LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE And the Museum of Comedy
Spring 2016
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LEICESTER SQUARE
Museum of
Comedy
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SHINING A LIGHT ON THE STARS OF BRITISH COMEDY!
ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTIONS OF
COMEDY MEMORABILIA EVER TO BE AMASSED IN ONE PLACE!
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Museum of
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Comedy
www.museumofcomedy.com
020 7534 1744
AVAILBLE FOR PRIVATE HIRE. CONTACT ENQUIRIES@MUSEUMOFCOMEDY.COM
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Museum of Comedy
WELCOME Welcome to our Spring 2016 Brochure We have a packed Spring season to kick off 2016, with entertainment across the West End from Leicester Square Theatre to the Museum of Comedy. We welcome back comedy favourites Richard Herring, Rob Beckett and Rich Hall; bring you the best in music from Audra McDonald and Ottway & Barrett and for the first time in London welcome Sh*tfaced Shakespeare for a seven week run! We have classic comedy entertainment from Round The Horne in the Museum of Comedy, Monty Python’s Terry Jones directs Jeepers Creepers in the Lounge and we have a brand new comedy competition Sketch Off! looking for the best sketch acts around. Families can enjoy Rainbow Magic: Saving Fairyland and we are looking ahead to welcoming back Scamp Theatre with brand new Scarecrow’s Wedding this Summer. We look forward to welcoming you.
Martin Witts Director Leicester Square Theatre and the Museum of Comedy
Jerry Sadowitz
Shaun Escoffery
Jon Ronson
Tony Law
Alun Cochrane
Stacey Kent
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MAIN HOUSE CROSSTENTATIOUS: An Improvised Jane Austen Novel 9 January, 7pm £12.50, Conc £10 For one night only, the ladies & gentlemen of Austentatious swap their bonnets & breeches to raise money for the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund. Join the all-star cast of dashing dames & buxom boys as they improvise a brand new Jane Austen work, based on an audience suggestion. 12+
ROBIN HOOD & THE BABES IN THE WOOD 10 January, 2pm £20
Maurice Kachuk returns to present his traditional family pantomime Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood. The show is packed full of songs, dances, magic and laughter, a truly wonderful afternoon out at the theatre!
STAND UP FOR OBSTETRIC FISTULAS! Hosted by Daniel Kitson 11 January, 7pm £18 Daniel Kitson hosts a blistering batch of comedians including Roisin Conaty, Tim Key, Isy Suttie, Romesh Ranganathan, Mike Wozniak and Aisling Bea in aid of CW+, the charity for Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. CW+ New Futures trains medical staff in Sub-Saharan Africa how to cope and treat maternity emergencies and obstetric fistula. 14+
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
MAIN HOUSE SCHLACHTPLATTE - DIE JAHRESENDABRECHN UNG 14 January, 7pm £15, U26 £8
Bitterböse Jahresendabrechnung mit dem Kölner Kabarett-Ensemble Schlachtplatte – erstmals auch in London! Satirical end-of-year review - in the German language (and with German humour …)
JERRY SADOWITZ Card Tricks & Bile 14 – 16 & 21 – 23 January, 9.30pm £19.50 The nightmare continues... Britain's brightest, fully-integrated immigrant is back with highly offensive stand-up and sleight of hand skills that combine to produce a show that uniquely defies audience appeal. 18+
Beginners Magic Course Taught by Jerry Sadowitz In the Lounge from 22 February
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MAIN HOUSE AUDRA McDONALD Live in Concert
17 January, 3pm & 7pm £65, £40 Broadway’s biggest star – Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winning performer Audra McDonald – comes to London to perform a wide range of songs both familiar and lesser known. With a record six Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, and a long list of other accolades to her name, she is among today’s most highly regarded performers.
DRY HUMOUR 18 January, 7.30pm £20
The last Dry Humour show was a huge hit. The acts loved it, the sold-out audience loved it. And now it’s back! A fantastic night of comedy with returning MC Rob Thomas, hosting a stellar line up including Arthur Smith, Sara Pascoe, Richard Herring, Vikki Stone, and a special guest! 16+
An Evening With
RUSS BALLARD 20 January, 8pm £27.50
Russ Ballard has written some of the most iconic rock tracks of the past four decades. The list of artists, other than himself, to have recorded his songs include Kiss, Rainbow, Skindred and Santana. A great raconteur with many interesting and funny stories, Russ will be taking questions from the audience, as well as playing some of his hits acoustically and explaining how they came to be written.
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
MAIN HOUSE Glasgow International Comedy Festival
BURNS NIGHT GALA 2016 25 January, 8pm £15
This is London’s chance to see snippets from some of the leading acts who will be featuring in one of Europe’s largest comedy festivals. Hosted by Bruce Devlin and with a line up including Damien Clark, Abigoliah Schamaun & Stuart Mitchell. 16+
THE JON RONSON MYSTERIES 26 – 30 January, 7.15pm £20
D SOL T OU
For five nights Jon will be recounting his adventures. He’ll be telling a different story each night, and will be joined by special guests. Maybe it’ll be a person from one of the books, or maybe it’ll be a fellow traveller – someone who has undertaken similar adventures. 16+
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MAIN HOUSE FATA DIN CURCUBEU 30 January, 3pm £30, £25, £20, Students £12.50
Povești spuse-n românește prezintă Fata din Curcubeu de Lia Bugnar. Tania Popa spune cu mult umor și talent povestea emoționantă a unei prostituate care își găsește adăpost în Curcubeu, un cinema unde clienții iau de cele mai multe ori numele și figurile unor bărbați fatali din filme. Please Note: This show is performed in Romanian
THE NATYS
New Acts of The Year 2016 31 January, 2.30pm £15 New Variety Lives and The Comedy School begin a new partnership to present the celebrated comedy search for the No.1 New Variety Bill for 2016. Out of 100 acts that audition at the NATYS: Spotlight Shows, 14 acts will perform here, hosted by Arthur Smith. 14+
AUSTENTATIOUS
31 January, 28 February, 27 March, 24 April & 29 May, 7pm £12.50, Conc £10 Austentatious returns to its London home in resplendent fashion! In each show, the allstar 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, & Double 0 Darcy!
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
MAIN HOUSE TONY LAW Frillemorphesis 4 – 6 February, 9.30pm £16, Conc £14 The brand new stand-up art show from the multi award-winning Tony Law. Experience his frillemorphesis as he explodes into the future absurdly.
“One of the most delightfully zany and disconcerting comedians around” HHHH The Telegraph
OWEN JONES The Politics of Hope 9 February, 7.15pm £16 How we can build societies run in the interests of working people, not run as a racket for the mean and the greedy at the top? By looking at some alternatives across the world, we can end the inevitability of injustice. The Guardian columnist and author of The Establishment shines some light on a positive way forward.
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MAIN HOUSE RICHARD HERRING Happy Now? 11 - 13 February, 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. If we were never unhappy would happiness have any meaning? How likely is it that Richard’s baby will be skewered by a stalactite of frozen urine falling from a plane and is it really worth him wasting his time thinking about it? 16+
SHAGGERS Valentine's Special 14 February, 7pm £15, Conc £10 The hugely popular show returns for a very special Valentine's special and once again brings you a line-up of the very best comedians from previous hit shows at comedy festivals around the world, to make you laugh about the cheeky subject of sex. 18+
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
MAIN HOUSE SLIGHTLY FAT FEATURES in Variety Soup 20 February, 4pm & 7pm, £15, Family £45
Charity performance in aid of The Royal Variety Charity 21 February, 4pm, £50, £40, £30, £20 A riotous comedy cabaret for all ages shapes and sizes. The smash hit variety troupe Slightly Fat Features cavort into London with their astonishing physical skills and orchestrated mayhem.
“Inspired silliness” The Times
“Comedy magic” The Independent
MATTHEW STIRLING Choices 21 February, 7.30pm £28 The show sceptics love to hate. Come and see that the choices you make in life aren't necessarily yours! 18+
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MAIN HOUSE JENNY ECLAIR How To be A Middle Aged Woman (Without Going Insane) 25 February, 7.15pm £17.50 Professional grumpy old woman, Splash survivor, amateur soup maker, and novice knitter, Jenny Eclair is younger than Madonna but eats crisps and likes wine. Eclair puts middle age under the microscope and decides whether to laugh, cry or buy a dachshund! You are most welcome to join her, just button your cardi up properly and wipe that lipstick off your teeth. 16+
MORTIFIED LIVE, LONDON 27 February, 7.15pm £14.50
Hailed a “cultural phenomenon” by Newsweek and celebrated by This American Life, Entertainment Weekly, The Today Show (twice), and beyond, Mortified celebrates stories revealed through the strange and extraordinary things we created as kids. Part storytelling, part docu-comedy, part confession. Mortified invites participants to share embarrassing extracts from their teenage diaries live on stage. 15+
HAPPY END DE ZSOLT POSZGAI
28 February, 3pm £30, £25, £20, Students £12.50 Povești spuse-n românește prezintă în premieră la Londra comedia romantică Happy End de Zsolt Poszgai cu Raluca Aprodu și Tudor Aaron Istodor
Please Note: This show is performed in Romanian
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
MAIN HOUSE SHAUN ESCOFFERY Live In Concert 2 March, 7.30pm £25 Singer Shaun Escoffery Live In Concert.
HILARITY FOR CHARITY A South London Cares Fundraiser 3 March, 7pm £23, Conc £20 Following his critically acclaimed ‘A Room With A Stew’, Stewart Lee returns to the Leicester Square Theatre to head up a comedy night in aid of charity South London Cares. Featuring John Kearns and Ginger & Black, and with more guests to be announced, it’s sure to be a night full of laughter – and all for a good cause! 18+
WEST END MAGIC
5 March, 21 May & 12 November, 3.30pm Adult £15, Child £10, Family £40
West End Magic features some incredible entertainment and magic with some very special guests. Featuring comedy magic, jugglers and some of the most inventive and unusual magic along with extraordinary illusions.
Children’s Magic Workshops Held before the show in the Lounge! 12.30pm – 2.30pm
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MAIN HOUSE ANDREW LAWRENCE Uncensored 5 March, 7pm £14, Conc £12 One of Britain’s best and one of the most subversive and intelligent comedians. This year’s offering marks Andrew’s tenth show in consecutive years. He brings you his most honest, fearless and uncompromising stand-up show to date. No joke is unacceptable. No subject off-limits. Absolutely no concessions made to political correctness. Stand-up without boundaries. 16+
STAND UP COMEDY 6 March, 5pm £25, £20, VIP £35
Bobiță (Mihai Bobonete), Dorel (Mihai Raiț) & Celentano (Adrian Vancica) are some of the most loved characters from Las Fierbinti, a Romanian language series. Join themfor a very good time, laugh loudly, and enjoy their best moments and new jokes. Please Note: This show is performed in Romanian. 18+
IMPROSHOW
6 March, 2.30pm & 7.30pm £25, £30, VIP £40, Family £79 These Romanian London shows have been hugely popular with audiences for more than 4 years. Cosmin Natanticu, Catalin Neamtu & Marian Hancu are well known actors, especially as stand up comedians and improvisation performers. Please Note: This show is performed in Romanian 16+
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
MAIN HOUSE Oxfam presents...
STAND UP FOR WOMEN
8 March, 7.30pm £20
Britain’s funniest women raise the roof for the ladies of the world on International Women’s Day. ‘Comic of the decade’ and Beyonce’s bff Luisa Omielan stars alongside Tiff Stevenson, Shazia Mirza, Lou Sanders, Mae Martin, Elf & Zoe Lyons, Abi Roberts, Vikki Stone, Anna Morris, Pippa Evans, goodie bags, glitter and pant-wetting surprises. Women. Standing up for women. Men welcome.
ALUN COCHRANE A Show With A Man In It 11 March, 7pm £12.50 A man who has jokes. Jokes about manliness, womanliness, hobbies, ageing, fighting, perfume, beards, snoods, feminism, fundamentalism, and hopefully some profound understanding about life itself. Alun’s dulcet tones can be heard frequently on BBC Radio 4 on Alun Cochrane’s Fun House, Just A Minute, Dilemma and The Now Show.
“A master storyteller” Metro 16+
THE NOISE NEXT DOOR Noise In The Hood 19 March, 7pm £14, Conc £12.50 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 mindblowing songs, jaw-dropping characters and sidesplitting punchlines from the undisputed masters of off-the-cuff comedy.
“Hilarious ... a superior kind of chaos” Telegraph 16+
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MAIN HOUSE MARCO TRAVAGLIO Slurp 22 March, 7.30pm £25 In his hilarious show, Marco Travaglio tells how the most servile journalists, intellectuals and columnists have beatified, praised and propagandized the worst ruling class of the world. A therapeutic show, an act of selfdefence, a satirical antidote which helps to shake us. 14+
RAINBOW MAGIC LIVE Saving Fairyland 26 March – 3 April Saturday & Sunday 11am & 2.30pm Tuesday – Friday 2.30pm Adult £16.50, Child £12, Family £45, Meet & Greet £22 It’s not just another Fairy Tale! Rainbow Fairies – These beloved children’s books from Rainbow Magic™ come to life in a brand new musical stage production. With over 50 million sales worldwide and over 130 books available to date (since 2003), it has the largest number of titles in series fiction. Follow best friends Rachel and Kirsty as they help their fairy friends hunt for magical moonstones or tackle naughty goblins....having lots of fun and adventures along the way.
TIFF STEVENSON Mad Man 31 March, 9.15pm £12 What makes a person? Ideas, labels, sexuality or even slogan t-shirts? Products are anthropomorphised and the cult of personality reigns supreme. Are we being sold our identity? May contain Spanish rap. As seen on Mock the Week, Drunk History, The Apprentice: You're Fired and People Just Do Nothing.
