2016
Friday 1st - Sunday 10th April 2016
www.bathcomedy.com
Thank you
Bath Comedy Festival acknowledges with gratitude the support of the following companies and individuals Festival Patrons
Arthur Smith, Barry Cryer OBE, Helen Lederer, Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst MBE, Sir Peter Hendy CBE, Ralph Oswick, Robert Brinkworth, Terry Jones 30863B Bath Logo 70cmx220cm half size:Layout 1
27/8/08
09:49
Page 1
Festival 18 Westgate Street, Bath SponsorsTel: 01225 463489 30863B Bath Logo 70cmx220cm half size:Layout 1
27/8/08
09:49
TM
Page 1
18 Westgate Street, Bath Tel: 01225 463489
With many thanks to the Festival team, advisors, friends and supporters Louisa Gummer, Colin Callan, Alan CassÊ & Valerie Caren, Geoff Whiting, Nick Sandy, Jem Roberts, Nod Knowles, Lloyd Ellington, Helen Chamberlain, Jimmy Mc, Richard McGillan, Peter Leach, Graeme Thomas, Zoe Bailey, Kate Authers, Georgette McCready, Craig Maplesden, Barbara Steel, James Waterhouse, Ash Vijay, Rich Daws, Erica Pease, Mandy Connor, Arron Whan, Viv Groskop, Ian McGlynn, Martin Jennings-Wright, Andy Burden, John Potter, Sarah Maylor, Gerraint Oakley, Martin Tracy, Phil Lodge, Sam Bartlett, Mark Newbrook, Mick & Liz Dempsey, Ian & Crista Taylor, Jo Lucas, Moe Rahman, Brian Hennigan, Will Sansom, Leslie & Lynsay Redwood, Margaret Roper, Nathan Brett, Denis France, Alan Nordberg, Richard Lecoche, Terry Connors, Mark McElney, David Newton, Anni Marjoram, Patricia Lukas, Charles Kidd, Adrian Feeney, Simon & Amanda Brown, Geoffrey Wheating, Nick Child, Simon Davies, Rod Donaldson, Marcus Olliff, Julian Landau, Dave Thorpe, Andy Nyiri, Michael Auton, Louise Prynne, David James, Melanie Heath, Gemma Sampson, Julie Peacock, David Lees, Alan Dorrington, Bath Artist’s Studios, Rachel & James Gay, Jeremy Towler, Bill Clarke, Nella Stokes, Ginny Adams, Neil Fowler, Steve Nightingale, Steve Ullathorne, Danny Sacco, Hannah Cowling, plus all our stewards, volunteers and supporters too numerous to mention.
Festival Supporters Programme & website by:
Xerophon offers a range of online and offline services specialising in web authoring & hosting. E: contact@xerophon.com
Welcome
The 8th annual Festival boasts an amazing mixture of famous names and exciting newcomers, with over 120 performers in total!
Our Comedy Festival team directly chooses, promotes and produces a core series of shows, (denoted by the plug logo), centred on specific venues including the newly rebuilt Widcombe Social Club and the Ring O Bells, plus such fabulous one-offs such as The Wine Arts Trail and The Bath Plug Award. The Festival has also programmed a run of “paywhat-you-feel” shows at Bath Brew House, where you can guarantee a seat by buying a ticket in advance, or get free entry on the day and put a contribution in the bucket on exit (all proceeds go directly to the performer), as well as two Saturday night line-ups by Mirth Control Comedy. We also operate an ‘open door’ programme policy, inviting everyone who is bold or crazy or downright funny enough to run their own events as part of this Festival feast of over 120 shows in 10 days.
We were proud to become the first ‘F’ rated United Kingdom comedy festival last year, and are continuing and expanding our support of female comedy in 2016. The Kids’ Comedy Fest is back too, after a successful start last year, with another day added to the Easter holidays fun for children and families. I am delighted to welcome Peter Richardson, the mastermind behind ‘The Comic Strip Presents’, for a special evening including a screening of his latest film ‘Redtop’ at the Little Theatre Cinema, and to receive the Bath Plug Award. Core programme ticket prices are down again making Festival shows more affordable than ever. I hope you enjoy this year’s fabulous series of events, and discover new comedians and venues in the process. For more information on all the events including easy online booking, videos, links and more, and to join the e-mailing list visit www.bathcomedy.com
Nick Steel, Festival Director
1
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS ‘F’ Rating Last year Bath Comedy Festival became the first ‘F’ Rated UK Comedy Festival. This year’s programme continues to expand our support for women in comedy with at least one female act every day throughout the festival, in every multiple line-up, each heat of the New Act Competition, plus female compères and judges. Our ‘F’ also stands for ‘Funny’. There are many very funny women out there, and by applying this rating to our core programme, we aim to show that once and for all!
2
Kids’ Comedy Fest Once again we’ve joined forces with Jimmy Mc, aka Bobo Boggle The Clown, to produce a packed programme of weekday lunchtime Easter holiday fun guaranteed to keep the kids rolling in the aisles, with special visits from fabulous Princesses and a variety of magic, puppetry and more. Look out for the kids’ events highlighted in yellow in this progamme.
The Kids’ Comedy Fest supports the Sadsville book by TV’s Martin Roberts, helping the NSPCC Schools Service.
From the Opening Night April Fools’ Stand-up Showcase, to the New Act Competition Final on the last day, brand new venue Widcombe Social Club is host to headline acts such as Stephen Frost’s Improv Allstars, people’s favourite Patrick Monahan, Dead Ringers and Impressions Show star Jess Robinson and Radio 4 favourites Hardeep Singh Kohli and Arthur Smith, who is curating a special Arturart Museum of Socks! There is also a special “In Conversation” event by Sarah Millican’s women’s magazine Standard Issue, starring a panel of funny women. Weddings are a perennial source of humour, and we’ve two gloriously funny opportunities for you to join in the nuptial celebrations: the upmarket wedding rehearsal “It’s Got To Be Perfect” starring Anna Morris as Georgina,
the ultimate Bridezilla, and the new Immersive theatre show The Wedding Reception, from the creators of The Faulty Towers Dining Experience, which includes a two course meal and wedding cake!. A truly international element includes visits from Norwegian Dag Sørås and German Paco Erhard, taking time out of their European and World tours. Add to all this a midweek run of professional Edinburgh-style solo shows at the Ring O Bells from the likes of Stuart Goldsmith, Lewis Schaffer and Tamar Broadbent, plus a full programme of comedy, music, magic and more at over a dozen venues across the city, on the streets and even in someone’s living room, this year is certainly the biggest and best Festival yet!
Support us With no major funding, Bath Comedy Festival relies on your support. From becoming a Friend Of The Festival for just £75 per year up to Principal Sponsorship, there are some exciting and rewarding small to large scale opportunities available. We don’t have standard packages, rather we talk to you or your company personally to find the best way of working together. Why not talk to us about what we can do to promote your business in association with the Festival? Email sponsor@ bathcomedy.com to register your interest.
BOOKING The easiest way to book tickets is online. Please visit
www.bathcomedy.com for easy booking links. You can buy tickets for most events via Brown Paper Tickets who offer a great online deal. Physical tickets are available at no extra cost, you can print your own & there are electronic options. This symbol denotes a core Festival event Friends of the Festival are entitled to concessions (where available). Email friend@bathcomedy.com for information.
Booking options by venue: Bath Brew House Ring O Bells Sleight St James Wine Vaults Widcombe Social Club W: www.brownpapertickets.com T: 24hr freephone 0800 411 8881
Other box offices: Komedia www.komedia.co.uk or 0845 293 8480 Mission Theatre www.bathboxoffice.org.uk or 01225 463362 Rondo Theatre www.ticketsource.co.uk or 029 2071 3200 Tickets for Ring O Bells and Widcombe Social Club shows are also available from Bath Box Office: W: www.bathboxoffice.org.uk T: 01225 463362 Please note different venues and events have different policies on concession rate tickets, and booking fees vary. 3
PreFestival fun 4
FRIAPR1
For booking information see page 3
Sylvia Hunt: Dog Show
John Robins: Speakeasy
Wed 30 March
Thurs 31 March
7:30pm for 8pm show Rondo Theatre £8 / £5 concs
7:30pm for 8pm show Rondo Theatre £14 / £12 concs
Coiffed and teased to perfection, clipped and trimmed in all the right places Sylvia Hunt’s Dog Show is a fabulous 60 minutes of canine high jinks and biscuit slobbering joy!
