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Mark Simmons: Quip Off The Mark
Mark Simmons is master of the one liners.
He recently joined Dara O’Brian and Hugh Dennis on BBC2’s Mock The Week as a semi-regular on the show and been appearing on BT Sport’s DIY Pundit and The Rugby’s On.
Mark also hosted News-ish and Film-ish on Fubar Radio alongside co-host Seann Walsh. He is now enjoying further success with his solo podcast Jokes With Mark Simmons. He invites a fellow comic, such as Gary Delaney and Milton Jones, to discuss jokes that they’ve written but simply just haven’t worked.
Quip Off The Mark isn’t your average one-liner show - there is a running theme throughout. This year Mark’s parents have sold the house he grew up in and he has to collect his box of stuff from the loft. Come discover what’s in the box in this top-level one-liner show structured in a way you’ve never seen before.
'One of the UK’s pre-eminent pun merchants… the quickest quipster in showbusiness' Evening Standard
'Master of one-liners… his (show) consist(s) of literally one liner after one liner, with one or two breaks for the audience to catch their breath before another assault on the laughter and muscles with the next segment' ★★★★★ One4Review
'Absolutely hilarious' ★★★★ The Scotsman
'A lot of excellent funny one-liners' Bruce Dessau
'A talented comic with an artisan’s grasp of joke writing' ★★★★ Chortle
RUNNER UP DAVE’s Top 10 Jokes of the Fringe 2022
DAVE’s Top 10 Jokes of the Fringe 2019 (& 2017)
Nominee Amused Moose: Best Show 2017
- 8 Jun SOLD OUT
Avalon Edinburgh Preview - Rob Auton and Chloe Petts
Avalon are the UK's leading comedy agent - they bring two top comedians previewing their material ahead of the Edinburgh Festival this summer.
Rob Auton has written seven five star rated Edinburgh fringe shows - The Yellow Show, The Sky Show, The Face Show, The Water Show, The Sleep Show, The Hair Show, The Talk Show and The Time Show. He has performed his unique brand of comedy on Sky's The Russell Howard Hour and on Comedy Central's Rob Delaney’s Stand Up Central. The latter set went viral on Facebook with 4.7m views and couniting. Rob is also the creator of The Rob Auton Daily Podcast which took home The Best Daily Podcast Award at the 2020 British Podcast Awards.
Chloe Petts is 'one of the most compelling young comics' (The Guardian) and 'clearly a rising star whose name will soon be in lights' (The Evening Standard). She has been a regular on Absolute Radio's The Frank Skinner Show, Sky Sport's World Cup Breakfast and also appeared on ITV's Jonathan Ross’s Comedy Club, ITV2's The Stand-Up Sketch Show and BBC2's Richard Osman’s House of Games. She is a co-founder of The Lol Word, a queer comedy collective that hosts sell-out monthly London nights, boasting the finest female and non-binary queer acts on the circuit.
Studio
£12
Hal Cruttenden: It’s Best You Hear It From Me
After 21 years and 224 days Hal's back being single. But it's all going to be fine.
Instead of getting the therapy he clearly needs, he's made a cracking show about it. He's lost enough weight to almost get his wedding ring off and, while he may be flying solo, he's far from alone. He's got his grown-up daughters, his dogs and his divorce lawyer.
The fickle finger of fate has turned Hal's life upside down but he's sticking a finger right back at it.
‘Go and see Hal Cruttenden, he’s got something to say and he’ll make you laugh a lot!’ ★★★★★ Daily Mirror
'Funniest he’s ever been' ★★★★★ Sunday Times
‘The comedy gift that keeps on giving’ ★★★★ Scotsman
'Reminded me how much I love stand up' ★★★★ Times
Courtyard Theatre
£19
Tom Houghton: Absolute Shambles
After an incredible sold out debut run, the man who asked us “do you ski?” is leaving his home in the Tower of London (for good).
Catch him as he departs on a second triumphant tour across our nation armed with even more outrageous takes, unbelievable tales and biblical chat to leave you bowled over with laughter.
Having amassed a loyal fan base of over a quarter of a million followers the multi-viral, social media sensation is delving even deeper into his ludicrous life as he tries to smarten up the not so honorable aspects of himself. Take a look at the pitfalls of online celebrity, the perils of post-palace living and find out, that in an age where everyone is so obsessed with the veneer of virtual contentment, maybe it takes crashing back down to reality to discover where happiness truly lies.
As seen on Comedy Central and tour support for Milton Jones.
