The Comedy Defect

Charmian Hughes (Comedian)

Comedian Charmian Hughes

Studied clowning under Philippe Gaulier but unable to uphold the Clown Vow of Silence, ran away from the circus to play stand-up comedy clubs throughout the nation, entertaining everyone from members of the Houses of Parliament to ‘Lifers’ in prison (not to be confused). 

Charmian has played comedy clubs everywhere, including Melbourne Australia 2018, is an annual compere for The Glastonbury Festival, toured New Zealand twice, has taken 8 solo shows to the Edinburgh Fringe, Nominee Best Show Buxton Fringe 2016, Nominee Comedians Comedian 2016  and Grand Finalist for Petfringe Comedian of The Year 2018.

Twitter @Charmianhughes

Instagram @Charmianhughescomic

FB Charmian Hughes Comedian

Michael Mee (Comedian)

Michael Mee is a qualified solicitor and former law lecturer from Cork City, Ireland and is now a stand-up comedian, writer and broadcaster.  He has performed two well-received solo shows at the Edinburgh Festival, “Mee Myself and I” ("A real find"-Fest) and “Confessions of a Swot” ("warm-hearted, humorous and entertaining" **** The List; "brilliantly funny" **** Three Weeks; "illuminating and touching"-Daily Telegraph).  He has performed his latest solo show, “The World According to Mee” in various venues around Ireland.

Michael has performed on TV shows such as the Late Late Show, the Savage Eye, the Liffey Laughs, The Lounge (RTE), the Empire Laughs Back, the Stand-Up Show (BBC) and the World Stands Up (Paramount).  He has written material for several TV shows including Des Bishop: This is Ireland, Des Bishop: Under the Influence, That's All We've Got Time For, The Lounge and the Mario Rosenstock Show (RTE), as well as The Stand-Up Show (BBC).  He had an essay in the Stinging Fly anthology, Counterparts and has had short stories published in the UK and the U.S.  He also voiced and scripted the animated short, Toilet Humour, which was shown at film festivals in Cork, Manchester and Annecy. 

Michael presented the weekly music show "Pimp My Ipod with Michael Mee" on RTE 2xm radio for 8 years, a show he has revived as a podcast in lockdown.  He is currently working on a non-fiction book.

"Woody Allen with a Cork brogue"-Time Out New York 
"Superb"-Hot Press
"He is certainly on a par with Tommy Tiernan and Dylan Moran"-Dublin Event Guide
"The brightest Irish comedy talent of recent times"-Sunday Times

Twitter @Michael_Meetoo

Pimp my Ipod http://www.pimpmyipod.wordpress.com./

Meryl O Rourke (Comedian & TV Writer)

Acclaimed stand-up comic and TV writer Meryl O'Rourke –revels in her bitterness. She has delighted comedy audiences, written some of the best gags on telly and even hosted pop concerts (last one to 12,000 people!)

A sought after gag writer, Meryl has written for Jason Manford at the Olivier Awards, Dress To Impress ITV2, Have I Got News for You, Room 101, and 3 series of Mock the Week. She worked on all series of Frankie Boyle's New World Order, his documentaries on Scotland & Russia, script edited his special Excited For You To See And Hate This. She also script edited a new sitcom The Weekly Wembley and wrote for burlesque star Ivy Paige (The Voice)

She has been a regular support for Frankie Boyle since 2010 where she opened for him at the Hammersmith Apollo. In his book Work!Consume!Die! he calls Meryl "Inspiringly funny".

"5 * * * * * As near perfect as you can find. Charming delivery keep the audience in no doubt they've just seen one of this year's fringe highlights" British Comedy Guide

Follow @merylorourke

 

Matt Price (Comedian)

Matt Price has been a comedian for a very long time. He has performed in 30 countries including fiver tours of Australia and he hosts a podcast called Conversations with criminals. He is known as a storytelling comedian (but with plenty of jokes) but he is an all-rounder who can turn up at pretty much any room and entertain whoever is in the audience. Apart from the odd disaster, running for his life in Turkey and the gig at Broadmoor maximum security hospital, it’s gone well.

Kieran Lawless (Comedian)

Kieran is an Irish comedian now based in Manchester. He has worked in comedy clubs across Ireland and the UK including supporting Patrick Kielty in Dublin's Olympia Theatre.

He has appeared on RTE television twice as a Stand Up and has scooped a number of New Comedian awards.

"exceedingly entertaining, highly energised and side splittingly funny" northwestend.co.uk

Sean Meo (Comedian)

Sean Meo has been a stand up comic since 1989. Before that, he had been a full-time snooker player, and was a quarter finalist in the English Amateur Championships of 1987.

He is now one of the most established names on the comedy circuit, and regularly headlines at Jongleurs and The Comedy Store where he is a member of The Cutting Edge topical comedy team.

He was named best stand-up by Time Out in 1997, he appeared at the Kilkenny, Cork and Montreal Comedy Festivals. He and made his Edinburgh Festival debut in Catch 23 and starred in four TV ads for the Vauxhall Vectra SRI.

