor as well.

Beth Stelling

I put Beth Stelling’s special If You Didn’t Want Me Then on by chance. I don’t often laugh aloud at specials but I was rewinding routines in Beth’s show, routines about camping alone as a female and the pill’s side-effects to name but two.

I so strongly connected with what she speaks about in her stand-up that it made me want to be more specific in my point of view when writing. I feel like Beth is fearless, I can’t wait for her new special and I also gobbled up her 2023 record Girl Daddy.

Hot Department

If you get out to live comedy, which you should, otherwise I will have to fight you in your living room, might I instil this mantra into you: never skip a Hot Department show. They are an Australian sketch duo made up of Honor Wolff and Patrick Durnan-Silva and I have been a fan them for many years.

Their 2023 show Wet Heat at the Sydney Comedy Festival holds the place of funniest show I have ever seen, I was laughing so hard I thought I was going to be sick. They’re the type of act you can see multiple times in one festival, the energy is insane, the sketches are original beyond imagination and the bodies are sometimes, somewhat naked.

Parks and Rec/The Office

Shout out to my main ones Amy Poehler and Steve Carell (they have no idea who I am). Let me introduce you to these extremely under-the-radar shows, you’re welcome. Bit cheeky bundling these two but I can’t mention one without the other.

I’m sure I’m the only person to do this but I rewatch both of these series multiple times over and I will watch them to go to bed, hoping by osmosis I too can might be that funny one day.

I loved Amy Poehler’s book Yes Please and I used to have a Dwight bobblehead and a The Office sign on my bedroom door. Quirky.