aaamusic | On 15, Mar 2012

TIM MINCHIN

Jarred Christmas, Mitch Benn

And Many More Fantastic Comedians Confirmed For The Comedy Line Up At Guilfest 2012!

Organisers are thrilled to announce that Australian musician, composer, songwriter, actor, comedian and writer Tim Minchin will be performing his unique brand of musical comedy, accompanied by his band on Saturday 14^th July at this years’ GuilFest.  Winner of multiple comedy awards, including the Perrier Award for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as well as 4 Chortle awards and countless others, Tim’s comedy spans many musical styles and covers such topics as environmentalism, rationalism, prejudice as well as logical fallacies, and many more witty observations cleverly integrated into his hilarious, scathing and often unsettlingly lovely songs.  Tim has performed sell-out shows in the UK, Australia and the US, and 2010/2011 saw him tour the UK performing his biggest live show ever, culminating at 2 sold-out nights at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

As well as performing around the world, Tim has written music and lyrics for the RSC’s new musical version of Roald Dahl’s Matilda which transferred in a shower of 5 stars reviews and awards to the West End at the end of 2011 after a sell out run in Stratford. Tim has also made many TV appearances, from hosting BBC2’s Never Mind the Buzzcocks to performing on the hugely popular late night show Conan in the US.

“Tim Minchin is a genius, pure and simple. He is to musical comedy what Charles Darwin was to evolution and what Einstein was to physics and moustaches. You’d be hard pushed to find a more sublimely talented comedian. Handsome, hysterical and divinely musically gifted – you can go off people, you know!” (Tim Arthur, Time Out)

Kiwi funnyman JARRED CHRISTMAS is confirmed to headline The eFestivals Cosmic Comedy Tent at GuilFest, also on Saturday 14^th July.  An instantly recognizable face due to his multiple television appearances – including Mock The Week, Let’s Dance for Comic Relief, Argumental and Celebrity Mastermind for Children In Need, Jarred has a unique style that deftly mixes gags with storytelling. His dynamic onstage persona and ability to improvise and roll with anything that’s thrown his way makes his comedy sizzle with originality.  Full of passion and charisma, Jarred takes the audience on a hilarious thrill ride of laughs and gasps with an edge of anger that manifests itself in his incredible rants against the small things in our lives.

“One of the Funniest men to pick up a microphone”  (Time Out)

Extremely talented comedy musician MITCH BENN will be headlining The eFestivals Cosmic Comedy Tent on Friday 13^th July.  Mitch is not only one of the most sought-after acts on the comedy circuit but is widely acknowledged as one of the best writer/performers of comic songs in the country.  A regular writer and performer on “The Now Show” for BBC Radio 4 and “It’s Been a Bad Week” for BBC Radio 2, plus  three series of his successful Radio 4 show, “Mitch Benn’s Crimes Against Music” have been broadcast so far.   He also presents “The Mitch Benn Music Show” on BBC Radio 7.  On TV, Mitch appears regularly on BBC1’s “The One Show” as the writer and arranger of “The Complaints Choir”.   On the comedy circuit, Benn has spent the last few years quietly composing some of the best rib-ticklers you’ll ever hear and, when he takes the stage and strums the opening chords of I Might Just Have To Murder James Blunt, comedy club goers experience something they will almost certainly never hear again on a comedy night — a full-on sing-a-long.  Benn is much like a musician playing a show: he will play a song, tell a couple of jokes and then move on to the next track.

MITCH BENN is a seriously talented musician. He is also a clever, focused and prolific comic.  (The Scotsman)

Throughout the rest of the weekend you can catch top notch hilarity from a veritable wealth of comedy circuit comics such as include the brilliantly funny musical comedienne Helen Arney, appearing on Sunday 15^th July; wonderfully intelligent wordsmith Jess Fostekew, performing on Saturday 14^th July; and fantastic observational humorist Danny Ward, also on Saturday 14^th July.  Also appearing over the three days of GuilFest 2012 are: Tiernan Douieb, Brian Lacey, Yianni, Matt Richardson, Rich Wilson, Jonny Awsum, Chris Turner, John Mann, John Ryan, Brendan Dempsey, Tom Glover, Mark Simmons, as well a selection of finalists from the NATYS (New Act of The Year Show) – A show who’s past legacy includes such huge names as Russell Brand, Harry Hill, Ardal O’Hanlon and Catherine Tate! There are many more comedians still to be announced for the festival, including the Sunday night headline slot – keep an eye on the website for news!

GuilFest 2012 features some of the best entertainment available from the music, comedy and theatre worlds.  The currently announced line up consists of Olly Murs, Jools Holland & His Rhythm and Blues Orchestra feat. Roland Gift, and Jimmy Cliff; and over the coming weeks this will grow to a mind boggling 200+ acts performing across 8 stages over the weekend of the festival!  An award winning family event (Best Family Festival – UK Festival Awards) GuilFest has something for everyone; all over the site you can find attractions such as GuilFest favourites The Man In The Moon Theatre Tent, The 70’s Disco, Farmer Giles Barndance, The Eden Peoples’ GuilFest Gallery,  The Plantation Zone (an area specially for young people), and the brilliant GuilFest KidZone.  Also as usual you can find a great arts & crafts village, Massive 150ft Beer Tent, Calypso Cocktail Bar, Street Performers, food from around the world, and much much more – you can even pop right next door to the Guildford Lido and enjoy a swim in the beautiful 50m outdoor pool!

Tickets for GuilFest 2012 are on sale now and available from Seetickets on 0871 230 1106 or by visiting the GuilFest website.  For line up details and information please go to http://www.guilfest.co.uk.