Hilarity Bitesize New Act & New Material Night, with Ben Van der Velde, Jake Donaldson, host Aaron Twitchen & support

Show details:

Ben Van der Velde

Ben Van der Velde is a stand-up comedian, actor, improviser and presenter, who, over the past few years, has spread joy and nonsense to all four corners of the British Isles, as well as Greece, Estonia, Latvia, Finland and Norway.

He is a regular host and act for many respected British comedy clubs, as well as hosting stages for Bestival, Festival No.6 and Sunday Papers Live. He also has experience of performing at RAF bases, large corporate events, hosting comedy workshops, and doing audience warm-up for Deal Or No Deal.

Ben is a also regular performer at the Edinburgh Festival, where he has performed three critically-acclaimed shows: Chain Letter, Strudelhead and Barbarians. In 2016 his show received 5 and 4 star reviews, whilst several of the jokes made it into lists of ‘Best Joke at the Fringe’ compiled by The Scotsman, i-News and The Huffington Post.

“Whipsharp... with an air of mischievous mayhem... his hit rate is impressive, while his in-the-moment style creates a buzz of excitement in the room” - Chortle

“Wonderfully improvised riffs showcasing his impressive spontaneity and sharp tongue” - Edinburgh Festivals Magazine

“On flights of fancy, he pushes ideas to extremes and displays a crackling, spontaneous energy in which we’re swept up” - Fest

 

Jake Donaldson

2024 BBC New Comedy Award finalist

Visually impaired and perpetually anxious Newcastle comedian Jake Donaldson is known across the comedy circuit in the UK for his witty anecdotal stand-up, which has seen him play some of the biggest and best comedy clubs in the country.

A combination of storytelling and stand-up comedy, Jake’s material often explores themes of masculinity and mental health through stories from Jake’s real life as a partially sighted person, who grew up in the North East of England with a disabled, working-class Dad.

Jake has had acclaimed runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, with his shows “Help! I’m Trapped In The Body Of An Adequate Comedian!” and “Neurotica”, securing four-star reviews across the board (‘****’ Darkchat) and a nomination for Neurodiverse Review’s Visually Impaired Excellence Award at Edinburgh Fringe 2022.

“One of the Must-See New Acts at The Edinburgh Fringe’” - Huffington Post

“Refreshingly diverse material” - BritEvents.com

“Full of heart... top class anecdotal comedy... will have you roaring with laughter” - Blizzard Comedy

 

Aaron Twitchen

Aaron Twitchen is a stand up, actor, aerialist, and living stereotype.

As well as featuring on BBC Radio 4, he was listed in Metro's top 5 RomComs and has provided tour support for Luisa Omielan. He has also been releasing his sketch series, DiscoBlonde, in weekly instalments, and in its first six weeks it has enjoyed upwards of eighteen thousand views.

Away from comedy, Aaron has supported bands at music festivals, and is an accomplished stage actor and improviser. Unusually, he is also a trained circus act, concentrating particularly on aerial skills and trapeze work, which has allowed him to tour circus theatres throughout the country and teach young people.

“Twitchen's a terrific host, kind and self-deprecating with plenty of catty put-downs” - The Skinny

“Twitchen is an assured stand-up and navigates both his material and his venue with style... He is a flexible improviser, in tune with the spirit of live comedy” - Broadway Baby

“Hilarious, warm, energetic and capable of busting some serious moves. Twitchen is a quadruple threat” - The Skinny

 

This show will also feature support from several new acts, and established acts performing new material.

 

Note: Line-ups are subject to change in extreme, and unavoidable, circumstances.

Show may contain strong language and adult themes.

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Timings

Doors open: 7pm
Show starts: 7:30pm

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Buy tickets:

Tickets for this show are £10 per person, with doors opening at 7pm and the show starting at 7:30pm. Tickets can be bought from the link below, See Tickets, TicketMaster, Skiddle, or contact the venue directly.