2010 Edinburgh Fringe

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It's World Cup year and while black comedian Paul Ricketts supports England, he still feels uncomfortable wearing the football shirt or waving the flag of St George - why?

This show investigates our attitudes to the symbols of England. A funny and enlightening look at multi-cultural Englishness with jokes and anecdotes - featuring filmed encounters with the BNP, Billy Bragg and the national press.

Plus interviews with his family, teenagers, politicians and celebrities - such as comedians Richard Blackwood, Shazia Mirza, Reginald D Hunter and actor Adrian Lester. An invitation to laugh, lie back and think of England.

"Excels as a natural story-teller, with an amusing eloquence that would make you smile even if he was the one telling you that your granny's just died" Three Weeks

"A chance to wrap everyone in the St George Cross and make it a symbol of togetherness"
The People

"A black British comic who is engaged with black history and politics is still too rare a thing on the comedy circuit"

"Highly accomplished" Time Out

Biography

Paul Ricketts' distinctive skewed view of the world informs his black 'sub-urban' comedy.

His intelligent humour focuses not only on sharp observations from life, but also racial, cultural and satirical subject, intermingled with strangle tales of ordinary madness.

Paul is now in demand as an act and MC at prestigious venues such the Comedy Store (London & Manchester), Just The Tonic (London & Nottingham), The Glee Club, Birmingham and clubs across the UK.

His last award-winning show Cutter's Choice premiered in Edinburgh 2009 and went on to be performed in Islington schools as part of their Black History Month Events, plus successful runs at The Hen & Chickens Theatre, Leicester and Brighton Fringe Festivals.