The Comedy Defect

Chris Kent (Comedian)

Hailing from ‘The Rebel County’ (That’s Cork for anyone outside Ireland), Chris gave up the day job as an electrician to pursue his calling in comedy. He emerged onto the Irish comedy scene in 2009 after winning the Bulmers Nuttin’ But Funny competition.

In 2010 Chris made his debut at one of Ireland’s biggest comedy festivals in Dublin’s Iveagh Gardens. His compelling storytelling then went on to win him the Comedy Smack Down Award at the Galway Comedy Festival later that year.
He quickly established himself on the Irish circuit and became sought out to open for some of his favourite acts, including Dylan Moran, David O’ Doherty, PJ Gallagher and Neil Delamare to name but a few.

In 2012 Chris was listed as “One To Watch” in The Dubliner Magazine’s Red Hot and Rising and went on to make his debut at the prestigious Cat Laughs festival in Kilkenny.

In August, Chris brought his first solo show ‘Plugged In’ (‘Breathes new life into anecdotal comedy’ -The List, ★★★★ Cream of the Fringe) to the Edinburgh Festival, where he fell ill after contracting the mumps. This was initially diagnosed as ‘just Edinburgh’ by fellow comedians. However, the large lump on his face was later confirmed as a genuine illness, and not simply ‘all in his head’. He had to cancel two shows to avoid creating an epidemic, although he’s not sure anybody noticed…

Chris returned to Ireland with broken dreams but mump free, to take up his seat on RTE Radio 1’s comedy panel show The Second Republic, alongside PJ Gallagher and Neil Delamare.

After a tough debut year, which he put down to “everybody in the world being in London for the Olympics”, Chris was determined to return to Edinburgh fighting. 2013 saw him perform his second solo show ‘Second Fix’ with a full bill of health and much healthier crowd numbers. This time he only had to cancel one show due to a delayed flight, and was delighted that people did notice (albeit being a bit annoyed at him).
He returned home that year, after a much happier Edinburgh experience, with a new UK agent.

In December, Chris was chosen to support Bill Burr in Vicar Street, on his only Irish date that year. He made his Irish television debut on New Years Eve as a panelist on RTE’s Next Year’s News.

In 2014 Chris took part in an Irish documentary The Stand Ups, which followed the lives of five Irish comedians. This gave a behind the scenes glimpse into the everyday life of a comedian, and followed Chris as he prepared for his third Edinburgh solo show ‘Corked’. ‘Fresh and original material, extremely endearing performer’ ★★★★ Broadway Baby. ★★★★ Threeweeks.

In 2015 Chris made his UK TV debut on Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central. Shortly afterwards, he moved to the UK to try and establish himself on the UK comedy scene, where he has quickly become a favourite at some of the top clubs.

He brought his fourth solo show ‘Stop Stalling’ (‘Original, hilarious material, Among the best acts I’ve seen ★★★★★ The Mirror) to the Edinburgh Festival.
He returned home after once again miscalculating his final shop and leaving behind half a bottle of shower gel and a box of cornflakes (unopened), and taking with him only resentment for the landlord that charged seven times the rent for an apartment that couldn’t possibly have been up any more stairs…

In 2016 Chris performed at the Perth Fringe. It was warm. He took a break from Edinburgh, assuming that “everybody in the world would be in Rio for the Olympics”. He did however go on to do his first Irish tour with ‘Stop Stalling’, performing to sell out crowds. It was cold.

Chris is currently working on his fifth hour, which he will be bringing to the Edinburgh Festival and beyond in 2017.

https://chriskentcomedy.com

Lynn Ruth Miller (Commedienne)

Lynn Ruth Miller

Born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1933, Lynne Ruth Miller claims to be the oldest performing stand-up comedian on both sides of the Atlantic.

She only started in at 71, after a career as a writer, tutor and newspaper columnist.

She made it to Las Vegas in America’s Got Talent, 2008, and won the Time Out and Soho Theatre award for best cabaret show at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe for her show Granny’s Gone Wild.

Miller moved to the UK permanently in 2014, taking up residence in Brighton.

 

Stephen Carlin (Comedian)

Stephen Carlin is a Scottish-born stand-up comedian and writer, now living in London. He was named by Stewart Lee as one of the 'Ten Best Comedians In The World Ever'^{[citation needed]}. He has appeared on television and radio including ITV2's Comedy Cuts and The Milk Run on BBC Radio 1. He is represented by Glorious Management.^[1]

He supported Stewart Lee on his “90s Comedian” tour and Tom Stade on his “Totally Rocks” tour. He has also supported Stephen Merchant and Felix Dexter on their national tours.

He appeared in Season 1 and 2 of Comedy Central’s The Alternative Comedy Experience.

Carlin has written for many radio shows including The News Quiz, The Now Show, Look Away Now, Recorded for Training Purposes, and Laura Solon Talking and Not Talking.

He was the holder of the BBC Radio writers bursary 2008-2009.

He was runner up in the BBC’s new writing competition “Witty and Twisted” in 2006.^[2]

He subsequently wrote and performed a series of mockumentaries for BBC Radio 4 Extra “Gus Murdoch’s Sacred Cows”.^[3]

Carlin co-created BBC Radio 4’s ‘The Headset Set’ along with fellow writer James Kettle.^[4]

Susan Murray (Comedian)

“Feisty fire-headed pocket rocket “Broadway Baby.

 “Her ability to make quirky connections allows her to build a compelling believable and richly funny picture of 21^st century womanhood..Anyone who loves the work of Sarah Millican and Kerry Godliman will find plenty to enjoy here” The Guardian

Susan has emerged as one of the best female stand-ups in the UK and was the first ever woman to MC Decompression gigs for the British Army / CSE. She is in the top 100 Huffington Post funny women Tweeters.  She’s wrote for and was a guest on Jeremy Hardy Talks To The Nation and has also starred in Stephen K Amos’ Idiots Guide both for Radio 4. She has penned 4 successful solo shows at the Edinburgh Festival as well as performing in several comedy plays and sketches.  She  made her TV acting debut in the 3rd series of ITV’s “The Job Lot” alongside Jo Enright and Russell Tovey. She is currently presenting on East London Radio  and about to go on tour with Britain’s Got Talent star Daliso Chaponda.

Not only that Susan has penned a chapter about comedy in Counter Culture UK A Celebration.

She has written and starred in the topical web show ‘Britain’s Got People’  with Dave Cohen ( Have I Got News For You/ Horrible Histories). Susan is working nationally for the majority of promoters and clubs in the UK and has gigged internationally; Quatar, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Germany, Luxembourg, Brussels, Ireland. Her versatility means that as well as corporate gigs Susan works  Biker Festivals and music festivals including Glastonbury, Bestival, The Big Chill, Reading, V,  Download.  Acting credits include starring in the TV comedy drama “Love, Lies and Lipstick” for ITV, Arthur Smith Sings Leonard Cohen (Pleasance, Edinburgh Festival and Garrick London) and Itch Scratch at The Pleasance Theatre.

Luke Stephen (Comedian)

Luke Stephen first started as a playwright in 2003. By 2004 his play The Final Days of Simon Bacon received rave reviews and had a successful three-night sell out run at the Palace Theatre in Southend, Essex.

In 2007 he turned to stand-up. In the following years he was a semi-finalist at the ‘Laughing Horse New Act of the Year’, and finalist at ‘Comedy Café New Act of the Year’. Since then Luke has been giving a fresh view on the world that surrounds him culminating in a debut show that is surely one not to be missed.

 

Twitter:@Luke_Stephen1

Instagram:  lukestephenfunnyman

Podcast: Luke Stephen, Crushing it!

