A double header of comedy as two top comedians warm up ahead of the Edinburgh Festival.

Marise Gaughan

Marise Gaughan is a critically acclaimed comedian and author from Dublin.

In 2022 Marise’s debut memoir, Trouble, was published by Monoray. It was described by The Irish Times as ‘a graphic, explicit, often visceral memoir that engulfs the reader’ as it traces Marise’s unravelling through sex, self-destruction and a near-miss with Scientology. The book went on to be an Irish Bestseller and received fantastic reviews in the press. It was published in paperback in 2023 and Marise is currently working on her first novel.

As a stand-up comedian, Marise started her career in Los Angeles, appearing in on stages including The Comedy Store and The Hollywood Improv. Since returning to the UK, her debut stand-up show Drowning explored her father’s (successful) suicide attempt and her own (unsuccessful) one. It premiered at the Dublin Fringe Festival in 2019 where it was nominated for the Fringe’s Spirit of Wit Moira Brady Averill Award for artists whose work defies categorisation with bold and unconventional material and for the First Fortnight Award for shows that challenge stigma and prejudice about mental health. Marise was subsequently awarded the Women’s Irish Network Arts Bursary. She has also supported acts including Rob Delaney, Ari Shaffir and Jim Norton on tour.

'Gaughan’s humour is dark, biting, and painfully honest, but it is in the moments when she is being gentler to herself that her words are at their most transcendent' Irish Independent

'Trouble is an outstanding memoir, a text on addiction that gets to the heart of its implicit trauma and complications. Gaughan has a remarkable voice, self-assured yet vulnerable, frank to a staggering degree – and likeable even in her darkest moments' The Business Post

'An outstanding text on addiction and girlhood, equal parts vulnerable and witty' The Business Post

Bella Hull

Bella Hull is a stand-up comedian and writer. She is one of the UK’s most exciting young comedians and her television appearances include BBC’s Stand Up for Live Comedy, ITV’s The Stand Up Sketch Show and Comedy Central Live. 

A hugely acclaimed live act, Bella regularly plays to sold out crowds both in the UK and abroad. She has taken two critically-acclaimed shows to the Edinburgh Fringe, Babycakes in 2022 and Piggie in 2024 and has supported Phil Wang, Russell Howard and Paul Chowdhry on tour.

Bella also co-hosts the Rats of the Roundtable and Last Night Ever podcasts and as a writer, Bella is working on a script commission with the BBC and has been featured on BBC Radio 4’s Newsjack and Flux Magazine.

'a new template for generations Z and Alpha to follow' Rolling Stone

'A gifted comedian…definitely see this' ★★★★ Bruce Dessau, Beyond the Joke

'very intelligent – and witty – comedy…an ambitious debut, Hull is clearly a very talented writer and performer' ★★★★ Veronica Lee, The Arts Desk

'There is just so much packed into this show…a sensational performance' ★★★★ Deadline

Studio
£12

Marise Gaughan
X MariseComedy
Insta marisegaughan

Bella Hull
X BellaBellaHull
Insta bellabellahull

•  25 Apr from £12

BCA Performing Arts Department proudly present this student production of 9 to 5 the Musical!

Join us for a hilarious, high energy journey through office politics, empowerment, and friendship. Featuring the iconic music of Dolly Parton, this dazzling production tells the story of three determined women who team up to take down their egotistical boss and transform their workplace. Packed with laugh-out-loud moments, show stopping numbers, and an inspiring message, 9 to 5 the Musical is a feel good experience for all. Don’t miss this unforgettable performance - grab your tickets now and get ready to sing along!

Courtyard Theatre
1pm performance - £8 per ticket
7pm performance - £18 per ticket

BCA website

Insta bca_college
Fb BCA

•  13 May from £8
•  13 May from £18

A double header of comedy as two top comedians warm up ahead of the Edinburgh Festival.

Matt Forde

Matt Forde is one of the country’s most in demand satirists.

Described as 'our foremost satirical stand-up' by The Sunday Times, Matt Forde has toured critically acclaimed shows nationwide including most recently Clowns To The Left of Me, Jokers To The Right in 2022 and Inside No. 10 in 2023.

Matt Forde’s hit live podcast The Political Party transferred to the West End’s Duchess Theatre in 2021 after over 70 sold out shows at Westminster’s The Other Palace, for a twice extended fortnightly residency continuing in to 2024. Matt has brought Parliament to life with his stand-up and debate with some of politics’ most powerful figures including Keir Starmer, Nicola Sturgeon, Tony Blair, Eddie Izzard, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Angela Rayner, Michael Heseltine, Anthony Scaramucci, Alastair Campbell, Gordon Brown and Gary Neville. Matt has received numerous nominations from award bodies including the British Podcast Awards and Chortle Awards and the show is regularly highlighted as a top podcast pick in the press.

