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The Improverts
The Improverts is a improvisational comedy troupe from the Edinburgh University Theatre Company, which primarily performs at the Bedlam Theatre, Edinburgh. They perform weekly during Edinburgh University's term time and every night during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. History The Edinburgh University Theatre Company's improvised comedy troupe now known as The Improverts was founded in Edinburgh in 1989 by Canadian-born Toph Marshall. He named it Theatresports after the form of competitive improvisation developed by director Keith Johnstone in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 1976. As the show grew in popularity the name was changed, during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, (for copyright reasons) to Impro-Vegetables and then finally, in the 90s, to The Improverts. The Improverts was adopted as a permanent, year-round name from September 1997 onwards. Since the show's inception it has kept the Bedlam Theatre as its primary performance space, running weekly during Edinburgh Un ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Now Show
''The Now Show'' is a British radio comedy programme on BBC Radio 4 which satirises the weekly news. The show, which ran from 1998 to 2024, is a mixture of stand-up, sketches and songs hosted by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis. It features regular appearances by Jon Holmes, Laura Shavin (earlier series had Emma Kennedy, or occasionally Sue Perkins, for the female voices), a monologue by Marcus Brigstocke, and music by Mitch Benn, Pippa Evans or Adam Kay. Later series feature a wider range of contributors. Most episodes feature a special guest, including Robin Ince, Rory Bremner, Dave Gorman, Simon Munnery, Al Murray, Andy Zaltzman, Paul Sinha, Richard Stilgoe, Dr Phil Hammond, Barry Cryer, John Finnemore, Andy Parsons, Shappi Khorsandi, Nathan Caton, Grace Petrie, Sarah Kendall and Francesca Martinez. Jon Culshaw featured on the 2004 and 2005 Christmas editions and also starred in the 2008 Christmas edition. Guests have also stood in for absent cast members. The serie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trainspotting (film)
''Trainspotting'' is a 1996 British black comedy drama film directed by Danny Boyle, and starring Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd, Robert Carlyle and Kelly Macdonald in her film debut. Based on the 1993 novel by Irvine Welsh, the film was released in the United Kingdom on 23 February 1996. The film follows a group of heroin addicts in an economically depressed area of Edinburgh and their passage through life. Beyond drug addiction, other themes in the film include an exploration of the urban poverty and squalor in Edinburgh. ''Trainspotting'' was released to critical acclaim, and is regarded by many critics as one of the best films of the 1990s. The film was ranked tenth by the British Film Institute (BFI) in its list of Top 100 British films of the 20th century. In 2004, the film was voted the best Scottish film of all time in a general public poll. A 2017 poll, which consisted of 150 actors, directors, writers, producers and critics for '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kevin McKidd
Kevin McKidd (born 9 August 1973) is a Scottish actor and television director best known as Dr. Owen Hunt in ''Grey's Anatomy'' and Tommy Mackenzie in Danny Boyle's '' Trainspotting'' (1996). McKidd played Colin in the 2008 film Made of Honor, Count Vronsky in the BBC miniseries '' Anna Karenina'' (2000), Lucius Vorenus in the historical drama series ''Rome'' (2005–2007) and Dan Vasser in the NBC series '' Journeyman'' (2007). He provided the voice of John "Soap" MacTavish in the video games '' Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2'' and '' Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3''. He also played Poseidon in the film '' Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief'', and Father Deegan in the ''Father Ted'' Christmas special. Early life McKidd was born on 9 August 1973, in Elgin, Moray, Scotland, the son of Kathleen, a secretary, and Neil McKidd, a plumber. He grew up on a council estate in Elgin. At 17, McKidd worked at the Macallan distillery in Speyside. He later went to work ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Office (UK TV Series)
''The Office'' is a British mockumentary television sitcom first broadcast in the UK on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, it follows the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictional Wernham Hogg paper company. Gervais also starred in the series as the central character, David Brent. When it was first shown on BBC Two, ratings were relatively low, but it has since become one of the most successful of all British comedy exports. As well as being shown internationally on BBC Worldwide and channels such as BBC Prime, BBC America, and BBC Canada, it has been sold to broadcasters in over 80 countries, including ABC1 in Australia, The Comedy Network in Canada, TVNZ in New Zealand, and the pan-Asian satellite channel Star World, based in Hong Kong. It was shown in the United States on BBC America from 2001 to 2016, and later on Cartoon Network's late night programming block Adult Swim from 20 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ewen MacIntosh
Ewen Douglas MacIntosh (25 December 1973 – 19 February 2024) was a Welsh actor known for his role as Keith Bishop in '' The Office'' (2001–2003). Early life MacIntosh was born in Merionethshire, Wales on 25 December 1973. He was educated at Repton School in Derbyshire, and studied linguistics at the University of Edinburgh. While at university, he was actively involved in the Edinburgh University Theatre Company and The Improverts. Career MacIntosh's big break in television came when he was cast as deadpan accountant Keith Bishop in '' The Office''. He also appeared on various shows such as '' Miranda'' and '' Little Britain''. He formed a double act with Tim FitzHigham and they performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2007. In 2009, he appeared alongside several other celebrities in a charity music video for the Chris Rea song " Driving Home for Christmas". In April 2013, he performed at a West End show ''Geek! A New Musical'' at the Tristan Bates Theatre. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chimerica (play)