All new show from comedian, firebrand, sometime DJ and all-time vibe magnet.
Comedienne & puppeteer Sylvia Hunt explores the complex co-dependant relationship we share with our canine companions via a series of doggy vignettes. Humorous, hilarious and painfully poignant. “Keep your beady eye on this seriously funny and talented performer!” Chris Pirie - Green Ginger
A Fringe, Circuit and Radio favourite brings his critically acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe 2015 show round the UK.
11:15am and 2:15pm Starts at Bath Abbey £8 adult, £6 student/ senior, £5 kids (1.5hrs) A daytime, light hearted, fun, comedy, mischievous and unconventional walking tour through Bath’s history* *well some of it! Daily Thurs to Sun, tours last around 90 mins.
As heard on ‘The News Quiz’ (Radio 4) As seen on Russell Howard’s StandUp Central (Comedy Central), Alan Davis: As Yet untitled (Dave). “Comedy in its rawest form: one man, one microphone, one fantastically funny show” ***** Three Weeks
Laugh At Bath Comedy Walking Tour
Booking by phone 07765 796966 or email jamie@laughatbath.com or on the day subject to availability.
FESTIVAL OPENING NIGHT
Opening Night
April Fools Stand-up Showcase Silky, Nick Page, Dave Williams, Bethan Roberts, Bilal Zafar, LJ Da Funk
Degrees Of Error: Comic Sans The Noise Next Murder She Didn’t Script: Improvised Door On Tour Write Comedy 6.30pm for 8pm show 7.30pm show Mission Theatre £10 / £8 concs (1hr)
7pm for 7.30pm show St James Wine Vaults £5 (2hrs)
Move over, Sherlock! In Degrees of Error’s ‘Murder She Didn’t Write’, YOU become the author and watch your very own Agatha Christie-inspired masterpiece unfold on stage.
What do you get if you cross the co-creator of TV’s ‘Room 101’, the founder of the Cambridge Impronauts, a nuclear physicist and a load of other comedy talent from Cheltenham? Why it’s none other that the improvised comedic talents of Comic Sans Script.
“One of the funniest evenings you’ll have in some time” Ed Fringe Review A must for all lovers of classic crime fiction! The show runs from 1st - 5th April in the Mission Theatre’s main auditorium.
Come and join us for 2 hours of ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’-style good, clean fun, featuring improvised comedy scenes and games made up on the spot based around suggestions from you, the lovely audience
Komedia £12 - £22.50*
The unstoppable comedy juggernaut that is The Noise Next Door are turning up the volume for their third national tour! Get ready for a night of mind-blowing songs, jawdropping characters and side-splitting punchlines from the undisputed masters of off-the-cuff comedy.
7.30pm for 8pm show Widcombe Social Club £14 / £12 concs (2.5hrs)
Tonight’s headliners include Nick Page and Dave Williams.
Opening Night this year showcases some of the cream of the latest talent alongside some of the most respected circuit favourites.
Guest spots are from the winner of Bath New Act Competition 2015 Bethan Roberts, winner of Leicester Square Comedian of the Year 2015 - Bilal Zafar, and winner of the 2016 NATYS award - LJ Da Funk.
Hosted by Silky, a versatile comedian, musician and favourite on the comedy circuit for years.
Start the festival in style at our great new venue!
* £22.50 Meal Deal / £12 Auditorium
5
7.30pm for 8pm show Rondo Theatre £14 / £12 concs Suspicious emails: unclaimed insurance bonds, diamond-encrusted safety deposit boxes, close friends marooned in a foreign country. They pop-up in our inbox and standard procedure is to delete on sight. But what happens when you reply? James Veitch has spent the past year responding to as many scam emails as he can. A blend of traditional stand-up, interactive projections and music.
Bizarre Bath 8pm Meet at The Huntsman £8 / £5 concs (1.5hrs) You’ll laugh yourself silly when you join the celebrated stroll which takes an irreverent look at the city of Bath. You’’ll experience unforgettable mysteries, thrills, and surprises that stretch the traditional image of the city. So if you’re looking for something hysterical rather than historical, why not join us? Bizarre Bath leaves the Huntsman Inn, North Parade Passage, every evening at 8pm. The entertainment lasts approximately 90 minutes (but don’t worry - we’re not walking for all that time!) No booking required - pay on the day.
6
Fitz Of Giggles: Opening Night Showcase
SATAPR 2
Fri 1 APR James Veitch Dot Con
Alfie Moore: Getting Away With Murder
7.30pm for 8pm show Bath Brew House (2.5hrs) £5 or pay what you feel*
2.30pm for 3pm show Bath Brew House (1hr) £5 or pay what you feel
A full opening night lineup of comedy to kick off the festival week at the Bath Brew House.
In this brand new hour Alfie Moore, star of BBC Radio4 ‘It’s A Fair Cop’, and former Detective Sergeant, will provide a detailed step by step guide to enable you to achieve this goal. Everything you need to know from choosing a murder weapon to disposing of the body.
Tonight’s line-up is Ed Pownall, Tim Hoskins, Dorian Wainwright, Alice Taylor-Matthews and Mark Hurman. Hosted by popular local comedian Fitz. * Bath Brew House is host to free entry shows every day. Book in advance to guarantee a seat for £5, or get free entry on the day and “pay what you feel” on exiting the venue. Advance tickets are also be available for purchase from the Brew House bar.
“Very funny...a large dash of gallows police humour” - The Telegraph
For easy online booking just look up your event at www.bathcomedy.com and follow the links.
Repeat Show Laugh At Bath 11:15am and 2:15pm See listing on page 4
Character and Sketch Comedy Showcase Alan Francis, Mike Hayley & Lazy Susan
(Work in progress)
Wheely Wheely Wheely Wheely Wheely
4.30pm for 5pm show Widcombe Social Club £8 / £5 concs (1hr)
5.30pm for 6pm show Bath Brew House (1hr) £5 or pay what you feel
A selection of hugely talented comic character actors and their creations!
BBC Radio 4’s Viv Groskop’s new work-inprogress about snobbery, class, Britishness and The Good Life, fuelled entirely by gin.
This event will go ahead no matter what happens. Power outage? The wheel will spin. Sudden outbreak of witch trials? The wheel will spin. The wheel breaking? We’ll come up with something. The unstoppable quiz with a wheel.
Hosted by Alan Francis: “Smooth, classy and elegant as a vintage Scotch, a seductive performer” - Chortle
Sam Carrington: Viv Groskop: Be Awkwardly Mobile More Margo 4pm for 4:30pm show Bath Brew House (1hr) £5 or pay what you feel Awkwardly Mobile is about the fun in life’s less comfortable moments, whether that’s in work, family, dating or comedy itself. After a four star debut hour at The Edinburgh Fringe last year, Sam Carrington is now delighted to bring a brand new hour to the Bath Comedy Festival 2016. “Sam has his new career mapped out as a standup comedian” **** Trevor Davies, The Mirror
Should we be classless now that we’re “all in it together”? Or is it time to assert our inner reactionary and Be More Margo? “Very funny” - Omid Djalili “My favourite new act” Lucy Porter “Superb… at the top of her game as a stand-up” - edinburghfestival.org
6pm for 6.30pm show Widcombe Social Club £10 / £8 concs 1hr 40min incl interval
Mike Hayley: “Distilled Tony Hancock gold” - Fest
Lazy Susan: Work in Progress Sketch comedians in training. Tougher, faster, stupider. No pain, no shame. Just moo it. Foster’s Best Newcomer Nominees 2014. “This is everything sketch shows should be” ***** The Mirror “Superb” **** The List
Stephanie Laing: “Wonderfully unpretentious” - Broadway Baby, and Paul Duncan McGarrity: “a very tall, funny, excited child” - Kate Copstick, bring you a silly hour of silliness, with zero artistic merit, but a shockingly high volume of Maltesers.
7
Sat 2 APR The Oxy: Live at Bath YMCA
Krater Comedy Club
George Egg: Anarchist Cook
7.30pm for 8pm show Bath YMCA £5
6.30pm for 8pm show Komedia £11 - £45
7:30pm for 8pm show Rondo Theatre £14 / £12 concs
Krater Comedy Club is Komedia Bath’s flagship comedy night, at the proud four times winner of the ‘Best Comedy Venue in Wales & The West’ at the Chortle Comedy Awards.
