Adam Larter
Adam Larter is a British alternative comedian and founder of Weirdos Comedy Club. Larter is most often associated with Weirdos but he is also a solo performer whose work is noted for its "lunacy" and uncompromising anarchy that often defies description. He has completed several solo shows at the Edinburgh Fringe as well as ''Plumpy Nut'', a show he wrote and performed with fellow Weirdo Ali Brice which was described as ‘an obscure rags to riches story about a pig’. Adam “Laughter” Larter set up Weirdos in 2010 as a reaction to the mainstream comedy he was seeing whilst performing on the UK circuit. As part of Weirdos, as well as curating its nights, he does a lot of writing and directing. He co-wrote and directed their 2013 alternative Christmas panto ''The Colonel'' with Matthew Highton which featured amongst the ''Independents 2013 must-sees for Christmas. Adam is a co-founder of webuyanybra.com. In 2014 he wrote their next Christmas panto ''A Christmas Tail.'' In 2 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Alternative Comedy
Alternative comedy is a term coined in the 1980s for a style of comedy that makes a conscious break with the mainstream comedic style of an era. The phrase has had different connotations in different contexts: in the UK, it was used to describe content that was an "alternative" to the mainstream of live comedy, which often involved racist and sexist material. In other contexts, it is the nature of the form that is "alternative", avoiding reliance on a standardised structure of a sequence of jokes with punch lines. Patton Oswalt has defined it as "comedy where the audience has no pre-set expectations about the crowd, and vice versa. In comedy clubs, there tends to be a certain vibe—alternative comedy explores different types of material." In an interview with ''The A.V. Club'' after his performance in the 2011 comedy-drama film ''Young Adult'', Oswalt stated: I had come up out of that whole alternative scene, which was all about, "Don’t try it, man. Just go up and wing it. ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing Amusement is the state of experiencing humorous and entertaining events or situations while the person or animal actively maintains the experience, and is associated with enjoyment, happiness, laughter and pleasure. It is an emotion with po ... situations, or acting foolish (as in slapstick), or employing prop comedy. A comedian who addresses an audience directly is called a stand-up comedy, stand-up comedian. A popular saying often attributed to Ed Wynn attempts to differentiate the two terms: "A comic says funny things; a comedian says things funny." This draws a distinction between how much of the comedy (drama), comedy can be attributed to verbal content and how much to acting and persona. Since the 1980s, a new wave of comedy, called alternative comedy, has grown in popularity with its more offbeat and experimental style. This normally i ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Weirdos Comedy Club
Weirdos Comedy Club is a UK based group of alternative comedians founded by Adam Larter in 2010. Origins Weirdos Comedy Club, commonly referred to as "Weirdos", was formed by Adam Larter as an experimental night and a safe place to try out riskier or more alternative material than usual circuit comedy. Nights generally focussed on anarchic and silly sets deemed too alternative for more streamlined stand-up common on the UK comedy circuit. They have been compared to the 80's alternative comedy group The Comic Strip. Originally housed in the Lion, Kings Cross it grew from a comedy night into a group and over the years nights and projects became larger. Of these, most notably is their annual alternative Christmas panto. Unlike most comedy groups the line-up constantly shifts. The original Weirdos include Foster Comedy Award Winner John Kearns, Pat Cahill, Leicester Mercury Winner Ben Target, Holly Burn, Matthew Highton, Mark Stephenson, Ali Brice, Karl Schultz, Beth Vyse, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Anarchy
Anarchy is a society without a government. It may also refer to a society or group of people that entirely rejects a set hierarchy. ''Anarchy'' was first used in English in 1539, meaning "an absence of government". Pierre-Joseph Proudhon adopted ''anarchy'' and ''anarchist'' in his 1840 treatise ''What Is Property?'' to refer to anarchism, a new political philosophy and social movement that advocates stateless societies based on Free association (Marxism and anarchism), free and voluntary associations. Anarchists seek a system based on the abolition of all coercive hierarchy, in particular the state, and many advocate for the creation of a system of direct democracy, worker cooperatives or privatization. In practical terms, ''anarchy'' can refer to the curtailment or abolition of traditional forms of government and institutions. It can also designate a nation or any inhabited place that has no system of government or central rule. Anarchy is primarily advocated by individual anar ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as The Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest arts and media festival, which in 2019 spanned 25 days and featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 different shows in 322 venues. Established in 1947 as an alternative to (and on the fringe of) the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place in Edinburgh every August. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe has become a world-leading celebration of arts and culture, surpassed only by the Olympics and the World Cup in terms of global ticketed events. As an event it "has done more to place Edinburgh in the forefront of world cities than anything else" according to historian and former chairman of the board, Michael Dale. It is an open access (or "unjuried") performing arts festival, meaning there is no selection committee, and anyone may participate, with any type of performance. The official Fringe Programme categorises shows into sections for ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ali Brice
