2015 Edinburgh Fringe

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Following the publication of his autobiography, Only When I Laugh, and over a decade of sell-out seasons at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Paul Merton returns to Edinburgh this year with his world renowned Impro Chums. Paul and his Chums - Mike McShane, Lee Simpson, Richard Vranch and Suki Webster - are wonders of nature. They take suggestions from the audience and spin them into comedy gold, weaving fun and laughter together into a richly hilarious mesh of jollity. Every show is a new adventure.

Paul Merton is a founder member of The Comedy Store Players, he still appears at the Comedy Store in London most Sundays. He is a regular guest on BBC Radio 4's Just A Minute and is an established face on TV shows such as the hugely popular Have I Got News For You, Room 101, Paul Merton Looks at Alfred Hitchcock (BBC Four/2), Paul Merton's Birth of Hollywood (BBC2) and his travel series for Channel Five, Paul Merton's Adventures which covered his travels in India, China and Europe. His recent Autobiography, Only When I Laugh reached the Sunday Times bestseller Top 10.

Mike McShane has squandered his life by improvising with friends and making friends by improvising. He appeared at the Menier Chocolate Factory in Little Shop of Horrors and Stephen Sondheim's Assassins. TV work includes Doctor Who (BBC). He is lucky to be with Karen, the woman of his dreams and all round great lady, and makes himself available to a cat named DeNiro, for which disdain is his ultimate reward.

Lee Simpson became a member of the Comedy Store Players in 1989. He is Artistic Director of Improbable, one of the country's foremost theatre companies and along with Richard Vranch he wrote and performed on Paul Merton - The Tour and Paul Merton - The Palladium, he also directed Paul Merton - And This is Me.

Richard Vranch improvises and writes comedy, and he does voiceovers for adverts and documentaries. Dr Vranch has appeared on BBC Radio 4's Infinite Monkey Cage with Professor Brian Cox, and he is half of the science/hula-hoop act Dr Hula. He's toured the world from Mexico to Palestine acting in sketch shows, and he does stand-up in French.

Suki Webster is a regular guest of The Comedy Store Players and has toured the world with Paul Merton And His Impro Chums. More recently she co-wrote and was Assistant Director on Paul Merton's Birth of Hollywood (BBC2). Suki's play, My Obsession, which she wrote and starred in garnered audience and critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014.