George Egg spends a lot of time staying in hotels and some years ago, unimpressed with room service, he took matters into his own hands. A mind-bendingly original show of comedy-cumillustrated-lecture, George prepares a three-course meal on the equipment hotels unwittingly provide: iron, kettle, trouser press..
The winner of the Malcom Hardee comedy award 2015, Michael Brunström, presents his absurdist take on 19th century landscape painting. Painter John Constable attempts to create his 1821 masterpiece, THE HAY WAIN, through a series of bizarre surrealist vignettes. Support from Ms Sally Lunn and her talking bun and Matt Cranium. Compere: Arnold Kuenzler-Byrt
Repeat Show
Degrees of Error: Murder She Didn’t Write
8
7.30pm See listing on page 5
Wine and dine from the Soil Association Gold standard kitchen before enjoying three great standups and a compere. Featuring: Paul McCaffery, Keith Farnan, Stu Goldsmith and Jim Smallman (MC) Prices: £45 VIP ticket / £29 Meal Deal / £18.50 Auditorium / £15 Balcony / £11 Balcony Concessions
“It’s an hilarious show, with surprisingly good food” - The Times.
Repeat Show Bizarre Bath 8pm See listing on page 6
Funny Noises! 7:30pm for 8.30pm show Moles Club £10 (2hrs) A whole evening of tributes to the very best comedy music of all time – this time in the South West’s Number 1 music venue! Classic comedy songs by the likes of The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, Spinal Tap, Bill Bailey, Victoria Wood, Tim Minchin, Vic & Bob, Flight of the Conchords, Bad News, Hugh Laurie, The Rutles and many more. Performed by the best funny musical acts around, including The Unrelated Family, Meat Market and Tin Cards.
Brew House Saturday line-up: Sean Hughes 7:30pm for 8.30pm show Bath Brew House £10 (2hrs) A Saturday night lineup presented by Mirth Control, starring: Sean Hughes: “one of the best stand-ups of his generation” - Daily Telegraph Steve Hall: “Nothing short of hysterical” – The List Johnny Kats: Talented and energetic with an arsenal of impersonations. Geoff Whiting (MC): “With consummate ease, works the audience like a miner at the coal face, digging out nuggets of information” Independent on Sunday
SUNAPR 3
Stephen Frost’s Improv Allstars Stephen Frost, Niall Ashdown, Andy Smart, Steve Steen
John Pendal: International Man Of Leather 8pm for 8:30pm show St James Wine Vaults Free (donations) (1hr) 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 2003. Armed with a love of spreadsheets he set out to tour the world representing every kink and fetish - regardless of whether he liked them or not.
8.30pm for 9pm show Widcombe Social Club £15 / £12.50 concs 1hr 45min incl interval Regulars from the original British version of the hit TV show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” Stephen has been performing live improv most of his professional life, with the likes of Greg Proops, Colin Mocherie and Eddie Izzard to name but a few. The Allstars have toured the world and have all performed regularly at London’s famous Comedy
Store every Weds and Sun. Catch them here while you can!
The Wine Arts Trail 11am and 3pm tours Mystery Destinations £30 (approx 2.5hrs)
You shout it out, they act it out. Fast, Funny and Furious. No safety nets, just flying by the seat of their pants every time!
The most outrageous, funny, arty and winedrenched way to spend your Comedy Festival Sunday experience.
“These boys rock” - Time Out New York
With ex-Natural Theatre’s Ralph Oswick hosting, and guest clippie Bill Smarme, sip your way into the secret side of Bath as we wend our way around a series of surprises, happenings, musical interludes and comic interventions in our very own big red bus.
“Naturally, irredeemably hilarious” - Metro
“Top notch imporvised mirth making comic alchemy” - The Heraldest Newcomer Nominees 2014.
30863B Bath Logo 70cmx220cm half size:Layout 1
27/8/08
09:49
Page 1
30863B Bath Logo 70cmx220cm half size:Layout 1
For more information on all the events in the Festival programme visit the web site at www.bathcomedy.com
27/8/08
09:49
Page 1
18 Westgate Street, Bath Tel: 01225 463489 18 Westgate Street, Bath Tel: 01225 463489
9
Sun 3 APR
Arthur Smith:
The Arturart Museum Of Socks On display 3-10 April at Widcombe Social Club Free entry all day.
(probably) worn by Elvis Presley. The overall effect is sensational.
Rarely studied, discussed, or even thought about, socks have nevertheless made a huge contribution to the history of humankind.
It will definitely win the Turner Prize
For this unique and inspiring exhibition, Arthur Smith has assembled some of the most influential socks of all time, including the pair worn by Alexander the Great, the pink socks worn by General Montgomery in the battle of el Alamein, the white ones used to surrender at the Battle of Hastings, a pair worn by Princess Grace of Monaco on holiday and a blue one
Repeat Show Laugh At Bath
10
11:15am and 2:15pm See listing on page 4
David Tsonos: Professional Auditioner 4pm for 4.30pm show Bath Brew House (1hr) £5 or pay what you feel
There will, in addition, be a selection from Arthur’s own immense sock drawer Canadian stand-up David with the tales they have has been auditioning for to tell. acting roles for almost twenty years. Everything You can buy a sock from from X-Files, Stargate, Arthur’s world class collection and visitors are and Battlestar Galactica to movies you have never invited to bring their own heard of and Hollywood favourite sock so it may blockbusters. Through be registered in Smith’s the bad and the more important and growing bad David shows what the sock archive. out of work actor’s life is The museum’s really like. curator may or may David shows you just what not sometimes be in it takes to not make it in residence... the acting business. “Very confident, knows his material totally and had the crowd roaring. Good face and voice for comedy, great timing” The Stand
The Bath Plug Award - The Comic Strip Presents: Peter Richardson 4.30pm for 5pm show - Little Theatre Cinema £10.50 - £12.50 (3.5hrs including films and Q&A) Peter Richardson, mastermind behind one of the greatest movements in British comedy history discusses the past, present and future of The Comic Strip with local comedy historian Jem Roberts, and receives this year’s Bath Plug Award for over 30 years of fooling around with hordes of other comic legends. 5pm: Cinema debut of the brilliant latest Comic Strip outing, tabloid hacking satire Redtop starring Maxine Peake, Harry Enfield and Stephen Mangan. 6pm: Interview and Q&A. followed by a special celebration of 30 years of The Comic Strip Presents presented on the big screen, with appearances from The Strike, The Bullshitters, Five Go Mad and Bad News - featuring Ade Edmonson, Nigel Planer, Alexei Sayle, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Keith Allen and Rik Mayall.
Nick Doody: Look James At This Massive Dowdeswell’s Picture Of My Face Perfect Pub
In Conversation With Standard Issue Magazine
5.30pm for 6pm show Bath Brew House (1hr) £5 or pay what you feel
7pm for 7.30pm show Bath Brew House (1hr) £5 or pay what you feel
7pm for 7.30pm show Widcombe Social Club £12 / £10 concs (1hr)
One of the brightest talents on the comedy circuit. Sharp, topical and not afraid to say what he thinks, his brand of intelligent, honest and incisive comedy has won Nick fans all over the world.
James grew up in a West Country pub, and has toured the world as a comic, but now with the help of the audience, he designs the perfect pub.
The sharp and witty online women’s magazine hosts a killer line-up of funny women, including Lucy Porter, Sally Anne Hayward and Kirsten O’Brien*, (more tbc) talking about comedy, women, feminism and other topics.
“The best unadulterated, gimmick-free hour of pure stand-up I’ve seen” ***** Chortle “All hail Nick Doody... pure comedy gold” ***** Metro
It’s the ultimate happy hour where you’ll discover beer for dogs, why it was illegal to buy a round during the First World War and why girls taste better than boys. “A real master of the comedian’s craft. His material is top drawer” **** Chortle
Repeat Show
Repeat Show Bizarre Bath
7.30pm See listing on page 5
8pm See listing on page 6
Degrees of Error: Murder She Didn’t Write
Join brilliant women for an excellent evening of chat. *Line-up subject to change.
Noel Britten: Jess Robinson: Deceptively Simple The Rise of 8.30pm show Mighty Voice Sleight (above Ale House) £12 (1hr) Noel, the originator of the Bizarre Bath comedy walk, that roams the streets of the city every summer, moves indoors for this special new show. Joined by award winning magician Richard McDougall, these two international performers take a skewed and humourous look at the world of magic and illusion. Prepare to learn the secrets of deception, laugh at them and then be fooled by them again. Never has discovering the inner details of deception been so much fun! Daily until 6th April
9pm for 9.30pm show Widcombe Social Club £12.50 / £10 concs (1hr) Following last year’s sold out hit, Jess Robinson (star of Dead Ringers, Newzoids, Little Voice) is back with an all new show! Amazing mimicry, stunning singing, cheeky wit, incredible vocal gymnastics and irreverent celebrity impressions make the perfect feel-good show. Accompanied by the fabulous Kirsty Newton (Arthur Smith Sings Leonard Cohen) at the piano. “It’s hard to envisage a world in which Jess Robinson will not be a star” **** Chortle 11
MONAPR 4
Kids’ Comedy: Krazy Kev & Dinky Dino 12.10pm for 12.30pm Widcombe Social Club £4 (45mins) Lots of zany fun will be had with this lovely magic/puppet show. Suitable for ages 2+ Jimmy Mc aka Bobo Boggle is your host and there will be fun to be had before and after the show.
Kids’ Comedy: Garrett Millerick: King Pumpypants The Dreams Stuff and the Three Is Made Of (WIP) Princesses 6pm for 6.30pm show 1.40pm for 2pm show Widcombe Social Club £5 (80mins) Oh dear the silly King has got it all wrong again and the Queen is not happy! It’s time to send the royal messenger to call on the help of three very special Princesses (Cinderella, Snow White and Rapunzel!) With their help he might just save the day. Come and meet the Princesses after the show and get your photo taken! Suitable for ages 2+
12
For easy online booking just look up your event at www.bathcomedy.com and follow the links.
Show 30mins Meet & greet 50mins
Bath Brew House (1hr) £5 or pay what you feel
Stories from the grand canyon that sits between our dreams and our achievements. Things you didn’t realise were annoying, analysed in detail that you never thought was necessary. “Angry, intelligent standup” - Time Out “A halfway house between Phil Jupitus and Stewart Lee, Millerick is a combination of some of the best British comedians in the business, making this a fantastic stand up show that always hits its mark” - Three Weeks
Arthur Smith: Mindlessness - A Beginner’s Guide 6pm for 6.30pm show Ring O Bells £8 (1hr) Want to find peace of mind but can’t be bothered to get up early for yoga? Would rather be in the pub than chanting naked up a mountain? Worried your spiritual journey may involve bus replacement? Come to this show and have it all sorted out for you by mindlessness hipster guru Arthur Smith who, in a series of mindless exercises and inspirational observations will bring you to the sublime state of stresslessness. “This man is an idiot” Western Daily Press
Dag Sørås:
Cognitive Dissonance New Act Comedy Night 6.30pm for 8pm show Komedia Arts Café £2 Komedia Art’s Cafe is playing host to some of Bath and Bristol’s best aspiring comedians. Some who are relatively new the game, others that have been around a while. Either way, they’re acts we believe deserve their spot in the lime-light. We have a whole host of local acts, joined by a seasoned comic to round the night off with their new material and a whole load of laughs! Come and see the new wave of comedy here first!
Taylor Glenn: A Billion Days Of Parenthood
New Act Competition: Heat 1
7.30pm for 8pm show Ring O Bells £5 (1hr)
7.30pm for 8pm show Bath Brew House £5 (2.5hrs)
Award-winning American comedian Taylor Glenn returns following a twoyear break from stand up to look after her daughter,
The Bath Comedy Festival New Act Competition sees 45 of the best up-andcoming comics in the UK compete for the title.
Honest and unflinching, tackling all, from pre-natal pandas to post-natal depression in a tale about surviving the never-ending.
Tonight’s compere is Aideen McQueen.
“An excellent storyteller - polished from start to finish” - The Skinny “Strap in: this lady takes you on a comedy rollercoaster” - Glee Club
One of Ireland’s top stand ups, Aideen reached the final of the “Funny Funny” comedy competition after just her third gig.
Fresh from supporting Doug Stanhope on tour, Dag is a big-brained, baby-faced comedy assassin with killer punchlines and a PhD in British and American history. He expertly takes an audience to the very edge of the comedy precipice, and dares them to look way down - and let him show them around the parts he knows too well.
One of Norway’s biggest stars delivers dark and uncompromising comedy for those that don’t care for being patronised or pandered to! “Master of the comedic simile, and deliciously appalling imagery...quite brilliant...laugh-out-loud funny” - The Scotsman “From the land that gave us trolls, Ibsen and A-ha comes Dag Sørås, recommended by Doug Stanhope himself...Sørås is dark, but Doug’s dead right” - Kate Copstick
5 heats are held at Bath Brew House and a Grand Final on Sun 10th April at Widcombe Social Club
Repeat Show
Repeat Show Bizarre Bath
Repeat Show
7.30pm See listing on page 5
8pm See listing on page 6
8.30pm See listing on page 11
Degrees of Error: Murder She Didn’t Write
9pm for 9.30pm show Ring O Bells £8 / £5 concs (1hr)
Noel Britten: Deceptively Simple
13
tueAPR 5
Kids’ Comedy: Mr Brown’s Pig Pirate Show
Kids’ Comedy: Professor Palmeroff
12.10pm for 12.30pm Widcombe Social Club £4 (45mins)
1.40pm for 2pm show Widcombe Social Club £4 (45mins)
Avast me hearties prepare ye selfs well for this funny and action packed show.
This guy always makes us laugh - a real comedy magician in the mould of Tommy Cooper
Suitable for ages 3+
Suitable for ages 3 to 93
Jimmy Mc aka Bobo Boggle is your host and there will be fun to be had before and after both of today’s shows.
14
For more information on all the events in the Festival programme visit the web site at www.bathcomedy.com
Archie Maddocks: Matt Green: Shirts Vs Skins Writing to Harvey 6pm for 6.30pm show Keitel Bath Brew House (1hr) £5 or pay what you feel
Debut show of award winning and fiendishly good-looking dynamo love guru* Archie Maddocks. Being mixed race, he’s always felt a pressure to pick a team. Join him as he explores the crashing together of two separate worlds, and where he fits in, or fits out (is that a thing?) within them. *None of this is true. Except award winning. That’s totally true. “Surely destined to rise through the ranks in the coming years” - Bruce Dessau, Beyond the Joke and Evening Standard. Bath Comedy Festival New Act Winner 2014
6pm for 6.30pm show Ring O Bells £5 (1hr) Two years ago Matt spent six hours in a car with Hollywood star Harvey Keitel. Since then they’ve kind of lost touch. People keep asking Matt what Harvey was like, and presumably the same thing has also been happening the other way round? So Matt decided to write to Harvey to let him know everything he’s been up to since that momentous day. “Really funny” **** The Scotsman “Why someone as funny as this isn’t doing the Apollo, or having a Radio 4 series of his own, is a bit of a mystery” **** Theatre Bath
Ring O Bells £8 /£5 concs (1hr)
All spit no polish, all show no pony. Goldsmith goes back to the source. Amused Moose Comedy Award 2015 Nominee. “Not one single dull moment” - Scotsman “He gets huge laughs” - List “An Hour is a showcase of quietly perfect standup” - Edinburgh Festivals Magazine Multiple awardbridesmaid, and host of the “Comedian’s Comedian” podcast.
7.30pm for 8pm show Bath Brew House £5 (2.5hrs) The Bath Comedy Festival New Act Competition sees 45 of the best up-andcoming comics in the UK compete for the title. Tonight’s compere is Izsi Lawrence. “Iszi Lawrence finds herself in a bracket alongside Josie Long and Sarah Millican” - Oxford Times. 5 heats are held at Bath Brew House and a Grand Final on Sun 10th April at Widcombe Social Club
Tamar Broadbent: All By My Selfie 9pm for 9.30pm show Ring O Bells £5 (1hr)
Kids’ Comedy:
Repeat Show: details p12
King Pumpypants and the Three Princesses
12.10pm for 12.30pm £5
It’s lonely being Captain of the Jägerbombs.
Join Tamar on a quest of self discovery featuring a tube ride of shame, the hangover blues, and forever blaming everything on the Backstreet Boys. A five-star hour of musical comedy. As heard on BBC Radio 4.
