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Gamarjobat TV Pilot for BBC 3!
July 2008
Danny Cohen and Lucy Lumsden have commissioned a pilot for BBC Three featuring Japanese silent comedy sensations Gamarjobat. The half hour show will be shot in September after their Edinburgh Fringe run and will be co-produced by Komedia Entertainment and Baby Cow (producers of the highly acclaimed The Mighty Boosh and Gavin and Stacey).
Gamarjobat (pronounced Ga-ma-jo-bat, which actually means 'hello' in Georgian), have delighted audiences selling out festivals around the world and starring in commercials and TV shorts in Japan. Since storming onto the Fringe in 2004 with Boxer, their take on the Rocky story, Ketch! (red mohican) and HIRO-PON (yellow mohican) have turned silent comedy into an art form that completely transcends all cultural and language boundaries. Their work is an ingeniously packaged micture of clever, free-slowing mime and gentle acrobatics all wrapped up in a generous helping of wonderfully tongue in cheek humour.
The pilot has been commissioned following Gamarjobat's sell out runs over several years at the Fringe. They have won numerous UK awards including: the Dubble Act Award, The Tap Water Award and the Brighton Festival Award for Best International Act, and have also appeared on Blue Peter and The New Paul O'Grady Show. They most recently starred in the opening episode of the second series of the BBC's BAFTA winning, The Slammer - a sitcom-meets-talent show competition set in a prison for entertainers that airs on BBC1 and CBBC - which they won.
Before the pilot they return to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with a brand new show, and this time it's a case of East meets West-ern. The Multi-award winning duo present their own take on the spaghetti Western in a brilliantly unique and hilarious tale of love and revenge in the Wild West. To delight their audience further they will be opening the show with thei signature fast paced comedy, together with an all-new audience interaction beat box.
Gamarjobat will also cross the pond for a three week run at the New Victory Theatre, Broadways' family theatre, in May 2009.
Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show! Series 3 Repeats
June 2008
We're delighted to announce that Series 3 of Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show! will be repeated on BBC Radio 4 from June 25th. The show will be broadcast every Wednesday at 6.30pm for six weeks.
Make sure you tune in!
Count Arthur Strong - The Man Behind The Smile
June 2008
Count Arthur Strong returns to the stage with a brand new show! Preview dates in Brighton, Newbury, Great Torrington and London are now on sale, please see the website for details - www.countarthurstrong.com
And if you can't make any of those dates, don't fear! Count Arthur Strong will be making a triumphant return to the Edinburgh Fringe this year. Catch his show at the Assembly Rooms Ballroom, daily at 7.27pm. Tickets are now on sale -
Don't miss out! Gamarjobat return to the Brighton Fringe with their brand new show, The Western.
The sensational Japanese comedy duo return to tell a tale of love, tragedy and revenge in the Wild West. Prepare to be amazed by the unique physical skills that have won critical acclaim worldwide.
Silence is golden - Without a word Gamarjobat will leave you speechless with laughter.
Performances at Komedia Brighton, May 18th - 21st at 7pm (2pm & 7pm May 18th).
28th March - Gamarjobat on The Slammer!
March 2008
Don't miss Gamarjobat's amazing performance on BBC's BAFTA award winning show, The Slammer. The programme will be broadcast on BBC 1, March 28th, at 4.40pm
Gamarjobat to appear on BBC's The Slammer!
January 2008
Gamarjobat return to the UK for an extra special appearance on the BBC's BAFTA winning show, The Slammer!
The Governor (Ted Robbins) is in charge of a very special prison where entertainers go, called The Slammer. Every week the Governor puts up a spectacular Freedom Showday, and talented prison inmates can perform on stage for the chance to be released to freedom! A parole of 50 children decides who gets to go.
However, The Slammer is more than just a variety show. It's also a sitcom, starring Bungalow favourites Lee Barnett, Ian Kirkby, Melvin Odoom and Dave Chapman. Mr Burgess (Ian Kirkby) and Jeremy (Lee Barnett) are the prison wardens who have to deal with the performing prisoners, including Melvin Odoom and Peter Nokio (Dave Chapman).
Will the kings of silent comedy be able to mime their way to freedom?
Without a word, Gamarjobat leave their audiences speechless with laughter!
Stay tuned for further information and broadcast dates.
Arthur Takes Over Radio 4
November 2007
Count Arthur fans can now settle into their arm chairs to enjoy three months of Arthur on radio.
Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show Series 2, airs on Tuesdays in the 18:30 comedy slot from 20th November to 25th December. Series 3 begins broadcasting on Friday 28th December for six weeks in the 11:30 to noon slot. To cap the Christmas broadcasts, Arthur will also bring some typical festive cheer to You and Yours on Radio 4 on the 24th December.
The Musical! Back By Demand
October 2007
Due to the success of the 2007 tour, Count Arthur Strong - The Musical! is to tour the UK again in early 2008.
Count Arthur Strong's hit show, which debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe 2006, sold out around the country at venues including Leeds City Varieties, The Lowry and Komedia Brighton. Due to the success of this tour, Komedia Entertainment has announced a 2008 extension with 22 further dates, including a debut in Arthur's home town of Doncaster and a week run at the Arts Theatre London.
Komedia Acts Win Awards
May 2007
Komedia Entertainment's Count Arthur Strong and Gamarjobat led the way in the Brighton Fringe picking up the all new and prestigious Argus Angel Awards. The award, in its first year, is awarded by Brighton's local paper to celebrate excellence in the Festival and Fringe.
Could Arthur Strong returned to Brighton with his sell out touring Musical and the home coming was played to the largest theatre crowd the expanded Komedia has hosted to date.
Gamarjobat returned for their second Brighton Fringe and again were a sensation, selling out all seven dates and picking up an award for the second successive year. Komedia hosted over half of the Argus Angel Award winners and also picked up the Best Venue gong at the Fringe Awards.
Count Arthur Tour Sells Out
April 2007
Count Arthur Strong's - The Musical? first UK tour is fast becoming a SELL OUT success. The first four dates of April and May tour, ranging from The Lowry Quays Theatre in Salford to the Acorn in Penzance, are already sold out. Arthur's first show in Leeds, at the City Varieties is currently one of the fastest selling shows at the venue and looks certain to sell out, as is the Brighton Festival show at Komedia.
Due to the success of the tour Komedia Entertainment are already looking to tour the show again in early 2008 and plan to include many dates in the North of England and a week run at the Arts Theatre, London.
Radio Show Rave Reviews
February 2007
Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show! second series has aired on BBC Radio 4 to rave reviews. The series was Critics Choice in the Radio Times, Telegraph, Daily Mail and Independent. The series follows the airing of Count Arthur Strong's Christmas special on Boxing Day which was described by the Radio Times as 'the funniest thing on radio this Christmas'.
Strummer Show Wins Fringe First...
August 2006
Meeting Joe Strummer has picked up the coveted Scotsman Fringe First Award in Edinburgh. The passionate, punk comedy, about attitude, friendship and celebrity, won the award that celebrates the best new writing at the world's largest arts festival.
The play, which starred Clash fans Nick Miles (Emmerdale) and Steve North (Fever Pitch), was written by Paul Hodson and produced by Brighton Theatre Events and Komedia Entertainment for the successful run at the Gilded Balloon.
Komedia Entertainment also enjoyed fringe sell-out runs with the Japanese comedy mime duo, Gamarjobat and Count Arthur Strong.
Gamarjobat Take Top Award
May 2006
Japanese comedy sensation Gamarjobat have picked up the Award for Best International Artist at the Brighton Festival 2006. This follows their sell out run at Komedia Brighton, which they performed as part of their first mini UK Tour. Alongside theatre shows Gamarjobat also performed at the Ciao Festival, The Street's of Brighton and had television appearances on ITV and BBC's Blue Peter.
Gamarjobat's heralded silent comedy has sold out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2004 and 2005, where they will again be performing in 2006.
Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show! has been recomissioned by by BBC Radio 4. The six part half hour comedy series, by the acclaimed Character Comedian will again be produced by Komedia Entertainment and Smooth Operations.
The series will start recording on the 15th October at Komedia Brighton and begin transmission on in March 2007. Mark Radcliffe will again produce the shows for Komedia Entertainment and Smooth Operations.
Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show! on CD
March 2006
Hit BBC 4 Radio comedy series, Count Arthur Strong¹s Radio Show! is to be released on CD by independent producer, Komedia Entertainment. The CD release will initially be available online through www.countarthurstrong.com and distributed by Pinnacle through retail outlets in the summer.
The CD will be released by Komedia Entertainment, who co-produced the series with Smooth Operations. The six part half hour comedy series was first transmitted in the 11:30 comedy and drama slot in December 2005 and almost instantly repeated in the 6:30 Comedy Slot in March 2006.
Audioporn are putting the finishing touches to their new live show which will be entitled 'A Message From Our Sponsors Part 1'. It follows the same format as TANK in that it is a continuous song cycle (that strangely enough has turned out to be roughly the same length as TANK). It is less linear in story line than its predecessor but has even more flare and urgency.
The release of the Audioporn DVD Welcome to the World is due in January '06 and we are taking orders through the merchandise page. The first 25 will be signed by the band. The DVD features the complete gig recorded live at The Famous Speigeltent, a specially commissioned short film about the nature of commercialism featuring the band and a behind the scenes documentary about Audioporn by Martin Rich.
Count Arthur Strong on BBC Radio 4
July 2005
Count Arthur Strong’s Radio Show!
Count Arthur Strong Bags BBC Radio 4 Series
Edinburgh Fringe institution, Count Arthur Strong, has been commissioned by BBC Radio 4 to produce a five part, half hour comedy series for transmission in January 2006.
The radio series, Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show! which goes into pre-production this week, follows a string of star guest appearances on Radio 2's Mark Radcliffe Show by the critically acclaimed character comedian. In the series, we follow the noble Count as he uncompromisingly fulfils his daily list of engagements. From the butchers block to the casting couch join the noble Count and his Radio Repertory Company, the RRC (like the RSC only quite a bit better), as they record their first series for Radio 4. Always expect the unexpected! "Count Arthur Strong is the finest raconteur alive and is even better than some of the dead ones" said Mark Radcliffe Count Arthur Strong stars in the Sitcom with a host of characters. In each of the five episodes, we hear a confused and muddled 'day in the life' of count Arthur Strong. Is Arthur really going to be cast in a radio play, and can he recall what he did in that Juliet Bravo Episode in the 80's to impress the director. Count Arthur Strong, whose biggest fans include fellow comics such as Ross Noble and Johnny Vegas, has become an Edinburgh must-see with his famed lecture talks. He received a commendation from the Perrier panel in his debut Fringe in 1997, last year he picked up the Fringe Report Award for The Best Character Comedian and the new 'Comics Comic' award, The Performers Jacket. His previous TV appearances on radio and television include a series of short films for the Paramount Comedy Channel. His recent radio credits include the series, Down Memory Lane with Count Arthur Strong, (six episodes for BBC London) and also as Count Arthur Strong, all four episodes of the Radio 4 series, The Remains of Foley and McColl, with the Olivier Award Winning duo, The Right Size. The series, currently being written by Steve Delaney, will be produced by Komedia Entertainment working with Smooth Operations (producers of Radio 2's Mark Radcliffe Show). Komedia Entertainment is the production and management arm of Komedia, the arts and entertainment organisation that produces several venues on the Edinburgh Fringe, including the heralded Aurora Nova programme at St Stephens, and also runs the multi award-winning entertainment venue in Brighton. Arthur will record his series this Autumn in front of a live audience at Komedia Brighton. The series will be recorded at Komedia Brighton on September 11th, October 30th and November 27th 2005 and is scheduled to air in the R4 Comedy and Drama slot at 11:30am on Fridays from the 6th January 2006, with a repeat in the 6:30pm comedy slot planned for later in the year.
Audioporn in Festival Mode
May 2005
After a successful Spring Tour supporting Stranglers ex-front man Hugh Cornwell, Audioporn head into Summer 2005 with a triple header of festival appearances.
Kicking off on 26th May in Brighton, as part of England's largest arts festival, Audioporn play The Famous Spiegeltent. The burlesque 1920's European touring venue provides a perfect backdrop for a performance of Tank that will be recorded for DVD. The band then head to Glastonbury, to play in the hippest of all the festival areas, Lost Vagueness. They will perform on the Drift Stage on the evening of Sunday 26th June. In August the band will play at the East of England's leading music event, Gig in the Park in Halesworth, preforming on the Main Stage on the evening of Saturday 6th.
The Fringe Report Awards 2005, announced at the Canal Café Theatre on the 15th February, included top accolades for Komedia Entertainment’s character comedians.
Steve Delaney received a rousing reception from the good and the great when Christopher Richardson presented him with The Fringe Report Award, Best Actor Character Comedy, for the creation and performance of longtime alter ego Count Arthur Strong. Joanna Neary was also honored with the Best Actor Award for Theatrical Comedy, for the performance of her Perrier nominated Show at The Edinburgh Fringe.
The Awards made by the Fringe Report, described as both the parish magazine and Hello! of the Fringe, celebrate the Best of the Best on the London and Edinburgh Fringe.
