Banana Cabaret Balham Comedy Festival
FRIDAY 8 JULY
Milton Jones: Gold Refining In Progress – The Round Room – 7.30 pm: Milton Jones with old treasure and some fool’s gold. “Punderful Jones leaves the audience gagging for more ‘Metro *****; ‘Jones’ one-liners reach a new height’ Time Out ****; ‘Beautiful one-liners so skilfully sculpted, you don’t know whether to laugh or put them on the mantelpiece’ The Guardian **** £16.00
Nick Helm: Nobody Likes Me (work in progress) – The Round Room – 9.30 pm: Star of BBC3's Sweat the Small Stuff, Live at the Electric (Series One) and winner of a Loaded LAFTA award and Dave’s Best Joke of 2011, Nick Helm would greatly appreciate you turning up to his Work In Progress Show and making it less awkward for not only himself, but the potentially small audience of Nick Helm’s Heavy Entertainment fans that have shown up and the venue staff, who I don’t know if you’ve ever had to cancel a gig due to low attendance, but there’s something about their sad, sad eyes that will haunt you till your dying day £16.00
Best of Bananas hosted by John Moloney – The Ballroom – 9.00 pm: Jeff Innocent, Carl Donnelly, Kiri Pritchard Mclean, Jeff Innocent runner up in the category ‘Best UK Live Stand-Up’ at the UK Comedy Awards for the past three years returns to the Balham Comedy Festival with his no nonsense comedy. ‘The body of a nightclub bouncer and the brain of a university boffin’ The Guardian; Carl Donnelly has beenperforming since 2005 and has established himself as one of the UK’s most exciting comicswith his conversational silly sense of humour. Aregular on TV Carl has appeared on Mock The Week, Russell Howard’s Good News andmost recently Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled. Carl hosts his own podcast with Chris Martin which is one of the Guardian Top 10 comedy podcasts. ‘Excellent, fast-rising comic with pacy anecdotal routines’ Sunday Times; Welsh Comedian Kiri Pritchard Mclean has been making something of a name for herself in the short time she's being performing stand-up comedy and has achieved further success as one fourth of multi-award winning sketch group Gein's Family Gift shop (in capacity as writer/director) £16.00
SATURDAY 9 JULY
Stephen K. Amos – An Evening With Stephen K. Amos – The Round Room – 7.30 pm: The maestroof feel-good comedy has arrived. Fresh from sell-out tours of Australia, New Zealand, and across the UK, as heard on BBC Radio 4 Life: An Idiot’s Guide and What Does the K Stand For?‘Unashamed feel-good entertainment. Amos has had his share of TV exposure, but nothing that has successfully captured what he does live. If only a broadcaster could bottle the magic that was conjured up last night Amos would finally be a household name way beyond the Amos household’ ★★★★Evening Standard £15.00
Richard Herring: The Best - The Round Room – 9.30 pm: Richard Herring, King of the Edinburgh Fringe, Metro columnist and the UK's Podfather (RHLSTP, AIOTM) picks his favourite routines from his 12 one-man shows and crams them into 60 minutes for your delectation. From his deconstruction of the genealogy of Christ to him proving that racists are less racist than liberals, via some of the best knob jokes in the business. Will your favourite routine make the cut? A great introduction to this influential cult comedian for the newcomer and a welcome greatest hits for long term fans. ‘a gloriously infantile delight in mischief, provocation and inspired rudeness’ - The Guardian £15.00
