Edinburgh preview shows from:

	Jeff Green Life Ache "To torture a man you have to know his pleasures" (Stanislaw Lem). Jeff Green, new husband and father - how's he taking it? All new stand-up show from "one of the best there is" (Guardian) Comedy Store - Jeff Green Special (Ch5) Jeff Green-Up West (ITV special) recorded at The Gielgud Theatre in the West End Jeff Green Live (ITV), 45 minute TV special, recorded at Her Majesty's Theatre The Clive James Show (ITV) They Think It's All Over (BBC1) Never Mind The Buzzcocks (BBC2) Have I Got News For You (BBC2) The Big Breakfast (Ch4) The Late Jonathan Ross (ITV) The Jeff Green Show (ITV) South Bank Comedy Special (ITV)
	Phil Nichol 8 Nights Only Winner of the 2006 if.comeddie award (which is the crap new name for what was The Perrier - the top mantlepiece ornament at The Edinburgh Festival). This year, multi-award-winner Phil presents a back-to-basics stand-up show. No theme, no story, no band, nothing fancy, just jokes and funny songs. We would like to place a bet that it is also characterised by his usual complete disregard for personal dignity. "hovers between insanity and brilliance" (Sunday Times) "explosively abrasive and buttock clenchingly funny as ever......amazingly rabidly good, just go and see him" (Three weeks) "The face of an angel, the tongue of a whore and the energy of a toddler on an IrnBru binge" (The Times) "Skipping nimbly back and forth across the line that divides comedy and dementia" (The Scotsman)

Edinburgh preview shows from:

	Ed Byrne As an observational stand up Ed Byrne is unrivalled. With hit UK tours, a 2 week London run at a big West End theatre, many, many TV appearances and huge DVD sales, he's one of the UK's top comedy attractions. He is also massive success on the international circuit where he has performed to capacity audiences in theatres and at festivals all over the world. Far too many TV credits to list here including Mock The Week, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Buzzcocks, Graham Norton's Bigger Picture, Have I Got News For You and 5 appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien Six total sellout runs at The Edinburgh Festival - biggest selling show of the festival in 2007 "Comic gold... Loveable... You just stand up and cheer with everybody else" (The Independent) "He is given a tumultuous welcome. By the end of the night heady anticipation has turned into something close to rapture" (Time Out) "Tickets for his shows are like gold dust... Truly a master of the art of comedy" (The List) "A real comedy star" (Irish Times)
	Danny Bhoy Danny's rarely in The UK these days - he's moved to Australia and is about to make it big in the USA. He's among the most popular performers at The Edinburgh Festival each year, selling out the biggest venues since 2001 (that's 700+ people every day for a month), but he's nowhere near as famous in England as he is in Scotland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada because he's never toured all that much here. If we were you, we'd take the opportunity to see him while you can. "In a comedy landscape littered with concept humour and art-house themed shows, Danny Bhoy's high-energy, topical, observational comedy is a breath of fresh air." (The Face) " His quick witted delivery reminds you of just how good real stand-up can be" (Daily Express) "Mesmerising stage presence... a comic for the new Millennium" (Evening Standard) "he's not just pretty, he's pretty funny, too with some fantastic, well-honed routines to go with that winning personality" (Chortle)

	Stephen K Amos Stephen's the best standup in the universe right now and he'll be disappearing off to TV land soon with a new sitcom in production, so catch him live and intimate while you still can. Winner: Best Stand Up - Time Out Live Awards 2004 Have I Got News For You (BBC2) Time Gentlemen Please (Sky1) The 11 O'Clock Show (Ch4) "the embodiment of charisma" (chortle.co.uk) "As sharp as Godzilla's Nails" "One of the best comperes in the business" (Time Out) "keeps the gags flowing thick and fast with sharp observations and stories" (Metro) "A lovely warm manner .......a great performer" (The Times)
	Harry Hill BAFTA Award for Best Comedy Performance 2006 plus many, many other BAFTA, British Comedy and Perrier awards and nominations Harry Hill's TV Burp (ITV1) (5 series) The All New Harry Hill Show (ITV1) Harry Hill (Ch4) The Late Show With David Letterman (7 appearances) VAST amounts of other primetime TV Massive DVD sales Huge national tours
	Zoe Lyons Every now and then, a comic hits a streak of form - like an athlete or... something. Well, Zoe's the form comic on the circuit at the moment. Our spies tell us that she's burning up every gig she plays. We've considered her excellent for ages, so we're very pleased that we booked her now. if.comeddie Best Newcomer nominee 2007 "intelligent and insightful" (Edinburgh Fest Magazine) "confident and razor sharp" (The Observer) "a razor-sharp talent" (The Scotsman) "razorily razor-like... like a razor, but even sharper and razorier" (we made that one up)

A bumper bill plus our annual FREE BBQ in the beer garden Doors open an hour earlier at 7.30pm

	Will Smith Time Out Comedy Award Winner for Outstanding Achievement 2004 Chortle Award Winner Best Headliner 2005 South Bank Show Breakthrough Artist Nominee 2005 Sony Radio Academy Awards Winner 2007 for Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive Time Gentlemen Please (Sky1) Happiness (BBC) A Wife For William (Ch4) The Royal Variety Performance (ITV1) Time Trumpet (BBC2) The Charlotte Church Show (Ch4) Never Mind The Buzzcocks (BBC2) The Thick Of It (BBC2) Ruddy Hell! It's Harry And Paul (BBC1) The C Word: How We Came To Swear By It (BBC2) The Late Edition (BBC4) Moving Wallpaper (ITV1) The Omid Djalili Show (BBC1) The 11 O'Clock Show (Ch4)
	Simon Day Most famed for the array of wonderful characters he played on The Fast Show (Competitive Dad, Antonios Gubba from Chanel 9, Dave Angel, Eco-Warrior, etc.), Simon started out in live standup, winning Time Out's New Act Of The Year Award in 1991 with his legendary music hall character Tommy Cockles. He joined Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer for two tours and two series of Big Night Out and continued to work with Vic and Bob throughout the Nineties. After The Fast Show he appeared in the two spin-off series, Swiss Toni and Grass, both of which are massively underrated gems. Watch them again. He's an inherently funny man and we're very pleased to have him down to Colliers Wood as local know-it-all, poet and philosopher, Billy Bleach. The Fast Show (BBC1) Grass (BBC2) Swiss Toni (BBC3 & BBC1) Down The Line (Radio4) Love Soup (BBC1) Dr Who (BBC1) Heartbeat (ITV1) Jonathan Creek (BBC1) Saturday Zoo (Ch4) Paramount City (BBC1) Sensitive Skin (BBC2) Shakespeare In Love (film) Run Fat Boy Run (film)
	Geoff Norcott Geoff did our gig at The Royal College Of Music this year and was stunningly brilliant. It took us a while to find a free date in his diary, but we were prepared to wait because we know you'll love him.
	Susan Calman 2007 Scottish BAFTA winner for "Blowout" 2008 Chortle Best Sketch Or Character Act Award nominee "Everyone who knows anything about comedy knows that Susan is one of the funniest women around" (Daily Record) "A wee lassie with a big future" (The List) "Quick witted and engaging" (Chortle)
	Amadeus "A lively and very enjoyable comic" (Time Out) "One to watch!" (The London Magazine) "Quick witted, subtle, this guy reeked of confidence" (24 / 7)

	Ian Stone Ranked amongst the top ten standups in Britain by The Independent, Ian Stone is one of the most talented topical acts and comperes on the circuit. Edgy and provocative, he's also a member of the Comedy Store's critically acclaimed Cutting Edge team. He performed to 55,000 people in 40 days on tour with Ardal O'Hanlon and Alan Davies and became the first British stand-up to perform in Moscow. He's written gags for ITV's The Sketch Show and Alistair McGowan's Big Impression and more recently the Omid Djalili Show. He's also a regular contributor to the Guardian, The Observer and The Independent On Sunday. Mock The Week (BBC2) The Last Word (MORE4) The Late Edition (BBC4) Never Mind The Buzzcocks (BBC2) The 11 O'clock Show (Ch4) "seriously funny" (The Guardian) "a masterful exponent of self-mocking Jewish humour" (The Times) "like a cross between Tony Hancock and Frankie Howerd... Ultimately, it is the sheer quantity of funny material that really impresses" (The List) "a brilliant hour of seamless stand-up, flawless in its structure and flow" (Chortle)
	Stephen Merchant We bumped into Stephen at a gig on Sunday and loved the way he's moved on since he was with us last year. Really, really good. Come on now... you all know who he is. Golden Globes, BAFTAs, British Comedy Awards, you name it... Co-writer of The Office, co-writer and star of Extras (both BBC)
	Joe Wilkinson Stepped in at short notice for Nick Doody who couldn't make it and charmed us all with tales of falling out of trees and stuff. Marvelous. Had a small piece of white fluff stuck in his beard the whole way through for added comic value.
	Darren Ruddell Last Sunday, we went to The Laughing Horse New Act competition final, looking for any bright new potential stars and were blown away by the quality of this year's newbies. Winner of the competition was Darren Ruddell and even though it was a close thing, he did deserve the prize. We don't want to give anything away about the act or we may spoil it, but he'll be filling our ten minute spot this time, so come and see. "startlingly original... You will have never seen anything like this on a comedy stage before... very different, and funny with it" (Chortle)

	Gina Yashere Since knocking America's socks off in the final of "Last Comic Standing" last year, Gina has so much work over there that she's moved to LA. Popping back for a whistle-stop UK tour, she'll be coming to Roar With Laughter to warm up for the big theatre gigs. Gina's one of the very best and most in-demand comics in the business and we're extremely pleased to welcome her back. Don't miss this chance to catch her. "One of the best comics in the world" (The Guardian) "Enough spark to illuminate the Capital" (Evening Standard) First-ever British person to be on Def Comedy Jam Mock The Week (BBC2) Dawn French's Girls Who Do Comedy (BBC1) Comic Relief does Fame Academy (BBC1) Last Comic Standing (USA) finalist 2007 Co-hosted the 2006 MOBO Awards with Coolio Gina's Laughing Gear (CBBC)
	Danny Buckler Danny's a charming host and so is in great demand as a compere. He's also one of the most multi-talented acts on the circuit - a brilliant magician and excellent vocal impersonator. Funny Business (ITV1) Late Lounge (Bravo) Bedrock (ITV2) Supported Victoria Wood on tour
	Imran Yusuf The last time Imran came down to Colliers Wood, he was startlingly good. Gangling around the stage, all elbows and knees, ripping into himself in street slang. We were helpless with laughter - so many great gags in such a short time. He's a proper original who could really go places. "Charismatic and frenetic" (Time Out) "Sets a cracking pace with an impressive, rhythmic delivery, you can't help but get swept along with" (Chortle)

	Des Clarke A proper star up in Scotland where he has hosted BBC1's live Children in Need show since 2005, Des is still a bit of an industry secret down here. He's done a fair bit of TV presenting, applying his quick wit to interviewing the likes of Beyonce, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera for MTV and he won the prestigious British Radio Award for Presenter Of The Year in 2004 for his morning show on Beat 106 FM in Glasgow, but it's on stage where he really shines. He's still only 25, but he's been a standup for nearly 10 years now with sell out shows at the Edinburgh Festival in 2003-2005, the Glasgow Comedy Festival in 2003-2006 and appearances at the New York, Adelaide, Dublin and Dubai Comedy Festivals under his belt. He assures us that he has never appeared in Neighbours. Live Floor Show (BBC1) SM:TV (ITV1) "An irresistible comedian ... simply unmissable" (Daily Record) "A prodigious talent" (The List) "An awesome talent" (Daily Record) "Touched by genius ... displaying unjustifiable depths of talent in one so young" (Edinburgh Evening News)
	Lee Mack Lee came down to work on some new live material. Brilliant.
	Lloyd Langford Lloyd started his standup career while still at University and won Chortle's national student standup competition in 2004. His endearingly uncynical style stands out from the pack and our crystal ball tells us he has a promising future in the world of comedy. "The sharpest of comedy instincts and an innate grasp of timing and pace... Makes standup look deceptively simple." (Chortle) "Part of the new generation... a talented comedian." (The Guardian) "The new Prince Charming of comedy... Might well be the find of the year." (Paramount Comedy) "Some really fine gags... A lovely contrast of this very benevolent delivery with some quite edgy material." (The Observer)
	Jimmy McGhie Our ten minute act this time is one of the fastest rising young comics on the circuit. After only ten gigs, Jimmy reached the final of the prestigious So You Think You're Funny competition at the Edinburgh Festival, then the semi finals of the BBC New Talent competition and the final of the Amused Moose Star Search 2005. He now plays weekends at the Comedy Store and Jongleurs in London and gigs all over the country. His meteoric rise in standup looks likely to be matched in the world of acting, with some excelent TV roles in the pipeline.

	Stephen K Amos Stephen is one of the top comedians in the UK. He's won Time Out's award for Best Stand Up, featured on The Royal Variety Show and following an extraordinary performance on Live At The Apollo, has reached the top of the tree. He's in massive demand and doesn't really do club gigs any more, so we're extra pleased to be able to get him to play Colliers Wood. Royal Variety Show 2007 (ITV1) Live At The Apollo (BBC) Winner: Best Stand Up - Time Out Live Awards 2004 Batty Man (Ch4) Have I Got News For You (BBC2) Time Gentlemen Please (Sky1) The 11 O'Clock Show (Ch4) "the embodiment of charisma" (chortle.co.uk) "As sharp as Godzilla's Nails" "One of the best comperes in the business" (Time Out) "keeps the gags flowing thick and fast with sharp observations and stories" (Metro) "A lovely warm manner .......a great performer" (The Times)
	Justin Edwards One of Britain's most talented comedy actors and writers and a fixture on TV and Radio in recent times, Justin is also a gifted musician. We thought his brilliant song based show "Unaccompanied As I Am" was the highlight of the 2006 Edinburgh Festival and we've finally managed to persuade him to come down and perform some of it for us. If you enjoyed Tom Basden or Wilson Dixon over the past few weeks, you're in for a proper treat. Nominated: Perrier Award 2005 as Jeremy Lion Winner: Perrier Best Newcomer Award 2002 (with The Consultants) The Thick Of It (BBC4) Respectable (Five) Black Books (Ch4) Absolute Power (BBC) Peep Show (Ch4) Hardware (ITV) Sketchy (CBBC) Jammin (Radio 2) The News Quiz (Radio 4) Flight Of The Conchords (Radio 4) Buy Me Up TV (Radio 4) "his polite, articulate wit lulls the audience into a false sense of security, before building to punchlines of eye-watering earthiness" (Telegraph) "a charming, erudite host, with a quick mind efforlessly able to deftly improvise" (Chortle)
	Ron Vaudry One of Canada's top standups and a 25 year veteran of their circuit, Ron is known as a comedian's comedian with a tough, no nonsense, thought provoking stance. He's appeared at all the top festivals and clubs around the world and on TV regularly in Canada and The USA. Now he's come to the UK to give us the benefit of his wisdom. "As hard-boiled and urban as any native New Yorker" (The Scotsman) "Biting, sometimes cynical and almost always angry, he's mimicked but rarely mastered" (The Sun, Ottawa) "His rapier wit and existential angst shine through in his act like a dark beacon from hell" (NOW Magazine, Toronto) "He has about as much vulnerability as a porcupine on amyl nitrate. Vaudry is funny and fun to watch" (EYE Weekly, Toronto)
	John Smith John stepped in at short notice and was brilliantly funny. We look forward to bringing him back to do a longer set.

	Richard Herring Once half of a celebrated comedy partnership with Stewart Lee, Richard has gone on to much solo acclaim for his thought provoking standup shows and for writing and script editing some of the most popular TV comedy of the last few years (Little Britain, Time Gentlemen Please, etc.). We're very happy to finally get him down to Colliers Wood. Fist of Fun (BBC2) This Morning With Richard Not Judy (BBC2) Time Gentlemen Please (Sky) Heads Up with Richard Herring (2005) You Can Choose Your Friends (ITV1 - wrote and starred in) "Endlessly funny" (Sunday Times) "Brilliant" (Time Out) "Wonderfully funny" (Guardian)
	Wilson Dixon You might think that all the possible parodies and jokes about Country 'n' Western singers have already been done. It's a dead horse, forget it, nothing good will come of it. You're wrong. We thought the same thing until we saw Wilson Dixon. A clear, minty breath of beautiful fresh air with a stetson on, Wilson Dixon is one of the cleverest, funniest, out and out best acts we've seen in the last couple of years. "brilliantly oddball... countless quotable gags... a cult is born" (Chortle) "packs more laughs into the allotted time than one would think possible" (The Guardian Guide) "ingeniously funny" (Mail, NZ)
	James Branch You've probably heard his voice many times but don't even realise it. James has provided voiceovers for loads of ads, film and TV trailers. When not exercising his rich vocal talents for chunks of cash, he's one of the brightest and best up and coming acts on the circuit. He won most of the new comic awards on offer in 2006, including the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year (previous winners have included Johnny Vegas and Rhod Gilbert). "blisteringly confident delivery... he owns the stage like a comic with five times his experience" (Chortle)
	Jack Whitehall Our ten minute up-and-coming spot this time is taken by the ridiculously precocious Jack Whitehall. Most comics don't get started until they are world-weary and embittered. 19 year old Jack comes from a theatrical family and worked as a child actor, so all the usual rules are out the window. Fearlessness and charisma drove him into every major new talent final last year but he's developing quickly and his material is richer and more interesting every time we see him.

	Alistair Barrie Alistair has emerged as one of the leading comperes on the circuit in recent years. His friendly and engaging style masks a sharp and dry wit which he turns to many different subjects. Despite a fondness for topical material, Alistair also acknowledges that having a gynaecologist for a father is a major bonus for any emerging comic. Green Wing (Ch4) Richard and Judy (Ch 4) Loose Ends (Radio 4) The Sandi Toksvig Show (LBC) regular member of The Cutting Edge - the weekly satirical and topical show at The Comedy Store "Impressive ... Barrie's a natural, with an incisive intelligence behind his hilarious punchlines... Eloquent, slick and dynamic" (chortle.co.uk) "can drop from the highbrow to the gutter in the draw of a breath" (Metro) "Brilliant" (Time Out) "Brilliantly funny" (The Guardian)
	Andre Vincent Andre was born May 1964 in Woolworth's Department Store, Penge. A performer from the outset, he began playing street urchins for local drama groups from the age of three and as a young man, joined the circus. He travelled the world and somehow wound up as a standup compere in the southern states of America, where he opened for Bob Hope and Bill Hicks. Returning home to The UK, Andre quickly became one of the top circuit acts, appearing in countless radio and TV shows and even played himself in an episode of Byker Grove. The Late Edition (BBC4) Byker Grove (as himself) (BBC1) Harry Hill's Fruit Fancies (BBC2) The History Of Offensive Humour (CH4) Bodger and Badger (BBC1) Lee Evans Christmas Special (ITV) Hooray For Cancer (BBC3) "An improvising comedy genius" (The Guardian) "Ferociously Funny" (Sunday Times) "He possesses the energy of Lee Evans with the improvisational skills of Paul Merton and is one of the best comedians in the business" (The Times)
	Ava Vidal A former public school girl, teenage single mother, prison officer and victim of domestic violence, Ava sounds like she's in need of a laugh. Instead, she's found a job in which she dishes them out very generously to everyone else. She now writes regularly for The Independent and has a number of TV credits under her belt. We saw her last week storm an incredibly difficult gig full of BBC execs. From The Top - Ava Vidal (Ch4) Kings Of Comedy (Ch4) Eddie Izzard Presents a Late Night Cabaret (Radio 2) "Ava Vidal is a striking black comedienne with rising star written all over her" (The Guardian) "commands the stage... Very strong gags that compress big ideas into sharp, funny one-liners" (Chortle)
	Tom Deacon Filling our up-and-coming 10 minute slot this time is Tom Deacon. Winner of Chortle's Student comedy competition in 2007, Tom has already been signed up by one of the big agencies. We were very impressed when we went to see him. "slick stagecraft, bags of energy" (Chortle)

