FESTIVAL DIARY DAY 16 - Romesh rules and Al rocks the Korma-bunker

So on to Saturday 23rd Feb, the penultimate day of Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival, and my appointment with destiny as I took my place on a panel of comedy luminaries to judge the prestigious Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year competition.

I met with the judges in the lobby of the Ramada Encore Hotel, where most of them were staying for the night. I was first to arrive and I sat sipping tea with Geoff Rowe the festival director, as one by one the great and good of the comedy industry joined us - Steve North (General Manager of the Dave TV channel), Andy Leitch (formerly part fo the festival organisers, now working for Off the Kerb who represent some of the biggest stars in comedy - seriously check out their website and be amazed at the number of famous names!), Sarah Farrell (Head of Content & Development for Comedy Central), promoter Mick Perrin (whom I had watched on BBC iPlayer just the previous night along with his star client Eddie Izzard) and last but not least Bruce Dessau, comedy reviewer for the Evening Standard and writer of the 'Beyond the Joke' blog). To say I felt honoured and privileged to be amongst such company is a somewhat cheesy and oft-used sentiment, but thoroughly appropriate under these circumstances. After the meeting and greeting we headed several yards along the street to Chutney Ivy and enjoyed a lovely selection of Indian treats and a chatted over a cheeky beer, before proceeding to The Y Theatre to take our seats at the judges' table.

Host - Jarred Christmas

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...

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.

Two-for-one tickets for Jarred Christmas, Chris Stokes etc at The Y

This Saturday sees the next Bottle Rocket Comedy night at The Y Theatre, featuring loveable kiwi Jarred Christmas, who can often be seen brightening up panel shows on TV, compering events such as The Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year, or confusing us in the odd Pot Noodle advert. Also on the bill are Hinckley's own deadpan star Chris Stokes (winner of Best Show at this year's comedy festival); Vikki Stone, the comic songstress with an unhealthy obsession for Philip Schofield; and award-winning actor and stand-up Fergus Craig. For more information go to http://www.leicesterymca.co.uk/y-theatre-whats-on-details.php?listing=1074 and to get your two-for-one tickets for only a fiver each, call The Y's Box Office on 0116 2557066 quoting offer code LC01.

2012 Comedy Festival Awards - The Winners

For those of you who missed it, the winners of the Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival Awards were announced last week, in a ceremony at the City Rooms on Hotel Street. Chosen by a panel of 11 judges who were forced at gunpoint to watch more than 400 shows a day (okay that's a lie), the winners are:

Best Show - Chris Stokes for 'An Opera Written On Napkins'

Best New Act - Matt Richardson 

Best Venue with over 200 capacity - The Little Theatre 

Best Small Venue - The Crumblin' Cookie

Best Promoter - Bottle Rocket Comedy 

Special Contribution Award - Curve

Make Me Happy Community Project - Guerilla Knitting

Lifetime Contribution Award - City Council

Jolly well done and pats on the back to all the winners, and while we're on the subject of winners I may as well mention Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year winner Matt Rees, who won the coveted title and £1,000 back in February. Good on yer, sunshine!