Work in Progress - Year Five

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December - February Tickets from ÂŁ5 020 7609 1800

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Year Five

WIP Offer - See any three £5 shows for £12 Back by popular demand for the fifth year running, the Pleasance’s Work in Progress Comedy Season once again brings together some of the best acts on the circuit to try out their new material. This is your chance to see brand new jokes being tested in front of a live audience for the first (and quite possibly the last) time ever.

HAL CRUTTENDEN 10TH DEC 7:45PM £5

MICHAEL MCINTYRE 4TH & 11 DEC, 8:00PM £15

Regular guest on Have I Got News For You, The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice and The Apprentice You’re Fired and host of Live At The Apollo, Hal Cruttenden brings to The Pleasance a brand new work in progress show for 2018.

Michael McIntyre returns to Pleasance, testing new material in these work in progress performances.

‘The man is quite simply top-to-toe hilarious.’ ★★★★★ Telegraph

HUB 12TH DEC, 5TH FEB & 5TH MAR 8:00PM £5 After sell out Edinburgh Fringe runs and monthly London nights, Hub returns to Pleasance Islington, featuring the best acts as they test drive their new material.

ROB NEWMAN 6TH - 9TH DEC 7:45PM £12.50 Join Rob Newman as he premiers brand new (and usually controversial) material inspired by his recent award-winning Radio 4 series Neuropolis. Over the last twenty-five years Rob has continually surprised audiences with innovations, surprise changes of direction and inspired thinking. This show will be no exception to that tradition.

“He is the funniest comedian I have ever seen…a passionate, chaotically brilliant comedian.” Sunday Times 020 7609 1800

JAMES MCNICHOLAS & OWEN ROBERTS 13TH DEC 7:45PM £5 Like the cowards that they are, James & Owen are going solo together. Come and marvel at work-in-progress shows from two thirds of sketch act BEASTS. “Unforgettably nutty.” ★★★★ Times pleasance.co.uk

WIP Offer - See any three £5 shows for £12

SISTERS CHRISTMAS SHOW 14TH DEC 7:45PM £5 Acclaimed sketch f*ckboys Sisters are bringing their second Christmas Comedy Nicetime to The Pleasance on the 14th December and baby is it going to be festive. All proceeds donated to CALM, this is set to be the hottest ticket in tinsel town. Featuring very special guests, Phil Wang, Mat Ewins and Richard Gadd “A genuinely exciting new voice in sketch comedy” ★★★★ Telegraph

BOWJANGLES 23RD & 24TH JAN 7:45PM £5 Intrepid string quartet Bowjangles present their most magical show so far.

A theatrical, musical journey through myths, folklore, legends and a portal in a cello case in the quest to find the most priceless relic of all - a magical violin bow known as Excalibow. You can expect tales of monsters, ancient gods, historical figures and characters of pure fantasy in this action packed show, all presented in Bowjangles’ own inimitable and unique style, full of comedy, energy, panache and almost every musical genre you can imagine. Show is suitable for all ages. May contain traces of Abba.

*All profits go to Shelter

NICK HELM’S XMAS F*CK-FEST 3 18TH DEC 8:00PM £15 Ho-Ho-Ho! What better way to acknowledge the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and mark the passing of another shitty year than with a royal rumble of a seasonal F*ck-Fest as we join “comedian” and People’s Princess Nick Helm in celebrating his 37th Christmas.

Expect the decking of halls, the hanging of baubles, comedy guests, crackers (cheese and crêpe), music, peace on earth, joy to all people and (some) jokes.* 020 7609 1800

EMMA SIDI 25TH JAN 7:45PM £5 As seen on Drunk History and in Adam Riches’ Coach Coach (Soho Theatre), and heard on BBC Radio 4 and Radio 4 Fresh from the Fringe.

‘A comic of considerable skill… Emma Sidi is a notch above many of her peers.’ ★★★★ Chortle pleasance.co.uk

WIP Offer - See any three £5 shows for £12

RHYS JAMES & ED GAMBLE 26TH JAN 7:45PM £5 Rhys James who is on Mock The Week all the time and is really funny and secure is gonna try to do some new material and so is Ed Gamble who has also appeared on Mock The Week once or twice I think. Anyway, please come to this show. It’s Rhys and Ed doing new stuff separately but they are friends and Ed looks like the Pokemon evolution of Rhys so that’s something to think about I suppose?

TONY LAW 27TH JAN & 16TH FEB 7:45PM £5 Three-time Chortle Award winner, Amused Moose Best Show winner, and Fosters Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee, Tony Law, brings a brand new work in progress show to the Pleasance. As seen on Have I got News for You, 8 out of 10 Cats and The Alternative Comedy Experience.

020 7609 1800

DUKE COCK 28TH JAN 7:45PM £5 Sophie Duker was shortlisted for the BBC New Comedy Award in 2017 and selected for the prestigious Pleasance Comedy Reserve.

Olga Koch is a finalist of both the Amused Moose National New Comic Award 2017 and the Leicester Square New Comedian of the Year Award 2016.

Together, they are DUKE COCK. You’re welcome.

DAVID ELMS 29TH JAN 7:45PM £5 David (from Borderline and Mr Swallow) does some characters for once.

‘Elms is no ordinary comedian’ ★★★★ List ‘Brilliantly surreal’ ★★★★ Scotsman pleasance.co.uk

WIP Offer - See any three £5 shows for £12

BRETT GOLDSTEIN & LOU SANDERS

BEN POPE

30TH JAN 7:45PM £5

1ST FEB 7:45PM £5

Brett Goldstein - What Is Love Baby Don’t Hurt Me A new show about love, sex, porn and addiction. Can you tell the difference?

Come see this work in progress show about the hell that is being in love.

Award-winning comedy-ape Ben Pope gamely test-drives some new yarns and ha-has. There’ll be some stories about reindeer, living in the city, Scandinavia and milk. Piccadilly Comedy Club New Comedian of the Year 2017 and one third of cult sketch group Princes of Main. As heard on BBC Radio 4 Extra and seen on BBC3 and Comedy Central Online.

Lou Sanders “Something new is happening in comedy” The Independent “Refreshingly different stand-up” Fest

GEIN’S FAMILY GIFTSHOP & KIRI PRITCHARDMCLEAN 31ST JAN 7:45PM £5 The multi award-winning, critically acclaimed sketch group Gein’s Family Giftshop have had a busy old time of it. They recorded a third series for BBC Radio Wales and have popped up on Comedy Central’s Russell Howard’s Good News, Sky’s Drunk Histories, BBC Radio 4’s News Quiz and Dave’s Crackanory among others.

‘A joy to watch’ ★★★★★ Skinny Kiri Pritchard-McLean’s third show is either going to be her best one, or the one that was the most “that could have been a really good show”. I guess we find out at this preview, don’t we?

MATT EWINS & ADAM HESS 2ND & 23RD FEB 7:45PM £5 Very great comedians Mat Ewins (Multi-media crazy guy and Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee) and Adam Hess (Tonight at the Palladium, silver Duke Of Edinburgh award winner) want to show you some bits from their new stand-up shows that they have been writing.

Ewins: ‘It’s a blast’ ★★★★ Guardian Hess: ‘For high-quality gags per minute there is no better comedian on the fringe’ Independent

‘Passionate, smart and yes, bloody funny’ Scotsman 020 7609 1800

pleasance.co.uk

WIP Offer - See any three £5 shows for £12

ANDY FIELD/ NORRIS AND PARKER 4TH FEB 7:45PM £5

NIGEL NG 3RD FEB 7:45PM £5 I’m from Malaysia. Join me as I observe and adopt your Western ways (just started recycling!) People describe me as “slick, has natural funnybones” Chortle. Part of Pleasance Comedy Reserve 2017.