Ali Brice is a UK-based alternative comedian, character comedian and actor who regularly performs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He has toured internationally as a stage actor and regularly features in high-profile television commercials. Career Brice began performing comedy in 2010 and is a regular performer at some of the most prestigious alternative comedy clubs in the UK, including ACMS and Weirdos. He took his first show, ''Eric Meat Wants to Go Shopping'', to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2014 to rave reviews, with Chortle calling him 'joyously bonkers'. That same year ''Time Out'' named him as one of their 'ones to watch' in a list of character comedians. In 2015, he took his second show, ''Eric Meat Has No Proof Only Memories of Pasta'', to the Edinburgh Fringe and Fest Mag interviewed him as a prominent figure of alternative comedy with a DIY ethic. That same year Brice took on the title role of Graeme in ''Graeme of Thrones -'' a parody of Game of Thrones - which deb ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rags To Riches
Rags to riches refers to any situation in which a person rises from poverty to wealth, and in some cases from absolute obscurity to heights of fame, fortune and celebrity—sometimes instantly. This is a common archetype in literature and popular culture, such as the writings of Horatio Alger, Jr. Pre-20th-century fictional examples * Fairy tales, such as ''Cinderella'' and '' Aladdin''. * The Dickens novel '' Oliver Twist'', whose protagonist rises from a workhouse to child labour to a gang of pickpockets to being adopted by a wealthy family. * The Arthurian story of Sir Gareth, who rises from a lowly kitchen boy to a prominent Knight of the Round Table. * The folklore tale of Dick Whittington and His Cat, who, with the help of his cat, rises from orphaned poverty to become thrice Lord Mayor of London. Historical examples * Abdalonymus was a gardener who was appointed king of Sidon by Alexander the Great due to his possible royal ancestry. * Baibars, a slave who rose to become ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Pantomime
Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking countries, especially during the Christmas and New Year season. Modern pantomime includes songs, gags, slapstick comedy and dancing. It employs gender-crossing actors and combines topical humour with a story more or less based on a well-known fairy tale, fable or folk tale.Reid-Walsh, Jacqueline. "Pantomime", ''The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature'', Jack Zipes (ed.), Oxford University Press (2006), Pantomime is a participatory form of theatre, in which the audience is encouraged and expected to sing along with certain parts of the music and shout out phrases to the performers. Pantomime has a long theatrical history in Western culture dating back to the era of classical theatre. It developed partly from the 16th century c ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Matthew Highton
Matthew Highton is a British comedian and film-maker from Saddleworth known for his surreal storytelling. Performing since 2009, Highton has worked as both a solo act and as part of the alternative comedy collective Weirdos. He has taken several shows to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, débuting in 2010. In 2014, Highton was also part of the cast for ''Knightmare Live'', a stage version of the popular 90s children show Knightmare. As part of Weirdos, Highton co-wrote and directed their 2013's alternative Christmas Panto, ''The Colonel'' alongside Weirdos founder Adam Larter and directed 2014's ''A Christmas Tail''. He also played Rufio in their 2012 stage re-production of Steven Spielberg's '' Hook''. In 2012, Highton and Larter also put on ''Bowie Fest'' a spoof version of the V&A's 'Bowie Is' exhibit. In 2017, he played a hybrid of Donald Trump and Phil Collins, in Tony Law and Friends in the Battle for Icetopia. A collaboration between Weirdos and Tony Law unwisely set on the A ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Independent Newspaper
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was published on Saturday 26 March 2016, leaving only the online edition. The newspaper was controlled by Tony O'Reilly's Irish Independent News & Media from 1997 until it was sold to the Russian oligarch and former KGB Officer Alexander Lebedev in 2010. In 2017, Sultan Muhammad Abuljadayel bought a 30% stake in it. The daily edition was named National Newspaper of the Year at the 2004 British Press Awards. The website and mobile app had a combined monthly reach of 19,826,000 in 2021. History 1986 to 1990 Launched in 1986, the first issue of ''The Independent'' was published on 7 October in broadsheet format.Dennis Griffiths (ed.) ''The Encyclopedia of the British Press, 1422–1992'', London & Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1992, p. 330 It was produced b ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around the world. A Calendar of saints, feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it is preceded by the season of Advent or the Nativity Fast and initiates the season of Christmastide, which historically in the West lasts Twelve Days of Christmas, twelve days and culminates on Twelfth Night (holiday), Twelfth Night. Christmas Day is a public holiday in List of holidays by country, many countries, is celebrated religiously by a majority of Christians, as well as Christian culture, culturally by many non-Christians, and forms an integral part of the Christmas and holiday season, holiday season organized around it. The traditional Christmas narrative recounted in the New Testament, known as the Nativity of Jesus, says that Jesus was born in Bet ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Computer
A computer is a machine that can be programmed to Execution (computing), carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (computation) automatically. Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic sets of operations known as Computer program, programs. These programs enable computers to perform a wide range of tasks. A computer system is a nominally complete computer that includes the Computer hardware, hardware, operating system (main software), and peripheral equipment needed and used for full operation. This term may also refer to a group of computers that are linked and function together, such as a computer network or computer cluster. A broad range of Programmable logic controller, industrial and Consumer electronics, consumer products use computers as control systems. Simple special-purpose devices like microwave ovens and remote controls are included, as are factory devices like industrial robots and computer-aided design, as well as general-purpose devi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |