Howard Read’s little North East tour

Funny Way To Be have announced that Howard Read, best known as the other half to the animated six-year-old virtual stand-up comic Little Howard, will play three North East dates in the coming weeks.

The Teesdale comedy club, based in Barnard Castle, have booked Read to perform his children’s show, Little Howard and the Magic Pencil of Life and Death, his new adult show, Hide and Speak, and an audience-led workshop for those interesting in writing and producing for animated TV shows and live theatre performances.

Hide and Speak will take place on Saturday 13 July, which sees Read share the bill with Lucy Beaumont and former So You Think You’re Funny? winner Tommy Rowson at the Parish Hall.

Expect animated characters on stage, telling jokes, improvising, answering questions and putting down any hecklers.

Read is back with Funny Way To Be the next day, Sunday 14 July, with an animation workshop at The Hub followed by Little Howard and the Magic Pencil of Life and Death.

With an 11am start, the free workshop offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at writing, producing and the technical aspects of animated TV shows and live theatre.  And anything else he can help with along the way.

This workshop will suit anyone interested in animation, computer graphics on TV and Film, writing, comedy and live performance. Places can be booked via the Durham Creatives website.

Then, at 1.30pm, Read is back with his animated six-year-old pal Little Howard for an afternoon of children’s comedy.

Together they have appeared on some of the biggest TV shows on three continents, performed in front of (and insulted) The Queen, been nominated for the Perrier Award, and had three series of the award-winning Little Howard’s Big Question on BBC1, BBC2 and CBBC.

The ticketed show, priced £5 in advance or £6 on the door, is adaptable to both adult and family audiences.

Funny Way To Be Comedy Club organiser Peter Dixon told Giggle Beats: “The Hub is a fantastic venue for a children’s comedy show like Little Howard.

“With it being a complex built specifically for young people it is ideally suited for this family show.

“I’ve taken my own children many times to see Little Howard shows in big venues and festivals and they have always been wonderful events for both young and old.

“Young people are engaged in the action and the older ones who come along always love it and have a great time. It’s incredible how an animation can be made to be so interactive.

“Little Howard very much comes to life and is in control of the action!

“With it being a complex built specifically for young people it is ideally suited for this family show.

“I was thrilled to be able to bring a Little Howard show to our intimate venue.”

Read’s appearances are part of a series of Edinburgh Fringe taster shows at Funny Way To Be this summer – giving North East comedy fans the opportunity to see shows a month before they debut at the world’s largest arts festival.

Alun Cochrane, Joe Lycett, Andrew Ryan are amongst those scheduled to play the Parish Hall, Barnard Castle, in June and July.

Click for Funny Way To Be’s full summer schedule.