Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival 2015 will be biggest yet

Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival

It seems almost every city in the UK can boast of a comedy festival nowadays. Most, however, are just a few stars' tours conveniently scheduled on sequential nights. Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival, which returns for its 22nd year this February, is a fully fledged 'proper' festival though. It has big shows from TV stars, but also alternative offerings, including fresh experimental comedy and the kind of quirky and unique 'happenings' you won't get anywhere else.

Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival 2015 launches on the 4th February. It's set to be the biggest year yet for the festival, with over 50 venues involved in delivering hundreds of shows across the 19 days.

Geoff Rowe, the festival's director, confirms: "Our 2015 festival is going to make the lure of Leicester in February even stronger for comedy fans across the UK. There are so many brilliant acts coming to the festival, audiences will be spoilt for choice. This year is packed full of top stand-ups and unique events, which you simply can't see anywhere else."

The festival is being partnered for a fourth year by TV channel Dave. Steve North, the General Manager of the station, says: "It's fantastic to continue our relationship with the Leicester Comedy Festival, and with a swanky new logo too. We are very excited about the line up this year, it's a schedule sure to guarantee laughs and we have some brilliant Dave sponsored events in there too."

Milton Jones

There's too many comedians putting on a show for us to mention them all here, so do head to the festival's website to check out the full programme. As you browse around you'll see TV stars like Milton Jones, Dylan Moran, Simon Amstell and Jimmy Carr; alongside experienced pros such as Mark Watson, Nina Conti, Josie Long and Nick Helm.

That's not all, there's also veterans like John Shuttleworth, Mark Thomas and Stewart Lee performing; up-and-coming stand-ups like as Sara Pascoe, James Acaster, Joe Lycett, Lucy Beaumont, Luisa Omielan and Seann Walsh; recent award-winners like Alex Edelman and Funz And Gamez; offbeat offerings like the one-off 100% Unofficial ELO Musical; and some names you perhaps wouldn't expect to see, for example Sean Kelly - the star of the US TV show Storage Hunters!

If you're planning a trip to the festival, make sure you include some of the unique festival-specific shows within your schedule. Here's some to look out for:

Norman Wisdom. Copyright: Alan Peebles / BBC

A Tribute to Sir Norman Wisdom: The festival will pay homage to its original patron, Sir Norman Wisdom, via an exhibition curated by his son, Nick Wisdom. As well as 57 framed pictures there will be reminders of legendary Norman's musical talents on show, with instruments such as his saxophone and clarinet displayed. There will also be some handwritten scripts and other personal reminders. The exhibition opens on the first day of the festival - coincidentally Wisdom's 100th birthday.

Euroversity Challenge: A new show, presented by Dave, which is described as 'a mash up of the Eurovision Song Contest and University Challenge'. It'll see a top team of international comedians battling it out for the title of 'Cleverest Nation in Europe'.

Hotel D'Comedie: Another original festival creation which has audiences checking in year after year. It's an intimate site-specific comedy experience.

Comedy in the Dark: The festival's homegrown creation which has since popped up at other festival too. The name explains it all - the lights are turned out, resulting in comedians having to rely on their jokes alone for laughs.

Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year: The prestigious new act competition final. It has one of the best track records of spotting the comedy stars of the future. Josh Widdicombe and Seann Walsh are recent champions, and Johnny Vegas, Jason Manford and Rhod Gilbert are amongst those further up the list of winners.

Silver Stand-Up Competition: A competition involving new and experienced comedians... with the only criteria being that entrants must be over the age of 55. It's great. Also watch out for Old Folks Telling Jokes.

Dave presents The UK Pun Championships

The UK Pun Championships: Lee Nelson hosts the competition which takes the format of a 'rap battle', but for puns. Last year's debut competition was a big success. 2015 finalists

Secret Comedy Tour: Can't decide what to see? Take a chance and book your place on this tour to see three shows in one night. You need to book tickets in advance as this always sells out.

Comedy Heaven: Some of the best acts of the festival gather at the end of the run to raise money for good causes and see the festival out in style.


Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival runs from the 4th and 22nd February 2015. To find out more visit www.comedy-festival.co.uk

For a chance to win a pair of VIP tickets and accommodation enter Dave's Competition

Here's a video in which Alan Davies, who took part in the recent preview show, talks about this year's festival:

Published: Thursday 15th January 2015

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