	Ed Byrne As an observational stand up Ed Byrne is unrivalled. With hit UK tours, a 2 week London run at a big West End theatre, many, many TV appearances and huge DVD sales, he's one of the UK's top comedy attractions. He is also massive success on the international circuit where he has performed to capacity audiences in theatres and at festivals all over the world. Far too many TV credits to list here including Mock The Week, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Buzzcocks, Graham Norton's Bigger Picture, Have I Got News For You and 5 appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien Six total sellout runs at The Edinburgh Festival - biggest selling show of the festival in 2007 "Comic gold... Loveable... You just stand up and cheer with everybody else" (The Independent) "He is given a tumultuous welcome. By the end of the night heady anticipation has turned into something close to rapture" (Time Out) "Tickets for his shows are like gold dust... Truly a master of the art of comedy" (The List) "A real comedy star" (Irish Times)
	Sean Meo Sean is one of the most distinguished, experienced and high profile acts on the circuit, a former winner of the Time Out Comedian Of The Year Award and an absolute dead cert to nail it at any gig he plays. He regularly headlines the biggest clubs and his list of TV, radio and writing credits is far too long to go into here. Suffice to say: wear your incontinence pants if you don't want to embarrass yourself. "Surreal, sexy.. and very very funny" (Evening Standard) "He can turn out intelligent material with a speed that many other comics can only gasp at" (Time Out) Have I Got News For You (BBC2) Saturday Live (ITV) They Think It's All Over (BBC1)
	Tom Basden A brilliant talent with a very bright future ahead of him, Tom is a member of two prominent sketch companies, an established comedy actor in TV and radio and as a solo act won the if.comeddie award for best newcomer at The Edinburgh Festival in 2007. Getting this year off to a decent start, he was nominated in The Chortle awards as best breakthrough act and for best full show and, with Tim Key, for the BAFTA Best Short Film award. For his next project he will be building a larger mantlepiece. After You've Gone (BBC1) Jam & Jerusalem (BBC1) Hyperdrive (BBC2) Living With Two People (BBC3 pilot) Cowards (BBC3 pilot) Star Stories (series 1 & 2) (Channel 4) Vital Signs (ITV1) "Reminiscent of Gary Larson's The Far Side" (The Independent) "Exquisitely crafted comedy" (Chortle) "marvelous" (Evening Standard) "A Comedy Genius" (The Guardian)
	Brian Gittins Hmmm... how to describe Brian Gittins? Well, he's a roadside cafe owner from Pyecombe near Brighton. He's having a bit of a go at standup comedy because a lot of his customers told him he's "quite funny". His wife, Cheryl, apparently has a fruity backside. We're not sure what that means but it could be quite unpleasant. "It's probably the best roadside cafe in West Sussex" (Steve Akehurst)

	Jeff Green Could there possibly be a better comic for Valentine's day? His most recent book The A-Z of Being Single: A Survival Guide to Dating and Mating has sold hundreds of thousands of copies and topped the Amazon chart. He's probably the most naturally charming standup around and one of the country's biggest touring acts, filling theatres across the nation. He's also been on just about every TV show there is. Don't miss him. "Pin sharp comedy beautifully delivered is the trademark" (Evening Standard) "Stand-up's most irresistible rogue" (The Guardian) "Only a comedian with great presence and self-belief could make a stage his home. Green makes it look easy" (Edinburgh Evening News) "The funniest stand-up in Britain" (The Sun)
	Matthew Osborn Matthew is a special talent. He created some very big waves back in 2002 when he won Channel 4's "So You Think You're Funny?" competition (past winners include Lee Mack, Tommy Tiernan, Dylan Moran and Peter Kay - losing finalists, Johnny Vegas, Ardal O'Hanlon and Ed Byrne). We all saw his supercilious, sinister act taking him on to bigger and better things but at some point in 2004, he packed it in like some sort of standup J D Salinger. When we heard recently that he was back, we rushed to see him and once we had, we went and saw him again. Then we remembered that we're in the business of booking comedians, so we did. His new stuff's even better than the old - still weird and unsettling, but crisper and less surreal with killer punchlines. Beautifully written and performed and very, very funny. And perfect for Valentine's Day.
	Debra-Jane Appelby Already a major award winner, pocketing both The Funny Women Award and The Leicester Mercury Comedian Of The Year in 2005 (The Leicester one really is quite a big deal, their comedy festival's the largest in the UK after Edinburgh). She's a fiesty Northern lass from Blackpool who doesn't stand for any messing and has recently been filming for both The BBC and Paramount Comedy Channel. "singled out for the strength and bravery of her set..." (Leicester Comedy Festival) "Her strength is in performance, confident, punchy" (chortle.co.uk) "a warm, charismatic standup" (The List) "has won a stack of awards. Go see why" (ScotsGay)
	Another special guest (it was Tim Vine) A man familiar to us all at Roar With Laughter (both from his appearances on our TV screens and at the club) will be coming down to try out a few new jokes.

Hurrah - it's our 12th Birthday

	Terry Alderton Considered by many comics to be the best performer on the circuit. Always brings the house down at Roar With Laughter. Perrier Award Nominee The Royal Variety Show (ITV) Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels (Ch4) London's Burning (ITV) Friday Night's All Wright (ITV) Saturday Live (ITV) National Lottery Red Alert (BBC1) Holby City (BBC1)
	Dan Antopolski A triple Perrier Award nominee, Dan Antopolski has built himself a reputation for being one of the most inventive, intelligent, edgy and unusual comics around. Highly rated by other comics for his talent and intelligence, Dan has collaborated with some big stars - he was part of the Mighty Boosh's early stage show and Lee Mack's live sketch show. Hyperdrive (BBC2) Harry Hill's TV Burp (ITV1) Played Jesus in The Da Vinci Code movie (Yes. Really.) Flight Of The Conchords (BBC Radio 2) Time Gentlemen Please (Sky1) Out To Lunch (BBC Radio 2) Live Floor Show (BBC2) Comedy Cuts (ITV2) The Dan Antopolski Radio Show (BBC Radio 2) "Quite simply the daftest, silliest and most uplifting show I have seen" (The Observer) "A genuine original" (Metro) "A craftsman of wonderfully inspired one-liners" (Chortle)
	Stephen Grant A cult figure at the award winning Komedia in Brighton, where he plays host to over 900 people every weekend, his live work as a headliner and compere can be seen at all the top UK venues. Inside Out (BBC1) Stephen Grant's Journey To The Wasteland (BBC2) "Britain's best comedy compere" (Fest) "F***ing Funny" (Viz) "One of the best - Brilliant" (Independent) "Hysterically funny from start to finish" (Sunday Express)
	Frank Sanazi Something a bit different for our ten minute spot this time around. A lounge crooner with an almost obsolete style of moustache, singing from the heart on the subject of despots, dictators and terrorists. Flying solo, without his pals from the Iraq Pack - Saddami Davis Junior, Osama Bing Crosby and Dean Stalin. We promise you'll never, ever have seen anything quite like it. Resistance is futile!
Anthony, Edward and David will also be finding new and ever more harrowing ways to humiliate themselves through the medium of song.