'Clever, passionate and soulful' ★★★★★ The New European
'A twisted view of the world' ★★★★★ The Sunday Express
'Get your tickets today. Tomorrow may well be too late. A Star is Born' ★★★★★ One 4 Review
'This unexpected tour de force warrants a 21-gun salute' ★★★★ The Daily Telegraph
'A crafty idiot' ★★★★ The Daily Mail
'Now that’s class' ★★★★ Fringe Guru
Avalon Edinburgh Preview - Paul Chowdhry and Jonny Pelham
Avalon are the UK's leading comedy agent - they bring two top comedians previewing their material ahead of the Edinburgh Festival this summer.
Paul's latest tour Family-Friendly Comedian (No Children) was extended in 2022 for another 42 dates nationwide after a sell-out first run in 2021.
This follows Live Innit, a record-breaking, thrice-extended tour that saw Paul perform five nights at the Hammersmith Apollo and become the first British-Asian stand-up to sell out Wembley Arena.
The show won Best Live Event 2018 at the ITV Asian Media Awards and the Comedy award at the Eastern Eye’s Arts, Culture and Theatre Awards 2019. Paul won the Comedian of the Year award at the Asian Voice Political and Public Life Awards 2019.
Live Innit was subsequently released, in August 2019, as an Amazon Prime original special, and became the second most-watched Special in Amazon’s catalogue.
Jonny Pelham
Jonny Pelham is one of the most exciting stand-up comedians on the circuit.
Over the last few years he has appeared on Live from the BBC (BBC3), Mock The Week (BBC2), Russell Howard’s stand-up Central (Comedy Central) and Live at the Apollo (BBC2).
Jonny is also an in-demand comedy writer and actor having appeared in the Viceland series, Bobby & Harriet Getting Married, as well as his own short film released as part the Sky Comedy Shorts season, Late Bloomer (Sky Arts).
Jonny is currently developing a number of projects, both scripted and unscripted, for TV, and has written and starred in his own Channel 4 Comedy Blap, Brad Boyz (E4).
Courtyard Theatre
£12
This event will go on sale to Patrons and Bronze, Silver and Gold Members on Tuesday 30 May.
Avalon Edinburgh Preview - Matt Forde and Huge Davies
Avalon are the UK's leading comedy agent - they bring two top comedians previewing their material ahead of the Edinburgh Festival this summer.
Matt Forde is one of the country’s most in-demand satirists. In his Political Party podcast, he has interviewed guests ranging from Nicola Sturgeon, David Blunkett, Andrew Marr, Jess Phillips, Angela Rayner, Rory Stewart and Sadiq Khan to name a few. The podcast has amassed over 6 million downloads and been nominated for Best Comedy Podcast from the British Podcast Awards and the Internet Award at the Chortle Awards. Matt is also the co-host of Wondery’s flagship podcast British Scandal alongside Alice Levine.
Huge Davies combines his confident on stage presence, dark humour, surreal material with his one-of-kind customised keyboard. He appears regularly on television, including his own Channel 4 sitcom The Artists which he created, wrote and starred in. Huge performs both in the UK and internationally, also supporting Phil Wang and Joe Lycett on their national tours. Huge has worked as a writer for Never Mind The Buzzcocks and Famalam, is a regular performer on BBC Radio 4’s The Now Show and co-hosts live podcast The Film Quiz with Nick Helm.
Studio
£12
Avalon Edinburgh Preview - Lou Sanders and Jacob Hawley
Avalon are the UK's leading comedy agent - they bring two top comedians previewing their material ahead of the Edinburgh Festival this summer.
Lou Sanders is one of Britain’s most original comedians. She is the champion of series eight of Taskmaster (Dave), co-hosts Mel Giedroyc’s Unforgivable (Dave) and other recent television appearances include The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS), Live at the Apollo (BBC), QI (BBC2), Travel Man: 48 Hours in… (Channel 4), Would I Lie to You? (BBC1), 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (Channel 4), Richard Osman’s House of Games (BBC), Hypothetical (Dave), Aisling Bea’s sitcom This Way Up (C4), Roast Battle (Comedy Central), The Russell Howard Hour (Sky 1), Jon Richardson’s Ultimate Worrier (Dave), Karl Pilkington’s sitcom Sick of It (Sky One), and frequently co-hosts live radio shows filling in for John Robins, Elis James and Ed Gamble.
Lou’s 2018 stand-up show Shame Pig received rave reviews, added extra shows at both the Edinburgh Fringe and sold out three separate runs at London’s Soho Theatre. The show subsequently toured and was named a top show to see by publications including The Guardian, The Scotsman, The List, The Mirror and The Evening Standard. Lou returned to Edinburgh with Say Hello To Your New Step-Mummy which again was critically acclaimed, completely sold out, and went on to become Lou’s largest tour to date. She has also taken the show to LA and New York and has recently finished touring her new show One Word: Wow.
