LINE UP FOR LIVE AT THE RSC: COMEDY FESTIVAL ANNOUNCED
- Live At The RSC: Comedy Festival brings a fortnight of comedy this Autumn, in association with Underbelly
- Acts include Adam Kay, Bridget Christie, Rory Bremner, Suzi Ruffell, Phil Wang and Milton Jones
- Booking opens Monday 10 June at 10am, 01789 331111, rsc.org.uk
Acts are now announced for a brand-new Comedy Festival from the Royal Shakespeare Company, in association with Underbelly, including award-winning doctor-turned comedian Adam Kay, Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Bridget Christie, ‘one-man opposition party’ satirical impressionist Rory Bremner, surrealist master of the one-liner Milton Jones, internationally-acclaimed live act Phil Wang and ‘cusp of stardom’ up-and-comer Suzi Ruffell.
The RSC, in association with Underbelly, brings together some of the biggest names in UK stand-up comedy this Autumn as part of a fortnight of live performance on the Royal Shakespeare Theatre stage.
Award-winning comedian Adam Kay shares entries from his diaries as a junior doctor in this “electrifying” evening of stand-up and music, while Rory Bremner, Suzi Ruffell and Milton Jones join mixed bill shows across the fortnight.
The festival includes solo shows and mixed bill shows with performances from Carl Donnelly (Mock the Week, Russell Howard’s Good News), Ed Gamble (Off Menu, Mock the Week), Fin Taylor (Roast Battle, 8 out of 10 Cats), Sarah Keyworth (Dark Horse, The Now Show), Bridget Christie (What Now? Because You Demanded It), Rhys Nicholson (Live at the BBC), Felicity Ward (The Guilty Feminist, Live at the Apollo), Milton Jones (Mock the Week, Live at the Apollo), Hal Cruttenden (Live at the Apollo, Have I Got News for You), Ivo Graham (Mock the Week, Live at the Apollo), Phil Wang (Taskmaster, Would I Lie to You?), Zoe Lyons (Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week), Darren Harriott (Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala, Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central), Desiree Burch (Have I Got News For You, Frankie Boyle’s New World Order) and Rhys James (Mock the Week, Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central).
Geraldine Collinge, Director of Events and Exhibitions at the RSC, said: “After the success of Comedy Hullabaloo in 2013 - 2015 and our ongoing programme of comedy and music Live at the RSC, it’s fantastic to be bringing a new comedy festival back to our stage with Underbelly. Welcoming some of the UK’s top comedians to our Stratford home is very exciting and we are delighted to be able to offer such a great line-up.”
Ed Bartlam, co-director at Underbelly said: “We are thrilled to be returning to Stratford-upon-Avon with another fantastic line-up of the UK’s best comedy talent. It’s a privilege to be given access to the RST. We’ve looking forward to a fortnight of fun!”
The programme, which runs from Thurs 12 to Sat 21 September, forms part of Live at the RSC, which offers audiences the best in new music and comedy.
Underbelly last visited the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in 2015 with Comedy Hullabaloo, a five-day festival which saw over 5,000 visitors watch 25 of the UK’s best comedians in iconic and intimate settings across Stratford-upon-Avon.
Further acts to be confirmed. Ticket sales to go live on Monday 10 June.
listings information:
THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE AT THE RSC
Thu 12 Sept 7.15pm
Live comedy at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre with Bridget Christie, Carl Donnelly, Ed Gamble, Fin Taylor and Sarah Keyworth.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE AT THE RSC
Sat 14 Sept 8pm
Live comedy from Milton Jones, Rhys Nicholson, Suzi Ruffell, and two more acts to be announced.
THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE AT THE RSC
Thu 19 Sept 7.15pm
Live comedy from Hal Cruttenden, Ivo Graham, Phil Wang, Zoe Lyons and one more act to be announced.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE AT THE RSC
Fri 20 Sept 7.15pm
Live comedy from Rory Bremner, Darren Harriott, Desiree Burch, Felicity Ward and Rhys James.
ADAM KAY: THIS IS GOING TO HURT
Sat 21 Sept 8pm
Award-winning comedian Adam Kay shares entries from his diaries as a junior doctor in this “electrifying” (Guardian) evening of stand-up and music.
The accompanying book, This is Going to Hurt is a Sunday Times bestseller, and is being turned into a BBC series. Copies will be available to buy and for signature after the performance.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
For more information on this press release contact Emily Magdij at the RSC
Emily.magdij@rsc.org.uk
01789 412657
07920 541729
The Royal Shakespeare Company creates theatre at its best, made in Stratford-upon-Avon and shared around the world. We produce an inspirational artistic programme each year, setting Shakespeare in context, alongside the work of his contemporaries and today’s writers.
Everyone at the RSC - from actors to armourers, musicians to technicians - plays a part in creating the world you see on stage. All our productions begin life at our Stratford workshops and theatres and we bring them to the widest possible audience through our touring, residencies, live broadcasts and online activity. So wherever you experience the RSC, you experience work made in Shakespeare’s home town.
We have trained generations of the very best theatre makers and we continue to nurture the talent of the future. We encourage everyone to enjoy a lifelong relationship with Shakespeare and live theatre. We reach 530,000 children and young people annually through our education work, transforming their experiences in the classroom, in performance and online. Registered charity no. 212481 www.rsc.org.uk
Arts Council England is the national development body for arts and culture across England, working to enrich people’s lives. We support a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to visual art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections. Great art and culture inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves and the world around us. In short, it makes life better. Between 2018 and 2022, we will invest £1.45 billion of public money from government and an estimated £860 million from the National Lottery to help create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country. www.artscouncil.org.uk
Underbelly is a UK based live entertainment company and producer. Their events and festivals division operates one of the largest operations at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, selling over 460,000 tickets for over 200 shows, in 22 venues over 25 days in 2018. 2019 marks the eleventh year of Underbelly Festival on the Southbank - one of the biggest multi-arts offerings in London and London’s original pop-up festival, with over 140 shows programmed over 6 months on the South Bank. Underbelly also produce Edinburgh’s Christmas and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay for City of Edinburgh Council, Christmas in Leicester Square, Udderbelly Festival in Hong Kong, West End Live in Trafalgar Square for Westminster City Council and the Society of London Theatre. In 2018 Underbelly sold over 1.5 million tickets to their various events and productions.