The alternative guide to the Newbury Comedy Festival 2009
"Surely you're having a laugh", my friend exclaimed when I said they should avoid just about any name they recognised on the billing for the forthcoming Newbury Comedy Festival 2009. "I'm not," I assured them, and added: "and stop calling my Shirley."
Okay, I'll keep the day job, but I was serious. After many years of reviewing comedy shows I have learned that very few big names can deliver truly cracking and original performances. Exceptions to the rule are the likes of Eddie Izzard, Ross Noble, Billy Connolly - all legends in left field spontaneity who I would watch night after night and be surprised if the same joke were told twice.
Don't get me wrong, the big names at this year's Newbury Comedy Festival will be good entertainment. They will rehearse their well worn jokes and the audience will love them. However, I do not want to see Alistair McGowan, Jan Ravens, Julian Clary or Andrew Maxwell (actually, maybe Andrew Maxwell, but I'm already committed as you'll see below!). Guess what, these were also the first to sell out anyway!
However, it is the less known performers who have yet to pack out the big venues or be over exposed on the panel shows. You get to see them up close and personal, mostly within the intimacy of New Greenham Arts, as they try out material often destined for the Edinburgh Fringe in August.
Why so jaded? Mostly for the Newbury Weekly News, I reviewed comedy for five years before I found I wasn't laughing as much as the audience. Such comedy fatigue has made me more discerning!
So who features in our alternative guide to the Newbury Comedy Festival 2009? See below and come back to the blog to read reviews on each of the shows. We are sponsors of the Corn Exchange so it is great to be able to promote them!
7.45pm Saturday 4th July - Brendan Burns, The Corn Exchange, Newbury.
Certifiable Aussie lunatic, the self-proclaimed 'thinking man's idiot' and goat-kisser is only appearing for two dates at Edinburgh in August, so catch him here in Newbury. I saw him in 2007 when he was in the Bad Film Club at New Greenham Arts.
8pm Wednesday 8th July - Rob Deering at New Greenham Arts, Newbury.
I've caught a few hilarious clips of Rob Deering on YouTube and remain baffled why this comedy circuit favourite has never gone any further. A sub-sonic wit and funny singing voice makes his a show you must see!
9.15pm Wednesday 8th July - Pippa Evans at New Greenham Arts, Newbury.
Pippa Evans is so shiny and new she has yet to realise her potential. Her comedic neurotic characters have won plaudits, not least country singer Loretta Maine. Her performance is definitely made for the intimacy of the New Greenham Arts venue.
8pm Thursday 9th July - Laughing Boy Comedy Club, New Greenham Arts, Newbury.
This promises to be a fabulous comedy evening! Off The Kerb is one of the top UK comedy agencies and home to a stable of thoroughbred comics. Its early days but confirmed so far are Seattle based Dave Fulton, an opinionated American (pictured above in Diamond Geyser's photo) and the surreal and inventive Joey Page, whose act: 'Eccentric Treasure of the Future' is a hotly tipped favourite at this year's Fringe.
7.30pm Friday 10th July - Comedy Caberet, New Greenham Arts, Newbury.
Hosted by resident funny duo Plested & Brown, this looks promising with much talked about comic Josie Long, inept hospital DJ Ivan Brackenbury and Tom Allen, winner of the BBC New Comedy Awards sharing the billing.
8pm Saturday 11th July - Andrew Lawrence, New Greenham Arts, Newbury.
The ginger-haired comedian comes to destroy our aspirations with his show: 'Soul-Crushing Vicissitudes Of Fortune!' Forget the idea that you can achieve anything you set your mind to and prepare to laugh at the futility of your dreams!
10pm Saturday 11th July - Late Night Jongleurs, Corn Exchange, Newbury.
Okay, Jongleurs can be a mixed bag, but throw in the late night nature of an alcohol fuelled audience, unwise heckles and ruthless comedians and this could be a legal blood sport. Probably worth it for the disbelieving 'Did they just say that?' conversations.
7.30pm Wednesday 15th July - Wise Crackers Final, Corn Exchange, Newbury.
If you really want to catch the comedy stars of tomorrow then this could be the place to be! Young wannabe comedians, aged from 12-18, from Newbury, Eastleigh and Slough, will be battling it out. With comedy mentors including the fabulous Natalie Haynes, Richard Thomson and Matt Rudge, these youngsters should be polished and very funny. Incidentally, I'm actually one of the judges at the Wise Crackers Final.
8pm Thursday 16th July - Russell Kane, New Greenham Arts, Newbury.
You might have caught energetic Essex boy Kane strutting his hilarious stuff in Live at the Apollo on the BBC? I saw in in 2007 and he seemed just as stimulated then. A nonstop stream of wry observations will no doubt underline his performance in Newbury this time, with a show entitled: Fakespeare: The Tragickal Saveings of King Nigel (I confess some concern about the use of the name 'Nigel'...)
8pm Friday 17 July - Sarah Millican, New Greenham Arts, Newbury.
The softly spoken Geordie Sarah Millican made her debut at Edinburgh last year and promptly won the if.comedy award for Best Newcomer, for her show 'Not Nice'. Previews of her new 'Typical Woman' show, focusing her razor tongued wit on the differences between the sexes, promises to be a funny finale to our alternative approach to the Newbury Comedy Festival 2009.