COMEDY LISTINGS - APRIL 2013

Hello there you lot. Hope you all had a good March - and by 'good' I mean I hope you didn't actually freeze to death. I admit I didn't go to see much comedy last month (with the exception of the last ever Lions Eat Ice Cream, during which I made my performance debut as the chief baker at 'Leicester Comedy Scone'). This 'month off' has given my sense of humour a much-needed break after the festival and also allowed me to sorting my work/life balance out, meaning I should now be able to devote more time to watching and writing about comedy - hurray!

So let's start with April's listings, which include solo shows from cheeky Londoner Micky Flanagan, one-of-a-kind mime/prop man The Boy With Tape On His Face and everyone's favourite grumpy American Rich Hall. Adam Buxton returns with his music/video/comedy show 'Bug' and The Criterion hosts the first outing of brand new improv group The Same Faces. Also, don't forget there's still time to enter our awesome three-in-one ticket competition, in which you can win tickets for Zoe Lyons etc on the 6th, Barbara Nice/Mae Martin on the 9th and four tickets to any Fri/Sat show in April at Just the Tonic, with free booze thrown in for good measure! The closing date is midday on Wednesday 3rd, so don't delay - click here to enter today!

Thu 4th - Big Value Comedy Auditions @ Just the Tonic
Fri 5th - Steve Royle, Chris Mayo, Mark Maier, Pierre Hollins @ Loughborough Town Hall
Fri 5th / Sat 6th - Mark Maier, Pierre Hollins, Debra-Jane Appelby, Ben Van Der Velde @ Just the Tonic
Sat 6th - Zoe Lyons, Ed Gamble, Paul McCaffrey, Ian Smith @ The Y
Mon 8th - Al Murray @ Loughborough Town Hall

Tue 9th - Barbara Nice, Mae Martin, Maureen Younger @ Duffy's Bar
Tue 9th - Adam Buxton: BUG @ Phoenix Square

Tue 9th - The Reduced Shakespeare Company @ Loughborough Town HallThu 11th - Big Value Comedy Auditions @ Just the Tonic
Fri 12th - Markus Birdman, Mandy Muden, Ben Schofield, Spiky Mike @Market Harborough RUFCFri 12th / Sat 13th -  Johnny Candon, Andrew Bird, Liam Mullone, Matt Richardson @ Just the Tonic
Wed 18th - Nibbles with Giggles @ Entropy
Thu 18th - The Boy With Tape On His Face @ Just the Tonic
Fri 19th / Sat 20th - John Robins, Will Franken, Geoff Norcott, Romesh Ranganathan @ Just the Tonic
Sat 20th - Rob Rouse, Tony Jameson, Nick Doody, Rhys Matthewson @ The Y
Sat 20th - UFI: Unidentified Flying Improv @ The Looking Glass
Sat 20th - Maff Brown, Martin Beaumont, Joe Rowntree @ Lutterworth Piano RoomSun 21st - Micky Flanagan @ De Montfort Hall
Sun 21st - Should I Stay or Should I Go? @ Kayal
Wed 24th - Antony King - Not Normal @ The Guildhall
Thu 25th - Big Value Comedy Auditions @ Just the Tonic
Thu 25th - Rich Hall @ De Montfort Hall
Fri 26th - Ivan Brackenbury, Dylan Rhymer, Ian D Montford, Darrell Martin @ Just the Tonic
Sat 27th - Hormonal Housewives @ De Montfort Hall
Sat 27th - The Same Faces @ The Criterion
Sat 27th - Ivan Brackenbury, Dylan Rhymer, Marlon Davis, Darrell Martin @ Just the Tonic
Mon 29th - The Raymond & Mr Timpkins Revue, Romesh Ranganathan, Anthony King, Dave Twentyman @ Sileby Conservative Club

As usual, let me know if you want to add anything to the list, by email, on the facebook page or on twitter.
Toodle-pip!

