Funny Way To Be Comedy club has unveiled details of its Autumn/Winter season. The roster of shows, running from September and December, features a host of top flight comedy names and outstanding tour shows.
The season begins with Live at the Apollo star Paul Chowdry. Following his 100 date, sell-out 2015 tour, Chowdhry brings his brand new show Innit to The Witham on Friday 8 September. An electrifying performer, Chowdhry tackles subjects such as race, relationships modern Britain with confidence and occasional, hilarious brutality.
On Saturday 23 September the club welcomes Robin Ince, fresh from a 70 date, record breaking tour with Professor Brian Cox, with his first stand-up show in three years, Pragmatic Insanity. A clash of the two cultures, the show is a joyous romp through the Sony Gold and Rose d’Or award winning comic’s favourite artists and strangest scientific ideas.
The club hosts an evening of sketch comedy on Saturday 14 October, when American duo The Pajama Men present their show Pterodactyl Nights. Lacing together bits from their extensive back catalogue and new material with bizarre improvised tangents, the Pajama Men create an anarchic night of jubilant and inventive comedy.
It’s one for the grown-ups on Saturday 21 October, as The Thinking Drinkers perform their hilarious, informative and boozy show History of Alcohol. Audience members can enjoy not only an intoxicating, time-travelling journey through our drink-drenched past, but five free drinks throughout the show.
On Friday 3 November, comedian and burgeoning rock star Nick Helm returns with his new show There Is Nothing You Can Do To Me That I Haven’t Already Done To Myself . Star of BBC3’s Uncle, Heavy Entertainment, Live at the Apollo, and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Helm last brought his high-octane combination of stand up, music and poetry to the town in 2015, and will make his triumphant return as part of his first nationwide tour.
The club hosts another TV comic on Saturday 11 November, as Matt Richardson performs his new show. Richardson has done a lot of strange things since his last tour in 2013, from from interviewing millionaire dogs in LA, ghost hunting with Craig Revel Horwood and having his phone nicked by Kate Moss, the charismatic, high-wattage performer covers it all in his new show Slash.
On Friday 17 November Shooting Stars scorekeeper Angelos Epithemiou joins forces with his 82 year old pal and regular guest on Steve Wright’s Radio 2 show Barry From Watford to guide you through the complicated web of modern life. This bizarre and gut-wrenchingly funny twosome may not have all the answers, but they are guaranteed to make you laugh.
After kicking off his last tour with a sell-out show at Funny Way To Be in March last year,
award-winning comedian and actor, and one of the most recognisable performers in the country Omid Djalili will return to The Witham with his new show Schmuck For a Night on Wednesday 22 November. Star of countless television appearances including Live at the
Apollo, Have I Got News For You, and The Royal Variety Performance, Djalili is back with more hugely energetic and captivating comedy.
Then, internationally-acclaimed comedy wunderkid Daniel Sloss makes his Teesdale debut on Wednesday 28 November with his stunning new show NOW. After starting his comedy debut at the age of just sixteen by writing jokes for Frankie Boyle, Sloss has since performed nine sell-out Edinburgh Fringe shows, two solo off-Broadway seasons, released a DVD, and given a TEDx Talk. Revered the world over for his smart, dark yet accessible comedy, Sloss has appeared on USA late night talk-show Conan seven times; more than any other comic.
The season will be rounded off in style on Saturday 12 December with star of Mock the Week, Drunk History, Almost Royal, Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central, and Man Down, Ed Gamble. After a sell-out success in 2016, Gamble returns with more amiable, observational silliness in his brand new show Mammoth.
Funny Way To Be promoter Peter Dixon said: “This year’s Autumn/Winter season is one of the strongest we’ve ever had, and we can’t wait for Teesdale’s comedy fans to see what we’ve got in store. We’re really proud of the programme we’ve put together; it’s a fantastic mixture of top comedy names and exciting, innovative new comedy, so whether you’re after accessible, light-hearted comedy, imaginative sketches, or something a bit off-kilter, there’s a show for everyone.”
Tickets are available now from funnywaytobe.com and the Witham Box Office.