BBC New Comedy Award Finalist and Chortle One to Watch, Andy Field, brings his unique style to a brand new work in progress show. Meanwhile, one of the Guardian’s Top Ten Comedy Acts of 2016, Norris & Parker, are back with more of their trademark dark humour.

‘Brilliant... Go see him’ One4Review

KATIE MULGREW

PIERRE NOVELLIE

6TH FEB 7:45PM £5 Comedian Katie Mulgrew is a Catholic, who briefly grew up Mormon. Her husband is an atheist and her brother is a priest. Oh yeah, she feels guilty about something pretty much all of the time.

It’s super healthy. ‘Virginia’ is a show about faith and family. The brilliant and the bad.

3RD & 22ND FEB 9:00PM £5 Last year, Pierre Novellie had the Edinburgh Fringe’s 7th best-reviewed comedy show, which as we all know means it was seventh best, because reviews are always right. Come see if the hairy fool can climb to sixth place THIS year!

DARREN HARRIOTT @ThePleasance

020 7609 1800

7TH FEB 7:45PM £5 Edinburgh Best Newcomer nominee 2017, and star of Live at the Apollo, Darren Harriott, brings his brand new work in progress show to the Pleasance.

As seen on Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central, Achievement Unlocked and The Now Show. pleasance.co.uk

WIP Offer - See any three £5 shows for £12

DANIEL COOK & GARETH COOPER 8TH FEB 7:45PM £5 Imagine the comedy night of your dreams. Now lower your expectations by 80/90% and you have this night.

Daniel Cook (Toast of London, Absolutely Fabulous The Movie, Poldark) and Gareth Cooper (Sainsbury’s Health and Safety Staff Training Video) come to the Pleasance to try out 30 minutes each of new material. Daniel will do stand up, Gareth will perform comedy songs at a volume that will annoy Daniel.

BIRTHDAY GIRLS 10TH FEB 7:45PM £5 Birthday Girls are back with some brand new stuff fresh from their funny little brains. Will there be sketches? Will there be dancing? Will everyone kiss at the end? NOBODY KNOWS. All they can promise is that it will be incredible.

Birthday Girls (AKA Beattie, Rose and Camille, AKA Sh!t Hot Party Legends) have enjoyed sell out runs at the Edinburgh Festival, Soho Theatre and beyond.

‘This is excellent stand up’ ★★★★ Edinburgh Festival Magazine

HELEN BAUER & TAMAR BROADBENT 11TH FEB 7:45PM £5 Helen Bauer brings her trademark high energy and self deprecating humour to the Pleasance Theatre for a brand new work in progress show for 2018. As heard on BBC Radio 4 Extra.

CATHERINE BOHART 9TH FEB 7:45PM £5 A Work In Progress show from Funny Women and BBC New Comedy Award Finalist.

‘A distinctive voice and a story you’d like to hear’ Chortle ‘Pretty much the perfect comedy package’ Beyond The Joke 020 7609 1800

Award-winning playwright and songwriter Tamar brings to the Pleasance a frank and funny onewoman musical. As heard on The Now Show and Fresh From The Fringe (BBC Radio 4).

‘Think somewhere between Bridget Jones and Victoria Wood and you’ll be close to grasping Broadbent’s undeniable appeal.’ ★★★★ Stage

pleasance.co.uk

WIP Offer - See any three £5 shows for £12

GREAT BRITISH DETECTIVES & GUESTS 12TH FEB 7:45PM £5 From the warped minds behind Great British Mysteries?, which enjoyed a sold out run at the Pleasance during the 2017 Fringe, comes Great British Detectives. An abstract foray into the world of the 19th century crime novel, with a hint of Susan Hill’s ‘Woman In Black’ thrown in for nefariously good measure. Expect multi-roling, homemade sound effects and references to Midsomer Murders.

