WELLS COMEDY FESTIVAL BAR AT WELLS LITTLE THEATRE OPEN TIL LATE Relax with a drink at the Festival Bar, serving a wide array of local alcoholic and soft drinks late into the evening. We have local cider, West Country beer and much more.
FOOD AND COFFEE
This year, the festival welcomes back Wells’s very own Da Luciano’s – serving up freshly cooked pizzas – and The Hatch – bringing its mobile café, offering delicious coffees and cakes. Both are serving outside the Wells Little Theatre. So come enjoy something tasty to eat and drink.
THANKS The Wells Comedy Festival wouldn’t be possible without a huge amount of help and support from so many people. Thanks to Simon Franklin and all at Acast, Andy Vallis at Wells Voice, David Holland at Glide Media, Charlie Phillips, Danny Hillard and Lucy Burton at Storm Productions Group. Thanks to all the festival staff including Naomi Parnell, Vikki Mizon, Ellie Williams, Lyn Jones, John Williams, Clarissa Maycock, Abby Mizon, Jen Pearce and Charlie Mizon. To all our technicians in the sweaty venues. To all at Cedars Hall, Wells Little Theatre, White Hart Hotel, Tramways and The Venue. Jel Holmes at Dusted Design, Maddie Wilson and Darren Berry. All our volunteers – the lifeblood of the festival! To the beautiful city of Wells, its residents and businesses, for their continued support. And finally, thanks to all the incredible comics taking part, and to you lot, the audience, for making sure they don’t play to empty rooms.
PARTNERS Festival Partner
Festival Partner
Media Partner
Transport Partner
Distribution Partner
Technical Partner
We’re delighted to welcome you to the sixth year of our annual weekend-long comedy party. A new decade, a new line-up, and – no offence to previous years – but it looks like our best programme yet. We welcome comedy legends including Harry Hill, Adam Buxton, Reginald D Hunter and Bridget Christie alongside returning favourites including Nish Kumar, Lou Sanders, Paul Foot and Robin Ince, AND rising stars like Holly Burn, Ed Night and Gabby Best. Plus our late-night bar is back so your evening doesn’t have to stop just because the shows have, and there’s Da Luciano’s Pizza and coffee and cakes from The Hatch – all at the Wells Little Theatre. Take a look at the spectacular line-up, have a brilliant festival and we’ll see you in the bar!
Ben Williams, Festival Director
HOW TO BOOK ONLINE
wellscomfest.com
BY PHONE
0333 666 4466 via TicketSource
IN PERSON
The Box Office is open during the festival weekend, located at Wells Little Theatre, where you can buy tickets to all Wells Comedy Festival shows. Tickets for all venues should be purchased at the box office at Wells Little Theatre – they cannot be purchased at each individual venue.
BOX OFFICE OPENING TIMES
Friday 22 May: 5pm – 9.30pm Saturday 23 May: 11am – 11pm Sunday 24 May: 11am – 9.30pm
TICKETS AND SEATING
All shows at Cedars Hall and Wells Little Theatre: Main House have allocated seating. All shows at other venues are unallocated. Please bring along tickets to each individual show, either printed out or on a phone screen, as tickets will be scanned and will not be available to collect from any venue.
ENJOYED THE SHOW? LET US KNOW! WellsComFest
ACCESS Cedars Hall, Wells Little Theatre (both Main House and Rehearsal Room) and Tramways are wheelchair accessible. Cedars Hall and Wells Little Theatre: Main House have wheelchair spaces available in the auditorium. Wheelchair spaces can also be arranged for Wells Little Theatre: Rehearsal Room and Tramways. Please contact us on info@wellscomfest.com to book a wheelchair space ticket. Wells Little Theatre: Main House has an induction loop fitted. Shows at Cedars Hall offer free disabled-only parking allocated in the car park adjacent to Cedars House on The Liberty – to reserve a space please call 01749 834483. Unfortunately, the White Hart and The Venue don’t offer disabled access, as both rooms are up flights of stairs. The White Hart has 15 steps, The Venue has 26 steps.
FRIDAY 22 MAY
NISH KUMAR
I JUST TOOK A DNA TEST, TURNS OUT I’M 100% THAT NISH (WORK IN PROGRESS) Wells Little Theatre Main House, 5.30pm (60 mins), £11, 14+ ‘You can boo, but booing’s got nothing to do with it’ Bob Dylan ‘Man, I’ve got grown men @ing me bullshit/You’re getting way too old for the timeline’ Stormzy
ADAM BUXTON
RAMBLES…
Cedars Hall, 7pm (110 mins), £18, 16+ Join comedian and podcast host Adam Buxton as he reads from his new book which incorporates rambles on topics including parenthood, formative cultural influences of the 80s, confrontations on trains, wet dreams, boarding school trauma, The Adam & Joe Show, dead Dads and David Bowie.
