“A compact stage benefits this quintet’s matey charm and it’s refreshing to see improv performed with such a professional lack of corpsing. Audience members are incorporated but not humiliated and there’s a great deal of fun to be had in spotting the impending gags. It’s very rare to see improv comedy so consistently hit the mark.” **** The List

“The Noise Next Door are five hyperactive, hypermobile performers, whose lively and unpredictable show is a exemplar of high-quality, high-energy improvised comedy. In a twist on the usual format, they structure their show around the establishment of an agency to fight evil, asking the audience for suggestions regarding their underground lair, the identity of their nemesis, and the format of a secret mission. It’s a clever set-up, marking their show out as distinct from the many other improv troupes on the Fringe, and – with the help of some inspired audience contributions – they create a brilliantly funny hour of preposterous scenarios and over-the-top characters. The interplay between this close-knit group and their astounding physical, facial, verbal, and lyrical dexterity is impressive and consistently entertaining. Accompanied by a quick-thinking guitarist, they also belt out some musical numbers, in an impressive range of genres, including some lightning-fast freestyle rapping. Overall, this is fun, well-executed and original improvised comedy.” **** Broadway Baby (Beth Kahn)

“The Noise Next Door consist of Charlie Granville, Tom Livingstone, Matt Grant, Tom Houghton and Sam Pacelli, with Nathan Marshall on guitar.

This improvised comedy show from The Noise Next Door is unlike anything you have ever seen before. Featuring some corny pubs and witty one-liners, ‘Chaos Control’ is hilarious and sheer genius, excellently improvised and incredibly well presented. The show follows a vague structure about forming a secret agency, but aside of that relies upon audience input. As such, the show varies greatly from performance to performance, but the key fact still remains, that the boys of this ‘camp comedy troupe’ can tackle almost anything the audience suggest to them; ranging from Viking Techno music about Goblin Ninjas, to Richard Branson being hidden away due to constipation.

At times this show can be incredibly bizarre, but it is in this that it’s merit lies – the way in which all of the performers manage to instantaneously create scenes or vocalise songs is nothing short of impressive and almost unbelievable, this is especially the case with guitarist Nathan Marshall who seems to be able to provide musical accompaniment for anything and everything and in every conceivable style. What makes this show even better is that the boys give you everything – great comedy, stunning improvisation and – described as a ‘comedy JLS’ – they can sing! If their comedy ever fails (which in some ways unfortunately it never will) The Noise Next Door could always form a boyband – maybe an option for next year’s Fringe guys?!

Chaos Control is most definitely worth more than the price of a ticket, and I recommend you all pen it into you Fringe planners.” **** ScotsGay

“The penultimate, particularly hectic section of The Noise Next Door’s new show Chaos Control doesn’t work at all. The longer it goes on, the less idea you have what the members of this quickfire improv troupe are trying to achieve, and it exhibits the worst traditional vice of this style of comedy in that the performers seem to be having far more fun than the audience.
Not so the rest of the show, a hodge-podge of off-the-cuff rhyming, (atrocious) dancing and all-round silliness that is often riotously enjoyable. It kicks off with these five young fellows embarking on a “mission”, its various components yelled out in turn from a very willling audience and incorporated with lightning speed into the skit. On the evening I caught them, the result was an agreably surreal adventure in which The Magic Roundabout’s Zebedee led the forces of good against Darth Vader, who was holed up in Worcester Cathedral.

Ok, maybe you had to be there. But had you been, you would have laughed a lot, as well as being treated to — among other things – a hilariously lubricious R&B love song, as well as a mini-musical that incorporated panto, folk and death-metal.
In fact, the death metal vocals sounded very and inexplicably Jamaican. Much as, when we collectively cooked up a drama in which a sausage roll was going to be crucified in the Kellogg’s factory, and four of the troupe gave the fifth punning clues as to what was going on, he came up with the still more improbable: “Are you hiding a sausage-roll that is turning into Jesus?”
The quintet win either way. When they guess correctly, or nail an impression, accent, or rhyme, the speed of thought is both impressive and funny. When they fall flat on their faces, such are the zest and all-round good humour radiating from the stage that, although less impressive, it’s funnier still. That late, scrappable section aside, this is definitely a superior kind of chaos.” **** The Telegraph (Mark Monahan)

The Noise Next Door
You Would Never Believe…Between the 5 guys, one loves mozzarella, there’s a 258 top bowling score, 5 years spent in Kenya, crying on cue, making a belly look pregnant and one has the word ‘flange’ tatooed on an arm.

