20-28 October 2017 BoxBox Office:Office:01422 305 959 halifaxcomedyfestival.com WelcomeWelcomeComedy toto thetheHalifaxHalifax Festival 2017 Oh Frig I’m 50 For a third year running Richard Herring we are celebrating all Richard Herring things comedy in Halifax. Fri 20 Oct The nights are getting colder and darker host to some fab stand up from Shazia The Victoria Theatre, 8pm so what better time to lift our spirits with Mirza, Tony Burgess and Archie Kelly. some top class comedians and comedy Now an annual must see Festival gig Opening the Comedy Festival this year shows from across the UK! This year is the mischievous comedy devilment we have the “Podfather” (The Guardian) we’re starting with a short weekend Kids hosted by Halifax Minster, which this and star of Radio 4’s Relativity, Comedy Festival that includes The Sooty year sees Justin Moorhouse and Paul Richard Herring in his once-a-decade Show and Comedy Club 4 Kids. Tonkinson perform in one of Halifax’s examination of ageing. Following on most beautiful heritage buildings. from “Oh F***, I’m 40!” Richard has got The Halifax Comedy Festival is to a half century (against all odds) and welcoming some familiar faces with We’re making comedy more looks at how his life has changed in the prankster Lee Nelson and Britain’s Got affordable this year too, with a 3 last decade, from irresponsible, single Talent favourite Daliso Chaponda as shows for £30 bundle! Keep an eye kidult, literally fighting his way through a they stop by on their tours. For movie out for the ‘I’m in the Bundle’ button mid-life crisis, to married father who is fans, we have the campest cult classic on the show info pages. mid-way to the telegram from the Queen of all time and invite everyone; women, We’re excited for this year’s festival and (though given she will be 140 in 2067, men and gender fluid friends to don we hope you are too, so take a load off, she might forget to send it). your finest fishnets and join us for our have a brew, peruse this booklet, book screening of the Sing-a-long-a Rocky Tickets: £16.75 some laughs and we’ll see you there! Horror Picture Show. All the best A gloriously infantile delight There are also plenty of opportunities The Halifax Comedy in mischief, provocation and to discover new comedy talent. Catch inspired rudeness Mock the Week favourite Ed Gamble, Festival Team The Guardian who shares the stage with Lou Sanders www.halifaxcomedyfestival.com & Steve Bugeja. Our smaller spaces play Box Office: 01422 305959 01 SwansongSwansong TheThe SootySooty Fri 20 Oct Square Chapel Arts Centre, 8pm The rain has finally stopped. 4 people survive. They are in a swan pedalo. Following critically acclaimed runs at the Sat 21 Oct The Victoria Theatre, 11am & 2.30pm Edinburgh Festival, Dugout Theatre, the ShowShow company that bought you Inheritance Izzy wizzy let’s get busy! Sooty is back Blues and The Sunset Five - bring their in a brand-new show with guaranteed smash-hit show to Halifax. Founded by a giggles for the whole family! Direct group of comedians, writers, musicians from CITV, Sooty, Sweep and Soo head and actors, DugOut’s work is often into town accompanied by TV’s Richard funny, sometimes sad, usually hopeful Cadell. Mr Slater has put Richard BarbaraBarbara NiceNice and always musical. It warms your in charge of running the show but heart, moves your feet, treats your eyes, nothing is going to plan! Sooty’s magic lightens your load, tickles your fancy tricks turn very messy and Sweep’s Raffle!Raffle! and swells your heart. escapology act has him all tied up. Tickets: £12.50 Maybe Soo and her tap dancing will save the day? With special guest stars Fri 20 Oct Tickets: £13.75 for Adults & £11.75 for Children (under 16s) Butch and Ramsbottom. Expect magic, Arden Road Social Club, 8pm I’m in the music and mayhem with buckets full of Join the Edinburgh Fringe and BBC 2’s Bundle audience participation. A spectacular favourite housewife Barbara Nice for treat for Sooty fans old and new - an evening of proper good fun. Entrance plus a chance to meet Sooty and price includes a complimentary Richard after the show! raffle ticket! Age: 14+ Tickets: £15.00 02 03 SaraSara PascoePascoe SING-A-LONG A Sat 21 Oct Victoria Theatre, 7.30pm Picture Show Ladsladslads Sara is enjoying a year-long, one- ROCKY HORROR woman stag do. From spiritual retreats, Sun 22 Oct city breaks, life drawing classes and The Victoria Theatre, 7.30pm football matches - she has been drunk and lonely everywhere. The Campest Cult Classic of all time Following a sell-out live tour of Animal gets the Singalonga treatment it’s been (inspired by her acclaimed book of the SCREAMING for! Featuring the film, same name), the multi award-winning starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, comedian