Best of Bananas hosted by John Moloney – The Ballroom – 9.00 pm: Jarred Christmas, Kate Lucas, Steve Williams: Jarred Christmas is one of the most innovative and exciting stand up talents in the land. His ten years on the circuit have catapulted him onto the small screen in shows such as Mock The Week, 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Argumental; In 2014 musical comedian Kate Lucas took home the title for the prestigious Leicester Mercury New Comedian of the Year and her performances since have been met with huge critical acclaim. She’s gone on to build a seriously impressive reputation on the circuit, storming it every weekend to packed out crowds; Chortle Award nominee and BBC New Comedy Award Finalist, Steve Williams is one of the most exciting and electrifying live performers on the comedy circuit. Steve never fails to surprise and engage audiences with his hybrid of bizarre stories, larger than life physicality, spontaneous improvisation and his off-the-wall take on everyday life. £16.00
MONDAY 11 JULY
Theatre N16: Rob Auton - The Tavistock Room – 8.00 pm: Rob Auton has ideas, writes them down and says themto audiences at comedy nights, poetry nights and nights at the theatre ‘poetical, philosophical, humane,completely charming and funny to boot’The Guardian £6.00
Theatre N16: Cream Pie – The Tavistock Room – 9.15 pm: Devised and performed by Natalia Knowlton and Kara Chamberlain Cream Pie is an exploration into mainstream porn, porn consumption and the impact ofinternet porn. Cream Pie premiered in 2015 at Camden PeoplesTheatre’s Calm Down, Dear Festival to a sold out audience. ‘Cream Pie provides a comedic look into what such readily available porn has become, but also provides a window into the damage that could be done if this remains the only dominant images we see of sex’ Dazed Magazine £7.00
TUESDAY 12 JULY
Comedy Contest: The Round Room – 7.30 pm: Banana Cabaret teams up with the Comedy Pit with the best 8 acts nominated from The Pit's Weekly Wednesday 'New Acts Night' at the Bedford going head to head. Bruce Dessau from Beyond the Joke comedy website, and comedy circuit legends Robin Banks who runs the Comedy Pit and Dave Vickers who runs Banana Cabaret will be the judges. The prize will be a paid gig at the famous Banana Cabaret. The Comedy Contest will be hosted by the brilliant John Moloney £5.00
Gordon Southern: Long Story Short – (work In Progress/Edinburgh Preview) – The Ballroom – 8.00 pm: Charming, disarming and fearless. This show takes a personal and surprisingly heart-warming look at how his family are living with dementia …. and how you shouldn’t always meet your heroes. Uplifting, illuminating and meticulously crafted comedy from a smart mouth international comedy festival specialist. Award nominated in Edinburgh, Australia and NZ and even Dubai. Sell out shows everywhere. ‘With spontaneous and hilarious audience interaction throughout. This is a fast, smart and very funny show’ ★★★★Fest £5.00
Theatre N16: Cream Pie – The Tavistock Room – 9.15 pm: Cream Pie premiered in 2015 at Camden PeoplesTheatre’s Calm Down, Dear Festival to a sold out audience. ‘Cream Pie provides a comedic look into what such readily available porn has become, but also provides a window into the damage that could be done if this remains the only dominant images we see of sex’ Dazed Magazine £7.00
WEDNESDAY 13 JULY
Screaming With Laughter: The Ballroom – 1.00 pm: See the best acts from TV and the comedy circuit atthe afternoon comedy club designed for parents with infants under a year old. Feel free to feed and change your baby. The acts won’t make fun of you if you have to move around, whip out a boob or bottle, or if your baby’s just having a bit of shout and scream. All the acts are experienced club performers used to rowdy stag and hen night crowds at the weekend so a bit of noise or the odd bare breast won’t phase them. Expectant parents and grandparents, aunties, uncles, aunties, au pairs, carers and family friends welcome along too. Feel free to bring along as many people as you like – we just ask that each party contains at least one baby or pregnant woman! All the comedians will be performing their normal adult material which is why we have an ‘under one and over 16 policy’. http://www.screamingwithlaughter.com/ £9.00
Carey Marx: Hero of the People (Edinburgh preview/work in progress) – The Round Room: 7.30 pm
