This is a list of most ofthe acts appearing in Wendy Ivers Presents the Laughter Factor.
For more information on each act click the link to see a short biography .
Wilbur (information to follow) |
“Andrew Learmonth is an Aberdeen born comedian who is sure to go far” (Wendy Ivers Comedy Capers)
Extraordinarily talented Andrew Learmonth comes from a ridiculously remote part of Scotland to tell crappy outdated jokes about Big Brother, impotence and international politics. Well that’s according to him, the truth is everyone who has seen Andrew perform wants to see more of him and they are always disappointed if he leaves the stage before they’ve finished listening to his natural satirical comedy style and pleasant though political on stage persona. Web: www.myspace.com/andylearmonth
Aberdonian Urban Joker Austin Low’s eccentricity gather’s pace as the night goes on; some say he’s the next generation, others say he needs help. With a unique world view point, "Taking the familiar set-up into new realms," and youthful charm, Austin can fit any venue,"…the most crowd pleasing act of the night." (Chortle)
He was part of the Festival in 04 with the, ‘Alive 4 Show,’ and took part in the sell out, ‘Scotland 4 Australia 1,’ appearing with other rising stars in this stand up, sketch and musical comedy **** Three Weeks. Austin regularly plays clubs such as, the Stand, the State Bar, and many others all over Scotland
Carly Baker takes everyday life experiences and turns them into hilarious self depreciating stories that everyone can relate to and enjoy… She is a must see." (Scott White) ‘Soccer Mom Gone bad,’ Carly brings a devious perspective to the roles of wife and mother.
A Midwestern girl from St.Louis, Missouri, Carly began her comedy career at the Laff Stop in Houston, and was soon opening for heavy hitters like Darrell Hammond, Ralphie May, and Adam Ferrara. She’s reached the finals of several prestigious US comedy competitions and trained with Eddie Brill. She, her hubby & kids now call Aberdeen, Scotland their home.http://www.myspace.com/carlylovescereal
Chris Giggie has barely passed puberty and his voice needs some breaking yet he manages to convince the ladies he meets in Aberdeen’s nightclubs & Saturday night streets that he’s a self employed banker. He’s a fantastically funny character and a natural comedian who wows Aberdeen audiences whilst speaking in squeaky tones about his hyperactive childhood, hysterical teens and about the transition he is currently making to adulthood. Given the right support and encouragement this teenager is sure to get right to the top of the comedy tree – you have to see him to believe in him and he is a must see.
“The Clatt Farmer Duncan Guthrie has turned stoicism into an art form” – (Evening Express 2006)
Aberdeenshire Farmer Guthrie made his reputation in the farming world between 1985 and 1992 with a series of highly popular crop rotations and publication of his masterpieces Pigs Might Sxxt and Never Far from the Dung. He also built his own barn and cleared the blockage to his septic tank. Whilst a Farmer Guthrie became obsessed with, ‘John Cravens Country File,’ and in 1993 he was charged & placed on the list of convicted Countryphiles with an order to stay at least 200 yards from Muck Spreaders. This understandably ended his farming career and he turned to comedy to make ends meet. Whether he knows it or not he is a comic genius who should definitely not go back to farming.
“Well written, carefully crafted gags that have you hanging on the edge of your seat for his entire set”
"Gus is an exquisite comedy writer with a wicked sense of humour and superbly witty one liner's". The Heckler
Born and raised in Aberdeen Gus turned to comedy after realising he would not achieve his lifelong dream of becoming a football commentator. Gus was inspired by the likes of Lee Mack, Frank Skinner and Fred Macaulay, who all started comedy in their late-twenties/thirties but he was so scared about performing for his first open spot that he got his wife to phone up and book his place. He shouldn't have worried because he was amazingly successful and now nine months later he has quickly made the transition from promising newcomer to high quality support act. He combines a quirky look at current events with hilarious (though not always factually accurate) tales from his own life.