LUKE KEMPNER & PIPPA EVANS 14TH FEB 7:45PM £5 The awesome Luke Kempner (Comedian and Impressionist, Murder In Successville and The Now Show) and Pippa Evans (Live At The Palladium and One of the Stars of the Showstoppers) have some new wonderful bits from their upcoming shows!

Luke Kempner - ‘Remarkable… tour de force’ ★★★★ Telegraph Pippa Evans - ‘A comic genius’ Telegraph

KAT BOND & STEVIE MARTIN

FIN TAYLOR 13TH FEB 7:45PM £5 ‘Phenomenal…Taylor is on top of both his game and the zeitgeist’ Chortle ‘Achingly funny’ List ‘In a market saturated with anti-right comedians who just seem to be going with whatever their liberal audiences want to hear, Taylor is standing in the face of that and simply asking: why? If you are offended, you are probably part of the problem.’ BroadwayBaby 020 7609 1800

15TH FEB 7:45PM £5 After a sell out run in 2017 with Loo Roll, Vault Award-winning Kat Bond returns with a more personal story told with the help of Kate Bush and a white stiletto.

As seen and heard on BBC 1s Call The Midwife, Feed My Funny, Channel 4 Blaps, Sky Shorts and Radio 4.

‘Brilliant skits and bonkers characters’ ★★★★ Times One third of sketch group Massive Dad Stevie Martin is doing her debut solo show. Come see her work out what that is exactly. As seen/heard on C4’s Damned, Comedy Central’s Brotherhood, Russell Howard’s Good News, Radio 4’s Sketcharama and Fresh From The Fringe.

‘Hilarious’ ★★★★ Guardian pleasance.co.uk

WIP Offer - See any three £5 shows for £12

SAMANTHA BAINES

LOLLY ADEFOPE

17TH FEB 7:45PM £5

19TH FEB 7:45PM £5

Award winning comedian Samantha Baines (Radio 4, Silent Witness, Call the Midwife) is exploring the science of sound. After two sell out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe and a successful UK tour, Samantha is back with her new work in progress. Sound’s good right?!

(Warning: there will be puns).

A work-in-progress show from character comedian Lolly Adefope. As seen on Taskmaster, QI, and The Last Leg. ‘Adefope may just be one of the best character comedians around’ ThreeWeeks ★★★★★ Mirror ★★★★ Evening Standard ★★★★ Independent

DANNY CLIVES & GEORGE RIGDEN 18TH FEB 7:45PM £5 After demolishing* the Edinburgh Fringe as part of the prestigious Pleasance Comedy Reserve, cage fighter and ex playboy bunny Danny Clives returns with an hour of new jokes/ ideas/ pinnacle comedy truths. *lightly caressing ‘George Rigden had the audience in his hands thanks to some great comedic timing, a little help from his guitar and a hint of David Mitchell in Peep Show’ Leicester Mercury 020 7609 1800

JON POINTING 19TH FEB 9:00PM £5 ‘Mesmerisingly ghastly, deliciously daft.’ ★★★★ Guardian ‘Consistently hilarious.’ ★★★★ Scotsman ‘A majestic hour… astonishing debut.’ ★★★★ Fest pleasance.co.uk

WIP Offer - See any three £5 shows for £12

EVELYN MOK 20TH FEB 7:45PM £5 Featured on BBC3, Channel 4 and Comedy Central, the award-winning Swedish comedian presents a work in progress that promises to be ’uncensored, unapologetic and... wildly refreshing’ ★★★★ BroadwayBaby.

WINNER Best Comedy Newcomer, The Pleasance Indies, BBC New Talent Hotlist, 2017.

ALASDAIR BECKETT-KING 21ST FEB 7:45PM £5 Leicester Mercury Comedian of The Year 2017 Alasdair Beckett-King returns to this timeline with an interdimensional work-in-progress stand up comedy show.

