Preview: Gein’s Family Giftshop, Westgarth Social Club, Middlesbrough

Manchester sketch group Gein’s Family Giftshop are bringing their trademark brand of hilariously off-kilter comedy to Teesside next month, when they headline Heavy Petting’s Fiasco at the Westgarth Social Club in Middlesbrough.

Gein’s are on a seemingly-unstoppable roll at the moment. They won both the judge’s and audience awards at Sketchfest 2014, were nominated for Foster’s Best Newcomer award at the Edinburgh Fringe, and they were recently cast in the second series of cult BBC comedy Inside No.9.

Also appearing are Al Greaves and character act Stanley Brooks, whose dynamic business motivation seminars have seen him win both Beat the Frog and King Gong in recent months.

The night will, as ever, be hosted by Middlesbrough’s second-tallest sketch group Heavy Petting, who promise the usual mix of characters, home-made props, creative swearing and lollipops.

Promoter James Harris said: “We feel incredibly lucky to have lured Gein’s to Middlesbrough. We’ve seen them a few times now and they never fail to blow us away with their effortlessly dark and hilarious sketches.

“Al Greaves’ eccentric energy and disarmingly funny material are a perfect fit for our night, and we thought we’d better book Stanley Brooks now before he wins The Apprentice or something.”

Heavy Petting’s Fiasco with Gein’s Family Giftshop, Westgarth Social Club, Middlesbrough, 7 March 2015, 7.30pm, £4