14th successful year for the Glasgow International Comedy Festival

Organisers of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival announce that the eighteen-day festival was a resounding success!

Article Source: Glasgow International Comedy Festival
Last Updated: 14 April 2016 10:08

Over 78,000 tickets sold, critically acclaimed performances from international stars and homegrown talent and over 40 sell out shows.

As the Glasgow International Comedy Festival (GICF) closes for another year, organisers announce that the eighteen-day festival was a resounding success with 78,177 tickets sold in total – one of the highest over attendances for the event. There were 42 sell out shows altogether.

A proudly Glaswegian event with a distinctive international flavour, on and off stage memorable moments from GICF 2016 include: Channel 4 Last Leg star Adam Hills stripping to his boxers on the Kings Theatre stage for his show which raised over £3500 for MND Scotland; US stand up and writer on Tina Fey’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Marlena Rodriguez being introduced to haggis pizza on her first ever trip to the UK; and Whose Line Is It Anyway favourite Greg Proops receiving gifts of Tunnocks Tea Cakes, Irn Bru and homemade tablet from the audience at the recording of his cult hit Smartest Man in The World podcast.

Performers and venues alike lined up to share their love of the festival which is now an established favourite in the comedy calendar.

Greg Proops said: “Glasgow is the rough and tough adopted hometown I never had. The audience is the keenest, most discerning and the one I am desperate to please… Glasgow has the fairest sense of humour of anywhere on the series of islands known as the UK. I got drunk, I had fish supper and a cabbie went out of his way to tell me he had never heard of me. It was grand.”

Dave Hill, who performed as part of America Stands Up! said: “Don't tell anyone, but the Glasgow International Comedy Festival was the most fun festival I've ever been a part of. The audiences were great and the festival folks were an absolute delight to work and hang out with. And even though I only understand a few words out of every sentence they speak, the people of Glasgow are some of the loveliest folks I've ever met! In a perfect world, the Glasgow Festival would be 365 days a year and I would have a liver made of iron. Anyway, I'm coming back next year and there's not a damn thing anyone can do to stop me!”

Local favourite Jamie Dalgleish, who performed his solo show “I Drink Therefore I Am” at Blackfrairs said: "There's a proper buzz about the city during the Glasgow Comedy Festival. Comedians love it just as much as the audiences do!"

General Manager of the King’s and Theatre Royal Glasgow James Haworth said: “I’d like to wish the Glasgow International Comedy Festival congratulations on programming another successful season. The King’s Theatre was proud to host comedy favourites such as Julian Clary, Paul Merton and Ardal O’Hanlon. Dylan Moran was ‘Off the Hook’ performing to an absolutely packed house and Grado’s stand-up debut went down a storm. For a second year ‘Stand Up Against MND’ was a resounding success hosted by Fred MacAulay with special guest Romesh Ranganathan. At the Theatre Royal a week long run of brand new play ‘Canned Laughter’, starring Allan Stewart, Andy Gray and Grant Stott, received rave reviews. We’re looking forward to finding out what hijinks and hilarity the festival has in store for 2017.”

Sarah Watson, Director of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival, said: “We’re hugely proud to have delivered another successful festival, with hundreds of shows spreading laughter across the city. The most rewarding things are to look out on a theatre full of people having a great night out, and the brilliant feedback that we get from visiting performers about how much they have enjoyed visiting Glasgow. After our 14th year we are seeing the success of both large venues like the King’s Theatre and Citizens and smaller venues like Yesbar, State Bar, Hug and Pint and The Griffin running a full programme throughout the festival which will really help to consolidate the presence of the event in the city and provide a firm foundation to grow the festival over the next five years.”

Joe Aitken, Head of Major Events at Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB), said: “This year’s Glasgow International Comedy Festival has been another terrific success, driven by its talented local team which works year-round to deliver a packed programme and attract the biggest names in comedy, from home and abroad, to our city. The Festival continues to be a standout visitor attraction on Glasgow’s annual events calendar, which not only generates real benefit for our tourism economy but reinforces our reputation as a must-visit destination.”

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “The Glasgow International Comedy Festival has earned a sterling reputation for delivering an outstanding programme of events that attracts thousands of visitors each year, and 2016 was no exception. The festival brings great benefit to venues of all sizes throughout Glasgow and provides a platform for both established and up-and-coming acts to perform in a city known the world over as a centre for comedy.”

The Glasgow International Comedy Festival will return from 9 – 26 March 2017. Keep up to date with all the latest news by registering at glasgowcomedyfestival.com and follow on Facebook and Twitter @glasgowcomedy.