“This is a heartfelt, hilarious, provocative, important hour of stand-up from one of the best in the business.” HHHHH The Sunday Herald
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
MAIN HOUSE TOM STADE You’re Welcome! 1, 2, & 6 – 9 April, 7pm £17.50, Conc £16 Brand new show from the UK’s favourite Canadian resident. Candid and alluring, join Tom as he ruminates on life’s oddities and revels in his own perpetual shortcomings. Expect the customary Stade flair; uncompromising humour, insatiable mischief and heaps of inspired improvisation.
“UNMISSABLE”
HHHHH Edinburgh Evening News 16+
JOHN OTWAY AND WILD WILLY BARRETT The Final Straw 3 April, 8pm £15 This may be the last Otway and Barrett tour – according to Willy. Otway remains unconvinced. John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett remain enigmas to the vast majority of the British public, but for those who know they are amongst the top ten of favourite artists to see live. The show is a wonderful eclectic mix of bizarre humour, superb visual effects, fine guitar playing and the best use of a Theremin anywhere.
RUSSELL KANE Right Man, Wrong Age 7 - 9 April, 9.15pm & 14 - 16 April, 7.15pm £15 Are you 16-years-old, yet feel 21? Are you 40, but tragically faking 25? Or maybe you’re full-on 80 years, with the heart of three oxen and the sex drive of a bonobo chimp. Don’t worry: this is normal. No one is ever the ‘right’ age - it's the beauty and the curse of being a real person. In this brand new show, Russell Kane unleashes another blisteringly-funny, awardwinning stand-up performance about growing up, growing down, and why farts will always be funny.
“A seriously good comedian”
HHHHH The Times 16+
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MAIN HOUSE SKETCH OFF! FINAL 11 April, 7pm £15
Following the ongoing success of our established New Comedian of the Year competition & last year's Old Comedian competition, Leicester Square Theatre are now showcasing the UK's best up & coming sketch artists! See which acts made it through to the Final and who is crowned the Sketch Off! Champion 2016. 16+
STACEY KENT 17 April, 7.30pm £25
The internationally acclaimed and Grammynominated vocalist, Stacey Kent, returns with a brand new concert, featuring music from her latest album TENDERLY (Sony Records, 2015).
“She has charm to burn, a smile that could give you hope in February and sings like nobody's business” The Wall Street Journal
ROB BECKETT Mouth of the South 19 – 23 April, 7pm £15 Beckett's back with a brand-new show of funnies and he's taking on the big issues like Kit Kats and flatbread! Star of BBC1's Live at the Apollo, BBC2's Mock the Week & Channel 4's 8 out of 10 Cats.
“A revelation” HHHH Scotsman 16+
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
MAIN HOUSE RICH HALL’S HOEDOWN
19 – 23 April, 9.30pm Tues – Thurs £15.50, Fri & Sat £18.50
Join Rich and his virtuoso musical mates for a mashup of music, comedy and gratuitous coloration featuring the very best of comedy and music. The floor will reek of liquor and spent dreams.
“Immaculate wordplay imbued with a genuine passion for the songwriter’s craft.” HHHH Times 16+
SH*T-FACED SHAKESPEARE A Midsummer Night's Dream 26 April – 11 June, 7pm (except 27 May 9.30pm) Tues – Thurs £18.50 Fri & Sat £20.50 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. Having successfully completed multiple sell-out runs at the Edinburgh and Brighton Fringe festivals, they finally return home to London for an all-new production of their original Edinburgh hit. 16+
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MAIN HOUSE PATRICK THE CHINESE MAN 22 May, 7pm £20 Patrick has a problem; he would have loved to be born Chinese, but doesn’t know anything about the country and even less about it’s language. A mysterious genie will grant him his wish, transforming him into Baimage for the time of a performance. Performed in Chinese by a French humourist, subtitled in English!
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+
THE SCARECROWS’ WEDDING Summer 2016
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
LOUNGE From comedy to theatre to music to sketch! The Lounge is full of fun this Spring. We’ve got comedy from the likes of James Acaster, Patrick Monahan and Jonathan Pie, slapstick silliness from A Fistful of Spaghetti and our first ever Sketch Off! competition. We’re looking through the eyes of Marty Feldman in Terry Jones directed Jeepers Creepers and we’ve got magic workshops for all ages from West End Magic and Jerry Sadowitz!
James Acaster
Jeepers Creepers
Patrick Monahan
Joanna Neary
Jonathan Pie
Kernow King
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
LOUNGE GRAEME OF THRONES Until 10 January, 7pm Sun - Weds £16 Thurs - Sat £18.50
Graeme takes you on his own unique journey through the Seven Kingdoms. Unhappy with how his beloved books were realised for the TV series, he has taken it upon himself to show you how it should have been done.