Kids’ Comedy: Nutty Noah
“I predict a great future” - Michael Palin
1.40pm for 2pm show Widcombe Social Club £4 (45mins)
“Effervescent energy and easy charm” **** RipItUp ***** Female Arts **** A Younger Theatre
Repeat Show
Repeat Show Bizarre Bath
Repeat Show
7.30pm See listing on page 5
8pm See listing on page 6
8.30pm See listing on page 11
Degrees of Error: Murder She Didn’t Write
wedAPR 6
Stuart Goldsmith: New Act Competition: An Hour Heat 2 7.30pm for 8pm show
Noel Britten: Deceptively Simple
For easy online booking just look up your event at www.bathcomedy.com and follow the links.
This guy is unique - you won’t see another family entertainer like this! A show packed with comedy magic and things we can’t even describe. Simply fantastic!
15
wed 6 APR
Seymour Mace: Niche as F*ck! Chris Chopping: Here Comes Your Man 6pm for 6.30pm show Bath Brew House (1hr) £5 or pay what you feel After an an embarrassing incident in a public toilet, Bath New Act of The Year Finalist Chris Chopping starts to worry he might be a bit of a crap man. A show looking at sport, drinking games, cars and all the other manly things Chris cant get to grips with “A really good comic... Tremendously clever in both his delivery and subject matter” - Metro “He makes this comedy lark look easy” - South Wales Echo
16
6pm for 6.30pm show Ring O Bells £6 (1hr) Here’s my hundred words, well ninety one now, make that eighty seven, bugger! Eighty three! Eighty! Phew, shit! Seventy nine! Eight! Seventy two! Space, ninja, chicken, skellington, gravy, frog, fruit, super, fantastic, circus, strange, journey, monster, mystery, ghost, caravan, clown, death, electric, chaos, potato, balloon, poopy, nipple, elephant, chocolate, beans, fudge, laser, dimensional, fart, rocket, jam, henlike, crazy, golf, juggernaut, sausage, farmyard, toast, Elvis, werewolf, slurp, eggbox,
plastic, emotion, titbox, wagon, pirates, shitpants, dead dog, fatty, plop, plop, cheesecake, cheesecake, birthday murder.....niche as f*ck!
***** Times, ***** Gigglebeats, **** Mirror, “Made me completely lose myself to laughter” Alex Hardy, Times “Has the anarchic curveball spirit of Vic and Bob” - Alex Hardy, Times “Delightfully angry and ridiculously creative” Victoria Nangle, Festmag “Like a terrifying clown hiding under your bed” James McColl, Skinny
New Act Competition: Heat 3 7.30pm for 8pm show Bath Brew House £5 (2.5hrs) The Bath Comedy Festival New Act Competition sees 45 of the best up-andcoming comics in the UK compete for the title. Tonight’s compere is Laura Lexx. “One of the most delightful performers you’re ever likely to see” - GQ 5 heats are held at Bath Brew House and a Grand Final on Sun 10th April at Widcombe Social Club
Repeat Show Bizarre Bath 8pm See listing on page 6
Javier Jarquin: The Card Ninja 7.30pm for 8pm show Rondo Theatre £14 / £12 concs The Card Ninja possesses extraordinary skills which are more than just sleight of hand; these ‘tricks’ are on another level, and unlike anything you’ve seen before. Watch as Javier uses ordinary playing cards as weapons, with unfathomable precision, speed and power, in a unique, hilarious performance that you’ll never forget. A one-man comedy show with upbeat humour, impressive stunts and smooth audience interaction for anyone who’s ever wanted to be a little bit Ninja... Family friendly (Suitable for ages 12 and above.)
7.30pm for 8pm show Ring O Bells £5 (1hr) Hilarious standup comedian Diane Spencer’s brand new show is a mixture of oberservations, social commentary, and storytelling all packed with punchlines. Diane’s cutting humour and ditzy demeanor have been charming audiences all over the world. If you want to know what you’re in for, you can watch her previous 6 shows on Youtube. “Not to be missed” ***** ThreeWeeks “Half-horrifying, halffascinating, all hilarious” **** The Skinny
Tom Neenan: The Andromeda Paradox 9pm for 9.30pm show Ring O Bells £6 (1hr)
thurAPR 7
Diane Spencer: New Material
When Scientist Bernard Andromeda discovers an ancient stone bearing his own name he believes it is evidence of alien technology.
A one man comedy sci-fi epic from acclaimed writer and comedian Tom Neenan. **** Telegraph **** Metro **** Three Weeks
Kids’ Comedy: Wizzo the Wizard 12.10pm for 12.30pm Widcombe Social Club £4 (45mins) Another great family show, with magic/ puppets and lots of other stupidity. Wizzo will have you all giggling! Suitable for ages 3+ Jimmy Mc aka Bobo Boggle is your host and there will be fun to be had before & after both of today’s shows.
Kids’ Comedy: Mr Brown’s Pig Puppet Show 1.40pm for 2pm show Widcombe Social Club £4 (45mins) Ahh, what a lovely little show this is - especially nice for pre-school age children. With his handmade puppets, the little ones will be entranced with Mr. Brown’s world of make believe. Suitable for ages 2+
“Absolutely Brilliant” Steven Moffat
Repeat Show
Noel Britten: Deceptively Simple
8.30pm See listing on page 11
For more information on all the events in the Festival programme visit the web site at www.bathcomedy.com
Repeat Show Laugh At Bath 11:15am and 2:15pm See listing on page 4
17
thur 7 APR The Travelling Sisters 6pm for 6.30pm show Ring O Bells £5 (1hr) The Travelling Sisters is a mash up of potent sketches and songs played out by a bevy of loveable, heartbreaking and ridiculous characters. Endearingly funny and joyfully daft, the Sisters create a world as twisted as it is charming. “These women shine” **** Funny Women
Neil McFarlane 6pm for 6.30pm show Bath Brew House £5 or pay what you feel Low-budget international comedian Neil McFarlane has travelled intensively and astoundingly cheaply around the world, bringing laughter and confusion in unequal measure to many hundreds of people whose first language was not English, and still isn’t. Along the way he’s picked up some stories, met some interesting people and seen some sights, usually an hour before his flight leaves - and fallen down a few holes. Always with a mild hangover from whichever heinous local firewater he imbibed after the gig.
Mark Watson: I’m Not Here 6.30pm for 8pm show Komedia £17 - £27.50 Mark Watson is a multiaward-winning star of numerous TV shows including Dave’s Road to Rio, BBC’s We Need Answers, Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week and Have I Got News For You, and his own cult Radio 4 series ‘Mark Watson Makes The World Substantially Better’ and ‘Mark Watson Talks A Bit About Life’. He returns with the followup show to his highly celebrated and successful ‘Flaws’.
New Act Competition: Heat 4
Tony Jameson: Football Manager Ruined My Life
7.30pm for 8pm show Bath Brew House £5 (2.5hrs)
7.30pm for 8pm show Rondo Theatre £14 / £12 concs
The Bath Comedy Festival New Act Competition sees 45 of the best up-andcoming comics in the UK compete for the title.
Tony Jameson feels he’s now at the mid-point of his life. He believes he’s achieved some good things, but there’s still the nagging voice in the back of his head that wonders, ‘Could he have achieved more had he not spent the last 20 years playing video games?’
Tonight’s compere is Laura Lexx. “One of the most delightful performers you’re ever likely to see” - GQ 5 heats are held at Bath Brew House and a Grand Final on Sun 10th April at Widcombe Social Club
Prices: £27.50 Meal Deal / £17 Auditorium Repeat Show Bizarre Bath
18
8pm See listing on page 6
Join one of the Northeast’s hottest talents for silly stories and references to players you may / may not remember. NB: It’s not all about Football Manager don’t worry. “Terrific…Wonderful… Life affirming stuff...” The Skinny
7.30pm for 8pm show Ring O Bells £8 / £5 concs (1hr) Combining the comedy genes of Joan Rivers and Jackie Mason with the relevance of the freshest comedians, Lewis’ freewheeling style makes every show different and thrilling. Fasten your seat belts! “Genuinely liberating: a masterful take-down of the whole concept of human beauty” **** Fringe Guru “One of the most brilliant and amazing comedy shows I’ve ever seen... Shaffer plays with taboos, twisting and turning his attitudes and upsetting expectations until the audience is dumbfounded and helpless with laughter” ***** Scotsman
FriAPR 8
Lewis Schaffer: You Are Beautiful
Comedy Open Mic Spencer Jones Playgroup is The Herbert in 7.30pm for 8.30pm show Proper Job The Bell Free (2.5hrs)
A free open mic night of comedy in ‘The Love Lounge’ at the back of The Bell. Appearances have been known to include local stand-ups like Ben Thurston and Sam Cottle, possible spots from visiting professional comedians who are in town for the Festival, and reunion sketches from The Unrelated Family, Bath’s veteran sketch-botherers. Arrive early if you’d like to perform.
