Kingston residents will be chuckling for charity later this month, when the town’s first ever official comedy festival gets underway.

Laugh Kingston will take place over four days and across eight venues, featuring a wide variety of established and up-and-coming acts suitable for both adults and children.

It is being held to raise money for charity appeal Love Kingston, which donates cash to good causes across the borough.

But like all great comedy there is an interesting, and in this case poignant, story behind the festival.

Laugh Kingston has been organised by comic Dan Adams, who runs the What the Wednesday comedy night at the Rubicon Bar in Maple Road, Surbiton.

In June this year, he was approached by John Gower, director of Omnilocal, who wanted to start a Kingston comedy festival.

Dan, 36, said: “I thought ‘this could work’. I’d been looking for a project as I’d had a difficult 15 months – my dad had been diagnosed with a brain aneurism and died in February.

“When this festival idea came along I was tired of moping and I wanted to do something that would benefit somebody else – something that would have pleased my dad.”

Dan set about using his contacts to scrabble together a line-up and venues willing to host at short notice.

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Dan said: “The turn around time made things pretty tricky. Organising a festival is difficult enough, but usually you’re working with an industry that has much longer time scales.”

In a little over two months, Dan had turned an idea into Kingston’s first comedy festival, with a line-up to suit all age groups.

“We have a good, broad range of different styles of comedy,” said Dan. “We’ve got three great kids shows, some musical stuff and an all female stand up show, which I’m really pleased about.

“I’m hoping it’s a success and we can get even more venues on board next year when we can show them what we’ve done.

“The festival is like my child at the moment, and I’m hoping it does well in its exams.”

 

Meet the acts

We take a look at four of the shows coming to Laugh Kingston

Matt Price – Turkeygate, Tinky Winky and the Turkish Mafia

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When: Thursday, October 24

Where: Bishop out of Residence

What: Matt Price drew critical acclaim for his hastily put-together Edinburgh show, detailing a disastrous trip to Turkey to ghost-write a former crime lord’s autobiography.

Alongside Jason Manford’s brother Colin, and the actor who played Tinky Winky in Teletubbies, Matt encounters an insane and dangerous comedy promoter, the Turkish Mafia and the aforementioned ex-gangster – who turns out to be the least of Matt’s worries.

“It’s been the strangest and most eventful year of my life,” said Matt.

“It’s a mix of true crime, and a story you couldn’t make up – if you did try and make it up people would say it is too far-fetched.”

Gem and Ren – A Boy Who Cried Wolf

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When: Saturday, October 26

Where: No. 88

What?: One of Aesop’s most enduring Fables is given a spectacular makeover by comedy duo Gem and Rem, fresh from a month-long run at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

It’s a kids show combining comedy, music, improvisation and loads of audience interaction,” says Renata “Ren” Brightman.

“To get everyone in the mood, ticket holders are invited to arrive early and participate in some musical improvisation.

“Once the clock ticks over into show time, we launch into a high-energy version of A Boy Who Cried Wolf, but not as you know it. “We don't want to give away what happens, it is a very well known fable after all, but you just might see your favourite characters, foods – and animals.”

Huggers

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When: Saturday, October 26

Where: The Albert

What?: A family-friendly comedy and cabaret show for those aged six an over – Huggers features top professional acts doing their very best stuff - without the rude bits.

Show producer Nik Coppin said: “It’s a comedy and entertainment show for all the family to enjoy.
“A lot of the people who take part usually do adult comedy shows, so this is a chance or them to do something different.
“It started a couple of years ago in Edinburgh. I thought it would be a laugh to do something for families in the afternoon and it just went from there.”

Justin Panks – Wrong Time

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When: Saturday, October 26

Where: No.88

What?: Justin Panks believes he was born at the wrong time – a man perennially out of sync with the mores of modern culture.

“When I was a kid it was the father who ran the house, but now I’m a dad it seems it’s the kids who run the show,” says Panks, 38.

“I’m actually quite alpha male, and at the moment it’s a very geeky dominated culture on the comedy circuit at the moment.

“It’s about being born at the wrong time, and how I always seem to be a bit on the outside. It’s my first hour-long show, but it’s tried and tested – it’s not a work in progress.”