Born into a circus family, the famous Mucmors, Martin had an early career as a juggler, unicyclist, knife thrower, fire-eater, magician, and photographic model. The beast within the boy unleashed at last, he became the dynamic, multi-skilled performer Martin Bigpig, combining startlingly original material with bold, energetic improvisation. His love of working the audience, and an inability to remember his script, mean that every show is a unique interactive live event, and no two shows are ever the same.

Paddington Bear meets the loony at the bus stop in a unique comic creation that manages to be both poignant and laugh-out-loud hilarious.

Danny headlined at the Green Belt festival in August and his mirth-fuelled musings and diary readings have established him as an ever-burgeoning cult figure on the national comedy circuit.

Danny Pensive..

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO CHESTERFIELD BEFORE. IF NOT, ARE YOU OVERWHELMED WITH EXCITEMENT?
I have come to Chesterfield before, to visit the crooked spire. It made me nervous - I thought it would fall down.

HAVE YOU EVER STOLEN ANYTHING?
No not ever. I did once drink a cup of tea that was made for someone else, but that was an accident.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SHOP?
My favorite shop is the newsagents, my local one sells ham and pickle crisps - they are topper.

WHAT WAS THE LAST SONG THAT YOU DANCED TO?
The last song I danced to was Superman by Black Lace.

WHAT WAS THE BEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE?
I dont think think I've had it yet.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE WORD?
I like saying 'equidistant' - that is when a place is halfway between two other places.

Hailing from Malawi, Daliso began comedy in Canada with the acclaimed one man show Feed This Black Man. Subsequent success abounded (highlights included The Just For Laughs Festival and CBC Television's Crossing The Main). he performed his debut solo Edinburgh Festival Show Westerners Calm Down to universal acclaim. Now a U.K resident, he is whipping up a storm across the U.K and beyond with his endlessley engaging wit and is a regular headline act at the jongleurs chain of comedy clubs.

Chris Ramsey strides onto the stage and you immediately
know you are in safe hands; his high-energy delivery, hugely engaging manner and off-the-cuff style have made him one of the most exciting new acts to hit the circuit in recent years. Upbeat and lightning fast, he commands the stage with the tenacity of a comic with twice his experience. Chris is a regular compere at some of the biggest comedy clubs in the U.K. and has supported both Russell Kane and Stephen K Amos on national tours. He has been a guest on Q Radio and Kerrang Radio and has provided live warm-up for Channel 4?s The Gok Wan Road Show.

Terry was voted in the Top 10 of greatest living comedians by Time Out Magazine in 2008, which is rather flash. He's also a Chortle Award winner for innovation in comedy and is fast becoming an Edinburgh Fringe stalwart with his solo shows Missed Connections and Pulp Boy garnering plaudits a-plently. His most recent show Figure 8 is touring U.K theatres from January 2010. He is a sublime, must-see performer carving his own stand-up niche, and one that all romantics and emotional cripples should graviate towards. Shyly, of course.

Tatiana is a Russian comedian whose stern, clipped delivery and harsh unsmiling demeanour makes laughter seem forbidden, and thus all the more inevitable as devoid of emotion she recounts her lost-in-translation jokes. The addition of her glove puppet Mr Twinkle only serves to accentuate the sense of surreal socialist hilarity. described as 'a potential successor to Catherine Tate' by Graham Smith, ex head of BBc 3, she was a recent runner up in the Funny Woman Competition and is fresh from the Vladivostock Comedy Festival. Probably!

In-demand Irish wit as seen on The Stand Up Show, Live at Jongleurs, The Empire Strikes Back and The Comedy Store as well as writing a column in The Irish Post and headlining clubs everywhere from Derry to Dubai. A tropical performer with a raconteur's eloquence, a lunatic's store of energy and a flamboyant flair for rib-tickling satire. Oh, and quite big hands.

Winner of the inaugural Spotlight Comedy 'Crooked Smile' Award 2009, Nottingham lad Matt offers fabulously funny flights of fancy combining cleaver-sharp one liners with weird and genuinely wonderful visual and aural tomfoolery. he could gig in an igloo and still warm the room to his amenable demeanour and inspired oddball antics.

A former Jongelurs new Act winner and Phil kay theatre support act, 2009 proved to be a great year for tousled hero. As well as bringing us an acclaimed new Edinburgh show, his fifth, he returned from Austrailia where his No More Mr Nice Guy show was a sold-out hit at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. his comedy show about wine - James Dowdeswell Sticks His Nose In also sold out a run at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.

Sarah is a native of Melbourne now performing her well-honed tales suffused with urbanity and wisdom all over the UK and beyond. She lost 3 years of her life presenting an interactive Sky show in the middle of the night to an audience of pasty-faced geeks and loners (with her clothes on - it wasn't one of those channels). Ms. Bennetto is thankfully responsible for somethings of worth, including experimental comedy collective Storytellers' Club, stints co-presenting on Stephen Merchant's BBC6 show and she has just toured Melbourne and Edinburgh with her first feature-length show, 'Lucky'.

Featuring Edinburgh Festival preview performances from some of the finest acts bound for the A1 in August. At time of writing (October 8th, 12.49, trivia fans) it is WAY too early to be booking any folks yet as even the finest shows are still just undeveloped comedic nugget at the back of a performer's mind at this juncture. Given that past Spotlight previews have included the illustrious likes of Justin Moorhouse, Jason Cook and John Gordillo, all of whom went on to receive plethora of 4 and 5 star reviews for their shows, the quality control bar will again be set impeccably high. Going on past performers it will presumably be somebody well known beginning with 'J'. Perhaps John Craven - 'Countryfile XXtra - Too Rude For TV'.

See June 24th entry for explanation. My head hurts.

Yes indeed, following last year's full house and veritable phalanx of up and coming gagsters in the Auditorium we are seeking another piping hot comedic prospect to follow in the frenetically funny footsteps of 2009 winner Matt Turner. 8 wonderfully witty performers will compete for the trophy, a crisp £100 and a contract of paid gigs on the U.K comedy circuit.

Plus a headlining set from Alan Hudson.