Wychwood Music Festival 2009: 29th May - 31st May 2009, Cheltenham Racecourse
Comedy
- Sol Bernstein
- Arthur Smith
- Robin Ince
- Mundo Jazz
- Phil James
- Gareth Jones
- Matt Barnard
- Stuart Goldsmith
- Daniel Bland
- The Oxford Imps
In association with eFestivals.co.uk
We are delighted to tell you that in 2009 our regulars on the comedy stage since we started the festival, Mundo Jazz will be curating. Described as "The World's greatest anarcho-syndicalist sub-Trotskyite protofascist communist revolutionary workshop collective" by Hello magazine, the boys promise to bring a posse of exciting and unusual acts to Wychwood this year, amongst them, a fresh-faced ingenue from South London called Arthur Smith. He's sure to go far, as long as it's not out of Balham...
Mr Smith says, "When I was asked by Mundo Jazz to participate in what can only be described as one of the most eclectic, family-friendly, inspiring, colourful and genre-blurring gang bangs in South America, I said yes. And I'm coming to the Wychwood Festival too."
A huge laugh and a career that blends surrealism and one-liners in equal measure are Arthur Smith's signatures. His immense humour, and willingness to laugh himself hoarse at others' jokes make him unusual in an industry eaten up by cool. To BBC radio and TV audiences, his career has been split between appearing on top quiz shows and fronting the funny section in Loose Ends. On TV, he's been a regular Grumpy Old Man and Countdown wordsmith, and we welcome Arthur to Wychwood on Sunday.
Sol Bernstein
He's performed allover the world at venues including The London Palladium, New York's Carnegie Hall, The Paris Olympia, Caesars Palace Las Vegas, and Scunthorpe Baths, but it's at night clubs where Sol really comes to life. His charisma, his style,his catch phrase "why don't you put on a tie" his chutzpah, put itall together and you see the magic that is Sol Bernstein.
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Arthur Smith
In addition to stand-up comedy, Arthur Smith is also a radio presenter on BBC Radio 4. He has regularly appeared on television comedy panel games such as Qi. He also featured on the television series Grumpy Old Men.
Award winning wit and deft playwright, he'll be topping the show on Sunday.
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Robin Ince
Robin Ince is an English stand-up comedian, actor, writer and impressionist. Ince was part of the Edinburgh Fringe show Rubbernecker, alongside Stephen Merchant, Jimmy Carr and Ricky Gervais. Ince also appeared in The Office as failed interviewee Stuart Foot and was a support act on two of Ricky Gervais's tours.
Ince runs the Book Club night in London, where acts are encouraged to perform turns of new and experimental material and also presents a podcast for ParamountComedy.com and BBC7 show Serious About Comedy. In 2006 he won the Time Out Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy.
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Mundo Jazz
What can one say about a band whose songs convey the dangers of environmental degradation, the importance of racial harmony and the inherent evils of capitalism with subtlety and intelligence? One can say they are called Neil Young and Crazy Horse. Mundo Jazz, however, preach peace, love and understanding with all the subtlety of a brick hitting butter, through their ridiculously catchy songs, awful dancing and thunderously crass philosophizing.
A beautifully subtle satire on the likes of Bono and Bob Geldof, Mundo Jazz are also superb musical and comic improvisers, frequently creating songs on the spot and veering off into spontaneous chaos. Worried about your carbon footprint? Don't bother, you can buy one of theirs after the show...
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Phil James
Phil uses his unique delivery and razor sharp wit brilliantly to twist old knock-knock and doctor-doctor jokes into fantastic alternative gags.
His inventive wit mixes the dark with the silly, entertaining and engaging any crowd. This fresh style has taken him quickly to a prominent position in the UK comedy industry and assured his place as one of our most refreshing and innovative comedy talents.
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Gareth Jones
Compere Gareth Jones's bizarre escapes (from cling film, amongst other things) have taken him all over the World, and led him to work with Stephen Frears and Mike Leigh, and he counts Dame Judi Dench as an ardent fan.
He's a favourite at many festivals, which is why he's compering ours.
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Matt Barnard
Matt Barnard is a wit and surprisingly accomplished acrobat with a unique drinking problem. He once played Mel Smith's birthday party, which must have been a difficult role.
"Consistently versatile and brilliant." Orange Street Theatre Festival.
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Stuart Goldsmith
Stuart Goldsmith says he is Britain's second prettiest new stand-up comedian, combining spanking punchlines with dangerous charisma and disarming honesty.
Stuart looks forward to the day when his perpetually-youthful "Michael J Fox" man-boy looks start to get a little bit creepy.
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Daniel Bland
Daniel Bland is a deadpan comic who superbly combines sharp wit and droll delivery. Dan has toured extensively, impressing audiences with his dark humour. "If you imagine the late Ian Curtis had chosen to do stand-up (rather than join Joy Division) that should give you an idea of Bland's appeal" - BBC.
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The Oxford Imps
The Oxford Imps are an improvised comedy troupe based in Oxford. Every show is different with everything completely made up on the spot based on the audience's suggestions. Each show is made up of a set of games, similar to 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?'.
The Imps formed as a Troupe in 2003, have toured to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, USA, Bosnia and Holland, as well as performed over 200 shows in Oxford, including at College Balls, Charity Events, Arts Weeks and Private Functions.
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