unitytheatre June 2008

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The Liverpool Comedy Festival

Monday 2 June
7:00pm
Jason Cook
8:45pm Hattie Hayridge & Norman Lovett

Tuesday 3 June
7:00pm
Paul Tonkinson
8:45pm Brendan Riley

Wednesday 4 June
7:00pm
Rohd Gilbert
8:45pm Alun Cochrane

Thursday 5 June
7:00pm
Justin Moorehouse
8:45pm John Hegley

Friday 6 June
7:00pm
Steve Gribbin
8:45pm Rhona Cameron

Saturday 7 June
7:00pm
Richard Herring
8:45pm Pete Firman


4:00pm Stand out Xtra
Tickets for this show £3.00


Stand out Xtra is the advanced course that teaches further funny stuff to the 14 to 18 year olds who have come through the Stand Out course. With sketches, skits and stand up this show harnesses young minds and helps them to be funny.

It probably counts as an A-level too, but don't quote me on that.


Monday 2 June

Lee Martin for Gag Reflex Management presents...

Jason Cook – My Confessions

The Devil makes work for idle hands and, thankfully, Jason has taken up your share. A collection of true stories covering shame, love, death and redemption. As part of his 2008 World Tour, Jason brings this critically acclaimed show to Liverpool for one night only. Prepare to be moved.

. ..brutally truthful piece of comedy delight. – Timeout

showtime 7:00pm
tickets £6.00

Hattie Hayridge & Norman Lovett

Double Header

Hattie and Norman, the two faces of the computer in the cult TV series Red Dwarf, come together on stage for the very first time to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the show.

They creat a unique comedy evening, performing their inimitable stand up routines, discussing their association with Red Dwarf and answering questions from the audience.

showtime 8:45pm
tickets £10.00


Tuesday 3 June

Paul Tonkinson

Unzips The Bag

A show about being on the road. Paul, a 38 year old married man with 3 children, 2 dogs and 2 cats tells it like he thinks it is. He celebrates the work and family ethic of gangster-rapper Snoop Dogg, muses on the necessity of surrender and shares the futile horror of being heckled live on the radio.

Brilliant. Independent

showtime 7:00pm
tickets £6.00

Brendan Riley

Life of Riley

Following the success of his last three sell out shows, festival favourite Brendan brings you his brand new stand up show. Brendan has already had more than enough excitement for one lifetime; parachute jumps that went wrong, racing motorbikes, sinking submarines, and running the marathon bladdered ... this has certainly been a Life of Riley!

Irreverent, inventive and most importantly hilarious. Liverpool Daily Post
showtime 8:45pm
tickets £6.00


Wednesday 4 June

Rhod Gilbert

One of the most exciting and original talents on the UK and international comedy scene, Welsh sensation Rhod Gilbert exploded onto the circuit back in 2002, winning an unprecedented number of awards. He now regularly headlines in venues across the country and comedy festivals around the world.

Top 50 Comedians The Times

showtime 7:00pm
tickets £6.00


Alun Cochrane

Owner of one shed and one son. Thinks the world is wonky.

Has a life looking out the window and thinking daft thoughts drawn to a halt as Alun becomes a Dad? No. If the world is wonky is he smart enough to fix it? No.

But at least he can point out the wonks in a series of amusing ways. From there, we’re on our own.

a deft, inventive comic. The Times

showtime 8:45pm

tickets £6.00


Thursday 5 June

Justin Moorehouse

One of the brightest stars working on the comedy circuit, Manchester based Justin Moorehouse is a talented stand-up comedian, writer and actor - not to mention an award-winning radio presenter on Key 103.

Like Peter Kay physically and vocally, and not unlike Alan Bennett linguistically. List

showtime 7:00pm
tickets £6.00

John Hegley

Song and Dances

From the Amoeba Song which he began in the upper sixth to his latest opus celebrating Luton Town's five nil drubbing in the city; "With Luton in receivership, I think it could be said that that night, there were two sides in the red," and other songs about emotional scallywagging and potatoes.

Awesomely mundane. The Independent

showtime 8:45pm
tickets £12.00
£6.00
Limited concessions


Friday 6 June

Steve Gribbin

From Adolf To The Zutons: Part Two

After the fantastic success of last year's show, the superlative smasher of satirical song from Waterloo unearths more amazing facts from Liverpool's rich history. Mixing politics, music and great gags his new subjects range from Carla Lane to Penny Lane, from Echo And The Bunnymen to Bessie Braddock, taking in the mythical Liver Birds themselves.

