LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE And the Museum of Comedy
Summer 2016
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Museum of
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Museum of Comedy
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The Undercroft, St George�s Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
www.museumofcomedy.com | 020 7534 1744
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WELCOME Welcome to our Summer 2016 Brochure We’ve got another busy season ahead as we again bring you the best of Edinburgh previews, family fun and big names! If you’re not going to Edinburgh or want to know what to expect, the Lounge and the Museum of Comedy have the answer. We’ve new comedy from Fringe favourites Bridget Christie, Tony Law, James Acaster and Croft & Pearce, great sketch from Norris & Parker, Short & Curly and Lead Pencil, and back for previews of their new show Thinking Drinkers take us Around The World In 80 Drinks. In the year of Shakespeare 400 we’ve got two very different takes; our resident company, the critically acclaimed Grassroots Shakespeare present their “utterly winning” (BTG) production of Twelfth Night in the Lounge, and for the first time in London Sh*tfaced Shakespeare are in the Main House with A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Also in the Main House, Scamp Theatre make a welcome return with their brand new show, The Scarecrows’ Wedding, and for comedy fans we’ve got Gary Delaney, Richard Herring and Adam Carolla, among many more… We look forward to welcoming you.
Martin Witts Director Leicester Square Theatre and the Museum of Comedy
Trump vs Bernie
Richard Herring
Grassroots Shakespeare
Tony Law
Stewart Lee
Words, Words, Words
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MAIN HOUSE NATALIE WEISS RETURNS TO THE WEST END! 1 May, 8pm, £25
Natalie Weiss returns to London! The acclaimed Broadway performer, best-known for her hit Youtube series “Breaking Down the Riffs” will be singing her unique brand of modern pop and musical theatre classics, accompanied by a rockin’ 4 piece band.
SH*T-FACED SHAKESPEARE: A Midsummer Night's Dream Until 11 June, 7pm, Tues – Thurs £18.50, Fri & Sat £20.50 For the first time in London! Sh*t-faced Shakespeare® by Magnificent Bastard Productions is the hilarious combination of an entirely serious Shakespeare play with an entirely sh*t-faced cast member. Side-splitting, raucous and completely interactive, the show has already entertained over 50,000 eager theatre goers across the UK and America. 16+
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
MAIN HOUSE HARRY POTTER AND THE HOUSE ELVES ON STRIKE – An Unofficial Sequel
14 May, 8.45pm, £12.50, Conc £10 Laugh Out London ('third best comedy club in London' – Time Out) and Weirdos Comedy Club ('the closest thing we have to a modernday Comic Strip' – Chortle) present a ridiculous Harry Potter parody.
“Side-splittingly hilarious” MuggleNet review 18+
GREG FOOT:
CAUTION: Safety Goggles Required! 15 May, 3.30pm & 7pm, £17, Conc £14, Family £44 Curious Questions. Explosive Answers. Ever wondered why your fingers go wrinkly in the bath? What explosions in space really look like? Or why beans make you fart?! Well wonder no more. Fresh from Blue Peter and BBC's Factomania join TV & YouTube Science Guy Greg Foot for an evening of curious questions and explosive answers.
WEST END MAGIC
21 May & 12 November, 3.30pm, £15, Conc £10, Family £40
London's premier magic shows continue throughout the year, featuring the best magic and variety acts in the UK. May's offering brings international gentleman juggler Mat Ricardo, slapdash magic duo Griffin and Jones, plus the amazing conjuring feats of Oliver Tabor. All held together by Norfolk's greatest magic/comedy export, Olly Day. 7+
Plus Magic Workshops for children in the Lounge before the show! 12.30pm – 2.30pm, £20 BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MAIN HOUSE GARY DELANEY: There’s Something About Gary 27 May, 7.15pm, £16.50 ...and that something is he likes to write jokes. An awful lot of them. Also he appears to have some jizz in his hair. There's that as well. Gary thinks a good joke should be like a drunk Glaswegian, short and punchy. His new tour show is not only great for people who like lots of jokes but also fun for people who enjoy getting offended by jokes too.
“An endless flow of top quality jokes” The Guardian 14+
HOW LION BECAME KING OF TINGA TINGA LAND 28 & 29 May, 11am & 2pm, Adult £12.50, Child £10, Family £40
A new children’s stage show from the creator of Tweenies, How Lion Became King of Tinga Tinga Land is a fun-packed performance that will transport children and their families to a high-octane adventure on the African Plain. On her journey, Wise Old Bird Banjoko meets a host of characters, including the Cheeky Monkey Maliki, a kind but goofy giraffe named Gowon, a groovy zebra called Zalika and a very proud lion called Lutalo. 3+
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
MAIN HOUSE AUSTENTATIOUS:
An Improvised Jane Austen Novel 29 May, 25 Sept, 30 Oct, 27 Nov, 18 Dec, 7pm, £12.50, Conc £10 Austentatious returns to its London home in resplendent fashion! In each show, the all-star cast will improvise a brand new Jane Austen novel, based on an audience suggestion. Previous 'lost works' have included Sixth Sense & Sensibility, Jurassic Mansfield Park and Double 0 Darcy!
“A potboiler of a parody, joyously performed” HHHHH The Times
STIG OF THE DUMP
4 & 5 June, 12.30pm & 3.30pm, Adult £14, Child £9, Family £42
Barney is staying with his grandparents on the chalk Downs of southern England when he falls over the edge of an old chalk pit and tumbles through the roof of a hidden den. When he looks round he sees Stig, a caveman, with shaggy black hair and bright black eyes. It is nearly 50 years since Stig and Barney’s adventures first saw the light of day, but this timeless children’s classic remains as charming and entertaining as ever.
