Amused Moose Laugh Off 2006
Amused Moose Laugh Off 2006
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2006: The Fial will be during the Edinburgh Fringe in August and semifinals at AmusedMoose Soho in the summer. This year's winner Arnab Chanda has been signed by Eddie Izzard's manager (and seems likely to be showcased at Montreal's Just For Laughs comedy festival in July), the runners-up Ginger & Black by Ricky Gervais' manager, and the previous years winner Sarah Millican was signed by Jimmy Carr's management. Many now have lucrative DVD options, and have been in radio and television pilots some of which have been commissioned, etc etc. Also there are splendid trophies, plus a publicist and interim management on offer, to guide the winner's career for the first important month or so if appropriate, and to get your name into the press, which is always helpful in raising your profile in the industry, and consolidates the exposure of being in the semifinals and final.
AmusedMoose LaughOff 2006
Entries for the regional heats of AmusedMoose Laugh Off 06 which were held in Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow, Dublin and Cardiff between 8 and 17 May, followed an invitation to newish comedians who wished to enter (closing dates were three weeks earlier). Full details of heats appear on our What's On page at the time
London qualifying auditions and heats:
Shiny new stand-ups and 'wannabees' enter via qualifying rounds in London in the spring.
If you are based in London or the South, and you are quite new or we haven't seen you perform before, the route in is via the qualifying rounds which involves doing a very short set in a show situation so encourage friends to come along to support you, but which is in effect an audition.
You should arrive ready to complete a registration form and perform a very short set (your "comedy calling card") during the show. If more contenders show up than we can include, priority will be given on that occasion to people who have travelled a long way or who have arranged for friends to come along who arrive at least 15 minutes before showtime to support them, and anyone who registered previously.
Experienced stars-in-the-making can ask to go straight into the London heats, but that will depend on how recently they have been seen performing by those doing the selecting!
London heats will include newish but more experienced comedians who we have seen on stage recently, plus those who have won through from the qualifying rounds.
Quarter-finals in 2006 were at AmusedMooseCamden on Fridays in May. This varies from year to year.
The Semifinals (which include regional winners) are at AmusedMooseSoho on Saturdays in June/July, followed by the Final in the last week of the Edinburgh Fringe in August. There was a preview showcase at Harrow Arts Centre onSat 8 July 2006, and a possibility of being in AmusedMooseComedy's Hot Starlets showcases during Edinburgh, and other comedy festivals. The Final and showcases are very well attended by bookers, managers, producers, casting directors and other talentscouts.
The Final takes place in August in Edinburgh at a major venue during the Fringe and is a high profile event attended by many agents/managers, promoters, producers and talentscouts for the major comedy festivals from around the world.
Most finalists and some semi-finalists are likely to be showcased in AmusedMooseComedy's Hot Starlets throughout the Fringe in Edinburgh in August. That show will have a rotating roster of this years crop of thrusting fledgling comedians that AmusedMooseComedy has been nurturing - a showcase that is the ultimate talentspotters dream.
2006's winner Arnab Chanda has been signed by Eddie Izzard's management and it looks like he may be showcasing at the worldfamous Just For Laughs festival in Montreal in July, and runners-up Ginger & Black have already been on radio numerous times, are featured in a upcoming radio series, and have been signed by Ricky Gervais' management.
Previous finalists/winners included Alex Zane, Jimmy Carr, Simon Amstell, Rhod Gilbert, Rob Deering, Nina Conti, Mark Watson, all of Klang, Anna Crilley, Ruth Bratt and so many more.
Participants in the AmusedMoose LaughOff will form the vast majority of performers in AmusedMooseComedy Hot Starlets during the Edinburgh Fringe and probably in showcases in London. In October 2005 'AmusedMooseComedy's Hot Starlets 2000-2005' took place at Bloomsbury Theatre, which included Alex Zane, Simon Amstell and Rob Deering.
2005's overall winner Sarah Millican qualified at the Leeds heat, and went on to be signed up by Jimmy Carr's manager, and already has a television pilot in the bag, as well as a DVD deal with 2entertain who are associated with AmusedMoose LaughOff.
Previous winners include Rob Deering, Nina Conti and Klang's Marek Larwood, with runners-up including Rhod Gilbert, Mark Watson, Gary Delaney and James Branch who went on to win the Leicester Mercury Award this year as had Rhod previously.
Finalists in the first year included Jimmy Carr, Alex Zane and Karen Taylor.
'The Best of AmusedMooseComedy Hot Starlets 2002-2006' show including Alex Zane, Simon Amstell and Rob Deering, was invited to London's Bloomsbury Theatre in October 2006, to showcase their talents to talent-hungry producers, casting directors, and agents/managers, as well as journalists and reviewers, and friends and family. This show is likely to take place again from time to time to showcase the new talent coming through as well as some of their now famous predecessors