This September, the Selfdrive Laughter Factory will be bringing an absolute stunner of a tour to the Gulf. This show will be a triumph and unafraid to push the limits of what society deems appropriate.
Markus Birdman has been described by the BBC as “The all-round package; witty, controversial, hip, topical and silly. A master of timing and physical comedy, he made me laugh so hard it hurt”
Next we have Selfdrive Laughter Factory legend, Stephen Grant “Right from the word go his audience were in fits of laughter as we were subjected to his relentless comedy. Comedy bordering on genius.” Three Weeks ★★★★★,
Finally Karl Pilkingtons choice of young up and coming acts, Ross Smith is definitely one to watch. This young act is devastatingly funny.
So grab your favorite people and maybe someone you don’t like to mix things up.
This show is so far out, it’s in!
When & Where:
The Selfdrive Laughter Factory, September 2022 tour dates
Friday 16th & Saturday 17th September – Movenpick JBR Dubai
Wednesday 21st September – Zabeel House by Jumeirah, The Greens Dubai
Friday 23rd September – Grand Millennium Barsha Heights, Dubai
Saturday 24th September – Studio One Hotel, Dubai
Show ticket at AED 160
Show starts 8:30pm
Call 0508786728 for details.
Show tickets must be purchased on www.thelaughterfactory.com
Meet the Comics
Stephen Grant
WINNER BEST COMPERE – CHORTLE AWARDS 2011
RUNNER UP BEST COMEDY SHOW – LATEST AWARDS 2010
NOMINEE BEST COMPERE – CHORTLE AWARDS 2010
FINALIST BEST COMPERE – CHORTLE AWARDS 2009
FINALIST – COMEDY WRITER – MIPTV CANNES 2009
WINNER BEST COMPERE – CHORTLE AWARDS 2008
WINNER BEST COMEDIAN – JUICY AWARD 2003
FINALIST – DAILY TELEGRAPH OPEN MIC AWARD 1998
FINALIST – SO YOU THINK YOU’RE FUNNY? 1997
A repeat award winner of Best UK Compere, Stephen Grantis one of the hardest working comedy performers and writers in the UK. He is the host of the Krater Comedy Club at Komedia, which has won Best Comedy Venue in the South for an unprecedented amount of times and is a regular headliner at The Comedy Store in Leicester Square.
He possesses an energy and intellect which combined with his eight years in the corporate world make for a perfect experienced host and entertainer for any event. Clients often return to Stephen for repeat engagements due to his ability to vary his content and material, often tailoring it specific to the client’s requirements and industry.
Stephen still finds the time to headline and MC gigs all over the country, as well as being a regular guest on The Cutting Edge at The Comedy Store, deputizing presenter on BBC Southern Counties Radio, warming up and performing on some of the biggest comedy shows on TV. His speed and dynamism create a magical energy which has audiences rapt and hanging onto his every word. It is this that led Stephen to writting for Rob Beckett on Mock the Week and for writing for Russell Kane on Live at the Electric as well as forLee Nelson’s Well Good Show for Avalon TV and Seann Walsh for Channel 4’s Stand Up For The Week.
LIVE WORK
Tour support for Russell Kane
Regular compere at Krater Comedy Club, Komedia
Regular act at Tag Comedy, Komedia
Regular contributo & guest at The Cutting Edge, The Comedy Store
Stephen is in great demand as a compere and headliner at all the major clubs in the UK and also regularly performs overseas including several return trips to China, Singapore, Dubai and Budapest and a run on a Mediterranean Cruise.