Jacob Hawley is the distinctly millennial rising star of the Edinburgh Fringe’ (New Statesman) can be seen on The Russell Howard Hour (Sky), Ladhood (BBC3) and is the creator and star of Radio 4’s Class Act and Welcome To Britain.
Jacob is the presenter and creator of BBC Sounds’s Jacob Hawley: On Drugs and Jacob Hawley On Love. The show charted 12th in the Uk Top Podcast charts, was recommended by Great British Podcasts, regularly featured in Apple’s New and Noteworthy list and was highlighted in Cosmopolitan’s Top 55 Podcasts. The podcast earned him an ARIA (Audio & Radio Industry Awards) 2020 Silver Award for Best New Presenter and Bronze for New Voice Award at the Audio Production Awards (APAs), sponsored by Audible.
Jacob has rapidly generated interest as one of the boldest new voices on the circuit with his astute observations and political passion. His live shows have sold out at both The Edinburgh Fringe and at London’s Soho Theatre.
Studio
£12
Ashley Blaker: Normal Schmormal
A new stand-up show about the joys of raising children with special needs.
From the star of hit Radio 4 series ‘6.5 Children’, and author of book ‘Normal Schmormal’ published this summer. Ashley has six kids, three of whom have a SEN diagnosis. Between endless meetings, countless therapists, public humiliations, failed playdates, horrific hygiene, surreal monologues and occasional violence, it’s certainly not what anyone would call a ‘normal’ household – but would he want it any other way?
Ashley distils the love, madness and chaos of his home life into a brilliant evening of standup for all the family. He's just glad to be out of the house, to be honest.
‘A slickly funny stand-up show’ New York Times
‘Warmth and wit’ ★★★★ Daily Mail
‘A special vein of comic material’ ★★★★ Financial Times
£15
Simon Brodkin: Screwed Up
Fresh from his sold-out, critically acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe run and becoming the most viewed British comedian of all time on TikTok, the world famous prankster and Lee Nelson creator is back with an outrageous new show.
In Screwed Up Simon rips into celebrity culture, social media, the police, Putin, Prince Andrew and Jesus.
Nothing is off limits in this hilarious show, including his own mental health, his family, his five arrests and how he once found himself at an underground sex party.
'No show has made me laugh more than this one… His finest hour on stage' ★★★★ The Times
'Screwed Up is a full-on rat-a-tat gag-fest' ★★★★ Mail On Sunday
Courtyard Theatre
£22.50
Simon's website
@SimonBrodkin
@nordenfarm
- 28 Sep SOLD OUT
Alfie Moore: A Face for Radio
Somewhere in a parallel universe little Alfie’s natural comedic performance skills were recognised by his doting parents who encouraged and developed his blossoming talent.
After several years as a stage school brat Alfie’s angelic face was launched onto stage and screen and the rest is history...
Meanwhile, in this universe Alfie Moore was told to stop messing about in class before being 'encouraged' into the grinding, grimy world of an apprenticeship in the Sheffield steelworks.
When recession hit he traded steel for copper by joining Humberside Police.
In his 40s the two universes collided when Alfie made a bid for showbiz success - but unfortunately 30 years of shift-work and being punched in the face quite a lot, had left him with a face for radio!
A face not so much 'lived in' as inhabited by a settlement of squatters with little regard to property maintenance and repair.
This is the true story of Alfie’s big plan to transition from the BBC radio waves to TV star. Could it be done? Or had Father Time decided that his time had passed?
Star of BBC Radio 4's It's a Fair Cop.
'…offbeat, revealing and very funny' Daily Mail
'…thoroughly engaging, endlessly funny. His charisma shines through as bright and colourful as a twirling blue light' Mature Times
Alfie Moore's website
@alfiemoore
@nordenfarm
Courtyard Theatre
£18
Alfie Brown: Red Flags Galore!
In his new show, award winning comedian Alfie Brown is showing signs that he probably can't have a healthy relationship and proceeding down the road with him would be emotionally dangerous. But what are these signs? Alfie Brown is the most hated man in an internet forum that he is not even the main subject of. But perhaps reading the worst things about yourself can be an educational experience? Is the digital age turning us bad, or is it merely shining a light on the bad previously unseen?