PAUL FOOT
SWAN POWER (PREVIEW) Wells Little Theatre Rehearsal Room, 7pm (60 mins), £10, 14+ The multi-award winning comedian presents his brand new show. Tired of the goose? Swan Power is here. Paul opens his beak and explores topics including Nanna on the rack, murdering Santas and interfering ambulance drivers (self-appointed busybodies!) Live by the swan, fly by the swan. See pages 8 & 24 for other shows.
BOOK ONLINE WELLSCOMFEST.COM
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FRIDAY 22 MAY
SINDHU VEE
WORK IN PROGRESS Tramways, 7pm (60 mins), £7, 16+ Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomernominee Sindhu Vee returns with an hour of brand-new material. As seen and heard on Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, The Tez O’Clock Show, QI and The Guilty Feminist Podcast. ‘Refreshing, clever stuff’ Bruce Dessau
ED NIGHT
WORK IN PROGRESS The Venue, 7.30pm (60 mins), £7, 16+ Critically acclaimed stand-up comedian Ed Night is here to road test a brand new show that will hopefully not detract from his critical acclaim. ‘Bleakly funny’ The Guardian
KIERAN HODGSON
WORK IN PROGRESS
White Hart Hotel, 7.30pm (60 mins), £8, 14+ The triple Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee comes to Wells with a work in progress show ahead of something new. Previous shows have concerned themselves with France, Cycling, Classical Music, and European Politics. Come and see what naturally comedic subject Kieran’s chosen to tackle this time.
‘As far as comedy goes, he’s pretty much cracked it’ The Scotsman
You’ve got to be joking?!
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• Foamex Signs • Banners • Large Posters • Fine Art Prints • And much more!
Visit our website or call in to see us. standrewspress.co.uk 01749 672477 St Andrews Park, Princes Road, Wells BA5 1TE
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FRIDAY 22 MAY
MARK WATSON
THIS CAN’T BE IT (WORK IN PROGRESS)
Wells Little Theatre Main House, 7.30pm (60 mins), £14, 14+ Halfway through his life according to the life expectancy calculator, Watson takes an audit of his time on earth in this preview of his brand new show. Spiritual enquiry meets high-octane observational comedy as the still very skinny Watson, as usual, attempts to cram a year of pathological overthinking into just under an hour’s stand-up.
RACHEL FAIRBURN
WORK IN PROGRESS Wells Little Theatre Rehearsal Room, 9pm (60 mins), £7, 16+ Join comedian and co-writer and co-host of the smash hit All Killa No Filla podcast as she tries brand new material. HHHH The Skinny HHHH Three Weeks HHHH The Edinburgh Reporter
JEN BRISTER
UNDER PRIVILEGE
Tramways, 9pm (60 mins), £10, 14+ Brister has it all: a wife, kids, a house and a job she loves (sometimes) so what the hell is she moaning about? Join Jen as she takes an irreverent look at the often controversial subject of ‘privilege’. Who has it? Who doesn’t? And why does no one like to admit they have any? ‘Blisteringly funny’ HHHH List HHHHH The Sunday Times
BOOK ONLINE WELLSCOMFEST.COM
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FRIDAY 22 MAY
FRIDAY NIGHT GALA
WELLS LITTLE THEATRE
Wells Little Theatre Main House, 9.30pm (120 mins), £19, 16+
FRIDAY NIGHT GALA
CEDARS HALL
The 2020 Wells Comedy Festival officially kicks off with a surprise line-up of acts all introduced by one of our favourite MCs. What better way to start the weekend? Please note: this is a two act show with interval. A separate Friday Night Gala runs concurrently at Cedars Hall.
Cedars Hall, 9.30pm (120 mins), £19, 16+
JOSEPH MORPURGO
WORK IN PROGRESS
White Hart Hotel, 9.30pm (60 mins), £8, 16+
The 2020 Wells Comedy Festival officially kicks off with a surprise line-up of acts all introduced by one of our favourite MCs. What better way to start the weekend?
Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Joseph Morpurgo flaunts some ritzy odds and jewel-encrusted sods for something resembling an hour.
Please note: this is a two act show with interval.
‘That rare thing, a high-concept, unashamedly arty production that also has entire rooms laughing’ HHHHH Evening Standard
A separate Friday Night Gala runs concurrently at Wells Little Theatre.
HELEN BAUER
MADAM GOOD TIT (WORK IN PROGRESS) The Venue, 9.30pm (60 mins), £7, 14+ Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer Nominee 2019 After leaving college with an E in Economics and an allergy to the education system Helen moved to Berlin and honed her comedy skills by performing in English to confused locals. As seen and heard on BBC Two, BBC Three, Comedy Central , Radio 1 and Radio 4.
