City festival features appearances from Greg Davies, Matt Lucas, Henning Wehn and Joe Lycett, plus two Free Half-Dayers
The award-winning Birmingham Comedy Festival returns this October with big names, international stars and much more (Friday 6 to Sunday 15 October 2017).
Among the acts set to appear at the 10-day event are Man Down, Cuckoo and Taskmaster star Greg Davies (9-10 Oct, Symphony Hall), Doctor Who and Little Britain actor Matt Lucas (14 Oct, Town Hall), and Birmingham’s own rising comedy hero, Joe Lycett (10 Oct, The Glee; 11 Oct, Town Hall).
Lending an international flavour are German Comedy Ambassador Henning Wehn (13-14 Oct, Town Hall), Comedy Central’s Impractical Jokers (12 Oct, Barclaycard Arena), and Australian short film festival Over The Fence (12 Oct, The Walkabout), which includes a screening of Not Sophie’s Choice starring Catherine Tate.
Meanwhile, fans of classic comedy can revel in Monty Python’s Spamalot! (3-7 Oct, New Alexandra Theatre), an afternoon of Laurel and Hardy films (14 Oct, mac Birmingham), a revival of 1960s BBC radio series Round The Horne (15 Oct, Victoria pub), and an expert recreation of Woody Allen’s early stage routines (11 Oct, The Glee).
Other highlights include cult Cold War-set comedy 5 Lesbians Eating Quiche (11-15 Oct, The Old Joint Stock Theatre), top-rated podcasting authors Scummy Mummies (7 Oct, Sutton Coldfield Town Hall), The Infinite Monkey Cage’s Robin Ince (13 Oct, Comedy Junction) and Simon Day (15 Oct, The Glee), who last appeared in the festival way back in 2002 as part of The Fast Show cast.
The festival officially kicks off with the fourth Birmingham Comedy Festival Breaking Talent Award (6 Oct, The Glee), and boasts two Free Half-Dayers (8 and 15 October). Taking place at Cherry Reds and The Victoria, on John Bright Street in Birmingham city centre, the successive Sunday afternoons see more than 16 acts perform new shows, among them Josh Pugh, improv’ troupe Foghorn Unscripted, Comedy Carousel’s Andy Robinson, and Funniest Joke of the Fringe 2016 winner Masai Graham.
A spokesperson for the annual shindig, which recently won the What’s On award for Best Midlands Arts Festival 2017, said: “After marking our 15th anniversary last year we haven’t rested on our laurels. We’ve got some fantastic shows lined-up, from familiar TV names to the very best new and emerging acts from Birmingham and the West Midlands.
“There are around 80 shows happening across the city, including the return of our popular Half-Dayers, which offer audiences a chance to check out a string of great shows for free.”
The Birmingham Comedy Festival runs from Friday 6 to Sunday 15 October 2017. For full details see: www.bhamcomfest.co.uk
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
About Birmingham Comedy Festival
Established in 2001, the annual festival has welcomed some of the biggest names in stand-up comedy, from Michael McIntyre and Peter Kay, to Jack Whitehall and Sarah Millican.
The festival was originally set up to highlight the city’s vibrant, but then largely unsung, comedy scene, and acts from West Midlands have always featured prominently, from Lenny Henry and Stewart Lee, to Joe Lycett and Mrs Barbara Nice (who both appear this year).
Unfunded and volunteer-led, the festival is one of the biggest independent multi-site arts festivals in the region, and in 2017 was voted Best Midlands Arts Festival by readers of What’s On Magazine.
Twitter: @BhamComFest
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2017’s festival is supported by The Arcadian: www.thearcadian.co.uk
Official Media Partner, Birmingham What’s On: whatsonlive.co.uk/birmingham/
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