COMEDY COTTAGE - FRIDAY 24th APRIL - With ATHENA KUGBLENU & SUPPORT ACTS!

COMEDY COTTAGE - FRI 24th April - REDHILL BELFRY SHOPPING CENTRE - FOR ORPHEUS

The award winning Comedy Cottage returns with our spring time April show with another stellar line-up of our usual smorgasbord brand of award winning International TV names alongside rising stars of the comedy circuit. A little something in the mix for everyone. This month we are collecting for orpheus.org

Our headliner this month will be the hugely talented

ATHENA KUGBLENU

Athena Kugblenu is a stand up comedian, writer, podcaster and voice artist.A BBC New Comedian of the Year finalist, she leads with intelligent, thought-provoking jokes.

Her debut solo show, KMT, played the Edinburgh Fringe to 4 and 5-star reviews, as did her 2018 follow-up FOLLOW THE LEADER. Both featured in The Guardian, The Independent and The Telegraph’s best jokes compilations.

She has appeared on RICHARD OSMAN’S HOUSE OF GAMES (BBC 2), MOCK THE WEEK (BBC 2), COMEDY CENTRAL LIVE (CC) and co-presented YESTERDAY, TODAY AND THE DAY BEFORE (Comedy Central). She's a regular on BREAKING THE NEWS (BBC Scotland) and THE NEWS QUIZ (BBC R4).Her writing credits include CRONGTON, HORRIBLE HISTORIES, THE RUSSELL HOWARD HOUR, CRONGTON, LATE NIGHT MASH, DARA Ó BRIAIN’S TIME WASTERS, BLANKETY BLANK, HYPOTHETICAL, Radio 4’s BAMESHOW, THE LENNY HENRY SHOW, DEAD RINGERS, THE NEWS QUIZ, NEWSJACK, THE NOW SHOW, DEAD FUNNY HISTORY and she is a lead writer on SKETCHTOPIA. She was also a writer on the viral smash DATING HORROR STORIES (Comedy Central)

Athena has completed a stand up special for BBC Radio 4 ATHENA KUGBLENU: SHAKING HER CLASS, and hosted her own show on COLOURFUL FM and wrote and performed in her own comedy series, ATHENA’S CANCEL CULTURE (BBC Radio 4).

She regularly co-hosts THE GUILTY FEMINIST podcast.She has her own podcasts KEEPING ATHENA COMPANY and PROCRASTINATE.

She has appeared on and written for countless Radio 4 shows including THE NOW SHOW, THE NEWS QUIZ, BAMESHOW, THE MUSEUM OF CURIOSITY and LOOSE ENDS as well as FUNNY KIND OF WORLD and BREAKING THE NEWS on BBC Radio Scotland and THE RADIO FOUR EXTRA COMEDY CLUB.Other credits include THE FUNNY HAHA SURVIVAL GUIDE: BABY SHOWER and WHAT JUST HAPPENED? on BBC Wales.

Athena is also a trusted commentator and has penned pieces for The Guardian, Time Out and Stylist Magazine, and makes regular appearances on BBC Radio 5 Live and Talk Radio.

“Instantly likeable…the crowd laughs throughout” (Arts Award Voice *****)

“An intelligent set that managed to be both easily accessible and playful and still say something serious” (Evening Standard Bruce Dessau)“..

Socially astute…savvy observations…” (Chortle)

Supporting Athena

GARY SANSOME (@garysansome)
Gary Sansome is a world travelled, award winning Scottish comedian. A veteran of the Edinburgh Fringe - Gary has performed all across the globe from Broadway in New York to Shanghai in China.

"pure entertainment and hilarity" (Bunbury Magazine)

"The most improvised, effortless stand-up show I’ve ever seen" (Connecting Wellington NZ Fringe)

MATTHEW ALI

Matthew Ali is a rising comedic force who effortlessly combines high energy with clever, sassy humor. A former LGBTQ rugby captain, he has transformed his sporting tenacity into a commanding stage presence. Matthew has quickly made waves on the UK comedy circuit, securing runner-up status at the prestigious Komedia New Act of the Year 2024, while also finishing as a finalist in the Comedy Virgins Max Turner Prize 2023.He has clinched wins at the knockout event at Backyard Comedy Club and dominated the Ding Dong Gong show in Vauxhall in 2024.Tour Support for Rosie Jones and Esther Manito.

“Big smile, bigger personality… Matthew’s got the perfect balance of funny and sassy!” (Aurie Styla)

“Really funny and the crowd absolutely loved him” (Josh Jones)

SALLYANN FELLOWES

BBC Comedy Award nominee and Leicester Square Theatre New Comedian of the Year 2023, SallyAnn is a self-diagnosed weirdo. She’s neuro-diverse, utterly mystified by the world she inhabits, and sure as Haribo doesn’t get the human race. She’s the most likely person to fall over nothing or get lost in a toilet.

"She's somewhere between Jenny Éclair and Hattie Hayridge, bonkers but content in her own world." (Chortle)

BUNNY HOPKINS

Bunny Hopkyns is a bluesman (and drugs casualty, if you listen to the naysayers) dedicated to living the blues… so that you don’t have to.
Described by Bruce Dessau as a ‘pretty useful guitarist’, Bunny delivers 21st-century urban blues with 1920s Deep South sensibilities. And if you’re lucky, he may just share a tale from his rocking past.Bunny has been a finalist in the NATYs, taking 3rd place.

MC SAJEELA KERSHIWinner AWA Award Arts & Culture (2015)
Winner Argus Angels Award for Artistic Excellence (2015)
Star of Edinburgh 2007 Award Winning Show (Formerly Perrier)
As Seen & heard on various BBC Radio, LBC, BBC TV, C4, ITV, TalkTV, Comedy Central, & much More.‘Smart Funny With a mischievous glint’ (Times)
'Hugely talented, extremely funny, divine diva (Time Out)

Show 8pm

Doors: 7.30pm

Venue: Belfry shopping Centre. Redhill, RH1 1ST

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