9pm for 9.30pm show Ring O Bells £6 (1hr)
An unlikely hero dressed in white tights and a T-shirt with a budgie on it. Childlike and cheeky, The Herbert’s show is stuffed full of physical, musical, prop-heavy insanity.
Kids’ Comedy: Funtime Silly Disco 11.40pm for 12pm show Widcombe Social Club £5 (90mins) Lots of fun, dressing up, music and prizes. Great for getting kids to let off some steam! Suitable for ages 2 to 12
A sort of grubby Mr Bean with a hint of Tommy Cooper. This guy is such a dickhead. Writer and star of BBC’s BAFTAnominated Big Babies and UK Barry-nominated for best performer in Edinburgh 2014, Spencer Jones was a New Act of the Year 2015 runner-up. “Punch you in the gut funny...the nicest, funniest, silliest, most heart-warming hour you can have” **** Scotsman
For easy online booking just look up your event at www.bathcomedy.com and follow the links.
Kids’ Comedy:
Repeat Show: details p12
King Pumpypants and the Three Princesses 1.40pm for 2pm £5
19
fri 8 APR
Anna Morris:
It’s Got To Be Perfect Joz Norris: Hey Guys!
6.30pm for 7pm show Widcombe Social Club £8 / £5 concs (1hr)
“Beautifully crafted comedy” The Independent
6pm for 6.30pm show Bath Brew House (1hr) £5 or pay what you feel
Critically acclaimed character comic, star of ITV2’s Bad Bridesmaid and BBC1 Outnumbered, brings her smash-hit, sellout show to Bath.
“The best wedding I’ve ever been to” **** Broadway Baby
Award-winning idiot Joz Norris brings his hit 2015 Edinburgh Show to Bath with a few new ideas. He once lived on a mountain for three days in order to legitimise his own comeback gig, so those are the kinds of lengths he goes to in order to guarantee a good time. This will be fun. “An absolute idiot... Simple, silly and screamingly funny” - Fest “A born entertainer and a great comedy writer” Chortle Repeat Show Laugh At Bath
20
11:15am and 2:15pm See listing on page 4
You are invited to attend the wedding rehearsal of viral YouTube star (Georgina’s Wedding Blogs), ‘Britain’s Worst Bride’ Georgina & her long suffering fiancé Simon, a Conservative Politician. Georgina is determined to have THE perfect wedding when she ties the knot this year, so what better way to make sure everything goes smoothly than to rehearse as many times as possible, all over the UK, using the audience as fill-in guests?! Be warned nothing will get in the way of her perfect day. Don’t. Be. Late...
“Terrific writing and an exceptional performance” **** The Skinny “This show is simply perfect” **** Edinburgh Guide
New Act Competition: Heat 5
Vivian Stanshall’s Sir Henry At Rawlinson End
7.30pm for 8pm show Bath Brew House £5 (2.5hrs)
7.30pm for 8pm show Rondo Theatre £14 / £12 concs
The Bath Comedy Festival New Act Competition sees 45 of the best up-andcoming comics in the UK compete for the title.
Liverpool’s Mike Livesley & his cobwebbed musicians re-create legendary Bonzo Viv Stanshall’s manic, classic, surreal but fond masterpiece of quintessential English comedy. Sir Henry’s world is brought to life for our entertainment, enchantment & elucidation 20 years after Viv’s untimely passing.
Tonight’s compere is Becky Brunning. “An absolute delight - whimsical, original routines with razor sharp writing” - Comedy Combo 5 heats are held at Bath Brew House and a Grand Final on Sun 10th April at Widcombe Social Club
Repeat Show Bizarre Bath 8pm See listing on page 6
“Mike Livesley embodies to perfection the spirit and brilliance of Vivian Stanshall and adds his own measure of outrageous talent too” Stephen Fry
Paco Erhard:
Worst. German. Ever. Karen Sherrard: A Fête Worse Than Death
Hardeep Singh Kohli: Big Mouth Strikes Again
Drift Snowbarger: Drift Towards Death
8pm for 8.30pm show St James Wine Vaults £6 / £5 concs (1hr)
8pm for 8.30pm show Widcombe Social Club £12 / £10 concs (1hr)
8.30pm for 9pm show St James Wine Vaults Free (donations) (1hr)
Welcome to the village fête in Llanfairchwaraesboncen, in the S. Wales Valleys.
When you’ve a mouth this big, is it any wonder you get into trouble?
Drift is middle aged (if he lives to be 110) and here he charts his Dad’s journey through old age, to death....and beyond.
76 year old village busybody Iris Evans hosts a fun-filled romp with competitions, slide shows & audience participation. Featuring guest speaker, lascivious TV gardener Esme de Flange, providing advice on sowing seed, trimming your shrubbery and prize marrows. But will you be able to contain yourself for the grand finale? THE RAFFLE! “Refreshing, wry, warm, witty and winsome” Colin Sell, BBC Radio 4
The comedian, broadcaster, journalist and chef explains all in a brand new show, on the back of its premier at last year’s Edinburgh Festival. “Immensely funny” Daily Express
Poignant, bitter sweet; an hour about death to cheer you up.
9pm for 9.30pm show Ring O Bells £8 / £5 concs (1hr)
“One of the best cultural comedians in the world” Rip It Up
Paco tries to make sense of travelling the globe for 14 years and coming to realise: yes, he is German, but he’s pretty sh*t at it.
“As close to stand-up genius as I have ever seen... waves of comedy gold” ***** Edinburgh Guide
He bares all in his edgiest, most personal show yet. You will laugh. If you want. Zis is not an order.
“A combination of Jim Jefferies and Bill Hicks... observational comedy and satire at its finest” ***** Three Weeks
Social satire, playful madness, and crosscultural mischief, Paco draws on his meandering life around the world, as well as plain silliness.
“Intelligent, political, smutty and genius” Adelaide Advertiser, 2015
“Very funny… with a touching truth in the stories he tells and a truthful integrity in the way he tells them” **** Edinburgh Guide “Mixes stories with fantastic quick-witted patter” **** Skinny
Also on Sat 9 April 21
satAPR 9
Unrehearsed Monty Python & The Holy Grail 2pm for 3pm show The Bell Courtyard Free The Unrehearsed Theatre Company presents this festival’s comedy classic, completely live and completely free and completely stupid, outside in the courtyard at The Bell on Saturday afternoon. Donations to Comic Relief. Be there by 2pm if you want to take part!
Zahra Barri: Talk Like An Egyptian
Sex.. with Pete Searles
2.30pm for 3pm show Bath Brew House (45m) £5 or pay what you feel
3.30pm for 4pm show Widcombe Social Club £8 / £5 concs (1hr)
Zahra’s a bit like Turkey, in that she’s a mix of Eastern and Western culture, and also she is a bird. A fun look into Eastern and Kanye Western Culture.
After his girlfriend leaves for a better looking, richer, more successful friend, Searles dissolves into a gibbering, chain-smoking, suicidal-insomniac!
This show is about celebrating our differences and uniting our similarities with the Middle East. This is a ‘silly’ show about a ‘serious’ topic. Contains canned laughter, an actual Pyramid of Giza, Zahra’s Dad teaching her Arabic.
22
For more information on all the events in the Festival programme visit the web site at www.bathcomedy.com
Repeat Show Laugh At Bath
As heard on BBC Radio 4 Extra and BBC Radio 2 “Terrific” - Venue
11:15am and 2:15pm See listing on page 4
New-age self-help healing therapy and a voyage of self re-discovery bring buried memories of past relationships, one-night stands and a confused childhood to the surface with painfully hilarious, revelatory results! “Haven’t laughed so much in ages” - Gilded Balloon “One of the loveliest, laughter filled hours I’ve ever seen” - The Scotsman “Brilliant… one of the best solo shows I’ve ever seen!” - Gyles Brandreth
Ed Day: Jokes To Tell To Your Girlfriend’s Dad 4pm for 4.30pm show Bath Brew House (1hr) £5 or pay what you feel Having been placed 3rd in the Gilded Balloon’s prestigious ‘So You Think You’re Funny’ in 2015, Ed has quickly become a rising star on the London circuit, and has decided to write a show for this year. Join him at Bath Brew House for half an hour of stand up, along with some special guests to sweeten the deal (and fill the time). “Ingenious visual gags... there’s no questioning his crafty intelligence” Chortle “Clearly one to watch” - Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke
Rob Coleman: Ship of Fool 4.30pm for 5pm show Assembly Inn Free (donations) (50min) Focusing on one man’s obsession with crossing the Atlantic in a small boat, the show takes a funny and deeply personal look at Rob’s original motivations, how he came to fail, twice, and the slightly worrying idea that despite having just turned 50, not really being suited to life on the ocean wave and with a broken hip to his name, he still fancies another crack at it.