Edinburgh Show: The Noise Next Door: Chaos Control
Where: 33 Pleasance – Courtyard
When: 4-30 Aug (not 11,18) (Previews 4,5,6)
Time: 7.00pm
Show Summary: Earth-shattering secrets & Impossible odds.  Our mission: Protect mankind, kick ass…and bag sexy chicks. Audience suggestions are transformed into fantastically funny scenes and songs, exposing society’s secrets and unleashing ludicrous characters, witty one-liners and explosive physicality.

The Noise Next Door’s Upcoming Comedy Club Gigs

Edinburgh Show: Life of Si: Si Harder
Where: The GRV
When: 6th-30th Aug (not 18 Aug)
Time: 6.40pm
Show Summary: Sophomoric sofa-mates Simon and Sy escape their shared abode to run riot with new shenanigans, bigger videos, camper haircuts, skinnier jeans and more pressing cohabitation questions like, “Have you washed that since last year?”, “Is this safe to eat?” and “Did you pack the teapot?”

Simon Feilder’s Upcoming Comedy Club Gigs

Ryan McDonnell

Edinburgh Show: AAA Stand-up
Where: 33 Pleasance – Courtyard
When: 4-30 Aug (Previews 4,5,6)
Time: 11.00pm
Show Summary: Bringing his own brand of upbeat Northern Irish banter to the Fringe with a mixture of laughs and charm, Ryan will entertain you with an energetically, unique view of the world and how he survives in it.

You Would Never Believe…Ryan is former print & radio journalist and massive football fan, following the lesser know mighty force that is Glentoran FC from East Belfast.

Ryan McDonnell’s current Comedy Club Gigs

New Comic Voice Management Acts Announced.

Top Northern stand-up comedian Mike Milligan and rising star Imran Yusuf are hailed as two great acts on the UK comedy circuit. Both available for club, private and corporate bookings, you can find out more on Mike Milligan and Imran Yusuf above.

.

Sell Out Fringe 2009

Updates: Geoff Norcott Edinburgh Fringe Festival Sell Out 2009

‘Geoff Norcott is a comedian with a big future ahead of him.’ DAILY MIRROR

‘Master of anecdotal stand up’ Edinburgh Festival Magazine

‘An intellectuall comedian as much as a punch line slinger’ Broadway Baby

‘Geoff Norcott is really hitting his straps at the Edinburgh Festival. Having already performed a total sell out over the first weekend, Geoff is now starting to wow the critics. The Mirror said, ‘Geoff Norcott is a comedian with a big future ahead of him’, while the Edinburgh Festival Magazine proclaimed him a ‘Master of anecdotal stand up.’

Geoff is enjoying the festival as he explained, ‘The show is growing. It’s nice to hear good things from the critics but the only response i’m really looking for is that of the audience and so far they’ve been great.’

Geoff is at the Pleasance Courtyard every night (except 19th) until 31st August at 7:00pm

http://www.edfringe.com/ticketing/detail.php?id=14995

Rudi Lickwood - 'Food For Thought'

Edinburgh Festival Comedy News

 

RUDI LICKWOOD
B.E.C.A Award Winner (Black Entertainment Comedy Awards)
Awarded status in the ‘Black 100+’ awards for the greatest Black British Achievers

Title Of Show:     ‘Food For Thought’
Venue:                  Pleasance Courtyard – Attic
Time:                    8.15pm
Dates:                   5th – 31st August (except 12th & 19th)     
Previews:            5th – 7th August

Rudi Lickwood makes his full length Edinburgh debut at this year’s festival, the ‘Black Entertainment Comedy Award’ winner brings his show, ‘Food For Thought’, to the Pleasance Attic. A comedy caldron of tasty hilarity – Rudi is a man that speaks his mind, struggling to be ‘PC’ with some very funny and surreal consequences.