Javier Costales (Comedian & Artist)

Javier Costales is talked about as surreal, absurdist, observational, daft and satirical; but he doesn’t stand as a novelty, neither does he mirror what you think you know about Stand-up Comedy.

He’s performed some truly unique gigs including gigs at the national portrait gallery and in front of St. Paul’s cathedral. “You may have heard whispers about our local cult hero..” In his own idiosyncratic way every tool is at his hand and punchlines spring out of unlikely places. Once you laugh with him Comedy for you will never be the same.

"Javier performs an accomplished set, his musings follow on seamlessly as he treats us to some well thought out and entertaining material."

Broadway Baby

Leo Kearse (Comedian)

Comedian Leo Kearse is part of the new wave of raw, bold, American-inspired comedians taking the big UK clubs by storm. His “Extinction Rebellion” video slamming woke lefties went viral, selling out shows in the UK. Meanwhile, Leo’s popularity abroad is rocketing, with 2019 seeing him perform in 20 countries. Among various credits, Kearse has written for BBC shows including Breaking The News, Mock The Week and The Mash Report. Leo played Mick Fleetwood in the ITV drama Breaking The Band: Fleetwood Mac. Leo is also the co-creator of sell-out show Hate 'n' Live, which has improvising comedians hating on audience suggestions - Whose Line Is It Anyway? meets Room 101.

• Scottish Comedian of the Year 2017/18
• UK Pun Champion 2015

Press Quotes

"Genuinely thought-provoking...hugely entertaining….a warm and personal show” ★★★★ THE SCOTSMAN

“A triumphant hour of outrageous and dark jokes, not pushing but gleefully running straight through the boundaries of taste and acceptability in today's "woke" culture” - BRITISH COMEDY GUIDE RECOMMENDED SHOW

"Kearse is seriously good. Quick, funny, smart and to the point...hilarious" - KATE COPSTICK

"A giant of the art" - STEVE BENNETT, CHORTLE

“Rampantly self-interested, prone to generalisations and stereotypes, and with a penchant for punching down rather than up...the audience were roaring with laughter” - One4Review.co.uk

"The fact he gets belly laughs out of global warming, self-identification and the unequal distribution of white privilege does not make him a racist, transphobic monster, just a very good comic” ★★★★ THE SCOTSMAN

"Very funny, very dirty, occasionally shocking, but edgily likeable and happily endearing, eliciting the guilty pleasure of laughter from a wide-eyed audience" - ★★★★ THE LIST

"Very tall and very funny... such energy and aplomb that the audience is left powerless to resist... one of the most enjoyable shows of the Fringe" - THREE WEEKS ****

“Really does soar to some great comedic heights” - THE LIST

https://www.scottishcomedian.com

Twitter @Leokearse

 

Nathan Cassidy (Comedian)

Nathan Cassidy is a British comedian and podcaster. He was nominated for Best Show at the Leicester Comedy Festival 2020 for his show 'Observational'.^[1] This show was widely reported in the press as the only live show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2020.^[2] The show was given four stars by The Times which reviewed it as 'The best show at the Fringe. A classic, structured, rollercoaster Fringe hour...star-in-waiting...he is untouchable.'^[3] Previously he was nominated for a Malcolm Hardee Award in 2012, won best solo comedy show on the Buxton Fringe in 2014,^[4][5] and was nominated for the same award in 2015,^[6] 2016,^[7] 2017^[8] and 2019.^[9] He has also won the Sir Michael Caine Award for new writing in theatre.^[10] He also presents the ongoing weekly podcast Psycomedy about the Psychology of stand-up comedy.^[11]

Al Lubel (Comedian)

Al Lubel became a lawyer to satisfy his mother and quit to become a comedian to satisfy his sadistic need to torture her. After graduating law school in Florida, Al moved to California, passed the bar exam on his first try and immediately began the practice of standup comedy.

Al practiced law during the day and comedy at night. Getting stage time is hard for a beginning comic, so Al would sometimes suddenly stand up in the middle of Denny's, and unannounced, do five minutes. And Al always did well because he had everyone's rapt attention because people were scared he might hurt them!

Al gradually improved at comedy, getting work on the road and leaving the law behind. Within a year he won the $100,000 Comedy Grand Prize on Star Search. Doing the Tonight Show was a big childhood fantasy, so Al auditioned and became one of the last comics to appear with Johnny Carson. Al went on to do six more Tonight Show appearances with Jay Leno and made five appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman.

Al has also played an attorney on the Blake Clark HBO Comedy Hour and has been featured in the Showtime and PBS special, A Standup Life. He has appeared on all seven episodes of the ESPN series, Bill Walton's Long Strange Trip.

Al's solo show, Al Alone, won the Amused Moose Award Judges Prize as the best one person show in the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He also was nominated for best performer for a solo show by the Barry Awards at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

But Al does admit to missing the practice of law. As he says, "I'd like to have just one more trial, something serious like a murder trial, because right before I give my closing argument and my client's entire fate hinges on each and every word I say, I want to see his face when I turn to him and whisper, I'm a comedian!"

"Al Lubel is a terrifically funny comedian." - David Letterman

www.allubel.com