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MAIN HOUSE RICHARD HERRING'S
Leicester Square Theatre Podcast 6, 13, 20 & 27 June, 4, 11, 18 & 25 July, 7pm, £15.50 The “Podfather” (Guardian) and “King of the Internet” (Time Out) returns with the award winning Podcast in which he chats with the biggest names in comedy. Winner of Bronze Award for Best Comedy at the 2013 Sony Radio Academy Awards and the Chortle Internet Award 2013. Guests to be announced!
RICHARD HERRING: Happy Now?
12 June, 7.15pm, £15 After years of drifting aimlessly and alone, Richard Herring is now settled down with a wife and a tiny baby. Is he finally happy now? Or does responsibility for the lives of others come with its own terrors? In his twelfth solo stand up show, Richard examines whether we are can ever hope to be or are meant to be truly content.
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
MAIN HOUSE GLIMPSES OF ‘THE SEAGULL’ 14 – 16 June, 7.15pm, £15, Conc £10
A unique performance based on Anton Chekhov’s iconic play 'The Seagull'. Directed By Merve Taskan - a member of Actors Studio NYC and one of the most influential Directors of today. With Music created by David Le Page - Violinist & Composer.
CRAIG CAMPBELL: Don’t Look Down 18 June, 7.15pm, £15 With Craig Campbell’s record Everest base camp show looming beyond his hip-reshaping operation and a winter of snowboarding comedy shows, the challenge of keeping the wounded Moose’s chin up ensures Don’t Look Down to be his most appropriately titled show yet!
“Loud, beautifully crafted tales of outsider adventure” Independent
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MAIN HOUSE AM O CăSUţă MICă 19 June, 2pm, Premium £40, Standard £30, Side stalls £20
Mastermind Events Group şi a gaşca Zurli prezintă in premieră la Londra spectacolul “Am o casuţă mică”. Spectacolul “AM O CăSUţă MICă” este o producţie originală plină de energie şi culoare, cântece şi veselie, interactivitate şi superdistracţie
GLORIOUS: Louange
28 June, 7pm, £30, £20, £10 Glorious: Louange return for 2016.
THE ADAM CAROLLA SHOW: Live Podcast
29 June, 7.15pm, £27.50 A television and radio star for over 15 years, Adam started “The Adam Carolla Show” as a podcast with only a computer and a microphone from his home office in February 2009. The program was an instant sensation and has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most downloaded show on the internet. Adam returns with his #1 show for a live podcast featuring some very special guests to discuss the burning issues of the day, plus pizza toppings. 16+
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
MAIN HOUSE OLD COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR 2016: FINAL 3 July, 7pm, £15
Forget cheery optimism & skinny jeans. Now in its 2nd year, 100 not so new acts have become 12 for a glittering finale in the Main House of Leicester Square Theatre.
“On tonight's evidence, the over-35s can certainly show the young whippersnappers a thing or two…” Steve Bennett, Chortle 18+
CHORTLE PRESENTS FAST FRINGE 6 July, 8pm, £16, Conc £13
So many comedians, so little time! A mammoth showcase of 28 comedy and variety acts perform three-minute extracts of their forthcoming Edinburgh Fringe shows in one ridiculously fast-paced showcase – all chosen by leading independent comedy website Chortle.
“Mega good value for money!” Time Out 16+
TRUMP VS BERNIE:
Featuring Anthony Atamanuik & James Adomian 8 July, 7pm, £20.50 A satirical faux debate starring JAMES ADOMIAN (Comedy Bang Bang, Last Comic Standing, IFC) as Bernie Sanders, and ANTHONY ATAMNUIK (30 Rock, Parks and Recreation) as Donald Trump as they square off on all the issues that are important to today’s world.
“The best comedy sketch about current political campaign that I’ve seen” New York Times 16+
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MAIN HOUSE Scamp Theatre and Watford Palace Theatre present
THE SCARECROWS’ WEDDING
Based on the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo 9 July – 4 September, Tues & Weds 11am, Thurs – Sun 11am & 2pm Adult £19.50, Child £14.50, Family £55 Betty O’Barley and Harry O’Hay invite you to… The best wedding ever, the best wedding yet, The wedding that no one will ever forget. This truly heart-warming adaptation of Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s new bestselling book is bursting at the seams with Scamp Theatre’s inimitable style (Stick Man, Tiddler & Other Terrific Tales, Pirate Gran) and promises wit, drama, and wedding bells!
“Enchanting and hilarious. Bags of sheer family fun” HHHH The Stage This epic love story is suitable for all aged 3+
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
MAIN HOUSE LUISA OMIELAN:
What Would Beyonce Do?! - The Book Tour 15 July, 7pm, Ticket & Book £26, Ticket only £15 Luisa Omielan is a comedian who lives by one rule and one rule only: WHAT WOULD BEYONCE DO?! And she has written a book detailing how following that one mantra changed her life forever. With readings from her book and a live Q&A, Luisa will show you how there is no situation in which Beyonce can't save the day. 16+
MORTIFIED LIVE: London
16 July, 7.15pm, £15 After a sold out first show in February Mortified London return in July with a brand new cabal of cringe inducing reminiscences. Hailed a 'cultural phenomenon' by Newsweek and celebrated by This American Life, Entertainment Weekly, Time and beyond, Mortified celebrates stories revealed through the strange and extraordinary things we created as kids.
“Unbearably intimate… completely funny!” The AV Club 15+
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MAIN HOUSE DISTRACTION PIECES PODCAST LIVE WITH SCROOBIUS PIP 3 August, 7.15pm, £20
To celebrate both his birthday AND the launch of the Distraction Pieces Podcast book, Scroobius Pip is returning for the second live edition of his chart topping podcast. Pip will once again be inviting you lot to join him onstage and pick questions and topics of debate for a unique podcast experience. Also, it’s his birthday, so if you don’t come you’re very very cruel. 16+
PINEAPPLE PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL
Musical Theatre Summer Spectacular 5 Aug, 3.30pm, £10
Street Dance Summer Spectacular 12 August, 3.30pm, £10 A showcase of talent featuring students from Pineapple’s Musical Theatre and Street Dance Summer Schools 2016.
