New stand-up sensation Imran Yusuf has today scooped a Fosters Edinburgh Comedy Awards nomination for ‘Best Newcomer’ for his show ‘An Audience with Imran Yusuf’. The news is a remarkable achievement given that his show was solely performed on Edinburgh’s ‘Free Festival’.

The string of superlatives throughout Imran’s reviews over the month speak volumes for the huge talent posessed by the muslim comedian managed by Comic Voice Management:

“By not focusing on the obvious racial stereotypes, he wins over the entire audience. His happy, positive personality leaves them feeling uplifted, energised and privileged to have had An Audience With Imran Yusuf” ***** Chortle

“Imran Yusuf’s show heralds the birth of a new comedy star. Intelligent, thought provoking and laugh out loud funny it’s a glorious debut.” **** Time Out

“Imran Yusuf has to be one of the most captivating, energetic, and animated stand up comedians I’ve ever seen” ***** The New Current

“…there’s is no doubting his talent. As he says, catch him before you have to pay for the privilege” **** The Arts Desk

Imran Yusuf is represented proudly and exclusively by Comic Voice Management, a division of The Comedy Club Ltd

| View Imran Yusuf’s Page at ComicVoice.com

“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

3 Days of Preparation
We arrived in Edinburgh and spent most of our first night marvelling at our swanky flat and catching up with some old buddies. We also overcooked some pasta.

A day of generally sorting stuff out. Our tech rehearsal was cut in half by a slightly worrying power failure, the cause of which, the tech staff at The Pleasance confidently informed us, was entirely unknown. A contingency plan involving opening doors to let light in was put in place… Sounds safe.  Met up with fellow B+G acts including Stephen K Amos, Sean Hughes and Tim Vine and then went out for the Fest Magazine launch do.

Last minute touches to the show, including a bit of set decoration and some singing practice was slowed only by the onset of the first signs of the Edinburgh bug as a few voices waned. The first show was a blast; a surprisingly packed house and a great reaction across the board. An evening spent variously at the Just the Tonic and Assembly launch parties with various lovely folk. Good times… They had pick’n’mix.One of our number had an unfortunate incident where he lost half of his left big toenail in a popular food chain and gushed blood all up the side of the drinks fridge. Some slightly over dramatic screaming and some panicked flapping by some passing ballet dancers led to a free sandwich for us. That’s a big win by our books… It was all very Claims Direct. Only without the crappy adverts.

WEEK2
A good week for us. We’ve had full houses and some very satisfied customers.

One of our number had an unfortunate incident where he lost half of his left big toenail in a popular food chain and gushed blood all up the side of the drinks fridge. Some slightly over dramatic screaming and some panicked flapping by some passing ballet dancers led to a free sandwich for us. That’s a big win by our books… It was all very Claims Direct. Only without the crappy adverts.

We had a box sliding race down Arthur’s Seat on our day off. It’s not a technical sport yet but it’s good fun. The basic rules involve jumping in a cardboard box and slipping down the hill at speeds that most people would describe as ‘uncontrollable’ due to a total lack of brakes… and steering. Fear and an absence of safety wear meant the game was called off relatively quickly. Our bodies emerged from the fray unscathed… Our minds, however, were utterly blown by the mind numbing speed we had experienced. Most people we met that night weren’t as impressed with our efforts as we clearly were.

WEEK3

A Week In The Life…
The Fringe has become some what of a blur in this week. We are going to promos and parties left right and centre… Some of the most memorable…

We were the final guests on Hardeep Singh Kohi’s Chat Masla in which he cooked up a pea and haggis vindaloo for us! Our resident vegetarian, Charlie, politely turned down the dish, Matt quivered at his first haggis experience once Hardeep explained exactly what it was, whilst Little Tom and Sam were left near blinded by spiciness. Big Tom however, true to form, proclaimed it the best thing he’d eaten in weeks and proceeded to shovel it in… three portions of the stuff. To everyone’s surprise (and slight disappointment) this didn’t affect him in any negative way… Iron stomach.

Backstage is a funny place to be sometimes… Matt had been racked with toothache all day and had gone to seek serious help at a pharmacy just before a late night show. As the rest of the guys warmed up and chatted to the other acts Matt applied a gel to his offending wisdom tooth. Minutes later, having lost nearly all feeling in the left side of his face, Matt was, unbeknownst to him drooling profusely out of the corner of his mouth down his trademark green tie. In a room full of comedians its tough to make a mistake like that and not pay for it. Through a barrage of banter and stifled laughter Matt managed to clean himself up just in time to get out on stage in time. Close call.

Accents can be tough to get perfect when you’re making things up on the spot. A distinctive Geordie twang is an old favourite of crowds however the guys attempts at the voice were somewhat over shadowed on Stephen K Amos’ Chat Show when they appeared alongside Alistair McGowan… Talk about out of your league.