Montrosian 'Scott Forbes is a find with a rapid-fire natural delivery that reminds me of a young Billy Connolly' (Evening Express). A natural observational & improvisational comic Scott is impressive considering his youth he speaks with energy, enthusiasm and intelligent satire about Ork’s serving him in MacDonald’s, life at home with his parents, suicide bombers, boy racers and about the fact people think he’s a female from behind. The hippy haired gothic is a native of Montrose and though he shows no signs of growing a tail all that inbreeding and family conflict has made for a natural and flowing sense of humour. At only his second gig Scott reached the semi-final of the J20/Jongleurs Last Laugh Comedy Competition in 2004.
Sean Wilson is an old style comic who touches close to the bone with his tales about his wife, mother in law and other old people he knows. A lad from Aberdeenshire he also draws inspiration from farming and life around him and he has no shame in admitting that he’s happy to steal gags that make him laugh because he wants to make others do the same. He’s not a young lad or new to performing he’s been entertaining folks in various guises for twenty years and his stand up persona is warm, cute, engaging and laden with laugh a minute gags
“He delights audiences with his own unique style of hilarious stand up comedy and parody songs you will be rewarded with deep and hearty belly laughs aplenty” (About Aberdeen 2005)
Tony performs a mixture of stand up comedy, parody songs and cover versions though Tony takes no prisoners so if your looking for political correctness you’ve definitely come to the wrong place, however if your looking for a good old laugh and a sing song your in for a treat. Tony Littler was a finalist in The Laughing Horse New Act of the year Competition 2005 and had a successful one man show, ‘Fat, Furry, Funny and Free at The Fringe last year. www.tony-littler.co.uk
Wendy's comedy is a stream of consciousness, a continuous confession, a spontaneous story-telling rant revealing some of the most bizarre and frustratingly funny insights, ideas & experiences. Her ludicrous confessions take audiences on a trip into her current state of mind covering topics as diverse as politics & human rights, sweat shops & shoplifting, bikini waxing & pube trimming, drug use & education and whatever else she's been pondering in the run up to the show. Verbal diahorrea has never been so infectious.
Wendy is also a Performance Poet and has been a finalist in several Aberdeen Poetry Slams.
Wendy is a qualified and experienced Community Education Worker & Health Scientist and is often asked to research, write and present informative, yet humorous, pieces on given topics or subjects for charity and community events. www.wendyivers.co.uk
Welcome to the dark and silly sketch world of Brainstopping aka Matt Bowdler and Ben Manning who "Nostalgically evoke double-acts from Blackadder to The Young Ones" - The Scotsman and are "Really witty... laugh out loud funny" - Paul Putner (Little Britain/Spaced)
Regulars on the Midlands comedy circuit their bringing their sketch show, Haemorrhage, to the Edinburgh Festival where they plan to build on their existing success having co-written ITV1's, ‘The Sitcom Trials, and having their sketches used to launch the BBC's new talent website Comedy Soup. They've also recently completed their first sitcom pilot, So What? www.brainstopping.com & www.myspace.com/brainstopping
Caroline’s stand up stands out; her audiences are required to keep up with intelligent material and stories accompanied by cartoons & visual aids (e.g. pictures of her ex girlfriend’s new partners with shit all over their face). "Caroline Clifford was next on the stage, and quickly gripped the crowd with professional and imaginative set, complete with vendetta-fuelled cartoon strips." (Newbury Today)
Caroline Clifford’s made a name for herself in no time; she achieved final status in the Newbury and Amused Moose New Act Competitions and has been described as, "One of the best new comics to come along for a long time" (Logan Murray) Come and see her you’d be a fool not to. www.carolineclifford.com and http://www.myspace.com/carolineclifford
Comedy’s Only operatic talent,’ with comical commentary and classic singing that takes the piss out of opera Evie’s unique chorus reveals profane versions of popular opera songs & parodies of pop tunes including Kellis’ 'Milkshake.’ “You'll laugh, you'll cry. Your ears will bleed...can you take it?”
Evie is the product of a virgin birth and though it didn't give her the head start it did Jesus she sang her first aria at 6 months and followed her operatic destiny, but Evie became embarrassed of the fact and found herself saying silly things between songs and realised that people were laughing so she decided to reveal her talents to the comedy circuit and received rapturous receptions. http://www.myspace.com/evie_anderson
“Ingenious, top-quality comedy, so hilarious that you could hear the laughter of the audience of the small stage from far off”. (Walldorf)
Comedian Heinz Gröning (Heinz the Great) introduces his audience to a world of comedy unlike any they have experienced. He tells of flop performances from the start of his career and of exciting affairs that no man will envy him for. He takes the audience on an incredibly funny trip through the real-life battle of the sexes because as a man Heinz Gröning is a larger than life caricature of self-confident machismo, the self-fulfilling prophecy which blurs the borders between pretension and fact.
Jane Walker is natural and laid back as she shares stories about watching Murder She Wrote when she should be writing, being an only child and kicking in old ladies doors and though she is female she only makes the occasional passing reference to breasts
“Devilishly quick and capable of running with the weirdo in the audience, milking any situation for hilarity and keeping the laughter coming consistently Juliet Meyers is a good comedienne.” (Edinburgh Evening News)
Her confidence is a really attractive thing about her act. She draws audiences in with her set ups only to throw them back out when the punch-line hits. Supplying jokes on feminism, travelling, sexuality and religion - not to mention continuous use of the 'c' word, Juliet find’s the crowd's tone and provides a great set that has folks in stitches with her witty observations and social judgments and, “some clever off beat thinking to get to the punch line, topped with a smattering of some smart puns.” Steve Bennett, Chortle
Canadian Judy Batalion was a Semi-Finalist in both the UK-wide Funny Women and Channel 5 So You Think You're Funny competitions. Her 'surreal act batters the audience into submission' (The Argus) and combines an expressive delivery with a sardonic twist, addressing topics ranging from sibling-rivalry to psychic-transformation, identity decay, and American coffee cups. Judy appeared at the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe in shows including Funny Women at the Fringe, and Ants With Feelings ('side-splitting ... total madness' **** - Three Weeks) and is due to perform in both Edinburgh and Brighton Festival Fringes in 06.
The incredibly tall and talented Katy offers insights into being ‘heighted’ and shares her surreal thoughts & ideas on Miss Piggy’s celebrity children, prawns, rape, vegetarians and pescatarians in a style described as, "Dark and twisted mixed with light and fluffy, plus some stuff about shoes, from the tallest, blondest comedienne in the World (that was born a woman).”
Katy was semi-finalist in So You Think You're Funny 05 and Funny Women 06,
Katy hosts the Comedians Graveyard in London and gigs regularly throughout the country in character as The Widow Bagshaw. www.KatyBagshaw.com
Karl Erik is a charming Cockney-Scott with more than a few stories to tell; raised in the Shetlands and educated in Law at Essex he graduated whilst on Crown Court bail after an arrest for various offences. After time on the run and in prison he began writing and one novel, a screenplay and a self development book later Karl twisted and turned and took what he saw as the natural transition into stand up stage and he has since set the London comedy circuit alight.
