Count Arthur Strong ‘The Man Behind The Smile’.

 

1Following the smash-hit success of his BBC Radio 4 comedy series (Sony GOLD Award Winner - Best Radio Comedy 2009) and recent sell out tour, Count Arthur Strong, showbiz legend and raconteur, reminds us just what we've been missing since his last television series, 'The Robin Hood Club’, was axed in 1960 something.  As Arthur himself says, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could just turn the telly on after a hard day at the abattoir...or whatever it is you do... and there I was, smiling back at you, in my own programme again, again.”

 

Count Arthur Strong returns with his show, ‘The Man Behind The Smile’, for this extended tour due to popular demand.

 

              THE MIRROR  -  5-Star Review            

 14/08/2008
Forever the nearly man of show business and an expert mangler of words, Count Arthur is nothing less than wonderful…One of the greatest comic creations of this century, Count Arthur is compulsory viewing.
 

         MAIL ON SUNDAY  -  5-Star  Review  24/08/2008
Malapropisms, spoonerisms, tall stories and archive footage meticulously stitched together… 

It is an immaculate performance.

 

                 LEICESTER MERCURY               

12/02/2009

‘…an absolutely hilarious evening in the presence of comedy nobility'

KOMEDIA’S COUNT ARTHUR STRONG WINS SONY RADIO AWARD

 

One time Variety star Count Arthur Strong has won the prestigious GOLD Sony Radio Academy Award for Comedy 2009 for his Radio 4 show Count Arthur Strong’s Radio Show!  Managed by Komedia Entertainment and produced by Radio 2’s Mark Radcliffe, Count Arthur Strong’s Radio Show! is recorded at the award-winning Brighton and Bath Komedia venues, in front of a live studio audience.

 

The award, presented last night at a gala evening presided over by Radio 2’s Chris Evans at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, was given in recognition to the show’s ‘traditional format made contemporary and edgy by strong writing and great performances.’  The judges concluded that each episode ‘simply makes you laugh out loud.’

 

Comedian Steve Delaney created Count Arthur Strong in the '80s as a drama student.  He revived the character in the late nineties for the Edinburgh Fringe and then promptly retired from all other performing roles with the realisation that Arthur was his destiny. Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show! hit the airways of BBC Radio 4 in late December 2005 to huge critical acclaim - a fourth series has just been aired and a fifth is due to be recorded at both Komedia Brighton and Komedia Bath in the Autumn.  

 

The weekly show focuses on a typically confused and muddled 'day in the life' of the Count - be it solving a mystery concerning a missing cauliflower or a book signing at a local butcher's shop. An expert in everything from the world of entertainment to the origins of the species, everyday life with Arthur is an enlightening and entertaining experience. Arthur is joined in the series by his radio reparatory company which includes Brighton performers Alastair Kerr and Dave Mounfield.

Count Arthur Strong’s Radio Show! has become a cornerstone of BBC Radio 4 and 7 comedy output since the first shows were piloted at Komedia Brighton in 2001. The show has many famous plaudits with Steve Coogan, Jennifer Saunders and Martin Clunes all being huge fans. He is particularly appreciated within the music industry, with Elbow recently stating they have written a song based on the character and The Who admitting they listen to the comedy series on the tour bus. The writers of Hancock's revered radio successes and creators Steptoe and Son, Galton and Simpson also recently joined the fan club citing Count Arthur Strong as the best current comedy on TV or radio.

Ends 12. 5. 2009

For more information, images etc please contact Chris Challis on 07779 343137 or email press@komedia.co.uk

 

 

 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

 

(i)            Komedia is a leading arts and entertainment organization operating live entertainment venues.

(ii)           Founded in 1994 by Colin Granger, Marina Kobler and David Lavender. Komedia’s local, national and international programme, spans a full range of entertainment: from theatre and music through to cabaret, comedy and live literature. There are no boundaries so long as the work is fresh and exciting.  Winner of the Chortle Award for ‘Best Comedy Club in the South’ for a record seven times, Komedia’s work ethos is rooted in a love of live performance and a belief in its power to add to the sum of human happiness.

(iii)          In 2001 Komedia partnered with Richard Daws in the opening of Komedia Entertainment, a Management and Production company that has since produced national, international tours, DVD releases and BBC Radio 4 series for their artists. They are currently piloting TV comedy projects for the BBC.

(iv)          Komedia is owned by Colin Granger, Marina Kobler and Richard Daws.

(v)           For the last twenty-five years, the Sony Radio Academy Awards have sought to recognise the very best of the UK radio industry, nationally, regionally and locally.  Reflecting the triumphs and developments of the current radio landscape, the Awards also aim to identify future leading practitioners and celebrate lifetime contributions.   

 

 

Ketch & HIRO-PON GET IT ON

 

Friday 6th Feb, 11pm, BBC 3.

 

Don't miss this original and hilarious pilot from everybody's favourite silent comedians. A Komedia Entertainment and Baby Cow (Gavin and Stacey, The Mighty Boosh) co-production, the pilot was filmed in September and is unlike anything else you'll see on television.

 

Gamarjobat get ready to change the face of TV! And without saying a single word...

 

 

It's a new year, and things are looking sunny for Count Arthur Strong!

 

Series 4 of Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show! has kicked off on BBC Radio 4. The show airs on Wednesdays at 11.30am. If you missed the season premiere on January 7th, fear not! You can still hear it on BBC iPlayer. Tune in for Episode 2 next Wednesday, 14th January at 11.30am.

 

And if hearing Count Arthur's dulcet tones over the radio waves is not enough for you, 2009 brings the opportunity  to see the great man in person! He will be touring with his hit Edinburgh show, Count Arthur Strong - The Man Behind The Smile, from February 8th. The tour starts at the Lowry, Salford, and will be coming to a venue near you throughout February and March.

 

Full tour listings can be found on at www.countarthurstrong.com, by clicking on 'Arthur's Live Dates'. Tickets are selling like hot cakes, so book soon or risk missing out!

 

As if that wasn't enough, Series 3 of Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show! is now available to buy as a 3 CD Box Set. This can be ordered along with a wealth of other merchandise through the Count Arthur Strong website. Just click the 'Merchandise' link.

 

Stay tuned for more Count Arthur Strong News throughout 2009!

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.

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 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 -

 

www.assemblyfestival.com

 

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).

 

See www.komedia.co.uk/brighton for more information.

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 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.

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.

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 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 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.

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'.

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.

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.

 

www.gamarjobat.co.uk

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.

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.

 

 

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.

 

www.brightonfestivalfringe.org.uk

 

www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk

 

www.giginthepark.co.uk

 

The Fringe Report Awards 2005, announced at the Canal Café Theatre on the 15^th 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.

 

www.fringereport.com/05awards.shtml

 

‘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 20^th 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 24^th January and will resume again on the 28^th February '05.

 

www.countarthurstrong.com

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.

http://www.bafta.org/site/page133.html

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.

Go to Count Arthur Strong's website

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.

Go to Audioporn website

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.