‘Don’t say I don’t treat you for Christmas’, Mark Radcliffe announced to his BBC Radio 2 listeners as he introduced his star guest on the 20th December. Count Arthur Strong joined the legendary DJ for the duration of his new critically acclaimed Radio 2 evening show. Whilst Arthur shared stories from his glittering past he also treated the audience to some of his old variety acts. Surprised competition callers got a personal audience with Arthur, with a horoscope or two thrown in for good measure. It was touching that callers recalled their fond childhood memories of the showbiz legend.
Mark and Arthur enjoyed each others company so much that they continued their banter on BBC Radio 2's Mark Radcliffe Show, 10:30 to midnight on the 24th January and will resume again on the 28th February '05.
The BBC approached Komedia Entertainment late in 2003 and in January 2004, Komedia Brighton and Treason Show regulars, Mark Katz, Kate Van Dike, Carol Kentish, Mark Brailsford and Paul Batchelor all featured in a CBBC programme for BBC2. Anthony 'Lou' Macari also wrote a series of spoof ad jingles for the show. In November the programme was one of four nominated shows for the BAFTA for Best Schools Factual Show.
Produced and directed by Patrick Reams, PERSUASION, in the series LETS WRITE NON FICTION, saw the cast feature in comedy re-makes of classic adverts. From the 1950's Radio Doctor to the decadent 1980's Ferrero Rocher's Ambassadors Party, they can be seen spoofing the iconic adverts in an attempt to sell the unfashionable Brussel Sprout to kids. The show, presented by double act Noble and Silver, will be broadcast regularly as part of the BBC Education offering on BBC2 over the coming years.
The Treason Show was founded at Komedia Brighton and has produced a monthly satirical and musical comedy show to sell out houses since 2000.
Komedia Entertainment has announced plans for Live@Komedia, a series of live comedy shows filmed at the award-winning Brighton venue for DVD release throughout 2005. The Live@Komedia series launches with the release of the cult 2002 Edinburgh Fringe show Count Arthur Strong's Forgotten Egypt!, which was recorded in front of a 220 strong live audience at Komedia, Brighton in July.
'There is a large market for sell-through DVD's and a huge number of touring acts with loyal fan bases. With the fall in production costs and the accessibility of the Komedia venue to record shows, a DVD release is now a real possibility for many comedy acts. Especially as we have managed to reduce the cost from tens of thousands of pounds to thousands', said Daws.
Komedia has previously hosted the filming of BBC Comedy Awards Semi Finals in 2002 and 2003, the venue has also won The Chortle Best Comedy Venue in the South of England Award 2002, 2003 and 2004.
Alongside the DVD recordings, Komedia Entertainment also plans to add to the numerous radio productions recorded at their Brighton venue. Within the Live@Komedia series, the company have already recorded and produced a CD release of a radio version of the 2004 Fringe Festival show, Through It All I've Always Laughed, The Diaries of Count Arthur Strong.
Count Arthur Strong can be heard spereading yule tide cheer on the 20th Decemeber on Radio 2's Mark Radcliffe show.
Audioporn Storm on from Edinburgh Fringe
October 2004
Following their phenomenal debut shows at The Underbelly, as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which earned them two 5 star reviews and a blossoming fan base, the Autumn saw the band performing closer to home. Opening the season at London's Barfly, supporting US rockers, French Kicks (Gig of the week - Time Out 29.9.04), followed by a sell-out show at Royal Holloway University opening for 'Clever Brain's Frying (Keith Flint Prodigy's front man's new dance punk project) before headlining at Surrey Institute of Art and Design. In December Audioporn hotfooted from headlining Huddersfield University to support the definitive cult US band, The Violent Femmes, on one of the closing dates of their 2004 World Tour at The Forum, Kentish Town.
You can also now buy T-shirts and TANK, the album on the merchandise area of the site and there will be limited edition downloadable version of TANK available here soon.
Joanna Neary Perrier Award Nomination
September 2004
Joanna Neary's successful run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe culminated in a nomination for Best Newcomer for comedy's most prestigious honour, The Perrier Award.
A Komedia regular since 1998, performed her first solo Edinburgh show 'Joanna Neary is Not Feeling Herself' at the 2004 Fringe. Critical acclaim in the national press resulted in her making the four-strong shortlist for the coveted award, whose previous winners have included Frank Skinner, Lee Evans and Steve Coogan.
Joanna's hit show was produced and promoted by Komedia Entertainment, the management and production arm of Komedia.
