The New Comedian of the Year 2014 will be returning to the Leicester Square Theatre later this year to give some of the nation’s finest unknown comedy talent a chance to square off with their best one liners, comic anecdotes and mad rants until someone’s crowned the winner. With Rob Beckett and Funmbi Omotaya as previous winners of the competition, it’s one of the big annual comedy tournaments that acts as a springboard for new comedians to find an audience.
It’s only in its sixth year, so it’s one of the recent entries to the UK comedy competition circuit, but it’s already managed to carve a name for itself at the Leicester Square Theatre. With places for 300 acts to enter the competition it’s not going to be easy to get into the final, but whether you’re a budding comedian or an enthusiastic onlooker there’s going to be a lot of comedy on show when it gets going in Autumn 2014.
Heats are scheduled to start from the 7th September 2014 and will be taking place in the Lounge of the theatre every Monday and Sunday from then on, including the quarter and semi finals. Details of all the dates and time for the heats, quarters and semis are at the bottom of the page.
The final will take place on the 23rd November 2013 in the Main House of the theatre, giving the finalist comedians their first real taste of a big crowd gig. It’s a big opportunity for non-professional comedians to get their big break and potentially take the step up to full time stand-up comic status.
Tickets for the heats, quarter finals and semi finals in the Lounge are just £6 with nearly three months worth of dates to choose from, whether you’re taking part, cheering on a friend or going for some chuckles. Tickets for the final in the Main House are £15 if you want to catch the best of the entrants with their closing set.
The good news for any budding comedians is that if you make it in time you can still apply to enter the 2014 competition yourself and be in with a shout of taking home the New Comedian of the Year 2014 prize. The competition opened for entrants on the 10th June this year and for anyone tempted to enter it’s open to non-professionals performing for 5 years or less. The only thing you need to take into account is that all contestants must stick to just 5 minutes in their set or risk disqualification.
New Comedian of the Year 2014 dates:
Heats
September:
Sunday 7th – 5pm & 7.30pm
Monday 8th – 6.45pm & 9pm
Sunday 14th – 5pm & 7.30pm
Monday 15th – 6.45pm & 9pm
Sunday 21st – 5pm & 7.30pm
Monday 22nd – 6.45pm & 9pm
Sunday 28th – 7pm
Monday 29th – 6.45pm & 9pm
October:
Sunday 5th – 7pm & 9.15pm
Monday 6th – 6.45pm & 9pm
Sunday 12th – 7pm & 9.15pm
Monday 13th – 6.45 & 9pm
Monday 20th – 6.45pm & 9pm
Quarter finals
October:
Sunday 26th – 5pm & 7.30pm
Monday 27th 6.45pm & 9pm
November:
Sunday 2nd – 5pm & 7.30pm
Monday 3rd – 6.45pm & 9pm
Semi finals
November:
Monday 10th – 6.45pm & 9pm
Sunday 16th – 5pm & 7.30pm
Final
November Sunday 23rd – 7.30pm
