On behalf of ThunderHEAD Comedy Productions.
19th June 2008 / 8am.

For Immediate Release:

DURBAN’S FIRST NEW ACTS STAND-UP COMPETITION

Thunder Rock Diner, the home of ThunderHEAD Comedy Club, Durban’s only regular stand-up evening is hosting their first ‘ New Acts’ competition kicking of on the 26th July 2008.

Since the regular Comedy Clubs inception in May 2007, ThunderHEAD has hosted and run various stand-up evenings with the ‘Comedy Revolution’ comedians being the most recent guests. A slow increase of new blood into the club from KZN and the promising a turn-out at a recent talk at UKZN by club founder – International stand-up comedian now based in Durban Glen Bo – to budding comedians resulted in the opportunity being granted to everyone to try their hand at stand-up during the competition.

The rules are simple, register with GRRIT MAGAZINE attend the pre-show workshop at the venue and prepare 5 minuets of original material. The heats will take place on the last Thursday of the month at Thunder Road Rock Diner. All new acts performing for less than 2 years may enter.

Round 1 June 26th

Hosted by Glen Bo, Headlined by Trevor Gumbi from JHB on Tour – plus the competitors.

Round 2 July 31st

Round 3 August 28th

Semi-Finals and Final tba.

Each show will have 4-6 new acts hosted by a professional stand-up comedian as well as a professional headliner to close the evening. The vote is a combination of judges scoring, audience reaction and audience vote. Acts are rated on originality, timing, stage presence, material and ability to ‘ play the room’. Prizes include: Comedy Workshops with professionals, a place in the next ‘Comedy Revolution Tour’ and a cash prize.

Bookings for tables are absolutely essential.

Tickets: online www.strictlytickets.co.za or by calling the box office on: 083-348-4274

R40 / R30 Students which can be bought at the doors.

DOORS OPEN 7pm – Food is available before the show.

SHOW 8pm

Info and entry forms on Facebook Groups in :’ ThunderHEAD Comedy Group’

GB 083-348-4274 / info@grrit.co.za

www.thunderheadcomedy.wordpress.com

Proudly in association with GRRiT Alternative Entertainment Magazine.

ENDS.

Notes for Editor:

ThunderHEAD Comedy Club at Thunder Road Rock Diner was started by Glen Bo in May of 2007. In it’s second season at the same venue, the club is KZN’s only alternative and developmental evening for both new and professional comedians to perform at. During this time it has launched the new careers of 4 stand-ups and this year will be the focal point for the ‘KZN New Act of the Year’ Competition. The club has seen touring legends like Martin Davis from the U.K, Martin Evans from Cape Town and many more.

Further info: www.thunderheadcomedy.wordpress.com

Issued by Chaos Theory P.R

The Comedy Revolution Tour, May/June 2008.

The Comedy Revolution Tour, billed as “Geographically Africa’s longest, most cutting edge stand-up tour”, runs from the 14th May through to the 7th June 2008. Featuring 3 international acts as well as 6 of SA’s finest comedians, the tour starts in the Cape, continuing along the coast up to KZN, proceeding through the Midlands onto Jo’burg and Pretoria. The aim is to develop and unite the comedy scene in South Africa by taking these shows to towns that don’t see regular comedy and staging a stand-up show set at an international standard.

The promoters for the tour are Martin Evans (Cape Town) and Glen Bo (KZN), who are both international comedians based in South Africa. Their passion and determination to develop South African Comedy is the basis on which this tour has been driven. The tour prides itself on being the longest stand-up tour in South Africa, featuring award-winning and international acts who have come together to achieve the same goal.

The international acts featured in the show are Martin Davis from England; Glen Bo RSA /UK, Martin Evans based in Cape Town from England,Marty Kintu (Uganda); Zinzi Mangwen i(JHB); Brendan Murray(South Africa); Simmi Areff (KZN); Lil Paul (KZN) and Jan Badenhorst (KZN).

