INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed comedian, writer and actor, Laurence Clark brings his ninth critically acclaimed comedy show, Independence, to Durhan's Gala Theatre on January 20, after the success of its premiere at the Edinburgh Festival last year.

His observational, political stand-up and filmed stunts demonstrate the endearing naivety and ridiculousness of human behaviour by seeing the world through his eyes with humour and warmth.

A gig in India took a strange turn when Laurence became paranoid that the Hindi interpreter couldn’t understand him, and was just making up their own material on the spot! Perhaps it’s all part of some bizarre act of revenge on us British to which we are none the wiser? Fair play though, this would be an awesome way for them to celebrate independence! This makes him wonder - is independence often misunderstood? Perhaps it’s not about becoming self-sufficient or doing everything for yourself? Maybe it’s about having choice, control and freedom?

Laurence has cerebral palsy. In this new show he challenges the audience to laugh at shit he can't do – guilt-free! With tales of adolescence, love and Harry Potter, he discovers no man is an island, except the Isle of Man! Hilariously he recently performed in the Scottish dance theatre production Purposeless Movements (which got a 5 star review in the Herald!), where the whole cast had cerebral palsy and sometimes none of them could understand one another! Daniel Radcliffe has said in a newspaper interview that he prepared for playing a character with cerebral palsy by studying a video of Laurence!

He has performed everywhere from the House of Commons to a double-decker bus in Sheffield. His many TV appearances include a BBC 1 documentary that Laurence was the subject of called “We Won’t Drop the Baby” and he has been a presenter for BBC Newsnight.

He was awarded Shortlist magazine’s Funniest New Comedian and has been a finalist in the Amused Moose Edinburgh Comedy Awards. He recently had a script commissioned for Channel 4 for a new sitcom.

He regularly performs with the comedy collective ‘Abnormally Funny People’ and recently toured Scotland in Birds of Paradise’s highly acclaimed dance theatre production Purposeless Movements.

  • Laurence Clark, Durham Gala Theatre, Saturday, January 20. Tickets from venue.