Daughter of an exiled writer and comic from Iran, Shappi’s upbringing has been in no way conventional. From mental illness to opium dens it’s all gone on in the Khorsandi household and now she recounts it all the only way she knows how, with wit, warmth and hilarity.
In 2007 Shappi won Best Breakthrough Act at the Chortle Awards and following this success took her show Carry on Shappi to the Edinburgh Fringe and in 2008 to the Soho Theatre. In 2009 she performed her show The Distracted Activist at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Andrew Clover returns to Edinburgh with his hilarious new and engaging show about learning the rules of love. It’s an uplifting hour of stories and stand-up in which he explains why all existing love advice is wrong.
Andrew’s first Edinburgh show was nominated Perrier Best Newcomer. In 2004, Andrew stopped Edinburgh to become a stay-at-home dad and fantasy novelist. In 2006 his wife suggested he became a columnist. The resulting column, Dad Rules, ran in the Sunday Times’ Style for three years.
Kevin Bridges & Jon Richardson
When: 22nd & 23rd July 2010
What is it?
Kevin Bridges has been selling out in his home town of Glasgow since 2006 and has recently exploded onto the international comedy scene selling out a 28 night run at the Edinburgh Fringe 2009, scooping five-star reviews and a nomination for Best Newcomer at The Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Awards. He recently won Best Breakthrough Act at the Chortle comedy awards 2010. Kevin is hoping to take Edinburgh by storm again this year.
Accompanying him will be Jon Richardsonwho boasts an impressive comedy resume which includes winning the Best Breakthrough Act at the 2008 Chortle awards and a nomination for the main Edinburgh Comedy Award in 2009 for This Guy at Night. Until recently Jon hosted a Sunday Morning radio show on BBC 6 Music and has made appearance on comedy classics such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Have I Got News For You.
Join Jon as he gets life’s idiosyncrasies off his chest in his grumpy, yet uniquely charming, northern style.
Gareth Richards & Alex Horne
When: 27th July at 8pm
What is it?
Gareth Richards can be heard every Saturday morning on The Frank Skinner Show on Absolute Radio. He became a finalist in the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year competition 2007. In 2008 he was nominated for the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Award, and later won a place as part of the Comedy Reserve, the Edinburgh Festival showcase run by the Pleasance. Gareth will be appearing in the Comedy Zone at this year’s Edinburgh Festival, pedalling his own brand of edgily surreal jokes and stories based on true events.
A hugely talented and diverse young comedian, 27 year-old Alex Horne has already established a remarkable reputation among critics, comics and audiences as a gifted gag-smith, prolific writer and one of the most creative solo performers at work today. He is also the co-creator of BBC 4 comedy quiz show We Need Answers. This summer see’s Alex taking his sixth show to the Edinburgh Fringe after having huge success with Wordwatching (2006) and Everybody Talks (2004). The multi-talented Alex is also the author of two books Wordwatching and Birdwatchingwatching.
Roisin Conaty & Andy Zaltzman
When: 28th July at 8pm
What is it?
Roisin Conaty was first recognised when she won the Laughing Horse Award in 2004 and has since gone on to write for the BBC as well as working the comedy circuit and performing character-based comedy sketches as part of The Cakes. This summer sees Roisin taking her first solo show to the Edinburgh Festival whilst she continues to work on TV and radio projects.
Satirical and political comedian Andy Zaltzmanhas been performing at the Edinburgh Fringe sine 1991, gaining a Perrier Comedy Nomination in 2001. He has returned with six acclaimed shows over the years and has established himself in the vanguard of British stand-up. Andy has co-hosted the BBC Radio 4 show Political Animal and co-starred in The Department which showcases his unique ironic style. Andy has also appeared on 8 Out of 10 Cats and Bremner, Bird and Fortune.
Sadie Hasler & Russell Kane
When: 29th July 2010
What is it?
Star of Al Murray’s Multiple Personality Disorder (ITV1) Sadie Hasler is also an established writer and live performer. She has appeared in three sell-out Edinburgh shows and has recently been touring along side Russell Kane in his acclaimed Fakespeare. Join Sadie for her debut solo show which promises extraordinary characters, darkly comic monologues and needless to say much mirth.
Bursting onto the comedy scene in 2004 when he won the Laughing Horse New Act of the Year award, Russell Kane has made a name for himself by picking up three Edinburgh Comedy Award nominations. Literature-loving Russell penned his first play Fakespeare which has been touring throughout 2010.
Domestic Goddi & Simon Brodkin
When: 30th July at 8pm
What is it?
After two sell-out shows at the 2008 and 2009 Edinburgh Fringe, BBC Comedy Award winner Helen O’Brien and Stage Award nominee Genevieve Swallowreturn as Domestic Goddi with an entertaining and hilarious sketch show. Made up of a series of snapshots into the real lives of women, and co-written with ‘Pick of the Fringe’ Rosie Wilkinson, Domestic Goddioffers all round entertainment.
Hailed as the world’s first ‘anti-ageing, anti-wrinkle, anti-establishment sketch show’ this delightful duo deliver seamlessly funny sketches.
Best known for his superb character based comedy, Simon Brodkin won the Writer’s Guild Award for Best Newcomer in 2006. His best known character, lovable yob Lee Nelson, was regularly seen on The Morning After Show (Channel 4). Since then he has written for and appeared in Al Murray’s Multiple Personality Disorder, as well aspreviously recording a sketch show for E4’s Funny Cuts strand.
Simon’s television credits include Absolutely Fabulous (BBC One), From Baghdad to Balham (Channel 4) and his new BBC 3 comedy series.
Where: Jacksons Lane, 269a Archway Road, London N6 5AA
£: 10/8 (festival ticket offer: buy tickets for 2 shows get a 3rd show for free).
