Preview: Greater Manchester Comedy Festival 2015
The Greater Manchester Comedy Festival returns for its third year next month.
Beginning on Sunday 1 November, the festival will run for ten days across a number of Greater Manchester venues.
Run by Zena Barrie, Lisa Connor and Iain Scott, the festival first took place in 2013 with six participating performance spaces, and has now expanded to include shows over 10 venues.
Celebrating new, up-coming performers, the festival is run by volunteers, and encourages performers of all levels and genres – from standup and sketch to plays – to take part.
Here’s a full breakdown of what’s on:
Matt Hollins
Sunday 1 November, 7.30pm
King’s Arms Studio, 11 Bloom Street, Salford, M3 6AN
Deadpan comic Matt Hollins has been plying his trade on the UK circuit for the past 12 years, but his big break has eluded him. That is until now, he is going to perform in front of Industry expert, manager to the stars Dave Cheddaron. DC as he’s known in the business will do a Q & A session after Hollins set before deciding whether to sign him. Matt won the King Gong show at the Manchester Comedy Store, before winning the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year in 2004.
£5.00 (£3.00 concessions)
Cupid’s Stunts And Plenty Of Fish – Premiere
Sunday 1 November, 8pm at Albert Square Chophouse, Memorial Hall, Albert Square, Manchester M2 5PF and Sunday 8 November, 8pm at Taurus, 1 Canal St, Manchester, M1 3HE
Comedy, Music and Insight into Modern Dating. There was a time when there were only 2 people you could fancy in your village and one was your sister. We now have the wonder of online dating. There are Plenty of Fish in the canal – you can select your future partner based on their photo, although a balding bloke in a tight lycra football shirt next to someone else’s BMW, may not be your cup of Rohypnol.
Visit Egriega’s new show and get a wonderfully comic insight into the world of internet dating. Meet the yachtsman who named his sailing boat Fellatio… and the fat Casanova called Gary who swapped a good girl for a love bite and Chlamydia. Finally we reveal the identity of the self-named Harlot of Horwich who had been single for 3 years 2 months and 16 days but carries no baggage!
£5.00
Anti-White PC Mangina Activate!
Sunday 1 November and Monday 2 November, 9pm,
King’s Arms Vaults, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
Dick Coughlan thought he was a good guy. That was until he met the Internet and soon found out he was actually an evil, ball-less, genocidal, race-traitorous bastard!
Now, after 7 years, even he doesn’t know. This is his bizarre journey deep into the weirdest, darkest and funniest recesses of the Interwebs.
£5.00 (£3.00 concessions)
Nothing To Declare
Sunday 1 November, Tuesday 3 November and Monday 9 November, 9pm,
Gulliver’s, 109 Oldham Street, M4 1LW
Nothing To Declare is a stand-up comedy routine from a confused, single guy in his late 20’s. Born in Iceland, raised in America and later moving to China – Helgi Steinar has become a man with no sense of national borders. His show touches on travel experiences, dating, getting arrested in Beijing for doing comedy and trying to understand the world.
£5
An Audience With Lancashire’s Number 1 Pub Singer – Vonny Lee Lucas
Monday 2 November, 7.30pm
King’s Arms Theatre, 11 Bloom Street, Salford, M3 6AN
Join Vonny Lee Lucas, Lancashire’s number one pub singer, for an evening of music and laughter as she reveals the ups and downs of an illustrious career which has spanned over three decades. Sharing the secrets of a life in showbiz, which has seen her headline in Skegness (Butlins), Burnley and beyond…
Prepare to be wowed as Vonny, fresh from her sell out shows at London’s Leicester Square Theatre and backed by two enthusiastic dancers, performs covers from the world’s leading pop icons. With more stories than Jackanory and more front than Blackpool, this is one night you’ll never forget!
£8 (£6 concessions)
Christian Talbot Is Shite At Being Irish
Monday 2 November and Tuesday 3 November, 9pm
King’s Arms Studio, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
Ireland! Home of the black stuff and the Craic. The whole world wants to be Irish and sure why wouldn’t they? So what happens if you actually are and you’re shite at it?
