The 13th Liverpool Comedy Festival
The Liverpool Comedy Festival returns for its 13th year next month, with 13 days of performances in venues across the city. From September 23 until October 5, this year's festival, brought to you by The Comedy Trust, sees a host of big names in town, from from Monty Python legend Michael Palin at the Echo Arena (October 11, but still counts apparently) to British Comedy Award winners and BAFTA nominees Cardinal Burns at the Epstein Theatre. The Unity Theatre showcases Sean Hughes, Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Bridget Christie (pictured) and more, and treading the boards at the Liverpool Royal Court will be Robin Ince and Vikki Stone. There'll be plenty of home grown talent to, including new shows from Chris Cairns, Silky, Steve Gribbin, Laurence Clarke, Dave Twentyman, Adam Rowe and Jake Mills, plus a debut show from Tony Carroll. And as always, the city's comedy clubs are on board with the regular nights from Laughterhouse, Hot Water Comedy Club, Comedy Central and newbie Liverpool Comedy Cellar at the Magnet. The festival programme includes the forthcoming modern classic farce Noises Off which is on at the Royal Court from September 5 to October 4 with cast including Allo Allo’s Kim Hartman and Coronation Street’s Tupele Dorgu. Sam Avery, city stand up and now festival manager, said: “In my first year as festival manager I am absolutely thrilled with the line-up for the 13th annual Liverpool Comedy Festival. It’s going to be more diverse than the Speke night bus, with a huge cross section of comedians performing from Michael Palin, Cardinal Burns and Sean Hughes to our own big name comedians like Chris Cairns, Silky and Steve Gribbin. There are plenty of opportunities to see our new up and coming talent and it is going to be great to see comedy expand from our regular comedy venues to places you will least expect.” As well as programming in to the city’s usual performance venues and comedy clubs, there will be acts lined-up to perform in bars, shops, schools and even people’s houses, apparently. There will also be comedy coach tours, kids shows, pub crawls, poets, podcasts, open mic nights, quizzes, magicians, networking events, rap battles, plays, sketch groups, plus their first outdoor event ‘Tee Hee In The Park’ in Williamson Square in conjunction with Everton in the Community. New talent will be performing at 81 Renshaw St, The Pilgrim and Hatters Hostel, with most shows only £5 for a double bill. Visit Liverpoolcomedyfestival.com for full line-up, information and direct links to book tickets.
