GET ready for a week of rib cracking, side splitting, achy faced pure joy, because the Little Smash Comedy's Annual Southend Comedy Festival is about to open this Sunday, promising to be bigger than ever before to "kick off your Christmas season with a cackle".

Funnyman Ross McGrane will be launching this much looked forward block in your calendar, featuring 21 shows in over seven days in five different venues across the town, with some very big names in the comedy world, including a top secret "household name" guest!

He says: "From stand-up to improv, sketch to spoken word, poetry to drag and cabaret, this promises to be a week jam-packed with more variety than a selection box!

"Not only that, the launch of the Southend Comedy Festival Free Fringe means that 16 of the 21 shows are free to enter with a pay-what-you-like policy on exit, making this the most affordable, accessible arts and comedy festival the town has ever seen!"

Full information on all of our shows can be found at southendcomedyfest.co.uk with all tickets on sale via wegottickets.com/southendcomedyfest

Programme

Sunday December 3

Ross McGrane (Russell Kane Tour Support, Radio Essex) launches the festival! The Only Way Is Stand-Up features a stellar line-up of comedians all hailing from our wonderful county of Essex. Plus live reads from our media partner and satirical news site; The Southend News Network!

The Alex, Alexandra St. Southend - doors 7pm, show 8pm.

Tickets £3 include raffle ticket.

Monday December 4

Sexy Beast - A Spoken Word Night

Poetry for people who "don’t want it smug". Spend a Monday evening enjoying some literary carnage from Squat Betty’s Richard Sandling and Red Raw’s Sophie Cameron. This boasts an incredible line up from the world of poetry, spoken word, comedy, cabaret, storytelling and more. Join us for a sexy beast of a show featuring the live word talent of Sophie Cameron (Absurdist Femidom Verse Spewer); Richard Sandling, spoken word artist and ‘second best comedian you’ve never heard of’ (GQ); Michelle Fisher (Scottish writer and spoken word artist) and comedian Nathaniel Metcalfe.

Show starts 8pm - Tickets £5

The Alex, 53 Alexandra St, Southend, Essex, SS1 1BU

Pope Lonergan, Michael Wheeler plus Support: Help.

Two hunks and a non-stop party atmosphere. (Show length: approximately 1 hour. ) Features Hutterites and male pattern baldness.

Show Starts 7:45pm - duration 45 minutes.

Peggy Sue's Music Bar, 1063A London Rd, Leigh, Essex, SS9 3JP

Robyn Perkins: Bad Decision Time.

Everyone has a crazy family. Some are bad at relationships. But few justify their emotional decisions with stats and scientific research. Join Robyn on this "informative" journey of unbelievable, yet relatable, stories, seeing first hand what happens when you don't think before you act.

Peggy Sue's, Leigh - Show 9pm duration 1 hour. Free Fringe

Tuesday December 5

Back by popular demand, it's The Gameshow Show! Imagine every Saturday Night Game Show you've ever loved are shoved into a juicer. Switch it on and watch it whirl! Then as you go to have a big swig of GameShow goodness, spill it all over your trousers and fall over!

Show starts 8pm - Tickets £12

The Chalkwell Park Rooms, Chalkwell Park, London Road (A13), Leigh, Essex, SSO 8NB

Joey Bambino: Dragged About Town

Dragged About Town Join Southend’s very own Joey Bambino and some of the best British drag kings on the cabaret scene for a night of gender bending at it’s finest. With a mixture of lip syncing, live vocals, interactive games and queer comedy, you will not want to miss

Southend’s premier drag king extravaganza.

Show Starts 7:30pm - Free Fringe (pay-what-you-like on exit)

The Railway Hotel, Clifftown Rd, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS1 1AJ

Dangerous Poetry

The infamous local spoken word extravaganza that is Dangerous Poetry makes its Southend Comedy Fest debut as part of The Free Fringe.

Show Starts 8pm - Free Fringe (pay-what-you-like on exit)

Peggy Sue's Music Bar, 1063A London Rd, Leigh, Essex, SS9 3JP

Wednesday December 6

Luke Stephen: Taking Care of Business

Southend's very own Luke Stephen is back with this year's critically acclaimed stand-up show: Taking Care of Business

Show starts 8pm - Free Fringe

The Alex, 53 Alexandra St, Southend, Essex, SS1 1BU

Hate 'n' Live featuring Scott Capurro

A panel of acclaimed stand-up comedians who compete in various 'panel show' style games, hating on your suggestions. It's features Scott Capurro, who is not only an Edinburgh Award winning, critically acclaimed comedian from the States, but he played Aunt Jack in Mrs Doubtfire! This is top improvised Stand-up, but not as we know it.

Show starts 8pm - Tickets £12

The Chalkwell Park Rooms, Chalkwell Park, Leigh, Essex, SS0 8NB

Little Comedy at Peggy Sues

This night is back with a Southend Comedy Festival Special featuring some of the hottest new acts on the comedy circuit alongside some seasoned pros working out new bits of material!

