The Nottingham Comedy Festival returns between Friday 31 October - Sunday 9 November for its 17th year, and will see a diversity of comedians from across the country visit Notts for ten days of unparalleled fun and laughter. Wondering what to expect? Below we meet four performers featured on the festival line-up…
Denzil de Cristo
Was there a defining life moment that decided your fate was to become a comedian?
Glastonbury Festival 2014. My mates wanted to dress up as ‘Slutty Granny’, I decided to be a ‘Glamourous Granny’ instead, and came out of my tent dressed as the Queen. My mates said ‘Oh, yeah, we're not doing that now’ but I had so much fun wandering the festival as the Queen, getting bar staff to curtsy when serving me.
This developed into a comedy character act: Queen Elizabeard, including making Christmas Speech videos. During the Platinum Jubilee I featured on BBC Look North whilst DJing and doing standup as Queen Elizabeard. This year I'm also doing a show as her heir, King Charles Spaniel III.
What do you think about the comedy scene in Nottingham?
Nottingham has a vibrant scene, not just in the city centre but also in the suburbs, with gigs in Beeston, Sherwood, Arnold, Sneinton and Hucknall. You're never more than 6ft away from a comedian - no wait, that's rats.
What inspires your sense of humour?
My dad instilled in me a love of puns, we'd be on a country walk and he'd suggest a topic to pun about, such as trees. They always stumped me. I grew up watching Jasper Carrott, and re-runs of Morecambe and Wise, The Two Ronnies and Monty Python, and reading Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. My main inspirations are Suzy Izzard, Gary Delaney and Milton Jones.
Sum up your show in one sentence…
I use puns and one liners to explore the potential positives and negatives of artificial intelligence whilst contemplating my own mortality and wondering what happens in the afterlife.
If you could recommend one act at the festival, which would it be?
Harriet Dyer, I saw her show at Ram Comedy Festival, Derby, and it was wonderfully chaotic. She's on at the Canalhouse on Sunday 2 November.
Denzil plays at the Hockley Emporium on Saturday 8 November.
Boo
Was there a defining life moment that decided your fate was to become a comedian?
Like most drag artists, I had the best outcome of a capital B breakdown – it made me funnier, prettier and far more unhinged (and I think everyone who ever commented ‘character building’ to me now regrets it).
What do you think about the comedy scene in Nottingham?
Men in tights is totally my jam, in all shapes and sizes. I’ll ignore the fact my dad is from Nottingham; he only thinks he’s funny (and may be at my show if he finds out I’m here…. shhhh).
What inspires your sense of humour?
The trauma. Joking! Well… my meat-suit’s life is a sitcom of impressive proportions and I’m here to tell all of her dirty little secrets.
Sum up your show in one sentence…
If you like to know the tea, want inappropriate crafts, and are up for a dash of chaos, you know where you need to be (this should be my Tinder bio…).
If you could recommend one act at the festival, which would it be?
I can’t recommend myself? If you want my show, but in three: Freaks and Fools, for the chaos, Telling Tinder Tales, for the tea, and Jon Hipkiss, ’cos he’s a Babe. Also, as a bonus, go see Tom Houghton, because a friend tried to set my meat-suit up with him in the middle of one of his gigs (hi baby!).
Boo plays The Lord Roberts on Friday 7 November.
Caitriona Dowden
Was there a defining life moment that decided your fate was to become a comedian?
No single moment, but I do remember one of the first bits of comedy I performed – it was part of a primary school drama club showcase, and my friends and I wrote a parody episode of X-Factor. The main challenge in the writing process was that I had never seen X-Factor and knew next to nothing about it. It was one of the first times I discovered how amazing it feels to make a room full of people laugh (even if they’re mainly reacting out of confusion).
What do you think about the comedy scene in Nottingham?
I’ve only performed in Nottingham once, but it’s brilliant to see that the city has such a thriving alternative comedy scene – Club Wormhole have created such a fantastic space for comedians to experiment and try new and interesting ideas.
What inspires your sense of humour?
I was a massive fan of Radio 4 comedy as a teenager (I was very cool). Sketch shows like John Finnemore’s Souvenir Programme and That Mitchell and Webb Sound definitely shaped my sense of humour. I’m currently doing a medieval history PhD, and my comedy is also inspired by the strange and surreal stories I find in literature from that time – I have a lot of material about nuns, historical ghosts, and the 1518 Dancing Plague.
Sum up your show in one sentence…
A feel-good show about the history of apocalyptic dread (with a story about reproductive health about halfway through to make sure it doesn’t get too bleak).
If you could recommend one act at the festival, which would it be?
Nate Kitch, ‘Something Different!!!!!’ – Nate is one of my favourite performers, and I’ve already watched this show about five times, but can’t wait to see it again. It’s inventive, absurd, and completely original.
Caitriona plays at Fisher Gate Point on Tuesday 9 November.
Imran Yusuf
Was there a defining life moment that decided your fate was to become a comedian?
I've loved comedy ever since I was a child, but the defining moment of 'I want to be a stand up comedian' was when I discovered The Comedy Store TV show in the mid-to-late 90s on Paramount Comedy Channel. I had no idea that such a place existed – that's where comedians went to make people laugh, make money, and get famous.
What do you think about the comedy scene in Nottingham?
I used to play the Jongleurs and Glee clubs there, but in recent times it's mostly been with NCF. Helen has done an incredible job to nurture the scene there, whilst being one of the coolest and down-to-earth promoters you could imagine.
What inspires your sense of humour?
I'd say my life experience – being pretty much out of place wherever I go – my only redeeming feature being funny and possessing a winning smile.
Sum up your show in one sentence…
Britain's future is multicultural, and we should embrace and nurture that for the common good of all people.
If you could recommend one act at the festival, which would it be?
In these days of intense political unrest and division, I enjoy the surreal silliness of the likes of Paul F Taylor, Olaf Falafel, and Alasdair Beckett King – not sure if they're at the festival, but worth checking them out.
Imran will be playing at Café Sobar on Saturday 1 November.
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