Fringe comedy comes to Leamington

Catriona Knox, coming to the Spa Centre in Leamington as part of its comedy festival.

Stand-ups and sketch acts preparing to perform at the famous Fringe Festival are giving audiences a preview in Leamington over the coming weeks.

The Spa Centre’s own three-week comedy festival starts on Friday April 26, with tickets for show costing just £8.50, with discounts for students and two-for-one offers available.

Dan Schreiber, co-creator and producer of BBC Radio 4’s The Museum of Curiosity, is teaming up with stand-up David Morgan to start the warm-up festival on April 26.

The Boom Jennies, coming to the Spa Centre in Leamington as part of its comedy festival.

He will be followed by comedy sketch group Clever Peter, who have performed at venues all over the UK, including the Edinburgh Fringe - and more recently introduced pygmy hippos and sexy clowns to Radio 4 listeners - on April 27.

Then on May 2, Catriona Knox, one third of Radio 4’s all-female sketch group The Boom Jennies, is bringing her solo show to the venue, before performing with her fellow funny ladies, Lizzie Bates and Anna Emerson, later on that evening. Known for their energetic and surprising sketch comedy, the Jennies have performed across London, at Edinburgh and Brighton fringes - and are currently working on their first sitcom for Radio 4.

Rhys Matthewson, one of New Zealand’s youngest professional comedians, is performing with up-and-coming stand-up Chris Stokes, a winner of the Chortle Student Comedian of The Year competition, on May 3, while audiences can grab the inside scoop as former Daily Star reporter Rich Peppiatt performs his show, One Rogue Reporter, on May 4.

Other names on the bill include Daniel Simonsen and Alfie Brown and one-man show BANE Part 3. For details and tickets, call 334418 or visit www.royalspacentreandtownhall.co.uk