Friday Comedy ft.Tom Toal, John Hastings and Jen Brister
*Tickets are £10 online - Tickets on the door are £12 - so book online now and save!*
Tom Toal
Tom Toal is a comedian, writer and actor, hailing from the South East London town of Bexleyheath.
One of comedy's rising stars he performed his debut show ‘On The Scrapheap’ about the break-up of his 6 year relationship at the Edinburgh and Leicester Festivals in 2010 achieving widespread acclaim and reviews.
The follow up 'Rom-Coms and Revolutions' followed in similar vein playing to a complete sell out audience for the full run.
In 2013 Tom Toal performed at The Comedy Reserve with The Pleasance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and in 2014 TT became an Amused Moose Best Comedy Show finalist for his solo Edinburgh Festival Fringe show, Tom Toal: Prequel.
One of Tom's major strengths is his ability to adapt to his audience. Having hosted a range of events from Post Rock Bands album launch to benefit nights for the Socialist Workers Party, Tom has no trouble changing his style to suit the audience, whether it be Stag/Hen weekends, art centre events or corporate crowds.
John Hastings
John has been performing standup since 2006. He has won the Montreal Comedy Festival Home-grown Comedy Competition, has been called “one to watch” by the Comedy Network and was the only Canadian Finalist of the 2011 San Francisco Comedy Competition. In 2012 John moved to London England which gave him the opportunity to be featured on BBC radio 4, BBC.com as a comedy correspondent and be selected to appear in the Comedy Reserve Showcase at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival in 2013. He was also nominated twice for a Canadian Comedy Award.
Since then he has been going from strength to strength entertaining audiences across the country engaging them with his sharp punchlines delivered through his observational storytelling style.
Awards
Winner of the 2012 COCA Comedian of the Year
Performer in the 2011 “Pilot Week” comedy writing/performance competition for Insight Prod
Youngest and only Canadian Finalist of the 2011 San Francisco Comedy Competition
Winner of the 2010 Homegrown Comedy Competition
Nominated as one of the XM Top 8 New Comedians in Canada
Performance Nominated for Best Ensemble Theatre Piece Category at the 2007/2008 Montreal English Critics Circle Awards (MECCAs)
Nominated as Best Newcomer for the 2010 Canadian Comedy Awards
Nominated as Best Taped Performance 2013 Canadian Comedy Awards
Jen Brister
After performing in front of the legendary Spike Milligan and receiving the luminous and prestigious title of having ‘a great pair of Bristols,’ Jen knew that comedy was the way forward. So with the help of two jokes and a push up bra she was on her way…
Since that heady day Jen has performed stand up in clubs all over the country (literally) as well as sketch comedy in numerous groups including the Loose Connection.
In 2006 she took up her first one woman show “Me My Mum & I” to the Edinburgh Festival where she received excellent reviews.
“Brister ticks all the boxes – she’s confident, energetic and knows how to deliver a line for maximum laughs”
THE SCOTSMAN
In 2007 Jen began working at BBC 6 Music where she presented a number of different shows including the weekend overnights, the weekend breakfast show and stand ins for Lauren Laverne, Liz Kershaw and Jon Holmes. Jen also starred in Russell Brand & Trevor Lock’s ‘Cloud Cuckoo Land’ for BBC Radio 2.
In 2008 Brister teamed up with her comedy writing partner, Clare Warde to produce a two hand sketch comedy show called ‘Reception’ The Sunday Times applauded its “Bold sketches, surreal ideas and slick banter…keep an eye out” whilst THE STAGE highlighted “Two natural comic actors, the duo have an assured style and strong rapport that recalls the best of French and Saunders. This is one female double act that definitely deserves a promotion.”
In 2009 at the Edinburgh Festival Jen performed stand up at the Pleasance Cabaret Bar in the Comedy Zone as well as starring in Trevor Lock’s hilarious new play “The One & The Many”
In 2011 Brister performed her new stand up show, ‘Jen Brister is British(ish)’ at the Adelaide & Melbourne Comedy Festivals before taking it to the Edinburgh Festival to a raft of great reviews. This is as near perfect stand up as I have seen ***** SCOTSGAY; A splendid hour of laughing till your face hurts **** THE LIST ; Thoughtful and very funny…Hilarious **** THE ARTS DESK; A confident and charismatic performer **** EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS
“Outrageously Funny”
Metro
“Gorgeously talented”
Tim Arthur, Time Out
