For a collection of old Comedy Club posters and photos of comedians –

CLICK HERE

SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS

1979 –  Margaret Thatcher is voted into power. The phrase alternative comedy is coined by Tony Allen (Malcolm Hardee later claims its invention.) It is a welcome end to mother-in-law and milkman jokes. 

1982 – The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 3⁄4, written by Leicester author Sue Townsend, hits the bookshelves: it becomes the biggest selling book of the 80s

Through the 80’s Leicester’s Magazine Pub plays host to a series of ‘alternative’ comedy nights, including The Magazine Jokespace and later The Monkhouse Comedy Club, run by Kev Sutherland and Alan Seaman.
The Monkhouse brought then unknowns like Jo Brand, Hattie Hayridge, Linda Smith and Mark Lamarr to Leicester, for the princely sum of £2 / £2.50

1989 – Leicester firm, Invicta Plastics Ltd, are chosen to produce the 2nd Comic Relief Red Nose. 7.18 million noses are sold

To listen to a collection of people’s memories

  CLICK HERE

To watch a collection of people’s memories

CLICK HERE

Participants of the project interviewed a wide range of people, from the public, local  promoters and local comedians about their memories of Comedy in Leicester since the 1980s. The results are fascinating.

Posters and Photos we collected –

CLICK HERE

Historical Video Footage –

CLICK HERE

SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS

Comedy in Leicester impacts the city on many different levels. ‘Make Me Happy’ is an innovative programme run by Big Difference Company, producers of the annual Leicester Comedy Festival. Make Me Happy involves a range of projects which use comedy and humour to engage with people of all ages and communities.

“They’ve become much more than a comedy festival.  They’ve also been able to project comedy as a vehicle for strong community and social messages”  The Times

The community work is project funded by a range of funders, commissioners and partners.

These are generally not  “off the shelf” projects; they are designed bespoke solutions which specifically meet the needs of our partners and their communities.  We use the knowledge and expertise built up over 20 years, together with a network of brilliant comedians, performers and cultural practitioners.

Community Comedy happens with all ages; children and young people, and older people. It can tackle issues as diverse as health and well-being, welcoming refugees into the city or tackling crime.

Leicester are very proud of how using humour is at the heart of making positive changes to people’s lives.

Posters and Photos we collected –

CLICK HERE

Historical Video Footage –

CLICK HERE

SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS

2011 – Leicester Comedy Festival received a letter from The Queen wishing them luck. 

2012 – Leicester Comedy Festival was renamed as Dave’s Leicester Comedy Festival as they entered into a partnership with TV channel Dave. The festival included Sarah Millican, Arthur Smith, Greg Davies, Russell Howard, Pam Ayres and Shappi Khorsandi. The festival launched on the 3rd February with a Guerrilla Knitting attack across the city centre and Shelly Bridgman won the first Silver Comedy Competition for comedians aged over 55.

2013 – Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year was won by Romesh Ranganathan. Dave’s Curry House had a surprise visit from Al Murray. as part of the Comedy Cook Off and Hotel D’Comedie.  Throughout the festival there was a photographic exhibition at Leicester train station featuring comedians who had performed in the Leicester Comedy festival over the past 20 years.  The Silver Stand Up competition was won by Marc Lucero and Sir Norman Wisdom (patron of the festival since 1994) was awarded with the new Legend of Comedy award.

2014 – Leicester Comedy Festival had grown to 627 events across the 17 days. Highlights included Russell Kane, The Inaugural UK Pun Championships (hosted by Lee Nelson & won by Darren Walsh.) Ken Dodd turned up at the Awards Ceremony to accept his Legend of Comedy Award.  The Silver Stand Up competition was won by Peter Callaghan.

2015  Leicester Comedy Festival  were proud to host an exhibition celebrating the life of Festival Patron Sir Norman Wisdom, curated by his son Nick.

2016 – The first ever #UKPunDay campaign trended on twitter.  At Leicester Comedy Festival  original comedy events included live Q&A’s with Johnny Vegas and Nicholas Parsons, Silver Stand Up Competition, Comedy in a Car, Hotel D’Comedie and new shows Odd Couples, Paul Foot’s Game of Dangers & Euroversity Challenge.         