	Andy Parsons A superstar of standup (Winner of Time Out's Best Comedy Award in 2002) and a fixture on TV and radio, we're very pleased to have coaxed him down to Colliers Wood. Andy is one of Britain's funniest men. A specialist in up to the minute, intelligent material but never preachy or patronising, he has a special knack for cutting out the waffle and distilling issues down to their simple essentials. Having written for some of the best comedy shows of the 1990s (Spitting Image, Saturday Live, Smith & Jones, etc.), Andy has put out 8 series of his own Radio 2 sketch show Parsons & Naylor's Pull Out Sections (with comedy partner Henry Naylor). More recently he has written for and appeared in Murder Most Horrid (BBC2), Have I Got News For You (BBC1), They Think It's All Over (BBC1) and is currently a regular panelist on topical gameshow Mock The Week (BBC2). "a klaxon sounding ruthless common sense. Very funny" (The Guardian) "One of the few comics to have made me blow snot into my pie! A must see" (Time Out) "Reduced the audience to helpless tears of laughter" (Sunday Times) "A comedy demi-godÉ he's very funny indeed" (Evening Standard)
	Danny Bhoy Danny's rarely in the country these days - he's moved to Australia and is about to make it big in the USA after knocking their TV industry's socks off at The Montreal Just For Laughs Festival. We were lucky enough to hear that he's working on a new show and he's coming down to Colliers Wood to try some of it out on our lovely audience.
	Russell Kane Russell Kane wanted to become a standup comedian for ten years before he finally plucked up the courage to get on stage. He immediately shot to the top of every promoter's watch list. With excellent reviews and great word of mouth, he was signed up to the biggest agency and his career has continued on the same vertiginous path with radio and TV jobs, festival appearances and award nominations trailing in his wake. Big Brother's Big Mouth (Ch4 & E4) Comic Relief Does Fame Academy (BBC3) Host and face of TV channel FIVE US "Russell Kane's level of ability is amazing" (Time Out) "I nearly spat my Chablis over the pashmina of the woman in front of me" (Scotland on Sunday) "His rise to meteoric heights is about to begin" (Metro)
	Stephen Carlin An enigmatic presence who uses a unique pattern of delivery to amuse audiences with unexpected and off the wall references. From his sartorial elegance to his atrociously retentive knowledge of International snooker, his performance gives an insight into the mind of a passionate obsessive. This man is on his way to become Scotland's newest addition to its history of brilliant comedians. "one of the most distinctive, and funniest, new comedians in Britain... a man who deserves to go far" (chortle.co.uk) "storming... if this man isn't a household name in five years' time, the world is even more lacking in justice than we could have feared" (The Scotsman)
	Holly Walsh Holly's doing our 10 minute newcomer slot this time round. She started as a comedian less than 2 years ago but has already been in the final of just about every new act competition and has written for some of the top names in the business. She's in Frank Skinner's new pilot, is appearing in and writing for an increasing number of radio and TV shows and is generally held to be one of the best up and coming comics on the scene. "she's warm and has an appealing style to her that's quirkily offbeat. She's got some good gags... puns that are in turns clever and silly, sometimes both at once" (Chortle)

	Andrew Lawrence In a world of standup comedy where it's pretty difficult to be truly original or to really stand out, Andrew Lawrence somehow manges to do both. His gravel voiced psycho character is certainly not for the squeamish, but much of his impact comes from the quality of the jokes and his needle sharp articulacy. Anyone out here who's a fan of something a bit different and likes their comedy well put together and captivatingly performed, we'd advise you to come and see Andrew. Nominee: If.Comeddies Comedy Award 2007 - the biggest prize in live comedy Just completed a sell-out solo run at The Soho Theatre Nominee: If.Comeddies Best Newcomer 2006 - for his first full one hour show Nominee: Sony Radio Awards 2006 Winner: BBC New Act of the Year Competition 2004 "one of the most likeable and exciting acts around... It's a joy to be in his contemptuous company" (The Times) "a natural born funnyman" (The Guardian) "bloody funny" (The List) "A picaresque cross between Chitty Chitty Bang Bang's Childcatcher and Leonard Rossiter" (Metro) "has to be seen to be believed... formidably funny" (Time Out) "Performances of manic genius" (Three Weeks Magazine) "the Leonard Cohen of comedy" (chortle.co.uk) "One of the greatest as-yet undiscovered talents on the circuit" (Daily Mirror)
	Paul B Edwards He tells jokes, he sings songs, he recites poetry, he makes hecklers look very daft, he is sometimes a bit childish. This pretty much sums up Paul B Edwards act but doesn't get anywhere near to describing quite how absurdly funny he is. Chris Evans called him "The Boss", Rowland Rivron called him "A Comedy King". He could probably have been a star by now but he's determinedly contrary. TV appearances down the years have been sparse (possibly due to the nature of his material but also because he's famous for telling TV producers to bugger off when he's drunk at showbiz parties) but in recent years he has appeared on Channel 5's Five's Company, Intertainment Africa (SA) and A Current Affair (Channel 9, Australia) as well as numerous appearances on American Cable - And yes, he was a contestant on Bargain Hunt! "A very naughty boy -he deserves a smack on his bottom" Lorraine Kelly (GMTV)
	Barry Castagnola Barry's a great friend of Roar With Laughter and one of our favourite acts. He's done loads of TV work and following a critically acclaimed run at The Edinburgh Festival this summer, his future looks brighter than ever. Barry's humour revolves around his own life and experiences, taking in both sharp social and political comment and tales of horrible and often disgusting misfortune. "A fast-rising talent who specialises in pushing the taste envelope" (The Times) "Social satire and hilarious stories told with bundles of charm" (Metro) Cyderdelic (BBC2 / BBC3) French & Saunders (BBC1) Experimental (Ch4) Oblivious (ITV1) The YES/NO Gameshow (Bravo) The Stand Up Show (BBC1) The 11 O'Clock Show (Ch4) comedy.net (Carlton World) Comedy Nation (BBC2) Alexei Sayle's You Make Me Feel Like Dancing (BBC1)
	Jane Bostock Jane stood in wonderfully at short notice for an unwell and voiceless Holly Walsh. We had to break our rule about never booking acts we've not seen, but Jane came recommended and she proved herself more than up to the job. An excellent, very funny set.

Plus FREE mince pies for everyone and a daft song from the boys
AND the best (i.e. funniest) Christmas hat wins a fantastic prize

	Simon Evans Simon has been one of the comedy circuit's top headline acts for several years now. Following sell-out shows at Edinburgh and appearances all over the known world, he now graces Roar With Laughter with his presence. He has written for The Big Breakfast, Lily Savage, and Johnny Vaughan Tonight, amongst others and is a regular on the radio, hosting and writing seven series of spoof news show The Way It Is (as Richard Richard) on Radio 4, presenting and appearing on many more. The complete lack of histrionics, shock tactics and foul language only make more obvious the extraordinary wit of his material and the smooth confidence of his skilful delivery. Don't miss him. "Demonically dry" (Metro) "Dryer than the Kalahari" (chortle .co.uk) "Shark-faced meritocrat" (The Times) "Intelligent, supremely well-composed. Observational comedy at it's very best" (The Scotsman) "Very skilful, distinctly funny, delightfully sarcastic" (Time Out) "Sublime" (The Guardian) "Absolutely brilliant" (Caroline Aherne)
	Jeremy O'Donnell Jeremy runs his own very successful "Big Night Out" clubs in the centre of town every weekend and has billions of gigs under his belt as compere there. He's an excellent observational comedian and has that quality necessary for all good MCs, a super sharp brain. Watch out. "Lighting fast" (Evening Standard) "A natural comedian" (South London Press) "Excellent observational comedy" (London Live)
	Liam Mullone Liam has an 'interesting' background. His father was head of the Leicestershire vice squad and his mother the leader of a fundamentalist Christian movement, both of which have coloured his take on life. These days he speaks eloquently on his key subjects of religion, prostitutes, stuffed toys, Leicestershire and chaffinches. His act relies on his sharp, florid way with words and surreal flights of intellectual fancy that are belied by a faltering, perplexed style. During the daytime he works for The Times, writing obituaries. "Mullone deserves credit for shoehorning Victor Hugo and Matisse into his surreal act... will hit the bigtime." (Evening Standard) "Few newer acts write material of Mullone's quality: intelligent, sharp and witty, and often about the most unexpected of topics" (chortle.co.uk)
	Suzy Bennett We first met Suzy B at The Edinburgh Festival this year and before we'd even seen her on stage, she had us in stitches. A daft West Country girl with a mischievous glint in her eye, she's a proper handful. She won the Funny Women Awards 2006 and subsequently had a lot of press coverage including being featured in Time Out (as one of the top 10 up and coming London comics), The Stage and, er... London Lite. She has appeared on stage with Jo Brand and Jan Ravens, featured on a comedy podcast on The Sun's website, and recently had a guest spot in the Plymouth leg of Jimmy Carr's Gag Reflex tour, as well as featuring on his Comedy Idol DVD. Suzy was also on the BBC's One Show in an item about breaking into professional comedy - they flew her up and down the country doing interviews and performing.

	Earl Okin Roar With Laughter is proud to welcome a true original, a musician who stands comparison with the very best and a comedian who will knock your socks off (and the ladies' knickers down) with his brilliantly subtle wit and silky smooth, sexxxxxy charm. Earl has played for The Queen, played with Van Morrison and supported Paul McCartney on a full UK tour. He's appeared at The Royal Albert Hall, The Royal Festival Hall, The London Palladium, Wembley Arena, The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and The Barbican. And if all that wasn't enough, he can make a sound like a trumpet with his mouth. The first time we saw him we were, frankly, astonished. Now it's your turn.
	Greg McHugh Greg's a headliner on the Scottish circuit and a former resident compere at The Stand. He's written and performed in his own TV show and still, we insular London types don't know a lot about him. That's about to change. Live Floor Show (BBC1) Tank Commander (E4) If I Ruled The World (BBC3) Blowout (Ch4) Out to Lunch (Radio2)
	Tiernan Douieb Resident compere at Fat Tuesday's in Islington, Tiernan has built a promising career for himself over the last two or three years. He's a lively, cheerful bloke with a cheeky grin and a loveable line in self deprecating gags. He's also one of the "singers" in the Carlsberg karaoke ad. Call Me Graham Norton (BBC) "Top class... Always watchable" (Chortle) "You'll search far this Fringe to find a better fat, bearded twat than Douieb" (The Scotsman) "Unashamedly unafraid to push the boundaries of taste... Recommended" (The List) "Genuine comedy gold" (Metro)
	Stuart Black Filling our ten minute spot this time is Stuart Black. We saw him in the final of a new acts competition last year and were impressed by his performance skills. He's clearly a comedy thinker and someone who works at his act. Could go far. "...skilful delivery, matched with a care in choosing his language and imagery" (Chortle)

