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Horbury, February 7th 2020
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Hilarity Bites Comedy Club feat. Steve Shanyaski, Matt Stellingwerf, Sian Davies & host Barry Dodds
Show details:
Steve Shanyaski
Endlessly charming, Steve's inherent warmth and cheeky, roguish twinkle shines through his material. Within the first six months of his comedy career he made it through to the semi-finals of the BBC New Comedian of the Year, the North West Comedian of the Year Final, and later that year was booked to appear on the BBC7 Radio Showcase 'Spanking New'. Since then he has gone from strength to strength, adding TV appearances such as 'Jason Manford's Comedy Rocks' on ITV, and Comedy Central's 'Comedy Store Presents...'.
Combining surreal observations with wildly tangential imaginings, his off kilter set pieces have audiences fully immersed as he leads them, Pied Piperlike, down the charming avenues of his inner mind.
“One of my favourite comedians” - Jason Manford
“Like a mixture between Eddie Izzard and Peter Kay… with a guitar” - Stockport Express
“Uproariously funny” - Chortle
Replacing Sully O’Sullivan:
Matt Stellingwerf
Matt Stellingwerf has come an impressively long way in a short amount of time. He is the newest rising star on the UK comedy scene, having dominated the comedy stages of New Zealand for the last five years.
Highly regarded by his peers, Matt has won four NZ Comedy Guild Awards, including Best Newcomer, the much coveted Billy T Award, and been nominated for several others.
A Hamilton-born and Wanganui-raised farmer's son, Matt trained as a criminologist, he is also an award-winning bar fly, a genuinely lovely guy, and a man full of contradictions.
He expertly brings these contradictions to the stage, with his typical low-key style and confidence, finding the humour in topics as diverse as love, mental illness, sex, drugs, and a crazy interview he once conducted with a serial killer on Death Row.
“Stellingwerf’s comedy is intelligent, clever and thoroughly researched... all the while being really likeable” - Libel
“an intellectual ‘Fonze’... extremely laid back and relaxed with the audience, seamlessly having banter and keeping his cool” - Keeping Up with NZ
Sian Davies
Sian Davies is a stand up comedian, MC, presenter, and comedy writer based in the north west of England.
She won the Hilarity Bites New Act of the Year competition in 2018, and was a finalist in Nando’s New Comedian and Harrogate Theatre Comedian of the Year competitions in 2017. She was also a northern finalist of the Funny Women stage award 2018, and selected to take part in the prestigious Circuit Breakers showcase at the Leicester Comedy Festival.
Sian took two compilation shows to the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe which were both well recieved and an unprecedented success. Comedy Queers, a late night LGBTQIA+ showcase which sold out almost every night of the festival and Best in Class, a crowd funded profit sharing show featuring working class comedians which attracted huge media attention and earned several 4 star reviews.
Away from stand-up, Sian has written for 'Newsjack' on BBC Radio 4 Extra, and had sketches featured on 'And Then She Said A Funny Thing' live performance podcast.
“Excellent compere” - The Scotsman
“Sharp and focused... fantastic ability as a comedian and compere” - ★★★★ - Backstage on the Fringe
“Warm hearted and engaging comedy” - ★★★★ - Deadline News
Barry Dodds
Barry Dodds charms audiences with his unique brand of disarming wit and wry, down-to-earth observational humour.
A self-confessed comedy geek, Barry took to the comedy stage at the tender age of 21 and soon had audiences eating out of the palm of his hand. Using his own combination of irrepressibly cheeky, and surprisingly dark material, he quickly found himself taking the national comedy circuit by storm.
His calm, inclusive persona has ensured that Barry has also proven himself to be a popular and amiable MC, garnering a reputation as a strong and reliable choice to hold a quality line up together. Barry has been awarded Best MC at the Midlands Comedy Awards in 2015, 2016 and 2017
Barry is also one-half of the popular Parapod podcast with comedian Ian Boldsworth. Ian and Barry debate the paranormal, explore hauntings, and delve headfirst into the unknown. The Parapod quickly became a cult hit, and was nominated for 'Best Internet' award at the 2016 Chortle Awards.
“If you are a promoter or club owner and aren't booking Barry Dodds then you should hand in your badge and your gun on my desk Monday morning!” - Jason Manford
“Razor sharp humour” - Metro
“wonderfully crafted stories and top–class audience interaction... brings his cheekiness to the stage in absolute buckets” - Bunbury Magazine