The Pin (comedy act)

The Pin
Medium	Film; Theatre; Television; Radio
Nationality	British/Irish
Years active	2013 – present
Genres	Double-act; sketch comedy; surreal humour
Notable works and roles	Deep Cover

The Pin is the comedy writing and acting partnership of Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen. ^[1] They co-wrote and performed in the Amazon MGM Studios film Deep Cover, which played at SXSW London and Tribeca Festival 2025 before being released on Amazon Prime. ^{[2] [3] [4]} They also wrote and starred in The Comeback in London's West End, ^{[5] [6] [7]} and recorded multi award-winning BBC Radio 4 sketch show The Pin from 2015 to 2019. ^[8]

Background

The double act met at the University of Cambridge, where they joined the Cambridge Footlights. Whilst members, they co-wrote and performed the sketch show ‘Good Clean Men’ with Joey Batey, Joe Bannister, Mark Fiddaman and Simon Haines, ^{[9] [10]} and they co-wrote and performed in two Footlights international tour shows: 2010's 'Good For You,' ^[11] directed by Liam Williams and Daran Johnson, and 2011's 'Pretty Little Panic' ^[12] directed by Keith Akushie and James Moran. They were also the satire editors of Varsity newspaper. ^[13]

'The Pin' was originally the title of a show written and performed by Ashenden, Owen, and original member Mark Fiddaman in their final year at Cambridge in 2011. ^[14] After graduating, the three moved to London and started developing shows at the Invisible Dot comedy club ^{[15] [16] [17]} to take to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. ^[18] The Pin became a duo when Fiddaman left to pursue graduate studies at the University of Oxford. ^[19]

Works

Deep Cover

Nick Mohammed, Alexander Owen, Orlando Bloom, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ben Ashenden and Colin Trevorrow at Tribeca 2025 for the International Premiere of 'Deep Cover' (Amazon/MGM)

They co-wrote the feature film, Deep Cover, along with Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly. They also had supporting roles in the film as detectives. ^[2]

The Comeback

Main article: The Comeback (play)

The pair wrote and starred in a new play The Comeback at the Noël Coward Theatre in London's West End which opened on 8 December 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic (with a socially distanced audience). The run was due to end on 3 January 2021, however due to the London Tier 3 restrictions announced by the government, the run was paused after 16 December 2020. It reopened on 7 July 2021 and ran until 25 July 2021.

The Pin (Live Act, and Radio Show)

Their shows at Edinburgh have garnered great critical acclaim from the likes of The Guardian , ^{[20] [21]} The Sunday Times , ^{[22] [23]} The Daily Telegraph , ^{[24] [25] [26]} and more. ^{[27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32]}

In 2015 the pair's debut BBC Radio 4 series aired, called "The Pin", with four 15-minute episodes. It is characterised by self-referential humour and breaking the fourth wall, with each sketch followed by brief commentary. It was followed by a second series in 2016, and a third series in 2017, this time in the 6.30pm slot, with half-hour long episodes. A fourth series was broadcast in 2019.

Other work

Together Ashenden and Owen have acted in BBC comedy Ghosts, ^[33] Netflix drama 1899, ^[34] Studio Canal feature What's Love Got to Do with It?, ^[35] Judd Apatow film The Bubble, ^[36] Jurassic World Dominion, ^[37] Stath Lets Flats, and A Whole Lifetime with Jamie Demetriou. ^[38]

They have created BBC Three animated series Oi, Leonardo!, ^[39] BBC Digital series What's Happening?, ^[40] YouTube series Overheard, ^[41] and Audible Original The Special Relationship, ^[42] and wrote U&Dave series Live at the Moth Club. ^[43]

Awards

Alexander Owen and producer Sam Bryant at the BBC radio awards

The Pin was the 2013 winner of London Sketchfest's prize for 'Best Act,' ^{[44] [45]} and the first series of their Radio 4 show won them the award for 'Best Comedy' at the 2016 BBC radio awards. ^[46]

There were nominated for the South Bank Sky Arts Award 'Breakthrough Act' 2021. ^[47]

