{{Short description|British stand-up comedian, writer, actor and performer}} {{Infobox person | name = John-Luke Roberts | image = Screen shot of John-Luke Roberts in "John-Luke Roberts and Thom Tuck Introduce the Gig".png | caption = John-Luke Roberts in 2020 | birth_name = | birth_place = | occupation = Stand-up, actor, writer | website = {{URL|www.johnlukeroberts.co.uk/}} }}
'''John-Luke Roberts''' is a British stand-up comedian, writer, actor and performer.
He was named as one of the 50 funniest comedians of the 21st century in ''The Daily Telegraph'' in August 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/comedians/2023/8/1/50-best-comedians-21st-century-paul-sinha-merton/|website=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=28 January 2024|title= The 50 funniest comedians of the 21st century|first1= Dominic|last1=Cavendish|first2=Tristram|last2=Fane Saunders |first3=Mark|last3=Monahan|first4=Sharon|last4=Lougher|date=1 August 2023}}</ref>
==Style== Roberts' comedy style is absurdist,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/theatre-dance/article/edinburgh-comedy-review-john-luke-roberts-at-assembly-festival-fllj2h09c|title=Edinburgh comedy review: John-Luke Roberts at Assembly Festival|first=Dominic|last=Maxwell|date=August 10, 2018|via=www.thetimes.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2018/aug/21/john-luke-roberts-review-assembly-george-square-edinburgh-fringe-festival|title=John-Luke Roberts review – Spice up your life with the nonsense manifesto|first=Brian|last=Logan|work=The Guardian |date=August 21, 2018|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://broadwaybaby.com/shows/john-luke-roberts-all-i-wanna-do-is-fx-gunshots-with-a-fx-gun-reloading-and-a-fx-cash-register-and-perform-some-comedy/735197|title=John-Luke Roberts: All I Wanna Do Is [FX: GUNSHOTS] With a [FX: GUN RELOADING] and a [FX: CASH REGISTER] and Perform Some Comedy!: 4 star review by Charlie Ralph|website=broadwaybaby.com}}</ref> and often uses props and physical movement, as taught by French clown Philippe Gaulier at École Philippe Gaulier with whom Roberts has trained.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://endoftheroadfestival.com/artist/john-luke-roberts/ |title=John-Luke Roberts - End of the Road |website=endoftheroadfestival.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903082204/http://endoftheroadfestival.com/artist/john-luke-roberts/ |archive-date=2018-09-03}}</ref> Roberts uses character comedy within his stand-up.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://broadwaybaby.com/features/edfringe17-comedy-qa-john-luke-roberts/1840|title=#EdFringe17 Comedy Q&A: John-Luke Roberts by Martin Walker|website=broadwaybaby.com}}</ref>
Roberts has had jokes nominated in the best<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/comedians/edinburgh-fringe-comedians-funniest-jokes/john-luke-roberts/|title=The 60 funniest one-liners from the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=July 28, 2017|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/aug/15/the-10-best-jokes-from-the-edinburgh-fringe|title=The 10 best jokes from the Edinburgh fringe|first=Compiled by Paul|last=Fleckney|work=The Guardian |date=August 15, 2017|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref> and worst<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/culture/edinburgh-festivals/50-of-the-worst-jokes-and-one-liners-from-the-edinburgh-fringe-1-4535150/|title=50 of the worst jokes and one-liners from the Edinburgh Fringe|website=www.scotsman.com}}</ref> lists at the Edinburgh festival.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-11053202|title=Holiday pun is Fringe's funniest|work=BBC News|date=August 23, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2010/08/23/edinburgh-fringe-festival-the-best-and-worst-jokes-487704/|title=Edinburgh Fringe Festival: The best and worst jokes|first=Metro|last=Reporter|date=23 August 2010}}</ref>
==Career== ===Early career=== Roberts studied at the University of Cambridge where he was a member of the comedy society. Roberts took part in ''So You Think You're Funny'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/fgwg/john_luke_roberts/|title=John-Luke Roberts - First Gig, Worst Gig|first=British Comedy|last=Guide|date=June 7, 2018|website=British Comedy Guide}}</ref> and in 2005 was a finalist in the ''BBC New Comedy Award.''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/spats/|title=Spats - Radio 7 Sketch Show|first=British Comedy|last=Guide|website=British Comedy Guide}}</ref>
Roberts founded ''The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society'' which he cohosted with Thom Tuck at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and which has had residencies at the Soho Theatre, The New Red Lion, and The Bill Murray.
