Dear All,
To do our bit against the Coronavirus pandemic, we are doing what we do best, putting on a little competition! Read all about it here for the prize to win a paid gig (£150) at the 2020 WeGotTickets MCA Final at the Bloomsbury on October 10th! https://musicalcomedyawards.com/crooners-against-corona-new-competition/
We can’t wait to see your entries!
Ed, Tamara, and the MCA team
Through from Semi-Final 1 to the Grand Final are Bennet Kavanagh, Jamie Finn and 2 Mouthed Men! Huge congratulations! Tickets selling fast at www.wegottickets.com/musicalcomedyawardsXxx
Dear All,
With the government reported to be likely to take action next week regarding social distancing and larger events, we wanted to let you know that, for now, the final is still taking place on April 4th but we are in talks with the Bloomsbury about contingency plans. If the show cannot take place on April 4th then it will be rescheduled to later in the year.
If a replacement date is arranged we will be in contact with all of our acts and of course our ticket-holders to let you know about the new date.
We have deliberately shut down sales earlier than usual for our semi-finals at the Phoenix in order to keep audience numbers lower and provide more space and comfort for our audiences and artists. We are hopeful that we will still be able to have semi-final 2 on March 21st but will of course let you know if this is not possible.
Thanks for your understanding, multiple elbow and knee bumps and we will definitely get to complete our 2020 competition, even if it means it happens a bit later in the year! Stay safe everyone!
Lots of MCA love,
Ed, Tamara, Dave and Charlie
Who will win the 12th WeGotTickets Musical Comedy Awards? Join us for a riotous celebration of the UK’s best up and coming musical comedians to find out!
Since 2009, the MCA have helped to launch the likes of Abandoman, Rachel Parris, Mae Martin, Jay Foreman and Frisky and Mannish. If you enjoy acts that combine comedy with music such as Bill Bailey, Tim Minchin and Flight of the Conchords, you will love this show!
The final of the 2020 WeGotTickets MCA will see ten finalists who have progressed through a series of heats at the Phoenix in London, battle it out at the Bloomsbury Theatre on April 4th, to win the musical comedy crown of this prestigious competition. A sell-out event every year since 2009.
Our confirmed finalists so far include:
Richard Lindesay
Richard Lindesay is a musical comedian whose act is a surprising and surreal mixture of the flute and other woodwind instruments.
He started performing comedy in Australia in 2013 and quickly made an impact by reaching the finals of Sydney comedy competitions. Since then Richard has performed professionally in comedy clubs and festivals throughout New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, and mainland Europe.
‘Richard is a comedy wunderkind!’
Tim Ferguson, from Australian musical comedy troupe, Doug Anthony All Stars
Alexander MacKeith
Alex is a musical comedian who is the resident musical guest at comedy night Fresh Chestnuts. He is also a playwright (School Play, **** The Guardian, the Independent, the Stage, Evening Standard, TimeOut), and was nominated for Most Promising New Playwright at the Off West End Awards 2018. He is one third of sketch trio Princes of Main (“consistently funny… able to get laughter from all sorts of angles” — Chortle). He has performed at Latitude Festival and London Wonderground on the South Bank. He’ll probably be up for a pint after the show.
“proper laughs and sparky writing… the future of sketch comedy is in safe hands” — The Telegraph
“hilarious” — The List
“ridiculously hilarious” — the Skinny
Shelf
Shelf are a comedy double act from South London.
Shelf is made up of Rachel WD and Ruby Clyde. Already lifelong friends, they started performing as Shelf in 2015. Shelf started out at open mic nights, honing a style that is “a winning hybrid of sketch show and standup” (Edfringe Review).
Since their formation, Shelf have performed at Bestival, London Pride, and been nominated for Sketchfest’s Best New Act award. Their work has appeared on BBC3 and LADBible. They are founding members of sell out monthly night The LOL Word, which showcases queer women and non binary comedians from across the London comedy circuit. They are board members of the cult hit Alternative Comedy Memorial Society, with whom they regularly perform in London and Edinburgh.
THE SKINNY
“…cool and relevant”
EdFringe Review ****
“a winning hybrid of sketch show and standup”
Amy Webber
A classically trained singer, Amy accidentally started comedy in 2019 when she was commissioned to write a 2 minute long song showcasing her voice and realised she could combine her favourite things – singing and trying to make people laugh.
After winning her first ‘Beat The Frog’ in May 2019 at Manchester’s Frog and Bucket, Amy sang at the World Series finals in October. She also went on a 10-date summer tour of open spots stopping at Edinburgh Fringe, London and Manchester. Since then, Amy has performed live on air on BBC Radio Manchester and is excited to be a finalist in the Musical Comedy Awards.
As well as her ‘2 minute song’ which is accompanied by ukulele, the other songs in her set are accompanied by music software, Ableton. Amy uses Ableton and a midi keyboard to create backing tracks, samples and sounds live on stage.
