Hull Comedy Festival

Last updated

The Hull Comedy Festival is an annual event that takes place in Kingston upon Hull, England.

Contents

Background

The Hull Comedy Festival was established in 2006, when a local businessman John Gilbert received funding from Hull Business Improvement District to develop a sustainable event that would benefit the evening economy. John Gilbert handed over the reins of Hull Comedy Festival in 2013 to C69 Comedy (RTCE Productions).

However, in 2015, John Gilbert resumed the role as the director of Hull Comedy Festival with the support of a team of volunteers.

2007

The festival ran from 26 October to 9 November and featured over seventy performers at over forty events. John Gilbert launches Hull Comedy Festival and assembled a team of sponsors and volunteers. [1]

Performers included Russell Howard, Stewart Lee, Justin Moorhouse, Lucy Porter, Trevor Lock, Frank Sidebottom, John Shuttleworth and Ivan Brackenbury. These were a varied range of famous, local, and touring acts. [2]

The Hull Blokes, The Live Naked Idiots (including comedy magician Alan Hudson), Masked Dan, Andy Train and Scarlet Lights Theatre Company are amongst the local performers who also appeared.

Participating venues in 2007 included: Hull Truck Theatre, The Quality Royal Hotel, The Lamp, The New Clarence, Northern Academy of Performing Arts, Tiger's Lair, Pave, The Octagon, The Freedom Centre, Durty Nelly’s, The Dorchester Hotel, Punchbowl, The Piper, Cineworld and the University of Hull. Street comedy performances were also scheduled to take place at Queen Victoria Square and St Stephen's in the city centre.

A festival taster, was also featured on ITV.

2008

The festival ran from 23 October to 7 November. This year, Hull Comedy Festival became East Yorkshire's largest ticket festival, with a 400% increase in sales, it led to over 12,000 tickets being sold.

Paddy McGuinness, Frankie Boyle, Pete Firman, Russell Howard, Jason Manford, Keith Chegwin and Russell Kane performed at what was billed "the difficult second festival". [3] [4] Whilst local acts created Green Helmet Day and Festival anthems.

It was delivered in partnership by Hull City Centre BID, eskimosoup, Hull Colour Pages and St. Stephens with the support of over a dozen local companies and organisations. [5]

2009

The festival ran from 23 October to 7 November, organised by eskimosoup in partnership with Hull Business Improvement District, KCFM 99.8 and Hull Colour Pages.

Performers included Alistair McGowan, Al Murray, Rich Hall and Keith Chegwin. Shows included stage comedy Little Shop of Horrors and an adaptation of the TV sitcom, Porridge starring Shaun Williamson.

Festival Director John Gilbert hailed the festival the "most satisfying yet" due to high audience figures throughout the programme as well as several successful community projects.

The Festival hosted multiple community projects, that were aimed at improving health and boosting confidence.

2010

The 2010 festival took place between 21 October and 7 November and was again organised by eskimosoup with Jon Reed as creative director.

Performers included Sarah Millican, Milton Jones, Ross Noble, Mark Watson, Joe Pasquale, Greg Davies and Phil Cool.

Organisers claim that 5,388 tickets of a target of 5,600 were sold and that the festival had become a commercial success as well as an annual highlight for the creative community.

In the 2010 the festival was voted Hull's second favourite festival by users of Karoo.co.uk and was short listed in the Visit Hull and East Yorkshire Remarkable Tourism Awards]. [6]

A week of events at the I-Scream creates a festival venue to big success. John Gilbert hands the festival over to a successor.

2011

The festival ran from 21 October to 21 November under the new direction of Rich Quelch, who took over as festival director with assistance from creative consultants C69 Comedy (RTCE Productions) Performers included Tim Minchin, Tommy Tiernan, Andy Parsons, Paul Zerdin, Joe Pasquale, Lee Hurst and Jerry Sadowitz, however there where other acts also.

2012

The Festival ran from 20 October 2012 to 23 November 2012.

This year's Comedy Festival included, Performers Al Murray, Rhod Gilbert, Frankie Boyle, Hairy Bikers, Stewart Francis, Kevin Bridges, Vikki Stone and Ross Noble.

There were over 10,000 tickets sold, and thousands of pounds were raised for charity.

2013

This year the festival returned with a fresh new face now under the direction of C69 Comedy (RTCE Productions).

It ran from 1 to 17 November 2013 with performers including Jack Dee, Alan Davies, Josh Widdicombe, Jonny & The Baptists, Tony Law and Sean Lock to name but a few.

This is also the first year of the festival's Funny and Free Fringe bringing 18 free shows.

2014

This year Hull Comedy Festival was scaled back, as the lead promoter cancels many of the shows.

Jon Richardson and Lucy Beaumont are amongst some of the remaining performances.

Local acts and fans rallied together to help save the festival and aim to bring it back stronger.

2015

This year, the Festival founder John Gilbert has taken back his role as the director and is being supported by a team of volunteers.

It will take place from 1 to 15 November.

So far acts such as Alan Carr, Bill Bailey, Dara Ó Briain, Horrible Histories, Alfie Moore, and Joe Lycett, however more are yet to be confirmed.

Tenfootcity Comedian of the Year

This competition started in 2007, and forms part of the festival. There is a cash prize and trophy awarded to the winner.

Winners

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingston upon Hull</span> City in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England

Kingston upon Hull, usually shortened to Hull, is a port city and unitary authority area in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It lies upon the River Hull at its confluence with the Humber Estuary, 25 miles (40 km) inland from the North Sea and 37 miles (60 km) south-east of York, the historic county town. With a population of 268,852 (2022), it is the fourth-largest city in the Yorkshire and the Humber region after Leeds, Sheffield and Bradford. Hull has more than 800 years of seafaring history and is known as Yorkshire's maritime city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edinburgh Festival Fringe</span> Arts festival

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world's largest performance arts festival, which in 2024 spanned 25 days, sold more than 2.6 million tickets and featured more than 51,446 scheduled performances of 3,746 different shows across 262 venues from 60 different countries. Of those shows, the largest section was comedy, representing almost 40% of shows, followed by theatre, which was 26.6% of shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Chegwin</span> English TV presenter, actor & musician (1957–2017)

Keith Chegwin, also known by the nickname Cheggers, was an English television presenter and actor, appearing in several children's entertainment shows in the 1970s and 1980s, including Multi-Coloured Swap Shop and Cheggers Plays Pop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Big Chill (music festival)</span> An annual festival of alternative, dance and chill-out music and comedy

The Big Chill was an annual festival of alternative, dance and chill-out music and comedy, held in the grounds of Eastnor Castle during early August. The 2011 line-up included The Chemical Brothers, Kanye West, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Jessie J, Robert Plant, Calvin Harris, Neneh Cherry, Aloe Blacc, Chipmunk, Katy B & Example. The festival has not been staged since 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bumbershoot</span> Annual music festival

Bumbershoot is an annual international music and arts festival held in Seattle, Washington. One of North America's largest such festivals, it takes place every Labor Day weekend at the 74-acre Seattle Center, which was built for the 1962 World's Fair. Seattle Center includes both indoor theaters and outdoor stages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melbourne International Comedy Festival</span> Annual comedy festival in Melbourne, Australia

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) is the largest stand-alone comedy festival and the second-largest international comedy festival in the world. First held in 1987, it takes place annually in Melbourne over four weeks, typically starting in March and running through to April. The Melbourne Town Hall has served as the festival hub, but performances are held in many venues throughout the city.

The Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival is a new music festival held annually in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. Since its foundation in 1978, it has featured major international figures of experimental and avant garde music, including guest composers such as Karlheinz Stockhausen, Louis Andriessen, Terry Riley, Brian Eno, John Cage, Steve Reich, Jonathan Harvey, Helmut Lachenmann and Sir Harrison Birtwistle. Its programme also includes improvisation, installation, sound sculptures, happenings, new technology and free jazz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival</span> International festival for Gilbert and Sullivan performance held in England

The International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival was founded in 1994 by Ian Smith and his son Neil and is held every summer in England. The two- or three-week Festival of Gilbert and Sullivan opera performances and fringe events attracts thousands of visitors, including performers, supporters, and G&S enthusiasts from around the world. The Festival was held in Buxton, Derbyshire, from 1994 to 2013, and from 2014 to 2022, it was held in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, usually with a week in Buxton preceding the main part of the Festival. The entire Festival returned to Buxton in 2023, where it continues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wath upon Dearne</span> Town in South Yorkshire, England

Wath upon Dearne is a town south of the River Dearne in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, 5 miles (8 km) north of Rotherham and almost midway between Barnsley and Doncaster. It had a population of 11,816 at the 2011 census. It is twinned with Saint-Jean-de-Bournay in France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celtic Connections</span> Annual music festival in Glasgow, Scotland

