It is time for laughs and giggles again. In an exciting development for the local standup comedy fans perhaps one of the strongest-ever three-comic line up is coming to town next week. Dropping by Doha on their tour of GCC countries, the lineup of internationally acclaimed comics Tom Stade, Ian Coppinger and Justin Moorhouse will perform for two nights at the now-familiar venue, Grand Hyatt Doha.
The line-up is billed the “strongest-ever to date” by the Laughter Factory, the organisers and managers of the shows to be held on September 19 and 20.
“It is no exaggeration to say this is one of our strongest bill to date, and we cannot wait to bring these three top talents to comedy fans across the GCC this September,” says The Laughter Factory.
Topping the three-comic bill is man of the moment Tom Stade, a much in-demand stand-up on the edge of superstardom.
Since his infamous “Meat Van Guy” routine went viral in 2011, Stade’s star has steadily continued to rise. This “rock n’ roll comedian” has appeared on pretty much every UK comedy show worth watching – BBC One’s Live at the Apollo, The John Bishop Show and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, to name just a few.
Since arriving in the UK, Canadian émigré Tom Stade has steadily earned a reputation as one of the most original and exciting stand-up talents around.
He instantly made a splash on the UK circuit with his magnetic stage presence and first-class story-telling, and after years topping the bill and playing at international comedy festivals around the globe, he is now established as a leading touring act in his own right, and finds himself well on the road to being a household name.
Since 2011, he has toured the UK every year with a new show, playing to packed houses and garnering rave reviews. Tom’s inimitable style and sharp observations caught the eye of talent executives at 4DVD, and he was signed an exclusive deal, releasing his debut Live stand-up DVD in 2013.
After years of dedicated gigging, he has recently scooped a nomination for Best Headliner at the Chortle Awards. He has been a permanent fixture at the Edinburgh festival, causing a stir at the Pleasance Courtyard with his hit show What Year Was That?, firmly cementing his reputation as a distinctive and formidable live act.
A complete sell-out success, with extra dates added due to overwhelming demand, it was rumoured to be on the shortlist for a nomination from the luminaries at the Edinburgh Comedy Award.
Tom returned to the Edinburgh Festival in 2015 with his latest show You’re Welcome, which he will be touring around the UK in 2016. Tom’s irrepressible charm translated effortlessly to TV, and in the past few years, he has been invited onto every major stand-up TV show in the country.
Tom remains in great demand internationally and has accepted invitations to perform at notable comedy festivals worldwide including New York, Aspen, Montreal, Toronto, Amsterdam, Kilkenny, Adelaide, Melbourne and New Zealand. He has also regularly entertained British troops overseas, braving the freezing cold Falklands, and been under fire in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Then there is veteran Irish stand-up Ian Coppinger, a classic storyteller renowned for spinning out his observational yarns, and regularly compared to compatriot Tommy Tiernan. He is also an acclaimed actor who has shared West End stages with the likes of Hollywood star Christian Slater.
One of Ireland’s busiest comedians Ian is a regular on the world comedy circuit having played to packed houses at the Edinburgh, Melbourne, Montreal Just for Laughs, Galway, Electric Picnic, Glasgow, Dublin, Adelaide and Wellington comedy festivals.
Ian is also one of a handful of acts who have been invited back year after year to perform at the Kilkenny Cat Laughs Comedy Festival since 1995 and he has performed throughout Europe, the Middle East and Far East.
A regular on all the major stages in Ireland and the UK, Ian has also appeared as a support act for Ardal O’Hanlon on his UK tour and Pat Shortt on his Irish tour, including seven sell out weeks in Dublin’s Vicar Street. Ian has also appeared on The Panel Live tour 2008 and in 2007 had 250,000 copies of his CD distributed.
Rounding out the bill is a third famous face in Justin Moorhouse, also familiar to millions thanks to a starring role in UK sitcom Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights.
Justin has also been featured on premier comedy showcase Live at the Apollo, and appeared alongside football legend Eric Cantona in Looking for Eric, the cult classic movie from double Palm d’Or-winning director Ken Loach.