KETTERING ARTS CENTRE
WEDNESDAY 11TH MAY 2022 8PM
TICKETS £12 (£15 ON THE DOOR)
age 14+ recommended
MC MARY BOURKE, with comedians JOSH PUGH,
JAMES DOWDESWELL, NOEL JAMES and SOL BERNSTEIN
As with most of us, Kettering Arts Centre has been unsure how to support those in Ukraine in this terrible situation.
However, if President Zelensky can go from comedian to global figurehead, we thought we could stand up and stand with the people of Ukraine.
Some of our favourite arts centre comedians have amazingly offered to donate their time and skills to bring a unique event aiming is to raise much needed funds, particularly for refugee families fleeing war in Ukraine.
Come along and watch an unforgettable night of stand up comedy and help raise money for the crisis in Ukraine.
SOL BERNSTEIN
After 25 years of semi-retirement, playing nursing homes, Sol Bernstein is back where he belongs, in smokey nightclubs performing to drunks!
“Simply my favourite comic – the funniest hour you’ll spend this summer” HARRY HILL
“One part Alf Garnett, two parts Mel Brooks, and three parts like nothing you’ve ever heard” THE GUARDIAN
“like a good salt beef sandwich with laughs… YOU REALLY SHOULD SEE HIM SOON” THE SCOTSMAN
“An instantly winning creation” EVENING STANDARD
“No age barrier to comic genius” Edinburgh Evening News
The legend that is Sol Bernstein escaped the Pogroms in Russia, the Nazis in Germany, and went on to become the World’s 1st all-round entertainer. He’s a song and dance man, a comedian, a magician, an actor, a Jazz musician (Sol was rated “BEST TRIANGLE” player in the USA in the 50’s by performers like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington ). Also rated the best impersonator EVER !!
He’s performed all over the world at venues including The London Palladium, New York’s Carnegie Hall, The Paris Olympia, Caesars Palace Las Vegas, and Scunthorpe Baths.
He’s the man who helped the career’s of Elvis Presley. Marcel Marceau (and never even got a “Thank you”) and even the Beatles were influenced. He’s worked with, and been friends with, some of the worlds GREATEST performers, Elvis, Judy Garland, The Rat Pack, Lenny Bruce, Jack Benny, George Burns, Milton Berle, Doris Day, Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe, Eddie Large
Most young performers will mention Sol B as a major influence. A major influence to do what, we aren’t sure, but an influence never the less!
“He’s the greatest” Frank Sinatra.
“The man is what SHOW-BIZ is all about” Sammy Davis Jr
MARY BOURKE
Bourke’s obvious skill is such that the audience are never less than utterly delighted. An accomplished and thoroughly enjoyable piece of work.” Fest
Self-styled ‘housewife comedian’ Mary Bourke may look sweet in her flowery tea-dress, but her humour pulls no punches.
Mary was born in Dublin during a cross fire hurricane. She lives in leafy Buckinghamshire with her comedian husband and her large collection of Betty Page memorabilia .Before she became a comic She was a burlesque dancer and choreographer in San Francisco. She has published numerous romantic novels under the pseudonymn Tara Sundrive.
”A great show that consists of nothing but jokes”. ”Bourke’s comedy is savage in intent and surgical in execution.” ”Mary goes in search of the original spirit of stand-up and reclaims it with style.” The Skinny
JOSH PUGH
Josh Pugh is a comedian, writer, winner of English Comedian of the Year and the Birmingham Breaking Talent Award.
This year he wrote for Dave Channel’s new show ‘The Island’ and ‘The Emily Atack Show’ for ITV. Josh performs stand up across the country and has toured in the UK and Australia.
Josh runs cult account @GrassrootsCoac5 on twitter and recently published a spin off book ‘Grassroots: A Step Dad’s Quest For Silverware’ – available on Amazon.
Impressively, Josh has played for England’s Partially Sighted team for the past 10 years and played in 3 World Championships.
‘Wonderfully off-kilter… Pugh proves that semi-surrealism is alive and well’ (List)
‘Ceaselessly impressive’ (Joe.co.uk)
‘Flashes of genius’ (Ticketmaster)
‘An almost certain future star… this is a classy hour of charming left field comedy’ (Chortle)
JAMES DOWDESWELL
James Dowdeswell is a real master of the comedian’s craft.” Chortle.co.uk
“Beautifully twee comedian James Dowdeswell is a joy to watch.” **** The Skinny
James is an imaginative storytelling comedian who combines deft stand-up with daft stories. He is a headline act at most top UK comedy clubs. His comedy has travelled as far as Shanghai, Dubai, Doha, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Phuket, Bali, France, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Australia and Singapore.
This year Dowdeswell has appeared on Russell Howard’s Good News (BBC), Celebrity Deal Or No Deal (Channel 4) and Olympics Greatest Moments (BBC). He also played The Count in Ricky Gervais’ Extras. He is currently filming in his own comedy show about wine called “James Dowdeswell – Black Belt In Wine.
NOEL JAMES
Noel James’ credits are too numerous to list in full so we asked him to write his own biography to give you an idea how this bizarre mans brain ticks.
“My name is Infact Noel James, although I never pronounce the Infact…”
These are the first words of Infact Noel James’ act – an act which, dare I say, confounds even his closest psychopathic hangers-on.
For eight years, Noel has performed comedy throughout the UK. He does it for a living and has performed at all the major clubs and festivals. Glastonbury, Reading, Edinburgh to name but three.
Before entering showbiz old Noel tried his hand at teaching. Without much success, he taught English as a foreign language: he taught it as Welsh! WELSH – Old English translation meaning ‘Foreign’
The above definition gains significance when you perceive his lilting delivery. Not only does it have totally tropical taste and perfect timing but indeed it stems from his mouth which has its dark origins firmly rooted in that far-off land called Wales. As you will see, the rest of his body has no fixed abode but its amazing what a transplant operation can do.
But not for him the comedy of stereotyping – he finds it all too easy. Well, he is a Capricorn (near the Sagittarius end which makes him a Saggycorn)- His act is gag, gag, gag all the way – though some of it consists of non-baby-talk. Above all, his act is highly original; the guy who wrote it assured him of this.
Surreal, bizarre, absurd, intelligent, and yet, somehow strangely attractive. No, seriously he is a very accessible act who generally goes down well anywhere.
He’s also done a bit of serious acting, and as for music! Well, what he does is throw in a bit of guitar playing and singing, of a sort, as well as a few prop gags. I’m telling you,to try her hand at stand-up comedy. “You’ll never forget his name.” The Independent