Christmas Comedy Crackers (From The Northern Echo)

Christmas Comedy Crackers

5:01pm Friday 16th December 2011 in Features

MIDDLESBROUGH’S Big Mouth, Stockton’s Catch 22 and Hartlepool’s Hot Potato Comedy Clubs all have a whole bunch of Christmas Comedy Crackers to look forward to before Santa starts popping down the chimneys – and Big Mouth also sees out the year in glittering style with a New Year’s Eve special.

So, here’s a quick look at the festive fun coming up:

Saturday

Big Mouth Comedy Club (Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt, £14.50) and Hot Potato Comedy Club (Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre, £14.00). Stars: Mick Ferry, pictured left, and Pete Johansson Big Mouth and Hot Potato share a good line-up including Mick Ferry, who is one of the most in-demand comics on today’s comedy circuit, and was a huge hit on Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow. Cool Canadian Pete Johansson earns his spot after a storming gig on Russell Howard’s Good News.

The excellent Chris Martin (no, not the bloke out of Coldplay) is MC at Hot Potato, with Edinburgh Festival favourite Ray Peacock minding the shop at Big Mouth.

Thursday, December 22 and Friday, December 23

Big Mouth Comedy Club (Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt, £14.50), and Catch 22 Comedy Club (ARC, Stockton. £12.50/£15 best seats). Stars: Rob Deering, pictured right, and Ian Stone.

As seen on ITV’s Comedy Rocks and Celebrity Juice, Rob Deering’s playful charm has made him one of the most in-demand headliners on today’s comedy circuit.

Hugely- popular Ian Stone has been compared to a cross between Tony Hancock and Frankie Howerd, with bags of top TV appearances, including Mock the Week and Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

Big Mouth superstar Matt Reed is MC for the night at Boro, with Catch 22 favourite Jason Cook keeping the laughs coming thick and fast at Stockton.

New Year’s Eve

Big Mouth Comedy Club, Thistle Hotel, Fry Street, Middlesbrough. Doors: 8pm. Show: 9pm.

Tickets: £22.50. Stars: Wes Zaharuk, Kai Humphries and Matt Reed (MC). Just over the road from the Town Hall in the luxurious surroundings of the Thistle Hotel, with three great comics to welcome the New Year with belly laughs galore.

Mad as a box of badgers, Canadian comic tornado Wes Zaharuk is one of the funniest and most madcap comics around.

Happy go-lucky Geordie charmer Kai Humphries is a laugh-out-loud certainty, and the ever-brilliant Matt Reed keeps the festive laughs coming thick and fast as MC for the night.

Big Mouth tickets: call 01642-729-729
Catch 22 tickets: 01642-525-199
Hot Potato tickets: call 01429-890-000