“An absolute must-see for fans of the books and TV series.” HHHHH West End Wilma 12+
JAMES HASLAM Life In A Goldfish Bowl 13 January, 7pm £15 Raconteur & cabaret queen James Haslam delivers more personal trauma in his acclaimed camp & comedic style. Life In A Goldfish Bowl is a journey of dysfunction dealing with an obsession with Wonder Woman, an out of control Dalek, dyslexia, a fire arms conviction & Buddhism - all delivered with a splattering of song! 18+
OUR TIME
15 January, 2pm & 7pm £10.50 A cast of talented and ambitious musical theatre graduates perform iconic songs written by the most pioneering composers in musical theatre. The wide range of styles in a stripped back, intimate environment makes this a show not to be missed for fans of musicals and supporters of tomorrow’s stage performers.
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
LOUNGE SAMEENA ZEHRA Homicidal Pacifist 16 January, 7pm £7 It's time to cull the human race. But how is a lifelong believer in non-violence to choose? By making a list. A culling list. Be ready to gasp, guffaw & maybe suggest a person or two for the cull.
“Combines warmth with political passion” Scotsgay 16+
JEEPERS CREEPERS Through the Eyes of Marty Feldman 18 January – 20 February Mon – Weds & Fri 7pm Sat 4pm & 7pm Thurs 4pm & 7pm (except 21 Jan only at 7pm & 4 Feb only at 4pm) Previews & Matinees £18.50, Mon – Thurs £20.50, Fri & Sat £22.50 Directed by Monty Python's Terry Jones Written by Robert Ross Starring David Boyle & Rebecca Vaughan Having written some of the nation's favourite comedy in The Army Game and Round the Horne, Marty Feldman suddenly found himself a star in his own right. Hollywood came a'knocking with the role of Igor (that's pronounced Eye-Gor!) in Young Frankenstein, but while his ambitious wife Lauretta takes to the glamorous lifestyle with alacrity, can Marty come to terms with the burden of the fame he has always craved? Come and witness one of the most powerful and complex partnerships in comedy, through the unique gaze of one of the greatest: Marty Feldman.
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
LOUNGE DANIELLE IMARA'S INSANE 19 January, 9pm £5
Danielle is happily surviving on high dosage anti-depressants when the doctor gives her an ultimatum: he'll stop prescribing unless she agrees to group therapy. Danielle Imara combines live art, humour and original music to tell this autobiographical tale. 16+
IMMIGRANT DIARIES Sajeela Kershi & Guests 22 January, 9pm £10, Conc £8 Immigration is a hot topic dividing Brits: How many are there? What do they want? Who exactly are these bloody immigrants? Come and hear from some of them in this popular hit comedy storytelling show. Guests include Shappi Khorsandi and Amit Amirani.
“This show should be made available on prescription" HHHHH The Argus 15+
SAJEELA KERSHI Shallow Halal 23 January, 9pm £7, Conc £5 With column inches reserved for homogenised stereotypes, has comedian Sajeela become a cartoon version of herself? She’s had enough of Koran hijacking extremists, Dawkins spouting atheists and finger pointing social media to last a lifetime!
“Smart, funny with a mischievous glint” The Times 16+
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
LOUNGE PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ 29 January, 9pm £12.50
An evening of musical theatre and cabaret performances. If January leaves you blue and you don’t know where to go, then come and join the Adam Street Singers for an evening of musical theatre and cabaret performances at the Leicester Square Theatre. 16+
LYNN RUTH MILLER Get A Grip 31 January, 7, 14 & 21 February, 5pm £10, Conc £8 Uplifting stories of life, death and the dinners in between. Lynn Ruth Miller is 82 years old. She's lived a lot and nearly died a few times too. The TO&ST Award winner guides us through eight decades of triumphs and failures, wit and wisdom and the recipes that kept her going throughout. Featuring brand new original songs, unforgettable comedy and inspiring stories.
LIPSTICK & SCONES Comedy Double Bill by Paul Vitty 31 January, 7pm £10 Back due to popular demand, an hour of biting wit, incredible heart and laugh out loud comedy in this double bill of plays.
THE RAT PACK Presents… 6 February, 19 March, 30 April, 11 June & 23 July, 9pm (30 April at 9.30pm) £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. 16+
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
LOUNGE Leicester Square Theatre presents
SKETCH OFF!
