What To See At Leicester Comedy Festival 2018
I've been taking shows to Leicester Comedy Festival for the last four years, from a sloppy work-in-progress in 2014, to a couple of one-off, never-to-be-performed-again, bespoke nonsense shows in 2015 and 2016 (a production of the ELO Musical I wrote when I was fourteen; and a daft, anarchic site-specific piece to be performed in two venues at the same time), to an actually quite-good work-in-progress of my new show this year. For the first time since I first made Leicester one of the regular events in my comedy calendar every year, I won't be taking a show there in 2018. That's for all sorts of reasons - it's a bit too close to the performance date for the new theatre show I'm making for VAULT Festival in early February and I don't want to spread myself too thin; and I'm just generally a bit exhausted by writing and performing a new solo comedy show every year. I'm really enjoying the new territory I'm exploring with this VAULT show, and for various reasons to do with how the show works it's not a show I could perform at a comedy festival, and in general I'm just trying to have a year of avoiding the usual territories and contexts my brain goes to in order to create things, as an attempt to challenge myself into new areas, be that theatre, film, TV, whatever. Jury's out as to whether that'll mean no Edinburgh for me next year, too, but that's all a decision to be made later on. I'll certainly be coming back to live comedy sometime, but not in time for Leicester. I will, however, be going up to Leicester for at least one weekend for the festival in order to watch a bunch of great shows and maybe even do the odd cameo in something. I'm really looking forward to actually getting to enjoy a comedy festival just as an audience member and basking in the creative brilliance of all my friends' new shows. If you're planning on being up in Leicester for the festival too, and are in the least bit sad that you won't get to see a new Joz Norris show there, why not go and see one of the following shows at the festival, which will all be great?
THE ALASDAIR BECKETT-KING MYSTERIES - 7th February, 18:30, Cosy Club
BRETT GOLDSTEIN: WHAT IS LOVE BABY DON’T HURT ME - 7th February, 19:00, Heroes @ The Criterion
JONNY & THE BAPTISTS: THE BE ST OF 2012-17 (WITH A LIVE BAND!) -7th February, 20:00, The Cookie
BOB SLAYER: BOBBY’S INNER CIRCLE – 7th-11th & 22nd-24th February, 22:45, Heroes @ The Criterion
SEAN MORLEY: I APOLOGISE FOR MY RECENT BEHAVIOUR - 8th February, 17:50, Heroes @ The Criterion
CHRISTIAN BRIGHTY’S FREE WILL - 8th February, 19:00, Heroes @ The Criterion
PAUL SAVAGE: PERFORMATIVE WOKENESS - 8th February, 19:45, Manhattan 34
ROB KEMP: THE ELVIS DEAD - 8th February, 20:00, The Y
TOM BINNS: THE CLUB SETS - 8th February, 20:15, Heroes @ The Criterion
ALEX HYLTON: I CAME, I SAW, I COMPLAINED - 8th February, 21:00, The Needle And Pin
RICHARD TODD: SELLOTAPE - 8th February, 21:15, Manhattan 34
TWONKEY’S NIGHT TRAIN TO LIECHTENSTEIN - 9th February, 17:50, Heroes @ The Criterion
ROB AUTON: THE HAIR SHOW - 9th February, 18:00, The Cookie
BIG HOWARD & LITTLE HOWARD: MAN & BOY - 9th February, 18:30, Just The Tonic @ Brew Dog
PHIL KAY: EUPHORIC - 9th February, 19:00, Heroes @ The Criterion
ROB KEMP’S WHEEL OF SHOWS - 9th February, 19:00, Manhattan 34
SEAN MORLEY: EARNED HELPLESSNESS - 9th February, 19:15, Two Queens – Project Space
MARK STEEL: EVERY LITTLE THING’S GONNA BE ALRIGHT - 9th February, 20:00, Loughborough Town Hall
RICHARD HERRING: OH FRIG, I’M 50 - 9th February, 20:00, The Cookie @ O2 Academy
THE DELIGHTFUL SAUSAGE: COLD HARD CACHE - 9th February, 20:00, Just The Tonic @ Brew Dog
TOM BINNS IS IAN D MONTFORT WHO IS ACTUALLY PSYCHIC - 9th February, 20:15, Heroes @ The Criterion
NATHAN CASSIDY: IF I CAUSED THE FINANCIAL CRASH OF 2008 (PREVIEW) – 9th-10th February, 21:00, The Cookie @ The Globe
HELEN BAUER: YELLOW FLOWER - 9th & 24th February, 21:30, Grays @ LCB Depot
HELL TO PLAY - 9th-10th February, 22:00, Manhattan 34
STUART GOLDSMITH: ONE NIGHT ONLY WIP - 10th February, 14:20, Heroes @ The Criterion
MARC BURROWS: MIND YOUR HEAD - 10th & 22nd February, 15:30, Just The Tonic @ Brew Dog
LOUISE REAY: GASLIGHT - 10th February, 16:40, Heroes @ The Criterion
ALEXANDER BENNETT SCREAMS INTO THE VOID (YOU) – 10th February, 18:30, Manhattan 34
PETER BRUSH: WHAT TO DO WITH A DRUNK SPARROW - 10th February, 18:30, Just The Tonic @ Brew Dog
JOHN KEARNS: DON’T WORRY THEY’RE HERE - 10th & 24th February, 19:00, Heroes @ The Criterion
STUART GOLDSMITH: LIKE I MEAN IT - 10th February, 20:15, Heroes @ The Criterion
DARREN WALSH: MASSIVE PUNT - 10th & 24th February, 20:30, Peter Pizzeria
BOBBY MAIR - 10th February, 21:00, The Cookie
JACK BARRY - 10th February, 21:00, The Cookie @ The Globe
LUCY HOPKINS: POWERFUL WOMEN ARE ABOUT - 10th February, 21:30, Heroes @ The Criterion
TONY LAW: ABSURDITY FOR THE COMMON PEOPLE - 10th February, 21:30, The Cookie
AN INTERVIEW WITH HARRY HILL - 11th February, 14:00, The Curve
BIG HOWARD’S LOLTASTIC YUK-FEST FOR KIDS AND WELL-TRAINED ADULTS - 11th February, 14:00, Just The Tonic @ Brew Dog
SAM GOLIN & BISHA K. ALI: CULT COMICS - 11th February, 14:00, The Exchange Bar
SHIRLEY & KEN’S LUCKY DIP - 11th February, 14:00, Broood @ Vin Quatre
CHRISTOPHER BLISS: WRITING WRONGS - 11th February, 15:30, Heroes @ The Criterion
COLIN HOULT/ANNA MANN: WORK-IN-PROGRESS - 11th February, 15:30, Firebug
FERN BRADY: SUFFER, FOOLS – 11th February, 17:00, Firebug
NATHAN LANG: THE STUNTMAN - 11th February, 17:00, Just The Tonic @ Brew Dog
LUKE ROLLASON’S PLANET EARTH (IS A WORK-IN-PROGRESS) - 11th February, 17:50, Heroes @ The Criterion
AUSTENTATIOUS: AN IMPROVISED JANE AUSTEN NOVEL - 11th February, 19:00, Sue Townsend Theatre
JAYDE ADAMS IS JAYDED - 11th February, 19:20, Kayal
GEORGE RIGDEN: LOVE PLUS NONE - 11th February, 19:45, Cosy Club
COLIN HOULT/ANNA MANN IN HOW WE STOP THE FASCISTS - 11th February, 20:00, Firebug
LUCY PORTER: CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES - 11th February, 20:00, The Cookie
LUCY HOPKINS: SOMEWHERE ON THE SPECTRUM OF DEVELOPMENT – 11th February, 20:15, Heroes @ The Criterion
AMY HOWERSKA IS A GODDESS *UNLESS TIRED OR HUNGRY – 12th-13th February, 19:30
JODY KAMALI: HOTEL YES PLEASE - 12th-13th February, 21:30, Heroes @ The Criterion
MAWAAN RIZWAN: TWERK-IN-PROGRESS - 13th February, 18:30, The Cookie
CATRIONA KNOX: WORK-IN-PROGRESS - 13th February, 19:00, Heroes @ The Criterion
JORDAN BROOKES - 13th February, 20:15, Heroes @ The Criterion
JOE BOR: A ROOM WITH A JEW - 14th February, 18:30, The Cookie
TIM FITZHIGHAN: KAMA SUTRA-TACULAR: VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL - 14th February, 19:00, Peter Pizzeria
LUCA CUPANI: WORDS IN PROGRESS (WIP) - 14th-15th February, 19:00, Heroes @ The Criterion
JAMES ACASTER: WIP - 14th February, 20:00, The Cookie
JACOB HATTON: OZYMANDIAS - 14th & 21st February, 20:30, Broood @ Vin Quatre
SCARLETT SOHANDSOME’S VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE - 14th February, 21:00, Manhattan 34
LOU SANDERS: SHAME PIG - 15th February, 18:30, The Cookie
SHOWSTOPPER! THE IMPROVISED MUSICAL - 15th-16th February, 19:00, The Curve
SHAPPI KHORSANDI: MISTRESS AND MISFIT - 15th February, 19:30, The Little Theatre
BEN VAN DER VELDE: SIDEKICK - 15th-16th February, 19:45, Manhattan 34
ED GAMBLE: MAMMOTH – 15th February, 20:00, Sue Townsend Theatre
JOHN ROBINS: THE DARKNESS OF ROBINS - 15th February, 20:00, The Y
ADAM HESS: CACTUS - 15th February, 20:00, The Cookie
JASON NEALE: HAPPY TO HELP - 15th & 20th February, 21:30, Heroes @ The Criterion
DAN ANTOPOLSKI: RETURN OF THE DAN ANTOPOLSKI - 16th February, 19:00, Heroes @ The Criterion
HELEN DUFF: HOW DEEP IS YOUR DUFF? - 16th & 21st February, 19:00, Attenborough Arts Centre
PHIL WANG: KINABALU - 16th February, 20:00, Sue Townsend Theatre
OLAF FALAFEL PRESENTS THE MARMOSETS OF MY MIND - 16th February, 20:15, Heroes @ The Criterion
AHIR SHAH: CONTROL - 16th February, 21:00, The Cookie
COMEDY CLUB 4 KIDS - 17th February, 14:00, De Montfort Hall
SAM & TOM: INTERVIEW - 17th February, 16:40, Heroes @ The Criterion
DAVID MCIVER: BIG STRONG BOY - 17th February, 17:00, Manhattan 34
HARRIET KEMSLEY - 17th February, 17:00, The Cookie
DAVID TRENT: LET ME DAVIDTAIN YOU - 17th February, 18:30, Just The Tonic @ Brew Dog
SARA PASCOE: LADSLADSLADS - 17th February, 18:30, The Curve
ANNA MORRIS: BITCHELORS - 17th February, 19:00, Firebug
IAN SMITH: SNOWFLAKE - 17th February, 19:00, Heroes @ The Criterion
KNIGHTMARE LIVE - 17th February, 19:00, Sue Townsend Theatre
CHRIS BETTS: WORK IN PROGRESS - 17th February, 20:00, Manhattan 34
TONY LAW: CHAT SHOW - 17th February, 20:00, The Cookie
DAVID EARL IS BRIAN GITTINS: DON’T FEED THE MONKEY MAN - 17th February, 20:15, Heroes @ The Criterion
HEIDI REGAN VS SHARKS: WORK IN PROGRESS - 17th February, 20:30, Attenborough Arts Centre
PAUL CURRIE: CATS IN MY MOUTH - 17th February, 20:30, Firebug
TOM ALLEN: ABSOLUTELY - 17th February, 20:30, The Curve
JOHN-LUKE ROBERTS: LOOK ON MY WORKS, YE MIGHTY, AND DESPAIR! (ALL IN CAPS) - 17th February, 21:30, Heroes @ The Criterion
SUNIL PATEL - 17th February, 21:30, Manhattan 34
DANE BAPTISTE: G.O.D. (GOLD. OIL. DRUGS.) - 17th February, 21:30, The Cookie
ED NIGHT: ANTHEM FOR DOOMED YOUTH - 18th February, 15:30, Attenborough Arts Centre
PETER FLEMING: HAVE YOU SEEN? - 18th February, 15:30, Heroes @ The Criterion
NORTHERN POWER BLOUSE - 18th February, 15:45, The Soundhouse
SPRING DAY: HELP! I’VE FALLEN IN LOVE AND I CAN’T GET UP! - 18th February, 16:40, Heroes @ The Criterion
SIMON CAINE: LAUGHTER IS THE BEST PLACEBO - 18th February, 17:00, The Exchange Bar
STEFFAN ALLUN: ROMANTIC COMEDY - 18th February, 17:00, Chuckle Busters @ Queen of Bradgate
HOLLY BURN’S B LIST CELEBRITY FLOOR SHOW - 18th February, 17:00, The Cookie
BISHA K. ALI’S LIFE IS A WORK-IN-PROGRESS - 18th February, 18:00, The Cookie
MICHAEL LEGGE: JERK - 18th February, 18:30, Firebug
TIM RENKOW HAS ACCEPTED SATAN AS LORD AND SAVIOUR - 18th February, 19:00, Heroes @ The Criterion
CHRIS BETTS: BEWILDERBEEST - 18th February, 19:30, Cosy Club
SOOZ KEMPNER: SUPER SONIC 90s KID - 18th February, 20:15, Heroes @ The Criterion
BEC HILL: WORK-IN-PROGRESS - 18th February, 21:00, Chuckle Busters @ Queen of Bradgate
IAN SMITH: WORK-IN-PROGRESS - 18th February, 21:30, Heroes @ The Criterion
CHRIS BETTS VS THE AUDIENCE - 19th February, 19:00, Heroes @ The Criterion
IVO GRAHAM: TAKE ME TO YOUR BUTLER (WORK-IN-PROGRESS) - 19th February, 19:30, Chuckle Busters @ Queen of Bradgate
YURIKO KOTANI: GREEN IN ENGLISH, BLUE IN JAPANESE (WORK-IN-PROGRESS) - 19th February, 20:15, Heroes @ The Criterion
JAMALI MADDIX: WORK-IN-PROGRESS – 19th-20th February, 20:30, The Cookie
ALEX HYLTON: EVERYBODY’S DIFFERENT, AND I’M THE SAME - 19th February, 21:15, The Exchange Bar
DESIREE BURCH: NEW SH!T (WORK-IN-PROGRESS) - 20th February, 19:00, Heroes @ The Criterion
ALFIE BROWN: LUNATIC (WORK-IN-PROGRESS) - 20th February, 19:00, The Cookie
NATHAN WILLCOCK: HOLLAND, 1980 - 20th February, 19:45, Manhattan 34
HOLT AND TALBOT: MANSPLAINING FEMINISM - 20th February, 20:15, Heroes @ The Criterion
SUZI RUFFELL: WORK-IN-PROGRESS - 21st February, 18:30, The Cookie
VALDEMAR PUSTELNIK: 53 MINUTES ABOUT 52 SHEEP (60 MINUTES LONG) - 21st February, 20:15, Heroes @ The Criterion
JOE SUTHERLAND: MODEL/ACTRESS 2.0 - 21st February, 21:00, Chuckle Busters @ Queen of Bradgate
TREVOR LOCK’S COMMUNITY CIRCLE – 21st-23rd, 21:30, Heroes @ The Criterion
SASHA ELLEN: NO MAN’S LAND - 22nd February, 18:30, Just The Tonic @ Brew Dog
KIT SULLIVAN: VILLAIN - 22nd February, 19:00, Heroes @ The Criterion
JAMES MEEHAN: GAZ - 22nd February, 19:45, Manhattan 34
PAUL FOOT’S GAME OF DANGERS: BIGGER AND MORE DANGEROUS - 22nd February, 19:45, The Curve
KATHERINE RYAN: GLITTER ROOM - 22nd February, 20:00, De Montfort Hall
BARRY FERNS: BARRY LOVES YOU - 22nd February, 20:15, Heroes @ The Criterion
FAYE TREACY WORRIES - 22nd & 24th February, 21:00, Chuckle Busters @ Queen of Bradgate
THE DELIGHTFUL SAUSAGE: WORK-IN-PROGRESS - 22nd February, 21:15, Manhattan 34
ALISON THEA-SKOT THROUGH THE HEART AND YOU’RE TO BLAME - 23rd February, 17:50, Heroes @ The Criterion
GARRETT MILLERICK: FACTS I WISH I’D INVENTED - 23rd February, 18:30, Just The Tonic @ Brew Dog
KATE LUCAS: WORK-IN-PROGRESS - 23rd February, 18:30, The Cookie
ALEX KEALY: LEAVE THEM WANTING NOT LESS - 23rd February, 19:00, Manhattan 34
ALI BRICE’S LEMONADE STAND - 23rd February, 19:00, Heroes @ The Criterion
JORDAN BROOKES: BODY OF WORK - 23rd February, 19:00, Attenborough Arts Centre
ANDY BARR: NEUSTADT - 23rd February, 20:15, Heroes @ The Criterion
MICKY OVERMAN: WORK-IN-PROGRESS - 23rd February, 21:00, The Cookie @ The Globe
STEPHEN BAILEY: CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT - 23rd February, 21:30, Just The Tonic @ Brew Dog
ANDREW O’NEILL’S HISTORY OF HEAVY METAL: FULL BAND SHOW! - 23rd February, 21:30, The Cookie
IT’S ME, KAT BOND, COME HOME NOW, SO COLD (A WIP) - 24th February, 13:00, Heroes @ The Criterion
MARNY GODDEN PRESENTS FLAP ‘EM ON THE GATE: THE RETURN - 24th February, 14:20, Heroes @ The Criterion
BETH VYSE AS OLIVE HANDS IN THE HAND THAT ROCKED THE CRADLE (WIP) - 24th February, 15:30, Heroes @ The Criterion
OH STANDFAST: A FISH? - 24th February, 15:30, Manhattan 34
110% JOHN KEARNS AND PAT CAHILL – 24th February, 16:40, Heroes @ The Criterion
IAN LANE: BODILY… - 24th February, 17:00, Manhattan 34
ANDREW O’NEILL: WIP - 24th February, 17:00, The Cookie
LUCY PEARMAN: GREAT GRAPES - 24th February, 17:50, Heroes @ The Criterion
EVELYN MOK: WORK-IN-PROGRESS - 24th February, 19:00, The Cookie @ The Globe
PAT CAHILL: THE FISHERMAN - 24th February, 20:15, Heroes @ The Criterion
DAVID MILLS: RUMOUR HAS IT - 24th February, 20:30, The Little Theatre
ROBIN INCE: PRAGMATIC INSANITY - 24th February, 21:00, The Cookie
ADAM LARTER: BOOGIE KNIGHTS - 24th February, 21:30, Heroes @ The Criterion
HANNAH CAMERON & CHARLIE MILLER: MAKING IT - 25th February, 13:00, Heroes @ The Criterion
MATTHEW HIGHTON: PLEASE COME TO THE SHOW, THEY HAVE MY KIDS! - 25th February, 14:20, Heroes @ The Criterion
ALWIN SOLANKY’S SPANISH OMELETTE - 25th February, 15:30, Heroes @ The Criterion
EVELYN MOK: HYMEN MANOUVRE - 25th February, 15:30, Attenborough Arts Centre
THE DARK ROOM FOR KIDS - 25th February, 16:30, Firebug
BEN TARGET: WORK-IN-PROGRESS - 25th February, 16:40, Heroes @ The Criterion
MICHAEL BRUNSTROM: THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON - 25th February, 17:50, Heroes @ The Criterion
ALASDAIR BECKETT-KING: FULL VELVET JACKET (WIP) - 25th February, 18:00, Cosy Club
LAURA LEXX: LIVE (WORK-IN-PROGRESS) - 25th February, 18:00, Kayal
CONSIGNIA’S PANOPTICON - 25th February, 19:00, Heroes @ The Criterion
THE DARK ROOM - 25th February, 19:30, Firebug
BOBBY MAIR: LOUDLY INSECURE - 25th February, 21:00, The Cookie @ The Globe
