Andre Vincent is a stand-up comedian, writer and actor. Vincent sits on the board of The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society. A situational comic, Vincent is known for his observations about health matters, including his experiences with diabetes, cancer

Cancer

Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...

 and kidney

Kidney

The kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...

 surgery.

Career

Vincent developed an interest in acting when, as a child, he took the part of the Artful Dodger in a locally produced Oliver

Oliver

The surname Oliver is of several different origins.-Etymology:The surname Oliver is derived from the Old French personal name Olivier. The Oliver surname seems to be French Norman in origin. The Olivers were probably part of William the Conqueror's Norman Invasion of Britain in 1066...

. Trained as a clown, Vincent started travelling the world appearing at circus and theatre festivals as busker

Busking

Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...

 'Arry Pavarotti. Following his stand-up debut in Georgia

Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

 and Alabama

Alabama

Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...

, Vincent made appearance in other US states. The pinnacle of this period was opening for Bob Hope

Bob Hope

Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...

 in Columbus

Columbus, Ohio

Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...

, Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

 in 1992.

Thereafter, Vincent returned home to the comedy circuit of the UK. Subsequent appearances have included a Saturday night show on Channel 4

Channel 4

Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...

, nine sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, numerous radio shows, the presenter of two award-nominated television programmes, regular appearances on daytime panel games and even an appearance as himself in the children’s drama Byker Grove

Byker Grove

Byker Grove was a British television series which aired between 1989 and 2006 and was created by Adele Rose. The show was broadcast at 5.10pm after Newsround on CBBC on BBC One...

.

Vincent began to incorporate more material about himself into his comedy routine after his diagnosis with cancer and the removal of a 7 lb. tumor

Tumor

A tumor or tumour is commonly used as a synonym for a neoplasm that appears enlarged in size. Tumor is not synonymous with cancer...

 from his kidney in 2002, having in earlier shows received positive audience response from earlier references to his diabetes and a knee injury. He later incorporated the material into an award winning TV show for BBC

BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

, Hurrah for Cancer.

Vincent started working with Marcus Brigstocke

Marcus Brigstocke

Marcus Alexander Brigstocke is an English comedian, actor and satirist who has worked extensively in stand-up comedy, television, radio and in 2010-2011 musical theatre. He is particularly associated with the 6.30pm comedy slot on BBC Radio 4, having frequently appeared on several of its shows...

 in 2005 on the BBC Four

BBC Four

BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....

 show The Late Edition

The Late Edition

The Late Edition was a British television programme broadcast on BBC Four. It took the form of a topical chat show in the vein of The Daily Show, presented by comedian Marcus Brigstocke...

. The first live topical show on the BBC for many years. The pair took a live version of the show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2006 and since then have performed "The Early Edition" at many of the leading UK festivals.

In 2007 Vincent has launched a new show with fellow comic Phill Jupitus

Phill Jupitus

Phillip Christopher Jupitus is an English stand-up and improvised comedian, actor, performance poet, musician and podcaster....

. In "Waiting For Alice", the pair play Tweedledum and Tweedledee

Tweedledum and Tweedledee

Tweedledum and Tweedledee are fictional characters in an English language nursery rhyme and in Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. Their names may have originally come from an epigram written by poet John Byrom. The nursery rhyme has a Roud Folk Song Index number...

, sitting around and contemplating their wonderland and what may lie outside.

The Winter of 2009 found Vincent re-treading the boards in his first Pantomime in 26 years, in "Robin Hood" at the Theatre Royal, Norwich

Theatre Royal, Norwich

The Theatre Royal is the largest theatre in Norwich, Norfolk, England. It presents a large range of drama, dance, comedy, music and other entertainment...

. .

In 2010 he can be seen in the movies Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story and The People Versus George Lucas.

External links

• Chortle section
• Myspace profile
• Phill Jupitus and Andre Vincent: Waiting for Alice thestage.co.uk
• Podcast interview featuring Andre Vincent, The Times Online.
• http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/26821/robin-hood Review of Robin Hood, Theatre Royal Norwich 2009