COMEDY @ THE NUTSHELL

This evening is set to be a corker of a night, with Fiona Allen, Dinesh Nathan, Andy Askins and our fabulous host; the award-winning comedian comedian Paul McCaffrey. Book quick to avoid disappointment!

FIONA ALLEN
Double-Emmy award winning comedian, actor and writer Fiona Allen is probably most famous for starring in the iconic Smack The Pony, as well as appearing on various TV shows (Skins, Eastenders, Goodness, Gracious Me, The All Star Comedy Show, Waterloo Rd and more).

As a stand-up, Fiona is preparing to tour in 2022 and continues to make club audiences laugh with her warm and likeable observational comedy.

DINESH NATHAN
After a performing stint at the age of eight, as Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Dinesh returned to the stage 20 years later to try his hand at stand up comedy.

After winning several gong shows, he won South Coast Comedian Of The Year and was a finalist at the Komedia New Act competition and the coveted Leicester Mercury Comedian Of The Year competition.

Described as a “mix of high-spirited delivery with a sarcastic, self-deprecating viewpoint”, his club-ready, bulletproof and relentless act was named “one to watch” by Brighton Fringe Review.

ANDY ASKINS
Andy Askins is a diminutive figure who exudes an air of vulnerability and an innocent child-like quality as he steps up to the microphone armed with a guitar and a cheeky grin. It's an overwhelmingly misleading demeanour which serves to heighten the impact of the killer lines that he delivers.

Andy has an expertly crafted routine littered with an eclectic mix of offbeat comic songs and parodies. A talented musician with a captivating voice, popular songs have been re-written and given a perverse twist to tremendous comic effect. His repertoire includes a unique version of Dido's "Thank you" - a hilarious account of his sour marriage in which he paints a picture of himself as a long-suffering brow-beaten spouse who finally snaps and pushes his cheating wife out of a ten story high window - her fall broken by a Mr Whippy Van parked outside.

With a wickedly dry sense of humour, Andy's darker material is sweetened by his innocent and impish demeanour which never fails to leave audiences in the palm of his hand. With impeccable timing, the inventive and quirky songs are peppered with inspired patter - the material is as strong as the songs and delivered in an inimitable modest and self-deprecating style. His subject matter is wide ranging; from his many bizarre relationships: "Some of them with humans" to an unfortunate mix-up over a colostomy bag with a Columbian drug baron in Miami docks. The routine ends with a hilarious rendition of Sting's 'Message in A Bottle' in which Andy recounts a weekend in Amsterdam with unfortunate but hilarious repercussions.

Since becoming a full time comedian back in 2005, Andy has built a reputation as a distinctive and original talent, and is now a highly sought-after headliner at all the major UK comedy clubs, as well as being a favourite amongst his peers. Following a successful debut in 2014, Andy was invited back to the prestigious Altitude Comedy Festival in Austria the following year, where he once again tore the roof off. He has previously had the honour of working with Michael McIntyre, Lee Evans, Jason Manford, Alan Carr, Jimmy Carr, Micky Flanagan, Harry Hill, Rhod Gilbert, Bill Bailey and Jack Dee, to name a few stand-up luminaries. Andy performed his solo show “The Man With No Name” at the prestigious Edinburgh Festival for the first time in 2016 to rave reviews.

PAUL MCCAFFREY
Star of Live at the Apollo (BBC2) Impractical Jokers (BBC3) Russell Howards Good News (BBC3) Stand up Central (Comedy Central) and as seen on The Dog Ate My Homework (CBBC) and Channel 4’s 5o Funniest. On the radio, Paul has recently co-hosted the Rock and Roll football on Absolute Radio and the Warm up on TalkSport as well as guesting on Rob Beckett’s show on Absolute and performing Stand up on Russell Kanes Whistlestop Tour on Radio 2. Paul is also the co-host of Radio Xs The Britpopcast, a brand new podcast all about 90s music with George Lewis.

Paul has recently appeared on major UK tours with two of Britain’s foremost stand ups, Sean Lock and Kevin Bridges – playing to more than half a million people in Arenas and theatres to great critical acclaim. He has also been the support act for Michael Mcintyre, John Bishop and Lee Mack. 2019 saw McCaffrey take to the road for his first solo headline tour ‘I thought I’d have grown out of this by now’, playing to packed houses across the UK.

8pm (doors open @ 7pm)
Ages 16+
Tickets from £13.50

N.B. Line-up subject to change & no lift access to performance space; stairs only.

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