===Film, television, radio and podcasts=== Roberts wrote the 2006 BBC 7 radio show ''Spats''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/spats/episodes/|title=Spats series and episodes list|first=British Comedy|last=Guide|website=British Comedy Guide}}</ref> Roberts has written for ''Have I Got News For You'', ''Newzoids'' and ''Never Mind the Buzzcocks'' for the BBC TV as well as ''The News Quiz'', ''Dilemma'' and ''Newsjack'' for BBC Radio 4.<ref>{{cite web |title=Look on My Works, Ye Mighty, and Despair! (All in Caps) |url=http://edfringereview.com/e/WXsAQ0NoTZqWFVjMXDx6yg |website=Edfringe Review |access-date=14 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903082048/http://edfringereview.com/e/WXsAQ0NoTZqWFVjMXDx6yg |archive-date=3 September 2018}}</ref> Roberts voiced the computer in ''Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p015pkvv/p015pjqh|title=BBC Radio 4 Extra - Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully, Series 1, Taking Overs, Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully - John-Luke Roberts|website=BBC}}</ref> In 2015 Roberts' sitcom ''Bull'', co-written with Gareth Gwynn, aired on UKTV Gold, starring Robert Lindsay and Maureen Lipman.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theatreweekly.com/edinburgh-preview-john-luke-roberts-all-i-wanna-do-is-fx-gunshots-with-a-fx-gun-reloading-and-a-fx-cash-register-and-perform-some-comedy-at-assembly-studio-five/|title=Edinburgh Preview: John-Luke Roberts - All I Wanna Do Is [FX: GUNSHOTS] With a [FX: GUN RELOADING] and a [FX: CASH REGISTER] and Perform Some Comedy! at Assembly Studio Five|first=Theatre|last=Weekly|date=17 June 2018}}</ref>
In 2017, Roberts hosted ''The Tony Law Tapes'' podcast with Tony Law.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tonylawtapes.co.uk/ |title=John-Luke Roberts Presents Tony Law in The Tony Law Tapes |website=www.tonylawtapes.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012044058/http://www.tonylawtapes.co.uk/ |archive-date=2017-10-12}}</ref>
Roberts co-wrote ''The Goodies'' revival episode with Gareth Gwynn, Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie and Barnaby Eaton-Jones, which was available through ''Audible'' in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/online/the_goodies_live_in_your_ear/cast_crew/|website=Comedy.co.uk|accessdate=28 January 2024|title= The Goodies - Live In Your Ear}}</ref> Roberts wrote and appeared in the short film ''Asparagus Tips'' which included appearances by Cariad Lloyd and Margaret Cabourn-Smith and won Best Horror film at the 2019 Munich indie film festival.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/punching-ups/2019/05/14/43037/we_accidentally_made_a_horror_film|title='We accidentally made a horror film' : Punching Up 2019 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide|first=Steve|last=Bennett|website=www.chortle.co.uk}}</ref> That year, he could also be seen as Klaus the German clown in the Emma Thompson and Paul Feig Christmas film ''Last Christmas''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/film/last_christmas/cast_crew/|website=Comedy.co.uk|accessdate=28 January 2024|title=Last Christmas}}</ref>
He presented a documentary on the 1996 novel ''Infinite Jest'' by David Foster Wallace for ''BBC Radio 4'', as part of the second series of the ''Exploding Library'' series, which first aired in December 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/the-exploding-library/episodes/2/3/|website=Comedy.co.uk|accessdate=28 January 2024|title= Series 2, Episode 3 - Infinite Jest, by David Foster Wallace}}</ref>
He is the host of the podcast ''Sound Heap'', which he co-created with producer Ed Morrish, it won the BBC Audio Drama Award for Best Sketch Comedy in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1LwL1lk0ngVrMvJkhvRFs9y/audio-drama-awards-2022-the-winners |website=BBC.co.uk|accessdate=28 January 2024|title= Audio Drama Awards 2022 – The Winners}}</ref> The podcast is semi-improvised and semi-written, by John-Luke and a long list of guests including Tom Allen, Isy Suttie and Deborah Frances-White.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://podnews.net/press-release/sound-heap-launch|website=Podnews.net|accessdate=28 January 2024|title= Sound Heap promises a podcast of infinite podcasts|date=28 May 2021}}</ref>
Roberts has been a guest on ''The Comedian's Comedian with Stuart Goldsmith''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedianscomedian.com/Podcasts/john-luke-roberts/|title=John Luke Roberts|website=The Comedian's Comedian|access-date=2019-12-07|archive-date=2019-12-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191207041833/https://www.comedianscomedian.com/Podcasts/john-luke-roberts/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and has appeared as a guest on comedy podcast ''Do the Right Thing''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/podcasts/dotherightthing/series3_6/|title=Series 3, Episode 6 (Angelos Epithemiou & John-Luke Roberts) - Do The Right Thing|first=British Comedy|last=Guide|website=British Comedy Guide}}</ref> He has also guested on the Josie Long presented Radio 4 series ''Short Cuts'',<ref>{{cite web|website=BBC|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001rydp|title= Creature Features Series 36|accessdate=28 January 2024}}</ref> and Benjamin Partridge comedy series ''Beef And Dairy Network Podcast''.<ref>{{cite web| title=The 6 Best Beef And Dairy Network Podcast Episodes |url=https://podyssey.fm/podcast/itunes1022024768-Beef-And-Dairy-Network|website=Podyssey.fm|accessdate=28 January 2024}}</ref>
===Live performances=== Roberts has performed numerous one man shows. His 2014 Edinburgh Fringe Festival show was entitled ‘Stnad-up’ and addressed his break-up with fellow comedian Nadia Kamil,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeout.com/edinburgh/comedy/john-luke-roberts-stdad-up|title=John-Luke Roberts: Stdad-Up | Comedy in Edinburgh|website=Time Out Edinburgh}}</ref> and his 2015 Edinburgh show ‘Stdad-up’ addressed the death of his father.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/aug/25/john-luke-roberts-at-edinburgh-festival-review-filial-rage-fires-up-grotesque-tribute|title=John-Luke Roberts at Edinburgh festival review – filial rage fires up grotesque tribute|first=Brian|last=Logan|work=The Guardian |date=August 25, 2015|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref> His 2018 show was ''All I Wanna do is [FX: GUNSHOTS] with a [FX: GUN RELOADING] and a [FX: CASH REGISTER] and Perform Some Comedy!'' He followed that up with ''After Me Comes the Flood (But in French)''.<ref>{{cite web|website=The Guardian|accessdate=28 January 2024|title= John-Luke Roberts: master of nonsense rails against comedy blandness|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2020/feb/11/john-luke-roberts-comedy-style|first=Brian|last=Logan|date=11 February 2020}}</ref> In 2022 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival he performed ''A World Just Like Our Own, But...'' and toured it internationally in 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/shows/edinburgh_fringe_2022/j/32516/_john-luke_roberts%3A_a_world_just_like_our_own%2C_but...|website=Chortle|accessdate=28 January 2024|title= John-Luke Roberts: A World Just Like Our Own, But...}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.broadwayworld.com/adelaide/article/John-Luke-Roberts-Brings-Two-Shows-To-Adelaide-Festival-20230126|website=Broadway World|accessdate=28 January 2024|title= John-Luke Roberts Brings Two Shows To Adelaide Festival|first=Stephi|last=Wild|date=January 26, 2023}}</ref> Roberts international performances have included Adelaide,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/adelaide-fringe/comedy/adelaide-fringe-2017-review-johnluke-roberts-dreamboat/news-story/1fac58db57d63a85916ebede75e109bf?nk=c2e5eb41936f1847eaba6fd36b4468eb-1575691632|title=John-Luke Roberts: Dreamboat|date=March 10, 2017|newspaper=Adelaidenow}}</ref> and Melbourne.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/british-parody-act-graeme-of-thrones-in-town-to-everyones-character-favourites-from-game-of-thrones/news-story/1e5ccb591b68f1e253a5ee965e2451bc|title=Game Of Thrones parody hits town|date=September 12, 2017|website=www.heraldsun.com.au}}</ref>
