Spotlight: 2014, a Comedy Odyssey

What would you like to see less of in 2014?

“Gong shows. Gigs that rely on weird gimmicks that do nothing for the performer. Maybe fewer people trying to find the very edge of edgy? Edgy is the new hack?” (Kate McCabe, comedian and Sidekick Comedy founder)

“Attractive 20 year olds in skinny jeans and cropped t-shirts with no life experience.” (Freddy Quinne, comedian)

“'Aren't men and women different?' or 'Self-service checkout eh?' or 'I HATE MY WIFE!'” (Red Redmond, comedian and Dead Cat Comedy founder)

“The lazy use of the word 'slag'. Small venues closing down – support your local independent comedy club!” (Ros Bell, promoter, Group Therapy and XS Malarkey)

“I’d love to see less conflict between established promoters and the newer pay-what-you-want nights; we’re not competing, we’re collaborating! Smaller, free entry gigs aren’t taking customers from existing nights. Our audiences are precisely the kind of frivolous vagabonds who’d never afford a ￡10 ticket, but they might in the future.” (Jack Evans, comedian and Quippopotamus Comedy co-founder)

“Drunk stag and hen parties.” (Paul Blair, Hot Water Comedy)

What do you want to see more of?

“I'd like to see more character and sketch comedy. We have some extremely talented people here in the Northwest and I'd like to see them stretch their comedic legs.” (Lee Martin, Gag Reflex Management)

“I'd love to see audiences taking chances more often and going to watch comedians they don't know from the television. A comedian being on TV is not an indicator of how good they are.” (Ros Bell)

“Improv is wonderful and I feel like it's not as understood and appreciated here as maybe it is back in the States. I'd like some of the stronger, smaller, indie-type gigs continue to serve and nurture new comedy enthusiasts in that community.” (Kate McCabe)

“We would like to see more local talent making it onto the bigger stage and reaching a wider audience, and for more people to actually go out and visit one of the region's excellent comedy venues.” (Paul Blair)

“I’d like the media to pull their heads out of their cavernous, overpriced London-centric arses and start paying more attention to the awesome scene we’ve got up here. The BBC moved themselves to Salford and their comedy programming is still criminally dominated by London-based production companies and wet liberal Oxbridge types called Chauncey.” (Jack Evans)

Who do you expect big things from this year?

“I'm most excited about Gein's Family Giftshop. A brilliantly dark sketch troupe who remember the key to comedy – laughs. So many other sketch groups forget to be funny.” (Lee Martin)

“Our favourite local Northwest talent would be Adam Rowe, Davey Ash, Rob Thomas, Liam Bolton, and of course our very own resident comedy MC Paul Smith.” (Paul Blair)

“Cheekykita, Sheffield-based sketch group Staple/face, Baby Wants Candy (they already are a pretty big deal in the States) and especially ComedySportz expanding their improv presence in the Northwest.” (Kate McCabe)

“Great acts like Liam Pickford, Gein’s Family Giftshop, Will Setchell, Jack Evans and Jayne Edwards.” (Red Redmond)