Dave Green (Comedian)

Dave Green has been doing stand-up comedy since 2011. Since then his surreal one liners and deadpan delivery have fast proved popular with audiences and promoters alike. In 2013 he won the wild card vote in the BBC New Comedy Award securing him a place in the semi final which was broadcast on BBC Radio 2. In 2014 he was nominated by a panel of industry professionals to take part in the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year. He is also a finalist in the Leicester Square New Comedian 2012 and is the winner of the Comedy Knights Fresh Comedian 2014.

 “Fantastically original gags”
- Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke 

"A keen eye for the absurd" - Wee Review

“Could be a contender to follow in the footsteps of Milton Jones”.
- Steve Bennett, Chortle

Highly watchable deadpan style
– What’s on London

Adele Cliff (Comedian)

Adele is a stand-up comedian who already has two Edinburgh Fringe Festivals under her belt. She has recently returned from three months in the States where she trained in improv and comedy writing at the world renowned Second City Training Centre in Chicago and gigged extensively in Chicago and New York City.

Her many stand-up gigs include Leamington Comedy Festival, Bath Comedy Festival, Leicester Comedy Festival, Nottingham Comedy Festival, Women in Comedy Festival Manchester, Brighton Fringe Festival, Great Yorkshire Fringe Festival, Backyard Comedy Club, Angel Comedy, The Stand, Komedia Brighton, Vegfest, Mirth Control and Glee Club, Birmingham amongst many more.

In the US Adele has performed at The Laugh Factory, Gotham Comedy Club, Broadway Comedy Club, The Comic Strip Live, Zanies Chicago and The Second City.

Awards include;
Dave’s Funniest Jokes of the Fringe 2017 & 2016
Huffington Post’s Ten Must See New Acts Edinburgh Fringe 2016
Finalist Nottingham Comedy Festival New Act of the Year 2016
Finalist Bath Comedy Festival New Act of the Year 2016
Semi Finalist New Comedian of the Year 2016
Semi Finalist Laughing Horse New Act of the Year 2015

“It’s rare to see a female comedian who specialises in one liners and Adele does this with great accomplishment. The skill of joke writing coupled with her likeable stage persona, mean that Adele is a very promising comic talent. Her material is consistently intelligent, witty and, most importantly, very funny.” – Lynne Parker, Founder, Funny Women.

“I find her really annoying to watch, as I’m constantly kicking myself for not having thought of those gags first.” – Gary Delaney

Conor Drum (Comedian, Actor)

'Brilliant' (GetReading.co.uk)

‘Delivers high quality material’ (Skinny)

'A skilled raconteur' (MumbleComedy)

Conor Drum is an actor, comedian and writer from Dublin now based in Central London, he has performed on both RTÉ and the BBC's New Comedy Awards and has worked in entertainment for several years. He has appeared in several national commercials, shorts, voice-overs, televisionand film projects. 

A regular on the UK comedy circuit, Conor has performed comedy all over the world fromBarcelona to Los Angeles and South Africa. He has also brought several successful shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival including the acclaimed 'All My Friends Are Dead'. 

Over Christmas 2017 Conor opened for Jeff Garlin(Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Goldbergs) over several nights, during his sold out Soho Theatre run.

In 2014 Conor went to New York as the star of Irish comedy Scratch, which was named one of the Top 12 Short Films of the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival.

Instagram:conordrum

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/conordrum/ 

Twitter: @conordrum 

 

Trev Tokabi (Comedian)

Trev is currently preparing for his first solo show, full run at the Edinburgh Fringe 2018 called "Cool Story Bro'!". He will also be doing a work in progress at the Hastings Fringe. If you can't particularly wait that long, he will be doing a spot on March 15th at Top Secret in London.

Twitter: @trevtokabi

Insta: @TrevTokabi

Facebook: Trev Tokabi

Ben Clover (Comedian)

Ben Clover is a stand-up and writer based in London. Over the years he has written and performed one-man shows on local newspapers and inheritance tax as well as performing at an Oxford Union debate and the Cambridge Science Festival three times. He gigs regularly across Britain and will be taking his fourth solo show to the Edinburgh festival in 2018.

Twitter: benclover_

benclover.weebly.com