The Corn Exchange is delighted to announce that you can now enter YOU MUST BE JOKING 2015.
Firmly established as an exciting annual event, YMBJ is Newbury's hunt for the next big thing in UK comedy. So if think you've got what it takes to get the crowds giggling then book your place into one of the heats this June, and who knows where it could lead. On top of that we are offering fantastic £200 prize money plus the chance to perform at a So Comedy night at New Greenham Arts later in the year.

There are four heats for this year's YMBJ, taking place on Mondays; 1, 8, 15 and 22 June at 7.30pm in the Balcony Bar at the Corn Exchange, Newbury. Each Heat will feature 10 contestants who are given a maximum of 5 minutes each to wow the crowd, with the audience voting on who goes through to the Final. The final will take place on Wednesday 8 July where all finalists will have up to 8 minutes each. Previous winners include Pete Beckley, Matt Dwyer, Sean Doyle, Chris Chopping, Matt Richardson, Ian Smith, Gerry Howell, Imran Yusuf, Hannah Dunleavy and Papa CJ. To apply to be one of the contestants, please email YMBJ@cornexchangenew.co.uk with your full name, contact number and area where you live (e.g. London). The cut-off date for applications is 11th May 2015. Names will then be drawn at random and you will be contacted if you have been successful getting a place in one of the heats.

Rules*

To qualify as a new act for You Must Be Joking 2015:-

You cannot have taken part in YMBJ before (heats or finals)

Your material must be completely original

You can't have been performing at regular paid gigs on the circuit during the last two years (by that we mean that at least 50% of your gigs in the last two years must have been unpaid)

If in doubt, please talk to us about your eligibility.
* As with all rules, the organisers of YMBJ reserve the right to select all entrants and decisions taken by the organisers and judges are final.