Chris Norton Walker: Something Funny Happened On The Way Here 5.50pm for 6pm show Assembly Inn Free (donations) (30min) One comedian’s journey through 1000 crazy gigs, weird audiences and hilarious backstage accidents. A show that examines a nearly showbiz life and how sometimes comedy happens in the most unlikely places.
The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre Do Shakespeare 5.30pm for 6pm show Widcombe Social Club £8 / £5 concs (1hr) Earth’s funniest footwear return with songs, sketches, socks & violence, taking on The Bard Of Avon himself. Howl at their Hamlet, roar at their Romeo & Juliet, and peer into their Coriolanus. Plus all the usual satirical nonsense from the Two Gentlesocks Of Verrucca. “Had every single audience member... laughing until they cried” ***** Edinburgh Evening News “One of the truly great comic inventions of our time” ***** Theatre Bath
Christian Talbot is Shite at Being Irish
David Ephgrave: Work in (Hope of) Progress
5.30pm for 6pm show Bath Brew House (1hr) £5 or pay what you feel
6.45pm for 7.30pm show The Mission Theatre £8 / £5 concs (1hr)
Ireland! Home of the black stuff and the craic. The whole world wants to be Irish and sure why wouldn’t they?
The back end of the comic duo Doggett & Ephgrave road-tests some new material. Don’t worry: he hasn’t heard of David Ephgrave either.
So what happens if you actually are and you’re shite at it? Christian Talbot looks awful in all 40 shades of green, and he’s allergic to Guinness and rain. He can’t speak the language and he’s afraid of potatoes. Winner of the the 2014 Malcolm Hardee Cunning Stunt Award. “A friendly, funny and clever hour” - Kate Copstick, Scotsman
“David Ephgrave is as smooth as they come” (BBC) “A very likeable stand-up, confident but not cocky, and a lot of fun to spend time with” (View From The Gods) “An eye for the bizarre, the sinister and the downright ridiculous” (Camden Fringe Voyeur) Also on Sun 10 April
23
sat 9 APR Krater Comedy Club 6.30pm for 8pm show Komedia £11 - £45 Krater Comedy Club is Komedia Bath’s flagship comedy night, at the proud four times winner of the ‘Best Comedy Venue in Wales & The West’ at the Chortle Comedy Awards. Wine and dine from the Soil Association Gold standard kitchen before enjoying three great standups and a compere. Featuring: Raymond & Mr Timpkins, Steve Shanyaski, Paul Myrehaug and Mark Olver (MC)
24
The Oxy: Comedy in the Community Show!
Otway And Barrett: The Final Straw Tour 2016
7.30pm for 8pm show A Bath resident’s living room £5
7:30pm for 8pm show Rondo Theatre £14 / £12 concs
Arnold Kuenzler-Byrt performs his stand up show “An uninfluential mind”.
After an appearance on The Old Grey Whistle Test - during which John landed on his testicles whilst leaping astride Willy’s amplifier - an amused punk audience bought enough copies of the single “Really Free” to give them their first Hit.
With comedy music from The Meat Market “adult themed harmonies” and Sir Henry. Plus Matt Cranium, comedy historian; Impro from the Void and Gary Millhouse. Compere Ms Sally Lunn and her talking bun. To obtain a ticket please text 07572 127377
Repeat Show Bizarre Bath
Repeat Show
8pm See listing on page 6
8pm for 8.30pm See listing on page 21
Karen Sherrard: A Fête Worse Than Death
In the past few years Otway and Barrett have reunited for a few short tours, if only to prove that nothing much has changed. The show is a wonderful eclectic mix of bizarre humour, superb visual effects, fine guitar playing and the best use of a Theremin anywhere.
Patrick Monahan: The Disco Years 7:30pm for 8pm show Widcombe Social Club £12 / £10 concs (1.5hrs) The family’s favourite funnyman (and occasional disco dancer)! Charged by reminiscences of being an immigrant to Great Britain, this is a laugh out loud show, both thoughtful and smart as well as brilliantly silly! ‘2015 Hardest Working Comedian of the Year Award’ winner. As seen on ITV’s “Splash!”, “Fake Reaction”, “Show Me The Funny” and “Celebrity Squares”. “A spellbinding narrative… delightful, impressive and very funny…” **** The Scotsman “A comedian with a heart of gold…” ***** One4Review
Brew House Saturday line-up: Mark Dolan 7:30pm for 8.30pm show Bath Brew House £10 (2hrs) A Saturday night lineup presented by Mirth Control, starring: Mark Dolan: Broadcaster, comedian and writer, currently presenting a slot on Fubar Radio Dave Thompson: “The best one-liners I’ve heard this season” - The Independent Iszi Lawrence: ”in a bracket with Josie Long and Sarah Millican” Oxford Times Geoff Whiting (MC): “Works the audience like a miner at the coal face, digging out nuggets of information” Independent on Sunday
SUN 10 APR For easy online booking just look up your event at www.bathcomedy.com and follow the links.
Interactive Theatre International: The Wedding Reception 12.30pm prompt (2.5hrs) Widcombe Social Club £35 incl 2 course meal + cake!
lavish reception could go ahead without fuss... though “without fuss” isn’t quite how it turns out!
Boasting 5* reviews from premières in London, Brighton and Edinburgh, this new immersive comedy from the producers of Faulty Towers The Dining Experience makes its Bath debut...with new bits!
Be a guest at The Wedding Reception. It’s a 2-hour comedy that’s highly improvised, and as interactive as you want it to be. And, in true wedding reception style, it even includes a sit-down dinner - with cake! Join the party. It’s a rollercoaster journey full of fun, frolics... and more than a few surprises.
Will & Kate’s dream was for a small intimate wedding - but Kate’s Mum, Lynne, had other plans! In a bid for peace, a compromise was reached, and the happy couple tied the knot in a registry office so that Lynne’s
“Brilliant interactive theatre - highly entertaining...highly recommended!” FringeReview, Edinburgh
Simon Caine: Buddhism and Cats 2.30pm for 3pm show Bath Brew House (1hr) £5 or pay what you feel If you got your idea of adulthood from F.R.I.E.N.D.S. but reality hasn’t lived up to the expectation, if you live more in your head than in the moment and if you feel connected online and profoundly disconnected from people offline, then this is the show for you.
Repeat Show Laugh At Bath 11:15am and 2:15pm See listing on page 4
Maggy Whitehouse & Richard James: Worlds Apart 4pm for 4.30pm show Bath Brew House (1hr) £5 or pay what you feel A West-Country atheist all-too-familiar with longdistance relationships and an inner-city vicar who can’t shut the bedroom door on her perpetual Imaginary Friend. Together, they are a fount of hilarious, epic and insane stories both from personal experience and from history on the absurdities of longdistance love and religious devotion. “Intelligent Writing” Eminent Banter. “Funny, warm and surprisingly inspirational” - Paul Tonkinson
25
sun 10 APR
For booking information see page 3
Nick Hall: Szgrabble! 5.30pm for 6pm show Bath Brew House (1hr) £5 or pay what you feel Sketch comedian Nick Hall brings his one-man Cold War thriller to Bath. In this fast-paced, energetic and hilarious multi-character show, Nick brings to life a vivid world of spying, suspense, seduction and most importantly - Scrabble! As seen on BBC2, BBC3 and BBC Radio 4 “Crackingly original” **** The List “Side splittingly funny” ***** ThreeWeeks
New Act Competition: Grand Final
Festival Final Fling: The Zen Hussies
6.45pm for 7.30pm show Widcombe Social Club £8.50 (3hrs)
Tues 12 April
The last show of the Festival sees the nine best acts from the competition heats battle it out for the prestigious Bath New Act Of The Year title, judged by a panel of comedy industry heavyweights and comedians.