Co-written by Paddy Hoey and Steve Gribbin

showtime 7:00pm
tickets £6.00

Rhona Cameron

After a four year absence, the award-winning comedian, critically acclaimed author and Jungle survivor at last makes her return to the stand-up stage.

A sell-out in Edinburgh and London, her most intimate show to date takes the audience through Rhona’s darkly comical, ridiculous life.

Personal, surprising, unique … entertaining. The Times
showtime 8:45pm
tickets £10.00


Saturday 7 June

Richard Herring

Oh Fuck I’m 40

Just yesterday I was 20, then I blinked and bang, I'm 40. It must be a dream. I still feel like I'm 20. As long as I am not walking up some stairs.

Have I wasted my life? Is it time to grow up, get out the pipe and slippers and await the blessed release of death? Or does life really begin at 40?

Herring is a superior comedian ... hilarious. The Guardian

showtime 7:00pm
tickets £10.00


Pete Firman

MySpace generation’s Tommy Cooper. The Scotsman

A delight ... cleverly misfiring tricks and hapless charm. Independent

Pete brings his unique award-winning anarchic magic to Liverpool.

Putting the pimp back into magic ... leave your scepticism at the door ... see it to believe it. List

Star of Channel 4’s ‘Dirty Tricks’ and Five’s ‘Monkey Magic’

showtime 8:45pm

tickets £6.00


A Keyhole production for DCT

The Beggar's Opera

By John Gay

Tuesday 10 to Saturday 14 June

The Beggar has written an opera, and the actors, also his fellow beggars, are all eager to perform it.

Enjoy an evening in the presence of the swaggering, womanising Captain Macheath with his band of highwaymen; an assortment of whores, angry parents, deceitful rogues, fences, jailors and others on both sides of the law.

Follow our poor heroines, Lucy Locket and Polly Peachum, as they fight for the heart of their heartless, handsome, hero.

Gay's sparkling and witty musical is the perfect entertainment for a Summer's evening.

showtime 8:00pm
tickets £7.00/£5.00 concessions


The Last Chance Theatre Company

Creation & all that Jazz

A comedy by Ged Mann

Thursday 19 to Saturday 21 June

Bryn Williams, a brilliant scientist, discovers by chance that everything on planet earth has a secret bar code, which can mean only one thing, it was all made by one company, JC Construction. More worryingly, it all has a sell by date and it is approaching fast.

J.C. Construction is a small family company run by Jesus Christ, his charismatic brother Lucifer and Chief Designers Gandhi, Jehovah and Buddha. They are all delighted to have won their first major contract, to create Earth on behalf of God plc, who just happens to be J.C’s dad, and the Head of the Awards Committee.

This comedy neatly explains three world religions, the design of humans and how they behave. It also looks at the tensions involved in running any small family company.

showtime 8:00pm
tickets £10.00/£8.00 concessions


Suitcase Theatre

We’ll Keep a Welcome

By Michael Stevens

Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 June

When young Stan, Jim and Jean Wright step innocently outside on Friday morning, September 1st 1939, they take their first steps on a short but momentous journey. They are leaving Mum and Dad and war-threatened Liverpool behind to join the mass exodus of 130,000 children being evacuated from the city.

We’ll Keep a Welcome, commissioned by Age Concern, follows the children as they move to North Wales, where life on a farm, a new language and separation from home are just the first shocks.

This new play charts the stories of the lives of these youngsters, their families, and other characters also on the move, like notorious fascists William and Margaret Joyce, escaping arrest in Britain by fleeing to Germany.

All come face to face with one of the war’s first casualties, Home.

Directed by Bob Fox
Designer Mike Jones

showtime 7:30pm
tickets £8.00/£5.00 concessions


Click Productions

Generation X

Friday 27 and Saturday 28 June

Global warming has taken over, there's nothing left to live for, all bonds that have been formed but are now easily broken, once again it's survival of the fittest.

Click take you on an exhilarating journey, leaving cliché behind, making you question everything. Seven characters, one catalyst, total chaos... who will make it through Generation X?

Turning the warnings of today into the reality, Click bring you a hugely physical portrayal of a powerful message in an artistic, energetic piece of theatre. Don't wait for the future to find you ... come and watch it happen!

agegroup 15+

showtime 8:00pm
tickets £7.00/£5.00 concessions