	Nick Doody Nick stepped in at short notice when we lost Mark Maier to a lucrative corporate gig with only a few hours to opening time. He shot over from The BBC where he was writing for the evening's "Late Edition" and absolutely stormed it. In fact, he was so brilliant that he was called back for an encore. Thanks Nick. "the new Denis Leary" (Galway List) "Doody's physicality reminded us how important the visual dimension can be. It's an area that all too many stand-ups seems to ignore" (Time Out) "very impressive... unfailingly good punchlines... intelligent and funny" (Chortle)
	Alun Cochrane Alun's career has really taken off over the last two or three years. Versatile and quick thinking he combines irresistibly silly routines with honest, straight-forward comedy all delivered with his trade mark brusque charm. Comedy at its least formulaic and most amusing. Comedy Cuts (ITV2) The Culture Show (BBC2) Have I Got News For You (BBC1) Never Mind The Buzzcocks (BBC2) "Once in a blue moon a comedian comes along with complete mastery of his craft... He has style charm, intelligence to burn, and most important bags of gags" (Evening Standard) "One of the greatest comperes on the comedy circuit... young, talented and immensely amiable" (The Guardian) "An effortlessly funny performer... he makes the whole comedy thing look deceptively easy and is sure to go onto much bigger things." (chortle.co.uk) "Cochrane can make any crowd feel like friends and family. He's instantly likeable, all dimples and charisma, with an easy-going improvisational style. Just catch him, he's going to be big. The future of British Comedy." (Evening Standard)
	Tara Flynn Lovely Tara's a bit of a star back in Ireland, selling out runs at The Vicar Street Theatre in Dublin and regularly appearing on the TV and radio. Most ubiquitously, she's the voice of the Marks and Spencer ads on Irish TV and the "you have no new messages" voice on the 02 mobile phone network. She's also guested with Paul Merton's Comedy Store Players. Now Tara's moved over to England, we were anxious to grab her for you, having been to and loved her Edinburgh show this year. Expect to see (and hear) a lot more of her once she's properly settled in. Time Trumpet (BBC2) Soupy Norman (RTE)
	Imran Yusuf Imran also jumped in at short notice and was startlingly good. Gangling around the stage, all elbows and knees, ripping into himself in street slang. We were helpless with laughter - so many great gags in such a short time. We've never seen anything like it. He's a proper original who could really go places. Thanks Imran.
	Tim Vine Tim popped in to try out some new material in advance of his tour early next year. He was funny. He always is.

	Tony Law Slightly odd Canadian Tony has an imagination, the like of which has seldom been seen in the history of mankind. And history's his subject, being a time traveller and all. Actually, it's his sausage dog, Cartridge Davison who has the special powers, but we'd better leave that to him to explain. He's definitely not your run of the mill comedian - he twists a lot of established comedic conventions into unrecognisable shapes, yet remains one of the funniest men around. We're very happy to finally get him to bring his lovely, inventive funniness down to Colliers Wood. "to see Tony Law is to inhale deep breaths of comedy oxygen" (The Herald) "Tony Law lives in his own little world. Drop in for a while, ... you'll leave much happier than when you came in." (Edinburgh Evening News) "hugely entertaining" (Time Out) "his timing is astonishing" (The Times) "has maintained an intellectual's eloquence" (Metro) "a top-notch comic who marries a powerful delivery with some deceptively ingenious material" (Chortle)
	Harry Hill Harry's back, with more oddball brilliance for your delectation. BAFTA Award for Best Comedy Performance 2006 plus many, many other BAFTA, British Comedy and Perrier awards and nominations Harry Hill's TV Burp (ITV1) (5 series) The All New Harry Hill Show (ITV1) Harry Hill (Ch4) The Late Show With David Letterman (7 appearances) VAST amounts of other primetime TV Massive DVD sales Huge national tours
	Juliet Meyers Charming Juliet is a regular at all the big clubs around the country and is building an enviable reputation as both a captivating storyteller and a writer of excellent jokes. "Her on-stage likeability and clever puns are a joy" (Time Out) "Sparkling stage prescence. Standup as it should be" (Three Weeks)
	Luke Toulson Filling our 10 minute up-and-coming slot this time is Luke Toulson, half of Toulson and Harvey who were nominated or the Perrier Best Newcomer Award at Edinburgh in 2005. Luke is now also ploughing his own furrow in standup and has already won the Hackney Empire New Act Trophy this year.

	Markus Birdman Many thanks to Markus who stepped in at short notice to replace Jim Jeffries who pulled out to do something on the telly on the day of the gig. Markus was utterly brilliant and received the rapturous acclaim he fully deserved.
	Pierre Hollins We saw Pierre at Jongleurs in Camden a while back and left slack-jawed at his ability to pacify and tickle what may well have been the shittiest audience in comedy history. Unfailingly funny and impossibly calm, he sailed serenely through the evening. Never mind a paycheque, he deserved a medal. Brilliant. "An unsung hero of comedy. Don't miss this true professional at work. Bloody funny." (Time Out) "A crowd favourite with a stage presence and delivery style that is the envy of many of his peers" (Hong Kong Times) "Wild and wonderful" (Venue) "Hugely talented, hugely experienced, comedy maestro" (Komedia) "Should be made the Mayor of a small village." (Shanghai City Weekend) "Comedy rock and roll heaven" (Hot Tickets) "Crazy, man!" (NME)
	Sarah Millican Sarah's been playing the circuit for about three years now and we've seen her come on leaps and bounds. She was a finalist in pretty much every new act competition in 2005 and finished runner-up in two of them. We recently caught her at a late night gig in Edinburgh and she was fantastic, a previously rowdy audience hanging on her every word. You'd think butter wouldn't melt... really. Except that what she says is often quite pointed and occasionally downright horrid. "like a young Thora Hird" (The Observer) "this sweet voiced Geordie has a winning style" (Chortle)
	Helen Keen Filling our 10 minute up-and-coming slot this time is the historically erudite Helen Keen. She won the Channel 4 New Comedy Writers Award in 2005 and has gone on to write for lots of BBC Radio and Channel 4 TV shows. She even has her own sitcom in development with Channel 4. As a standup, she's renowned for her unique material and her quick wit. We saw her the other night and she's very funny indeed. "young comedian Helen Keen impressed" (The Times)

	Stewart Francis Stewart's a Canadian comic who is based in Spain and gigs all over the world. He headlines in Britain, The US, Canada and anywhere else he plays, has done all the big festivals and has appeared on and written for loads of TV shows in Canada and The US. He's not over here all that often, so we only saw him for the first time quite recently and it was a revelation. We had to book him for you. If you like proper jokes - one liners a la Milton Jones and Tim Vine, you'll love Stewart. In fact, you should read the review he got recently on Chortle. They really know their comedy and aren't afraid to say when an act's not up to the mark, click here to read it. "A brilliant comic brain.....this stand-up cracks some of the best one-liners I've ever heard" (The Guardian) "Stewart Francis' gags are razored-down one-liners with disarming set-ups lurching into twisted and bitter pay-offs, drier than a Manhattan martini" (Scotland on Sunday) "The human memory just can't cope with such an onslaught of superlative comedy... one of the best one-line merchants ever" (Chortle) "You'll want to see him over and over again to catch the jokes you missed because you were laughing so hard" (Toronto Star) Has written for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Gemini Awards and Puppets Who Kill Regular guest on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS)
	Michael Fabbri Michael came down to the club last year for the first time to do a short, 10 minute spot, befitting his status as a relatively new act. One of the other comics was horribly late and he ended up doing about half an hour to fill in. He was brilliant - we honestly didn't know he had it in him and 99% of acts with his level of experience wouldn't have. In the last year, more and more people have come to realise quite how much he stands out from the pack of his peers and so his career has moved on very nicely. We predict a very bright future for one of the nicest, most laid back comics on the circuit. "earning an enviable reputation as one of the best up-and-coming acts around" (Chortle)
	Stuart Goldsmith Former street performer Stuart Goldsmith (2nd Place Australian Busking Championships 2001) has made an impressive start to his standup career. He has bags of confidence and masses of material spanning everything from failed relationships to an alarmingly casual approach to farmyard violence, combining the bite and dynamism of a German shepherd with the rugged good looks and crowd-control skills of a shepherd from Germany. "Intriguing and invigorating" (The Scotsman) "pitch-perfect delivery... a set rich with wordplay... an unfazed, confident act" (chortle.co.uk)
	Andrew Watts Posh boy Andrew's one of the strongest new acts on the circuit, having placed in the finals of virtually every competition over the past year. For a shy, retiring, some might say "slightly old fashioned" man, he's a surprisingly big hit with the laaaayyyyydeeeees and he's here to explain to us all how. "a touch of surprising bad taste and some subtle, inspired ideas... knows what he's doing" (Chortle)

	Adam Bloom's Edinburgh Festival Preview Show Adam is one of the most original comics in the country and a genuine top ranked star of standup. A perennial favourite at the Roar With Laughter clubs, his mind works so quickly that his mouth can barely keep up. You know, I think we'd have him on every show if that was a practical proposition - we've never seen him do anything but bring the house down. He's had sell-out Edinburgh shows since 1996 and has won awards around the globe including London's very own Time Out Award for best performer. "Bloom is perhaps the perfect comedian" (The List) "In the Premier League of comedy" (The Independent) "The press and public love him for his unique absurdities" (Scotland on Sunday) "He's been one of my favourite standups for about ten years. Bloom not only has meticulous, brilliant lines, but also an intense and fragile honesty" (Ricky Gervais)
	Al Murray called in sick late in the afternoon, so we were very grateful to be able to book the wonderful Milton Jones at very short notice
	Chris McCausland It took Chris less than nine months to climb the ladder from his very first open spot, to the holder of a Jongleurs contract and with a booking to perform on New York's internationally renowned Comic Strip. With a winner's and runner-up accreditation to his name in two critically respected national competitions - each of which with in excess of 400 entrants, it is easy to see why Chris's services are now in huge demand. His consistently solid and hugely applauded performances have already earned him headlining spots at some very popular clubs on the circuit, as well as creating a stir amongst some of the biggest names in comedy Winner of the 2004 J20 Last Laugh Talent Hunt in association with Jongleurs "Elegantly written and engagingly performed" (chortle.co.uk) "The world is his oyster!" (Jasper Carrott) "Absolute natural, utterly believable" (Dave Spikey, Comedian and star of Pheonix Nights) "The new face of comedy in the UK" (London Tonight, ITN)