David Ephgrave: Work in (Hope of) Progress
26
6.45pm for 7.30pm See listing on page 23
A FREE final fling in the spectacular surroundings of Hall & Woodhouse. Celebrate the end of a fabulous festival with the organisers, volunteers and participants, while enjoying the dance-along songs of the hugely popular Zen Hussies.
Previous winners include Bethan Roberts, Archie Maddocks, Paul Revill, Larry Dean, Harriet Kemsley, Matt Richardson, Mickey Sharma and Joe Lycett. MC: Geoff Whiting
Repeat Show
7:30pm FREE Hall & Woodhouse
Repeat Show Bizarre Bath 8pm See listing on page 6
POSTFestival FUN
Their trademark sound is “the sonic definition of happiness” (Festival Eye magazine), a whirl of bluesy hollers, swinging trumpet, baritone sax, clarinet, harmonica, double bass, guitars, drums & good humoured stylistic nudges & winks. A good time guaranteed!
Bath Marx 2016 Sat 23 and Sun 24 April The first ever Marx Brothers Weekend Festival of Britain - a two day celebration of movies, madness, special guests and live performance. Bath, with its rich absence of any known connections to the Marx Brothers, seemed the perfect place to mount the festival, and 2016 was specially chosen on the grounds that it wasn’t the centenary of anything at all. Starring Frank Ferrante in ‘An Evening With Groucho’ plus screenings of ‘Animal Crackers’ and ‘A Night In Casablanca’, this is a totally unmissable event for any fans of the Marx Brothers. For more information see: www.bathmarx.co.uk
Think Outside The Box • Discover Bath’s newest corporate meeting space
Spring Set Menu Enjoy two delicious dishes from the kitchen of Executive Chef Chris Staines. Pick from elegant starters such as salt-baked beetroot or pressed terrine of hocked ham. Followed by decadent mains of flavours of cauliflower or roast breast of free range chicken with black garlic.
• Available at hourly or daily rates • Private booths with individual TV monitors or the stunning vaulted main room.
Book now on 01225 808 632
Available 12 – 3pm every day and 5:30 – 7pm Mon-Sun.
Book now on 01225 805 336 Abbey Hotel, 1North Parade Bath BA1 1LF
01225 805336 www.abbeyhotelbath.co.uk
www.abbeyhotelbath.co.uk The Abbey Hotel, 1-3 North Parade, Bath, BA1 1LF
Be beautiful at David Maxwell Hairdressing
TM
PAUL MITCHELL COLOUR SPECIALISTS RACOON HAIR EXTENSION SPECIALISTS BRIDAL EXPERTS
Make space with intelligent parking
Fast, Quiet, Discrete. Swiss Designed Engineering
Cardok is the underground parking solution that doubles your parking space and provides greater security than a locked garage.
www.cardok.co.uk Cardok UK Ltd., Number One, Queen Square Place, Bath BA1 2LL Bath 01225 582 100 | London 0207 112 8870 | Email info@cardokuk.com
Come to our multi-award winning salon Argyle Street Salon 01225 435713 10 Argyle Street, Bath BA2 4BQ davidmaxwellhairdressing.co.uk
ring
bells
Flamingo
bar - restaurant - venue Bath’s award-winning gastropub We are proud to be an official Bath Comedy Festival venue
eat
delicious food
meet drink
Cards Art Gifts
good friends
great wine & beers
live music function
sunday nights
room for hire
“Great food, amazing service!” “Don’t tell everyone or we’ll never get a seat again!”
BATH GOOD FOOD AWARDS WINNER 2015 Best Modern European 10 Widcombe Parade, Bath BA2 4JT
01225 448870
www.ringobellswidcombe.co.uk contact@ringobellswidcombe.co.uk
7 Widcombe Parade, Bath, BA2 4JT www.flamingobath.co.uk 01225 333619
Nigel
Dando .
Dando flyer:Layout 1 17/02/2014 15:57 Page 2
Jeweller Goldsmith
THE WHITE HART INN
Buyers of gold, silver and platinum in any form or condition at the highest prices in Bath.
A perfect base to explore the city 5 minutes walk from Bath Spa railway and bus stations
Nigel
Fully licensed bar & restaurant Affordable dormitory & private rooms
Dando
Beautiful walled beer garden Recommended in the Good Food Guide Nigel Dando 11 Pulteney Bridge, Bath BA2 4AY. 01225 464013 www. nigeldando.co.uk Monday to Friday 10.00 to 4.30. Saturday 10.00 to 1.00
in one of the most Guildin the world unique locations OF VALUERS AND JEWELLERS
Outside catering available
.
Jeweller Goldsmith
Buyers of gold, silver and platinum in any form or condition at the highest prices in Bath. visit us:
www.whitehartbath.co.uk @whitehartbath
follow us:
Ringtree & Co. Ltd Proud sponsors and accountants of Bath Comedy Festival
Strength in numbers
A friendly, affordable service for Sole Traders and Partnership Accounts, Limited Companies, VAT returns, Payroll, Tax Advice and Financial Planning.
0117 329 4121 info @ ringtree.co.uk
A Peaceful Stay on an Attractive, Working Georgian farm; just a 5 Minute bus ride from the Centre of Bath.
Charming, newly refurbished ensuite rooms from just ÂŁ70 per night. Delicious, traditional cooked breakfast of own produce. Located opposite Bath University entrance.
Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AR rachel@rainbowwoodfarm.com or 07812 114085
www.rainbowwoodfarm.com
AS INDIVIDUAL AS YOU ARE
Family Run Antique Reclamation 07850 235793 Yard andmarcus@olliffs.com Salvage Architectural Antiques at Olliff ’s “A unique experience”
AUCTION www.olliffs.com
In Bristol, by appointment only.
Due to refurbishment of premises
Saturday 15th September 2012 At Olliff’s Architectural Antiques in Bristol This will be an exceptional sale with all types of architectural antiques and salvage
For more information please email marcus@olliffs.com or Wellers on 01932 568678 & auctions@wellersauctions.com
See our brand new website for a selection of authentic reclaimed and salvaged architectural antiques at competitive prices!
www.olliffs.com
www.olliffs.com t: 07850 e: marcus@olliffs.com t: 07850 235793 e: 235793 marcus@olliffs.com
Michael & Liz wish you a warm welcome at
The Ram 9A Claverton Buildings
Breakfast, Elevenses, Lunch, Tea & Cakes and the finest Coffee
Home Cooked Food Real Ales Traditional Ciders Quality Wines For people who enjoy a traditional pub! 20 Claverton Buildings Widcombe, Bath BA2 4LD 01225 421938
Sunday 3rd April 2016 Doors 9pm for 9.30pm show WIDCOMBE SOCIAL CLUB, Widcombe Hill, Bath £12.50/£10 concs www.bathcomedy.com
or
0800 411 8881
NOTES
Bath Good Food Awards - Best Local Cider 2015
Don’t forget to check
www.bathcomedy.com for all the latest news.
VENUE MAP
Widcombe Social Club
2
Ring O Bells
3
Great Western Wine
4
The Mission Theatre
5
Bath Box Office
6
Bath Abbey
7
The Bath Brew House
8
Komedia & Komedia Arts CafĂŠ
9
Bizarre Bath / The Huntsman
10
Sleight (above The Ale House)
11
Hall & Woodhouse
12
Bath YMCA
13
Assembly Inn Festival Bar
14
The Bell
15
Rondo Theatre
16
St James Wine Vaults
PARAGON
15
A4 LONDON
RD
16
1
13
BA TH W
15
14
ICK ST RE ET
12 11
8
10
ST ATE STG WE
9
7 6
5
4
3 2
1
Widcombe Hill, BA2 6AA 10 Widcombe Parade, BA2 4JT Wells Road, BA2 3AP 32 Corn Street BA1 1UF Abbey Chambers, BA1 1NT Kingston Buiildings, BA1 1LT 14 James Street West BA1 2BX Westgate Street, BA1 1EP North Parade, BA1 1LY 1 York Street, BA1 1NG 1 Old King Street, BA1 2JW Broad St Place, BA1 5LHW Alfred Street, BA1 2QU 103 Walcot Street, BA1 5BW St Saviours Road, BA16RT St James Square, BA1 2TW
37
Missing some of tonight’s performance? Visit Specsavers Bath for an eye test
Bath 18 Westgate Street. Tel 01225 463 489