Posters and Photos we collected –
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Historical Video Footage –
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SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS
1994 – The first annual Leicester Comedy Festival takes place featuring Harry Hill, Matt Lucas and John Shuttleworth.
1995 – The 2nd annual Leicester Comedy Festival takes place. It Grows to 35 Venues. Josie Lawrence and the Comedy Store players performed at the Leicester Odeon. Alan Davies had just been nominated for a Perrier Award, and Sean Hughes became Comedy Festival Patron. The programme also featured a Disability Comic Workshop led by Johnny Crescendo and a performance by Khel Rangara. The first Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Competition takes place; Stevie Knuckles wins.
1996 – Emergency Exit Arts launch the Leicester Comedy Festival with an amazing pyrotechnic performance through the streets of Leicester.
1997 – Tony Slattery, Rhona Cameron, Gulp Fiction, Craig Charles, Alan Davies, Barry Cryer, Bobby Davro, Dylan Moran, Bill Bailey, Graham Norton and Jack Dee perform at the festival whilst Johnny Vegas wins the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year. The Guardian said the community programme helped create “a pretty broad grin”.
1999 – Community Comedy events include A Sue Townsend Mole Night as well as Football themed workshops and Performances. An interview with Alan Birchenall by Alistair McGowan took place. The Leicester Comedy Festival included the Funjabis, Stephen K Amos, Andy Parsons, Heart n Soul Roadshow and Goodness Gracious Me perform at Leicester Comedy Festival. Also featured was a special live tribute to Graham Chapman by Michael Palin and Terry Jones.
