By Susan Ford
As the festival announcements come in thick and fast, Punchline are getting in on the action to reveal some very exciting news: October’s line-up has now been revealed. Before I jump straight in to that, let’s take a look back at the hilarious comedians and acts that have made the Punchline name so strong. Don’t worry though comedy lovers, I’ll wrap it up at the end with our big announcement…
Punchline launched in March 2012, with its first show housed in the Usher Hall. The Usher Hall sums up everything Punchline represents – it’s grand, it’s beautiful and it’s absolutely massive! Punchline promoter Rosalind Romer twisted the preconceptions of comedy and big venues, by booking acts that may not be as big as Michael McIntyre, but certainly are on the cusp of it. Playing the first show were Seann Walsh, Andrew Lawrence, Idiots of Ants, Mark Olver and the extremely surprising mystery guest Frankie Boyle: don’t just take my word for how much fun it was, here’s what the press said:
‘A brand new comedy night of the rather ace variety… a very welcome addition to the Edinburgh comedy scene’ THE SKINNY
‘A chance to get a feel for the furore of the Fringe in the middle of March’ THE STUDENT
‘An impressive launch roster’ SUNDAY TIMES
‘Tip-top triple bill’ THE LIST
‘A festival in a day’ CASTLE FM
The second Punchline show in October 2012 took three of the biggest shows from the Edinburgh Festival and squeezed them in to one night. Performing were Josh Widdicombe, Roisin Conaty and Nick Helm, with host Greg Burns. Roisin Conaty has made a name for herself on BBC3s ‘Impractical Jokers’, Josh Widdicombe has been on pretty much every TV show this year, including ‘The Last Leg’ alongside Adam Hills and Alex Brooker, and Nick Helm is topped to be one of the hottest acts this festival. Catch Nick Helm and Josh Widdicombe proving how good Punchline’s taste in comedy is at this year’s Edinburgh Festival.
Josh Widdicombe, October 2012 Punchline performer
The most recent show in March there showed off Punchline’s pick of the Fringe 2012, with John Hastings, David Trent, Pappy’s and Charlie Baker all performing. Charlie Baker had the audience in stitches with his Devonshire charm, while Pappy’s played downright silly with hilarious and clever sketches that were completely unpredictable.
And now for our big announcement…
Whilst Punchline will not be returning to the Usher Hall on October 26th, they will be bringing back a very special comedian from the first ever show: Seann Walsh. Since his first appearance at Punchline, Seann Walsh has performed on numerous panel shows, was a team captain on Argumental, and recently filmed his own series ‘Seann Walsh World’. He will be showcasing his new show ‘The Lie-In King’ at this year’s festival and is a very welcome return to the Punchline line-up.
Alongside Seann Walsh, in the new venue The Picture House in Edinburgh, will be Ian D Montfort, Ivan Brackenbury & Des Clarke. The new line-up has incorporated Punchline’s predictions for who will be successful during the Fringe, alongside Rosalind’s unique and inside knowledge from within the comedy circuit. Don’t miss this one; tickets are available now from http://mamacolive.com/thepicturehouse/listings/upcoming-events/8328/punchline-comedy-gala
Punchline 