FESTIVALS
Camp Bestival
Wilderness Festival
Brighton Festival
Adelaide Fringe Festival
Brisbane Comedy Festival
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Latitude
Glastonbury
Guildfest
RADIO
PRESENTING
Deputising presenter on various shows on BBC SCR (2003-2008)
The Fan’s Phone In, BBC Sussex (2009)
The Stephen Grant Show, BBC SCR and podcast (2005-2008)
The Brighton Festival, BBC SCR (2002-2004)
PERFORMING
Seven Day Saturday, BBC Radio 5 Live
The Good, The Bad, And The Unexpected, Dabster Productions, BBC Radio Scotland
Assorted characters, Aire FM, Metro, TFM, Minster FM, MFM, Fox
Assorted characters & voices, Radio 1
Loose Ends, BBC Radio 4
Political Animal, BBC Radio 4
28 Acts in 28 Minutes, BBC Radio 4
Colin Murray’s Frequently Unanswered Questions, BBC NI
PODCASTING
Podcast: Radio Investigates
The Brighton & Hove Albion Podcast
The E4 Podcast
VOICEOVER WORK
Voice of Paramount Comedy Festival
Various radio commercials – Southern FM/Juice 107.2
TV PRESENTING
Inside Out, BBC One, 2002-03
Noise, BBC One, 2003
Brighton Festival, BBC One, 2002
The 29 Steps, BBC One, 2001
The Estate We’re In, BBC, 2001
Stephen Grant’s Journey to the Wasteland, BBC Two, 2000
TV
When Magic Goes Wrong, Channel 5 2016
Comedy Store Series, Comedy Central 2012
Would You Rather, So Television, Pilot 2011
No Signal, FX 2009
Generation Sex, Channel 5 2008
Nuts TV Live, Nuts TV 2008
Sky Poker, Sky 2008
GMTV, ITV 2007
Britain’s Funniest Comedy Characters, Channel 5 2006
Bognor or Bust, ITV 2005
Dan & Dusty, ITV 2004
Edinburgh or Bust, Channel 4 (main character 6 eps), 2003
Cyber Café, ITV 2000-2001
Open Mic, Channel 5 1999
Comedy Nation, BBC Two 1999
Edinburgh Nights, BBC One 1999
Stand Up Live, Live TV 1998
WARM UP ARTIST
Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled
Britain Unzipped
Argumental
Claudia Winkleman Show
Show and Tell
QI (5 series)
Have I Got News For You
Mock The Week (5 series)
Harry Hill’s TV Burp
Little Britain
Celebrity Juice (2 series)
Never Mind The Buzzcocks (3 series)
They Think It’s All Over (3 Series)
Dave Gorman’s Genius
Room 101
Alan Carr’s Ding-Dong
The Omid Djalili Show
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Dead Ringers
Deal or No Deal (2 series)
Al Murray’s Happy Hour
The Kumars at No.42
Alistair McGowan’s Big Impression
So Graham Norton
Graham Norton’s Bigger Picture
National Lottery: In It To Win It
Not Going Out
Celebrity Mastermind
Comedy Shuffle
Survivor
Trevor McDonald’s News Knight
The Stephen K Amos Show
Johnny Vaughan
Kelsey Grammar’s Sketch Show
Balls of Steel
Mental
This Week Only
Dog Eat Dog
Imposter
Star Lives
Does Doug Know
Your World Cup Pitch
Liar
Your Face or Mine
Power
The State We’re In
Totally Football
19 Keys
Hardware
Eyes Down
Bognor or Bust
Gamestar Awards
Guilty Pleasures
Fortune
Thank God You’re Here
What The Dickens
Ornate Johnsons
I’m The Answer
Best in Preschool
You Be The Judge
Best of the Worst
Carol Vorderman’s Big Brain Game
DVD
Stephen Grant: Second, Sunipa Pictures 2009
Stephen Grant: Taken For Granted, Sunipa Pictures 2008
Stephen Grant: Live at the Theatre Royal, Sunipa Pictures 2006
PRESS
“Right from the word go his audience were in fits of laughter as we were subjected to his relentless comedy. Comedy bordering on genius.” Three Weeks ★★★★★
“He turned his comedy focus from the larger picture over to the smaller one, mining comedy gold along the way. Perfect anecdotal material, his happiness was boisterous and infectious.” The Latest 7 ★★★★★
“He’s famously pedantic, relentlessly logical and with the kind of comedy vision that can see round corners. You’re never more than 15 seconds away from a really good laugh.”Chortle ★★★★★
“Engaging, warm and likeable.” Scotland on Sunday
“Genius.” The List ★★★★
“Brilliant. This show will have you chuckling to yourself hours afterwards.” The Scotsman ★★★★
“This is tight, intelligent comedy at its best. Damn funny.”Three Weeks ★★★★
“Classic stand-up of the highest order; solid, very funny and deeply incisive.” Skinny Fest ★★★★
“Excellent.” One4Review ★★★★
“Unique and hilarious.” Broadway Baby ★★★★
“An unstoppable, ebullient motor mouth. That kind of hard-to-fake passion and cheeriness is what makes comedy-goers warm to him, and what is his greatest strength” Chortle
“Grant, whose regular slot at the Brighton Komedia Club has earned him a cult status, is an engaging host and an easy person to spend an hour with.” The Independent
“Grant revels in his slick geekiness and this show is an absolute pleasure, an intelligent fast-paced whirlwind of thoughts and theories, all wrapped up beautifully with a bit of wonderfully nerdish IT.” The List ★★★★
“Consummate comedian.” Time Out
Social:
Tweeter: https://twitter.com/stephencgrant
FB: https://www.facebook.com/sgcomedy/timeline/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephencgrant/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt3Q0QGcxDDs6D14M0L8voA
Web: https://www.stephengrant.com/about/
MARKUS BIRDMAN
NZ Comedy Guild Best International Act nominee 2015
Amused Moose Best Edinburgh Show nominee 2015
Markus Birdman is one of British comedy’s most experienced and well-travelled performers. In demand all over the UK and abroad, Markus is a veteran of the Edinburgh Fringe with 11 solo shows to his credit and headliner status at all the top clubs, including The Comedy Store, The Komedia, Hot Water, The Stand and Soho Theatre. He’s performed at the Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth Comedy Festivals and was nominated by the New Zealand Comedy Guild for Best International Guest. His international gig list includes Pakistan, Singapore, China, UAE, Austria, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Finland and India to name a few. Which has been nice, considering no-one’s now going anywhere.
He had his own Netflix Stand Up Special, ‘Live in Amsterdam’ & was also co-writer on Jayde Adams’s Amazon Prime Stand Up Special, ‘Serious Black Jumper’
DESCRIPTION
One of the shining lights of the UK and international comedy circuits
PRESS QUOTE – FAVOURITE
“Delightfully comic. Controversial, personal and wickedly punchy.” The List
“Engagingly mixes the silly and the downright wrong.” Chortle
“A consummate comic…. energetic, engaging, thought-provoking and funny.” The Stage
“Birdman’s Fringe show is a triumph. He isn’t afraid to push the limits of what society deems appropriate.” The Edinburgh Reporter
VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajdllv3k3T0 –
https://youtu.be/1jRVTQDQXhw –
2017
An experienced and versatile comedian, Markus is one of stand-up’s most well travelled comedians, much in demand in the UK and all over the world.
Amused Moose Award Nominee – Best Show, Edinburgh Fringe ‘15
NZ Comedy Guild Award Nominee for Best International Artist ‘14
Time Out London – Top Ten Comedians ‘13
Netflix Special- Live from Amsterdam
“Birdman is the all-round package; witty, controversial, hip, topical and silly. A master of timing and physical comedy, he made me laugh so hard it hurt”
BBC
“Energetic, engaging… thought-provoking and funny”
The Stage
Praise for his Edinburgh Festival solo shows
“Probably the most absorbing show I’ve seen. Completely spell-binding”
****
****Chortle
“Birdman’s Fringe show is a triumph. He isn’t afraid to push the limits of what society deems appropriate. He has created an hour of thought-provoking, hilarious stand-up
*****Edinburgh Reporter
“Delightfully comic… topical, controversial and personal”
****The List
“Absorbing, intelligent and funny”
****Metro
Comedy (UK)
Gigs for: Soho Theatre, The Comedy Store, Jongleurs, Highlight, Off the Kerb, Avalon, Last Laugh, The Stand, Laughterhouse, Comedy Company, Comedy Box, Up the Creek, Screaming Blue Murder, Just the Tonic and many others.
Comedy (International)
Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Jordan, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Austria, The Netherlands, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Croatia, Greece, Cyprus, Switzerland, Ireland and Spain.
Edinburgh Festival
Grimm Realities PBH Free Fringe 2015
2B or Not to Be The Stand Comedy Club 2014
Happily Ever After (solo show) The Stand Comedy Club 2013
Love, Life & Death (solo show) The Stand Comedy Club 2012
Dreaming (solo show) The Stand Comedy Club 2011
Sympathy for the Devil (solo show) Pleasance 2008
Son of a Preacher Man (solo show) Pleasance 2007
One Step Beyond (solo show) Pod Deco 2004
Comedy Zone (showcase show) Pleasance 2002
Imperfect (with Francesca Martinez) Pleasance 2002
International Festivals
Melbourne International Comedy Festival Faustus 2016
Perth Fringe World Grimm Realities 2016
New Zealand Comedy Festival Grimm Realities 2015
Melbourne International Comedy Festival Grimm Realities 2015
New Zealand Comedy Festival Happily Ever After 2014
New Zealand Comedy Festival Love, Life & Death (solo show) 2013
Sydney Comedy Festival Best of British 2012
Adelaide Festival Love, Hate, Life, Death (solo show) 2012
Adelaide Festival Dreaming (solo show) 2012
Melbourne International Comedy Festival I’mPerfect (with Francesca Martinez) 2003
Tours
The Convoy- New Zealand 2014
Best of British – New Zealand 2013
Paul Sinha and Markus Birdman – On the Road 2009
Avalon Network – Headline 2003
Francesca Martinez – National Tour (support) 2002/2003
Andy Zaltzman – Avalon Network (support) 2002
Noel Fielding – Avalon Network (support) 2001
Radio
BBC Radio 4 – Son of a Preacher Man 2007
BBC Radio 4 – 28 Acts in 28 Minutes 2006
BBC Radio 4 – Loose Ends 2004
BBC Radio 5 Live – Gaby Logan Show 2008
BBC Radio 5 Live – Stephen Nolan Show 2007
