Line-up includes major names and special events.
Birmingham Comedy Festival is set to return this October with yet another city-wide programme of top notch comedy.
Among those taking part in the 10 day festival are leading Irish funnyman Tommy Tiernan (4th October, Bham Town Hall), fast-rising James Acaster (9th October, Glee Club), comedian/ actor Doc Brown (11th October, Town Hall) and comedian/ author Mark Watson (4 Oct, mac Birmingham).
In a varied comedy line-up, they’re joined by David O’Doherty (7th October, Glee Club), Robin Ince (8th October, The Station, Sutton Coldfield), Zoe Lyons (9th October, Birmingham Un iversity), and Rory McGrath and Philip Pope (4th October, Solihull Arts Complex).
There’s also a much anticipated revival of iconic cult radio series The Goon Show (3-4 October, Old Joint Stock), featuring two scripts penned by the late Spike Milligan.
Top local acts continue to feature strongly in the programme, with appearances from Foghorn Improv, Mickey Sharma, Mrs Barbara Nice, Andy Robinson, Freddie Farrell, and James Cook, who returns with his famed charity shop crawl.
Emerging talent from the region will also be recognised in a new annual festival prize, the Birmingham Comedy Festival Breaking Talent Award, which aims to encourage and support the next generation of comedians.
Look out too for a special All-Dayer on Sunday 5th October, with 15 acts performing their one hour shows at two city centre venues: Cherry Reds and The Victoria. Starting at 1pm, the day promises twisted history lessons, political satire, guerilla cookery, improvisation, personal confessions, near-death experiences, a mock TV show and tales of divorce from such acts as Have I Got News For You writer Kate Smurthwaite, George Egg, Chris Turner, Jon Pearson and ‘geezer bird’ Karen Bayley.
A spokesperson for the festival said: “There’ll be over 150 comedians and acts taking part in around 80 performances, shows and activities, right across the city, from well-established acts to hotly tipped newcomers. We’re especially excited by our new Breaking Talent Award, which officially kicks off the festival on Friday 3 October at The Glee Club, and the All Dayer, for which many shows are free.”
The 2014 programme also includes screenings of classic Laurel and Hardy films, a new exhibition by artist Steve Lilly at the Pen Museum, and a comedy/music/burlesque Wrap Party at the Roadhouse Birmingham. Stuart Goldsmith and Angela Barnes appear at the Rose Villa Tavern, and Emma Wright delves into her teenage diaries at Cherry Reds.
The Birmingham Comedy Festival is officially sponsored by Fosters, and supported by Arcadian, and runs from Friday 3rd to Sunday 12th October 2014. For full listings and more information, see: www.bhamcomfest.co.uk