FESTIVAL DIARY DAY 11 - Kearns dazzles between afternoon bromance and evening darkness

What a beautiful day it was yesterday - the sun was beaming down, it wasn't bone-chillingly cold or depressingly wet - why, it almost felt like spring was in the air. So, full of seasonal optimism, I decided to leave the bike at home for once and take a leisurely afternoon stroll down to Kayal, to see Scott Bennett & Phil Pagett perform their show True Bromance.

Just good friends  - Phil Pagett & Scott Bennett

FESTIVAL DIARY DAY 10 - Pat Cahill, Liam Mullone & Ian Crawford

Ten days in, there is a distinct pattern emerging to my daily festival routine. Namely: sleep in as late as possible; do my write-ups; do lots of coughing and nose-blowing; dose myself up with medication and load my pockets with tissues for the evening shows, which go by in blur of laughter, moderate amounts of alcohol, smoking and comedy-based chatter; then puff, pant and swear my way back uphill to my house and collapse in bed. Livin' the dream... And yesterday was no exception - even the lure of the mid-festival party at Just The Tonic's late bar was not enough to keep me out past half ten... I must be getting old.

Original thinker - Pat Cahill

Thankfully, though, I was treated to 3 very different sets of enjoyable stand-up along the way.

FESTIVAL DIARY DAY 3 - Four shows and a seminar...

Saturday was rather a hefty day of comedy-viewing...

It began unreasonably early, with a 10am seminar at DMU's Pace building, in which a panel of comedy luminaries discussed the development of live comedy from the origins of the Alternative Comedy movement at the end of the 1970s (or the beginning of the 80s - this was a matter of some contention), through the 90s 'Comedy is the new rock&roll' era to the current environment of megastar arena tours and the lucrative panel show circuit, and ended by asking what's in store for the future of live comedy. It was a fascinating two hours, often dominated by the always lively and forthright Kate Copstick, who left the audience in no doubt as to her views on the current crop of TV comedians - stating in her typically reserved manner that she could shit in a bag, put an 'As seen on Mock the Week' sticker on it and people would flock to see it live. Also on the panel was Comedy Store founder Don Ward, who revealed his plans to record shows at his clubs and screen them in theatres across the country, as well as starting to stream them live on the net. This was greeted with some concern from the panel, who wondered whether this sort of thing would stop people bothering to go out to see live comedy in the smaller venues - as if to ask why would people go out and pay money to see half-formed sets by inexperienced acts when they can stay at home and watch top acts live in HD for free. This fear was tempered, though, by the feeling that there is perhaps too much live comedy around at the moment, and the good acts and venues would always survive, whilst the less competent would have to give up or find their own audience online.

NOVEMBER COMEDY LISTINGS

November. Month of moustaches, fireworks and the gradual, inevitable encroaching of Christmas into every sphere of your life. My solution? Don't watch TV - it's amazing how much more pleasant life becomes when you ears are not constantly bombarded with smug voices announcing "This Christmas, blah-blah blah-blah blaaaah...", four hundred times a day over several months.

And without a telly to keep you indoors and fearful of the outside world, you're free to go out and watch lots of comedy. Good job too, coz there's LOADS on this month, from telly regulars Kevin Bridges and Greg Davies (pictured, with the back of his mum's head), circuit favourites Tom Wrigglesworth, Andrew Bird and Tony Law, and alternative heroes Paul Foot, Doc Brown and Josie Long. The entire spectrum of comedy is represented here in the city - musical cabaret from Fascinating Aida, animated comedy in the form of Little Howard, and improv from UFI, not to mention those shining beacons of wrongness Devvo and Bob Slayer. Anyway, what am I telling you all this for? Read it for yourself...