 2017 – Leicestershire Police Constabulary commission a comedy film to tackle radicalisation amongst young people.  The Leicester Comedy Festival brochure cover reflected a year of political upheaval.

Numerous promoters and comedians keep the comedy spirit going throughout the year, and the city’s main venues now play host to regular comedy nights. The city embraces comedy and that humour is an important element across the community.

Posters and Photos we collected –

CLICK HERE

Historical video footage –

CLICK HERE

SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS

2000 –  Stewart Lee, Lee Hurst, Mighty Boosh, Jo Brand and Reginald D Hunter perform at the Leicester Comedy Festival. The first Leicester charity gig in aid of Amnesty International was hosted by Jo Brand.  The creator of “The Weakest Link” Cathy Dunning performs at 27a Access Artspace.                      

2001 – Paul Merton, The Philharmonia Orchestra, Daniel Kitson, Rich Hall, Ross Noble and John Hegley perform at Leicester Comedy Festival, alongside Charnwood Community Theatre.  BBC Light Entertainment organise a writing comedy for radio workshop.

2002 –  On August 21st Peter Kay plays Leicester’s 120 capacity International Arts Centre. His record breaking tour finishes a year later at the 21,000 capacity Manchester Arena, for several nights!

2003 The Little Theatre promotes its first ever programme of stand-up comedy as part of the Leicester Comedy festival. Doug Stanhope flies in from the U.S especially for the festival. The first Chortle Comedy Quiz takes place as well as the first festival performances by Gujarati Comedy Group.  The first Summer Raspberry festival takes place in July featuring Jimmy Carr, Count Arthur Strong and Daniel Kitson.

 2004 – The 10th Leicester Comedy Festival happens. The brochure cover features that most humorous of farmyard animals, the chicken. The first Festival Fringe takes place in pubs across Leicestershire. Crowds gather in Braunstone Park to watch the outdoor spectacle Blast!                                    

2005 –  During Leicester Comedy Festival BBC Radio 4 record The News Quiz and young people from Bosworth Community College perform sketches.

2006 – During Leicester Comedy Festival the US comedian Roseanne Barr performs her first ever live European gig  and her support act was a pretty much then unknown Alan Carr!  Stewart Lee takes part in a debate about ‘Jerry Springer the Opera in Leicester Cathedral.’  Performer Rob Gee was adopted into the welcoming arms of Eyres Monsell Primary, Sparkenhoe Community Primary and Mellor Primary School.  Soft Touch and Refugee Housing joined forces with Leicester Comedy Festival on a cartooning project for new arrivals to Leicester.                                         

2007 – John Ryan performs his Hurt Until It Laughs show in 2 Leicestershire prisons, and some of the inmates move to the back row in case John picks on them. A special event takes place to honour writer and Leicester lad 2007 Joe Orton, featuring Sue Townsend, Joe’s 2 sisters and Simon Fanshawe.                                   

2008  – Pappy’s Fun Club, Michael McIntyre, Frankie Boyle, Mark Watson and Jon Richardson perform at the Leicester Comedy Festival.  The first Hotel D’Comedie performances happen in the beautiful Hotel Maiyango.  Captain Carrot performs to young people from schools from across Leicestershire, spreading a healthy eating message.  Hathi Productions perform The Rise and Fall of Chugenal Patel and there is a premier of  ‘Those YoungMinds’ performance focusing on issues connected with young people and emotional health.

2009 – Gilded Balloon set up camp at The City Rooms.  Young people from across the East Midlands perform as part of the Pieces project, a partnership with Nottingham Playhouse. Josh Widdicombe won the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year. Special festival shows included Comedy in the Dark.

Posters and Photos we collected –

CLICK HERE

Historical Video Footage –

CLICK HERE

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.

To see how the A FUNNY CITY project came about-

CLICK HERE.

To hear the interviews carried out by the young people from the Brite Centre

CLICK HERE

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

A Funny City is a Heritage Lottery Funded Project working with young people to research and archive the history of comedy in Leicester since 1979.

The breadth of material, combining historical videos, community comedy videos, old stills and posters, and sound and video recorded interviews, really delves into the heritage and humour of Leicester.

The whole of the catalogued archive will be housed with the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland records office, both as digitised material, as well as some of the original printed material. It will also be housed digitally with East Midlands oral history archive at Leicester University.