EVENTS
MAMOUN ELAGAB: WHY I LOVE WHITE PEOPLE (WORK IN PROGRESS) @NCI Centre
Rising star Mamoun wants to share with you his unfiltered, idiosyncratic and unorthodox world view - the things you think about and never say out loud... but need to hear!
Finalist: BBC New Comedy Award, Leicester Square New Comedian of the Year, Chortle Student Comedy Award and alumnus of the Pleasance Reserve. 'A loaded wit and a mischievous way of tweaking liberal guilt' (Chortle.co.uk).
A work in progress stand-up show taking a left field look at all walks of British society from a revered scholar of hood philosophy.
JACOB HENEGAN: MOSTLY KILLER (SOME FILLER) @Thirsty
A thrilling debut hour from absurdist Australian stand up Jacob Henegan.
This show will contain 3 perfect jokes, and many other jokes that are imperfect but beautiful in their flawed nature.
Jacob will probably tell some charming stories and maybe make some witty observations.
Jacob will not do any skateboard tricks during this hour
KUAN-WEN: ILHA FORMOSA (WORK IN PROGRESS) @Blue Moon
Taiwanese "Force of nature" (Chortle) Kuan-wen traded his beloved island for the rainy British isles, for "Taiwanese" symbolises generations of migration and shifting identities.
Kuan-wen as heard and seen on BBC Three, BBC Radio 4 and Comedy Central UK. The WIP has been significantly rewritten after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
CHELSEA BIRKBY: SILLY SAUSAGE (WORK IN PROGRESS) @Thirsty
Chelsea Birkby follows up on her award-winning debut with this work-in-progress. Is it about an awakening, clown school and her Mum, or is it about YOUR MUM? As listed in British Comedy Guides Top 10 Picks.
Expect: one liners, heart, pop culture, and maybe even sincerity?
“A hugely promising and already accomplished stand-up, surely destined for greater things.” ★★★★ The Scotsman
MARY O’CONNELL: MONEY PRINCESS (WORK IN PROGRESS) @NCI Centre
Mary O'Connell is conflicted: she hates capitalism but she loves to shop. A work-in-progress show of observational annoyance from a blunt and disturbed perspective. Mary performs stand-up comedy about money, pop culture and trying to be a good person while living in London.
As seen on Stand Up for Live Comedy (BBC Three), Laugh Lessons (BBC Three) and Comedy Central Live. Writer for The Emily Atack Show (ITV2) and The Now Show (BBC Radio 4).
Funny Women runner-up 2020, NATYS finalist and creative resident at Steve Coogan's Baby Cow Productions.
ALEXANDER BENNETT: I CAN’T STAND THE MAN MYSELF (WORK IN PROGRESS) @Blue Moon
A show about hating yourself and, amongst other things, choosing not to. Do you have a critical inner voice? Join Alexander as he interrogates his own, tries to kill it, then comes for yours.
Alexander Bennett’s comedy has been variously described as dark, silly, filthy and thoughtful. He has numerous Edinburgh Fringe runs under his belt, has filmed several stand up specials and he created the cult hit comedy game show Hell To Play. He has recently started his new podcast Born Yesterday with comedian Andy Barr.
He was a key player in Mark Watson’s Comedy Marathon, was nominated at the Leicester Comedy Awards as part of Consignia and co-orchestrated a huge charity event at the Pleasance Grand in Edinburgh called Dan Vs Food, in which a cast of 25+ comedians (including Phil Wang, Ed Gamble, Iain Stirling, Nick Helm, Sophie Duker and Ivo Graham) watched a man called Dan eat his lunch. He has recently appeared on Radio 4 and The Comedian's Comedian podcast.
"Passionate and praiseworthy dark observational comedy" The Skinny
"Courageous and thought-provoking" The Scotsman
"His sharp interpretations of the world around him add a sinister spin to the everyday - Unique and hilarious" Reviews Hub
"A producer and performer of some refreshingly different material" Chortle
RUBY CARR: eBae (WORK IN PROGRESS) @Thirsty
Deep dive into the weird wonderful world of eBay with me. I’m obsessed with the thrill of an auction, it’s like shopping – but with a winner.
