Sunday, September 21, 2014

Belfast Comedy Festival (24 Sep-5 Oct) - improv, stories, film, socks, cartoons & baboons


You’re having a laugh? No serious, you will be between 24 September and 5 October when the Belfast Comedy Festival reaches out and tickles your funny bone.

Having survived (and enjoyed) an evening in Boston’s Improv Asylum two years ago, I’d still be quite scared to go along to Wonder Frog’s improv night (8pm Wednesday 24 September, Black Box Green Room) in case the finger of audience participation pointed at me! There’s a kids improv workshop in the Ulster Hall Group Space on Saturday 27 at 9.30pm. Adults get their turn to try out improv in the Crescent Arts Centre at 2pm on Saturday 4 October. And Rosie Pelan's Crescent Arts Centre improv alumni will perform on Sunday 5 October at 7.30pm.

Storytelling event Ten x 9 is back with some humorous stories (7.30pm Thursday 25 September, Black Box).

The Beanbag Cinema in Donegall Street (at the back of Belfast Exposed) is running some free lunchtime screenings (12.30pm-2.30pm): Chaplin on Thursday 25 September, double bills of Bugs Bunny and Laurel & Hardy on Saturday 27 and Tuesday 30, and finally Chaplin’s first talkie The Great Dictator on Saturday 4 October.

Weeping (with laughter) in the aisles is promised at the performance of The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre, in The MAC on Friday 26 September at 9pm.

Abie Philbin Bowman is back in Belfast with stand-up in The Sunflower at 8pm on Saturday 27 September. I caught his Jesus: The Guantanamo Years show in London in June 2007. Although he’s lost his curls, he’s unlikely to have lost his twist of humour.

Linen Hall Librarian John Killen will illustrate how political cartoonists have satirised key developments in our local history in the library at 1pm on Wednesday 1 October. (Free)

Lastly, Paul Currie is not long back from the Edinburgh Fringe and is bringing Release the Baboons to The MAC on Saturday 4 October at 3pm (family-friendly matinee) and 8pm. Expect clowning, physical theatre, visual art and puppetry that you’ll never forget.

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