Rochdale Comedy Festival

About

Rochdale Comedy Festival is being staged for the first time from Friday September 26 to Sunday 5 October in venues across the borough.

• This new festival will include established names from television and radio alongside rising stars.
• Organised by Ace Lips Events, over 25 comedians will be appearing at 12 venues over the ten-day festival.
• The line-up includes Robin Ince at Rochdale Town Hall, co-host and creator of the Sony Gold Award winning BBC Radio 4 series The Infinite Monkey Cage. Also appearing is comedy legend Mick Miller, supported by 2017 Britain's Got Talent semi-finalist Jonny Awsum at Champness Hall.
• Lou Conran who's a regular tour support for Sarah Millican and host of BBC Radio 4 Extra's Comedy Club, will be at The Engine House in Middleton, supported by last year's Britain's Got Talent finalist Alex Mitchell.
• The comedian, writer and podcaster will be in town fresh from his run at the Edinburgh Fringe.
• Tez Ilyas (Man Like Mobeen, BBC3 and The Tez O'Clock Show, Channel 4) headlines an evening at the Curtain Theatre in Rochdale with guests including Scottish observational comic Lubna Kerr, trailblazing Muslim comedian Bas Rahman and circuit favourite Don Biswas.
• There will be improvised sketch madness on the opening night at The Flying Horse Hotel from the multi award winning duo Halls of Ridiculous.
• Edinburgh Festival favourite Patrick Monahan will be at Milnrow Cricket Club, supported by English comedian of the year winner and star of BBC1's Live at the Apollo - Brennan Reece.
• Chortle Best Newcomer winner Daisy Earl brings her new show to Rochdale Football Club.
• English comedian of the year Rob Mullholland will also be at The Flying Horse Hotel and Arron Wood - named by Rolling Stone UK as one of the 12 rising comedy stars to see at the Edinburgh Fringe this summer will be at Vicolo del Vino with comedy musician Alex Camp.
• The festival's opening night features internationally renowned improvisation duo 'Halls of Ridiculous.'
• Rochdale's Masonic Ballroom on Richard Street hosts 'Comedy at the Lodge' with multi-award-winning Yorkshireman Pete Selwood, quick witted northerner Mandy McCarthy, one liner master, Stephen Cookson, Henry Michael and club favourite Jamie Sutherland.