“He’s definitely one to watch out for” (Hils Jago – Amused Moose)
“In 27yrs as a pro Stand Up, rarely have I seen so much potential” (Al Benson - Award winning Comic)
“Articulate, intelligent and hilarious just don’t give him your bank details” (Donal Macintyre- Journalist)
Karl has just finished filming a documentary with Donal Macintyre (Dare Films) about Britain’s largest cocaine importation and has started another about his former criminal lifestyle and his transition to Stand Up (on air Sept on Ch 5) “Before I got into comedy a bad day at the office before could secure me a 10 stretch. Now the worst is a bad heckle. 17 years in Organised Crime, ain’t no audience gonna frighten me; I love ‘em!” K. Edrik
“…a gifted comedian destined for much bigger things…” (Evening News)
“…the excellent Keir McAllister shines with his fast paced intelligent set…” (Noise)
“At no time have we been sexually involved. We are close but only in a platonic sense and if other people have a problem with that then they must be jealous…and so they should be Paul’s got a huge cock…” Keir on idiotic comic partner Paul Pirie” (Arse Bandit Monthly)
Keir McAllister is an energetic and powerful act who has risen to prominence after taking runner up place in the Jongleurs Last Laugh Comedy competition in 04. He has great material about working as a social worker and from his time as a born again Christian material that has taken him all over Scotland and throughout the UK.
Liz’s comedy is intelligent, observational, and conversational as well as punch-line driven; "a collection of great laughs delivered brilliantly," (BBCi) Whilst some would describe her stuff as, "jolly, chatty and upbeat…,"(Chortle), Liz herself considers acerbic and close to the bone for hidden behind her angelic looks is brutal honest humour that is fast becoming popular with audiences throughout the UK and abroad.
Liz was the comedian behind ‘Liz in a Lift’ the improvised; sell out one woman show held in the lift of the pleasance theatre in 2004. Liz has recently completed a successful tour of Australia performing for “A-List” Comedy Clubs in Sydney as well as independent promoters in Perth and Melbourne. http://www.lizstephens.co.uk http://www.myspace.com/liz_stephens
"Matt Rudge is the Pork sword of truth" Andrew Maxwell
"A Truly Anarchic and funny set" Leicester Fun House Comedy Club
Born to a Glaswegian mother and a Brummie dad, I grew up in Somerset. Obviously. It was therefore unsurprising that I was a weird kid. At an early age I developed a seemingly useless skill for accents and impressions and TV roles eventually followed, I think I may be the only person to have died twice on Casualty, in two separate episodes as two different characters. Once by smoke inhalation, once by brain haemorrhage now that's medical negligence. My first radio play ' The Male Member ' was about a talking penis and produced by BBC Pebble Mill. www.mattrudge.com.
A smiling youthful, high energy performer with a set punctuated by surreal observations and distracted by loads of jumping around though it contains very little sweating. Murray James is brand new to comedy yet he reckons he has The Laughter Factor and states that his comedy career has gone very groovingly so far - since starting in January he’s been careering all over the place for gigs, from the Stand in Edinburgh to the Poncho Comedy Club in Cardiff to Ashby-De-La-Zouche with funhouse Comedy. As such Murray is already doing paid ten slots and is waiting to see if he’s reached semi-final status in this years So You Think You're Funny competition.
"Nick Rutherford is a young up and coming comic from Los Angeles. His razor sharp timing and quirky yet delightfully honest view on life keeps audiences coming back for more. He has performed all over Los Angeles at the biggest clubs in Comedy and was a finalist in 2 of the largest comedy competitions in California, The Ultimate Laff Down, and The Uncle Clyde Contest. Catch a clip of Nick in action at the Hollywood Improv - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w41BE154MtA
'Back breaking stand-up, irresistible characters, and thunderous slams. Hilarious stand-up comedian and intense slam poet, 'Ranney,' unleashes his latest one man jam taking the audience on a trip through his world of wacky yet true-to life characters; profound yet grounded rants; and insanely insightful comedy.
It's a new world from the heart and soul of an alert exorcist - a world impacted by the life of a comic that has lived as a socially proficient monk and a noble hedonist. It's a fun, new, yet recognizable journey through the mind of 'Ranney,' the Illuminatus of Comedy. www.itsranney.com
"ranney" is a multi-talented stand-up comedian residing in Tampa, Florida. In the early 90's, "ranney" shared billing with such talents as Paul Mooney (Bamboozled/The Dave Chapelle Show), Bill Bellamy (Any Given Sunday, MTV VJ), Ricky Harris (Heat), Chris Thomas (original mayor of BET's Rap City/Laffapalooza), and Martin Lawrence. "ranney" was the premiere comedian for LAFF TUESDAYS which was the world famous Apollo Theatre's professional comedy club in Harlem, and he was chosen as one of the few for the lineup in the Apollo's tribute to Robin Harris (Bebe's Kids) in 1990.