Roberts has created absurdist plays ''Terrible Wonderful Adaptations'' with fellow comedians such as Mark Watson and Kieran Hodgson, performed at the Edinburgh Festival.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/what-to-see/john-luke-roberts-terrible-wonderful-adaptations-review-edinburgh/|title=John-Luke Roberts: Terrible Wonderful Adaptations review, Edinburgh Fringe: highbrow tomfoolery|first=Tristram Fane|last=Saunders|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=August 21, 2018|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fest-mag.com/edinburgh/comedy/john-luke-roberts-look-on-my-works-ye-mighty-and-despair-all-in-caps|title=John-Luke Roberts: Look on My Works, Ye Mighty, and Despair! (All in Caps)|date=August 18, 2017|website=Fest Magazine}}</ref> He has written and performed plays and sketches with Nadia Kamil under the name ‘''The Behemoth''’.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.edinburghspotlight.com/2011/08/fringe-interview-john-luke-roberts-and-nadia-kamil-the-behemoth/|title=FRINGE INTERVIEW – John-Luke Roberts and Nadia Kamil: The Behemoth –}}</ref>
Robert's debut stand-up comedy album, ''It Is Better'', was released in 2021 on Monkey Barrel Records.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Monkey Barrel Records|url=https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/monkey-barrel-comedy|access-date=2021-05-08|website=Crowdfunder UK|language=en}}</ref>
Roberts has also directed live comedy, including Josh Glanc’s ''Vroom Vroom'' which ran in London and the Melbourne Comedy Festival in 2022,<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.chortle.co.uk/review/2022/04/10/50525/josh-glanc-vrooom-vrooom|website=Chortle|accessdate=28 January 2024|title= Josh Glanc: Vrooom Vrooom|date=10 April 2022|first=Steve|last=Bennett}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://sohotheatre.com/events/josh-glanc-vrooom-vrooom/|website=Sohotheatre|accessdate=28 January 2024|title= Josh Glanc: Vrooom Vrooom}}</ref> and the 2023 ''Be Well '' tour show of Myra DuBois.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thereviewshub.com/myra-dubois-be-well-peacock-theatre-london/|accessdate=28 January 2024|title= Myra Dubois: Be Well – Peacock Theatre, London|first=John|last=Cutler|website=The Reviews Hub|date=September 14, 2023}}</ref> He performed as Al (short for Alisthair) in physical theatre company Spymonkey's production ''Hairy''. Directed by founding members Toby Park and Aitor Basauri, it was the first children’s show presented by Spymonkey, and the first Spymonkey production not to feature the original cast.<ref>{{cite web|website=The Stage|accessdate=28 January 2024|title=Hairy Review|date=July 7, 2023|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/hairy-review-at-polka-theatre-london-by-spymonkey|first=Anya|last=Ryan}}</ref>
He created the show ''Clownts'', a competitive clown show, with Viggo Venn, Julia Masli and Sami Abu Wardeh.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/jul/10/clownts-review-three-maestros-compete-in-a-celebration-of-anarchic-hilarity|first=Brian|last=Logan|title= Clownts review – three maestros compete in a celebration of anarchic hilarity|website=The Guardian|accessdate=28 January 2024|date=10 July 2022}}</ref> He created the show ''Cabaret Impedimenta'' with Harry Haddon and Kasia Fudakowski of ''The Art of the Palliative Turn'' in which cabaret acts have to try and perform their numbers, while a growing number of impediments try to make it impossible for them to do so.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://entertainment-now.com/2023/05/brighton-fringe-review-cabaret-impedimenta/|title= Brighton Fringe Review: Cabaret Impedimenta|first=Victoria|last=Nangle|date=May 30, 2023|accessdate=28 January 2024|website=Entertainment-Now}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://www.johnlukeroberts.co.uk/}} * https://m.imdb.com/name/nm3163392 {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, John-Luke}} Category:Living people Category:British comedians Category:English clowns Category:Year of birth missing (living people)