In a search for humility, Carey Marx (hero of the people) discovers he is humbler than everybody else in the world. Writer and Star of Intensive Carey, Radio 4; Winner Best International Show, NZ Comedy Festival 2009, 2011 ★★★★★ ‘Anecdotally debauched’ (Herald) ★★★★★ ‘A comic at his gleeful best’ Edinburgh Evening News £7.00
Al Murray: The Pub Landlord (work in progress) – The Round Room – 9.30 pm. Don’t miss your chance to catch Britain’s favourite publican Al Murray: The Pub Landlord as he tries out material for his new tour Let’s Go Backwards Together. This is a rare opportunity to catch one of Britain’s finest comedians in an intimate setting as he polishes his legendary bar-room banter. ‘A supremely polished performer’★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Mail on Sunday £16.00
Theatre N16: Rob Auton - The Tavistock – 8.00 pm: Rob Auton has ideas, writes them down and says themto audiences at comedy nights, poetry nights and theatres at night ‘poetical, philosophical, humane, completely charming and funny to boot’The Guardian £6.00
THURSDAY 14 JULY
Andy Askins: The Man With No Name – The Round Room – 7.30 pm: Andy Askins is living life in blissful ignorance and at odds with rational thinking. Winner of the Nobel Pizza prize, Abu Hamza’s former right hand man , Angelina Jolie's foot double and former Dolphin jockey at SeaWorld. Andy is a ladder-shaking, runner-tripping, social hand grenade who is frequently in headlocks and constantly opening doors. The man with no name needs no introduction. One of the most innovative and original talents around, join this master of understatement and self-deprecation in his eagerly anticipated Edinburgh debut. ‘Brilliant and unique’ John Bishop ‘One of my all-time favourites’ Jason Manford £7.00
Funny for a Grrl: The Ballroom – 8.00 pm: Mary Bourke, Sindhu Vee, Jayde Adams – The best female comics gathered together for a night you’ll never forget starring Mary Bourke – ‘one of the best female accts in the country’ GQ, Sindhu Vee ‘stormed her set like a pro’ Adam Bloom; Jayde Adams – ‘fearless force of nature’ Independent £5.00
Marcus Brigstocke: Why The Long Face – The Round Room – 9.30 pm: Marcus was born with a long face and now there’s UKIP and Putin and being single and Islamic State, and George Osborne and Paul Dacra of the Daily bastard Mail, and tax dodging corporations, and the bloody election, and did he mention being single? Come to this show – last time there was a fire and almost no one died! ‘Intelligent, dark, subtle stuff’ The Observer, ‘…..Charming, hilarious and utterly refreshing’ Sunday Mirror, ‘Dazzling, inspired, perfectly observed. I’ve yet to see anything funnier’ Daily Telegraph £15.00
FRIDAY 15 JULY
Theatre N16: CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation – The Tavistock Room – 7.00 pm: CSI: The improvised murder mystery comedy play. Mirth meets murder in the world’s daftest whodunit. C.S.I. Crime Scene Improvisation is an utterly unique murder mystery comedy – a rip-roaring crime comedy made up on the spot to solve a surreal murder chosen by the audience. No one knows who the killer is – not even the cast! ***** “I’ve lost weight from laughing so much!” - Audience member at Leicester Square Theatre show Oct 2015 £5.00
Suzi Ruffell: Common (Edinburgh preview) – The Round Room – 7.30 pm: Dodgy fireworks, crackpotschemes and some questionable slang - Suzi Ruffell is common. Pour yourself a vodka, pop on your leopard print and explore, with this ‘always excellent’ (Time Out) storyteller, what it is to be working class. A hysterical, shocking and crash – hot new show. ‘Impressively accomplished, quality material, a classy set (chortle.co.uk). As seen on Live at the Comedy Store (Comedy Central) and Virtually Famous (E4) £7.00