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL PREVIEW SHOWS

Adam Hills Quite simply one of the world's best and most widely respected comedians. His unique style of thoughtful, uplifting comedy and rampant spontaneity have won him rave reviews, a shelf of awards and a legion of fans worldwide. Adam's solo shows have seen sell-out houses at the Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne Comedy Festival and the Kilkenny Cat Laughs Festival. He is a regular at the Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival, and was the first Australian comedian to appear at the US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen 2005. However it is at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival that Adam has truly made his mark. Totally sold out 2000-04, three times nominated for the prestigious Perrier Award, winner of the inaugural Nokia Orange Best of the Fest Award in 2002 and the Forth One Fringe Award in 2003 - Adam has become one of the hottest attractions at the Fringe, selling over 10,000 tickets in 2004 alone. Back home in Australia, Adam can be seen each week hosting the music quiz show Spicks and Specks on the ABC, and received widespread acclaim for his backstage interviews at the 2005 Logie Awards. He has also appeared on Rove Live, The Glasshouse, and Good Morning Australia and hosted the 2003 Just For Laughs special from the Montreal Comedy Festival. Apparently one of the most recognisable faces on Australian TV Never Mind The Buzzcocks (BBC) Mock The Week (BBC) Spicks & Specks (ABC) Rove Live (Network 10) The Charlotte Church Show (Ch4) "Hills delivers stand up so effortlessly brilliant you wonder why some comedians even get out of bed" (The Guardian) "Comedy so brilliant it could come with a money back guarantee... If you cannot enjoy Adam Hills you cannot have a pulse" (The Scotsman) "So life affirming that everyone leaves with a spring in their step" (Evening Standard) "Aw hell, just go see him alright" (Metro) "it's impossible not to enjoy and leave feeling happier, which is, in the end, the point of comedy" (The Observer)

Maeve Higgins Maeve is one of Ireland's brightest and best loved young comedians. She started her comedy career moonlighting as a bouncer in comedy clubs around the country, and was sometimes allowed to do standup if the crowd seem drunk enough. Her first ever gig in England was at Roar With Laughter back in June last year (she was great, we loved her) and went on to have enormous success at both Edinburgh and Melbourne festivals. When not flying round the world gigging, Maeve does a radio slot every Tuesday on the Ray D'arcy Show on Today FM, discussing crucial issues and trying not to make mouth sounds (she hates when other people on the radio make mouth sounds) and has filmed her third series of the hit TV show Naked Camera for RTE2, where she tricked unsuspecting members of the public, then felt bad, but kept doing it anyway because it was fun. "a master of edgy comedy" (Sunday Times) "deadpan, low energy, but quietly wonderful" (Chortle)

Frank Sidebottom

Britain's top papier mache headed showbiz entertainer, The Bard Of Timperley, is finally appearing in Colliers Wood. You know he is, he really iiiiissss. Never mind all the other people we've had on here, Frank's a PROPER showbiz superstar. Who can match his cross-genre multimedia reach? He's been a star of radio, TV, shopping for his mum, pop chart records and football for ages. He's ACE! Stuff about Frank: - His fantastic new TV show, Frank Sidebottom's Proper Telly Show in black and white, features celebrity guests and animation. The first showing of each show is in black and white so you don't have to turn the colour down. Subsequent repeats are shown in full colour. - He's cracked the Top 100 countless times with his inimitable banjo ballards such as "Born in Timperley", "Mull of Timperley", "Anarchy in Timperley" and "Timperley Sunset". - Frank comes from Timperley, a small leafy suburb village, just outside Manchester. - Frank runs his own Sunday League football team, Timperley Bigshorts FC... without the knowledge of his Mum! And, AND... he's been on Match of The Day 6 times!!!! - Frank will be starring in his own exhibition of drawings, animation and cardboard at London's Chelsea Space Gallery (next to Tate Britain) from 4th July - 4th August. - Frank gave Mrs Merton (his next door neighbour) her first big break on one of his fantastic LPs in 1988. Without Frank, there might never have been a Royle Family. Frank's Fantastic Shed Show (ITV) Remote Control (Ch4) Over 300 other TV appearances including recently: Comic Relief (in the 2007 fantastic money raising pop record video also featuring Peter Kay and The Proclaimers) Greased Lightning (ITV2) Podge and Rodge

with support from adrian r teenbeat

"Alan Bennett fronting the Velvet Underground, or George Formby singing Hank Williams. With a little spit and polish, they could be as quirky a commercial proposition as Pulp once were." (Stewart Lee in The Sunday Times) "Look beyond singer Adrian Shaw's glorious Liverpudlian mumble and you'll find songs as charming as Pulp, as sordid as the Velvets and as magnificently maudlin as Lambchop." (NME)

	Paul Tonkinson A former winner of Time Out's Stand Up Comic Of The Year Award, he's been an outstanding comedian for a long time, in fact he first came to public prominence on BBC2's infamous 'The Sunday Show' with Donna McPhail and Dennis Pennis back in 1995. He has also been an XFM radio DJ and TV presenter (you may recognise him from his stint as host of The Big Breakfast following Johnny Vaughan) but on stage with a mic in his hand is where he really comes to life. Take The Mic (2 Series) (Ch4) Comic Relief Does Fame Academy (BBC3) The Big Breakfast (Ch4) The Sunday Show (BBC2) Connections (VH1) Raw Soup (ITV1) Pop Gun (Ch4) MTV Hot (MTV) "a seamless blend of topicality and timeless mimicry" (The Guardian) "breathtaking" (The Independent) "he is due to be a big star" (The Observer)
	Stephen Merchant Stephen came down to try some new stuff he's working on. He doesn't need to do too much more work, he had the place in stitches. Golden Globes, BAFTAs, British Comedy Awards, you name it... Co-writer of The Office, co-writer and star of Extras (both BBC)
	Matt Kirshen Having won the Hackney Empire New Acts competition and the Comedy Store King of Kings crown in 2003, Matt set about conquering the whole of the comedy circuit. With a speed that shocked everyone, he settled into doing full sets at the biggest clubs and the sky really is the limit from now on. He may look like a teenager but as chortle.co.uk says, his writing is mature, bright and witty and if you think that because he appears young he'll be a pushover, he'll shoot you down like Billy The Kid. "winning material.. Kirshen certainly shone through" (Evening Standard) "His performance is the perfect mix of innocence and post-adolescent cynicism, driven by infectious energy." (Metro Life Magazine) [blimey! - ed] "A pocket sized dynamo" (Evening Standard)
	Daniel Rigby Young Daniel recently won the Laughing Horse New Acts Competition 2007. He's a RADA trained actor who has already appeared on TV, stage and in film and shows the expected command of the stage that all actors turned comedian can rely on to get them through. Daniel, however, sets himself apart with his bright, consistently funny material. He had us laughing heartily - although that might have had something to do with the fact that he made reference to p00, which is, of course, inherently funny. Expect to see more of him in the future.

	Stewart Lee A major star and amongst the most well respected comedians to have trodden the boards, Stewart continues to defy convention by playing proper comedy clubs like ours when he could be filling theatres. Originally feted for his collaborations with Richard Herring, Fist of Fun and This Morning With Richard Not Judy, he went on to co-write and direct Jerry Springer, The Opera as an outlet for his hatred of musical theatre. Before returning to standup he has, amongst many other things, written several episodes of Al Murray's Time Gentlemen, Please. He could rest on his laurels but he still wants to push our buttons and shake the world of comedy from its slumber. His material is stimulating and challenging and when combined with a near peerless ability to mess with an audience, it's an experience that should be made compulsory to anyone who hasn't completely surrendered to mindless conformity. Co-wrote and directed Jerry Springer The Opera, winning 4 Laurence Olivier Awards 41st greatest standup of all time according to a Channel 4 poll Fist of Fun (BBC2) This Morning With Richard Not Judy (BBC2) "the cleverest, funniest, most cliche-free comedian on the circuit" (Ricky Gervais) "one of the top three or four living standups" (Time Out) "a masterclass in the best standup" (The Observer) "surly, arrogant, laboured" (The Independent) "the Archbishop Of Blasphemy" (chortle) "the closest the British comedy scene has to a cult hero... rarely has cynicism been so charming, intelligence so sexy, serious concerns so funny... arguably Britain's first post-modern stand-up comedian" (The Scotsman) "you might as well go and see him perform, because you're going to spend the next year being told how good it is by other people." (Sunday Times) "refuses to follow the line of least resistance...disturbing and exhilarating." (The Guardian) "always headspinningly funny, Stewart Lee is a fine stand-up" (NME)
	Simon Munnery Perrier nominee Simon Munnery is the comedian's comedian, regarded by his peers as unparalleled in inventiveness. His extraordinary character creations, Alan Parker Urban Warrior and The League Against Tedium are the high water mark for comedy surrealism. At University, he was briefly involved with the Cambridge Footlights. "I tried to destroy it", he says, "I suggested changing the name to 'Arse-Bum'. I was a maverick outside figure. I used to model myself on James Garner in The Rockford Files." Attention Scum (BBC2) - Nominated for The Golden Rose of Montreux Perrier Award nominee Sony Gold Award for Alan Parker's 29 Minutes of Truth (Radio 1) "the most exciting and important comedian of the moment" (The Times) "one of the most original and talented comics in the country" (The Observer) "sharply intelligent, almost disturbingly crazy" (The Daily Telegraph) "jaw-droppingly unique entertainment" (The Scotsman) "unique and original... Trust me, you'll be amazed" (Independent on Sunday) "gags so perfectly crafted they should be on display at Tate Modern" (Chortle)
	Pappy's Fun Club A comedy collective of four (occasionally more, occasionally fewer) lovely young boys who are rocking the socks off the comedy circuit at the moment. They aren't and are unlikely ever to be fodder for very pissed Saturday night crowds, which makes them just perfect for us. We've seen them several times now and there's a wonderful, cheerful energy they bring to their daft hybrid sketch/standup performances that sets them apart from most other acts. Nominated for best newcomers at The Chortle Awards this year, we fully expect this to be just the first of many ceremonies they'll be required to attend.