?Show starts 8pm - Free Fringe

Peggy Sue's Music Bar, 1063A London Rd, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 3JP

Thursday December 7

The Best Newcomer Awards - Hosted by a Top Secret Household name in Comedy!

Little Smash Comedy has over 16 years experience in the industry and each year, they choose their favourite new acts to compete for this coveted award. Come and see our hugely famous host and contestants battle it out to win over the judges and you!

Show starts 8pm - Tickets £12

The Chalkwell Park Rooms, Chalkwell Park, Leigh, Essex, SS0 8NB

Cow Free Comedy & Curry Ft. Alasdair Beckett-King

Essex's Premiere veggie friendly comedy and curry night launches with a bang at The Oak Tree Vegetarian Bistro in Leigh. The opening night is hosted by local lad Matt Adlington, fresh from performing at the infamous Veg Fest London and headling the Norwich Vegan festival. The night features a handful of some of the hottest rising talent on the circuit

Tickets include a delicious, home-made vegan curry!

Food served 7pm. Show starts 8pm

Tickets £20 via The Oak Tree Direct: 01702 471435 / The Oak Tree, Leigh Road, Leigh, Essex, SS9 1JN

Paul F. Taylor & Lenny Sherman - Double Headed Free Fringe Performances

The award winning & brilliantly imaginative Paul F Taylor is BACK. Expect surreal one liners, flights of fancy & other words. [duration 45 minutes]

Show starts 7:30pm - Fee Fringe

The Alex, 53 Alexandra St, Southend, Essex, SS1 1BU

Chris Betts & Radu Isaac - Double Headed Free Fringe Performances

'One Romanian Answering Questions’ is the first solo show in the UK for comedian Radu Isac. Radu is a talented comedian who happens to be Romanian and who happens to have moved to the UK. Come see him walk the fine line between having a unique point of view and being pigeonholed.

Shows start 8pm - Free Fringe

Peggy Sue's Music Bar, 1063A London Rd, Southend-on-Sea, Leigh, SS9 3JP

Chris Betts: Bewilderbeast

Betts is back, but he's got a problem. What do you do when you can't trust the law, the elderly or even yourself? Join him for a hilarious dissemination of human nature, featuring crooked cops and superstitious children.

Shows start 9pm - Free Fringe

Peggy Sue's Music Bar, 1063A London Rd, Southend-on-Sea, Leigh, SS9 3J

Friday December 8

Scared Scriptless - improvised comedy with top secret TV comedian guest!

Critically acclaimed local stand-up troupe; Scared Scriptless are bringing their fast-paced improvised hilarity to the humble surroundings of Trinity Football Club with an unbelievable cast of players! Imagine Who's Line Is It Anyway, but instead of watching on TV after your roast dinner, you're settled in with a drink and watching it live on a Friday night. Starring Ross McGrane and John Oakes (Radio Essex) and Ali James (Show Stoppers) and a very special, highly famous TV comedian, this promises to not only sell-out, but take the roof off the building!

Show starts 8pm - Tickets £7 via wegottickets.com/southendcomedyfest

Trinity Football Club, Eastern Avenue (behind Kids Kingdom), Southend, Essex, SS2 4FA

Saturday December 9

Cranfield's Curious Comedy Evening

Join us in for the most exclusive night of comedy you're ever likely to go to in definitely the most curious venue you're ever likely to watch it in! Cranfield's Curious Comedy Night makes it's debut at The Southend Comedy Fest at Cranfield's Curiosity Cabinet, Leigh for one-night-only!

Only 20 tickets are available for this exclusive food and show, set in the stunning private museum of acclaimed Taxidermy dealer; James Cranfield.

Show starts 8pm - Tickets £30 including buffet. Bring your own drink.

Cranfield's Curiosity Cabinet, 1193 London Rd, Southend-on-Sea, Leigh SS9 3JJ

Sunday December 10

Scared Scriptless: Comedy Without A Paddle

Southend's premiere Improvised Comedy Troupe return one last time to close the festival. A line-up of seasoned pro improvisers will be creating hilarious scenes based on your suggestions (so if they're not hilarious, you're probably partly to blame).

?Show starts 8pm - Tickets £5 available on the door

The Chalkwell Park Rooms, Chalkwell Park London Road, A13, Southend-on-Sea, Westcliff SSO 8NB

Samantha Baines: 1 Woman, 1 High Fly and A Flat Bottom

Award-winning comedian Samantha Baines (The Crown, Sunny D, BBC Radio 4) brings her complete sell-out Edinburgh 2017 show to Southend for one night only. This year she's exploring the lost women of science. Expect facts, puns and an ear trumpet attached to a whiskey bottle. It's science meets funny.

?Show Starts 7:45pm - duration 45 minutes - Free Fringe

The Alex, 53 Alexandra St, Southend, Essex, SS1 1BU