‘A singular and truly distinct act, Alasdair Beckett-King creates his own multi-faceted world’ Scotsman Winner Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2017 & NATYs New Act of The Year 2014. Amused Moose Finalist: Comedy Awards 2017.

STEEN RASKOPOULOS & TESSA COATES 20TH FEB 9:00PM £5 Steen and Tessa throw some ideas at the wall. Steen: The Barry Award and Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer nominee returns with a brand-new hour of comedy characters and inspired spontaneity. As seen on Top Coppers, Sky’s Halloween Shorts and Whose Line is it Anyway?

‘An inspired and utterly original standup’ ★★★★ Sunday Times Tessa: One third of Massive Dad, Tessa is giving things a good go in the follow up to her sell-out debut show ‘Primates’.‘ Hilarious’ ★★★★ Guardian ‘Constantly hilarious - the whole audience would have wanted her as their new best friend’ ★★★★ Chortle 020 7609 1800

JORDAN BROOKES 21ST FEB 9:00PM £5 A fourth hour on the trot from Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Show nominee 2017 Jordan Brookes.

Intricately ambitious stand-up full of silly faces and unnecessary confessions, mixing the philosophical and the physical, the observational and the absurd.

‘Wildly entertaining’ ★★★★ Guardian pleasance.co.uk

WIP Offer - See any three £5 shows for £12

YURIKO KOTANI 22ND FEB 7:45PM £5 Winner of the BBC Radio New Comedy Award 2015 and Time Out’s One to Watch, Yuriko Kotani (as seen on Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central) brings you a work in progress show.

‘Leftfield rising star’ Time Out

KWAME ASANTE/ KEN CHENG 25TH FEB 7:45PM £5 Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer nominee 2017 and Qualified Junior Doctor Kwame Asante will be bringing a brand new work in progress show to the Pleasance for 2018. As heard on BBC Radio 4’s The Now Show.

Cambridge Mathematics drop-out and now professional poker player Ken Cheng returns to the Pleasance after his highly acclaimed debut hour with a brand new, work in progress show. As seen on BBC3’s Top Tens and to be heard on BBC Radio 4 (brand new comedy series out Autumn 2018).

Part of the BBC New Talent Hotlist 2017.

Dave Joke Of The Fringe winner 2017.

RACHEL PARRIS

@ThePleasance

24TH FEB 7:45PM £5 Rachel Parris (The Mash Report, Austentatious, Murder In Successville) presents brand news songs and standup. £1 booking fee per ticket, capped at £5

020 7609 1800

pleasance.co.uk

BOX OFFICE

FIND US

Carpenters Mews, North Road, London N7 9EF 020 7609 1800 www.pleasance.co.uk

UNDERGROUND Caledonian Road - Piccadilly line (5 minutes walk), Holloway Road - Piccadilly line (15 minutes walk).

Mon - Sun 10am - 6pm

OVERGROUND Caledonian Road and Barnsbury (15 minutes walk).

On performance days the Box Office will remain open until the start of the final performance.

TICKETS

BUS Bus 393 stops right directly outside the theatre with buses 17, 91, 259 and N91 all stopping at Caledonian Road Underground Station, 5 minutes walk.

Please note tickets sold are nonrefundable and cannot be exchanged.

Latecomers may not be admitted. ÂŁ1 booking fee per ticket, capped at ÂŁ5.

PARKING Metered on-street parking is available outside the theatre Mon to Fri 10am 4:30pm with free parking evenings and weekends.

Tickets can be collected anytime during Box Office opening hours or posted to you for an additional 50p.

ACCESS

Pleasance Theatre strives to provide access for all. Our Main House is fully accessible via a lift from street level, we have infrared hearing system in both performance spaces, accessible toilets and Guide Dogs are welcome. Sadly at present our StageSpace does not have step free access.

Our aim is to make your visit as enjoyable as possible for further information or to discuss any access requirements please contact the Box Office.