Darlington Comedy Festival 2014: more big names confirmed
More big names have been confirmed for this summer’s Darlington Comedy Festival.
Four new dates have been added to the ever-growing festival in July, featuring circuit regulars, TV names and notable North East comedians.
On Friday 9 July, musical comedian Rob Deering will bring his live music-based game show, Rob Deering’s Beat This, to Darlington.
Combining live music mash-ups, megamixes (not enough of them nowadays) and music trivia, the show sees Deering pit a team of comedians – which includes Gavin Webster and Catherine Scott – and the audience against each other.
Beat This is a long-established Edinburgh Fringe tradition and runs monthly in London, but it’s coming to Darlo for the first time in July.
On Thursday 10 July, Rob Rouse and Ray Bradshaw team up for a double-header show at The Voodoo Cafe.
Bradshaw’s new show sounds particularly interesting; the Glaswegian comic has spent the last year undertaking dares set to him by complete strangers – and this show is the result.
Ray recounts the dares he has completed, including representing his country at a sport, his attempts to make it as a Bollywood star, his date with Scotland’s oldest woman, how he took on The Globe of Death and how he finally managed to pass his Brownies hostessing badge amongst many, many others.
On Sunday 20 July, Paul McCaffrey – who you might recognise from the brilliant Impractical Jokers on BBC Three – joins Matt Forde for more Edinburgh Fringe previews at Hilarity Bites’ flagship venue, Inside Out.
While the wonderful Alun Cochrane (Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow) and Dan Nightingale round off the latest announcement, as they bring their respective shows to Darlington on Sunday 27 July.
Now in its third year, the Darlington Comedy Festival kicks off with the curtain raiser Hilarity Bites show at The Forum on 5 July.
Show Me The Funny winner Patrick Monahan hosts the official opening gala at Darlington Civic Theatre on 8 July, where the star roster includes Seymour Mace, Rob Rouse and Rob Deering.
Festival Director Neil Jollie said: “We’re really pleased to welcome back festival favourite Pete Firman to our original venue of Inside Out, and to pair him up with Dan Clark is going to lead to an amazing night of comedy.
“Jason Cook and Pete Johansson is another great double-header show, whilst we’re also pleased to be able to deliver some exceptional free shows with the best of new talent thanks to support from Darlington Creative.”
Tickets for all shows are on sale now, via darlingtoncomedyfestival.co.uk.