''Chimerica'' is a 2013 play by the British dramatist Lucy Kirkwood. It draws its title from the term Chimerica, referring to the predominance of China and America in modern geopolitics. The play premiered in London at the Almeida Theatre and was directed by Lyndsey Turner. Turner's production received several awards and was well-reviewed. A Channel 4 four-part drama of the same name based on the play was released in 2019. Development Playwright Lucy Kirkwood was commissioned to write the play that would become ''Chimerica'' in 2006, seven years before it eventually premiered. The title of the play comes from the portmanteau Chimerica, coined by Niall Ferguson and Moritz Schularick, referring to the significance of the sociopolitical relationship between China and America, especially in the global economy. Kirkwood has also cited the similarity in sound between 'Chimerica' and the word 'chimera' as a reason for the title. Synopsis ''Chimerica'' follows photojournalist J ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lucy Kirkwood
Lucy Ann Kirkwood (born ) is a British playwright and screenwriter. She is known for her plays '' Chimerica'' (2013) and '' The Children'' (2016). Early life and education Kirkwood was born in Leytonstone around 1984 and raised in east London. She has a degree in English literature from the University of Edinburgh, where she performed as part of an improvisational comedy troupe, the Improverts and wrote for the Edinburgh University Theatre Company. Career Plays In 2005, Kirkwood wrote and starred in her first play, ''Grady Hot Potato'', at the Bedlam Theatre. It was also selected for the National Student Drama Festival. The following year, in 2006, Kirkwood took two productions of her second play, ''Geronimo'' to the Edinburgh Fringe, under the title ''The Umbilical Project''. The two productions, ''Cut'' and ''Uncut'', were an experiment in cutting the cord between writer and production. ''Uncut'' was directed by Kirkwood herself and ''Cut'' by a completely separate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fast And Loose (2011 TV Series)
''Fast and Loose'' is a British television series which was broadcast on BBC Two in 2011. Conceived by Dan Patterson, one of the creators of the TV series ''Whose Line Is It Anyway?'', it mirrors the series in format and style with the addition of some new games. Guests take part in improvised sketches in which each comedian inhabits a certain character or film genre. The only series was eight episodes long and hosted by comedian Hugh Dennis. ''Fast and Loose'' is the inspiration for the 2012 American show ''Trust Us with Your Life'' on ABC, hosted by Fred Willard and featuring a celebrity guest on each episode. Format The style and format was similar to Channel 4's ''Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' and ''Mock the Week'' both of which are also produced by Dan Patterson. Each episode had six performers, with an additional guest performer for one of the sketches. Games *Forward/Rewind: Participants are given a scenario to act out and the host may call out "forward" or "rewind" as he ple ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Penny Dreadfuls Present
The Penny Dreadfuls are a British sketch comedy troupe consisting of comedians Humphrey Ker, David Reed and Thom Tuck, often supported by Margaret Cabourn-Smith. The troupe are best known for writing and performing ''The Brothers Faversham'' and ''The Penny Dreadfuls Present...,'' comic plays on BBC Radio 4. History Early history and Fringe shows (2006–2010) Ker, Reed and Tuck first met as students at the University of Edinburgh through the student comedy troupe The Improverts in 2001. They performed together for the next four years before forming, along with founding member Jamie Anderson, The Penny Dreadfuls. In 2006, they made their debut appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with their Victorian-themed sketch show ''Aeneas Faversham''. The show's executive producer was Idil Sukan, while its associate producer and technical director were Steve Greer and Neil E Hobbs respectively. This group would go on to produce each Fringe show for the troupe for the next four ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Humphrey Ker
David Humphrey Rivers Ker (; born 11 October 1982) is a British actor, comedian, writer and football executive, who is a member of the sketch comedy troupe The Penny Dreadfuls. Early life and education Ker was born to David Peter James Ker, a fine art dealer, and Alexandra Mary, daughter of Vice-Admiral Sir Dymock Watson. He is also a descendant on his father's side of the politician Henry Howard, 18th Earl of Suffolk. Ker is tall. He was educated at Ludgrove School and Eton College, alongside classmate William, future Prince of Wales. According to Ker, he and William "literally shared a bedroom from ge7 until 10". He later studied history at the University of Edinburgh, and performed in Edinburgh University Theatre Company pantomime productions. Ker performed with fellow students David Reed and Thom Tuck as a member of this comedy troupe. Career In 2006, Ker, together with Reed and Tuck, formed The Penny Dreadfuls, who have performed their Victorian sketch shows ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miles Jupp
Miles Hugh Barrett Jupp (born 8 September 1979) is an English actor and comedian. He began his career as a stand-up comedian before playing the role of the inventor Archie in the children's television series ''Balamory''. He also played John Duggan in ''The Thick of It,'' Nigel in the sitcom '' Rev'', and appeared on many comedy panel shows. Between 2015 and 2019, Jupp was the host of '' The News Quiz'' on BBC Radio 4, replacing Sandi Toksvig. Early life Jupp was born in 1979 in London and spent his early childhood in West Hampstead. He is the son of a minister in the United Reformed Church. For much of his life, Jupp believed he was of Belgian stock, descended from 16th-century Huguenot immigrants. However, while creating a programme for BBC Radio 4 in 2015, he discovered his roots are actually in Sussex. Jupp attended three independent schools: The Hall School in Hampstead, North London; St George's School in Windsor; and Oakham School in Rutland. He studied Divinity at t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |