Turning on the news is such a misery-fest that we’ve put together a whole feast of light-hearted stuff to blow the blues away.
Headlining on Saturday 2nd June is the wonderful Adam Kay, previous London Cabaret Award-winner who has been touring up and down the country with the show based on his diaries written as a junior doctor (including sell-outs at the Edinburgh Fringe and in the West End). Stephen Fry has called the book ‘painfully funny’ and Charlie Brooker described it ‘as hilarious as it is heart-breaking.’ You will laugh until you cry and we promise you’ll be telling all your friends about it for days to come.
Doctor Dean Burnett, neuroscientist, lecturer, author, blogger, media pundit, science communicator, comedian and numerous other things, depending on who’s asking and what they need provides hilarious support (doors open 7.30pm, The Town Hall, £10 joint ticket). His latest book The Happy Brain is all about the science of happiness so if this man doesn’t know how to make us all feel good then frankly we will be most shocked.
On Sunday 3rd June (Library Gallery, 7pm) comedian, writer and broadcast Rosie Wilby presents highlights for her stand up show Is Monogamy Dead? As a comedian, she has performed at Sydney Mardi Gras, The Comedy Store, Latitude Festival and on Radio 4. The Metro described Rosie as ‘one of London’s doyennes of thoughtful, intimate and warmly entertaining comedy.’
If you haven’t ever seen or read Ian Marchant then do yourself a massive favour because he is a total GENIUS! In the 1980’s, he sang in various unimaginably obscure bands, wrote up the results of horse races in bookmakers’ shops, and sold second-hand records and smoker’s requisites on Llandrindod market. In the 1990’s he lived in a caravan next to Sunnyside Lane Allotments, Lancaster, with a chicken called Ginger. Now he writes wonderfully funny tall-tales and is an anarchic live performer – do not miss him on Sunday 3rd June in Ryan’s Bar, 7pm for a painfully reasonable £4.
Much has been said about how politics these days is beyond satire. Nonsense we say and have the events to prove it! On Saturday (Town Hall, 6pm) check out the much loved and very, very funny memoirist, John O’Farrell as he turns his 20 confusing years as a Labour supporter into glorious entertainment. On Sunday (Abney Hall, 1pm) join John Crace and the Maybot, his waspishly hilarious dissection of Theresa May and her efforts to remain strong and stable – and, indeed, Prime Minister. The Remainiacs take over the Town Hall (6pm) to demand independent membership of the EU for Stoke Newington. This no-bullshit Brexit podcast is for people who won’t shut up and get over it and the SNLF panel includes the legendarily Rabelaisian cartoonist Martin Rowson. Be prepared for some serious fun.
For other booky fun also check out the very amusing Author Confidential, a warts-and-all look at the ups and downs of being a writer, hosted by Andy Miller (Stewart Lee’s former editor) and featuring comedy writer Will Smith (The Thick of It, Veep), best-selling author AJ Pearce and Matthew Abaitua. Then there’s Book Off! with BBC Book Boffin Joe Haddow, Justin Myers (AKA The Guyliner) and the world’s most famous librarian Nancy Pearl (who is so famous she has her own action figure…)
If that doesn’t cheer you up, we’re sorry, you may need a tickle, but you’ll have to pay extra for that.
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