Here is the Headline. This. Here.

(The following is a 'lost' post, written for publishing on 2nd May, which I just found in my drafts folder. How very remiss of me!)

Leicester's finest topical wits gathered downstairs at the Looking Glass last night to record a pilot episode of a new panel show entitled Here Are the Headlines. Tom Young is pitching the idea to BBC Radio Leicester in the hope of bagging himself a series, using an edited version of last night's proceedings as the pilot.

The setup is a familiar one, with Young and Chris Norton Walker as the 'regular' panellists, joined by guests Jim Shields and Lindsey Warnes-Carroll. Hosting was Bruce Edhouse, who in his most (quiz)masterful voice, asked questions about international, national and local news for the panel to give their best funny answers, and engage each other in witty, off-the-cuff banter.

Obviously it's a tried and tested format, and on the evidence of last night it should work pretty well on the radio. The guests were largely entertaining in their delivery of both prepared and ad-libbed material (even if occasionally the panellists forgot they were doing this for the radio and entertained us with a visual gag), and the inclusion of locally-focused and audience-inspired rounds gives a nice twist that should appeal to Radio Leicester.

It will be interesting to hear what makes it to the final cut, as there was plenty of laughter when things went awry, lines were fluffed or the panellists reacted snappily to each other's prepared jokes bombing. It would be nice to hear a quiz that kept in these kinds of blooper-reel moments, but I suspect the pilot will need to sound as slick as it can to secure the makers a series. Good luck with the pitch guys!

Topical panel show and midweek stand-up at The Looking Glass

This week, The Looking Glass is the place to be for midweek laughs. Tuesday night sees the recording of the pilot for a new topical radio show called Here are the Headlines. Regular panellists Bruce Edhouse, Damien St John and Tom Young are joined by guests Jim Shields and Lindsey Warnes-Carroll to chew over some tasty current affairs, in an effort to digest them with lightning speed and excrete the finest nuggets of topical comedy (nice metaphor, Paul, hope you're proud of that one).
Entry is FREE, so get yourself down to Brauny Gate before 8pm for a little slice of local radio history.


Then on Wednesday, Alan Seaman's regular Ship of Fools stand-up night returns to the Looking Glass. Starting at 8pm, the line up features Bruce Edhouse (again), as well as Ben Clark, Jon Pearson, Jon Wagstaffe, Vinnie Vitriol and James Hately. I have been reliably (I hope!) informed that tickets are usually a fiver, but you might get in for half price if it's your first time - be prepared to present your comedy hymen on the door to prove it! (Good grief man - what is it with you and the metaphorical wrongness today??)