OCTOBER COMEDY LISTINGS FOR LEICESTER

It's October - the month that makes everybody habitually spout such waffle as "Oooh I can't believe it's October already", "Where did the summer go?" and "Oooh isn't it getting dark early", as if none of us had ever experienced the changing of the seasons before. Jolly lucky that there are plenty of funny folk out there to offer us an amusing and inventive alternative to the barrage of moronic truisms we're subjected to during the day. And here they are in full:

Tue 2nd - The Comedy Occurence @ Just the Tonic
Wed 3rd - Writers Stand Up @ Exchange Bar
Thu 4th - Chris Martin, Angela Barnes @ Just the Tonic
Thu 4th - Ross Noble @ De Montfort Hall
Fri 5th / Sat 6th - Tiffany Stevenson, Chris Martin, John Mann, Johnny Candon @ Just the Tonic
Sat 6th - What's The Story? (Comedy storytelling workshop) @ Y Theatre
Tue 9th - Big Value Comedy Auditions @ Just the Tonic
Wed 10th - Ben Clark, Antony King, James Hately, Firm Handshakers, Lindsey Warnes-Carroll @ Looking Glass
Thu 11th - Bob Slayer, Martin Soan, Special Mystery Guest  @ Just the Tonic
Thu 11th - Stewart Francis @ De Montfort Hall
Fri 12th / Sat 13th -  Paul McCaffrey, John Robins, Dana Alexander, Eric Lampaert  @ Just the Tonic
Fri 12th - Live at The Barley Mow @ Barley Mow
Fri 12th - Unidentified Flying Improv @ Manhattan34
Tue 16th - Lions Eat Ice Cream @ Looking Glass
Tue 16th - Big Value Comedy Auditions @ Just the Tonic
Thu 18th - Open Mic nite @ Just the Tonic
Fri 19th - Jason John Whitehead, Keith Carter,Angela Barnes, Romesh Ranganathan @ Just the Tonic
Sun 21st - Should I Stay or Should I Go? @ Kayal
Tue 23th - Big Value Comedy Auditions @ Just the Tonic
Thu 25th - Robin Ince @ Cookie Jar
Thu 25th - Barbara Nice, Chris Martin @ Just the Tonic
Fri 26th / Sat 27th - Phil Nichol, Susan Murray, Daliso Chaponda, Darrell Martin @ Just the Tonic
Sat 27th - Chris Ramsey @ Y Theatre
Sat 28th - Gary Delaney, Sarah Kendall, Lloyd Griffith, Mark Simmons @ Y Theatre
Mon 29th - Clever Peter @ Just the Tonic
Tue 30th - Lions Eat Ice Cream @ Looking Glass
Tue 30th - Big Value Comedy Auditions @ Just the Tonic
Wed 31st - Richard Peel presents Monsterdrome @ The Cookie Jar
Wed 31st - Mark Thomas @ The Y Theatre

As usual, send me any of your additions to the list via email, the facebook page or tweet @leiccomedyscene

...and we're back! SEPTEMBER COMEDY LISTINGS

Hello there comedy fans! Long time no see. Well, August is over, and as well as meaning that Autumn is knocking on the door like an insistent religious nutter, it also means Edinburgh is finished for another year and as a result we have a full programme of comedy shenanigans in the city once again - hurrah!
And what a bumper month it is, with big names like Pat Monahan, Mark Watson, Jack Dee and Dara O'Briain gracing us with their presence, as well as plenty of quality line-ups in a plethora of venues across the city to keep you amused as the nights start to draw in.