“It’s part storytelling, part stand-up, part musical comedy, but consistently entertaining. Paulson is a natural storyteller, instantly likeable, and fearlessly honest in his story…It’s a brave performance — and it’s very funny…4 STARS.”— Joff Schmidt, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
“His story is funny, revealing, engaging, naive, honest and, regardless of your faith, universal in appeal. MUST SEE.” — Matt Peiken, St. Paul Pioneer Press
Ryan gives a fascinating insight into his unorthodox upbringing in a faith that requires no less than religious ecstasy from a bunch of shy Scandinavians. With hilarious tales of love, sex, and religion, Ryan reveals the truth about the religious right as he talks of finding God, falling hard for a sexy Swedish teenager and leaving his friend Jesus standing at the ticket counter at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport. www.RyanPaulson.com.
"Raw, bareback comedy at its' best" (The Glaswegian 2005)
"Fantastic!"(Gaydarradio.com 2006)
"Weight loss and boyfriends have never been funnier."(Scotsgay magazine 2006)
Are you ready to join this behemoth Glaswegian on a journey into the murkier parts of sexuality and coming out the other side with a big smile on your face? Scott regularly wows audiences around the country with his straight talking tales of homosexual mis-adventure and general recklessness in his early 20s. Everything from fingering a ferret to threesomes, the Orange Order and the Catholic Church are his comedy targets covered in a strangely, charming and alluring way.
Shelley Farte is a medical secretary who shares stories and poems about the funniest things she has witnessed since beginning work in the surgical department of an NHS hospital! A regular on Live TV’s, ‘Stand Up Live,’ in the late 90s Shelley’s poems are considered some of, “the most disgusting poems you will ever hear on the comedy circuit” Adrian Rox, Laughing Toucan Comedy Club, London.
The Two Frocks with, ‘The Tea Set,’
The Two Frocks are a comic-dance-puppetry duo from Australia who often performs their physical/dance numbers at stand up nights to the bemusement, amazement and amusement of the audiences. In the tea set Fil & Flo lay the table for afternoon tea with pride and precision, whilst disagreeing how the tea set is actually supposed to sit. Quickly the strange inner world of the two frocks opens up, starting with dancing crockery puppets. They make buildings, a King Kong tribute appears and it all goes haywire from there.
“Canadian Vince Flueck’s extraordinary reputation within the professional comedy industry is as a result of some astonishing performances early in his career – since then he’s been marked as one of North America’s most outstanding comics and comedy writers who is easily on a par with many famous North American faces” (Debra Dimmer – Former booker for the David Letterman show)
The last frontiers of the Canadian wild-west weaned Mr Fluke who has recently found himself on our shores. He started touring after winning Canada's Funniest New Comic award at the age of 19 and has played comedy clubs, festivals and hell-gigs all over the States Canada and Europe.
"...was very well received and showed immense promise. Would definitely book him again." (Wil Hodgson)
"Very impressed with his energy, material and indeed his whole persona."
"He got the entire evening going." (Cheeky Monkey Comedy Club)
"...not afraid to talk about subjects others might shy away from; underneath the harsh exterior is someone who's put a lot of effort into his material and is making good inroads into the Comedy world"
Wes is forging a reputation as an exciting and fearless act with topics including the dangers of dogging, sex with transsexuals and why he should be able to smoke in hospitals. He made his stand-up debut courtesy of Poncho Comedy Club's open-mic night in 2005 and has evolved into a talented stand-up Cardiff circuit favourite. www.wespacker.me.uk