Showtown Blackpool announce the line-up for the first Blackpool Laughter Festival

The first Blackpool Laughter festival will take place next month and is set to be an important milestone in the history of comedy in Blackpool. The town is world famous for its entertainment industry with an illustrious line up of comedy heroes having performed in the town for generations.

Now Showtown, the museum of fun and entertainment, has teamed up with the Winter Gardens, the Comedy Station and Blackpool born comedian Ruth Cockburn, to create an annual event that will celebrate the art of comedy.
This year’s event will include stand up nights at the Comedy Station on Friday and Saturday as well as Hayley Ellis’s stand up show The Invisible Mam and classic cabaret from Blackpool’s drag divas, Funny Girls. There will be musical satire in the form of a gothic pub rock opera from Black Liver, a comedy duo formed by local talent Ruth Cockburn and Keith Carter.

For families, Britain’s Got Talent favourite, award winning Jonny Awsum will be performing his kids show including songs seen on TV, This is a musical and The Triangle Song. Plus The Dark Room, a comedy show for older children set in a live action video game. For any budding comics there will be clowning and stand-up and improvisation workshops for children and young people hoping to hone their talent.

The experts at Showtown will be searching their archives for some of the most magical stories from the Blackpool comedy scene, including the careers of comedy legends Morecambe & Wise. Plus, TV comedian Steve Royle and Comedy Club founder Ryan Gleeson will be in conversation about the stars featured on Blackpool’s famous comedy carpet.

Kerry Vasiliou, Showtown’s Learning and Engagement Manager said:
“ We’ve seen so much comedy talent pass through Blackpool over the years and this festival celebrates that. We wanted to create a festival that would not only entertain but to enable people young and old, to get involved, try out their own comic acts, and explore the history of comedy in Blackpool. We want to ensure that we’re supporting the talent of the future so that we’ll have a thriving comedy scene for generations to come. There will definitely be something for everyone at the festival.”

Ryan Gleeson from the Comedy Station said: “The Showtown team have really put together an amazing festival, and I’m looking forward to seeing this grow into something huge over the next few years. When comedians perform at the Comedy Station for the first time, they’re often surprised by how genuinely lovely and appreciative our audiences are. It’s the people that make Blackpool great. Honest, genuine, funny people. I’m involved in quite a few of the shows this year…… I can’t wait.”

Tickets for the Laughter Festival events are available from www.showtownblackpool.co.uk