Thursday 31 January 2013

FESTIVAL PREVIEW #3: The Best of the Rest of the Fest (part 1)

OK, it's getting awfully close to the start of Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival 2013, and I had lots of preview posts planned, but time waits for no man and I have been very distracted by the twin evils of work and illness (awwww bless!)
So I've combined some of the best bits from the remaining categories of comedy, to give you a few more pointers in terms of shows to look out for at the festival, all neatly pigeon-holed for your convenience (and the performers' annoyance, I suspect!)

Nutter: Terry Alderton

Sunday 27 January 2013

WIN TWO TICKETS to see RUSSELL KANE at De Montfort Hall

Okeydokey, we've got another fantastic ticket competition for you comedy-lovin' folk, and it's a biggie!

Russell Kane, the strutting, metrosexual star of Britain Unzipped and Live at The Electric, is coming to De Montfort Hall on 20th February as part of Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival, and Leicester Comedy Scene has two tickets to give away courtesy of the kind folks at Avalon Entertainment Ltd!


Of his latest live show, entitled Posturing Delivery, Russell says: "What if I’m one of the guys who never has a baby? Why is this not a 'male subject'? I plan to give birth, live on stage, then raise it - in front of you. Come along!"

FESTIVAL PREVIEW #2: Character and Sketch Comedy

Howdy folks, it's time for my second preview post for Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival - hooray!
Today I'm looking at some of the finest character comics and sketch groups performing over the 17-day laughathon.

Every stand-up has an onstage persona, that is to say even if they perform as themselves, it's usually an exaggerated or more entertaining version of themselves. But creating a whole new character and completely becoming that character onstage, allows a performer the freedom to say and do things they wouldn't dare to under their own name. A well-realised character can get away with the most horrendously inappropriate things, safe in the knowledge that people will never hold them responsible, only the character.

Tuesday 22 January 2013

WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS to see Edward Aczel at The Belmont Hotel

Righty, following on from my Offbeat Stand-ups preview post, here's another awesome ticket competition for you lucky folks. Courtesy of Bottle Rocket Comedy Club, Leicester Comedy Scene has two tickets to give away to see the magnificent Edward Aczel performing his show 'Edward Aczel has no clear plan emerging' at the Belmont Hotel on Sat 23rd Feb, as part of Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival.


Edward Aczel is known as a hero of 'anti-comedy'. His style is shambolic, poorly presented and he has no confidence in his own skill as a stand-up. For anyone else, this combination would add up to a terrible, unwatchable show, but somehow in the hands of Aczel, it works. His complete lack of witty material and slapdash approach to delivery make for a unique and very funny show. And to prove it, he won the coveted Malcolm Hardee Award at Edinburgh in 2008 and was a runner-up in the 2005 BBC New Comedy Awards, alongside the then-unknown Sarah Millican.

Saturday 19 January 2013

FESTIVAL PREVIEW #1 - offbeat stand-ups

Right then, here we go... the festival brochure has been doing the rounds for quite a while now, and as the annual jamboree of mirth approaches, I am getting more and more people asking me which shows I would recommend going to see. Well, given that everyone's tastes are different when it comes to what makes them laugh, the simple answer to that is "depends what you're into, really".

Of course, if I just left it at that, it would constitute a massive cop-out on my part. So here for your delectation and rumination, I present the first of my festival preview posts, in which I take the intimidatingly vast hog-roast that is Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival and chop it up into easily-digestible bacon-bites for you (facon bites for veggies, obviously) I'll be looking at a different category of comedy in each post - today I present some of my favourite offbeat stand-ups.

Wednesday 16 January 2013

You couldn't make it up - UFI play Just the Tonic next Thursday

For the last few months, Leicester's premier (and probably only) comedy improv group UFI: Unidentified Flying Improv have been literally making it up as they go along, all around the city on their World Tour of Leicester. The final leg of their tour sees them performing at Just the Tonic next Thursday (January 24th).

They describe themselves as performing "short-form improvisation, playing both classic and new games, many of which were made famous by Whose Line Is It Anyway?" I'm assuming since it's live there are no retakes, but they must be good because they were nominated for Best New Show for their Leicester Comedy Festival debut in 2009 (back when it was just called Leicester Comedy Festival).


They're a jolly nice bunch of local performers from varied backgrounds, and performers on the night will include former Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Matt Hollins, stand-up and host of the Emergency! night at The Y Theatre Tom Young, and Lions Eat Ice Cream regulars Ian Hall and Lindsey Warnes-Carroll. Your host for the evening is 'straight-talking, pork-pie eating comedy man giant' Jon Pearson. Definitely not Clive Anderson then.