WINNER: CHORTLE AWARDS 2022 - BEST SHOW - SENSITIVE MAN
NOMINEE: DAVE'S EDINBURGH COMEDY AWARDS MAIN PRIZE - SENSITIVE MAN - 2022
‘It is tricky to write 350 sensible words when you come out a show simply thinking Wow!‘ ★★★★★ The Scotsman
‘Breathtaking... a unique, provocative voice’ ★★★★ Evening Standard
★★★★ The Times
Studio
£16
Geoff Norcott: Basic Bloke
On his sixth UK tour, the comedian tries to make sense of the current cultural and political scene with his playfully provocative brand of humour.
Whether it's the dire blandness of the two main parties or the shamelessly shoe-horned right-on messages in adverts and films, Geoff continues to tread in areas much of comedy leaves well alone.
But this time around he also has a mission. As well as casting his everyman eye over what's happening in wider society, Geoff is trying to unpick what's happening with your average bloke. Remember them?
It’s been a rough couple of years for blokes. Toxic masculinity has grabbed all the headlines and ruined it for communal garden geezers, who have been put under the microscope like never before. At first glance, there’s not much to examine – there’s no Bloke 2.0.
Taking up his own bloke’s-eye-view, Geoff can see that despite the social media vortex, your man in the street, average Joe, man on the Clapham Omnibus and your John Smiths just keep plodding on, fuelled by a diet of football, sheds, super-hero films, sporting autobiographies, wearing socks at all times and strategically burying feelings when necessary.
However, under the paraphernalia of manhood and the sometimes basic, even primal, behaviour of dads and lads, Geoff can see that there is something mysterious and definitely non-toxic going on.
A kindly and funny stock-take of both himself and his fellow man, Geoff unlocks some of the more complicated behaviour of your husbands, dads and brothers.
'He has become one of our most refreshingly funny comedians of any stripe' ★★★★ The Times
'He’s a class act with a mature, sharp take on modern politics' Sunday Times
Courtyard Theatre
£17.50
Fiona Allen - On The Run
Double Emmy Award winner and star of 'Smack The Pony' Fiona Allen is touring her debut stand-up show.
Like most working mums, since her children were born she hasn't had a moment for herself. Now free, she has tried new hobbies, new places, even attempting to get fit - difficult when your spirit animal is a sloth!
With nowhere left to turn she decided to go on the road as a stand-up. A show about family, marriage, and things that truly annoy her. It's a show for everyone, even those passive-aggressive school mums...
Studio
£16
Chris McCausland: Yonks!
You might have seen him on Scared of the Dark, Would I Lie to You, Have I Got News for You, The Royal Variety, QI, Blankety Blank, The Last Leg, and tons more as well.
He's been called an 'overnight success' - even though he's been doing stand-up for yonks!
Chris McCausland is hitting the road again with another masterclass in stand-up comedy that has literally been yonks in the making.
Suitable for ages 16+ years.
Courtyard Theatre
£22.50
Chris McCausland: Yonks!
You might have seen him on Scared of the Dark, Would I Lie to You, Have I Got News for You, The Royal Variety, QI, Blankety Blank, The Last Leg, and tons more as well.
He's been called an 'overnight success' - even though he's been doing stand-up for yonks!
Chris McCausland is hitting the road again with another masterclass in stand-up comedy that has literally been yonks in the making.
Suitable for ages 16+ years.
Courtyard Theatre
£22.50
Geoff Norcott: Basic Bloke
On his sixth UK tour, the comedian tries to make sense of the current cultural and political scene with his playfully provocative brand of humour.
Whether it's the dire blandness of the two main parties or the shamelessly shoe-horned right-on messages in adverts and films, Geoff continues to tread in areas much of comedy leaves well alone.
But this time around he also has a mission. As well as casting his everyman eye over what's happening in wider society, Geoff is trying to unpick what's happening with your average bloke. Remember them?
It’s been a rough couple of years for blokes. Toxic masculinity has grabbed all the headlines and ruined it for communal garden geezers, who have been put under the microscope like never before. At first glance, there’s not much to examine – there’s no Bloke 2.0.
Taking up his own bloke’s-eye-view, Geoff can see that despite the social media vortex, your man in the street, average Joe, man on the Clapham Omnibus and your John Smiths just keep plodding on, fuelled by a diet of football, sheds, super-hero films, sporting autobiographies, wearing socks at all times and strategically burying feelings when necessary.
However, under the paraphernalia of manhood and the sometimes basic, even primal, behaviour of dads and lads, Geoff can see that there is something mysterious and definitely non-toxic going on.
A kindly and funny stock-take of both himself and his fellow man, Geoff unlocks some of the more complicated behaviour of your husbands, dads and brothers.
'He has become one of our most refreshingly funny comedians of any stripe' ★★★★ The Times
'He’s a class act with a mature, sharp take on modern politics' Sunday Times
Courtyard Theatre
£17.50