Comedy Showcase and Comedy Lab

24 August 2011

Totally Tom

Pay attention please, comedy fans. Think of this as your bible for the next few weeks. Only much shorter. And with less stuff about people begetting each other. And talking to God. And bushes bursting into flames. Actually, think of it as your guide to the forthcoming runs of Comedy Showcase and Comedy Lab. That makes more sense.

Comedy Showcase is on Channel 4 on Fridays at 10:30pm, and Comedy Lab is on E4 immediately afterwards.

Comedy Showcase returns for a 3rd season. The first two seasons spawned full series of The Kevin Bishop Show, Plus One, Free Agents, Campus, Todd Margaret and PhoneShop . This autumn's new series has its sights set on replicating those successes.

Comedy Lab is the comedy strand for new talent, that launched the careers of Peter Kay, Russell Brand and Jimmy Carr, as well as uncovering such gems as Modern Toss and Fonejacker. It's back for new run this summer, with six brand new half hour commissions.

 

Friday 2nd September

Comedy Showcase: Chickens, written by and starring Simon Bird, Joe Thomas and Johnny Sweet in a situation comedy set in First World War Britain.  As the Great War rages, the brave and bold menfolk are fighting the good fight on foreign soil. But in one sleepy English village three young men remain: George is a conscientious objector, Ivor would love to be fighting for queen and country but his flat feet mean the army won't have him - and then there's Herb, a philandering scaredicat on the run. In the eyes of their neighbours they're all the same. They're chickens. But with pretty much every other man away, can George, Ivor and Herb claw themselves back into the good books of the ladies on the home front? Chickens Executive Producer is Kenton Allen, Producer is John Rushton and Director is Steve Bendelack for Big Talk Productions.  (Commissioned by Nerys Evans)

 

Comedy Lab: Anna and Katy star as acclaimed sketch double act Anna Crilly (British Comedy Award Nominee) & Katy Wix (Writer's Guild Award Nominee) as they bring their unique brand of character comedy to a self-titled one off sketch show. Produced by Roughcut Television, and with special guest appearances from Lee Mack amongst others, Anna and Katy introduces us to the biggest soap opera in Germany, daytime TV show ‘Congratulation!' and Eamonn Holmes' latest game show ‘Pointer' amongst a range of silly characters. Exec Prod: Ash Atalla; Prod: Jon Petrie; Dir: Tony Dow; Prod Co: Roughcut Television. (Commissioned by Nerys Evans, Comedy Commissioning Editor)

 

Friday 9th September

Comedy Showcase: Coma Girl follows a group of female friends united by a shared history but divided by almost everything else. Most friends meet for dinner, or at the pub, but for these four old school friends their monthly get together is in the unsettling surroundings of an intensive care unit. Siobhan (Sarah Solemani) is a failing TV presenter, Sarah (Katy Wix) is a rather reluctant mother of three, Pip (Katherine Parkinson) is a pseudo bohemian and Lucy (Anna Crilly), well Lucy is in a coma. After the initial shock, the three old school friends soon realise that Lucy is in dire need of help, if only they could provide it. As Lucy becomes more aware of what is going on around her, we delve into unexpected and funny moments from her subconscious. Coma Girl is an upbeat 30 minute single camera comedy written by Abigail Wilson and directed by Simon Delaney. The Producer is Elaine Cameron and the Executive Producer is Beryl Vertue for Hartswood Film.  (Commissioned by Nerys Evans)

 

Comedy Lab: Totally Tom is a half-hour, scripted comedy/sketch show, written and performed by Tom Palmer and Tom Stourton. Set in the hours of darkness and in a non-specific metropolis, the unique and sometimes macabre world of Totally Tom is inhabited by an array of characters - some relatively normal - and some bordering on the grotesque. During our visit we meet a bitchy pair of cocaine fuelled ‘posh girls', a cop with an over-imaginative sense of drama, a pair of Scottish brothers locked in a cycle of poverty, and we also see an edgy new teen-drama set in the Hitler Youth. Totally Tom is produced by Baby Cow Productions. The Executive Producer is Henry Normal, the Producer is Ted Dowd and the Director David Lambert. (Commissioned by Nerys Evans, Comedy Commissioning Editor)

 

Friday 16th September

Comedy Showcase: Fun Police is a larger than life studio sit-com, which follows the trials and tribulations of a less than competent H&S team. With the last boss hospitalised by an accident in the workplace, a new boss steps up, but he has some questionable management skills. We join the department following an accident which has left the head of Brighsea's Health and Safety Department in a coma and consequently Leslie (Rhys Derby) ‘in charge'; a role he adopts with great enthusiasm.  While Leslie prepares to make a press statement about the accident, with the help of town planner and self-professed media guru Richard ‘Dickie' Traves (Vic Reeves), we gain an insight into Neil's less than helpful post traumatic counselling sessions and witness what a health and safety raid on a beauty salon entails... Fun Police aims to emulate the style of big knockabout US comedies such as Anchor Man. Produced by Roughcut Television , Fun Police is written by Matt Morgan (Russell Brand's former writing partner and Radio 2 series co-host), producer is Dan Hine, Executive Producer is Ash Atalla and Director is Richard Boden. (Commissioned by Nerys Evans)