MAY
Wed 14th Knysna @ Zanzibar Theatre
Thur 15th Plettenberg Bay @ The Surf Cafe
Fri 16th Grahamstown @ De Tap Huis
Sat 17^th Port Elizabeth @ The Vodacom Amphitheatre
Sun 18th East London @ The Deckdave Richardson gonubihotel@lantic
Mon 19th Coffee Bay @ The Bomvu Festival of Comedy
Wed 21st Amanzimtoti @ The Office
Thur 22nd Baillito @ Sub Zero- Nightclub  / La Montange Hotel
Fri 23rd MARGATE @ The Cock&Tai
Fri 23rd Dockyard Theatre, Musgrave Centrel
Sat 24th Dockyard Theatre, Musgrave Centre

Wed 28th HOWICK @ Restaurant BELLISSIMO’S
Thur 29th DURBAN’S THUNDER ROAD ROCK DINER
Fri 30th WATERKLOOF @ Restaurant TAPAS
Sat 31st DURBAN’S THUNDER ROAD ROCK DINER

JHB (1st Week of June)
Wed 3rd @ TANZ CAFE
+ PTA

FULL DETAILS ON: www.comedyrevolution.wordpress.com and www.grrit.co.za

BOOKINGS AND RESERVATIONS FOR SHOWS:www.strictlytickets.com  Reservations and Info: Jimmy on 083 348 427.

All shows have tickets on sale before the event – arrive early. Tickets are also available online at www.strictlytickets.com

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=13609407567

EDITORS NOTES:

Comedy Revolution Tour, May 2008.
9 comedians (3 International comedians, 6 of SA’s cutting edge) 13 Towns, 5 Cities, 23 shows.

Martin Davis (from England)

Martin Davis skids and bounces across the stage, strung up and tugged around by unknown forces, firing off a relentless rapid-fire assault that hits every corner of the room and kills 100% of all known hecklers stone dead. Going where mere joke-tellers fear to tread with his characteristic kamikaze bravado (”Go on, heckle me”) he walks the razor edge of audience participation, daring them to pick him off it.
His skill in warming up the chilliest rooms and turning the stoniest punters into soft putty in his hands makes Martin Davis the comic’s favorite MC. With enough nervous energy to power a small city, Martin is the Jolt Cola of the circuit. Advice would be: connect up the microphone, shout “Clear!” and stand well back!
With residences in the Comedy Cafe” and Comedy at Soho-Ho and regular appearances at the Comedy Store, Banana Cabaret and Up the Creek, Martin has built up a regular following in London. Martin’s talents are recognised across the country..
Martin has wowed audiences at the Kilkenny International Comedy Festival, The Smirnoff Mule Comedy Festival in Durban and Cape Town, South Africa, and the Lowlands Festival, Holland. 1999 ended with a sellout one-man show in Grahamstown and Ratanga Junction, Cape Town, whilst 2001 included appearances at: The Lucky Strike Comedy Tour in Holland, The Dutch Diligentia Festival and Martin’s Dutch TV debut on “The Comedy Factory”. In 2002 Martin returned to the Cape Town Festival, toured to Singapore and Dubai and in June 2003 as well as topping the bills in the best UK comedy clubs, Martin performed in Jakarta, The Hague, Belgium and once again returned to the South Africa Comedy Festival. Martin’s 2005 saw him continue to MC at top venues throughout the country, wowing the audience with his quick-fire wit and energetic performance.

Martin Evans (England/South Africa)
Martin Evans was born in the UK in the mid 70’s and immigrated with his parents when he was a wee boy. Martin developed a healthy obsession with VHS copies of the popular British comedies of the time, fuelling his love of laughter and a nerdish disposition towards obscure humour. From the odd fart gag, through to satire and the occasional infomercial. Sophistication is his middle name. (As is Philip incidentally)

Martin has been back and forth from the UK over the past ten years and has decided to settle in Cape Town. In his career in the UK, Martin played literally every single gig there was. From the world famous “Comedy Store” that has hosted the likes of Chris Rock, Robin Williams, to sold out shows at the Edinburgh Festival. Martin performed, over 600 times in the first three years of his career. Martin is to date, the only South African comedian to win any awards in the UK for comedy, or make it through to the finals of any of the major competitions.

But that was then, and this is now. Martin has headlined and mc’d every major gig in the country, having been performing across South Africa in the past year. Martin started his own run of comedy nights across South Africa in 2007 with the “Get Up – Stand Up” comedy nights that have been run in Cape Town, Knysna, Grahamstown and Port Elizabeth.

Martin works regularly as an actor, having been the main feature in six international commercials this year as well as mc’ing various events and festivals. Martin is a busy boy. He is fond of Camembert Cheese and recently rode the Argus cycle tour for charity. He is that kind of guy.s

Glen Bo (RSA / UK)
He hails from a small town called ‘Mooinooi” AKA “pretty girl” near Johannesburg, South Africa. After working every comedy club the country had from 1999 he moved to the UK further his career.
Five  years later brimming with air-dried meat, angst and a plan he took up his collection of thoughts and worked the smoky stand-up rooms around London, then greater London then the rest of the U.K. Comedy store, Comedy Tree, Mirth Control and Laughing horse circuits many a pub clubs from Minehead to Cornwall to York over to Wales all over wherever to make his craft tight. He did so and spent his years cultivating facial hair in and around the U.K comedy circuit being paid and hosting, doing slots headlining and promoting the odd gig in London.

Then is got a bit more serious, London , York comedy festivals on to Edinburgh and many more. He also appeared in the ECR Comedy Invasions to South Africa in 2005/6 after working like a demented puma filled with elation and poise and also promoted the East Coast Radio Comedy Invasion Tour. Recently he has lectured at UKZN on stand-up, promoted Durban’s only developmental and alternative comedy clubs (Thunder Road Rock Diner / Dockyard Theatre) and was recently nominated as ‘best comedian’ in the KZN ARTS AWARDS. He has also hosted at Splashy Fen for the past 2 years and regularly hosts rock shows at Burn Nightclub in KZN.

” Glen is a rock-star comedian who stares the abyss straight in the eye, and never hold back. He’s also quite fun and likes to play with material made up on the spot”

He has performed in Bahrain, the Seychelles and has a “cult” following amongst “Saffa’s” in the U.K and KZN, South Africa.
www.glenbo.wordpress.com
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9131296017

Marty Kintu (Uganda)
If an Oreo biscuit decided to watch too much TV and grow a ludicrous opinion, its name would be Marty Kintu. He’s a specialist in dark comedy, who found his side-splitting mouth-piece when he joined the CapeTown Comedy Guild. This crafty Ugandan comedian has been ripping up microphones in and around CapeTown and JoBurg including comedy hot spots like SohBar, Cool Runnings Melville and BMW Pavilion. Marty’s fresh animated approach has more absurd action that ETV Friday Action night. If you’re out for a party, just get down with Marty

Brendan Murray(South Africa)
Brendan Murray, born and raised on the Goons and the Pythons is still amazed at the underlying sillyness of everything people do. A trained actor (appearing in Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Amadeus, Crooked and Beethoven in Raptus) his comedy exploits have gained him a large following in Cape Town, hosting and headlining at ZulaBar, NewsCafe, Tafelberg Tavern, Rocking the Daisies and the BMW Pavillion theatre, among others. Once he was described as ‘the best new act in SA’ but she was drunk and later also referred to him as ’sex on legs’, take it from whence it comes…

Zinzi Mangweni
This 26 year old is Cape Town’s latest comic sensation. Being a native to the mother city, he has a firm grasp on the comedic nuances of modern city life. He’s style is a fusion of racial observation and creative silliness which helps the delivery of poetic punch lines.

He’s been performing stand up for only a year but because of his acting background, the stage easily becomes his domain. Playing with giants like Stuart Taylor and Riaad Moosa, to great reviews, can only suggest that a new stand up voice has arrived

Simmi Areff
This new face from KZN has been billed as “An effervescent Muslim, with great potential”. He has opened for Glen Bo on his solo tour, and hosted the UKZN Varsity Open Mic Competitons.

Little Paul
Lil Paul is a Durbanite who loves his beer, banter and wit. A dry delivery that is tight, fun and pushes the buttons of dead-pan.

