Leicester Comedy Festival 2014 preview

Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival 2014 launches this Friday 7th February, and runs through until the 23rd February.

The festival, which is now 21 years-old, is set to be bigger than ever, with 650 events scheduled in 50 venues across the 17 days.

TV stars set to perform in the city as part of the festival include Chris Ramsey, Doc Brown, Gary Delaney, Hal Cruttenden, Holly Walsh, Josie Long, Marcel Lucont, Miles Jupp, Paul Chowdhry, Roisin Conaty, Russell Kane, Sara Pascoe, Shappi Khorsandi, Tim Vine, Tom Rosenthal and WitTank.

In total there are hundreds of comedians performing - far too many to list everyone here - but familiar names such as David O'Doherty, Lucy Porter, Richard Herring, Sean Hughes and Tony Law, to name just a few, also appear in the programme.

Some comedians are performing their established hit shows, whilst others - including Edinburgh Comedy Award winner John Kearns - are using the festival to debut new material.

There's plenty for fans of 'alternative' comedy, notably via Bob Slayer's Heroes branding, which takes up residence in a restored Victorian chapel for the duration of the festival.

Stand-up and sketch shows are just some of the things on offer, if you're planning to visit you should also look out for some of the festival's unique events. The organisers are launching 'The Annual Comedy Conversation' in association with Equity and De Montfort University this year, with Alexei Sayle set to offer his insight into how the British comedy industry has changed.

Another interview event will involve Jason Manford talking about how he went from collecting empty glasses in a comedy club to picking up the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year title just twelve months later.

This year's festival will also see the launch of the UK Pun Championships - an event described as 'a ferocious battle of words and wit to seek out Britain's best punster'. The video to promote this event is below:

Also new this year is a charity gala show which will take place at the Leicester Cathedral on the 8th. A Night of Comedy Song aims to celebrate the great tradition comic music, with pieces from the great Noel Coward to Spitting Image's Chicken Song set to feature.

Hotel D'Comedie, a intimate site-specific comedy experience, is another unique show to look out for; as is Comedy Blind Date - on Valentine's Day brave comedians will answer questions set by a single member of the public who will then select a 'winner' to go on a date with.

The prestigious Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year competition is also running again, as is the Silver Stand-Up Competition - a setup where entrants must be at least 55 to enter.

If you're arriving at the festival by train, don't forget to check out the festival's photo exhibition too. Brief Encounters: Portraits from the Andy Hollingworth Archive (pictured) will be back at the station again this year (BCG shared some of these portraits last year).

Geoff Rowe, the founder of the festival, says: "As the longest running comedy festival in Europe, it's been a pleasure to work with some of the best stand-up comedians over the past 21 years. Since we started in 1994 we've seen many brilliant shows and acts who have gone on to massive comedy careers. It's important that the festival remains a critical breeding ground for acts to develop, experiment and move their work forwards. We've also developed a tradition of producing original and special events which can't be seen anywhere else. The festival has become a crucial part of the UK's live comedy scene. Our 2014 festival is going to reinforce Leicester's position as UK City of Comedy"

To find out more about the festival and see the full programme visit www.comedy-festival.co.uk

A few facts about Leicester's Comedy Festival...

- The festival was set up in 1994: the first big boom year of 'alternative comedy' (as it was called then). At the time, the UK also had comedy-specific festivals in Birmingham, Liverpool and Newcastle. Leicester is the only one to have run every year since.

- Harry Hill performed at the first ever festival in 1994, supported by Matt Lucas. Tickets were £2.50.

- Graham Norton (pictured), Sarah Millican, Jason Manford, Johnny Vegas, Josh Widdicombe and Alan Carr are amongst the stars who have performed at the festival before they became famous.

- The Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year new act competition is well known for selecting winners who then go on to become stars. Johnny Vegas, Jason Manford, Miles Jupp, Rhod Gilbert, Josh Widdicombe, Seann Walsh and Tom Rosenthal are amongst the performers to have been picked out by judges.