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
MAIN HOUSE TWO PIANOS
28 August, 8pm, £24, Conc £22 Two Pianos will take you on an electrifying journey back in time to celebrate the Sun Studios era, performing classic hits from Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and many more legends from the 1950s American rock ‘n’ roll catalogue.
“Two Pianos rock!” Jerry Lee Lewis
RON WHITE
30 August, 7.15pm, £16 Cigar smoking, scotch drinking and “Blue Collar Comedy” phenomenon, Ron ‘Tater Salad’ White will be bringing his award winning stand-up comedy show to London. 18+
THE AXIS OF AWESOME: Won’t Ever Not Stop Giving Up 31 August, 7pm, £15, Conc £12.50 When it comes to musical comedy The Axis of Awesome are royalty. They’ve toured all over the globe and their comedy tunes have been viewed over 200,000,000 times online. That’s not a typo; they’ve had over Two Hundred Million views on the Internet. They've even got a plaque from YouTube commemorating that achievement. A PLAQUE!
“Truly Awesomely funny!” HHHHH Adelaide Advertiser 16+
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
LOUNGE We’ve got Edinburgh on our minds and with it we bring you our Preview season! We’ve programmed over 30 top comedy shows from the likes of Lily Bevan, Rachel Parris and Simon Munnery, so you’ve every chance to catch a work in progress gem. We also welcome back returning shows from the Rat Pack and Robert Ross, and bring you top theatre with Grassroots Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, the life of Hattie Jacques in Becoming Hattie, and notorious hell raiser Lord Byron in Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know….
Juliette Burton
Tez Ilyas
Kate Lucas
Doug Segal
Viv Groskop
Ruby Thomas
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
LOUNGE GRASSROOTS SHAKESPEARE LONDON: Twelfth Night
Until 14 May, 7pm, Thursday & Saturday matinees 3pm, £19.50 An evening of fun, joy and laughter with London’s own Shakespeare ensemble, a Leicester Square Theatre resident company. Starring BBC’s John Pickard and featuring Ellie Nunn in her West End Shakespeare debut. Come see servants longing to be masters, lovers in disguise, intrigue and quite a good deal of mischief!
“Utterly winning” British Theatre Guide
MEET/CUTE
5, 6 & 13 May, 9.30pm, £12, Conc £10 A brand new, true RomCom. Every night. Ever wished you were in the room the first time your Dad met your Mum’s family? Or wondered what really happened the night they first kissed? And what happened the night after that? None of us know the whole story so Meet/Cute is here to fill in the blanks.
“Very funny, fresh and creative” Time Out
HOW INTERESTING A New Material Night 31 May, 7pm, £10 New material from Mime Wonder Trygve Wakenshaw (Perrier nominee 2015) “The kind of funny you get when not just the rug but the whole floor and foundations are pulled right out from under you.” (The Guardian), comedian Lily Bevan (BAGA 4 - School Gymnastics) “Ingenious” (The Times), and Gemma Rogers & The Mil Men (Best teeth in the music biz).
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
LOUNGE WORDS, WORDS, WORDS 16 – 21 May, 7pm, £12.50
When sorrows come, they come not single spies. But in battalions. When Lowri lost her mother, she lost her voice. The vocabulary of her childhood disintegrated, the old words failed to fit the new story. Denial, shock, acceptance? Can she rewrite a version of herself which can speak these new words?
“Wonderful”
HHHH The List
CHILDREN’S MAGIC WORKSHOP 21 May & 12 November, 12.30pm – 2.30pm, £20
Teaching children aged 7-13 the basics of magic. The workshop is designed to be interactive and fun taught by a top Magic Circle London magician, covering simple sleight of hand and the basic fundamentals of magic.
See West End Magic in the Main House after the workshop at 3pm!
BRIDGET CHRISTIE AND JORDAN BROOKES: Works In Progress
23 May, 7pm & 13 June, 9pm, £8.50 Edinburgh Comedy Award winner and Radio 4 favourite Bridget Christie, plus Chortle Comedy Award Nominee Jordan Brookes – “A Sharp Talent and certainly one to watch” (Time Out) - share the workings of their brand new, Edinburgh Fringe-bound, stand-up hours. 14+
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
LOUNGE BECOMING HATTIE
24 – 28 May, 7pm, £15, Conc £12.50 It's 1974 and 8-year old Jo is snuggled up on the settee idly glancing at the telly when there, on the screen, is a woman unlike anyone Jo has ever seen on TV. That woman is Hattie Jacques. Thoughtful, funny, warm and nostalgic; this one woman show is an affectionate look at the life and career of a remarkable woman and a witty, caustic look at modern life in show business. 15+
MAD, BAD AND DANGEROUS TO KNOW: The Scandalous Life and Fast Times of Lord Byron 24 – 28 May, 9.15pm, £8.50 Lord Byron; hell raiser, fashionista, sexual predator, poet, punk. Join the most notorious figure from literary history for a drink. He'll tell you his wild tales of debauchery and romance, entertain you with his wit and wisdom, and charm you with his sheer charismatic force. 16+
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
LOUNGE SUPER GLOBAL MEGA INCORPORATED: Turbo 2 & 4 June, 7pm, £10 A comedy sketch show from the creative team that brought you 2015’s sell out ‘Global Mega Incorporated’. Featuring new material alongside the best sketches from their barnstorming debut, plus new exciting words in the show title – did you spot them? Go check, we'll wait for you...