£6 (£5 concessions
The Séance – Premiere
Monday 2 November, 9.15pm
King’s Arms Theatre, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
In this new play written byAndrew Siddall, Danny is determined to make an honest woman out of his soul mate Kate even after his initial disastrous attempt at proposing. An attempt that accidentally killed him when he dropped the ring in the toaster. With Danny gone best friend Tom has declared his undying love for Kate. Will Danny be able to get through in time to make Kate his lawfully wedded widow?
£10 (£8 concessions)
Ignacio Lopez: Spain’s Best Export
Monday 2 November, 9.15pm
Albert Square Chophouse, Memorial Hall, Albert Square, Manchester M2 5PF
Ignacio Lopez provides a wonderfully witty look into life in Britain through the eyes of an exotic outsider. Experience the sharp observations, sarcastic one-liners and hilarious songs of ‘Spain’s Best Export’ in a truly unique stand-up comedy show. Appealing to a wide array of audiences, it focuses on universal themes of holidays, international pop-culture, food, cinema, music and language barriers.
£7 (£5 concessions)
Karen Sherrard: A Fête Worse Than Death- Premiere
Tuesday 3 November, 7.30pm
King’s Arms Theatre, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
Welcome to the village fête in Llanfairchwaraesboncen, nestled in the South Wales Valleys. Join your host, 76 year old village busybody Iris Evans, in a fun-filled romp complete with competitions, slide shows and audience participation. Also featuring guest speaker, Esme de Flange, a lascivious TV gardener providing advice on sowing seed, trimming your shrubbery and producing a prize marrow. But will you be able to contain yourself for the grand finale? THE RAFFLE! This one-woman show, written and performed by Karen Sherrard (winner of Last Mic Standing 2014), debuts at the festival this year.
£5 (£4 concessions)
Unexpected Items In Badinage Areas
Tuesday 3 November, 7.30pm
King’s Arms Studio, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
Richard Pulsfordwas a UK Pun Championship finalist in 2014 and 2015 at the Leicester Comedy Festival. Following a successful run at the 2015 Edinburgh Festival Fringe Richard now performs his show, full of gags, puns, one liners and wordplay, in Manchester.
£5
Tony Basnett Always Lands On His Feet
Tuesday 3 November, 8pm
The Old Monkey, 90 Portland Street, Manchester, M1 4GX
Tony Basnett survives on good fortune. Join the Harrogate Comedian of the Year and World Series finalist for his debut show before his luck runs out.
£2
The Sixty Minute Men
Tuesday 3 November, 7.30pm
King’s Arms Theatre, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
PKW Productions Presents: The Sixty Minute Men. One hour of original stand-up and sketch comedy, with a touch of inspiration form Oldham. Liam Hurley, Sam Harlow and Sam Stroker, the boys behind ‘B*stards of Young’, get together to present a brand new show. Come for the laughs, stay because the room locks from the outside. You know them from ‘Phone, Keys, Wallet.’, you love them because of ‘Single Malt Comedy’ but now you’ll remember them as ‘Sixty Minute Men.’
£3
Angels On Fire
Wednesday 4 November, 7pm
Gulliver’s, 109 Oldham Street, M4 1LW
Hard-hitting satire about sex, money, politics, climate change, green nonsense, contemporary art and other aspects of the human comedy: an occasional poem: and original songs plus some old favourites.
£5 (£2 concessions)
Chuggers
Wednesday 4 November and Thursday 5 November, 7.15pm
3MT, Affleck’s Arcade, 35-39 Oldham Street, Manchester, M1 1JG
Presented by Cheeky Peacocks Theatre Company, Chuggers – as the public and the press know them – are now simply part of the furniture of any British high street or shopping centre. Universally avoided, they lie waiting, ready to pounce with their charismatic approach to raising money. Ben Baxter’s play, Chuggers, was a big hit at the Greater Manchester Fringe in July. He uses his real life fundraising experiences to tell the story of two best friends, Mark and Jelly, and their desperate attempts to fulfill their inner ambitions.
With street fundraising bringing in more than £120 million for charities across the UK each year, it’s clearly a lucrative business – but not necessarily for these lads, who want to drop the clipboards for a chance to chase their dreams.
£6 (£5 concessions)
The Manic, The Morose And The Married
Wednesday 4 November, 9pm,
King’s Arms Studio, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
Join three regulars of the stand up scene for an hour of comedy. High energy MC Mike Milling (the Manic) introduces extended sets from Peter Pontification (the Morose) and Theresa Farlow (the Married). Peter serves up his unique combination of deadpan nonsense. Theresa offers up a more personal story telling style laced with laughs.
£3
The Idiot’s Guide To Kink
Thursday 5 November and Saturday 7 November, 7.30pm
Gulliver’s,109 Oldham Street, M4 1LW
Want to spice up your love life? Not sure what ‘S&M’ stands for? Fifty Shades of Grey made you angry and confused? Never fear! Comedian Ros Ballinger is here to guide you through the strange, wonderful world of beginner’s BDSM. Spanking etiquette, dirty talk pitfalls, doms to avoid – no subject is off limits. Except PVC. She’s not into that.
£3
Crimes Against Hilarity
Thursday 5 November, 8pm
The Seven Oaks, 5 Nicholas Street, Manchester M1 4HL
After their sell out show at the Greater Manchester Fringe we’re back showcasing some of the best up-&-coming comedians performing Crimes Against Hilarity in the North West today.
£3
John Pendal – International Man Of Leather
Thursday 5 November, 8pm,
Taurus, 1Canal St, Manchester, M1 3HE
This solo stand-up comedy show is the true story of how a shy Baptist boy from Watford became an unlikely international sex ambassador, when he won the 25th annual ‘International Mr. Leather’ contest in Chicago in May 2003. He set out to tour the world representing every kink and fetish – regardless of whether he liked them or not.
FREE
Operation Perfect Teaset
Thursday 5 and Saturday 7 at 9.30pm and Sunday 8 November at 8pm
Gulliver’s, 109 Oldham Street, M4 1LW
The daft dickheads return with their dark wit and surreal comedy sketches. They continue to be the only show to bring you poorly executed tap dance renditions of significant historical events. They don’t just tickle your funny bone, they take it into a dark room and diddle it.
£6 (£5 concessions)
Flick & Julie: Pop Up Penny Pinchers
Friday 6 November, 7.30pm
King’s Arms Studio, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
Post prison, with CVs covering tax fraud and stalking a high profile TV personality, Flick and Julie had to get lives back on track. Popping up everywhere from Margate to Manchester, they share experiences and advice through comedy sketches and songs; teaching you to survive in the modern age on 1970s wages.
£6 (£5 concessions)
The Séance
Friday 6 and Saturday 7 November, 9.15pm, Saturday 7 November, 3pm
Hope Mill Theatre
In this new play written by Andrew Siddall, Danny is determined to make an honest woman out of his soul mate Kate even after his initial disastrous attempt at proposing. An attempt that accidentally killed him when he dropped the ring in the toaster. With Danny gone best friend Tom has declared his undying love for Kate. Will Danny be able to get through in time to make Kate his lawfully wedded widow?
£10 (£8 concessions)
James Ross – Leopardoptera
Friday 6 November, 8.30pm,
Taurus, 1 Canal St, Manchester, M1 3HE
High-energy, left field stand-up for people who’ve read a book, without pictures, and enjoyed it. Charming mustachioed comedian WLTM audience with GSOH for fun, maybe more. Fresh from a sell out run at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe 2015.
£5 (£3 concessions)
Stuart Laws: Who Said Anything About Stopping It?
Friday 6 November, 9.15pm,
King’s Arms Vaults, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
Standup comedy from the man who makes all the comedy with Turtle Canyon Comedy and supported James Acaster on tour, he was also a young ornithologist and rocks a pretty sweet gilet. Fresh from 4 star reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe.
£5
Will Seaward Has A Really Good Go At Alchemy
Saturday 7 November at 4pm, Sunday 8 November at 7pm and Sunday 8 November at 9pm
Hope Mill Theatre, 113 Pollard Street, Manchester
Fresh from a five star run at the Edinburgh Fringe, booming-voiced comedian Will Seaward attempts to create the legendary Philosopher’s Stone and turn base metals into gold, live onstage. For real. WARNING: MAY BREAK NATURAL LAWS.
£8 (£6.50 concessions)
David Stanier’s Silly Party: Wip
Saturday 7 November, 7.30pm,
King’s Arms Vaults, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
Oh wow and hooray! David Stanier (“an earnestly giddy comic with an impressive arsenal of jokes… beautifully, banally silly” Gigglebeats) is organizing a Silly Party. This time it’s the best bits, some new best bits, games, prizes and lots of fun as he gets ready for that Edinburgh festival 2016. So RSVP.