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SATURDAY 23 MAY
PAUL FOOT
SWAN POWER (PREVIEW)
Tramways, 1pm See page 4 for info
FOXDOG STUDIOS
ROBOT CRUISE SHIP WORK IN PROGRESS Wells Little Theatre Rehearsal Room, 1pm (60 mins), £9, 10+ Seek out a sustainable life on the high seas of an interactive robotic water tank, all controlled by your phone. Foxdog Studios are the only IT consultants to win Best Show at Leicester Comedy Festival 2019 for Robot Chef. ‘A treat for comedy, gaming and science fans alike’ HHHH The Skinny
When comedy just isn’t enough... Laughter is good, but everyone needs to talk things through sometimes. We all need a bit of extra help now and again. Whether it’s anxiety, panic attacks, phobia, relationship problems, bereavement, or just that nagging sense that life could be better, I can help.
Faye Blackwell FHS, MNCS (Acc) Hypnotherapy, Counselling and Informal Counselling from Wells, Somerset
To find out about a free initial consultation, please call Faye on 01749 671170 or email
fayeblackwell@counsellingsomerset.com www.counsellingsomerset.com BOOK ONLINE WELLSCOMFEST.COM
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SATURDAY 23 MAY
JAYDE ADAMS
HERE’S ONE I CULTURALLY APPROPRIATED EARLIER Wells Little Theatre Main House, 1.30pm (60 mins), £8, 16+ Jayde Adams is writing a new show and bringing it to you to practice on the beautiful people of Wells. Like many white people before her, Jayde has travelled the world absorbing cultures on a journey of self discovery. ALTHOUGH the Adams bloodline has only ever resided in Bristol & Somerset. Can Jayde Adams stay relevant in an age of multiculturalism or is it time to wheel out her half Chinese brother?
MITCH BENN
TEN SONGS TO SAVE THE WORLD White Hart Hotel, 1.30pm (60 mins), £10, 16+ One broken world and ten funny songs to fix it. Join the ‘country’s leading musical satirist’ (The Times) as, with six string in hand and a head full of silly rhymes, he identifies the problems and proposes (semi-serious) solutions. ‘Song after song of exquisitely crafted satire’ The Scotsman
MATTHEW HIGHTON
SOUL IN A SUITCASE
The Venue, 1.30pm (60 mins), £7, 14+ Matthew Highton wants your soul. Luckily, he wants to make you laugh too. A new show from the everinventive storyteller that examines who we are, what we want and what we’d give to get it. Silliness guaranteed. ‘Highton has the storytellers gift’ Chortle ‘Wonderful’ The Guardian
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SATURDAY 23 MAY
SIMON MUNNERY
ALAN PARKER URBAN WARRIOR FAREWELL TOUR Tramways, 3pm (60 mins), £12, 16+ Multi award-winning comedian Simon Munnery reprises his notorious alter ego, the bedsit anarchist Alan Parker Urban Warrior. Once the most radical, now the only radical, Alan returns with the old gold, the old truths, and some new truths (based on the old truths).
BRIDGET CHRISTIE
WORK IN PROGRESS
OLGA KOCH
HOMECOMING (WORK IN PROGRESS)
Cedars Hall, 3pm (60 mins), £12, 14+
Wells Little Theatre Rehearsal Room, 3pm (60 mins), £8, 14+
Edinburgh Comedy Award, Rose D’or and South Bank Arts award winner Bridget Christie heads to Wells for a work-in-progress of new material – ahead of her highly-anticipated new stand-up show.
Edinburgh Comedy Awardnominated comedian and star of Mock the Week and The Now Show Olga Koch is back and working on her third hour! This year she tackles her identity as an immigrant, a drama queen and the biggest Vampire Weekend fan the world has ever seen.
ANGELOS EPITHEMIOU
CAN I JUST SHOW YOU WHAT I’VE GOT? Wells Little Theatre Main House, 3.30pm (60 mins), £12, 16+ Unwitting star of Shooting Stars (BBC2) and Channel 4’s The Angelos Epithemiou Show, the cult favourite takes a giant leap into the spotlight yet again in this shambolic, weird and wonderful show. Come and see him talk and prepare his speech for the UN.
BOOK ONLINE WELLSCOMFEST.COM
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SATURDAY 23 MAY
MAWAAN RIZWAN
WERK
White Hart Hotel, 3.30pm (60 mins), £8, 16+ Mawaan has just finished touring the UK and Australia with Jonathan Van Ness from Queer Eye. After a sell-out Edinburgh Fringe, he’s back to shape a new bonkers show. ‘His combination of confessional comedy and skilful physicality mark him out as a definite name to watch’ HHHH Evening Standard
HARRY HILL
HOW NOT TO BE NORMAL (WORK IN PROGRESS)
SAM FLETCHER
THE SAM FLETCHER VARIETY PERFORMANCE The Venue, 3.30pm (60 mins), £7, all ages Adorable loon, Sam Fletcher, has organised a variety show for your entertainment, but none of the acts have turned up. It’s looking like you might have to help him out. Good luck.
