Prankster Simon Brodkin, alias Lee Nelson, is one of the stars coming to the first-ever Wolverhampton Comedy Festival. Nelson recently made the news by handing Theresa May a P45 at the Tory Party Conference.
“For the first time Wolverhampton City will come together and host over 120 events in the name of humour. We’re pleased to see a whole range of events that explore comedy at it’s broadest sense. Alongside stand-up we have artist commissions and events that reflect local voices.” says Parminder Dosanjh, Creative Director of Creative Black Country.
Wolverhampton Civic Hall has some of best comedians on the circuit visiting, including Lee Nelson on 3rd November, German comedian Henning Wehn (27th October) and off the wall performer Milton Jones (4th November). Three of Wolverhampton’s favourite venues (The Gifford Arms, The Lych Gate Tavern and The Outback) will be transformed in to comedy venues with a mix of well-known names and emerging talent covering improv and stand-up to film and cabaret with a ‘pay what you want on the door’ pricing policy.
There will be plenty of opportunities for families to have a giggle together with a special kid-friendly programme. A DIY drive-in cinema will pop up at Wolverhampton Art Gallery and there will be a sensory fun space for babies and toddlers at the festival hub at the Wulfrun Shopping Centre. Newhampton Arts Centre will host slapstick, comedy and comic drawing workshops alongside a Custard Pie Ceremony while Windsor Toys in Penn have invited noted writer Emma Purshouse to perform an intimate poetry show for kids.
Brand new commissions include festival band Orchestra of Chaos who will be popping up in-and-around Wolverhampton with their unique brand of music while they produce a digital fanzine of people’s funny stories on the way. Redhawk Logistica’s #JokeExchange has been gathering residents’ funniest one-liners to display on placards. Their mass placard flash mob takes place on Saturday 28th October with the entire joke selection coming together in one place in the city centre. Visit Bollywood video shop Jambo Cinema at Wolverhampton Art Gallery which sees a recreation of Creative Producer Darwinder Bansal’s Aunty and Uncle’s retro living room from the 1980s.
Budding comedians are given plenty of chances to try out their own sketches in front of an audience. The Midland’s heat of the Funny Women Awards (1st November) will take place at The Slade Rooms hosted by Barbara Nice (past winners include Sara Pascoe and Katherine Ryan). The Stand-up Challenge Showcase on the 2nd November at the Molineux gives local business people the chance to try out their first ever five minutes of stand-up, and for students and academics Bright Club, on Monday 30th October, is the perfect opportunity to combine study and comedy.
Visitors will be able to see how the team at Arena Theatre produce four short comic plays in just 24 hours for 14/48 (28th October) while the BBC Asian Network (5th November) have invited Guz Khan to host five of his favourite comedians to join him for Comedy Live at the Light House.
City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, Councillor John Reynolds, said: “After the success of the literature festival earlier this year we are delighted to be hosting another high-profile festival across the city.
On the closing weekend there will be a special premiere performance of Vacant Lot a lost radio show written by acclaimed West Bromwich-born comedy writer Larry Stephens for comedian Tony Hancock. Presented in collaboration with Birmingham Comedy Festival, two of the found episodes, which have never been performed in public, will be staged in a radio studio setting and aired for the first time at the Light House on the 4th November.
The festival runs until November 5. More details here.