FREE
Let’s See What Happens
Saturday 7 November, 7.30pm,
King’s Arms Studio, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
Comedy Sportz UK take one ‘monologist’ who tells true stories from their life based on YOUR suggestions. A team of improvisers then make up comedy sketches about their stories. With players from North West improv troupe- ComedySportz. Past monologists who have taken part: Arthur Bostrom, Steve Gribbin, Penella Mellor, Bethany Black.
£3
The Pleasure Of My Company
Saturday 7 November, 8pm
Taurus, 1 Canal St, Manchester, M1 3HE
“The mind is everything. What you think you become.” So said Buddha who clearly thought himself to be a poorly made garden ornament. Now, 2.500 years later, award-winning comedian and piratical misanthrope Chris Kehoe, fighting a losing battle with idiocy, opens his acerbic mind for your consideration in an hour of absurdity, satire and knob gags.
£3 (£1 concessions)
Short Tails And Tall Stories
Sunday 8 November, 2pm,
King’s Arms Theatre, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
Children’s ITV writer Mike Bennett presents the premier of classic Rik Mayall animations including Beauty & The Beast, Aladdin and The Three Little Pigs.
Join us on this enchanted journey with a mix of live performances, projections and whimsical tales. of these children’s classics.
£5
Henry Von Stifles Enter The Dragon
Sunday 8 November, 7.30pm,
King’s Arms Studio, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
Renowned entertainer, amateur hairdresser and world record holder for the longest time a man has carried a toaster, Henry von Stifle is ready to share his secrets of working in North Korea for MI5 – all along to the entire soundtrack to Enter the Dragon.
£5
Will Hutchby: Work In Progress
Sunday 8 November, 9.15pm
King’s Arms Studio, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
Someone recently said: Will Hutchby has an amazing stage presence, a great personality, if he had some real jokes he’d be a comedian. So he’s written some. And some of them are bloody good. Expect a charming and haphazard first attempt at the full hour, with plenty of room for audience interaction.
FREE
Welcome To Tiddleminster
Monday 9 November and Tuesday 10 November, 7.30pm
King’s Arms Studio, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
Christopher Cantrill takes you on an illustrated adventure to Tiddleminster – Britain’s ultimate ‘staycation’ timeshare opportunity. Visit the inhabitants, see the sights and even solve a mystery! Surreal, silly and as sexy hell.
£5 (£4 concessions)
James & Seaburn – Piano Chocolat
Monday 9 November 9.30pm,
King’s Arms Studio, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
Thrown together by quirk of fate and sticking together through necessity, Nicola James and Ian Seaburn present Piano Chocolat, a fun-filled journey through modern life, touching on themes as diverse as alien invasion, charity stunts, career angst and the emotional trauma of lost socks. Through the mediums of stand-up, sketch, songs and silliness, James and Seaburn shine a spotlight on the absurdities of life and the human condition, before quickly turning off the light, locking the door and retiring to a safe distance.
£4 (£2 concessions)
Tuesday’s Tickles With Penella Mellor
Tuesday 10 November, 7.30pm
Taurus, 1 Canal St, Manchester, M1 3HE
For one night only, as part of the Greater Manchester Comedy Festival, award winning comedian Penella Mellor is gathering her favourite local acts especially for you!
Confirmed so far: Freda Chattington, Big Lou & Colin Manford. There will also be a showcase of the hottest new talent the area has to offer.
£5 (£4 concessions)
Are You Taking The Piss?
Tuesday 10 November, 7.30pm,
King’s Arms Vaults, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
What we do with recycling? How to win friends and influence people, what is Jeremy Corbyn hiding in his tweed Jacket? Watching countdown and what not to say on Twitter all covered in varying degrees of detail and mirth, warning may contain flashing images of nuts!
£5 (£4 concessions)
Put Your Feet Up With Footstool
Tuesday 10 November, 9pm,
King’s Arms Studio, 11 Bloom Street, Salford M3 6AN
Wondering how Amy Gledhill and Nicola Redman came to be in a sketch duo? So are they. Join them as they piece together the past, looking back on pivotal moments in their lives. With the help of an inappropriate scrap book. And crisps.
£5 (£4 concessions)
Tickets and further details are available from www.greatermanchesterfringe.co.uk.