and star of Live at The Apollo, Meatloaf and Richard O’Brien, it’s Mock the Week, QI and Taskmaster, the most outrageous, riotous, kitsch, returns with a brand-new (best ever) wonderful romp ever. stand-up show. If you’ve done The Time Warp before, you’ll never have done it quite like this! The evening begins with your host Pascoe’s lively mind teases leading a vocal warm-up before out big questions with they show you how to use your free Tickets: £16.75 intelligence, silliness interactive props bag. Fancy dress is not and self-deprecation obligatory but highly recommended! The Guardian ––– Please note that this is a screening of the iconic Hilarious confessions movie and not a live stage show. of a forensic mind Evening Standard Tickets: £16.00 04 05 George Egg Ed GambleSteve Bugeja DIYDIY ChefChef Ed Gamble Sun 22 Oct Square Chapel Arts Centre, 8pm LouLou SandersSanders Following sell out Edinburgh Fringe runs in 2015 and 2016, award winning* Comedy Club comedian George Egg (the ‘Anarchist 44 KidsKids Cook’) returns. In ‘DIY CHEF’ George’s Mon 23 Oct doctor has told him he needs to rethink Sun 22 Oct The Victoria Theatre, 8pm his culinary habits. As a result his family Square Chapel Arts Centre, 2pm A comedy club on a grand scale! have banned him from the kitchen. Three top comedians feature in this They’ve banished him to the shed. Like the name suggests, it’s a Comedy fantastic night of comedy. Ed Gamble Club 4 Kids that brings the best Expect power tools, gardening has recently been seen supporting stand-ups and sketch acts from the equipment and office supplies to be Russell Kane and Greg Davies on tour, international circuit to do their thing abused and re-purposed. Expect lots and describes himself as “essentially for an audience of children and their of laughs. Expect to learn something a nice guy delivering humour”. He has families. Cracking entertainment for new. And you get to taste the food also been seen on Mock the Week and everyone over six years old and under at the end.** Dave’s One Night Stand. The surreal 400 years old (no vampires). We have and refreshing Lou Sanders presents *Spirit Of The Fringe Award, Edinburgh 2015 the best comedians from the UK and **At your own risk! a charmingly haphazard show that’s world circuit doing what they do best- refreshingly different. Finally, Steve Tickets: £14.00 but without the rude bits! with concessions available Bugeja, is known for his compelling Tickets: £10.00 storytelling and comic detail, describing himself as an “out and proud nerd”. The night promises to be varied and A highlight for children... giving hilarious, where you can discover the them a taste of some of the biggest ‘next big thing’ at the Victoria Theatre! names in comedy with the fun, rowdy feel of a real comedy club Tickets: £16.75 The Guardian 07 JustinJustin MoorhouseMoorhouse Howard Read Paul TonkinsonTony Vino MarcStand Blake Up Comedy Workshop Tue 24 Oct Marc Blake The Halifax Minster, 8pm Four top comedians perform cutting edge stand-up in the Halifax Minster. Watch as they all try not to swear or blaspheme in this unique setting! The whole evening will be MC’d by Tony Vino, who mixes friendly observational Mon 23 & Tue 24 Oct humour with audience interaction and Victoria Theatre, 10am - 4pm quick witted responses. Paul Tonkinson is noted for his effervescent physicality This intensive two day workshop covers and skilful impressions, infectious persona, gag-writing and the complete energy and comic reflections on love, skill-set required to become a stand- family and 21st Century living. up comedian. Marc Blake teaches performance at Winchester University As seen on Phoenix Nights, 8 Out and was a stand-up for 20 years, as of 10 Cats, Live At The Apollo and heard well as having written several books as a regular on BBC Radio 5 Live’s on sitcom and comedy writing. Fighting Talk; Justin Moorhouse charms the pants off any crowd with his down- Tickets: £96.75 for 2 days, to-earth comedy. Last but not least is including refreshments & lunch Howard Read, a comic, writer, animator and actor, best known for being one half of Big Howard, Little Howard on CBBC. Howard has also written for Ross Noble and Ricky Gervais. 08 Tickets: £15.00 09 DalisoDaliso ChapondaChaponda I’m in the Bundle GeoffGeoff Tony NorcottNorcott Burgess WorkWork InIn ProgressProgressTue 24 Oct Tue 24 Oct Victoria Theatre - Green Room Bar, The Wellington Rooms, 8pm 7.30pm & 9.30pm A comedy double header at the 2017 Britain’s Got Talent Finalist & intimate setting of the Wellington Golden Buzzer winner, Daliso Chaponda Rooms! This night features two is a versatile writer and a comedian who comedians who are well-known on regularly performs across Africa and in the comedy circuit for their witty and the UK.