Here it is folks! The Manchester Comedy Festival officially begins today. There are dozens of shows taking place over the next 11 days, so out of them we've picked our favourites and are giving them you as our recommendations of the Festival. So why not have a read at what's on and see which shows take your fancy!
Thursday 15th October
Cat’s Cradle Comedy presents: Ten Years of Empty Arrogance – Michael J Dolan
Thursday 15th October
Cat’s Cradle Comedy presents: Ten Years of Empty Arrogance – Michael J Dolan
Tiger Lounge / 8.30pm (£5 - Includes entry to 9.45pm show - Patrick Monahan – Cowboys and Iranians)
One of Manchester’s smartest new comedians brings his debut show about paranoia, social anxiety, emotional fragility and massive helpings of self-delusion. Includes entry to 9.45pm show.‘Cathartic for him, highly amusing for the rest of us.’ citylife.co.uk
‘I actually cried laughing.’ Wakefield Express
Friday 16th October
An Evening with Sir Arthur Conan The Barbarian
XS Malarkey @ Remedy/ 8pm (£5 / £2)
Join the master of horror Sir Arthur Conan the Barbarian (Peter Slater from BBC3s ‘Ideal’) in his quest to expose evil beings before your very eyes! An evening filled with tales of terror, magic and demonic laughter! Contains strong nonsense.
Saturday 17th October
Hans Teeuwen
The Dancehouse / 8pm (£12 / £10)
Hans Teeuwen is a Dutch comedian, actor, writer, a singer and director. His work can be described as absurdist, apolitical and confrontational.
Sunday 18th October
Brendan Burns: Comedy Good Yeah Silly Side C*nt
The Frog and Bucket / 8.15pm (£9)
No subject is a no-go for Burns, though far from ambulance chasing, this comic handles such sensitive topics with intelligence and a rare sense of accountability. Burns’ confrontational delivery belies the thoughtfulness of his material. A show not to be missed.
Cat’s Cradle Comedy @ Fab Cafe, Portland Street presents:
Phil Ellis & Chris Stokes 8.45pm (FREE)
An hour shared by rising circuit stars Chris Stokes (‘Very skilful, very smart material, a gag at each step’ Chortle) and Phil Ellis ('Brings to mind Harry Hill at his most chaotic' Chortle).
Withnail and I
Cornerhouse / 12pm (£5 / £3)
It’s London in the late '60s as two 'resting' actors drown their frustrations in booze, pills and lighter fluid. When Withnail’s Uncle Monty offers his cottage, they escape the squalor of their flat for a disastrous week in the country.
Monday 19th October
Cat’s Cradle Comedy @ Tiger Lounge, Fountain Street presents:
An African Perspective – Westerner’s Calm Down! – Daliso Chaponda9.45pm (£5 - includes entrance to 8.15pm show)
A financial crisis? Terrorism? Obesity? Stop panicking! Malawian headliner Daliso aims to calm Westerners down. This is not a crisis, ask Zimbabwe! As seen on Paramount Comedy’s The World Stands Up.‘An exhilarating tour de force’ Adelaide Now
Tuesday 20th October
Lady Garden and Idiots of Ants - Double header sketch show special
The Comedy Store / 8pm (£18 / £6)
Lady Garden
The hot new all-female sketch group, return to the Manchester Comedy Festival with their brand new show. A fast-paced, daring and surreal hour of comedy from six slightly disturbed young women. Winners of the inaugral LOL! Manchester new act award.
“One of the funniest, clever & sexy new sketch groups around” Time Out
“Excellent comic writing and comedy acting” Chortle
Idiots of Ants
Renowned for their off-kilter take on the world around them, Idiots of Ants have taken the comedy world by storm, having amassed millions of hits online with the most viewed BBC3 comedy clip on YouTube.
‘Very, very funny’ Evening Standard
'Very slick and very funny...marvellous' Time Out
Al Pitcher’s Picture Show
The Dancehouse / 8pm (£12 / £10)
Every day we see things we’ve never seen before, things that strike us as odd or beautiful. Not Al Pitcher. His mind is constantly twisting, flipping and distorting what he sees, igniting the mundane, into a truly unique and hilarious one-off show.Wednesday 21st October
Jason Cook: FEAR
The Frog and Bucket / 8.15pm (£6 / £4)
Last year he brought "Joy", a total festival sell out. This year Jason examines "FEAR".“A total Triumph” – ***** Time Out
“This is a joy to behold and a pleasure to have witnessed.” ***** The List
***** The Metro.
Winner of last year's LOL! Award for Best Manchester Comedy Festival show.
Lee Martin for Gag Reflex Management presents: Jason Cook’s Late Night Asylum
The Frog and Bucket / 10.30pm (£5 / £3 or free if attending Jason Cook: Fear)
MC Jason Cook presents another night at the Asylum. Guaranteed to be the best of the fest with amazing comics doing amazing things. A string of special guests, sketches, stunts and lots more….Thursday 22nd October
David O’Doherty: David O Doh-Party
The Greenroom / 8pm (£9 / £6)
2008 if.comedy Award Winner at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. David O'Doherty, the Ryanair James Bond, the 1990 East Leinster under 14 triple jump bronze medallist, returns to the United Kingdom for his second ever tour.“It’s truly delightful – a glistening stream of consciousness that turns mundanity to enchantment wherever it flows” ***** Metro
Cat’s Cradle Comedy presents: ‘BraHaHa’ in aid of The Eve Appeal
Fab Cafe / 8.30pm (£6)
An unforgettable night of tease, tassels and titters with proceeds going to The Eve Appeal gynaecological cancer research fund, featuring burlesque lovelies Lola Pops, Millie Dollar, Ivy Wilde, Twinkle Starr, Kitty Cointreau and special guests. Early booking advised.
Friday 23rd October
Comedy FX
The Royal Exchange Theatre / 6pm (FREE)
A full comedy show condensed into one hour serving up early evening giggles. With Seymour Mace, Jo Dakin, Gordon Smith and Des Sharples in the mix what are you waiting for? Get tucked in and fill your belly with laughs.Saturday 24th October
ComedySportz One Week Premature Halloween Special
The Comedy Store / 5pm (£6 / £3)
ComedySportz is a fast-paced improv comedy show where two teams battle it out for the biggest laughs. The players create sketches, scenes and songs from whatever suggestions are thrown at them. Spookily good ImprovFreedom Come, Freedom Go!
Town Hall Tavern, Tib Lane / 6.30pm (FREE)
90 days detention. Police upset by insects. Man arrested for chalking “Are we free?” on pavement. Stop and search outside Liberty exhibition. ID cards. CCTV. Snooping databases. Protest illegalised. Extradition. Torture. Tom Read tackles our disappearing freedoms and fights back.
Bloody Funny
The Dancehouse / 8pm (£12 / £10)
A one night only fundraising extravaganza of top class stand up, sketch and character acts. Jam packed funniness featuring Justin Moorhouse, Mrs Barbara Nice, Seymour Mace, Joe Lycett, Lady Garden and more special guests. All profits to Haemophilia Society India.Sunday 25th October
Justin Moorhouse & Key 103 Gala Show
The Comedy Store / 8pm (£20)
Justin Moorhouse Gala Show for Key 103’s Manchester KidsThe Thirsty Scholar Comedy Club
Thirsty Scholar / 8pm (£5 / £4)
MC Rob Riley introduces Colin Manford, Paul Kerensa and John Bishop
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