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Stand-up comedy from London's Hammersmith Apollo, targeting everything from the coalition and popular culture to shark-diving. There's also plenty of light-hearted musical numbers throughout, including religious dubstep, German folk-metal, a Bible-guitar, a Jewish clap-along take on the Match of the Day theme and a reggae version of Downton Abbey, plus the extraordinary tale of a rescued owl
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Stand-up Comedy
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Did You Know..
Bill Bailey
(Performer)
Born:
January 13, 1964
in
Bath
Best Known For:
His role as team captain on Never Mind the Buzzcocks.
Early-life:
Born Mark Bailey in Bath on January 13, 1964, he gained the nickname Bill at King Edward's School in Bath, where he surprised his teachers by excelling at sport. In his youth, he spent a lot of time listening to Monty Python records, and formed a band called the Famous Five. After landing an associateship at the London College of Music, and working with a theatre troupe, he accidentally wandered into a John Hegley gig, where he decided to become a stand-up comedian.
Career:
Bill started touring with the likes of Phill Jupitus and Mark Lamarr, before forming a double-act in 1989 with Martin Stubbs. His big break came in 1995 with the show Bill Bailey's Cosmic Jam, a performance of which was filmed and broadcast on Channel 4. In 1998, he scooped his own comedy show on the BBC, Is It Bill Bailey?, and enjoyed a series of successful guest slots on shows such as Have I Got News for You. Bill also starred in Dylan Moran's Channel 4 sitcom Black Books, before taking over from Sean Hughes as a captain on Never Mind the Buzzcocks in 2002. He's a regular on quiz show QI, and has also enjoyed other acting roles in the likes of Jonathan Creek and Fifteen Storeys High. His big-screen CV includes the movies Saving Grace and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, while his cameo in Hot Fuzz was very well-received. He also continues to tour with his stand-up, selling out arenas all over the world, and has begun a separate career as a presenter of wildlife shows, including the ITV series Baboons with Bill Bailey.
Quote:
'I'm not a hardcore vegetarian. I'll eat fish. And duck. They're almost a fish.'
Trivia:
Bailey supports Queens Park Rangers.
Jim Parsons
(Director)
Born:
March 24, 1973
in
Houston, Texas
Best Known For:
Playing Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory.
Early-life:
Born James Joseph Parsons on March 24, 1973 in Houston, Texas. Jim was determined to become an actor from the age of six, after performing as the Kola-Kola bird in a school production of The Elephant's Child. After graduating from high school, he studied for a bachelor's degree at the University of Houston. He was accepted onto a two-year course in classical theatre at the University of San Diego in 1999 and, after graduating in 2001, he moved to New York.
Career:
Early in his career, Parsons worked on Off-Broadway productions and appeared on TV several times. He had a recurring role on Judging Amy, appeared on the TV series Ed and had minor roles in such films as Garden State (2004) and School for Scoundrels (2006). His big break came when he landed the role of Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory, a role that earned him four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical. He went on to appear in the films The Big Year (2011), The Muppets (2011), Home (2015) and Hidden Figures (2016).
Quote:
'Every time I think about writing, comedy doesn't interest me in the slightest. I can play comedy, but I don't think in terms of comic dialogue.'
Trivia:
He took piano classes for 14 years.
Russell Thomas
(Director)