BBC Radio 7 – Spanking New 2004
BBC World Service 2012
BBC Radio Scotland – Fred MacAulay Show 2012
BBC Radio Wales – Jest a Minute 2008
Talksport – Hawksbee & Jacobs 2007
Television
NETFLIX- Live at Toomler Amsterdam Netflix 2012
TV One (New Zealand) Best Bits 2015
TV3 (New Zealand) The Comedy Gala 2013
TV One (New Zealand) Good Morning 2013/14
BBC1 Heaven & Earth 2007
BBC3 How Not to Live Your Life – Series 1 2008
BBC3 Most Annoying Songs We Hate to Love 2007
BBC3 BBC New Comedy Awards 2001
ITV1 Blank Screen (voiceover) 2004
ITV4 And Another Thing 2006
Channel 4 4thought 2012
Paramount (Comedy Central) World Stands Up 2008
Paramount (Comedy Central) Live at the Comedy Store 2005
Kanal 5 (Sweden) Raw Comedy Club 2009
Vara (The Netherlands) Comedytrain International 2007
Loaded TV Jongleurs Live 2012
Comedy Competitions
Lewisham Comedy Festival Open Mic Winner
BBC New Comedy Awards Finalist
Daily Telegraph Open Mic Finalist
Leicester Comedy Festival New Act of the Year Finalist
Social:
FB- @markusbirdman
INSTA- @markusbirdman @markusbirdman_artworks
twitter @birdmanwatching
clip: https://youtu.be/nvKU60h6l-8
Ross Smith
Since starting gigging in 2015, Ross Smith has taken the UK comedy circuit (and the internet) by storm. He’s a regular at some of UK’s biggest comedy clubs. His personable, relaxed style and contemporary material, underpinned by clever wordplay and rapier sharp comebacks, have made him one of the country’s most exciting emerging acts and quick-witted hosts.
In 2018, he made headlines around the world when he agreed to go on holiday with complete strangers, taking the place of another man called Ross Smith. His viral adventure and the aftermath is the subject of his debut Edinburgh show, I Am Ross Smith.
His second critically acclaimed show Crying/Shame (2019) boasted two of Dave’s Top Ten Jokes Of The Fringe alongside a plethora of fantastic reviews.
Ross has also featured in Karl Pilkington’s Sky One sitcom Sick Of It, Apple TV’s Slow Horses and will feature on screen on various projects in 2022
Ross Smith is a Charming but pedantic stand up and MC, specialising in deconstructing absurd ideas or magazine headlines, exploring self and unrelatable relatable material. originally from Northamptonshire but now living in London, Ross runs a successful semi-pro comedy night called SHOWBIZ BABY. In 2015 Ross was a semi finalist of so you think youre funny. in 2016 he MC’d a brighton fringe compilation show and also completed his first Edinburgh run with a show SPACE CAT PASTA BAKE.”. Ross is a resident MC at Londons notorious comedy night Comedy virgins at the Cavendish arms.
‘One of my favourite new acts, watch him now so you can be smug in 5 years time when he’s big’
– Joel Dommett
‘hilarious and original- unlike this quote’
– Nish Kumar
– ‘Witty jokes and brilliant anecdotes, smith keeps his comedy Smart’
edfest mag
– ‘laugh out loud gags cleverly set up- go and see Ross Smith‘
Bruce Dessau, Beyond the joke
@rosssmithcomedy – Instagram
@rosssmithcomedy – Twitter
About The Selfdrive Laughter Factory
The Selfdrive Laughter Factory hosts a fresh bill of three top professional comedians every month, many already familiar stars of the screen on hit USA and UK TV shows.
With a reputation for quality and a sharp eye for talent, The Selfdrive Laughter Factory has showcased reams of A-list comics on their way to superstardom, including, Russell Peters, Michael McIntyre, Dara O’Briain, Mickey Flanagan, Jason Manford, Sarah Millican, Kevin Bridges, and Frankie Boyle.
The Selfdrive Laughter Factory’s commitment to comedy has been recognized by numerous publications, winning several accolades over its two-decade history, including several’ best comedy night’ awards from Time Out Dubai.
Media contact
Gail Clough (co-founder)
Recent Comments