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Nichol & Edinburgh Comedy Winners Hit West End

Top comedy acts from this year’s Edinburgh Fringe are heading to the West End’s Garrick Theatre next month for a showcase of winners and finalists of the first-ever if.comeddies awards.

Previously the Perriers (See News, 14 Jun 2006), the newly named if.comeddies are now sponsored by Scotland-based mortgage company Intelligent Finance, and are bestowed to stand-ups each August at the Edinburgh Fringe, the world's largest arts festival. There are three categories in the awards: Best Comedy Show (with a prize of £8,000), Best Newcomer (prize of £4,000) and Panel Prize (£4,000).

The West End season kicks off with Best Newcomer Josie Long and Best Comedy nominee David O'Doherty on 5 and 6 October 2006, performing their respective shows Kindness and Exuberance and David O'Doherty Is My Name, a “very low-energy musical whimsy” about his life. 2003 Perrier Best Newcomer nominee Michael McIntyre performs An Evening with Michel McIntyre, alongside Brendon Burns with Part Three of the Brendon Vs Burnsy Trilogy: Sober Not Clean, on 7 October.

If.comeddies award nominee Paul Sinha performs Saint or Sinha - about his pride in the fact that he fits into not one but three comedy stereotypes: he’s Asian, gay and a doctor – alongside Panel Prize winner Mark Watson with I’m Worried That I’m starting to Hate almost Everyone in the World on 13 and 14 October 2006.

On 20 and 21 October, if.comeddies award nominee Russell Howard performs jokes, jives, banter and stories aplenty in Wandering, alongside fellow nominee We Are Klang, a trio fusing old-school and modern sensibilities to create a sketch show called Klangbang.

Stephen K Amos showcases All of Me on 26 October 2006, along with the If.comeddies Award Winner Phil Nichol (pictured) with his show The Naked Racist, which is also showing on 27 and 28 October. During last month’s festival, Nichol also starred in play revivals of Eric Bogosian’s Talk Radio, for which he was nominated for The Stage’s Best Actor award, and Sam Shepard’s True West. He’s previously appeared in the West End in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest with Christian Slater.

Concluding the if.comeddies season at the Garrick, from 6 to 11 November, Charles Ross performs his One Man Star Wars Trilogy. One of the most talked about shows at this year’s Edinburgh Festival, this is a one-hour, high energy, non-stop blast through the first three Star Wars films - but with just one cast member.

- by Caroline Ansdell

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