www.esthermanito.co,uk

BBC New Comedy Award 2016-2018

Lebenase British Comedian

This is a title I did not think I would have as I completely fell into comedy by accident. I was on maternity leave with my second baby and found that I had become a blob of matter….. I had lost all banter-ability.

Yup, so I went to Camden Comedy School and thought that would get me out the house and give me back some brain power…I never intended to be a comic. In fact, after standing in front of the group during the second week of the course I went outside and threw up.

Two and a half years later and I have done more than I ever imagined!

• First female comedian to perform at Dubai Opera House
• Arab woman of the Year nominee
• Asian Woman of the Year Finalist
• BBC New Comedy Award 2016-2018
• Funny Women Regional Finalist
• Bath Comedian of the year finalist
• So you think you’re funny finalist

www.christreilly.com

 “If you’re a fan of Bill Bailey or Rich Hall, you’re probably a Christian Reilly fan already.”

The Guardian

At the age of 15, Christian Reilly joined a band to get laid. The Salvation Army had different ideas…

As former integral part of the Perrier award-winning show Otis Lee Crenshaw and the Black Liars, with comic/songster Rich Hall, Christian’s career has taken him around the world three times. On his way, he received accolades at international festivals and numerous network TV credits in the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Britain.

Now a solo stand-up performer and playing all the major comedy venues in his own right, Christian uses his dynamic guitar and vocal skills to target histrionic rock bands, musical theatre and morose indie musicians. He recently wrote and performed for ‘That Was Then This Is Now’ (BBC Radio 2) as musical counterpart to Richard Herring and Emma Kennedy, as well as giving his improvisation skills an outing on Radio 2’s ‘Jammin’.

Christian’s comic songs, improvisations, sharp wit and youthful energy have delighted audiences wherever he performs.

“Described by the Voice Newspaper as the Comedy Assassin, Ninia Banjamin is certainly not shy in her approach to comedy.  Although she doesn’t carry a gun, Ninia’s wit and cheeky persona is sure to kill any daring heckler’s attempts stone dead.  Armed with a big smile, Ninia’s warmth on stage, and off, lets her get away with murder.”

Best-loved as one third of BBC’s award-winning hidden-camera comedy show 3 Non-Blondes, Ninia Benjamin has branched out on her own in stand-up and is already going down a storm. Exuding confidence and natural warmth, her performances are exuberance personified in a style first unveiled in the early 90’s as one-half of the successful female comedy duo, M&N Society, who honed their talents on their home islands of Dominica and Jamaica before heading across the waters to wow punters in the UK and earn themselves the warm-up slot for the seminal BBC2 show The Real McKoy.

As a solo act, female comic Ninia Benjamin is already wowing punters from east London to Edinburgh, having stormed the famous New Act of the Year competition at London’s Hackney Empire and then done much the same for the Edinburgh festival.

www.adam-rowe.co.uk

 “Watch out as Adam becomes a household name.”

Media City

Adam Rowe is widely regarded as one of the most exciting young comics to emerge in recent years.  Despite still being in his early twenties, Adam is already one of the most sought after acts, comperes across the country and is fast becoming a huge favourite at all of the UK’s biggest comedy clubs and festivals.

His natural, laid back persona combined with is brutally honest, opinionated stand-up and his phenomenal ad-libbing ability make each of his performances unique and gloriously unpredictable, but more importantly; always hilarious. He has had three sell out shows at The Liverpool Comedy Festival (2013, 2014 & 2015), with his venue capacity almost doubling every year due to his growing hometown fan base.

www.joerowntree.com

 “He has the unique ability to take a cold room and reduce it to fits of laughter.”

GQ Magazine

Joe Rowntree is a stand-up comedian, actor, writer and presenter. His television career started back in 2001 writing put-downs for Anne Robinson on “The Weakest Link”. He has hosted 2 UK tours of “Brainiac Live” which culminated at the Hammersmith Apollo after appearing in all six series of the award-winning hit Sky 1 show “Brainiac: Science Abuse” and recently recorded “Dave’s One Night Stand” (Dave), which he was a huge hit on TV!

Joe has also been a hit overseas in Dubai, Qatar and Bahrain (with the Comedy Store) and throughout Europe and America. He has supported Rhod Gilbert and Stephen K Amos in theatres on their national tours.

www.juliandeane.co.uk

 “Deliciously twisted, a stream of seriously good gags. Quick, sharply written and endlessly repeatable lines.”

The Guardian

Having first performed stand up in 2005, Julian’s brilliant, utterly original and hilarious routines have earned him appreciation, recognition and praise from audiences across the country as well as prominent figures in the comedy industry.

Furthermore, he has proved his talent by winning some of the most prestigious stand-up comedy competitions in the country and is also in big demand as a writer (Mock the Week, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Morgan Spurlock’s New Britannia) All of this makes him a terrific act with a hugely exciting future ahead of him.