CULTURE 09
england. be part of it.
Birmingham Comedy Festival
Birmingham Comedy Festival returns this autumn with another stellar line‐up of top
comedic talent, including a celebration of a British comedy institution, a 1980’s pop
superstar and one of the UK’s biggest comedians.
Headlining is none other than Michael McIntrye, who’ll be appearing at Birmingham’s huge National Indoor Arena for three consecutive nights (Oct 7‐9, The NIA). Michael's brilliantly engaging delivery and effortless rapport with the audience has led to him being hailed, by audiences and critics alike, as the best new stand‐up to emerge for years.
The festival is also celebrating the 40th anniversary of Monty Python with screenings of Monty Python And TheHoly Grail (Oct 3, Electric Cinema) and Monty Python’s Life Of Brian (Oct 5, Electric Cinema). There’s also anappearance by cult musician and comedian Neil Innes (Oct 4, The Station pub, Sutton Coldfield). A founder of ‘60s
act the Bonzo Dog Doo‐Dah Band, Innes worked alongside the Python team during the ‘60s and ‘70s, appearing inboth films as well as various spin‐offs, such as The Rutles and Rutland Weekend Television, both with Eric Idle.Having made its world premiere at Birmingham’s Rep theatre back in 1996, writer Ayub Khan‐Din’s hilarious East
Is East returns to the venue (Sep 25‐Oct 17, The Rep). Set in 1971, the play – later turned into a BAFTA‐winning movie – is a warm‐hearted story of two cultures clashing in one family as chip shop owner George Khan attempts
to raise his children in the traditional manner.
Other acts appearing at the annual city‐wide arts festival include Gavin And Stacey’s Rob Brydon (Oct 3,Symphony Hall), grouchy US comic Rich Hall and his alter ego Otis Lee Crenshaw (Oct 4, The Glee Club), Mock The Week’s Andy Parsons (Oct 7, The Glee Club) and Stewart Francis (Oct 9, The Station pub , Sutton Coldfield).
There’s also return appearances from Josie Long (Oct 2, Electric Cinema), the Arctic Monkeys’ approved punk poet John Cooper Clarke (Oct 2, Hare & Hounds pub, Kings Heath), Robin Ince (Oct 8, Electric Cinema), David O’Doherty (Oct 9‐10, The Glee Club) and Felix Dexter (Oct 2, The Drum).
As always, local talent takes a central role in the festivities thanks to Jo Enright, of Britain’s Got The Pop Factor and Lab Rats fame, Mrs Barbara Nice, Nadeem Rangzeb, Craig Deeley, James Cook, Dr Johnny Facade, Ted
Chippington, Lee Dempsey, Sheila M, Andy Robinson and the award‐winning comedian and writer Shazia Mirza.
There’s also a free comedy pub quiz (Oct 6 The Victoria, John Bright St, Bham), artist Steve Lilly’s detailed portraits of classic British comedy (Sept 25‐Oct 28, Kitchen Garden Cafe), and an unexpected collaboration between Duran Duran bassist John Taylor and Mexican artist Laureana Toledo at Eastside Projects (Abstract Cabinet Show, Sep 26‐Nov 8, Eastside Projects).
• For more information, full listings, interviews and features, see:
www.bhamcomfest.co.uk
Also on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.