 

Comedy Lab: Rick and Peter stars Rick Edwards (T4, That Paralympics Show) and Peter Mitchell (Cast Offs, Hollyoaks), as caricatures of themselves, an odd couple thrown together after Rick makes a regrettable gag on T4, and is put on a crash course in how to be more politically correct. Written by Tom Basden, (The Party) and produced by Eleven Films,  Rick and Peter delivers a satirical take on the self-important and pumped up world of TV presenting. (Commissioned by Nerys Evans, Comedy Commissioning Editor)

 

Friday 14th October

Comedy Showcase: House Of Rooms (w/t) written by Milton Jones and fellow stand-up Dan Evans. House of Rooms sees Milton and his mother living together in a big old house, renting out their spare rooms to a variety of tenants. Including Alice, a shy tongue tied girl who can't quite communicate with Milton who's equally awkward around her. When a new tenant Paul arrives, he seems to just hit it off with Alice, forcing Milton to up his game and try to compete for her attention.  House of Rooms is being made by Objective Productions and will be a single-camera sitcom recorded on location, set to be filmed this August and September. Directed by Ben Palmer (Inbetweeners series and Movie)Executive Producer for Objective Productions is Phil Clarke and Lee Hupfield is Producer. (Commissioned by Nerys Evans)

 

Comedy Lab: Kabadasses is written by newcomer Nikesh Shukla and is produced and directed by Anil Gupta (Goodness Gracious Me, The Office, The Kumar's at No 42). Bobby is a loveable dreamer with high hopes and no prospects. When his domineering girlfriend, Shobna, throws him out, Bobby finds himself back at his Dad's with is tail between his legs. His father, Latte, the Thamesmead cappuccino king, disapproves of Bobby's slacker lifestyle and thinks his dear departed wife spoiled the boy. Bobby and his best mate Vin, a thug with a heart, decide that their best shot at redemption is to set up the world's first all white English Kabaddi team. Obviously. With a makeshift team and no idea of the rules, Bobby realises they need help. They find it in the shape of The Marauding Moustache, a legend in the East London League and a cross between Mr Miyagi and Homer Simpson. Kabadasses is made by Objective Productions and the Executive Producer is Phil Clarke. (Commissioned by Nerys Evans, Comedy Commissioning Editor)

 

Friday 21st Oct

Comedy Showcase: The Function Room is a studio sitcom written by Dan Maier. Set in a pub function room which sees pub regulars who've booked the room for different events joined by new characters each week: In this episode the function room is being used for a local community ‘Meet The Police' event, with residents quizzing local police officers about crime in the area. But while the police plan simply to postcode valuables, the locals are only interested in one thing: who is the infamous Shit Egg Killer? And will they actually be able to call him that in the papers? Especially when he's not even killed anyone.  ‘The Function Room' is produced by Zeppotron. The Executive Producers are Peter Holmes and Ben Caudell. (Commissioned by Fiona McDermott)

 

Comedy Lab: Mr & Mrs Hotty Hott Hot Show  is a comedy game show featuring the award winning comedy sketch group Pappys (Matthew Crosby, Tom Parry and Ben Clark). This all singing, all dancing show is based on a 1950's style beauty pageant where the entire studio audience has the opportunity to be crowned the winner. However, this isn't your usual beauty pageant or Miss World - this is the alternative version and this show is all about objectification through obscure games, through weird and wonderful skills and generally looking a bit odd.  So if you've got a sexy armpit, outstandingly impressive nostrils, or an overwhelming body odour you could win! The Executive Producer is Lee Hupfield, the Producer is Rachel Springett and the Director Stuart McDonalds. (Mr & Mrs Hotty Hott Hot Show is commissioned by Comedy Editor Fiona McDermott.)

 

Friday 28th October

Comedy Showcase: The Angelos Neil Epithemiou Show is a studio based comedy entertainment show written by and starring Dan Skinner as his comic character Angelos Epithemiou.  This is your exclusive invitation to join a modern day clown living in an oversized world of pure fun.  With a full menu of slapstick, jokes, high energy dancing, catchy singing and sophisticated magic, it will involve the studio audience, introduce new comedy characters and play around with celebrities. Produced by Alex Moody with Lisa Clark and Bob Mortimer as Executive Producers,the programme is being made by Pett Television. (Commissioned by Fiona McDermott)

 

Comedy Lab: The Warm Up Guy stars Tom Davis (Cha'mone Mo'Fo'Selecta!, The Morgana Show) as Ian Bodkin, a struggling studio warm up comedian and self deluded ‘wally' who thinks he is a superstar in the making.  Ian Bodkin is a loveable but completely delusional dreamer who is on the lowest step of the entertainment ladder, but in his child-like world he is the biggest talent out there, and is constantly on the cusp of his big television break. The Warm Up Guy is a loser but primarily an idiot and at 6'8" and 18 stone, a very very big idiot, and if he can realize that the biggest joke is his life itself then he may achieve his dreams. Written by Tom Davis & James De Frond,  the show is produced and Directed by James De Frond, for Running Bare Pictures. (Commissioned by Nerys Evans, Comedy Commissioning Editor)