References

1. Logan, Brian (24 November 2020). "The Comeback: the farce with James Corden, Catherine Tate and Stephen Fry onboard". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 25 June 2025.
2. James, Caryn (11 June 2025). "'Deep Cover Review: Bryce Dallas Howard and Orlando Bloom Play Improv Actors Working an Undercover Police Sting in a Winningly Silly Comedy". Yahoo Entertainment. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
3. "Deep Cover (2025)". Empire. 10 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
4. "Fans rave over 'funniest movie of the year' with 93% Rotten Tomatoes score". HELLO!. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
5. Logan, Brian (16 December 2020). "The Comeback review – comedy that sparkles by double act The Pin". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 25 June 2025.
6. Cavendish, Dominic (12 December 2020). "The Comeback, Noël Coward Theatre review: the funniest West End double-act in years". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 25 June 2025.
7. Benedict, David (14 December 2020). "'The Comeback' Review: London's New Heartwarming Hit, Stopped in Its Tracks by Theater Closure". Variety. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
8. "The Pin – Radio 4 Sketch Show". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
9. "Good Clean Men" . Retrieved 16 June 2020.
10. Reynolds, George (6 November 2009). "Good. Clean. Men". Varsity. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
11. "Edinburgh Review: Footlights in Good For You". 16 August 2010. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
12. "Theatre: Pretty Little Panic" . Retrieved 10 September 2016.
13. "Varsity Issue 726". Issuu. 22 October 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
14. "Comedy: The Pin". Varsity Online.
15. "The Invisible Dot: How has one of the country's smallest comedy venues" . Independent.co.uk . 11 June 2013. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
16. Developpando. "The Invisible Dot Ltd – Archive Events – id:151 The Pin". www.theinvisibledot.com. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
17. Logan, Brian (27 May 2013). "The Invisible Dot: a hand up for standup". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 10 September 2016.
18. "The Pin". Edinburgh Festival. 11 August 2012.
19. "Mark Fiddaman | University of Oxford - Academia.edu". oxford.academia.edu.
20. Logan, Brian (24 August 2015). "The Pin at Edinburgh festival review – clever-clever sketch-bending". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 10 September 2016.
21. Logan, Brian (20 August 2014). "Edinburgh comedy awards 2014 shortlist: why Liam Williams should win". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 10 September 2016.
22. "Edinburgh: This woman works | The Sunday Times". www.thesundaytimes.co.uk. Archived from the original on 29 May 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
23. "Crowning glories | The Sunday Times". www.thesundaytimes.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
24. "Edinburgh comedy 2014: what to see". 21 August 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
25. "Edinburgh comedy 2015: what to see". The Telegraph. 12 August 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
26. "Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2014: 'quirky and unpredictable'". 20 August 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
27. "The Pin – Edinburgh Fringe review". London is Funny. 18 August 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
28. "The Pin". 11 August 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
29. "The Pin at Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh". The Times . 22 August 2014. Archived from the original on 22 August 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
30. "The Pin". 5 August 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
31. Solutions, Powder Blue Internet Business. "The Pin: Ten Seconds with The Pin's description : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 10 September 2016.{{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
32. "The Pin: Ten Seconds With The Pin". 24 August 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
33. @JimHowick (9 August 2021). "in tonight's opener we're joined by the excellent @thepincomedy @chloedelanney and Sujaya Dasgupta" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
34. Mellor, Louisa (17 November 2022). "Netflix's 1899 Cast: Meet the Actors Of This Mind-Bending Puzzle". Den of Geek. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
35. "What's Love Got to Do With It? is proof that British romcoms aren't dead – review". The Independent. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
36. "The Bubble". Empire. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
37. Maxwell, Dominic (17 August 2020). "Pin sharp: the comic duo set to storm the West End". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
38. Netflix Is A Joke (3 March 2023). Bachelor Party | A Whole Lifetime with Jamie Demetriou | Netflix . Retrieved 25 June 2025– via YouTube.
39. "Oi Leonardo!". YouTube. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
40. Baby Cow (3 October 2022). “I'm Protesting Your Podcast!" | What's Happening: Activism | A Baby Cow Original Series . Retrieved 25 June 2025– via YouTube.
41. Raeside, Julia (7 December 2017). "Overheard review – the sketch show reinvented with tiny, joyful snippets of comic tapas". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 25 June 2025.
42. Guide, British Comedy. "The Special Relationship - Sitcom". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
43. Guide, British Comedy. "Live At The Moth Club - U&Dave Stand-Up". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
44. "London Sketchfest, Victorian Vaults, review". 27 May 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
45. "London Sketchfest Archive". www.londonsketchfest.com. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
46. ""Everyone" wins Gold at the BBC Radio Awards". 10 May 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
47. Bennett, Steve. "The Pin nominated for Southbank Award : News 2021 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk.