HighTide has announced the full comedy line-up for the London leg of the festival which arrives in Walthamstow for the very first time tomorrow. Bringing a diverse mix of comedians, many of whom make their London debut fresh from acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe, the festival is set to open on Tuesday 26th September and run until Sunday 8th October.
The line up includes: Andrew Maxwell, Adam Kay, Jayde Adams, Bilal Zafar, Phil Wang, Nathan Caton & Nina Benjamin with MC Susan Murray, Dane Baptiste, Suzi Ruffell, Tez Ilyas and late night comedy from London Hughes, MC Pierre, Lou Sanders and Emma Sidi.
The Suffolk festival, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2016, has developed a winning formula of finding, nurturing and showcasing the country’s best new playwrights at its home in Aldeburgh over the last decade. The transfer to East London’s Walthamstow this year is a new development for the organization who will bring a brand new temporary theatre space in partnership with Waltham Forest Council. The comedy shows will take place at ‘The Mix’, a new temporary venue in Walthamstow Town Square Gardens.
More details here.
Comedy Shows Below
Andrew Maxwell: Showtime
27th September
Renowned for his cutting edge comedy and intrepid social commentary, Andrew Maxwell is also the recognisable voice of MTV’s hit show Ex on the Beach, which is now in its sixth series. Maxwell has also appeared on Live at the Apollo (BBC One), Have I Got News for You (BBC One), Celebrity Juice (ITV2) and Mock The Week (BBC Two).
Throughout his career, Andrew has had many sell-out shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and has also performed at The Amnesty / Channel Four’s Secret Policeman’s Ball, Glastonbury, Kilkenny’s Cat Laughs, The HBO US Comedy & Arts Festival in Las Vegas, and several appearances at the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival.
Adam Kay
27th September
Recommended age 18+
A show filled with wonderfully off-kilter music and stand-up. Adam Kay is in reflective mood – taking a look back at his former job as a hospital doctor.
With sell-out tours and sell-out Edinburgh Fringe seasons, his cutting-edge, darkly humorous re-imaginings of modern day pop and rock classics have gained Adam a cult following throughout the UK.
Adam is the frontman of Amateur Transplants, with over 20 million YouTube hits. But before all that he was a doctor, and he’d like to tell audiences all about it.
Jayde Adams is Jayded
Thursday 28th September
Recommended age: 16+
Lastminute.com Best Newcomer Nominee 2016, Jayde Adams is back with a new show about popularity. Ridiculous in her pursuit of acceptance, Jayde has always found it hard fitting in, and now fitting in is currency.
Chortle Best Newcomer Nominee 2017, Funny Women Winner 2014. 2016's show garnered widespread critical acclaim.
Rob Auton: The Hair Show
Friday 29th September
Award-winning stand-up comedian and poet Rob Auton (Dave’s Funniest Joke Of The Fringe award winner, Glastonbury’s ‘Poet in Residence’) returns with another heartfelt and offbeat comedy/theatre/spoken word show that explores hair and hairs.
Phil Wang: Kinabulu
Tuesday 3rd October
Recommended age: 14+
Phil Wang is a son of the British Empire. But in a world suddenly intent on building walls and bolstering borders, what is a Commonwealth man to do?
Phil has been on Have I Got News For You, Live At The Apollo, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and the short-lived but much-loved BBC3 sit-com Top Coppers.
Nathan Caton and Ninia Benjamin with MC Susan Murray
Wednesday 4th October
MC Susan Murray is the powerhouse behind East London's premier comedy club Red Imp, bringing acts to E17. A much in demand act on the UK circuit, Susan has established a strong reputation with audiences as well as critical acclaim.
Nathan Caton is the star of Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, Russell Howard’s Good News and BBC R4’s Can’t Tell Nathan Caton Nothin. Gigging since the tender age of 19, over the last decade he has established himself both as a circuit headliner, and a name on TV and radio with his delightfully charming blend of personal and political comedy.
Ninia Benjamin is best known as one of BBC Three’s award-winning hidden-camera comedy 3 Non-Blondes and has recently starred in It's Joclyn on Radio 4 stand-up.
Her many TV appearances include Lenny Henry’s BBC One show Len on the One, Gory Greek Gods for BBC3, Celebrity Masterchef, Total Wipeout, Sky One’s Cirque Du Celebrity, BBC Three's Celebrity Scissorhands & Hole In The Wall.
DANE BAPTISTE | G.O.D. (Gold. Oil. Drugs)
Thursday 5th October
Recommended age: 14+
Original, provocative and exceptionally prolific, Dane returns with a show about our worldwide pursuit of wealth, power and pleasure. Baptiste made comedy history in 2014 as the first Black British act to be nominated for an Edinburgh Comedy Award.
As seen on Live at the Apollo (BBC Two), Tonight at the London Palladium (ITV1), Mock the Week (BBC Two), Live from the BBC (BBC Two), 8 out of 10 Cats (Channel 4), and his own BBC sitcom Sunny D.
Suzi Ruffell: Keeping it Classy
Friday 6th October
Suzi Ruffell returns with a new hour of thought provoking and hilarious Stand Up in Keeping It Classy.
As seen on Channel 4, E4, BBC3, Comedy Central and Radio 4.
Nominated Best Breakthrough Act at the Chortle Awards 2017.
Tez Ilyas: Teztify
Saturday 7th October
Recommended Age: 14+
Tez Ilyas feels like he’s constantly on trial. It’s time to teztify against all the assumptions the world has of him. Armed with trademark cheek and uncompromising approach, Teztify is a smart and typically subversive show.
Star of BBC Radio 4’s TEZ Talks, BBC Two’s Live from the BBC and BBC Three’s Man Like Mobeen.
Late Night Comedy
Saturday 30th September
HighTide will present a late night Saturday line up of comedy with Pierre Novellie, Lou Sanders, Emma Sidi and MC for the evening, London Hughes.
London Hughes is an award-winning comedy writer-performer and presenter. Since winning the prestigious Funny Women Awards, she’s gone on to pen and star in TV and radio and become one of the many loved faces of children’s television.
Pierre Novellie was nominated for Best Club Comic at the 2016 Chortle Awards and appeared in the Channel 4’s Comedy Blap Outsiders later that year. He was also a guest on BBC Radio 4’s The Rest is History hosted by Frank Skinner. Other highlights include appearing on the Joke Thieves pilot for BBC Two opposite Marcus Brigstocke, BBC Three’s Edinburgh Comedy Fest Live and 4OD’s comedy series Taxi Gags. Pierre’s writing credits include ITV’s Newszoids, Adam Buxton’s Shed of Christmas and Mock The Week.
Lou Sanders has been has named as one of the top comic’s to watch out for. Her television highlights include Alan Davies’ As Yet Untitled (DAVE), Live From the BBC (BBC), Russell Howard’s Good News (BBC3) and Comedy Up Late from the Melbourne Comedy Festival (ABC1). She has also appeared on and written for numerous shows for channels including Channel 4, Sky, BBC and ITV and has just released the short film Elderflower. Her fifth Edinburgh Fringe show What’s that Lady Doing? received widespread critical acclaim.
Emma Sidi is an actress, comedian and writer. She came to attention in 2014 premiering her first solo comedy show, Character Breakdown, at the Edinburgh Fringe. Emma has received critical acclaim with her solo shows as well as starring in a number of comedy programmes for TV including Pls Like and W1A.
The Walthamstow Festival will run 26 September – 8 October.
More details here.