To see this rowdy rabble of amusing alchemists create comedy gold from nothing in front of your very eyes, simply click yourself over to the Just the Tonic website http://www.justthetonic.com/Leicester-Comedy/shows/thursday-24-jan-2013/935/ and pick up your tickets for a very modest £6 each, or just £4 if you're a dirty student (or convincingly pretending to be one). Just don't expect a script...


Tuesday 15 January 2013

Stars go back to school for The Stroke Association

Next Tuesday, January 22nd, there is a special night of comedy being held at Beaumont Leys School in aid of The Stroke Association. Last September, a 14 year old pupil at the school suffered a stroke during a maths lesson. He is now recovering steadily, and this special evening of comedy aims to raise money for the charity that has helped to see him through.


Performing on the night are Katherine Ryan, a regular on 8 Out of 10 Cats, Elis James, recently seen on Russell Howard's Good News and supporting Rhod Gilbert on tour. Also appearing is Dan Logan, as well as Tiernan Douieb who will be compere for the evening.

It's a very impressive line-up for a school to be playing host to, and the fact that it's for such a good cause means you really have NO EXCUSE for not going. Tickets are £10 and can be booked directly from the school by calling (0116) 2344480 and asking for the finance department. Full details on the event can be found on the Beaumont Leys School website, or via the twitter account @BLeysComedyEve

Monday 14 January 2013

Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year - finalists announced

The excitement is growing as festival time draws ever closer. Today, the finalists have been announced for one of the most prestigious awards in comedy. Every year, the cream of the country's up-and-coming stand-ups compete for the title of Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year as part of Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival.

The 8 finalists have been hand-picked by some of the country's top comedy promoters, and will each perform a set at The Y Theatre on Saturday, February 23, hoping the competition will be a stepping stone to stardom, as it was for previous winners Rhod Gilbert, Johnny Vegas, Mitch Benn, Seann Walsh and Jason Manford.

Saturday 12 January 2013

REVIEW: Spikey et al launch the sh*t out of DLCF 2013

Wow - what an evening! Strap yourselves in folks...
A packed De Montfort Hall were treated to a strong and varied line-up last night for the official Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival 2013 preview show. There was a mixture of old and new, well-known and not so well-known, deadpan and lively, the everyday and the bizarre, so hopefully even the biggest comedy snob would have enjoyed some of the show. I, being a fellow of eclectic tastes, enjoyed pretty much all of it, but in very different ways.

Thursday 10 January 2013

REVIEW: Laughing Calves create a great at-moo-sphere (geddit?) at The Red Tent

Based on my own observations at comedy shows in Leicester, along with the audience stats from the blog and facebook etc, it seems that the regular comedy-going audience is about two thirds male and one third female. And anyone who's been to any comedy night, ever, will tell you that the vast majority of the performers on the evening are male - sometimes there is a token woman on the bill, sometimes not.

How refreshing it was, then, to be one of only three men in the audience on Tuesday night to watch an all-female line-up at The Red Tent. And if all you male readers think this sounds terrifyingly intimidating, you couldn't be more wrong. The atmosphere at Laughing Calves night was nothing but welcoming, friendly and inclusive, with the acts receiving a great deal of encouragement from the crowd. It was definitely a ladies night, but not in the 'drunken hen party, whooping at strippers' sense - more in the 'let's just have a great night without having to put up with all the usual macho bullshit' sense. Even the three vaguely terrified-looking chaps in the crowd weren't picked on too badly.


Host Maureen Younger helped to establish a lively and energetic vibe to the evening, with some very funny material both old and new, and some very sharp and witty put-downs in her audience interaction. Headliner Bethany Black (minus the goth make-up) was very impressive too - a confident performer with material that effectively combined dark and quirky observations with frank and hilariously graphic admissions from her own personal life. The 12 or so new acts, each performing a five minute set, provided a fast-moving and varied feel to the evening. Highlights included Lisa Deville's graphic exploration of the messier side of motherhood, Lu Lo taking the opportunity to quiz the audience on lesbian chat-up etiquette, Ishi Khan-Jackson's playful take on Bollywood dancing and Madge Hooks' beautifully understated silliness. Overall a very varied and enjoyable evening - roll on the next Laughing Calves!

Monday 7 January 2013

Leicester's funny women take over The Red Tent tomorrow


Laughing Cows bring another all-female line-up to The Red Tent tomorrow evening, in the form of their new act night Laughing Calves. Be prepared for a flurry of feminine funnies, as no less than 13 acts (including your host Maureen Younger) take to the stage to perform snippets of their routines for your enjoyment.