	Phil Nichol Probably the most energetic performer there is... anywhere. Descriptions of Phil in the press range from "thermonuclear" to "Tasmanian Devil" via "an atmosphere of controlled hysteria" and take in the full lexicon of superlatives. His Edinburgh show this year took his usual disregard for personal dignity to new and quite frightening extremes and won him the biggest award in British live comedy (he'd been nominated twice before). Winner of the 2006 if.comeddie Award (the crap new name for what was The Perrier Award) "The face of an angel, the tongue of a whore and the energy of a toddler on an IrnBru binge" (The Times) "Skipping nimbly back and forth across the line that divides comedy and dementia" (The Scotsman) "hovers between insanity and brilliance" (Sunday Times) "explosively abrasive and buttock clenchingly funny as ever......amazingly rabidly good, just go and see him" (Three weeks)
	Ben Norris From his humble comedy beginnings as the promoter and compere of a monthly comedy club in Aldershot circa 1993, Ben Norris has become a headliner on the UK comedy circuit, made regular appearances at music festivals like Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds and performed all around the world. Ben's first TV apearance was way back in 1977 for three and a half seconds in his cub uniform in the audience on Crackerjack. Now he's one of Britain's top comperes and standup comics. Surely it's only a matter of time before Ben is as popular and famous as his cousin, actor Martin Freeman. They Think It's All Over (BBC1) Never Mind The Buzzcocks (BBC2)
	Jon Richardson 2006 was a great year for Jon after appearing in the Comedy Zone at the Edinburgh Festival, completing a 60 date UK and Irish tour with Alan Carr and an appearance on Paramount TV's "Live At The Comedy Store". All that and he's only really been doing this for a couple of years. If that isn't a ridiculous amount of talent...? 2007 looks like being even better with his first solo Edinburgh show and the pinnacle of all comics' careers, his first appearance in lovely Colliers Wood... the sky's the limit from here on in. He can currently be heard every Sunday morning from 10 until 1 on BBC6 with Russell Howard. "Faultless... Headed for big things" (bbc.co.uk) "Wonderfully talented" (Venue) "He rocked... Jon Richardson was terrific" (The Scotsman) "I'll smack his arse if he gets any funnier" Jim Bowen The Russell Howard Show (BBC6) 28 acts in 28 minutes (BBC Radio4) Live at the Comedy Store (Paramount Television)

	Micky Flanagan Micky draws on his East End background as he ruthlessly deconstructs the Cockney myth with lively and razor-sharp observational wit. He tells a comic tale of a working class upbringing, where alphabetti spaghetti is a luxury. Micky has come a long way since then, thanks to a university education, and he is now that rare delight - an intellectual Cockney. We saw him again recently and he's on scintillating form. "Astonishingly good - a cockney extraordinaire, very entertaining" (Time Out) "The rising star Micky Flanagan" (Sunday Times Pick of the Week) "a rambunctious set that's sometimes rude, sometimes thoughtful, but rarely short of hilarious. Recommended" (chortle.co.uk)
	Tommy Campbell Canadian comedian Tommy Campbell's a wonderfully engaging storyteller with an arsenal of hilarious anecdotes drawn from his embarrassing love life, oddball upbringing and "interesting" journey through life to his current place as a much in demand regular at all the biggest comedy clubs in Britain. Tommy is a two-time Canadian Comedy Award Nominee and is the award winning author of "The Slacker Confessions", a painfully funny book of his personal accounts from a decade of random day jobs which ranged from making pizza to writing for porno magazines. He also voices lead roles in anime (Japanese cartoon) series. See, told you he was interesting.
	John Gordillo John Gordillo has recently returned to stand up after a 6 year break, during which time he hosted & co-created two series of a nightly talk show for BBC 3 (The RDA with John Gordillo) and directed any number of live comedy & theatre shows, two of which were nominated for the Perrier Award. In 2005 he wrote, directed & produced a Comedy Lab for Channel 4 (Blackout) which he's making into a film. Lately he's directed a couple of sketch shows for BBC3 and ITV2. Best of the Comedy Store (C5/Paramount) "A superb comedian" (London Evening Standard) "Brilliantly intelligent, often inappropriate" (London Lite) "Back on the circuit after a few years' hiatus, John Gordillo remains a refreshing performer, with a canon of intelligent, provocative material. He picks away obliquely and relentlessly at his subjects to find fresh jokes, taking comedy away from tried-and-tested formula into more unexpected terrain - yet always aware that cleverness comes a clear second to funniness" (Chortle) "Inspired" (Edinburgh Evening News)
	Ava Vidal A former public school girl, teenage single mother, prison officer and victim of domestic violence, Ava sounds like she's in need of a laugh. Instead, she's found a job in which she dishes them out very generously to everyone else. She now writes regularly for The Independent and has a number of TV credits under her belt, recently winning a place on hit US TV series "Last Comedian Standing" along with Junior Simpson, Matt Kirshen and Spencer Brown from The UK. From The Top - Ava Vidal (Ch4) Kings Of Comedy (Ch4) Eddie Izzard Presents a Late Night Cabaret (Radio 2) "Ava Vidal is a striking black comedienne with rising star written all over her" (The Guardian) "commands the stage... Very strong gags that compress big ideas into sharp, funny one-liners" (Chortle)

	Patrick Monahan There'll be no Ed this time, he's busy moving house, but we've managed to get our favourite compere in the whole world to come down and stand in for him. Seriously, noone suits our lovely audience better than Patrick. Listen to what chortle.co.uk had to say about him, "has to have the friendliest stage manner in comedy, a lust for life that you instinctively know is a force for good", "Full of excitability and genuine good humour, he greets the audience the way a sex-starved spaniel would greet a trouser leg", "a natural-born performer, exuding charisma on stage", "makes devastatingly effective use of his natural, vibrant lunacy". "This gifted livewire commands the stage with a mix of wit and force of personality" (Evening Standard) "Engaging & genuinely enlightening" (The Scotsman) "a star in the making" (Daily Telegraph) "Bright young talent" (Sunday Times) "Lovable Stuff" (The Independent)
	Steve Hughes There are straight talking Aussie blokes and then there are STRAIGHT TALKING Aussie blokes. This fella pulls no punches at all as he shreds lazy prejudices with a cool, laid back style. Steve's a headline act around the world these days and he's building up a head of steam on TV too. Comedy Cuts (ITV1) Live Floor Show (BBC2) Comedy Blue (Paramount Comedy) "...an honesty and openness rarely seen among comics. His insights are spot-on, his opinions are intelligent and his jokes are top class." (The Guardian) "intelligent, provocative, profound, and topped off with good, solid gags. See him while it's still legal." (Chortle) "Steve Hughes will rock your world" (Three Weeks)
	Paul Chowdhry The UK's most controversial Asian comedian, Paul is the outspoken nemesis of wholesome traditional Asian comics. Constantly challenging and relentlessly inventive, his courageous search for the absurd in issues such as racism, terrorism and religious fundamentalism, fuel an eclectic set punctuated by impressive feats of mimicry and verbal dexterity. Not content with headlining at The Comedy Store in London and Caroline's on Broadway and appearing with Chris Rock at Wembley Arena, Paul is also making a name for himself in films with appearances in 'Rogue Trader' with Ewan McGregor and Anna Friel, 'It Was An Accident' alongside Max Beesley and Thandie Newton, and 'Colour Me Kubrick' with John Malkovich. "one of the sassiest, subtlest and most cerebral comedians on the circuit" (Evening Standard)
	Lloyd Langford Lloyd started his standup career while still at University and won Chortle's national student standup competition in 2004. His endearingly uncynical style stands out from the pack and our crystal ball tells us he has a promising future in the world of comedy. "The sharpest of comedy instincts and an innate grasp of timing and pace... Makes standup look deceptively simple." (Chortle) "Part of the new generation... a talented comedian." (The Guardian) "The new Prince Charming of comedy... Might well be the find of the year." (Paramount Comedy) "Some really fine gags... A lovely contrast of this very benevolent delivery with some quite edgy material." (The Observer)
	Gerry K Our 10 minute slot goes to the wonderful Gerry K, unusual in the world of standup for being a well balanced individual with a well paid job and five children. Maybe that's why he wants to spend his evenings in dark clubs telling stories to a bunch of strangers. Whatever the reasons, he's very good at it.