“... absurdist humour that would have done the Monty Python team proud” HHHH Female Arts
MID-BROW: The Live Show
3 June, 15 & 22 July, 7pm, £8 Winners of best new sketch act 2015, MidBrow, are back with a preview for their new load of funny. Prepare yourself for a hilarious barrage of the senses blending music, film, audio and performance into their truly unique “live show”.
“The best comedy duo at the fringe”
HHHH The List 18+
MORGAN BERRY: Watership Down 15 June, 7pm, £10 Join award winning character comedian Joe Rowntree for Morgan Berry: Pet Bereavement Counsellor (Rabbit Specialist).
“Captivatingly funny” HHHH Chortle 14+
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
LOUNGE LEAD PENCIL 18 & 30 June, 7pm, £10
Lead Pencil return with a brand new show full of sketches, songs and their trademark here’s-one-I-made-earlier props.
“Offensively funny” HHHHH Box Dust 14+
ROBIN MORGAN: Free Man
22 June, 7pm, £6 All Robin hoped was that she'd say “Yes.” That didn't happen. A preview of the debut hour from the writer of Radio 4's The News Quiz, The Now Show and Newsjack.
“Extremely entertaining and brilliantly silly”
HHHH Edinburgh Festivals Magazine 16+
RACHEL PARRIS: Best Laid Plans
23 June, 8 July & 21 July, 8.30pm, £6, Conc £5 Rachel Parris (Austentatious, The IT Crowd, Murder In Successville) presents a collection of songs, stories and stand-up about not having it all. No house, husband, child, wage? No problem.
“One sometimes doubts that Britain’s got talent, but Parris has it in spades” The Guardian
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
LOUNGE FIONA SAGAR: Entitled (preview)
24 June & 22 July, 8.30pm, £6, Conc £5 Fiona Sagar (recently returned from The Groundlings, LA) explores various characters in her debut character comedy show. Sagar introduces characters you may recognise from TV, life and even your own reflection. 14+
VALERIE LEON
in Conversation with Robert Ross 26 June, 4pm, £20 The first public presentation of Forever Carrying On proudly hosted by Robert Ross. An affectionate, illustrated tribute to six of the leading members of the Carry On team presented by Valerie Leon, seven times Carry On star, twice Bond Girl, Hammer Horror icon, and sparring partner for everyone from Peter Sellers to Frankie Howerd.
BRIDGET CHRISTIE & SIMON MUNNERY: Works In Progress 29 June, 9pm, £10 Edinburgh Comedy Award winner and Radio 4 favourite Bridget Christie, plus British Comedy Award nominee Simon Munnery – “An avant-garde comedy god” - Time Out share the workings of their brand new, Edinburgh Fringe-bound, stand-up hours. 14+
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
LOUNGE MIXED DOUBLES: Fundraiser
1 July, 8.30pm, £7.50, Conc £6 Effervescent sketch comedy quartet Mixed Doubles return with a show that tackles middle-England's burning issue; the new village pavilion. In this fictional fundraising event, expect sketches aplenty from this award-winning foursome as they preview the show ahead of its run at the Edinburgh Fringe. 14+
VIV GROSKOP 4 & 13 July, 7pm, £5
Following her sold-out 5* Edinburgh debut "Say Sorry To The Lady", comes Funny Women finalist Viv Groskop's brand new work-in-progress about snobbery, class, Britishness and The Good Life, fuelled entirely by gin. 16+
JULIETTE BURTON: Decision Time
7 July, 7pm, £6, Conc £5 Award-winning docu-comedian Juliette Burton has to make a BIG decision. Join Juliette as she chooses her own adventure. Can a single choice change a life? Can looking back help us move forward? It’s time to make some good life choices.
“Burton’s got huge talent and then some!”
HHHHH The Daily Mirror 14+
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
LOUNGE RUBY THOMAS: Chick
7 July, 8.30pm & 21 July, 7pm, £6 What do a filthy Aristocrat, a Gynaecologist with a heart of gold, a Vlogger, Dominatrix and you have in common? Limescale. And this show.
“Extracting laughs one moment, gasps the next” Exeunt Magazine 16+
SOPHIE WILLAN: On Record
9 July, 8.30pm, £5 Sophie Willan grew up in and out of care. At 23 the state unexpectedly delivered all of her personal files. In her highly anticipated debut stand up comedy show this very special rising star explores who she is today through the eyes of the numerous experts that assessed her growing up. Expect brutal honesty and glorious unpredictability. 16+
SIMON MUNNERY & SAM FLETCHER: Works In Progress 12 July, 7pm, £8.50 Chortle Award Winner and British Comedy Award Nominee Simon Munnery, plus Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominee Sam Fletcher – “A true indie comic” (Time Out) share the workings of their brand new, Edinburgh Fringe-bound, stand-up hours. 14+
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
LOUNGE DOUG SEGAL:
I Can Make You Feel Good 14 July, 7pm, £6, Conc £5 Doug Segal (Winner: Best Cabaret Act, Brighton Fringe) previews his new show which is designed to make you feel good! Following critically acclaimed, sell-out shows all around the country, grab this opportunity to see Doug, who Time Out has called "the UK's best kept entertainment secret". As seen on BBC1 and BBC3. 16+
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO KATE LUCAS? 14 July, 8.30pm, £5
On a particularly dull Tuesday afternoon multiaward winning musical comedian Kate Lucas thought she was moments from death. In her highly anticipated debut show, this deliciously dark rising star dissects her final thoughts. 16+
PENELOPE SOLOMON
16 July, 8.30pm, £10 Penelope (‘Goodnight Sweetheart’ [BBC], ‘Fist of Fun’ [BBC] and Sony Nominated ‘King of the Road’ [BBC Radio 2]) warms up her brand new Edinburgh solo show. Penelope blends stand-up with character comedy and a sprinkling of original songs in this autobiographical romp. 14+
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
LOUNGE JOHNNY COCHRANE: Appeal
19 July, 7pm, £5 Multi award nominated comedian Johnny Cochrane knows how to nail an Edinburgh debut. He’s sure of it. Join this rising star as he presents this outlandishly inventive and daringly experimental stand up show. 16+
SIMON MUNNERY: Work In Progress 20 July, 7pm, £8.50 Chortle Award Winner and British Comedy Award Nominee Simon Munnery shares the workings of his new, Edinburgh Fringebound, stand-up hour.