Matt wrote and voiced characters for Spitting Image (BritBox/ITV) including Boris Johnson, Keir Starmer and Donald Trump. Matt currently presents Absolute Radio’s weekly Rock ‘n’ Roll Football Show. He is also the co-host of Wondery’s flagship British Podcast Award winning British Scandal alongside Alice Levine.

In 2019 alone, Matt hosted the Alternative News Desk for Channel 4’s election night coverage, chaired the One Nation Conservative leadership hustings and debated Britain’s withdrawal from the EU with Tony Blair for the Institute of Global Change.

Matt hosted four series of Unspun with Matt Forde on Dave, receiving several nominations at the Broadcast Digital Awards, and has numerous other broadcast credits including: Have I Got News For You (BBC One), The Royal Variety Performance (ITV), Mock The Week (BBC Two), 8 out of 10 Cats (Channel 4), Hypothetical (Dave) Rory Bremner’s Coalition Report and Rory Bremner’s Election Report (BBC Two), Question Time (BBC One), This Week (BBC One), Newsnight (BBC Two) and Daily Politics (BBC Two).

Matt’s first book Politically Homeless was listed by The Sunday Times as one the Best Political Books of 2020.

Chloe Petts

'One of the most compelling young comics' Brian Logan, The Guardian

'Clearly a rising star whose name will soon be in lights' Bruce Dessau, The Evening Standard

Chloe has established herself as one of the most exciting up and coming acts on the circuit.

Chloe is returning to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer with her new show How You See Me, How You Don’t. This comes after a UK Tour of her show If You Can’t Say Anything Nice which sold-out in the first week of the Edinburgh Fringe last year, leading to 6 extra shows being added to the run. In 2022, she performed her debut show Transience to sold-out audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and for two five night runs at Soho Theatre, which led to a tour around the rest of the UK which ended with an extra date added at London’s Leicester Square Theatre. Receiving rave reviews from publications including The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Evening Standard.

On television and radio, Chloe recently appeared on Have I Got News For You (BBC One), and hosted her own segment every Saturday morning on Sky Sports News. She has also been a regular on The Frank Skinner Show (Absolute Radio), World Cup Breakfast (Sky Sports) for the Men’s Football World Cup 2022 and previously for Good Morning Euros (Sky Sports) for the UEFA Women’s Euros. Further appearances include MOTDx (BBC), Jonathan Ross’s Comedy Club (ITV), The Stand-Up Sketch Show (ITV2), Richard Osman’s House of Games (BBC Two), Random Acts (Channel 4), Hypothetical (Dave), Fighting Talk (BBC Radio 5 Live), BBC Three Quickies (BBC Three), as well as winning Pointless Celebrities (BBC One). In terms of podcasts, Chloe has appeared on Off Menu, Films to Buried With and co-hosted The Guilty Feminist.

An alumna of the prestigious Pleasance Comedy Reserve, shortlisted for the BBC Comedy Award, finalist of Leicester Square New Comedian of the Year Awards 2017 and runner-up in the Funny Women Awards 2017. As well as supporting Ed Gamble on current Hot Diggity Dog UK tour and previous tour Electric, Chloe has supported Frank Skinner during his West End run and performed at Melbourne International Comedy Festival this year and last year.

She is a co-founder of The Lol Word, a queer comedy collective that hosts sell-out monthly London nights, boasting the finest female and non-binary queer acts on the circuit. Their most recent Edinburgh run was a sell-out. Diva Magazine has described it as a space that is demographically queer, inclusive, and safe, and on top of all of that – the comedic talent is smart, insightful, hilarious, and completely relatable.

Studio
£12

Matt Forde
Matt's website

X MattForde

Chloe Petts
Chloe's website

X ChloePetts
Insta chloepetts

•  15 May LIMITED

Bighead Comedy presents the reigning Funny Women Award winner and Chortle Best Newcomer nominee’s debut hour where she tries to save the world.

Where does this messiah complex come from? Is it the second coming or has she just inherited her mother's psychological disorder? If you're anxious about the state of the world (or just your own mental state), join this BBC New Comedy Awards semi-finalist as she becomes the first woman to wonder what many men have wondered before her: am I actually God?

Winner of 2023 Funny Women Stage Award.

Nominee for NextUp's Biggest Award In Comedy Best Newcomer and 2024 Chortle Awards Best Newcomer.