The Celtic Connections festival started in 1994 in Glasgow, Scotland, and has since been held every January. Featuring over 300 concerts, ceilidhs, talks, free events, late night sessions and workshops, the festival focuses on the roots of traditional Scottish music and also features international folk, roots and world music artists. The festival is produced and promoted by Glasgow Life. Donald Shaw, a founding member of Capercaillie, was appointed Celtic Connections Artistic Director in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hull Truck Theatre</span> Theatre in Kingston upon Hull, England

Hull Truck Theatre is a theatre in Kingston upon Hull, England, which presents drama productions, and also tours. In March 2022, the theatre's original premises on Coltman Street, Hull, was recognised by a blue plaque to coincide with the theatre's 50-year anniversary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">So You Think You're Funny</span> Annual stand-up comedy competition

So You Think You're Funny? (SYTYF) is an annual stand-up comedy competition for new acts. The competition began in 1988 in the United Kingdom.

The Swaledale Festival takes place over two weeks in May and June each year, in churches, chapels, castles, ‘Literary Institutes’, pubs, fields and village halls scattered around Swaledale, Arkengarthdale and Wensleydale. The largest venues seat about 400 people; the smallest venues as few as 40. The main focus of the Festival is on small-scale classical chamber music. Choral music, folk music, brass bands and jazz also feature, as do talks, films, exhibitions, poetry readings, workshops and guided walks. Among others, the festival has featured the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Natalie Clein, Nicholas Daniel, Don Paterson, Emma Johnson, Julian Perkins, Martin Simpson, Martin Taylor and the Navarra Quartet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beverley Folk Festival</span> Festival in Beverley, Yorkshire, England

The Beverley Folk Festival is a three-day celebration of folk music, art, comedy and spoken word held in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was first organised in 1983 by the White Horse Folk Club and grew considerably over thirty years, being located both at Beverley Leisure Centre and at local venues in the town. In 2013, it moved to Beverley Racecourse and ran until 2018 when it fell into liquidation, resulting in a smaller programme of events being hosted in the town as Beverley Fringe Festival that year. It returns in 2022 again as the Folk Festival.

The Tramlines Festival is an annual music festival held in Sheffield, UK. The festival was originally free to attend, but now requires tickets. The line-up consists of national and local artists. The festival was curated and organised by a panel comprising local venue owners, promoters and volunteers. The name of the festival is inspired by the city's tram network. Tramlines held its first festival in 2009, which attracted 35,000 fans and was seen as a huge success, and 2010's event doubled that figure. The success of Tramlines Festival 2011 led to the event winning 'Best Metropolitan Festival' at the UK Festival Awards. Superstruct Entertainment, the live entertainment platform backed by Providence Equity Partners, owns the festival after it entered definitive agreement for the acquisition of several live music and entertainment festivals from Global Media & Entertainment and Broadwick Live.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freedom Festival, Hull</span> Music and performance arts festival held annually in Kingston upon Hull, England

The Freedom Festival is an annual music and performance arts festival held in the city of Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is named in honour of the slave trade abolitionist, MP and son of Hull, William Wilberforce. The festival was established in 2007 to mark the 200th anniversary of Wilberforce's law, the Slave Trade Act 1807, to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire.

<i>Channel 4s Comedy Gala</i> Annual British comedy benefit show

Channel 4's Comedy Gala is an annual British comedy benefit show organised by Channel 4 in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. The show is filmed live at the O2 Arena in London, and then broadcast later by Channel 4. An inaugural gala was held in 2010, while a second gala was held in 2011. A third Gala aired in May 2012. A fourth Gala was filmed on Saturday 18 May 2013. A fifth Gala was confirmed on 24 February 2014 to be recorded on 16 May 2014 at the O2 Arena.

The Cardiff Comedy Festival is organised by Scott Fitzgerald, Tom Wakeham, Richard Balshaw, Johnny Disco and Matt Price. As well as showcasing established, mainly Welsh, acts, the Festival also aims to nurture new talent, and in 2010 premiered the first Welsh Unsigned Standup Awards.

Cottingham Springboard Festival is a live grassroots music festival that takes place annually in the village of Cottingham, East Riding of Yorkshire, England.

Francis Cullinan is an American stage director of opera, musical theater, dramas, comedies and cabaret shows.

References

  1. "Are you having a laugh?". BBC Humberside. BBC. 9 October 2007. Retrieved 9 February 2010.
  2. [ dead link ]
  3. "Hull Comedy Festival 2011 - Home". Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2008.
  4. "Hull Comedy Festival Headliners Announced!". Archived from the original on 17 April 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2008.
  5. "Hull Comedy Festival 2011 - Home". Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  6. "Visit Hull and East Yorkshire Remarkable Tourism Awards". Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2011.