“An annual must-see for any comedy connoisseur” The Guardian 14+
THE RAT PACK STAND-UP COMEDY PRESENTS… 23 July, 9pm, £10
The guys that bought you Time Out Critics Choice and Leicester Square Theatre sell-out show The Rat Pack stand-up comedy bring you the most inspiring and distinct stand-up comedy shows with the best UK and International comics. Every show is different – solo festival shows from award-winning comedians, mixed bills or format shows – we bring you what’s fresh! 16+
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
LOUNGE TEZ ILYAS:
Made In Britain 27 July, 8.30pm, £5 Last year Tez Ilyas experienced something that turned his world upside down. In this hotly anticipated follow up to his 2015 smash hit debut, this smart and subversive rising star is back with another bold and deeply personal show. 16+
ADELE AND TOM’S FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY 28 July, 8.30pm, £4, Conc £3
Stand ups Adele Cliff and Tom Mayhew (Laughing Horse Semi-Finalists) are hosting a joint-party and don't want to be alone. Join them with an exciting special guest comedian for an hour of fun. Expect jokes, hats and games. All the fun of a children's party, with none of the children. Party hats included! 14+
STRANGENESS IN SPACE
in Conversation with Robert Ross 31 July, 4pm, £20 In a specially-extended show, Robert will chat to Trev & Simon, Sophie and Clare about making the hilarious, crowd-funded audio series Strangeness in Space. There will be script-reading fun for you, as well as opportunities for autographs, photographs, and one-to-one chat. Splendid strangeness guaranteed, Mirthlings!
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MUSEUM OF COMEDY It’s the third Edinburgh preview season in the Museum of Comedy and it’s the biggest yet! Stewart Lee, Bridget Christie and Ben Hanlin led the line-up, which also includes new hours from Amy Howerska, Colin Hoult, zazU and LST New Comedian of the Year 2015 winner L J DA Funk…
James Acaster
Simon Munnery
Colin Hoult
Paul F Taylor
Dr George Ryegold
David Mills
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Museum of Comedy | The Undercroft, St George’s Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
MUSEUM OF COMEDY STEWART LEE: Content Provider
3, 4, 11, 12 & 19 May, 15 & 16 June, 7pm, £12.50 A new work-in-progress show, which will either become more telly or a big tour effort. 16+ D SOL T OU
THE DICTATORSHIP & CORRUPTION TOUR 5 May, 7pm, £8
It's dangerous to be an opposition leader in Russia and Africa. So don’t be. Join with those in power - Svetlana the Oligarch’s Wife and President Obonjo.
“Solid jokes back up her effectively realised monster. ...The creation seems very pertinent to these times” Chortle 16+
FUNNY WOMEN: An Edinburgh Fringe Survivor's Guide
7 May, 10.30am – 1.30pm, £49.50, Conc/Funny Friends £39.50 Are you heading to the Edinburgh Fringe this August? Funny Women extends a warm welcome to everyone, men and women, to join PR guru Julian Hall for this special workshop designed to guide you through that trials and tribulations of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 16+
BOX OFFICE 020 7534 1744 www.museumofcomedy.com
MUSEUM OF COMEDY DAVID MILLS: Shame!
10 May, 14 June & 12 July, 7pm, £8 The hardest-working stand-up cabaret personality in London, David Mills cuts to the bone in his latest uproarious comedy rant.
“A superior act. Mills is an archduke of comedy with the emphasis on ‘arch’.” Chortle 16+
BEN HANLIN: Work In Progress
12 & 19 May, 9 & 16 June, 14 & 21 July, 9pm, £10 Cheeky magician and star of ITV2’s Tricked is performing a series of intimate work-inprogress shows. Fresh from touring New Zealand and performing in the West End show, The Illusionists.
“Amazing!” Kim Kardashian 14+
TWONKEY’S MUMBO JUMBO HOTEL 14 May, 7pm, £8
Why is Drunk Welsh Anne's pistol missing from her garter belt? Why has the accountant been poisoned? Why does the cuckoo clock need fixing if it’s already been fixed? All these questions and more will be answered if you visit Twonkey’s Mumbo Jumbo Hotel.
“He creates wonderlands of weird.” HHHH The Scotsman 16+ uu
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Museum of Comedy | The Undercroft, St George’s Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
MUSEUM OF COMEDY MADAME SEÑORITA: Who are Tú?
14 May, 8.30pm, £8 Madame Señorita is a concept that explores freedom, playfulness, the outrageous and the full-on stupidity. If you like discovering a new experience when you watch theatre, and your mind is wide open and ready to receive unexpected provocations, this is a show for you!