Heats – 14, 21, 23 & 28 February & 1 March, 6.45pm & 9pm, £6.50 Semi Finals – 13 & 22 March, 6.45pm & 9pm, £7.50 Leicester Square Theatre are now showcasing the UK's best up & coming sketch artists! You, the audience, can cast your vote to make sure your favourite makes it through to the next stage. 16+
JOANNA NEARY Faceful of Issues 19 February, 9pm £8.50, Conc £7.50 The much loved Celia, housewife and host, returns on tour with her Toxborough Village Hall Chat Show in aid of the Animal Hospital for a kitten who needs an iron lung. Topical talks, showbiz exclusives, celebrity interviews plus a local locksmith’s bawdy confessions, a recipe for air soup and a photograph of a conker.
“It’s a smart, fun and exquisitely crafted show” The List 14+
JERRY SADOWITZ Beginners Magic Course 6 week course, every Monday from 22 February to 28 March £400 If you've ever wanted to learn card magic as a hobby but didn't know where to start, then here's your chance! Jerry Sadowitz has been studying and practising magic for over 40 years, and enjoys teaching anyone who genuinely wants to learn.
Jerry Sadowitz: Card Tricks & Bile In the Main House: 14 – 16 & 21 – 23 January
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
LOUNGE JAMES ACASTER Works-in-progress
24 February, 7pm – with Jordan Brookes 23 March, 7pm – with Sam Fletcher £6 Live At The Apollo star and four-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee James Acaster with hotly-tipped rising star Jordan Brookes and Edinbugh Comedy Award nominee Sam Fletcher, sharing the workings of their brand new, Edinburgh Fringe-bound, stand-up hours. 14+
SIMON SLACK The Fantasist – Work in Progress 25 February, 7pm £6, Conc £5 Fantastical absurd one-man sketch show. Imagination and reality collide in the world of Simon Slack, whose fantasy of the show is very different from reality. Late night comedy madness with music, dancing and special guests. HHHHH (Gay Times). HHHHH (Broadway Baby) HHHH (EdFringeReview.com). 16+
KERNOW KING Minority Rapport 25 February, 9pm £12 Cornwall was recently granted minority status by the European Union. This status put Cornwall alongside the Celtic nations of Wales, Scotland and Ireland. “What does this mean for Cornwall?” asks the Kernow King, “I think I know. I’ll tell you at The Leicester Square; it is funnier than what it sounds.”
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
LOUNGE NAOMI COOPER Kerfuffle 26 February, 7pm £7.50 A self-proclaimed mess with the immune system of a naan bread, Naomi side-steps her friends’ preference for marriage, mortgages and babies to address her personal penchant for whisky, napping and endless denial.
“A comedy badass. Naomi Cooper is funny: know that.” Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm) 18+
C.S.I Crime Scene Improvisation 27 February, 12 March & 2 April, 7pm £9, Conc £7 The Chandeliers present a rip roaring crime comedy made up entirely on the spot! No one knows who the killer is; not even the cast!
“An evening of hilarity and naughty fun that will leave you feeling like you were part of something unique”
HHHH Everything Theatre 13+
JOEL SANDERS The Angry Boater 27 February, 9pm £10 Life not going as planned? Comedian, Joel Sanders, used to perform in Vegas. Now he’s back in London…. living on a canal boat. This show is about the hilarious escapades of a naive, short tempered Jew who thought it would be cool to live on a boat. 16+
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
LOUNGE ...in Conversation with
ROBERT ROSS
28 February, 20 March, 24 April, 29 May & 26 June, 4pm (except 20 Mar at 7pm) £20 Fresh from the Museum of Comedy, this monthly live podcast recording moves to the Lounge. Hosted by best-selling comedy historian Robert Ross, who has worked with and written about everyone and everything from the Carry Ons to Monty Python. These sessions will be lively and vibrant chats, covering the guest’s career in comedy, as well as their personal favourites and influences.
JONATHAN PIE News In Progress
2, 3 & 4 March 9.15pm, 9, 10 & 11 March 7pm £10 Jonathan Pie is a respected News reporter for a respected News broadcaster but he has a problem. He has several problems. He hates his job. He hates his colleagues. But mainly he hates the f**king News. Join him for a series of live (work in progress) shows where he hilariously reveals the truth behind the way the News has reported recent world events. 16+
A FISTFUL OF SPAGHETTI
2 – 6 March, 7pm £15, Conc £12.50
Grab your guns, put on your spurs and laugh till your O.K. Corral isn’t O.K. anymore in this sure-fire send up of the Western movie genre! Expect quick-fire puns, a whole bunch of good, bad and ugly characters and surreal slapstick in this all-out guns-blazin’, thighslappin’ poncho pastiche! A Fistful of Spaghetti makes its West End debut after a sell-out regional tour.
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
LOUNGE CHILDREN’S MAGIC WORKSHOPS
5 March, 21 May & 12 November, 12.30pm – 2.30pm £20
Accompanying the show in the Main House, these workshops teach 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.
PATRICK MONAHAN The Disco Years
10 & 24 March & 18 April 9pm, 14 April 9.30pm £10 The family’s favourite funnyman (and occasional disco dancer) is on tour. Charged by Patrick’s memories and reminiscences of being an immigrant to Great Britain, this is a laugh out loud show that is both thoughtful and smart as well as brilliantly silly!
“A spellbinding narrative’”
HHHH The Scotsman 12+
PENELOPE SOLOMON I Was A Penis At The Royal Festival Hall 12 March, 9pm £10 Penelope performs a brand new solo show blending stand-up with character comedy and a sprinkling of original/Yiddish songs. Join her on this autobiographical romp as she wrestles with the highs and lows of being an actor, her Jewish cultural heritage and parenthood.
“Solomon is superb” Metro 14+
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE | 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
LOUNGE CAN’T PAY? WON’T PAY!
15 – 20 March, £20, Student £18, Senior & Child £15
Out Of The Blue Theatre Company present Dario Fo’s political comedy “Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay!” in which a two women turn to shoplifting from their local supermarket in an impromptu protest to the ever-rising costs of living.
JAMES WILSON-TAYLOR Bat-Fan
25 & 26 March, 7pm £10, Conc £8 Join Bat-Fan James Wilson-Taylor for stand-up, sketches and songs direct from Gotham City. See all the Bat-films recapped and the world's first Batsical (Batman musical), as James pitches himself as the next caped crusader.
“Wildly, fanatically talented’” HHHH The Skinny 12+
PIAF:
Love Conquers All (Abridged by Roger Pearce) 29 - 31 March, 7pm £13, Conc £12 A beautiful one woman show starring Laurene Hope around the life and music of Edith Piaf, full of great songs like "Je Ne Regrette Rien" "La Vie En Rose" and more. 16+
WORDS, WORDS, WORDS 16 – 21 May, 7pm £12.50
Words, words, words is a deeply personal reflection about the nature of grief, its 'seven stages' and the incapacity of words to contain and describe it. Moving and uplifting, this is a piece which has been two years in the making!
BOX OFFICE 020 7734 2222 leicestersquaretheatre.com
MUSEUM OF COMEDY We’re taking a step back in time with Round The Horne this Spring as it settles into the Cooper Room for an eight week run! Alongside, we’ve got magic from Ben Hanlin, puns from Tony Cowards and workshops from West End Magic and Logan Murray. Plus we welcome the return of the Old Comedian of the Year...
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Museum of Comedy | The Undercroft, St George’s Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
MUSEUM OF COMEDY ROUND THE HORNE 50th Anniversary Tour
18 January – 12 March, 7pm. Thursday & Saturday matinees 2.30pm Mon – Thurs £19.50, Matinees £16.50, Fri & Sat £21.50
“Oh, Mr Horne! How bona to vada your dolly old eek!” From 1965 to 1968 there wasn’t a bigger radio programme in Britain than the ground-breaking Round the Horne. So come and take a step back in time to the BBC’s Paris Studios and experience this comedy classic live.
BOX OFFICE 020 7534 1744 www.museumofcomedy.com
MUSEUM OF COMEDY WILD AT HEART 21 January, 9.15pm £8
Unpredictable and sublime comedy theatre from debut duo Róisín and Chiara. Get personal with their ‘impossible not to like’ (FringeReview.co.uk) creations in a highly improvisational 45 minutes of ‘comedic genius’ (BroadwayBary.com) and unexpected tenderness.
ADVENTURES IN COMEDY WRITING with Logan Murray
7 week course, every Saturday from 23 Jan – 5 March 1pm – 4.30pm £220 Would you like to learn how easy it is to discover the comedy potential in almost any idea? From finding your creative inspiration to learning the building blocks of jokes, this workshop will help you discover your unique comic voice. By the end of the course you will know how to write jokes and will have the confidence to stand up on your own and make a group of total strangers laugh.
CHILDREN’S MAGIC WORKSHOPS
30 January, 27 February & 26 March 10.30am – 12pm, 30 April & 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.
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Museum of Comedy | The Undercroft, St George’s Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
MUSEUM OF COMEDY TONY COWARDS Daft Pun 30 January, 9.15pm £7 If you're a fan of puns and are "up all night for good fun" prepare to "Get Lucky". An hour of great gags, playful puns and witty wordplay, if laughter is the best medicine then Tony is a veritable pharmacy of comedy!
