Now in its fourth year, the Laugh Out Loud Comedy Festival is back for another groundbreaking, outstanding, hilariously funny, unbelievably sidesplitting, non-stop chortling and descriptively extravagant comedy filled time!

The festival takes place from the 25th January to 7th February 2014 across a multitude of venues in the city of Exeter and features top-billing, award winning comedy acts.

Events at The Bikeshed Theatre :

Friday 31st January 6.00pm Tiernan Douieb - Tiernan's Tour 2014

What do you think about opinions? Tiernan isn’t sure, even though everyone else is keen to shout theirs at him. He’s starting to think that it’s best not to have any at all. Which is of course, an opinion.  A new hour from Douieb about the internet being too loud, politics, spiders and Icelandic noises. Tiernan is one of the UK's most sought after comedy hosts, his fun and friendly style of comedy has seen him perform all over the UK and internationally. Cited by Mark Thomas in the Guardian as a comedian to look out for alongside Josie Long.  'Has more than enough energy to go round, and he's a hugely engaging onstage presence.' British Comedy Guide 'gets the juxtaposition between heavy context and winning punchlines right’ - Festmag 'For sheer energy, commitment and funny you would need to look hard to find a man as joyous as Tiernan.' - Mark Thomas

Friday 31st January 7.30pm Holly Walsh - Work in Progress

A work in progress show from acclaimed stand-up and writer, Holly Walsh. An Established talent in both fields, in 2012, Holly’s sitcom, Dead Boss, co-written with Sharon Horgan aired on BBC3. Her stand-up credentials were established with her 2008 Best Newcomer win at the Chortle Awards and confirmed with an Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination three years later for her debut Fringe show, Hollycopter. Holly has featured on many of the top comedy shows including, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Mock The Week & Never Mind the Buzzcocks, as well as being much in demand as a writer for both TV and Radio. On top of her TV and radio commitments, Holly’s live work remains a key element of her career and sees her perform at the best comedy clubs in the country. She is one of the founders of Popcorn Comedy and regularly comperes Happy Mondays comedy night in London.

Friday 31st January 8:50p.m Nish Kumar - Nish Kumar is a Comedian

In the last year Nish Kumar has performed a sell out run at Soho Theatre, been nominated for Best Show at the Leicester Comedy Festival, appeared on XFM, lost three phone chargers, done a critically acclaimed run at the Edinburgh Fringe and filmed an episode of Stewart Lee’s Alternative Comedy Experience for Comedy Central.                                                                                                     Now he arrives in Exeter with a stand up comedy show about why we take offence, what to do when the internet steals your face and what a man vomming on a train says about modern Britain.                                                                           ‘A smart, gag-heavy show questioning identity, anonymity and what causes offence. Slick, sharp and with oodles of charm, Nish Kumar is a comedian, and a bloody good one at that.’ ★★★★ Time Out ‘A highly polished, subtly innovative stand-up…. He nails the punchlines over and over again, thanks to taut, economical writing that puts audience pleasure firmly ahead of self-indulgence…. His is a talent worth catching up with.’ The Guardian

Saturday 1st February 2:30p.m.Henry Paker - Classic Paker

Henry Paker has appeared on Russell Howard's Good News (BBC3), Seann Walsh World and Edinburgh and Beyond (Comedy Central). He won the Leicester Comedian of the Year award in 2008 and writes for Mock the Week, 8 Out of 10 Cats and Stand Up for the Week. Soon to be appearing in sketch show Small Scenes (BBC Radio 4), ‘Paker scales impressive comedy peaks' (Guardian). '...has the audience rolling in the aisles for the vast majority of an action-packed hour. Paker is a riotous, iconoclastic star in the making' (Fest). **** (Guardian, List, Fest, ThreeWeeks).

Saturday 1st February 4:00p.m Jonny and the Baptists - Bigger Than Judas

The UK's hottest musical comedians tackle everything from library closures to loneliness and the decline of the great British pub. An hour of silly, satirical and occasionally sexy songs that have seen them nominated for the 2013 Musical Comedy Awards and Amused Moose Edinburgh Awards, featured on Radio 4's The Now Show, Infinite Monkey Cage and Sketchorama, and named 'musical comedy's rising stars' by the Sunday Times. **** 'A triumph... if you're looking for a fun time, the Baptists will deliver' Chortle.

Saturday 1st February 5:30p.m John Robins - Where is my Mind?

John Robins brings his Edinburgh Festival hit show on tour in 2014. Alter egos, ailments, love, nostalgia, indie-nights and belly-laughs. An hour full of raucous stand-up for anyone who’s tried to live in the moment, only to realise that moment happened over a decade ago. As Seen on Russell Howard’s Good News (BBC3), 8 Out of 10 Cats: Deal Or No Deal Mash-up (Channel 4). Three Weeks Editor’s Choice award winner What the Press have said:

“Sparkling stand-up” The Times “One of the most consistently pleasing hours on the fringe” *The Independent “Humane, interesting and consistently funny” The Scotsman “one man, one microphone, one fantastically funny show” ** Three Weeks “captivating” Chortle * The List Fest * Broadway Baby*Edfest Magazine.

Saturday 1st February 7:00p.m Josh Widdicombe and Ivo Graham - Work in Progress
Josh Widdicombe and Ivo Graham share a bill as they both work up new ideas.

Saturday 1st February 9:00p.m. Mike Wozniak - Take the Hit

Best Show Nominee, Fosters Comedy Awards 2013                                            His wife’s parents have moved in. Permanently. Not so much a show as a person getting out of the house. But fear not, Wozniak has more show business in his moustache than he does in his little finger. Where do you keep yours? Let’s find out if we get around to it. ‘Just could be the new comedy hero’ Time Out wrote that ages ago. ‘Completely hilarious, highly recommended’ (3 News - they are real and based in New Zealand). Wozniak has a total of 43 stars from an undisclosed number of reviews.   Praise for Take The Hit:   ** The Daily Telegraph Chortle ‘A Triumph *’  The List The Sunday Times

Book online at:

http://www.bikeshedtheatre.co.uk/whats-on/2014/2/#diary