Cedars Hall, 5pm (60 mins), £12, 14+ Are you worried that you’re TOO NORMAL? Enjoy soup? Matching socks? It’s a common feeling. Don’t worry! Using simple stepby-step techniques developed by Harry Hill you too can be NOTNORMAL – just like him! DISCLAIMER: Once you have made the transition from Normal to NOTNORMAL there is no way back to your original normal state.
GLENN MOORE
WORK IN PROGRESS
Wells Little Theatre Rehearsal Room, 5pm (60 mins), £9, 16+ Perrier award nominee Glenn Moore works up a new ‘comedy masterclass’ (Sunday Times) of ‘brilliantly original’ (Chortle), ‘blissfully silly’ (Guardian) jokes. As seen/heard on Mock The Week, Stand Up Central, The Stand Up Sketch Show, Absolute Radio, The News Quiz and The Now Show.
BOOK ONLINE WELLSCOMFEST.COM
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SATURDAY 23 MAY
MAWAAN RIZWAN WERK White Hart Hotel, 5.30pm, See page 12 for info
ALUN COCHRANE
BRAVE NEW ALUN
Wells Little Theatre Main House, 5.30pm (60 mins), £12, 14+ Strap. The heck. In! No more Mr Nice Person! Alun Cochrane intends to drop truth bombs and articulate thoughtcrimes about vegetables, gender, religion and washing machines. ‘Wonderful, powerful, unexpectable stuff from a comic who still crafts some of the most listenable-to lines in the business’ Scotsman
HOLLY BURN’S BIG BALL
WORK IN PROGRESS
The Venue, 5.30pm (60 mins), £7, 14+ You are cordially invited to Holly’s Big Ball. Who is Holly the host? And who are all her characters? Is Holly really OTT? Or is she actually shy and retiring? ‘Comedy supremo... turns stand up on its head’ HHHH To Do List ‘Geordie powerhouse’ HHHH Chortle
REGINALD D HUNTER
WORK IN PROGRESS Cedars Hall, 7pm (60 mins), £15, 16+ Since his arrival in the UK, Reginald’s searingly honest observations both onstage and on TV have garnered him a cross-generational fan base. His TV appearances have included Have I Got News For You? and BBC2’s Reginald D Hunter’s Songs of the South. HHHHH Evening Standard See page 24 for other shows
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SATURDAY 23 MAY
For your child, it’s always a comedy festival at…
www.thesquarewells.com 01749 677 510 BOOK ONLINE WELLSCOMFEST.COM
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SATURDAY 23 MAY
TONY LAW
IDENTIFIES
Tramways, 7pm (60 mins), £10, 14+ Tony Law identifies as a hominid. Homo sapiens, Neanderthal, Indo-European horse tribesman, an Englishman, a Canadian, a Norn Iron man and a Trinidadian and a Tobagonian. A dog, a dog owner, owned by a dog, a surrealist, an absurdist and an artist who is comedy of person. A parent, a thrower, a catcher, a reader and a farmer. His 16th show is turning out to be his best yet.
LOYISO GOLA
POP CULTURE
Wells Little Theatre Rehearsal Room, 7pm (60 mins), £8, 14+ Fresh from an incredible Edinburgh Fringe 2019, South African comedian Loyiso Gola dives into pop culture through the years and the way it has shaped our lives. The two-time Emmy nominee takes us on a hilarious journey exploring the differing impact of pop culture moments around the world. As seen on Netflix’s Comedians of the World, Live at the Apollo, QI, Mock the Week and Late Nite News with Loyiso Gola.
LOU SANDERS
SAY HELLO TO YOUR NEW STEP-MUMMY Wells Little Theatre Main House, 7.30pm (60 mins), £11, 14+ Loulie, AKA the face that launched a thousand dicks, examines conduct (in the media, baby), mental health (other people’s, I’m fine) and perverts (that one is mainly me, actually). I’ll be oversharing, wanging on about spirituality and giving everyone some much unwanted advice.
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SATURDAY 23 MAY
HARRIET KEMSLEY
STUART LAWS
IS ALL IN
WORK IN PROGRESS White Hart Hotel, 7.30pm (60 mins), £7, 14+ Harriet’s been trying to learn how to be hot in 2020 and it hasn’t been going well… she’s spent her savings on laser hair removal, put on a jumper that says I AM ENOUGH and taken a good hard squint at the beauty industry through her two remaining fake eyelashes.
The Venue, 7.30pm (60 mins), £8, 16+ Acclaimed gilet-wearing stand-up Stuart Laws recently risked everything in a Vegas poker tournament and his life changed forever. Now he’s asking big questions: is he a winner or a loser? Can he burn a candle at both ends? Has he been infected by the Willennium Bug? A show about making decisions, high-stakes poker and gettin’ jiggy wit’ it.
D I S C OV E R M O R E C O M E DY I N T H E H E A RT O F S O M E R S E T
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@brewhouselive
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01823 283244 | www.thebrewhouse.net
SATURDAY 23 MAY
ESHAAN AKBAR
INFIDEL-ITY
SATURDAY NIGHT GALA
CEDARS HALL
Tramways, 9pm, £8, 16+ From Mock the Week, Frankie Boyle’s New World Order and regular host on BBC Asian Network, Eshaan hilariously explores masculinity and his relationship with men, women, and himself. Love and loss can teach you a lot about who you actually are. ‘Masterfully communicates with consummate ease... wonderful, profound vulnerability’ Chortle
BOBBY MAIR
COCKROACH
Cedars Hall, 9pm (120 mins), £19, 16+
Wells Little Theatre Rehearsal Room, 9pm (60 mins), £7, 16+
Two hours. A surprise line-up of acts. It’s the Wells Comedy Festival Saturday Night Gala.
He’s survived adoption, both his moms dying, mental breakdowns, addiction and getting diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Can anything kill Bobby Mair? Cockroach is an hour of dark, gut-wrenching stand-up from one of the best comedians in the country.
Please note: this is a two act show with interval. A separate Saturday Night Gala runs concurrently at Wells Little Theatre.
‘Clearly a brilliant stand-up’ Jimmy Carr
SATURDAY NIGHT GALA
WELLS LITTLE THEATRE
Wells Little Theatre Main House, 9.30pm (120 mins), £19, 16+ Two hours. A surprise line-up of acts. It’s the Wells Comedy Festival Saturday Night Gala. Please note: this is a two act show with interval. A separate Saturday Night Gala runs concurrently at Cedars Hall.
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SATURDAY 23 MAY
FIN TAYLOR
DIRTY POLITICS (WORK IN PROGRESS) White Hart Hotel, 9.30pm (60 mins), £8, 16+ As seen on Live at the Apollo, The Mash Report, 8 Out Of 10 Cats and more, Fin Taylor is back with a new show. If his last ones are anything to go by, this will be a punchline-heavy blend of astute social commentary and downright filth. ‘Like the best stand-up; exceptionally thought-provoking and properly hilarious’ The Skinny
HUGE DAVIES
THE CARPARK
The Venue, 9.30pm (60 mins), £8, 14+ Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer Nominee 2019 From Comedy Central at the Comedy Store and Harry Hill’s Clubnite, Huge comes to Wells bringing with him his dark humour, surreal songs, one-of a-kind wearable keyboard and of course: a carpark.
For creators. For listeners. For advertisers. Acast is the world’s biggest podcast company and the engine powering creators, listeners and advertisers everywhere. You make the podcast. We do the rest.
ROBIN INCE
THE SATANIC RITES OF ROBIN INCE Wells Little Theatre Rehearsal Room, 11pm (60 mins), £10, 14+ A lonely boy sat in graveyards waiting for zombies, predicted to be a serial killer by his sisters, grew up to be a comedian.
WWW.ACAST.COM
Robin Ince spends an hour celebrating the horror films and stories that were his solace as a misfit child. Winner of Rose d’Or, Sony Gold Award and, most importantly, Pointless Celebrities.
BOOK ONLINE WELLSCOMFEST.COM
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SUNDAY 24 MAY
ANNA MANN
WORK IN PROGRESS Wells Little Theatre Rehearsal Room, 1pm (60 mins), £7, 16+ Colin Hoult’s critically acclaimed alter-ego Anna Mann, Actress, Singer, Welder (got to have a back up) returns to Wells with the workings of a brand new show, looking back at her life with some of her loveliest husbands.
ROBIN INCE
I’M A JOKE AND SO ARE YOU
‘Funnier than almost all other shows at this year’s Fringe’ HHHH Telegraph
Tramways, 1pm (60 mins), £10, 14+
DALISO CHAPONDA
BLAH BLAH BLACKLIST
Wells Little Theatre Main House, 1.30pm (60 mins), £10, 14+
Robin Ince talks about what he learned about why we become who we become and how we cope with it while writing his book, ‘I’m a Joke and So Are You’, and what he has learned since. A show about the voices in our head, being absurd, creating nonsense and how a wizard beat Brian Cox in an argument.
Daliso shot to fame on Britain’s Got Talent, has since written and stared in his critically acclaimed Radio 4 show Citizen of Nowhere, appeared on QI, The Apprentice: You’re Fired, The News Quiz and The Now Show. In his new show, Daliso looks at disgraced, blacklisted celebrities and historical figures we’re ashamed we once admired.