“The Punosaurus” The List 16+
...in Conversation with
ROBERT ROSS 31 January, 4pm £20
The Museum of Comedy presents this monthly podcast, hosted by best-selling comedy historian Robert Ross. Robert has worked with and written about everyone and everything from the Carry Ons and Monty Python to Last of the Summer Wine and the League of Gentlemen. These sessions will be lively and vibrant chats, covering the guest’s career in comedy, as well as their personal favourites and influences. Guest to be announced.
OLI BETTESWORTH
Sunshine and Lollipops (and a Creeping Sense of Existential Terror) 31 January, 7pm £7, Conc £5 Visit ‘the shadowy lowlands of Oli Bettesworth’s psyche’ (Chortle.co.uk) as, hurtling unjustly towards 30, he wrestles to make sense of the cruel apathy of a vast meaningless universe (and his own rapidly expanding gut).
“Bitterly funny” Jon Aird, BBC Comedy 16+
BOX OFFICE 020 7534 1744 www.museumofcomedy.com
MUSEUM OF COMEDY BEN HANLIN
Work in Progress 11 February, 10 March 9.15pm & 14 April, 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, this show is a blend of magic that Ben has been performing for years as well as some brand new material! 14+
LYNN RUTH MILLER This Is Your Future 13 February, 9.15pm £10, Conc £8 Lynn Ruth Miller is 82 years old and she knows what life holds. She has coped with the ravages of age, the disappointments and the hurdles by transforming it all into nonsense. If you live long enough, she is your future. 16+
TAYLOR GLENN A Billion Days of Parenthood
25 February, 9.15pm £7 Following a two-year break from stand up to look after her daughter, award-winning American comedian Taylor Glenn returns. Honest, unflinching, and delightfully dark, Taylor tackles everything from pre-natal pandas to post-natal depression in a tale about surviving the never-ending.
“An excellent storyteller - polished from start to finish” The Skinny 18+ uu
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Museum of Comedy | The Undercroft, St George’s Church, Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
MUSEUM OF COMEDY MAIN HOUSE SKETCH SCRATCH 9
2 March, 9.15pm £5
Brand new comedy sketches from the latest group on Chris Head's Live Sketch Show course. This unique course takes a group of varied individuals through the process of creating, writing rehearsing and staging a live sketch show. This performance is the culmination of 8 weeks of writing and rehearsing to create an hour of new sketches. Always lively, varied, a little raw and often hilarious. 14 +
BRIAN MURPHY & LINDA REGAN A Lifetime of Laughs 20 March, 2pm £18 George and Mildred actor Brian Murphy and Hi-De-Hi actress Linda Regan talk to Sam Westerby about their stellar careers. There will be an opportunity to meet the performers after the show.
PLAYERS JOYS 13 March, 3pm
Traditional music hall with the Players Joys
“The city's standard-bearers for old-school music hall... This is cutting edge Victoriana… rich in the eccentricities beloved by the British and their visitors” Time Out
“A joyful outing to a forgotten era for fans of the genre” The Stage
BOXOFFICE OFFICE020 0207734 75342222 1744 leicestersquaretheatre.com www.museumofcomedy.com BOX
MUSEUM OF COMEDY MARTHA MCBRIER Pigeon Puncher 13 April, 7pm £7 Award winning Glaswegian Comedian Martha McBrier, brings her 5 star 2015 Edinburgh Festival show to London. Known for her amazing improv skills "McBrier's comedy is not so much a talent as a true gift." HHHHH The Scotsman, McBrier is here to share true stories about being helpful. 16+
TOM ALLEN Both Worlds 28 & 29 April, 7pm £10, Conc £8 The posh-voiced son of working class Bromley, Tom Allen comes fresh from supporting Sarah Millican. This thrillingly ‘erudite raconteur’ (The List) takes you on a whirlwind journey with hilarious tales of feeling on the inside and the outside, tales of feeling happy and feeling other emotions.
“One of the funniest acts on the circuit” GQ Magazine 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 by comic, songwriter and puppeteer Mr.Twonkey AKA Paul Vickers
“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 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 HHHH Chortle HHHH The List HHHH Fest 16+
OLD COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR 2016
Heats – 22, 23, 24, 29, 30 & 31 May & 5 & 6 June, 7pm, £6.50 Semi Finals – 12, 13, 19 & 20 June, 7pm, £7.50 Now in it’s 2nd year Old Comedian of the Year is back! Forget cheery optimism & skinny jeans. At last, a competition for comics who've been around long enough to know better. Expect a high standard and a hint of world weary cynicism as 100 not so new acts compete for the title of Old Comedian of the Year 2016. 16+
BEING SPASTIC 28 May, 9pm £9, Conc £7
Written By Jack Reeve and Gavin Tokhai. Performed by Jack Reeve. 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+
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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Museum of
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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