Following an exciting year on the the UK comedy circuit, filming of Imran Yusuf’s ‘Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow’ performance will take place half way through his show run at the prestigious Edinburgh comedy festival. Imran’s show at The Laughing Horse at Espionage titled ‘An Audience with Imran Yusuf’ is expected to be a great platform for audiences to enjoy his unique brand of stand-up comedy whilst give the national press a taster of what’s to come.

As Imran Yusuf’s exclusive mangement, Comic Voice Mangement is extremely proud to announce this great news. Watch this space for more updates!

So welcome to the festival; young Belfast born act Ryan McDonnell, improv incredibles The Noise Next Door, Sophomoric sofa-mates Simon & Sy and Michael McIntyre Comedy Roadshow probable Imran Yusuf.

Here’s a brief summary of what’s to come:

Ryan McDonnell
Show: AAA Stand-up
Where: 33 Pleasance – Courtyard
When: 4-30 Aug (Previews 4,5,6)
Time: 11.00pm
Overview: 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.

The Noise Next Door
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
Overview: 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.

Imran Yusuf
Show: An Audience with Imran Yusuf
Where: Laughing Horse @ Espionage
When: 6-30 Aug
Time: 4.30pm-5.30pm
Overview: The fast talking lyrical machine gun comic slows it down for a deep and meaningful look at life with personal stories and a unique life philosophy.

Simon Feilder
Show Name: Life of Si: Si Harder
Where: The GRV
When: 6th-30th Aug (not 18 Aug)
Time: 6.40pm
Overview: Sophomoric sofa-mates Simon & Sy’s riotous return! New shenanigans, new videos, new haircuts… same teapot.

TO REQUEST MORE INFORMATION ON COMIC VOICE ACTS PERFORMING AT THE EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL 2010, EMAIL INFO@COMICVOICE.COM OR CALL 0845 459 56 56

In what can only be described as “clearly some kind of clerical error”, Life Of Si has been invited to appear at the innaugural Hollywood Fringe Festival, running from 17-27 June 2010.

In Hollywood. The real one. In LA, America, The World etc.  I KNOW, right?

We’ll be performing an hour(ish) show featuring all of (y)our favourite things from last year’s Edinburgh show plus some special Hollywood treats.

If you could bottle excitement, all of our bottles would be overflowing and broken. In a good way. Not in a “festival tent” way.

It’s not the done thing to laugh at mental health issues. Just ask Steve Penk. Strange, as most comedians react to taboos like bulls to a matador’s cape. As John Ryan, standup comic and compere of Cracking Up!, says, “You hear comedians doing jokes about paedophilia, rape, child abuse, murder … no one’s making jokes about mental health.”

Cracking Up! is about to change that, helping to reduce stigma by normalising mental health problems. It’s a variety night – a mix of comedy, sketches and poetry based on research and featuring contributions from people who have experienced mental health difficulties. Developed by NHS Surrey, the show has had a successful local run (including tough gigs such as Woking Football Club), selling out in its two-days in London, and could be coming to a club, theatre, school or business seminar near you.

One of the reasons people can laugh at jokes dealing with the taboos Ryan describes is they are relatively rare. It’s unlikely that someone in a comedy show audience has been directly affected by child abuse (although Jim Jeffries was famously confronted by a member of the audience who felt the comic’s bad-uncle gag was too close to home); one in four people are directly affected by mental illness. Monday’s sold-out theatre, if not quite the hard evidence needed to back up that figure, at least proved that many people are curious. Questioning revealed that a number of charity workers and mental health service users were among the audience.

It’s all very worthy, this desire to improve empathy. But is it funny? When I went along to find out, I realised I’d never seen anything like it before – and judging by the nervous atmosphere during the first half, neither had the rest of the audience. But any anxieties were assuaged by the compere: Ryan was personable and accessible, yet mischievous and willing to push boundaries. Once the audience realised what was going on, second-half laughs came easily and heartily. It felt inclusive and empowering.

Gareth Berliner has Crohn’s disease, and appears on stage with what must surely be a comedy first: a backpack containing a pump, which is connected directly to his heart. Undoing the valve, Berliner cheerfully related, would result in his swift and bloody death. He then told us about his botched suicide attempt. While fascinating in a morbid way, this is hardly a laughing matter. But on Monday night, delivered in Berliner’s twinkling style, it was a killer gag. In fact, it’s a good example of the obstacles the show faces: while mental health is still a hard sell, it needs to be pricked, laughed at, normalised – and ultimately accepted.

Cracking Up! proves that a comedy show about mental health can be hilarious. It’s a relief to see an agenda-led project, which mixes arts with education, deliver its message without preaching. But once it has raised its issues, the question is whether people are willing to face them head-on.