‘Full of warmth, wisdom and affectionate delight in the wonder and absurdity of being human’ The Observer
LOU SANDERS
WORK IN PROGRESS
White Hart Hotel, 1.30pm (60 mins), £8, 14+ The show is about all your fave topics. As seen/heard on Taskmaster, QI, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Hypothetical, The Russell Howard Hour, The Unbelievable Truth, Ultimate Worrier and more. ‘A comedian who leaves you wanting more’ HHHH The Times
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Cedars Hall: proud to be part of Wells Comedy Festival http://cedarshall.events Box Office: 01749 834483
Local knowledge. National reach. WELLS, STREET & SOMERTON IN THE HEART OF SOMERSET
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SUNDAY 24 MAY
PETER FLEMING
HOME, TIME (WORK IN PROGRESS) The Venue, 1.30pm (60 mins), £7, 14+ Join the retired children’s TV pioneer as he tries to find his way back – and recover lost copies of his legendary BBC programmes. Cult TV nostalgia and a thrilling quest around Britain in this brand new show from character comic, local hero and Blue Peter badge winner Tom Burgess. As seen on BBC Two and heard on BBC Radio 4 Extra.
HARRY HILL
CAVEMAN! (WORK IN PROGRESS) Cedars Hall, 3pm (60 mins), £12, 8+ (A play with no words and lots of noise) with Harry Hill, Holly Burn, Paul F Taylor and Wim Oppenheimer. In early 2020, on a holiday to an unspecified country, Harry Hill discovered a group of primitive cave people frozen in a glacier. When they had thawed out and warmed up, it became apparent that they were a group of actors, working on mankind’s very first show.
STUART GOLDSMITH
WORK IN PROGRESS Tramways, 3pm (60 mins), £7, 16+ Not a show, but the undercoat, base coat or petticoat of what may one day be a show. Stu ties his hair back like Moana and gets to it. Host of The Comedian’s Comedian Podcast. As seen on Conan, As Yet Untitled and Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central.
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LUCY PEARMAN
WORK IN PROGRESS
Wells Little Theatre Rehearsal Room, 3pm (60 mins), £7, 14+ Lucy Pearman will have some new bits to try: something silly, probably a song, hopefully some props and almost definitely some audience interaction. Co-star of Spencer Jones’ BAFTAnominated The Mind of Herbert Clunkerdunk, Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer Nominee 2017, Leicester Comedy Awards Best Show Nominee 2018.
BOOK BY PHONE 0333 666 4466
SUNDAY 24 MAY
ANDY ZALTZMAN
WORK IN PROGRESS
Wells Little Theatre Main House, 3.30pm (60 mins), £11, 14+ Host of the long-running global hit satirical podcast The Bugle, as well as a regular on The News Quiz and The Now Show, and Test Match Special statistician, Zaltzman brings his uniquely interactive stand-up show to Wells. ‘Political comedy at its best’ Sunday Times ‘A master satirist’ Time Out
JESSICA FOSTEKEW
WORK IN PROGRESS White Hart Hotel, 3.30pm (60 mins), £8, 14+ This is a pile of brand new jokes and stories from Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show Nominee 2019 AND Leicester Festival Best Show Nominee 2019. You’ve seen Jess on BBC’s Live at the Apollo and on Dave’s Terms and Conditions Apply. You’ve heard her on BBC Radio 4 on The News Quiz, The Museum of Curiosity and The Now Show. Co-host of The Guilty Feminist Podcast.
GABBY BEST
WORK IN PROGRESS The Venue, 3.30pm (60 mins), £7, 14+ After a sell-out run at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe, Best is back with a brand new hour of whip-smart comedy. She has no idea what the hour will be about yet - but she has the beginnings of a show all about endings... which is a start (and also a finish). Funny Women Award winner, as seen on BBC, Channel 4, Sky Arts and Netflix. ‘Inspired’ The Telegraph
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SUNDAY 24 MAY
MIKE WOZNIAK
ZUSA (WORK IN PROGRESS)
Tramways, 5pm (60 mins), £8, 14+ Mike’s Great-Aunt Zusa was a war refugee. Doesn’t sound very funny does it but despite that Mike is hoping to score some virtue-signalling points by doing some stand-up about it.
MARK WATSON
As seen on Man Down and Prevenge. As heard on the Beef and Dairy Network Podcast and the St Elwick’s Neighbourhood Association Newsletter Podcast.
HOW YOU CAN ALMOST WIN
ALFIE BROWN
WORK IN PROGRESS
Wells Little Theatre Rehearsal Room, 5pm (60 mins), £7, 16+
Cedars Hall, 5pm (60 mins), £14, 14+
This is a brand new hour of jokes from Alfie Brown; truly subversive and torridly honest, he is one of the country’s most intelligent and funniest standup comedians. A pleasingly disruptive presence on the UK comedy scene, he is both a seasoned pro, and someone keen to test the limits of an idea’s acceptability.
Last year Mark Watson - a man prone to considerable anxiety - was asked to go on Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls. It really wasn’t for him at all because his favourite things include safety, comfort, food and not being scared and miserable. But the experience changed him for the better, and now he’s written a sort of motivational talk about what it taught him. But with jokes.
RHYS JAMES
SNITCH
Wells Little Theatre Main House, 5.30pm (60 mins), £12, 16+ In early 2019, Rhys was asked to go back to his school and inspire the Year 11s. Given that teenagers are a nightmare and there was no fee, he ghosted the teacher who had emailed. Bit of a shame really, given that he’s figured out the true circle of life, has solved parenting despite having zero children, and even thinks he can predict the curriculum of schools in 50 years.
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SUNDAY 24 MAY
SOUNDS FUNNY
A COMEDY PODCAST MASTERCLASS BY ACAST White Hart Hotel, 5.30pm (60 mins), Free, 14+ Join Acast for a comedy podcast masterclass. If you’re a budding podcaster looking to learn how to create, develop and grow your very own successful comedy podcast, come along to our free masterclass. Pick up tips and tricks from Acast’s audio experts on how to get your break in podcasting. You’ll also hear from the host of a charttopping comedy podcast (to be announced), who’ll share their own podcasting journey, followed by a Q&A.
REGINALD D HUNTER
PAT CAHILL
WORK IN PROGRESS
WORK IN PROGRESS
Cedars Hall, 7pm, see page 13 for info
The Venue, 5.30pm (60 mins), £7, 14+ Come and see absurdist standup Pat Cahill with some new nuggets of his own brand of neo-music hall entertainment, expect an hour of oddness that might just make sense by the end. Singalong if you know the words, you won’t do, he wrote them last week. ‘Wonderfully weird’ Guardian
TIM RENKOW
WORK IN PROGRESS
Wells Little Theatre Rehearsal Room, 7pm (60 mins), £7, 16+ Tim Renkow comes to Wells with a brand new WIP hour of his unique brand of pitch-black comedy.
PAUL FOOT
SWAN POWER (PREVIEW)
‘A proper renegade as a comic’ HHHH Scotsman ‘Renkow is a smart comedian who also knows how to handle dark, risky material’ Guardian
Tramways, 7pm, see page 4 for info
BOOK ONLINE WELLSCOMFEST.COM
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SUNDAY 24 MAY
DANE BAPTISTE
THE CHOCOLATE CHIP
Wells Little Theatre Main House, 7.30pm (60 mins), £12, 16+ Dane is now a Grown Ass Black Man. Too old to be concerned with chicken or trainers. Too young to be considered a peer of Trevor McDonald. Has he got a chip on his shoulder? Yes. A chocolate one. Join one of the nation’s most exciting stand-up stars as he presents another brilliantly hilarious and boldly provocative show.
PAUL F TAYLOR
BRICK PAUL (WORK IN PROGRESS)
MAT EWINS
WORK IN PROGRESS
The Venue, 7.30pm, £7, 14+ Fresh from his appearance on Channel 4 in Harry Hill’s Club Nite, Paul F is in town with an hour of imaginative, logic-defying, absurdist, surreal and left-field stand-up comedy featuring some very long lists. ‘Should be required viewing for all wannabe surrealists’ HHHH The Skinny
LARRY DEAN
White Hart Hotel, 7.30pm (60 mins), £7, 16+
WORK IN PROGRESS
Ewins is in town and he’d like to play you some new funny videos he’s made, plus some old favourites. Expect computer games, films and all manner of tech wizardry from a man preparing to scream into the void for another year.
Tramways, 9pm (60 mins), £7, 16+
‘Full of hilarious details that make the hour zip by’ Independent
‘Destined to become a household name’ HHHH Telegraph
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Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Larry Dean is here to try out some brand-new jokes. As seen on BBC2’s Live at the Apollo and Mock the Week. ‘Confessional storytelling at its funniest’ HHHHH Herald
BOOK BY PHONE 0333 666 4466
SUNDAY 24 MAY
COMEDIANS CINEMA CLUB: HOT FUZZ Cedars Hall, 9pm (75 mins), £12, 14+ Here come the Fuzz! The Comedians Cinema Club are back again (for the greater good), to see the festival out with another improvised rendition of Wells’ very own Hot Fuzz! So buy your ticket and take the shortcut to the best show in town or f**k off up the model village!
Carpets: Vinyl: Wood: Rugs
SARA BARRON
WORK IN PROGRESS
White Hart Hotel, 9,30pm (60 mins), £8, 14+ Sara Barron, Best Newcomer Nominee at the Edinburgh Fringe 2018 and in the Chortle Awards 2019, is one of the most hotly tipped comics working in the UK. Join her as she works on her new show. Sara’s credits include Frankie Boyle’s New World Order, Dave Gorman: Terms and Conditions Apply and Live at the Apollo.