Known as Harlesden’s No1 comedian, his parents arrived in the UK in the early 60s from Guyana South America and on tracing back their roots discovered that his slave owner was Scottish and that he is in actual fact of Ghanaian origin!

With insightful social commentary, as thought provoking as a Rene Margaritte painting, Rudi has a realistic look at his national identity.  Through the eyes of a confused citizen he asks many questions including “If England is playing the West Indies in a cricket match who does he support”.  For Rudi, political correctness only highlights Nationality and does not determine cultural identity no matter how many pledges of allegiance one makes to Queen and country!

Rudi left school with no qualifications to speak of and was considered a problem child, he used comedy to cheer up his mother during times of domestic abuse from his father. After losing his job as a general manager of a firm importing foods from the Caribbean he discovered the knack to make people laugh when he became a mini cab driver.

He later set up a school for comedy and has since seen an up surge black British comedians, for every 5 black comics on the circuit today 3 of them would have passed through Rudi’s hands, including MTV Base’s Kojo. Not satisfied with that Rudi quickly realised how powerful a tool comedy could be and took the course into penal system using it as a rehabilitation and educational tool for the inmates. This was proving quite successful until he discovered that one of the inmates on his course was a suspected terrorist and when the Minister of Justice, Jack Straw, found out the course was stopped!

A circuit veteran, festival virgin and a granddad, a man full of contradictions non violent and yet he has performed for the troops in Iraq Afghanistan and Bosnia. He’s a mercenary in search of belly laughs and like the milkman; he always delivers this extremely funny man is a force to be reckoned with!

His TV credits include CH4 ‘Get Me The Producer’, BBC1’s ‘Funny Business’ and also for  BBC 1 ‘Hart Of Harlesden’.

THE CRITICS:
“…Observant engaging interactive comic whose routines roll out like warm custard over Spotted Dick”                       INDEPENDENT
 
“…He’s an intelligent one of a kind with something to appeal to everyone”   CHORTLE

“…Irresistible he’s going to be massive”       GUARDIAN

www.lickwood.co.uk
www.comicvoice.com
www.facebook.com/people/Rudi-Lickwood/692251419

Geoff Norcott - The Shocking Truth About Men & Women

Edinburgh Festival Stand Up Comedy News

GEOFF NORCOTT
Title Of Show:     ‘The Shocking Truth About Men & Women’
Venue:                  Pleasance Courtyard – Over The Road 3
Time:                    7.00pm
Dates:                   5th – 31st August (except 12th & 19th)     
Previews:            5th – 7th August

We all know men and women are different, but how many stereotypes are actually rooted in scientific fact? Depressingly, quite a few. Maybe the real truth about men and women is so shocking we cling on to the simple versions for a good reason…
 
After deciding not to buy his wife the diamond ring he promised her – instead using the money to fund this year’s Edinburgh Festival show – outstandingly good stand up Geoff Norcott returns once more for the full month at the newly re-opened Pleasance venue ‘Over The Road 3’ with his new show ‘The Shocking Truth About Men & Women’.
 
Geoff has become a bit sexist and isn’t happy about it. A former card-carrying feminist, he abandoned his principles during five years of marriage and dubious TV presenting gigs for Nuts.  It’s time to rediscover the ‘New Man’ he left behind.  He is ready to concede defeat in the battle of the sexes. It turns out that women are just better – and, usually, right.

But we do like different things. Men like shoes and women like fighting…something like that. Men are good at reversing, but rubbish at backtracking.
Women are good at locating small things while big things elude them…

In an age of resurgent stereotypes, do you ever get the feeling that some of this gender stuff doesn’t add up?
 
A former school teacher, everything Geoff does is under-pinned by enthusiasm, optimism and a sharp comic mind. Whether it be on the comedy circuit or on TV or radio, Geoff’s abundance of energy combined with a storming mix of observations, impressions and satire has made him a hugely popular act both in the UK and abroad.
 
Geoff is emerging as a vibrant writer, having written for ‘Parsons & Naylor’ on BBC Radio Two & for Radio 4, MTV and Nuts TV.  His TV work includes BBC1 impressions show ‘Spoof’, presenting on the WKD Shed Sports Show, where his quick witted one-liners became a popular feature of the nightly debates), and BBC2’s ‘My Appalling School Report’. Geoff is also currently involved in an exciting new sketch show project due to hit our screens in late 2009. Radio credits include frequent guest spots on Talksport’s ‘Hawksby & Jacobs Show’ and the Richard Bacon Show for Radio 5.
 
OPINIONS ON GEOFF FROM THE WOMEN IN HIS LIFE:

 ‘Absolutely brilliant, funny, caring, even as a small boy he kept the room laughing, but I do have a bias – I’m his mum. Even so, he is brilliantly funny.’ –
Actual quote from his objective mother posted on www.chortle.co.uk
 
‘We’re kind of hoping the comedy thing is just a phase.’ – His Mother In Law
 
‘Always Trying.’ – His Wife
 
THE CRITICS:
 
‘…Funny, charming and optimistic…’                                           THE LIST
 
‘…This guy is going to be big’                                                     THE STAGE
 
‘..A quick witted and amiable host.’                                             CHORTLE
 
‘..guaranteed to bring the house down at any comedy gig.’        MANCHESTER E NEWS
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Geoff-Norcotts-Edinburgh-show-The-Shocking-Truth-About-Men-and-Women/75008482611?created
www.comicvoice.com

John Ryan on Stage

Big night tonight. The club holds five hundred and they have their senior managers in. The venue manager is stressed and worries about what they might say. I arrive an hour before the gig and count down the minutes. Soon after arriving we hear the words all comics dread. “Sorry but we are running late!” But then they send someone to check you are okay for food and drinks. You don’t get that in a normal day job. I can’t imagine mechanic being told “ere ya go Dave a nice bacon sandwich to make up for the exhaust not arriving”. Most comedians would agree that you can run as late as you like if there is food involved in the compensation. I read through the menu and my stomach cheered. I am sure a nice juicy steak will take my mind off of the clock.
So, we have time to kill and loiter backstage. The dressing room is a funny place. I am like a child waiting to open Xmas presents. I can’t sit still. I try to look like I am focussing on the job in hand.  I am surrounded by the other acts looking professional as they prepare themselves. I try not to annoy people as they all have their own mannerisms and rituals. I have been in dressing rooms with acts that will go through their entire set list with you. Others sit moodily brooding as they prepare to do ‘battle’. I guess we all have our own techniques for preparing.