“I defy anyone to find a more ‘different’ act on the circuit than Madame Senorita” Lucy Gray, British Comedy Guide 16+
BRIDGET CHRISTIE: Stand-Up For Her 15 & 17 May, 7pm, £10 A DVD warm-up show from the Edinburgh Comedy Award, Chortle and South Bank Arts award winner, featuring all the very best bits of her last three full-length Edinburgh Fringe and West End sell-out shows. D SOL T U O
THE WORST OF DR GEORGE RYEGOLD 18 May, 7pm, £8
The very worst chunks of the good doctor’s award-winning comedy brutally stitched together to create a hideously hilarious, misunderstood monster. HHHHH Three Weeks HHHH The Scotsman 16+
BOX OFFICE 020 7534 1744 www.museumofcomedy.com
MUSEUM OF COMEDY THE KITTEN LOUNGE
18 May & 22 June, 8.30pm, £10 The purrrfect way to ease yourself over the midweek hump, join the internet’s favourite cover-girls The Lounge Kittens as they invite you to pull up an armchair and get cosy in THE KITTEN LOUNGE. Guests to be confirmed. 18+
OLD COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR Heats: 22, 23, 24, 29, 30 & 31 May, 5, 6 & 7 June, 7pm, £6.50 Semi Finals: 12, 13, 19 & 20 June, 7pm, £7.50 Now in its 2nd year, Old Comedian of the Year is a competition based at The Museum of Comedy in Bloomsbury. The final will be held at Leicester Square Theatre, in the heart of London’s West End.
“On tonight's evidence, the over-35s can certainly show the young whippersnappers a thing or two…” Steve Bennett, Chortle 18+
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Museum of Comedy | The Undercroft, St George’s Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
MUSEUM OF COMEDY MAIN HOUSE HOT LIPS UNPLUGGED
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27 May, 11pm, £5
Embrace an intimate evening with acclaimed brass player, Tom Bone AKA Hot Lips, and prepare to be blown away as he performs his whistle funk extravaganza in public for the very first time. Just one man, one mouth and no instruments. For news on future performances, visit www.scandaljazzrecords.com
CHILDREN’S MAGIC WORKSHOPS 28 May, 12.15pm – 1.45pm, £15
Teaching children aged 7-13 the basics of magic. The workshop is designed to be interactive and fun, taught by a top Magic Circle London magician, covering simple sleight of hand and the basic fundamentals of magic.
BEING SPASTIC 28 May, 9pm, £9, Conc £7
An open and frank exploration into the changing attitudes towards disabled people from the year of Jack’s birth, 1989, to the present day. What’s the truth of Being Spastic? Let’s find out! 16+
BOXOFFICE OFFICE020 0207734 75342222 1744 leicestersquaretheatre.com www.museumofcomedy.com BOX
MUSEUM OF COMEDY THE GUILTY FEMINIST PODCAST 1 June, 7pm, £12, Conc £10
Ever felt like you should be better at feminism? Join comedians Sofie Hagen and Deborah Frances-White for their new comedy podcast, recorded in front of a live audience. 14+
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AMY HOWERSKA: SMASHCAT
2 June & 5 July, 7pm, £5 Welsh Jewish Polish Irish BBC box ticking wet dream Amy Howerska brings you another hour of unfiltered comedy stuffing. Fresh from scribbling on Radio 4's Now Show and News Jack as well as popping up on Channel 4 (and in your local shop buying Wotsits). 14+
CHRISTIAN TALBOT: C60 Work In Progress 4 June, 7pm, £5 A whole C60 cassette of stand-up comedy about music, mix tapes and recording Top of the Pops off the telly. Join Christian Talbot on journey covering great pop music myths.
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Museum of Comedy | The Undercroft, St George’s Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
MUSEUM OF COMEDY BRIDGET CHRISTIE & SIMON MUNNERY: Works In Progress 8 & 11 June, 8.45pm, £10 Edinburgh Comedy Award winner and Radio 4 favourite Bridget Christie, plus British Comedy Award nominee Simon Munnery – “An avant-garde comedy god” Time Out - share the workings of their brand new, Edinburgh Fringe-bound, standup hours. 14+
LUKE BENSON’S BIG NIGHT OUT (in an hour)
9 June & 27 July, 7pm, £5 Celebrate good times! Come on! Join the party as the Geordie Giant brings an upbeat hour of observational & joke-filled stand-up about the brilliance of our drinking culture & compacts the thrills & potential spills of a night out. 14+
THE PLAYERS JOYS Old Time Music Hall
12 June, 4pm, £20, Players Theatre Members £16 The Players recreate ‘The Good Old Days’: traditional Music Hall, with elegantly waist-coated, gavel-wielding, repartee-versed Chairman; beautifully costumed and coiffured ladies and sartorially attired gentlemen.
BOX OFFICE 020 7534 1744 www.museumofcomedy.com
MUSEUM OF COMEDY COLIN HOULT IS ANNA MANN: A Sketch Show for Depressives
17 June & 18 July, 7pm, £6 Crazed character comedian Colin Hoult finally returns to the Edinburgh Festival as his most delightful character Ms Anna Mann in a show to put down your black dog at last or at least chuck him a bone.
BRIDGET CHRISTIE & SAM FLETCHER: Works In Progress 17 June, 8.45pm, £8.50 Edinburgh Comedy Award winner and Radio 4 favourite Bridget Christie, plus Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Sam Fletcher – “A true indie comic” (Time Out) - share the workings of their brand new, Edinburgh Fringe-bound, stand-up hours. 14+
SOOZ KEMPNER: A Bit Of A Character 18 June & 31 July, 7pm, £7 Following last year's Character Activist comedian Sooz Kempner is back with four more characters/figments of her imagination for you to meet. 12+
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Museum of Comedy | The Undercroft, St George’s Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
MUSEUM OF COMEDY ZAZU:
Raisins To Stay Alive (Edinburgh Preview) 19 June, 9pm, 28 July, 7pm, 29 July 8.45pm, £5 This is the story of the end of the world. Not this world, another world. “Side splittingly funny” (Broadway Baby), surreal storytellers zazU return with their most epic show yet. 12+
ADAM LARTER’S Return on Investment 21 June, 8.45pm, £5 It’s 1987 and Glenn Fiscal is riding high in the corporate stationery world. He’s learned business the hard way, studying after hours while flipping burgers down the cobblers. A surreal comedy play starring Adam Larter, Marny Godden, Joz Norris and Lucy Pearman. 18+
JAMES ACASTER: Reset
22 June, 7pm, £5 James Acaster finds himself with something to look forward to. Something he’s always wanted. Something we all want. 16+
BOX OFFICE 020 7534 1744 www.museumofcomedy.com
MUSEUM OF COMEDY SAMANTHA BAINES: 1 Woman, A Dwarf Planet and 2 Cox 23 June & 21 July, 7pm, £5 Award-winning comedian Samantha Baines wonders if we're alone in the universe and if Brian Cox will go out with her. Expect science, feminism and chocolate puns.
