Karaoke Circus
Encyclopedia
Karaoke Circus is a British Karaoke
night where guest singers from the world of comedy compete alongside members of the public for a coveted prize. Sometimes called 'Ward & White's Karaoke Circus', the show was started by composer Martin White and stand-up comedienne Danielle Ward
in October 2008 at The Albany, Great Portland Street
, London
. It has since been held at the 100 Club
, The Bethnal Green Working Men's Club, Ginglik, Royal Vauxhall Tavern and at The Edinburgh Fringe
.
(bass guitar), Foz Foster
(lead guitar, musical saw and vibraslap) and David Reed
(drums). The band are joined by resident judges, Daniel Maier
(and in his absence, Dan Tetsell
) and 'The Baron', whose job it is to pick a winner from the evening's performances.
Karaoke
is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
night where guest singers from the world of comedy compete alongside members of the public for a coveted prize. Sometimes called 'Ward & White's Karaoke Circus', the show was started by composer Martin White and stand-up comedienne Danielle Ward
Danielle Ward
Danielle Ward is a British stand-up comedian and writer.-Career:In 2006 Ward won the Time Outs Critic's Choice award for Best Newcomer and wrote Take A Break Tales - exaggerated adaptations of women's magazine stories - in which she appeared with Neil Edmond, Emma Fryer and Isy Suttie at the...
in October 2008 at The Albany, Great Portland Street
Great Portland Street
Great Portland Street is a street in the West End of London. Linking Oxford Street with Albany Street and the busy A501 Marylebone Road and Euston Road, the road forms the boundary between Fitzrovia to the east and Marylebone to the west...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It has since been held at the 100 Club
100 Club
The 100 Club is a music venue in London situated at 100 Oxford Street, W1, originally called The Feldman Swing Club.The 100 Club attained legendary status in modern British music, having played host to live music since 24 October 1942....
, The Bethnal Green Working Men's Club, Ginglik, Royal Vauxhall Tavern and at The Edinburgh Fringe
Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival. Established in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place annually in Scotland's capital, in the month of August...
.
The show
The Karaoke Circus house band, who accompany the singers, is composed of Martin White (keyboards), Danielle WardDanielle Ward
Danielle Ward is a British stand-up comedian and writer.-Career:In 2006 Ward won the Time Outs Critic's Choice award for Best Newcomer and wrote Take A Break Tales - exaggerated adaptations of women's magazine stories - in which she appeared with Neil Edmond, Emma Fryer and Isy Suttie at the...
(bass guitar), Foz Foster
Foz Foster
James 'Foz' Foster is a composer and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the lead guitarist in the art-rock band, David Devant and his Spirit Wife, and in the 1983-5 incarnation of The Monochrome Set. Foster also plays guitar, musical saw and vibraslap in the house band of Karaoke Circus...
(lead guitar, musical saw and vibraslap) and David Reed
David Reed (comedian)
David Reed is a British actor, writer and comedian and one third of comedy troupe The Penny Dreadfuls.-Career:Between 2001 and 2005, David performed with Edinburgh based improvisational comedy troupe The Improverts in their weekly short form improvised sketch show as well as regularly appearing in...
(drums). The band are joined by resident judges, Daniel Maier
Daniel Maier
Daniel Maier is a comedy writer and performer for television, radio, print and the stage.Since 2002 he has been part of the writing team for ITV1's Bafta Award-winning Harry Hill's TV Burp...
(and in his absence, Dan Tetsell
Dan Tetsell
Dan Tetsell is a comedian and writer for radio, television and stage. He has worked on a number of projects, including The Museum of Everything, That Was Then, This Is Now and Parsons and Naylor's Pull-Out Sections....
) and 'The Baron', whose job it is to pick a winner from the evening's performances.
Notable guests
- Chris AddisonChris AddisonChris Addison is an English stand-up comedian, writer and actor. He is known for his lecture-style comedy shows, two of which he later adapted for BBC Radio 4...
- Simon AmstellSimon AmstellSimon Marc Amstell is a BAFTA nominated, award-winning English comedian, television presenter, screenwriter and actor, best known for his roles as former co-host of Popworld, former host of Never Mind the Buzzcocks and co-writer and star of the sitcom Grandma's House.-Early life:Amstell was born...
- William AndrewsWilliam Andrews (comedian)William Andrews is a British actor and comedian.Andrews attended Edinburgh College of Art where he gained a Bachelor of Arts in Photography....
- Dan AntopolskiDan AntopolskiFor the rowing coach and commentator, see Daniel TopolskiDan Antopolski is a British stand-up comic, actor and writer, mostly known for his surreal stand-up.- Stand-up comedy :Shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe include:...
