Anyone for tennis? West Berks Comedy Festival serves up the goss on Wimbledon
From Wimbledon to West Berks - Wimbledon line judge for 20 years, comedian Pauline Eyre is ready to spill the Pimm’s on tennis gossip from the fragrant royal box to the musty locker room.
Pauline Eyre is heading to Hungerford ahead of a return to the Edinburgh Fringe with her second solo hour Anyone For Tennis?
This comes after Wimbledon line judges like her have been replaced with technology and it’s just not…well, it’s just not cricket.
This summer sees electronic line-calling at Wimbledon, replacing the iconic line judges, with their eccentric uniforms and strange poses, with AI voices and whole heap of new controversy. But it does mean an opportunity to dish the dirt on a career’s worth of juicy gossip and salacious stories.
And with an eclectic career off the court – a former BBC continuity announcer, familiar voice of British advertising and even a (very) short stint as a Page 3 model (it was a sunglasses ad - honest!), she is the most nearly famous person you’ve never met. 'She’s warm, wonderfully funny and you’ll want to be her pal' (stand-up Angela Barnes).
Pauline’s show is one of 16 shows coming to the area as part of the West Berks Comedy Festival. Her show is scheduled for the final Saturday of the festival, at 4pm on Saturday July 26, at the Croft Hall in Hungerford. It’s the perfect slot to allow local players the chance to play in the morning, have a shower and grab something to eat before the show, or to go to the show and then play in the evening!
Pauline’s show will be followed at 6pm by American actor and comedian Mike Capozzola’s show, May you be with the Farce is an affectionate multi-media take on everything to do with Stars Wars and is sure to be a hit with fans of the Star Wars movies.
Other highlights of the festival include a visit to Thatcham from President Obonjo, the faux African dictator on a mission to raise the profile of Lafta Republic, and in Newbury, a tour show from Aussie comic Michael Shaffar.
Cutlery safety expert Ian Crawford will present his essential guide to the proper use of cutlery at Thatcham Rugby Club on July 17, and Paul Kerensa – a writer for Not Going Out and Miranda – presents The BBC and Me at St Nicolas Church Hall on Thursday, July 22.
Tickets are available from the festival website at www.wbcf.uk and unlike most ticketing options, there is no booking fee charge with any ticket. You only pay the price of the ticket and nothing on top. Several charities will benefit from tickets sold, including Eight Bells for Mental Health, Naomi House, New Life, RNIB and others.
The full schedule for West Berks Comedy Festival:
Thursday, July 17 - Thatcham Rugby Club. 7.30pm Accident Avoidance Training for Cutlery Users: Advanced & Improvers - Ian Crawford (£8)
Thursday, July 17 - Thatcham Rugby Club. 8.30pm. Dinner with the President - President Obonjo (£8) Friday July 18 - Hungerford Football Club. 7.30pm Charmarama - Charmian Hughes (Pay what you want, but £1 now reserves your seat)
Friday, July 18 - Hungerford Football Club. 9pmThe Great British Menu (of petty complaints) - Samantha Day (£9 / £5 concessions)
Saturday, July 19 - Ace Space, Newbury. 7.30pm Inappropriate - Michael Shafar (Pay what you want, but £1 now reserves your seat)
Saturday, July 19 - Ace Space, Newbury 9pm, Bedtime stories for children over 18 - Graeme Coulam (Pay what you want, but £1 now reserves your seat)
Monday, July 21 - Falkland Cricket Club, Newbury. 7.30pm, How long have I got? - Nik Hill (Pay what you want, but £1 now reserves your seat) Monday July 21 - Falkland Cricket Club, Newbury. 8.15pm, Half soaked - Lovdev Barpaga (Pay what you want, but £1 now reserves your seat)
Tuesday, July 22 - Hungerford Hub. 7.30pm, The world's oldest man - Sam Michael (£5)
Thursday, July 24 - St Nicolas Church Hall, Newbury, 7.30pm, The BBC & Me, Then & Now - Paul Kerensa (£10)
Friday, July 25 - Frank Hutchings Centre, Thatcham. 7.30pm, Dan Collins & Alexis Coward (pay what you want but £1 secures your seat)
Friday, July 25 - Frank Hutchings Centre, Thatcham. 8.15pm, Did you watch that reel I sent you? - Tom Glover (£12)
Saturday, July 26 - Croft Hall, Hungerford 4.30pm, Anyone for tennis - Pauline Eyre (£8)
Saturday, July 26 - Croft Hall, Hungerford 6pm, May you be with the farce - Mike Capozzola (£5)
Saturday, July 26 - Croft Hall, Hungerford 8.00pm, Van der Laugh Generator - Ben Van der Velde (£10)
Saturday, July 26 - Croft Hall, Hungerford 9.30pm, Bedtime stories for children over 18 - Graeme Coulam (£4)