“Phenomenal and versatile singer” Chortle
“I wish I could be that funny and impressive” BBC Radio Manchester
Featuring a headline performance from the acclaimed musical comedian and prolific writer, TOM BASDEN!
As seen in After Life, Plebs, Quacks, W1A, The Wrong Mans, BBC4 sketch show Cowards and feature film David Brent – Life on the Road; creator of hit plays Party, Holes, The Crocodile and Joseph K; co-writer of Plebs, Gap Year, Peep Show, Fresh Meat and The Wrong Mans; Radio 4 regular in his sitcom Party and ‘Lord’ in Tim Key’s Late Night Poetry Programme.
Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer winner in 2007, British Comedy Award Best Breakthough Act nominee in 2013, nominated for three Chortle Awards and three BAFTAs.
Hosted by MCA resident MC, Nick Horseman!
Richard Lindesay
Richard Lindesay is a musical comedian whose act is a surprising and surreal mixture of the flute and other woodwind instruments.
He started performing comedy in Australia in 2013 and quickly made an impact by reaching the finals of Sydney comedy competitions. Since then Richard has performed professionally in comedy clubs and festivals throughout New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, and mainland Europe.
‘Richard is a comedy wunderkind!’
Tim Ferguson, from Australian musical comedy troupe, Doug Anthony All Stars”
‘Richard’s flute playing antics will leave you holding your jaw, and grabbing at your gut.’
Tickles & Tarts
‘Richard has wonderfully unique and charming humour, and an appreciation for flutes that I’ve never seen before.’
Heckle and Squelch
Alex is a musical comedian who is the resident musical guest at comedy night Fresh Chestnuts. He is also a playwright (School Play, **** The Guardian, the Independent, the Stage, Evening Standard, Time Out), and was nominated for Most Promising New Playwright at the Off West End Awards 2018. He is one third of sketch trio Princes of Main (“consistently funny… able to get laughter from all sorts of angles” — Chortle). He has performed at Latitude Festival and London Wonderground on the South Bank. He’ll probably be up for a pint after the show.
Comments on work as playwright:
“real promise” — The Guardian
“brilliantly funny” — The Stage
“seriously impressive” — Time Out
Comments on sketch comedy with Princes of Main:
“proper laughs and sparky writing… the future of sketch comedy is in safe hands” — The Telegraph
“hilarious” — The List
“ridiculously hilarious” — The Skinny
Tickets are selling fast! Book now at http://www.wegottickets.com/musicalcomedyawards
Message from Tom Basden on tombasden.co.uk
BLOOMSBURY THEATRE GIG
Hi everyone,
Happy 2020. I know it’s not been a terrific decade so far, but bear with it.
For one thing, I’m headlining the Musical Comedy Awards at (London’s) Bloomsbury Theatre on April 4th, which I think we can all agree is exactly the tonic we need after Brexit and the sham Trump impeachment trial.
All the details are here: https://tickets.ucl.ac.uk/bloomsburytheatre/website/EventDetails.aspx?EventId=171056&resize=true
Also, if you enter the promo code TOM2020 when buying tickets you get money off.
Because it’s a musical-comedy-themed evening, it’ll just be songs. So if you came to my show at the Soho Theatre last month and were all like ‘Why were there only 3 songs in it, I want my money back etc etc’ – this gig will be way more up your street.
Equally, if you’re one of those people who sometimes comes to a gig wanting to hear old songs I don’t really play anymore, I will almost certainly do them all here / take requests, provided a) I can remember them and b) it’s one of my songs and not, for example, I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas.
[Here’s a photo of me a fair while ago, wearing a t-shirt I no longer own, playing a guitar I subsequently sold to give you an idea of the sort of thing it’ll look like. [But I’ll be older. And probably in a shirt.]]
Tom
Earlybird tickets for the MCA final are now on sale! The last few seats in rows A, B and C of the Bloomsbury theatre are available here:
https://www.wegottickets.com/sct/jyWDnV9Jmx
The Bloomsbury theatre also has a limited supply of £15 tickets. When booking online via the theatre website, at the last stage of the checkout apply the code TOM2020 and your tickets will only cost £15. Tickets are already selling fast for the final so grab yours while you can! Here is some info about the show:
Who will win the 12th WeGotTickets Musical Comedy Awards? Join us for a riotous celebration of the UK’s best up and coming musical comedians to find out!
Since 2009, the MCA have helped to launch the likes of Abandoman, Rachel Parris, Mae Martin, Jay Foreman and Frisky and Mannish. If you enjoy acts that combine comedy with music such as Bill Bailey, Tim Minchin and Flight of the Conchords, you will love this show!
The final of the 2020 MCA will see ten finalists who have progressed through a series of heats at the Phoenix in London, battle it out at the Bloomsbury Theatre on April 4th, to win the musical comedy crown of this prestigious competition. A sell-out event every year since 2009.
Featuring a headline performance from Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer Winner and star of After Life, Plebs and Quacks, Tom Basden.
Hosted by MCA resident host, the brilliant Nick Horseman!