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

So I am standing there in Edinburgh castle at 6am yesterday morning, surrounded by a belly dancer, some Japanese drummers and the Sowetto choir and i’m thinking the fringe has truly begun…

There were other points where I wondered if things had started. That terrifying but reassuring moment when they lower the harness down on the roller coaster; you’re still scared, but you know pulling out now would make you look like a dick.

I had it when I arrived at the airport, feeling a little bit vulnerable it has to be said.
I’d had this ongoing fear that the landlord of my flat would be this unscrupulous type but he couldn’t have been nicer.
He even came to meet me at the airport to give me the keys and had a voice a bit like the Meerkat on the adverts, which made me trust him.

I wondered if things had begun when I got to the flat and I had that inexplicable sense of immediate familiarity with a flat that actually looked better than the photos.
The only down side to the flat is a pub opposite outside which Leith’s finest stand smoking and continually saying, ‘I’ll tell you what big man,’ without ever getting around to telling them anything.
The bathroom has the smallest possible clearance between bath and wall, which means I have to walk to the toilet sideways like a crab, which makes me laugh as I catch myself in the mirror.

I got the feeling again when I went to my venue for the tech rehearsal and realised that both my room and team are good.
The show manager, Ed (it’s very easy from me to like people called Ed) looks like a better looking version of Matt Horne and has a very reassuring manner about him. Theo is on sound and Grace is on lights. Theo is a good lad, but didn’t get my Cosby show reference.
I did that pathetic thing of trying to make them laugh continually during my rehearsal – nineteen year olds shouldn’t have to cope with that kind of pressure.

I had lunch with the lovely Sarah Millican yesterday, who made me laugh and smile so much I forgt to shit myself about that night’s show.

I definitely thought the first show would be the true point of arrival, but, while the laughs were there, it did have a ‘first show’ feel about it. I hadn’t actually performed it live for over a week so I had to get my structural satnav re-alligned.

Maybe i’d had my head turned by a call I took before the show to appear on GMTV the following morning.
Ever the optimist, I immediately defaulted to me and ‘Shep’ (Ben shepherd to everyone else) swapping familiar gags on the couch.
It turned out that I was one of a wealth of performers across the spectrum to be briefly interviewed standing up at Edinburgh castle.
I have to say I felt a little dull by comparison to the dancers and song and dance troupes.
As we turned up at the gates there was a guy with white hair and a cigar standing with a Mr T lookalike, replete with gold chains and mohican. The PR girl with me whispered without a trace of irony, ‘Do you think they are from A Team the musical?’
‘…yes…most likely.’
The presenter doing the outside broadcast, Nick, did a great job at dealing with loads of PR hungry acts and I was eventually given two short slots to say something funny to the nation.
Difficult for a stand up, but I managed to belt out a couple of 30 second grabs from the show, the second of which was referred back to by my old showbiz buddy Andrew Castle in the studio.
A result – I felt like I was in.

I sat in the Pleasance Courtyard before my second show hoping for a good one.
I was inspired by the sight of the great Hardeep Singh Kholi getting mobbed as he made his way across the courtyard.
Only in Edinburgh could Hardeep Singh Kholi cause a near stampede.

The show went well. I still need to tidy up a couple of bits, but I felt in control of it.
No matter what happens now, there was at least one night when it all seemed to make sense.

…and that’s when your Edinburgh really begins; the first time you give your audience a fair account of your show.

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…..

The Kids and Easter - Rudi Lickwood

Easter is over and the kids are back to school, how happy am I take a look at my fridge…it’s full. If anyone told me my 4 yr old daughter could eat an elephant I’d say you lie no way. I’m not sure what it is do children eat and the moment they eat something it get absorbed into there lymphatic system so fast that not even a formula 1 car engine can keep up or is their a hidden trap door at the bottom of their feet that leaves an invisible trail of digested food that dissolves into any surface they walk on I don’t know. What I do know is that in two weeks on food alone I spent a mortgage and that ain’t easy when you shop at Lidl’s.

This Easter we decided that we would not be buying any of our nieces and nephews any Easter eggs as Jesus Christ sacrifice on the cross and the Easter bunny couldn’t possible have any correlation with chocolate Easter eggs. So we bought them DVD’s instead. Well that was the idea you see Asda was meant to be doing a special offer of £1 DVD’s. Well by the time we got down to our local Asda you would have thought that Woolworths was closing down special priced DVDs did we see any NO! We have 17 nieces and nephews between me and my gorgeous wife I say gorgeous because she is standing next to me and the thought of no bed time fun is out of the question. What I’m trying to say is that we had to take out a bridging loan to cover to the cost of buying DVDs. So right about now Rudi Lickwood is broke back to school sometimes I wish my children could live there. It has been said that children are a bundle of joy no their not their bundle of bills wrapped up in memories that last forever.