- Gus BrownGus BrownGus Brown is an English actor and comedian.He is half of the double act Laurence & Gus, alongside fellow comedian and writer Laurence Howarth...
- Margaret Cabourn-SmithMargaret Cabourn-SmithMargaret Cabourn-Smith is a British comedy actress. She is known for her roles in shows such as the IT Crowd, Miranda, Bigipedia, Katy Brand's Big Ass Show, Peep Show, Lab Rats and The Maltby Collection.-External links:...
- Johnny Candon
- Bridget ChristieBridget ChristieBridget Christie is an award winning British comedian, actress and writer. She studied acting at The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts.She has appeared in several TV and radio shows, including The Omid Djalili Show on BBC One and The Culture Show on BBC Two...
- Andrew CollinsAndrew Collins (broadcaster)Andrew Collins is the creator and writer of Radio 4 sitcom Mr Blue Sky. His TV writing work includes EastEnders and the sitcoms Grass and Not Going Out .-Personal life:Collins was a member of the Labour Party between the late 1980s and early 1990s, leaving after Labour's...
- Anna CrillyAnna CrillyAnna Crilly is an English actress and comedian. Secondary school: Kent College, Pembury. Crilly attended Middlesex University where she studied performing arts...
- Justin EdwardsJustin EdwardsJustin Edwards is an English actor and writer.Born in Hampshire, Justin studied at Manchester University, before training at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. He was a member of sketch trio The Consultants, alongside Neil Edmond and James Rawlings...
- Kevin Eldon
- Dave GormanDave GormanDavid James Gorman is an English author, stand-up comedian and presenter. He has performed comedy shows on stage in which he tells stories of extreme adventures and presents the evidence to the audience in order to prove to them that they are true stories...
- Tony GardnerTony GardnerTony Gardner is an English actor and doctor. He qualified as a doctor at Guy's Hospital in 1987, then as a General Practitioner in 1993...
- Jeremy HardyJeremy HardyJeremy James Hardy is a British alternative comedian who is also known for his socialist politics.-Career:Hardy was born in Farnborough, Hampshire. He attended Farnham College and studied Modern History and Politics at the University of Southampton...
- Hattie HayridgeHattie HayridgeHattie Hayridge is a British stand-up comedienne and actress, best known for the role of the female version of Holly in Red Dwarf during the third, fourth and fifth series, along with the role of Hilly in Parallel Universe, the final episode of the second series.After graduating from the...
- John HegleyJohn HegleyJohn Richard Hegley is an English performance poet, comedian, musician and songwriter.-Early life:He was born in the Newington Green area of Islington, London, England, into a Roman Catholic household. He was brought up in Luton and Bristol...
- Richard HerringRichard HerringRichard Keith Herring is a British comedian and writer, whose early work includes his involvement in the double-act, Lee and Herring...
- Laurence HowarthLaurence HowarthLaurence Howarth is an English comic actor and writer. He has appeared in one episode each of the TV series After You've Gone , Hyperdrive , Blessed , The Robinsons , My Hero and Dark Ages...
- Colin HoultColin HoultColin Hoult is a comedy actor/writer in television, radio, theatre. He studied at Manchester Metropolitan School of Theatre....
- Jessica Hynes
- Robin InceRobin InceRobin Ince is an English stand-up comedian, actor and writer. He is best known for presenting the BBC radio show The Infinite Monkey Cage .-Stand-up comedy:...
- Phill JupitusPhill JupitusPhillip Christopher Jupitus is an English stand-up and improvised comedian, actor, performance poet, musician and podcaster....
- Miles JuppMiles JuppMiles Jupp is a British actor and comedian, probably best known as Archie in the children's television series Balamory....
- Sarah KendallSarah KendallSarah Kendall is an Australian comedian from Newcastle, New South Wales, now based in London, England. She attained much success on the Australian comedy circuit since winning the Raw Comedy competition in 1998, regularly appearing on Australian television, before moving to the United Kingdom in...
- Michael LeggeMichael Legge (comedian)Michael Legge is a Northern-Irish stand-up comedian and television host. He has written for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, MTV, VH1 and other media, and has appeared in numerous venues throughout the UK as well as in Australia, USA, Canada, Singapore, Holland, Germany and Dubai...
- Toby LittToby LittToby Litt is an English writer, born in Bedford in 1968. He studied at Bedford Modern School, read English at Worcester College, Oxford and studied Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia where he was taught by Malcolm Bradbury....