	Andy Parsons A superstar of standup (Winner of Time Out's Best Comedy Award in 2002) and a fixture on TV and radio, we're very pleased to have persuaded him to come back to Colliers Wood, although it wasn't too difficult - last time he was here, he left looking slightly shell-shocked by the quality of the reception our lovely audience gave him. Andy is one of Britain's funniest men. A specialist in up to the minute, intelligent material but never preachy or patronising, he has a special knack for cutting out the waffle and distilling issues down to their simple essentials. Having written for some of the best comedy shows of the 1990s (Spitting Image, Saturday Live, Smith & Jones, etc.), Andy has put out 8 series of his own Radio 2 sketch show Parsons & Naylor's Pull Out Sections (with comedy partner Henry Naylor). More recently he has written for and appeared in Murder Most Horrid (BBC2), They Think It's All Over (BBC1) and is currently a regular panelist on topical gameshow Mock The Week (BBC2). "a klaxon sounding ruthless common sense. Very funny" (The Guardian) "One of the few comics to have made me blow snot into my pie! A must see" (Time Out) "Reduced the audience to helpless tears of laughter" (Sunday Times) "A comedy demi-god... he's very funny indeed" (Evening Standard)
	Jarred Christmas A leading member of the Antipodean invasion of the UK comedy circuit, hairy Kiwi Jarred is a confident, livewire performer with a special talent for audience interaction and improvisation. He's a regular at all the biggest venues and one of our own personal favourites. Chortle Best Compere nominee 2007 "Jarred is human Red Bull - you will laugh and laugh and then you won't believe he's been on for 20 minutes" (Comics Choice - Time Out) "The talented Mr Christmas has certainly been bitten by the comedy fairy.... he is a highly engaging performer and his verbal gymnastics are impressive" (chortle.co.uk) "Powerhouse performance" (TNT) "A must see... High octane comedy" (New Zealand Herald) The Fred MacAuley Show (BBC Scotland) The Rowland Rivron Show (LBC)
	Lee 'Nelsy' Nelson On the few evenings self proclaimed 'legend' Lee isn't out spinning his car wheels in supermarket car parks and guzzling gallons of lager, he's performing on the comedy circuit, charming audience members socks up and down with his cheeky stories. "The funniest new act I've seen in years" (Harry Hill) The Writers' Guild Award for Best Newcomer, Edinburgh 2006 Al Murray's new sketch show for ITV1 (later in 2007) Funny Cuts - Simon Brodkin Sketch Show (E4) Little Miss Jocelyn (BBC1) The Morning After Show (Ch4) From Baghdad To Balham (Ch4) Absolutely Fabulous (BBC1)

	Rob Deering One of Roar With Laughter's most popular acts and a growing star of TV and Radio, he is also a talented musician, rarely without his trademark decorated guitar (triv fact - he composed the theme tune to the series 'Vic Reeves Examines'). Describes himself as 'Five foot ten-and-a-half, brown hair, blue eyes, and a big round head like a football' Won the comedian special Celebrity Weakest Link (BBC2) Nevermind The Full Stops (BBC4) Out To Lunch (Radio 2) - recently recommissioned for a second series Banter (BBC Radio 4) Annually Retentive (BBC3) Wrote and presented The Ride (ITV2) Strictly Dance Fever (BBC3) Big Brother's Big Mouth (Ch4/E4) Movie Lounge (Five) 99 Things To Do Before You Die (Five) Lesser Spotted Britain (Ch4) "one of the leading stand-ups of his generation" (Time Out) "his audience rapport is in the Eric Morecambe league" (chortle.co.uk) "comedy's man of the moment" (Metro) "truly wonderful stand-up" (Sunday Times) "ingenious and hilarious" (Guardian) In Zoo Magazine's top ten of Britain's Funniest Comics 2005
	Kerry Godliman Dan Antopolski had to pull out but we were lucky to be able to book the lovely Kerry at short notice. Rush Hour (BBC3) Spoons (Ch4) The Quatermass Experiment (BBC3) Law of The Playground (Ch4) My Hero (BBC1)
	David Hadingham Psychotic, intense, crude, harsh, distasteful, all words we have heard used to describe the humour of David Hadingham. Good. We like to be disgusted and shocked. The thing is, you just can't help but like the man - it's the charismatic way he delivers his often quite dark material - like a turd left on your doorstep in a velvet bag. The Mighty Boosh (BBC3/2) "ranting and raving comic genius" (The Guardian) "Hilariously funny" (The Scotsman)
	Diane Morgan Our 10 minute up and coming act this week started out in standup in 2004. In 2006 she was runner up in two of the biggest competitions, Funny Women and The Hackney Empire New Act Of The Year. Her most recent venture has been a highly acclaimed weekly sketch show podcast voiced by Stefano Paolini, James Dowdeswell and herself called "Whack My Bush". Please don't anyone take that literally, I'm not sure our insurance would cover it. Ken Campbell's "Warp Experience" Peter Kay's "Phoenix Nights" (Ch4) "sharp writing and an endearing delivery" (chortle.co.uk) "a nice line in dark storytelling" (The Independent)

	Michael McIntyre We've known Michael for a while now. He was nominated for Perrier Best Newcomer at The Edinburgh Festival in 2003 and he became a very good comic, working for us several times. He fell of our radar for a little while but whatever he was doing, it worked, because he's now one of the very best standups we've ever seen and the new big thing to those in the know. He may not be famous yet but if there's any justice he will be in the near future. We've said enough - read what the experts have to say: Solo Comedy Store Special to be broadcast Sunday 1st April 2007 Chortle 'Best Headliner' Nominee 2006 Royal Variety Performance (BBC1) "So sharp he is in danger of shredding himself"... "Has a priceless ability to riff on anything"... "Imagine Ross Noble with better tailoring"... "Superb freewheeling storyteller" (Evening Standard) "McIntyre is the most gifted young comic around"... "Guarantees a room full of mirth" (Metro) "If comedy could take human form I suspect it would look a lot like him"... "The purest comedy show you will see"... "Wonderfully, unceasingly, gloriously funny and that is an exhilarating experience" (The Scotsman) "Improvises as effortlessly as Eddie Izzard and Ross Noble"... "No comedian makes his job look easier"... "A brain hardwired for stand-up" (The Independent on Sunday) "Improvisational wunderkind"... "Brilliantly inventive" (The Times)
	Frank Skinner Back again with more new jokes.
	Rob Heeney Over the last decade, Rob Heeney has established a reputation as one of the top comics working the UK circuit today. His style is a blend of bitterness, playfulness and cynicism wrapped up in a blanket of charm. Originating from Douglas, Isle of Man, where he was born one Christmas Eve, you'd think this qualified Chemical Physicist, trained Systems Analyst, former Taxi Driver and International Table Tennis player would be able to draw on these amazing experiences. He cannot. Following a commission writing for Radio Two's The Day The Music Died, Rob enjoyed a stint presenting the breakfast show on Reading's 2Ten FM, before joining Heart, where he now writes the Sony Award nominated Jamie Theakston's Breakfast Show, which is the number one rated commercial breakfast show. "Deluded genius" Johnny Vegas "The island's no.1 export (apart from Kippers)" (Isle of Man Examiner) "This eminently likeable Manxman will liven up any bill... a definite must see" (Chortle)
	Henning Wehn Henning is the German Comedy Ambassador to the UK, and he's really spoiling us. Winner of the 2005 Hackney Empire New Acts competition, he's becoming a very accomplished comedian and will always be a real breath of fresh air. He's supported Jerry Sadowitz on tour and warmed up audiences for Jo Brand. - A German with a sense of irony, surely not. - A German prepared to take the piss out of himself (and us), GASP. Don't expect political correctness, there's none here. Welcome to Europe.
	Ginger & Black Our newcomers 10 minute spot is filled this time by an exceptionally bright young comedy duo who have already made a name for themselves on Radio 4 and show an enormous amount of promise. We may be old, but we can still tell what's up to date and these two look very much like the future. Loose Ends (BBC Radio 4) Out to Lunch (BBC Radio 2) Weekly Show (4Radio) The River House (4Radio)

	Jason Rouse Jason had worked his way up to the top of the comedy tree in his native Canada, becoming a well known name, appearing regularly on the TV and winning the Gemini Award for best individual performance in a comedy program or series. In the short time he's been over in Britain, he's become one of the standout headline acts on our circuit and is starting to break into TV here too. Tattooed, pierced and contrary, Jason aims to challenge an audience's sensibilities. Having seen him close the show at The Comedy Store, we can confirm that he not only does this, but does it in the most skilful and hilarious ways. "Jason Rouse is the evil Jim Carrey but he's smarter, and light years funnier! ... He keeps pushing the envelope on what's acceptable. He leaves the middle of the road in the dust." (Now Magazine) Comedy Blue (Paramount Comedy)
	Frank Skinner One of Britain's comedy greats. Frank came back again to try out some more new stuff in advance of his national tour later in the year.
	Paul Foot In his first year on the comedy circuit, Paul narrowly missed out on an historic treble of the top new act competitions, winning The Daily Telegraph and BBC awards and coming second in Channel 4's So You Think You're Funny to Peter Kay. He's remained one of the most distinctive and independent talents in standup ever since. He describes his own shows as "live musings, audience interaction, improvised recklessness, my famous uninformative lecture and miscellaneous silliness". Last time he came down to Colliers Wood, he lifted the roof of with a brilliant set, partly delivered while seated in the lap of a large, rugby playing man. BBC New Comedy Award Winner 1997 Daily Telegraph Open Mic Award Winner 1997 Channel 4 So You Think You're Funny Award (runner up) 1997 Perrier Newcomer Nominee 1998 Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive (BBC) The World Stands Up (Paramount) Edinburgh and Beyond (Paramount Comedy) "There is no logical reason why Paul Foot's comedy should work, but work it does - to hilarious effect. Never has so much been laughed at so little" (Metro) "clearly destined for greatness" (The Face) "The missin