'Charismatic, eloquent, frank and witty...an impressive debut for a bright comic' Chortle

'Witty and charming...the audience are quickly drawn into Kate's world' The List

'She's unstoppable. Her enthusiastic delivery cracks along at such a pace that you
wonder whether she's remembering to breathe' The Skinny

'Impressive, frank and relatable' Chortle.co.uk

Studio
£16.50

Kate's website

Insta katechecka
Fb Kate Cheka

•  30 May from £1650

Event cinema screening.

André Rieu celebrates his 75th Birthday! The King of the Waltz invites you to a boat party with him and his beloved Johann Strauss Orchestra as they sail through his hometown of Maastricht.

This brand new cinema special is a tribute to André's childhood dream of one day forming his own orchestra and travelling the world. The film features a selection of André's favourite and most spectacular global performances along with some of the finest moments the Maestro and his Johann Strauss Orchestra have shared during their many decades together.

Most of the concerts featured in this film have never been shown on the big screen before. To mark this amazing milestone, this is your chance to see these iconic André classics for the first time. Come aboard and celebrate André’s 75th in style on our big screen.

Courtyard Theatre Cinema
£16

•  12 Apr from £16

One of the country's most exciting up and coming stand ups.

After a five star, sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe, the 'almost sexily cerebral' (★★★★ Daily Telegraph) stand-up Alex Kealy is taking his new stand-up show about fear on a national tour.

Alex has been the tour support for Jack Dee, Shaparak Khorsandi, Tom Rosenthal and Kieran Hodgson.

Along with Ivo Graham, he hosts hit podcast Gig Pigs, which regularly topped the music podcasts charts during its first two seasons, as well as being featured in The Guardian's readers' Top 10 Podcasts of 2023.

His sharp joke-writing and political takes have been featured on multiple guest appearances on BBC Radio 4's The Now Show as well as Catherine Bohart's TL; DR and Rhys James's What Are You Talking About. He's also been a regular writer for Mock The Week and The News Quiz.

Supported by Will Rowland.

Studio
£16

Alex's website

X Alex Kealy
Insta alexkealy

•  12 Apr from £16

Dir: Jeff Fowler 2024 | 110 mins

Sonic the Hedgehog returns in his most thrilling adventure yet.

Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow, a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before. With their abilities outmatched in every way, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet.

Featuring an all-star cast including Keanu Reeves, Jim Carrey and Idris Elba.

£9 | £7 under 16s
Family & Friends (4 people) £28

Relaxed screenings
All of our screenings of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 are Relaxed - everyone is welcome to join us for this friendly format. The lights are kept on low and the audience are free to move around, make noise or come in and out of the theatre as needed.

•  15 Apr from £7
•  16 Apr from £7

Led by Creative Eye

Norden Farm's Crafternoons are relaxed crafting sessions for older people.

Get crafty with a range of activities, or bring along your own projects to work on with support from tutor Kayleigh Robinson.

You can learn new skills, meet new people and try something new, a cup of tea is included with the ticket price. Come either Tuesday or Wednesday and join in that week's craft. If you are unable to attend in person you can log on from home to chat and join in the session.

Spring Season
Tues 11 Mar - Felt Keyring / Brooch
Tues 18 Mar - Woven Basket
Tues 25 Mar - Wool Hoop Art
Tues 1 Apr - Book Folded Sheep
Tues 8 Apr - Fabric Flower
Tues 15 Apr - Cube Bunny
Tues 22 Apr - Embossed Foil Decorations
Tues 29 Apr - Iris Paper Folding

Summer
Tues 6 May - Stencilled Hoop Art
Tues 13 May - Cupcake Case Flowers
Tues 20 May - No Session
Tues 27 May - Abstract Square Art
Tues 3 Jun - Glass Magnets
Tues 10 Jun - Mini Decoupage Sign
Tues 17 Jun - Quilling
Tues 24 Jun - Yarn Wrapped Vases / Jars
Tues 1 Jul - Dotty Tote Bags
Tues 8 Jul - Dried Flower Art
Tues 15 Jul - Wood Slice Nail Art
Tues 22 Jul - No Session
Tues 29 Jul - Bird Seed Ornaments
Tues 5 Aug - Yarn Canvas Art
Tues 12 Aug - Air Dry Clay Candle Holder

Social Arts Crafternoons is a partially funded project run by Norden Farm with support from The Berkshire Community Foundation.

Local transport can be provided as part of the ticket price for those attending on a Wednesday.

If you need transport to Norden Farm for the Wednesday sessions please contact Jess Thompson at jess.thompson@nordenfarm.org / 01628 682563 to talk through your requirements.

Suitable for ages 60+ years.

2pm - 3pm
£6.50 per session, including a cup of tea

•  15 Apr from £650
•  22 Apr from £650
• 14 more dates...