Currently the full line-up is:
Bianca Arlette
Maxine Jones
Madge Hooks
Thanyia Moore
Ishi Khan Jackson
Alice Rosenthal
Lisa Deville
Kirsty Munro
Lynsey Bonell
Emma Bamford
Janie Huxx
Leanne McKie

I'm quite excited about this one because I haven't seen many of these acts before, but I'm assuming with that many names on, there's got to be something to suit just about every taste! Proceedings begin at 8pm (doors 7.30) and tickets are £6 in advance or £8 on the door - see http://www.laughingcowscomedy.co.uk/comedy/gigs.html for details.

Friday 4 January 2013

WIN TWO TICKETS TO THE OFFICIAL FESTIVAL PREVIEW SHOW!!

I told you I had free stuff to give away!


Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival is now only 34 days away from exploding into life, but before that we are being treated to the tantalising aperitif that is the official Festival Preview Show at De Montfort Hall next Friday. And because they love you so much, YES YOU, the festival bigwigs have kindly allowed me to give away a pair of tickets to this fantastic event, which features snippets of all kinds of shows from next month's festival, and is generally regarded as one of the year's best nights out in Leicester - Damn you're lucky!

Wednesday 2 January 2013

JANUARY COMEDY LISTINGS

So the world didn't end. Did you seriously think it would? Come on...
No, I'm afraid we've got to do it all over again. Another January back to work, still hung over from New Year's Eve, still skint from Christmas with about four hundred weeks to go 'til next payday. Or maybe that's just me. Anyway, don't mind me - I'm just a little grumpy due to lack of nicotine. Thankfully there is a bright side to all this 'inevitable march of time' business, for a new year means a new month, and that means a brand spanking new set of comedy listings for you to peruse - hurray!


The big event this month has to be the festival preview show at De Montfort Hall on Friday 11th, hosted by Phoenix Nights' Dave Spikey, with acts Piff the Magic Dragon, Pat Cahill and Suzi Ruffell confirmed so far, with the Other Preview Show happening on the same night night over at Chutney Ivy, hosted by Ed Gamble with Gareth Richards, Angela Barnes and Joel Dommett with more to be confirmed. And keep your eyes peeled on Facebook and Twitter over the next few days and weeks, because I've got some FREE TICKETS to give away!!!

Tue 8th - Laughing Calves feat Maureen Younger @ The Red Tent
Fri 11th  - Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival Preview Show @ De Montfort Hall
Fri 11th - The Other Preview Show @ Chutney Ivy
Fri 11th/Sat 12th - Roger Monkhouse, Junior Simpson, Julian Deane @ Just the Tonic
Tue 15th - Lions Eat Ice Cream: Dr Ettrick-Hogg Takeover @ Looking Glass
Tue 15th - Big Value Comedy Auditions @ Just the Tonic
Wed 16th - Nibbles with Giggles feat Ben Hustwayte and Hannah Silvester @ Entropy
Fri 18th / Sat 19th - Phil Kay, Gordon Southern, Jen Brister, Darrell Martin @ Just the Tonic
Mon 21st - The Mitford Sisters @ The Cookie Jar
Tue 22nd - Big Value Comedy Auditions @ Just the Tonic
Thu 24th - Unidentified Flying Improv @ Just the Tonic
Thu 24th - Should I Stay Or Should I Go? @ Kayal
Fri 25th / Sat 26th - Dave Johns, Pat Burtscher, Mandy Knight @ Just the Tonic
Tue 29th - Lions Eat Ice Cream: Festival Sampler @ Looking Glass
Tue 29th - Big Value Comedy Auditions @ Just the Tonic

There you have it - email, tweet, prod, shout or throw things at me if I've missed anything off. Christ knows what I'm going to do for listings next month - there's over 500 shows on! Tell you what - pick yourself up a festival brochure now, they're all over the city and county, then switch the telly off for half an hour and have a damn good look through it, picking out some shows you'd like to see...  YES THAT'S RIGHT - YOU DO SOME OF THE WORK FOR A CHANGE!! Meanwhile, like the jolly good Samaritan I am, I'll be posting during this month with some of my picks of the festival line-up, and if I'm feeling generous I might even break them down into categories to help you narrow down the somewhat elephantine choice of shows on offer.
Deal?
Good. And keep an eye out for the FREE TICKETS coming very soon!!
Cheers,
Paul.