EDINBURGH PREVIEW SEASON HITS LEICESTER (OUCH!)

It's that time of the year again folks, when the air is full of the smell of barbecues, suncream and the sweat of a thousand nervous performers - yes, Edinburgh preview season is almost upon us, and I for one am very bloody excited! 

Despite some quality local nights in smaller venues and a couple of big names coming to town, it's fair to say there's been a bit of a lull in Leicester since the festival ended and Just the Tonic closed its doors for the last time. But next month the city will once again explode with quality hour-long shows from some of the circuit's finest comedians, all looking to perfect their new material in time to pack it into a suitcase and head north of the border in August. It'll be like our own little mini-Edfest, (or 'Leicstinburgh' if you're into the whole 'smashing words together for no real reason' thing...

So, what's on? I hear you ask...

COMEDY LISTINGS - March 2013

Right then - with the Festival done and dusted for another year, it's time to resume something approaching normal service in Leicester, which means firstly that comedy fans might actually be starting to enjoy some normal evenings at home; and secondly that all the comics who performed will be either relaxing in the knowledge that their new shows are coming together nicely, or nervously trying to book more practice gigs and write new material if their shows didn't fare so well. It also means once again that Leicester Comedy Scene is the only place you'll find full monthly listings of all the city's comic happenings (smug mode engaged).

Katherine Ryan

Picks of this month include panel show botherer Katherine Ryan at the Cookie this Thursday, political animal Mark Thomas at JTT, two chances to catch newly crowned Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Romesh Ranganathan, and what is apparently the last ever Lions Eat Ice Cream (sobs into cornflakes). Read on, comedy fans...

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...

FREE Comedy Lessons for West Leicester residents!

Your friends think you're funny, right? You think you're funny too. Go on, admit it.
Secretly you fancy giving stand-up comedy a go, don't you?
You'd love to be on the bill at next year's comedy festival, wouldn't you?

Well, if you live in the west of the city, this may be the opportunity you've been looking for! De Montfort University's Mile2 project is offering free stand-up comedy courses run by real live comedians, to residents living in the Woodgate, Newfoundpool and Fosse/Tudor Road areas of the city. Not only that, but the course will culminate in a special one-off live show as part of Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival 2013!

15 lucky residents will get regular coaching from experienced comic Alan Seaman - founder of Ship of Fools comedy club, ably assisted by Leanne Mckie - stand-up and co-founder of regular open mic night Lions Eat Ice Cream. The classses start this Thursday (15th November) at Newfoundpool Neighbourhood Centre, so if you fancy giving comedy a go, don't sit around thinking about it, just sign up now - you have nothing to lose, and it could be your first step on the way to comedy stardom!

To nurture your comic talent with some true experts in hilarity, call 0116 257 7171 or email mile2@dmu.ac.uk for more details, and you can find out more about the Mile2 project here: http://www.dmu.ac.uk/about-dmu/the-mile2-project/the-square-mile-project.aspx

Spooky comedy this week from Lions and Peel

Pumpkins are scary, right?

If you like laughing and being scared (and I mean scared in a novelty, spooky Halloween kind of way - not a gritty, traumatic, 'I'm being followed home late at night by this man who clearly wants to inject me with a strong sedative and relieve me of my backdoor virginity' kind of way), then you'll probably be looking for some Halloween-themed comedy nights this week. Good job there's a couple of them out there then, otherwise you'd have had to settle for being stalked and violated to get your endorphin rush...

On Tuesday, the good folks behind Lions Eat Ice Cream present a free Halloween special downstairs at the Looking Glass. Basically it'll be the usual unpredictable, sometimes volatile mix of offbeat stand-up, bonkers characters, silly dancing and experimental musical numbers, but with added scary costumes and macabre themes. In short, it really will be the stuff of nightmares, but much funnier. Special guests this time are the West Midlands' finest - Johnny Sorrow, Jimmy Frinton and Andrew McBurney. The full line-up lives here: https://www.facebook.com/events/463770883654506/?fref=ts

Then on Wednesday at the Cookie Jar, Richard Peel presents his special Halloween show Monsterdrome for your delectation. This promises to be a multimedia performance of the strangest and spookiest kind, featuring vampires, monster trucks and all kinds of weaponry and gadgets, all lovingly acted out for you by Richard Peel and Chris Slowe. Musical support comes from Hey Nostradamus, who are described as a 'post sailor-rock powerhouse' - I have no idea what this means, but I'm bringing earplugs just in case. Check out the flyer and full blurb here: http://www.richardpeel.com/monsterdrome/index.html

AUGUST COMEDY LISTINGS

Funny month August... if you happen to be in Edinburgh.
With most of the country's standups clearing off to partake in the madness that is the Fringe festival north of the border, Leicester's comedy cupboard is left somewhat emptier than usual. But fear not - some plucky fellows have resisted the urge to spend the whole month whoring themselves around the Scottish capital, meaning there are still some laughs to be had in the city this month, and here's where to find them:

Saturday 4th - Simon Bligh, Julian Deane, Noel James, Eric Lampaert @Just the Tonic
Saturday 11th - Dan Evans, Nick Revell, Angie McAvoy, Sam Avery @Just the Tonic
Tuesday 14th - Lions Eat Ice Cream (open mike night) @Hub
Friday 17th - Rich Fulcher, Toby, Carly Smallman @Summer Sundae
Saturday 18th - Mark Maier, Mike Newall, Geoff Norcott, Eric Lampaert @Just the Tonic
Saturday 18th - David Morgan, Joey Page, Joe Bor @Summer Sundae
Tuesday 21st - Lions Eat Ice Cream (open mike night) @Hub
Friday 24th - Rob Gee: Smartarse @Crumblin' Cookie
Saturday 25th - Gary Delaney, Eddy Brimson, Adam Vincent, Sam Avery @Just the Tonic
Thursday 30th - Richard Peel presents Megaworld @Crumblin' Cookie


As for me, I'll be taking a well-deserved break from blogging during August (not to go to Edinburgh, mind - I'm not made of money you know!). Leicester Comedy Scene shall return at the end of August - bigger, better and more jam-packed with comedy shenanigans than ever...
Until then, have a cracking August!
PB.

'Comedy for Rich and Poor' Round 2: Conchords vs Lions

Once again it's Rich vs Poor in the comedy stakes tonight - those with a bit of moolah floating around will be heading to De Montfort Hall to catch Rhys Darby (aka inept band manager Murray Hewitt from the awesome Flight of the Conchords) performing his solo show 'This Way to Spaceship'. Tickets and info be here: http://www.demontforthall.co.uk/events/events.php/2012/858/rhys-darby/

Meanwhile, for the financially challenged (and there are plenty of you out there), Hub's free open mic night 'Lions Eat Ice Cream' is back with another line-up of new acts and more established acts trying new material. See tonight's eclectic line-up on the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/events/380885968642744/ and then go and see them in the flesh for free!

Forget 'Three Lions', these ones are much funnier...

Do you like football? No? Well fear not - there is an alternative to watching England repeatedly take the lead then lose it again. Lions Eat Ice Cream, the monthly open mic night at Hub on Braunstone Gate, returns tomorrow night for another mix of new acts and more established acts trying new things. Entry is free and whatever happens in the footy there's bound to be a celebratory atmosphere in the room, as this month they celebrate their first birthday - awwww....
Appearing on the bill are Billy McGuire, Leanne Mckie, Aaron Twitchen, Lu Lo, Claire May, Martin Bouse, Julie Jones and whoever else decides to shun the sport in favour of entertaining the non-football fans.

Lions Eat Ice Cream presents 'Shoddy Vague Awards 2012'

Not been nominated for an Oscar this year? Nor a Bafta? Not even a British Soap Award??? Well this awards ceremony is for you then. The monthly craziness of Lions Eat Ice Cream at Hub is combined with the glitz, glamour and abundance of smug self-congratulation that is the awards bash.
Described as "shit awards given to people you don't know,with 'celeb' guests and guaranteed fun times", it promises to be a wonderfully silly occasion, so put your best frock on and skip down the red carpet to Hub tomorrow night (Tue 15th)
Find out more on the facebook event page https://www.facebook.com/events/307124376025128/

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 :)

And there was me thinking Lyons Maid ice cream...

You've always wondered what lions eat when they're not ripping wildebeest to pieces for the sake of the television cameras, right? Of course you have.

Well here's your answer: 'Lions Eat Ice Cream', as well as being the answer to that niggling question that's haunted you for as long as you can remember, is also the name of a regular free stand-up night at Hub, the small but delightfully eclectic bar on Braunstone Gate. Taking place on the third Tuesday of every month (the next one being this very Tuesday, 17th April, hosted by the terribly manly Dr Ettrick-Hogg), this is an open-mike showcase for emerging local talents and more established names trying out new material. Recent shows have included the likes of Johnny Sorrow, Ian Crawford, Anthony King, Matt Hollins, Jane Hill, Rob Coleman, Masai Graham and Carl Jones. The whole thing is delivered lovingly to you by local stand-up Leanne McKie, co-star of the bonkers 'What have you done with Denise's 30p?' show at this year's comedy festival.


Tickets are available from nowhere, because this is a free open-mike night. I thought I made that clear. Now stop thinking about lions and concentrate... join the LEIC (nice acronym) Facebook group at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/144056692334050/
Go on then, off you pop!