Best of Bananas hosted by John Moloney – The Ballroom – 9.00 pm: Angela Barnes, Larry Dean, Paul Thorne: Angela Barnes; Since being crowned Scottish Comedian of the Year at just 23, Larry Dean’s star has continued to rise and rise, with his debut Edinburgh Fringe show Out Now! Following his Edinburgh success Larry played a series of packed out performances m 2016 at the Soho Theatre. He returns to Edinburgh this year with his eagerly awaited new show Farcissist. ‘Sharp and unexpected lines…..an irresistible chutzpah’ Chortle; as one of Britain’s most established and sought-after stand-ups, Paul Thorne can be seen at all the UK’s major venues. He regularly performs at London’s prestigious Comedy Store and is a member of The Cutting Edge team of comedians who perform topical material there every week. ‘…Paul Thorne’s satirical songs, with his own guitar accompaniment, a waspish, sweary pleasure’ The Telegraph ‘…..a must-see Comedian’ The Guardian £16.00
Theatre N16: This is not culturally Significant by Out of Spite Theatre - Tavistock Room – 9.00 pm: A culturally insignificant one man show that delves into the bizarre, compulsive and wonderful nature of humanity. An eclectic mix of characters are portrayed from a pathologically lying Classics Professor to a despondent American Porn Star on the brink of her retirement. This is a thunderous, high energy piece of theatre that holds up a mirror to the often unnoticed absurdities of human life £8.00
Reginald D Hunter: The Round Room – 9.30 pm: Reginald D Hunter is pleased to be back at Balham Comedy Festival following his tour in Europe and Ireland, and his hugely popular documentary series Reginald D Hunter’s Songs of the South for BBC. Reginald is one of the UK comedy scene’s best-known performers for his distinctive take on subjects including race and sexuality. His work can be brutally honest and is often considered to be controversial, but it is always meticulously thought out.‘Searing social commentary, deep south wisdom and juicy punchlines are pretty much guaranteed.’ Independent‘Stand-up comedy’s coolest customer.’ Telegraph £16.00
SATURDAY 16 JULY
Shappi Khorsandi: Oh My Country! From Morris Dancing to Morrissey (work in progress) – The Round Room – 7.30 pm: Star of Live At The Apollo and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, Shappi Khorsandi is celebrating the fortieth anniversary of her arrival in Britain. She’s reclaiming patriotism, sending a love letter to her adopted land. Please don’t come if you’re a skinhead (though naturally bald folk are welcome). ‘She has plenty to say, and says it with pointedness and potency.’ The Guardian. £12.00
Best of Bananas hosted by John Moloney – The Ballroom – 9.00 pm: Ian Moore, Chris Martin: Adam Bloom: Comedian, bestselling author and chutney maker, Ian Moore, lives in rural France and performs in the UK. A lot of his timeis spent struggling to get between the two; but then all of his time is spent just struggling anyway. ‘A very culturedcomic’Evening Standard; Chris Martin’s comedy is a mix of upbeat whimsy and observations. In addition to live shows he recently starred alongside Ben Millar in Horrible Science and is co-host of one of the most popular comedy podcasts with Carl Donnelly which features in The Guardian’s Top 10; Adam Bloom is undoubtedly one of Britain’s most exciting and original stand-up comedians. He has performed seven sell-out solo runs at The Edinburgh Festival, ranging from 1996 to 2007 and has also performed a twenty-nine date, sell-out tour of The UK. ‘He's been one of my favourite stand-ups for about ten years. Bloom not only has meticulous, brilliant lines, but also an intense and fragile honesty’ Ricky Gervais£16.00
Robert Newman: The Brain Show – The Round Room 9.30 pm: After volunteering for a brain-imagingexperiment, meant to locate the part of the brain that lights up when you’re in love, Rob emerges with more questions than answers. Can brain scans read our minds? Are we our brains? How can you map the mind? The show includes a specially constructed MRI-hat that will record Robert’s real-time brain activity in the show. ‘He is the funniest comedian I have ever seen…a passionate, chaotically brilliant comedian.’ Sunday Times £15.00
Tickets here.