- Josie LongJosie LongJosie Long is an English comedian.-Background:Long spent her early life in Orpington, South East London, where she attended Newstead Wood School for Girls in Swift House. She also attended GIFT Ltd. summer schools. She began performing stand-up comedy at 14, winning the BBC New Comedy Awards at...
- Geoffrey McGivernGeoffrey McGivernGeoffrey McGivern is an English actor in film, radio, stage and television. He was born in Balham, South London and grew up in York. There he attended Archbishop Holgate's School, where he was made Head Boy...
- Greg McHughGreg McHughGreg McHugh is a Scottish actor and writer. He is the creator, writer and star of the BBC1 comedy series Gary: Tank Commander. He won a BAFTA for the show.He graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow....
- Ben MillerBen MillerBennet Evan "Ben" Miller is an English comedian, actor and director. He is perhaps best known as one half of comedy double act Armstrong and Miller, along with Alexander Armstrong. Together the pair wrote and starred in Channel 4 sketch show Armstrong and Miller, and the more recent BBC television...
- Pappy's Fun ClubPappy's Fun ClubPappy's is an English sketch-comedy team consisting of comedians Ben Clark, Matthew Crosby and Tom Parry. After 5 years as the four-man team "Pappy's Fun Club", the group decided to change the name to "Pappy's" and continue without fourth member, Brendan Dodds...
- Sara PascoeSara PascoeSara Pascoe is a British writer, stand-up comedian, and actress.Pascoe has appeared in a number of television programmes, including The Thick of It and Being Human, as well as all-female sketch show Girl Friday , which she co-wrote.In August 2010, Pascoe performed her first show at Edinburgh, Sara...
- The Penny DreadfulsThe Penny DreadfulsThe Penny Dreadfuls are a British sketch-comedy troupe consisting of comedians Humphrey Ker, David Reed and Thom Tuck. The sketch team perform regularly on the London comedy circuit.-History:...
- Lucy PorterLucy PorterLucy Donna Porter is an English actress, writer and comedienne.She has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, the Brighton Festival and many clubs around Britain. She has also a regular voice on BBC Radio 4 in various panel shows, including Quote.....
- Carrie QuinlanCarrie QuinlanCarrie Quinlan is a British actress, comedy writer and journalist. She mainly works in satire for BBC radio comedy, writing material for satirical comedies such as The Now Show. She is also a regular panellist on The News Quiz. She is the youngest child of Mary and Michael Quinlan.-History:Quinlan...
- Howard ReadHoward ReadHoward Oliver Drinkwater Read is a British comedian, animator and aspiring song writer best known for his work with his animated sidekick, Little Howard. His other creations include an angry manager with a conversational style and the worldview of Bernard Manning, Roger T Pigeon, and H:BOT 2000, a...
- Garry RichardsonGarry RichardsonGarry Richardson is a British radio presenter. He presents the Sunday morning sports programme Sportsweek on BBC Radio 5 Live and is also a sports presenter on the Today show on BBC Radio 4.-Career:...
- Andy RileyAndy RileyAndy Riley is a British author, cartoonist, comics scriptwriter, and television screenwriter.Riley has written several best-selling cartoon books, The Book of Bunny Suicides , Return of the Bunny Suicides, The Bumper Book of Bunny Suicides, Dawn of the Bunny Suicides, Great Lies To Tell Small...
- John-Luke RobertsJohn-Luke RobertsLuke Roberts , better known as John-Luke Roberts is a British comedy writer and performer, most noted for his BBC 7 sketch series Spats....
- Waen ShepherdWaen ShepherdWaen Shepherd is an English actor and comedian. Originally from Yorkshire, England, he later moved to London.-Career:Following his days as a stand-up poet and fringe actor , Waen started out performing bizarre experimental monologues at the early Cluub Zarathustra, touring with spoof techno band...
- Isy SuttieIsy SuttieIsobel "Isy" Suttie is an English stand up comedian, actress, writer, and musician. She is best known for playing the role of Dobby in the British sitcom Peep Show.-Career:...
- Liza TarbuckLiza TarbuckLiza Tarbuck is an English actress and television and radio presenter, and daughter of comedian Jimmy Tarbuck.She trained at the National Youth Theatre and RADA graduating in 1986 alongside Clive Owen, Rebecca Pidgeon and Serena Harragin.-Acting:...
- Tim VineTim VineTimothy "Tim" Mark Vine is an English actor, writer and comedian. He has released a number of DVDs of his stand-up comedy, as well as starring in the successful series Not Going Out with Lee Mack on the BBC...
- Katy WixKaty WixKaty Wix is a Welsh actress who has appeared in Not Going Out, Comic Relief Special, Rush Hour, Miranda and Torchwood.She also has numerous recurring roles in Horrible Histories...