Sat 1st - Philberto, Joe Lycett, Anthony King, Eric Lampaert @ Just the Tonic
Sat 1st - Sit Down, Stand Up (6 acts) @ Upper Brown Street
Sun 2nd - Should I Stay or Should I Go? (comedy gong show) @ Kayal
Wed 5th - Patrick Monahan, Antony King, Ian Crawford, Alan Seaman @ Looking Glass
Fri 7th - Kojo, Kevin J @ Just the Tonic
Sat 8th - Adam Bloom, Julian Deane, Jonathan Elston, Craig Murray @ The Y Theatre
Sat 8th - The Noise Next Door, Danny McLoughlin, Shazia Mirza @ Just the Tonic
Wed 12th - Nibbles with Giggles @ Entropy
Thu 13th - Jason Byrne @ De Montfort Hall
Fri 14th - Sandi Toksvig @ De Montfort Hall
Fri 14th - Live at the Barley Mow (free comedy night) @ the Barley Mow
Sat 15th - Jeff Innocent, Bobby Mair, John Robins @ Just the Tonic
Mon 17th - Fear of a Brown Planet @ The Cookie Jar
Tue 18th - Lions Eat Ice Cream (open mic night) @ Looking Glass
Thu 20th - Jack Dee @ De Montfort Hall
Fri 21st - Junior Simpson, Rob Beckett, David Hadingham @ Just the Tonic
Sat 22nd - Ian D Montfort, Tiffany Stevenson, Bobby Mair, Ben van der Valde @ The Y Theatre
Sat 22nd - Junior Simpson, Rob Beckett, David Hadingham @ Just the Tonic
Thu 27th - Richard Peel presents Megaworld @ Crumblin Cookie
Thu 27th - Mark Watson @ Y Theatre
Thu 27th/Fri 28th - Dara O'Briain @ De Montfort Hall
Thu 27th - Zoe Lyons, Gary Delaney, Junior Simpson, Darrell Martin @ Just the Tonic
Fri 28th - Mark Cram, Ian Hall, Francis Jenking, Leanne Mckie, Richard Peel, Barnaby J Thompson (Dolly Rockit Rollers Fundraiser) @ Firebug
Fri 28th/Sat 29th - Addy Borgh, Dr George Ryegold, Ian Cognito @ Just the Tonic

As always if you have anything to add, email me, tweet @LeicComedyScene or post on  the facebook page.

Sunshine and laughter - bumper weekend of comedy coming up!

You lucky, lucky people.
As if the gorgeous weather wasn't reward enough for the foul extended winter we've all had to endure for so long, there's also a fine crop of comedy happening in the city this weekend to broaden your smiles and further flush your sun-kissed faces.

Shouty, sweating nutbox Nick Helm is headlining Just the Tonic on Friday and Saturday (if you haven't seen him yet I would strongly recommend doing so), supported by Romesh Ranganathan, Dan Evans and Tim Clark. Get your tickets here: http://www.justthetonic.com/leicester-comedy/

Pretty much the antithesis of Helm, Peep Show's very own sweet little songbird Isy Suttie brings her tour show Pearl and Dave to the Y Theatre on Friday night (see my previous post for an exclusive interview). It's a part-musical love story set in her home town of Matlock, and promises to be as touching as it is funny. Tickets etc reside here: http://www.leicesterymca.co.uk/y-theatre-whats-on-details.php?listing=1073

Also on Friday night at the Cookie Jar is Shaggers Comedy, which returns to the city after a sell-out show during the comedy festival. As the name suggests, it features a quartet of comedians telling hilarious real-life tales of a sexual nature. For more info and tickets, get thee here: http://www.thecookiejarleicester.co.uk/events/shaggers-comedy/

And if you're not all laughed out (or hungover & sunburnt enough) by Sunday evening, there's another dose of Should I Stay or Should I Go? at Kayal, the showcase for new comics presented by Spiky Mike, in which the audience decides who stays on and who goes home to cry themselves to sleep. Details etc be here: http://www.funhousecomedy.co.uk/html/fun_house_comedy_venues_leicester.htm

So there you have it. There is literally NO EXCUSE for not going to see at least one of these fine shows this weekend (and no I will not accept "I forgot coz I was drinking in the park from midday").

We're back, baby! May comedy listings...

Hello there you lot. Sorry I've been away for a little while, hope you haven't been too lost without your regular comedy updates. Of course you haven't - you didn't even notice, did you?

Anyway, I know we're already half way through May, but here are your listings for the rest of the month, so you can stop shivering and wretching like character from Trainspotting now:


Tue 15th - Lions Eat Ice Cream (open mike night) @Hub
Wed 16th - Nibbles with Giggles (charity comedy night with pie) @Entropy
Thu 17th - New Act Night (Ben Hustwayte MC) @The Cookie Jar
Fri 18th/Sat 19th - Barbara Nice, Rob Deering, Barry Castagnola, Romesh Ranganathan @Just the Tonic
Mon 21st - Laughing Glass @ The Looking Glass
Tue 22nd - Student Comedy Forum @Just the Tonic
Fri 25th - Isy Suttie @The Y Theatre
Fri 25th - Shaggers Comedy @The Cookie Jar
Fri 25th/Sat 26th - Nick Helm, Romesh Ranganathan, Dan Evans, Tim Clark @Just the Tonic
Sat 26th  - Leanne Mckie, Ian Crawford, Liam Mullone @ The Black Horse, Aylestone
Sun 27th - Should I Stay or Should I Go? @Kayal
Thu 31st - Andrew O'Neil, Rob Beckett, Nick Cranston, Rob Coleman, Tony Jameson MC @The Cookie Jar


There, that should keep you off the crack for a while. As usual, if you know of anything else that might have slipped my gaze, drop me a line on leicestercomedyfestival@gmail.com, on the Leicester Comedy Scene Facebook page or on Twitter @leiccomedyscene, and I'll duly add it to the list.
It's good to be back :)

Eat, drink, laugh and judge people at Kayal on Sunday.

If you're not all laughed out from a spectacular weekend of comedy in Leicester, get yourself along to 'Should I Stay or Should I Go?' upstairs at Kayal, Granby Street on Sunday. It's basically a gong-show with glowsticks in which stand-up newbies compete for your adoration, all compered by the loveable Spiky Mike.
Doors open at 7:30, the show costs a very reasonable £5.Visit http://funhousecomedy.co.uk/index.htm for tickets/info etc.

APRIL LISTINGS - all the live comedy coming up this month

Okay - it's all very well previewing and reviewing comedy gigs, but sometimes we just need the simple facts - what's on, where, and when?
So here goes with my first monthly round up of what's coming up this month in our fine city:

APRIL
6/7th - Tom Stade, Jason John Whitehead, Bryan Lacey, Romesh Ranganathan - Just the Tonic
10th - Paul Merton - DeMontfort Hall
13th/14th - Ardal O'Hanlon, Simon Bligh, Carey Marx, Darrell Martin - Just the Tonic
14th - Terry Alderton, Nick Helm, Ed Gamble, Roisin Conaty, Tom Rosenthal - Y Theatre
14th - Stewart Francis - Loughborough Town Hall
15th - Magners Funhouse Comedy presents Should I Stay or Should I Go? - Kayal
19th - New Act night - Cookie Jar
20th - Gary Delaney, Chris Martin, Adam Staunton, Darrell Martin - Just the Tonic
21st - Gary Delaney, Chris Martin, Adam Staunton, Jim Smallman - Just the Tonic
21st - Andrew Lawrence - Embrace Arts
27th - Russell Kane, Steve Royal, Darrell Martin - Just the Tonic
28th - Chris Stokes, Jarred Christmas, Fergus Craig, Vikki Stone - Y Theatre
28th - Danny McLoughlin, Matt Forde, Steve Royal, John Robins - Just the Tonic

I'm all excited now - seeing it all laid out like that makes you realise what a truly great city this is for comedy! If anyone knows of anything I've missed out or any changes to the line-ups, let me know either on Twitter @banxii or via email leicestercomedyscene@gmail.com and I'll update the listings. Or if you have a gmail account you can comment below (I think!)

Magners Funhouse Comedy at Kayal

If you like Indian food, alcohol and comedy, Kayal restaurant on Granby Street is probably your idea of heaven. As well as serving yummy food and a selection of booze, Kayal host a monthly comedy show upstairs.
As part of Magners Funhouse Comedy Club, 'Should I Stay or Should I Go?' features new acts performing short slots, who are judged by audience members holding up green glowsticks if they want them to stay on and red ones if they've heard enough - basically a Gong Show for the rave generation.
Compered by the ever-reliable Spiky Mike, the show has an intimate, informal feel to it and plenty of audience participation. The comics are mostly quite new to the game, and it's particularly fascinating to see the occasional sweaty, shaky-handed first-timer, who reminds you that performing live comedy to a bunch of judgemental strangers is definitely not easy!
The next shows are on Sunday 15th April and Sunday 27th May, and cost a very reasonable £5.
Visit http://funhousecomedy.co.uk/index.htm for tickets/info etc.