I have found a treasure trove of people not just selling items but a little piece of their life. I have bought it all. Is this because I am a sucker for a good story, or is it my obsessive-compulsive disorder combining with my hyperfocus fixation of my ADHD? You decide!
I’ll walk the audience through the rabbit hole I have found myself in, seeking validation for each progressively insane purchase.
“Ruby brings an infectious energy and steady stream of animated stories… injected with a deluge of sharp-witted reflections” – The Student
NJAMBI MCGRATH: WORK IN PROGRESS @NCI Centre
Njambi McGrath is an outcast. Kicked out of the choir at the age of 8, turned away from a modelling agent because she was black and being the ignored middle child.
Some people are driven by money, fame and success but not Njambi. She’s driven by the need to make the people who rejected her regret their actions.
MICHAEL AKADIRI: MICHAEL AKADIRI (WORK IN PROGRESS) @Cambridge Junction (J3)
Michael Akadiri is a fast rising, multi-award winning comedian. His natural charm and cheeky, observational style has already seen him make an impact on the UK comedy scene, most recently winning the Komedia New Comedy Award.
He made his TV Stand Up debut on BBC One as part of the BBC New Comedy Awards and has been casted to appear in the next series of ITV2s Stand Up Sketch Show. He has written and performed sketch collaborations with LadBible and other broadcast credits include BBC Radio 4's Fred at the Stand, panel appearances on Times Radio and hosting on BBC Radio Kent.
TONY LAW: A NOW BEGIN IN AGAIN’ @The Blue Moon
Neanderthal Canadian Trinidadian Norn Iron Loon Law brings his half baked thoughts on the last couple of years and a little time travel to boot. It might not always make sense but it’s always funny.
Farm boy blue collar surreal absurdity in his own very unique style. For those with a different take or taste in comedy.
Plus a lot of works on progress
ISY SUTTIE: SHE’S ALRIGHT (WORK IN PROGRESS) @Cambridge Junction (J3)
Isy has been performing stand-up for nearly 20 years with three sell-out Edinburgh Fringe runs under her belt. Her show Pearl and Dean became a Radio 4 series, Isy Suttie’s Love Letters, which won a Gold Sony award. She has also performed stand up in Montreal and Australia, and may times on TV, as well as appearances on shows such as QI, Would I Lie to You and 8 out of 10 Cats. She has been nominated for three British Comedy Awards and her TV acting credits include Dobby in Peep Show and Ali in Man Down. She has published two books, a memoir called The Actual One and a novel, Jane is Trying.
LILY PHILLIPS: SMUT (WORK IN PROGRESS) @The Blue Moon
Star of ITV2's Stand Up Sketch Show, BBC New Comedy Awards Finalist and Pleasance Reserve alumni Lily is, post pandemic, STILL banging on about her Vagina. Female comedians are often criticized for only talking about vaginas and periods, which is offensive, but in Lily’s case 100% true. She is very much leaning into her reviews of ‘rambunctious smut’ (Steve Bennett Chortle) and brings you an hour of dry wit and dirty jokes with some anecdotes about her long suffering boyfriend thrown in for the ladsssss.
Smut explores the many trials and tribulations of being a woman, like turning 30 only to discover that apparently your vagina gets bigger with age rather than usage, how to deal with your dogs cystitis, and what happens when your boyfriend has to help you birth your own menstrual cup... they are still together now by the way, if anything, it has brought them closer. ‘Charming and moderately obscene’ **** The Scotsman and ‘funny bones and great hair’ This is Cabaret.
MIKE WOZNIAK: ZUSA (WORK IN PROGRESS) @Cambridge Junction (J3)
Ever wondered how Mike’s Great-Aunt Zusa made it from Poland to Luton with a war nipping at her heels? Here’s your chance to find out. Just to reiterate: this s a work in progress.
As seen on Man Down (C4), Taskmaster (C4). As heard on the St Elwick’s Neighbourhood Association Newsletter Podcast and the Three Bean Salad Podcast.