Jan Badenhost
Is that one friend that never shuts up around a fire or after 34 beers. He has the ability to take that and turn it around into an unpredictable daring stage persona, that leaves many gasping and wide-eyed but always entertained.

ThunderHEAD Comedy club is back for it’s second season. At Thunder Road Rock Diner in Florida Road on the 24th April 2008 (last Thursday Monthly) and at the Dockyard Theatre’s ‘Late & Live show’ ( first Friday monthly) The monthly Comedy Club evenings are going continue to develop new comedians from KZN and host professionals on a regular basis. The club being an alternative comedy club will also be supporting the ‘Survivors Charity’ based in Durban North. Promoted by Glen Bo, Chaos Theory P.R and sponsored by GRRIT MAGAZINE, ThunderHEAD is tipped as the ‘best thing to do on a Thursday night in Durban.’

The concept promoted by Glen Bo ( international comedian now based in KZN when in RSA) has even been invited to host workshops for performers keen on trying stand-up at UKZN. ‘ ThunderHEAD is going to run an open mic competition in the near future, developing the comedy scene in KZN and getting professionals interested in touring to Durban again’ said Bo. ‘ We see comedians coming to KZN on occasion to do solo shows, but there isn’t a place for them to do normal comedy club sets like in Cape Town or JHB, that’s about to change again.’ he continued.

ThunderHEAD Comedy Club kicks it’s second season off with a great line-up :

THUNDER ROAD ROCK DINER: 24th APRIL 2008
HOST: Simmi Areff ‘ Effervescent new age Muslim’ .
Young, Black, Female, Funny – Numfundo Mbhible
Dry filled with wit and loveable’ LIL Paul Cowan

Headlined by: Glen Bo
‘ tore the roof of JHB last night’ JHB Live Magazine
‘ 5/5′ Review on solo show Jan 2008
headlined by the seasoned cult stand-up, Glen Bo ( nominated in the ‘best comedian’ category for the KZN Arts Awards )

SHOW INFO:
Thursday evening 24th April. Tickets are available at the door from 7pm on event day. We do however
recommend table bookings for 4-10 people beforehand. Details below:

• Table Bookings and ino Please call Jimmy Thunder on 083-348-4274
• To book tickets call Jorian at www.strictlytickets.com on 072-2489-436
• Online tickets at 10% discount www.strictlytickets.com

R50 – includes a bottle of wine / R40 – standard entry / R30 – Students / Members.

Thunder Road Rock, Diner, 236 Florida Road ( Below Thai Restaurant) cnr of 7th / Florida Road
Doors from 630pm, Dinner from 7pm, show 8pm
Duration 90 mins + interval.

Friday 2nd May -Dockyard Theatre -’Late & Live -One hour Comedy show’
Doors 10pm show 10.30pm -11-30pm with an MC a new act and plus a feature comedian.

Hosted by Glen Bo, featuring Jan Badenhorst and Simmi Areff.

• Bookings call Mel on 031-201-9147

• info and line-ups Please call Jimmy Thunder on 083-348-4274
• To book tickets at Stricklytickets.com on 072-2489-436

R30 Entry for one hour comedy show in Comedy Store Style.

ENDS.

FUTURE SHOWS:
May and June the ‘Comedy Revolution Tour’ will feature at ThunderHEAD Comedy Clubs. Featuring South Africa’s best Alternative comedians. May 20-31st From Cape to KZN.

FACEBOOK LINK: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=11423252338 (GRRIT MAGAZINE GOUP)
PRESS RELEASE: http://www.alltheshows.co.za/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=9988&year=2008&month=4

MEDIA
Press passes are available for all shows. Simply email Emily at GRRIT MAGAZINE – info@grrit.co.za and request. Names will be at door.
Interviews: Please call 083-348-4274
Images: will be supplied on request.

Hello, and welcome to the ThunderHEAD Site and Blog. We will update you on what’s coming up.

Thanks – April 24th 2008 – Thunder Road Rock Diner

MC – Simmi Areff

Numfundo

Lil Paul Cowan

Headliner – Glen Bo.