Comedy: Pull the other one

A new home for an old venue, and plenty of treats to come

Psstt! Have you heard yet? You know those brilliant people at Otherplace Productions – the ones who pitch up camp and create the marvellous Fringe space that is The Warren every May, have programmed award-winning shows from comedy and theatre in that very space as well as over at Bar Broadway (as was the Three And Ten) and Marwoods? Those people, yes. They’ve moved base for 2015, into The Basement right in the heart of the North Laine, with two venues, a bar and bigger spaces all year around.

James Turnbull, Producer for Otherplace Brighton, commented; “Under the leadership of Helen Medland, The Basement has built up a truly international reputation for excellence at the forefront of contemporary arts. As Helen and her team focus on the hugely successful Sick! Festival, we are delighted to have the opportunity to continue to develop the venue, so it remains one of the city’s leading cultural highlights.”

Which means that you need not fear for all of the remarkably curated arts shows the Basement has become known for. There’s just more now.

As Artistic Director at Otherplace, Nicola Haydn, said; “The launch of Otherplace at The Basement means we can continue supporting new acts and introducing audiences to more great quality theatre and performance, as well as expanding in new directions that wouldn’t have been possible previously.” Tantalising, isn’t it?

This is the production company that Daniel Kitson recommended to Josie Long. That Sarah Millican did previews with. That saw Seann Walsh perform his first ever gig at their long-standing new act night, Rabbit In The Headlights. They’ve got good form.

So who’s coming up in the new year? Well, David Trent is in town on Saturday 31 January with his show ‘Renamed’. Recently seen trying not to corpse on stage as part of Nick Helm’s Christmas show at the Leicester Square Theatre, Trent is a marvel of Powerpoint and deadpan. Award-winning comic Edward Aczel tries out his latest Work In Progress show in early February. And the aforementioned Rabbit In The Headlights night celebrates its tenth birthday with special guest appearances by past acts, and new safe-pair-of-hands host Rob Dumbrell.

There are, of course, many other shows to be found on the website; I’m just teasing you with these few.

So well done Otherplace Productions. Congratulations on ten years of brilliant shows, a new home and a new year of great programming. Keep up the good work.
www.otherplacebrighton.co.uk

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