"Mind-blowing...you've got nothing to lose...except perhaps your centre of gravity" Huffington Post 14+
PRINCES OF MAIN: Cool
23 June, 8.45pm, £5 Princes of Main are Ben Pope, Alex MacKeith and Jamie Fraser. In preparation for the Edinburgh Fringe, they present COOL: a life-style guide in how to be 'cool' in the 21st century.
“Fresh, crafty gags for the Y-Generation” Time Out 16+
TONY LAW & SAM FLETCHER: Works in Progress 24 June, 7pm, £10 Master of nonsense and three time Chortle Award winner Tony Law, plus Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Sam Fletcher – ‘A true indie comic’ - (Time Out) – share workings of their brand new, Edinburgh Fringe-bound, stand-up hours. 14+
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Museum of Comedy | The Undercroft, St George’s Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
MUSEUM OF COMEDY DEREK FOWLDS Yes Minister and Me 25 June, 7pm, £17 Derek Fowlds talks to Sam Westerby about his six decades as an actor which includes Yes Minister, Yes Prime Minister and Heartbeat. There will be an opportunity to meet the performer after the show.
THE THINKING DRINKERS: Around the World in 80 Drinks 28 – 30 June, 7pm, £7 Laughter & learning abound in a new show from awardwinning alcohol aficionados The Thinking Drinkers. Enjoy five delicious free drinks as you embark upon a euphoric, elbow-bending exploration from hooch-heavy Hindus to sozzled Arctic adventurers.
“Hugely funny and genuinely fascinating” HHHH Edinburgh Evening News 18+
NORRIS & PARKER: See You At The Gallows 29 & 30 June, 8.45pm, £7 Join Norris & Parker for a sordid soiree full of wild, dark and ridiculous sketches, characters and songs.
“The bizarre isolationists, the power crazed, the sublimated, the sexually confused and more…” HHHHH The Skinny 16+
BOX OFFICE 020 7534 1744 www.museumofcomedy.com
MUSEUM OF COMEDY SHANE TODD:
Holywood to Hollywood (Edinburgh Preview) 1 & 2 July, 7pm, £5 Holywood (Northern Ireland) is a small town that produces big names. Shane Todd (star of BBC’s Late Licence & Live at The Sunflower) is miffed that the town council have yet to book him to switch on the Christmas lights. Shane’s gone to the other Hollywood in a bid to keep up with his neighbours. What could possibly go wrong? 16+
ROBIN MORGAN: Free Man
5 July, 8.45pm, £6 All Robin hoped was that she'd say “Yes.” That didn't happen. A preview of the debut hour from the writer of Radio 4's The News Quiz, The Now Show and Newsjack.
“Extremely entertaining and brilliantly silly”
HHHH Edinburgh Festivals Magazine 16+
STUART MITCHELL: Dealt a Bad Hand 6 July, 7pm, £5 “Scotland’s brightest comedy talent” - (The Sun HHHH) presents his preview Edinburgh show. Fresh from touring Australia and the US, this is a 'must see' for 2016.
“Comparisons will inevitably be drawn between Mitchell and Kevin Bridges” Three Weeks. 16+ uu
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Museum of Comedy | The Undercroft, St George’s Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
MUSEUM OF COMEDY TONY LAW:
Work In Progress 7 July, 7pm, £7 Master of nonsense and three time Chortle Award winner Tony Law shares workings of his brand new, Edinbrugh Fringe-bound, stand-up hour.
“Takes stand-up to a dangerously funny new level” HHHH The Guardian 14+
DARREN WALSH: S’Pun 7, 13, 20 & 28 July, 8.45pm, £6, 2 for £10 Fresh from winning Dave's Joke of the Fringe last year, and re-telling it dozens of times, Darren Walsh set to work on coming up with a completely new set of jokes for 2016.
“Punbelievable!” HHHHH The Mirror 18+
PAUL F TAYLOR: Sour Apes
8 July, 7pm, £5 Expect surreal one liners, flights of fancy and a totally absurd storyline from the winner of NATY New Act Of The Year 2013.
“An enticing, dizzying prospect” The Independent 14+
BOX OFFICE 020 7534 1744 www.museumofcomedy.com
MUSEUM OF COMEDY MATTHEW HIGHTON’S: I, The Universe 8 July, 8.45pm, £5 From master storyteller Matthew Highton, director and collaborator of the twice Chortle-nominated Weirdos Collective (‘Making us laugh at very strange things’ Independent), this is a compelling, hilarious and absurdly silly show. 14+
MORE TEA VICAR?
A hilarious audience with Dad’s Army Vicar Frank Williams 10 July & 4 September, 2pm, £18.50 Dad’s Army Vicar Frank Williams invites you to join him for a hilarious afternoon of TV nostalgia.