Wishing the Wells Comedy Fessval all the best for this year’s event And don’t forget, drop by our shop front window to see more Wells events posters Opposite The Pound Shop Market Street, Wells, BA5 2DS 01749 67 65 65
BOOK ONLINE WELLSCOMFEST.COM
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Cedars Hall, The Liberty, BA5 2ST Wells Little Theatre: Main House and Rehearsal Room, Chamberlain Street, BA5 2PS White Hart Hotel, 19-21 Sadler Street, BA5 2RR Tramways, West Steet, BA5 2HN The Venue, 42 South Street, BA5 1SL
TRANSPORT BY BUS
The best way to get to the festival is by bus. First Bus routes 126, 172, 173, 174 and 376 and Buses of Somerset route 29 all stop in Wells. First Bus and Buses of Somerset run regular services from Bristol, Bath, Glastonbury, Street, Taunton, Weston-super-Mare and Cheddar. For a journey planner and full timetables visit firstgroup.com/westofengland or firstgroup.com/somerset
BY CAR
BY TRAIN
The nearest train stations are Castle Cary (12 miles from Wells), Bristol Temple Meads (22 miles) and Bath Spa (22 miles), where you will find First Bus links to Wells. Trains go more regularly to Bristol and Bath and bus links are quicker and easier from those stations.
TAXIS
Wookey Taxis 01749 678039 Cathedral Taxis 01749 672244
Parking is available for the festival weekend at Mundy’s Meadow (BA5 2QL) on a first come BOOK BY PHONE 27first served basis – access via Mountery Road. 0333 666 4466
FULL LISTINGS FRIDAY 22 MAY
SUNDAY 24 MAY
5.30pm
Nish Kumar
p4
1pm
Robin Ince
p19
7pm
Adam Buxton
p4
1pm
Anna Mann
p19
7pm
Sindhu Vee
p5
1.30pm
Daliso Chaponda
p19
7pm
Paul Foot
p4
1.30pm
Lou Sanders
p19
7.30pm
Mark Watson
p6
1.30pm
Peter Fleming (aka Tom Burgess)
p21
7.30pm
Kieran Hodgson
p5
3pm
Harry Hill
p21
7.30pm
Ed Night
p5
3pm
Stuart Goldsmith
p21
9pm
Jen Brister
p6
3pm
Lucy Pearman
p21
9pm
Rachel Fairburn
p6
3.30pm
Andy Zaltzman
p22
9.30pm
Friday Night Gala: Cedars Hall
p7
3.30pm
Jessica Fostekew
p22
9.30pm
Friday Night Gala: Wells Little Theatre
p7
3.30pm
Gabby Best
p22
9.30pm
Joseph Morpurgo
p7
5pm
Mark Watson
p23
9.30pm
Helen Bauer
p7
SATURDAY 23 MAY 1pm
Paul Foot
p8
1pm
Foxdog Studios
p8
1.30pm
Jayde Adams
p9
1.30pm
Mitch Benn
p9
1.30pm
Matthew Highton
p9
3pm
Bridget Christie
p10
3pm
Simon Munnery
p10
3pm
Olga Koch
p10
3.30pm
Angelos Epithemiou
p10
3.30pm
Mawaan Rizwan
p12
3.30pm
Sam Fletcher
p12
5pm
Harry Hill
p12
5pm
Glenn Moore
p12
5.30pm
Alun Cochrane
p13
5.30pm
Mawaan Rizwan
p13
5.30pm
Holly Burn
p13
7pm
Reginald D Hunter
p13
7pm
Tony Law
p15
7pm
Loyiso Gola
p15
7.30pm
Lou Sanders
p15
7.30pm
Harriet Kemsley
p16
7.30pm
Stuart Laws
p16
9pm
Saturday Night Gala: Cedars Hall
p17
9pm
Eshaan Akbar
p17
9pm
Bobby Mair
p17
9.30pm
Saturday Night Gala: Wells Little Theatre p17
9.30pm
Fin Taylor
p18
9.30pm
Huge Davies
p18
11pm
Robin Ince
5pm
Mike Wozniak
p23
5pm
Alfie Brown
p23
5.30pm
Rhys James
p23
5.30pm
Sounds Funny: A Comedy Podcast Masterclass by Acast
p24
5.30pm
Pat Cahill
p24
7pm
Reginald D Hunter
p24
7pm
Paul Foot
p24
7pm
Tim Renkow
p24
7.30pm
Dane Baptiste
p25
7.30pm
Mat Ewins
p25
7.30pm
Paul F Taylor
p25
9pm
Comedians Cinema Club: Hot Fuzz
p26
9pm
Larry Dean
p25
9.30pm
Sara Barron
p26
VISIT OUR FESTIVAL BAR, OPEN TIL LATE! SEE PAGE 2 FOR DETAILS
p18
BOOK ONLINE WELLSCOMFEST.COM
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