The BIG Comedy Weekend

Event Information

Leicester Comedy Scene and Lions Eat Ice Cream proudly present The BIG COMEDY WEEKEND - three days of mindblowing comedy, which showcase not only the best acts to emerge from the daring and innovative 'Lions Eat Ice Cream'’ nights in Leicester, but also some of our favourite award-winning headliners from around the country. It's all happening on 11-13th July at The Criterion Free House in Leicester - a friendly CAMRA pub with a great selection of beers and fine line in homecooked pizzas. Come and join us!

FRIDAY 11TH JULY:

RICHARD PEEL'’S GOBLINTIME
Nominated for BEST NEW SHOW at the 2014 Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival. Bizerakt is a witch that stands on the edge of forever, watching us. In the folds of his ancient dress, there is a special theatre in which all of our most terrible dreams are realised. It is known as the Goblintime. 'An original style of comedy... a welcome change for the Leicester Comedy Festival'” - Leicester Mercury.

SIMON MUNNERY - SINGS SOREN KIERKEGAARD
Heard of Simon Munnery? Heard of Soren Kierkegaard? Heard of neither? 'One of the funniest, most original comedians of the past twenty years' (Guardian) will endeavour to perform selected extracts from Kierkegaard's writing, talk about them, and anything else that springs from there. Buckle in. As seen on Comedy Central's Alternative Comedy Experience. ***** (Scotsman); '“Munnery is an avant-garde comedy god' **** (Time Out).

ANDREW O'’NEILL - MINDSPIDERS
Nominated for BEST SHOW at the 2014 Dave'’s Leicester Comedy Festival. Andrew O'’Neill (Buzzcocks, Museum Of Curiosity, Stewart Lee'’s Comedy Vehicle) returns with his most inventive, surreal stand-up show yet! '“Comedic brilliance'’ - Time Out; '“Absolutely hilarious'” - Neil Gaiman; '“He'’s got a natural optimism and love of silliness that leaves you feeling remarkably positive... The very definition of alternative'” - Guardian.

SATURDAY 12TH JULY:

LEANNE MCKIE - THIS PEGGY TWATFACE IS TOAST
After a romper stomper of a debut at the comedy festival this year, Leanne Mckie (the mastermind behind the 2013 DLCF BEST SHOW nominee 'Barbara Steele's Wheels of Steel'’) is back with her first solo show before she heads up to Edinburgh for hi-jinks aplenty and a two-week run with the Freestival. So come and support your local lynchpin of alternative comedy as she takes you to the unique oddball world that she inhabits. Despite what the title suggests, this show is not suitable for kids.

DR GEORGE RYEGOLD - IRON FACE IN A VELVET BEARD
Award-winning comedian Dr George Ryegold is back with the truth about stockings, economics, Greek mythology and drugs, the joys of gun-play and the key to world peace. Amused Moose Laughter Awards Top 10 Comedy Show 2013, Scotsman'’s Top 5 Comedy Show at the Fringe 2012 and Winner of Best Show at Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival 2011. '“Absolutely on form'…Quite brilliant.' **** - Kate Copstick (Scotsman).

IAN HALL - AN HOUR OF IAN
Winner of BEST NEW SHOW at the 2014 Dave'’s Leicester Comedy Festival. Surfing a tidal wave of apathy, unexotically named Ian Hall has chosen a stand up life as a plethora of other people he made out of his brain, including (but not limited to) Ramon Le Tigre (a.k.a. Raymond The Tiger); Blake Incarcerated - Medium; Jon Pertwee; the gravity-challenged Robert Monkton; Randy Brookside and more. '“Out there, creative, funny and fun. A great turn'” - Dave Dinsdale, a proper promoter and that.

SUNDAY 13TH JULY:

BRUCE EDHOUSE presents CRABULA!
When comedy-mangler Bruce Edhouse decided to write a play based on both Dracula (which he'’d never read) and Midsummer Murders (which he'd never seen), this was the result. Ever wondered just how much more scary Dracula would be if he'd been not just a vampire, but a GIANT CRAB AS WELL?!! Now'’s your chance to find out, as we join Inspector Jim Stingers (not John Nettles) to face this fiendishly fishy foe!

JEN BRISTER - WISHFUL THINKING
Nominated for BEST NEW SHOW at the 2014 Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival. Jen Brister returns to Edinburgh with a brand new show and this time it'’s all about politics. OK, that'’s not strictly true, Jen wants to be more politically active, she wants to take a stand for the things she believes in! But she also wants to go to the garden centre. Can she fit it all in or is that just Wishful Thinking? '“This is as near perfect stand up as I have seen' ***** - ScotsGay; 'Blisteringly funny'” **** - List.

SCOTT BENNETT - ABOUT A ROY
Award-winning comedian Scott Bennett ('“Naturally hilarious'” **** - Broadway Baby) presents his eagerly-awaited debut show. Roy, his father, is the ultimate Yorkshireman. In a show packed with laugh-out-loud jokes and stories, you'’ll learn all about him - from family holidays to the etiquette of all-you-can-eat carveries. One of the fastest rising stars of the UK circuit and in demand by many of the big clubs, Scott is a Yorkshire livewire with an undeniable no-nonsense logic. With a string of accolades to his name; Comedy Cellar New Act of the year, Old Speckled Hen Comedian of the Year and Loaded Laftas finalist, Scott delivers wry observations on the absurdity of modern living. His sharply written routines, drawn from real-life experiences have been delighting audiences across the country.

CHRIS STOKES - SELF LOATHING LOVE LETTER
Brand new show from Dave'’s Leicester Comedy Festival 2012 Best Show award winner Chris Stokes. After a year he'’s glad to see the back of, and a bit of a tiff with comedy, Chris (Dave's One Night Stand, BBC Radio 4) is starting to find the funny again and, in this show, expects to be ruminating on (among other things) the frustration of being locked in your own head with an unlikely alter-ego, the blossoming of new romance and seagulls. '“Real talent... It takes some flair to mix script, tangents, conversation, heartbreak, and make it all look so effortless'” - The Skinny

KRISTIAN D KIRKLAN presents BIG SOCIETY
'“In coming to write this show I believed my job would be as easy as pie. Why would I need to be anything more than a mere mouthpiece for the words of our great leader? And yet how to condense a vision as profound and awe inspiring as the Big Society into one hour? Well, with the director, Adam Larter, we've come together to put our all into this and have hopefully captured the heart essence of David Cameron'’s beautiful dream. It'’s a great show; inspiring and funny. Please enjoy!'” - Kristian D Kirklan.