JOE DAVIES:
Who’s The Daddy? 12 July, 8.45pm, £5 A show about life, laughter, nature vs nurture and a whole lot of other stuff. Come along and listen to my life story, it also has hippies, sex in caravans and burning down trees, it has most things covered! It's fun, please come. 14+
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Museum of Comedy | The Undercroft, St George’s Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
MUSEUM OF COMEDY CROFT & PEARCE: Edinburgh Preview 14 July, 7pm, £8 The stars of BBC Radio 4’s “The Croft & Pearce Show” are revving up for the Edinburgh Fringe. What is their new material like? How will their 2016 show turn out? God. Only. Knows… but on 14th July, we’ll all find out! 16+
SHORT & CURLY: A Curly Night In 15 July, 7pm, £5 Join highbrow sketch group member Curly for a relaxing night in with his classic highbrow films. Hopefully he'll avoid any disruption from that anarchic and ridiculous Short character who will surely lower the tone. 14+
LAURENCE OWEN: Cinemusical High 16 July, 7pm, £5 The 2015 Malcolm Hardee Award winner returns with a brand new musical adventure. Composer-comedian Laurence Owen presents a one-man symphonic explosion of cinema tropes in an American high school setting.
“A tour de force performance” HHHH The Skinny
BOX OFFICE 020 7534 1744 www.museumofcomedy.com
MUSEUM OF COMEDY IAN SMITH:
Work In Progress 19 July, 7pm, £5 Ian Smith (BBC3’s Sweat the Small Stuff, BBC1’s The Ark) is an award-winning comedian. This is a work in progress of his fourth solo show. I think it’s safe to say we’re all pretty excited. 14+
LLOYD GRIFFITH IS A KEEPER 20 July, 7pm, £5
Well, what a year it’s been for this comedian/choirboy/aspiring goalkeeper. Jokes! Singing! Less flirting! (Probably).
“A lovely beardy face” Sunday Times 14+
GEORGES THE SPIDER:
Edinburgh 2016 Preview 22 July, 7pm, £6 Written and Performed by Michelle Wormleighton. Meet Georges the Spider – Actor, Philosopher, Spider - and allow him to accompany you on a journey through the history of cinema told from his unique perspective as an egocentric, sadistic and loveable spider. 18+
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Museum of Comedy | The Undercroft, St George’s Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
MUSEUM OF COMEDY LJ DA FUNK'S
Anti-Fascist CounterTerrorist Comedy Orgy 22 July, 8.45pm, £6 LJ DA FUNK (Leicester Square Theatre New Comedian of the Year 2015 WINNER) presents the most hilarious fusion of sex and politics since David Cameron f**ked that pig.
“Deceptively clever” Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke 18+
BAE: Help
23 & 24 July, 7pm, £10 London comedy duo, Bae, bring their hilarious new character show to Edinburgh: Welcome to our self-help seminar where you will find yourself. Help us, help you, help us to help you. 12+
MICHAEL BRUNSTRÖM:
The Hay Wain Reloaded 26 July, 7pm, £6, 2 for £10 Winner of the 2015 Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality, Michael Brunström (The Human Loire, The Golden Age of Steam) presents his strangest comedy show yet: about an ambitious Suffolk artist who transforms himself into a wagon.
“Big, bold and dumb” Chortle
BOX OFFICE 020 7534 1744 www.museumofcomedy.com
MUSEUM OF COMEDY IAN LANE: Aloof
27 July, 8.45pm, £5 This keynote ramble about detachment contains the following: 3 types of sneezes, 3 impressions of screensavers, 4 impressions of toilet seats, 0 photos of my roof. Stats correct at time of printing. 18+
ABI ROBERTS: Anglichanka
29 July, 7pm, £5, Conc £4 ANGLICHANKA means Englishwoman in Russian and this is a brand new stand-up comedy show about Abi Robert’s time living in the former Soviet Union in the 1990s. 18+
GLEDHILL & CALLAGHAN 30 July, 8.45pm, £5
A new hour of stand up from Amy Gledhill and David Callaghan. As heard on BBC Radio's Jesting About.
"One of my happiest moments of the fringe" The Scotsman 14+
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Museum of Comedy | The Undercroft, St George’s Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE Main House
Autumn 2016 STEWART LEE
STICK MAN 5 November – 30 December
Digital Content Provider 11 – 20 October
Content Provider 8 November – 28 January
HANS TEEUWEN
Real Rancour 3 – 26 November
13 – 30 December
RICHARD HERRING As It Occurs To Me
ED GAMBLE Stampede 25 November
11 September – 12 February
JASON BYRNE
is “Propped Up” 1 – 4 December
JIM GAFFIGAN Fully Dressed
8 October SOLD OUT Extra date added 7 October
BOX OFFICE 020 7534 1744 www.museumofcomedy.com
HOW TO GET HERE LEICESTER SQUARE
THEATRE 6, Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX The Theatre is two minutes walk from Leicester Square tube station; ten minutes walk from Charing Cross mainline station and is served by multiple local bus routes. 020 7734 2222 www.leicestersquaretheatre.com @lsqtheatre
Comedy
The Undercroft, St George’s Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
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The Museum is six minutes walk from either Tottenham Court Road or Holborn tube stations and is served by multiple local bus routes. 020 7534 1744 www.museumofcomedy.com @museumofcomedy
HOW TO BOOK: Leicester Square Theatre
Museum of Comedy
Main House and Lounge 6, Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
The Undercroft, St George’s Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
020 7734 2222 www.leicestersquaretheatre.com
020 7534 1744 www.museumofcomedy.com
PLEASE NOTE
l All tickets purchased over the phone or through the website are subject to a booking fee of 15%. Minimum fee £2. All booking fees are capped at £4 per ticket. There is no charge for booking in person at the venue. l Once purchased, to gain entry to the event you must present your ticket plus ID matching the name on the booking at the point of entry. If someone else will be attending on your behalf please contact the Box Office. l Tickets are non-transferable. If you sell tickets for this event via a reseller such as Seatwave, Viagogo, GetMeIn, TicketsNow, StubHub or Ebay or any outlet other than Leicester Square Theatre, the Museum of Comedy or one of its authorised agents the ticket will be cancelled without refund. For full terms and conditions see leicestersquaretheatre.com or museumofcomedy.com