The headline act sits strumming his guitar and fills the room with gentle music. He looks sharp in his best suit. He spent five minutes cleaning his shoes. He even brought a proper brush and polish. How cool is that. I don’t even own a proper brush and polish. I looked down at my scuffed footwear and wondered how I could clean them discreetly. I am incapable of doing anything discreetly. I make a half hearted attempt at cleaning up before deciding that if I move around the stage really quickly no one will have time to concentrate on my footwear.
Apparently an audience decides within thirty seconds whether or not they like you. It is down to the little things, how you walk on, how you take the mic and what you are wearing. I catch my reflection and decide that I look clean. The other acts appear occupied so I pose in front of the mirror checking myself out. I am at the age now where my hormones seem to only make long nostril hair. I move about to see if they are noticeable and do a twirl. No one is watching as I curtsy. It makes me giggle.
The Opening act reads through her set list and hones her material whilst talking on the phone to her boyfriend, another comic at a gig miles away. “Yeah love you too Bunnykins!” she says. “Bunnykins?” He likes to see himself as a serious political comedian. That could kill his reputation completely!  She licks her top lip smearing her lip-gloss seductively. I try to lick my top lip to see how it feels. I think I might have found a bit of tomato soup and make a “Yummy” sound. She ignores me and looks at the ceiling. I raise my eyes and catch my reflection in the mirror. I think it amusing to poke my tongue out and pull faces. The middle act arrives and catches me grinning at my reflection. “G’day everyone. Hey Ryan you losing the plot pal?” he throws a cushion at me. I catch it and return it immediately, bang direct hit! Unfortunately he stumbles back onto the headliners guitar case. Oops. Musicians do not like having their stuff touched or played with. “It was his fault,” says the Aussie. The headliner is calm but authoritarian. He has been on the circuit for years and we respect his seniority. “You two should save your humour for the stage”.
The opening act tuts, “Men are so childish!” before texting her boyfriend to remind him to take a chicken out of the freezer for dinner. Oh the Glamour. The Aussie goes outside to smoke and the room falls calm. The headliner does his vocal exercises whilst The Opening act reminds her boyfriend to empty his pockets before doing the washing.
Lots of Comics get nervous before a gig. I watch them and wonder what the problem is? For many normal people I suppose the thought of walking out in front of hundreds of people can be a bit daunting. The idea that we presume we can make you laugh is a bit egotistical. But the way I look at it these people have paid money and are out for a good time. No one goes to a comedy club intent on being miserable do they? My compensation steak arrives and I tuck in.
“It’s Showtime in five” the announcement is made and we make our way downstairs. The Opening act is still on the phone. We see the room for the first time. It is packed and the air is charged. Aussie lights another cigarette and inhales deeply.
 I don’t know if my clowning around is my way of dealing with the pressure, but I don’t feel nervous at all. Never have. I have performed in front of thousands and not been phased. Although performing a kid’s show at my children’s school filled me with fear. I know I can muck up on stage and bring it back, but if I goofed in front of my eleven year old daughter’s mates I would never hear the end of it. Now that is pressure.
The Show manager gives us the signal and the music kicks in. The audience start cheering and off we go. There are good jobs, and there are bad jobs. But mine, it’s fantastic! You get to travel, meet people, talk about anything you want and get paid. And you know that no matter what anyone calls you it could be worse. Somewhere in the UK there is a comic who gets  called Bunnykins.

=
More of John Ryans’ musings on the world can be found in his weekly columns in the Irish Post.

On Air, On Stage, On Telly!

Howdy me lovelies,
 
Good news!  Just to let you know that Sally and I are going to be doing a 2 hour radio show every Sunday throughout June on Romney Marsh 87.8FM.  It’ll be sketches, songs and general talking stuff as well as playing records (although in fairness they’re going to be doing the technical stuff!).  We can air some stuff that’s never seen the light of day and we’ll then have something to tout to other radio people.
 
Romney Marsh 87.8FM is mainly an internet radio station but they’ve bought a hugely expensive FM licence for a month in June and want to feature us, which is great.
 
It’s going to be a Sunday afternoon show – probably 2-4pm but got to confirm the details, so keep a look out here!

Will let you all have all the info as soon as I have more.
 
Cheers.
Lx

I am gigging in Edinburgh and have to take a flight. This presents a bit of a problem. I just don’t like flying. Most people will say it is just the taking off and landing that is the problem. Nope, it is being in the air. It isn’t a fear of heights it is a fear of Flying. Even as a child when most kids would be excited about the thought of getting on a plane I would be petrified. It might be because I never got on one until I was twenty one. Whilst kids at school went off to Spain and Greece every year we only went to one place. We always went to Ireland on the Boat from Holyhead or Liverpool. My schoolmates thought it was because we were poor, but it was more sinister than that. We were sent back to Ireland to find a partner to breed with. It was every Irish parents dream that they would have little Irish grand children running around in Celtic football shirts. Like Salmon facing a perilous journey to the breeding grounds, we too had to have an arduous experience on the journey to make it worth while. The boat was the civilised way to travel. On the news there were never stories of ships sinking, only planes crashing and we feared flight! My dad used to wind us up by threatening us with the airport. He would then relent and say “ok you been good we’ll take the boat”.

At school we had the story of Icarus the Greek bloke who flew too close to the sun and melted his wings. He died and that was all the proof I needed that flight was wrong. It was the start of my phobia. Even years later when I read that it gets colder the higher up you go so he couldn’t have melted anything. It merely reconfirmed my belief that the sky is for the birds and lunatics.
So why then am I yet again sitting on an aircraft headed for Scotland with cabin crew looking at me? Do they know I don’t want to be there? Are they like cats that just know I don’t like cats yet still want to stare at me?
How can any sane person work in a job in the air? Why? I couldn’t do it. It is hard enough sitting on the thing. If I am lucky enough to fly with Chambers and Nettleton they will let me hold their hands, Rudi Lickwood isn’t quite as keen on the idea. I go through a ritual starting by staring at the pilot and flight crew to see if they appear happy. I am not getting on a plane driven by someone who appears hungover, depressed or looks like they have debts that a hefty life insurance policy would eradicate. Ours today look okay although the pilot grins manically which means he is either very happy or a big eejit.
At a party a Pilot told me that the crew look for signs in all the passengers to see who might flip mid air. I said I had seen that on every flight I have ever been on. No one else in the room had. Okay so I must be drawing attention to myself and need to appear calmer. I try to be logical and not worry about death, disfigurement or diarrhoea.
Today’s flight is from London City airport and that has my worst combination of variables. The Air Hostess had seen me standing still on the runway “Come on sir you are holding up the passengers”. The Propellers transfixed me. “Where is the real plane with the jet engines?” She laughed. I was being serious. Propellers are for ships. I don’t want to be 10,000 feet up in the air and one of the propellers sees the water and decides he wants to go hang out with his mates. I want jet engines. I want the latest technology not the height of 1930’s innovation. Propellers? It is the 21st century. I don’t want leeches in hospital, horses pulling carts or coal to heat the house. And I don’t want propellers.
Rudi Lickwood grabbed my elbow. “Stop clowning around and get on the plane”. I took a deep breath and walked. The flight is only an hour long. Last month I flew to Barbados. Eight hours. I was petrified. Only one way to get through it, get drunk. So I had some whiskey at the airport. Okay three. The first problem was that I am not a drinking man and so I get pickled very easily. The combination of being tipsy and a having to pass a gadget shop on the way to the departure gate is a lethal combination. I sat on the plane clutching my newly bought toothbrush with MP3 player and compass whilst wearing my torch on a headband. Two great bargains may I add.
The Plane took off late and I prepared to die. I became a small child and after the third “Are we nearly there yet” the Airhostess suggested I find something to do and have a drink.  I relaxed slightly after a couple of small glasses of wine, although I do like a bit of a singsong when I have been drinking. I fought the urge and started reading about Geoff Norcott’s Edinburgh show. Half way through reading it I realised that the wine had killed the fear and the flight wasn’t bad. But then I did something daft and looked out the window. My brain realised that we had tricked it with alcohol and that we were in the air and panic set in. I looked around realising where I was and must have looked distressed as the woman sitting next to me said. “Must be a great writer to get you that emotional”. “No” says I “it is comedy” she looked at me like I had escaped from a clinic. The flight to Edinburgh went okay. I only used the toilet a dozen times so at least I had clean hands.
We landed and I hugged the crew as we got off. “Thank you for not letting me die” says I to bewildered looking stewards.. As soon as we were clear of the terminal I switched my phone on to ring home and tell them I had survived. I instantly received a text from the management here at The Comedy Club “Do you want to go to Hong Kong for a gig”
Hong Kong is 18 hours in the air, my liver couldn’t take the alcohol. Maybe I could take a Slow boat?
Tonight the gig goes well and I am happy, but tomorrow I have to get on a plane home…..