As well as crunchy brown leaves, bonfire night and the excitement of the impending festive season, autumn brings us some amazingly strong schedules in our local theatres but Warwick Arts Centre's new comedy season is the one to trump the lot. Heading it up is Ben Elton, on stage on 17 December, in his first live stand up tour in eight years. Joining him in the autumn line-up is another old hand, Rob Newman, plus newer faces like Ross Noble, Paddy McGuinness and Al Murray. Fans of Ben Elton will be delighted with this rare opportunity to see the motormouth comedian in the flesh. He's been off the stand up radar since 1997, when he played to a record breaking 300,000 people. He first shot to fame in the 1980s with his shiny suits and anti-establishment "little bit of politics" routines. Since then, as well as becoming a national treasure in the comedy world, he's established himself as a best selling novelist and has penned a musical to boot!
 | | Stewart Lee - minus the Herring |
Also making his name with political comedy was Rob Newman, an original member of the Mary Whitehouse Experience and later part of a double act with David Baddiel before flying solo. He appears at WAC on Sunday, 2 October in Apocalypso Now - or From P45 to AK47, How to Grow the Economy With the Use of War. The tale leads from Wordsworth, Coleridge and the War On Terror In Somerset in 1797, via Salvador Dali and the Euro theory of Gulf War 2, to Your Hostage Survival Guide and the current vogue for saturation bombing, as Robert Newman explores the economic reasons for war. Ross Noble follows with a four night run from 4 to 7 October with his new show Randomist. The Geordie has built himself quite a reputation amongst the modern breed of comedians and every time he appears locally sees a massive clamour for tickets to see his surreal and rambling style in action. He sold out last year and tickets are going fast already.
 | | Funnyman Ross Noble |
Switch on the telly and if you're not greeted by a soap or Big Brother, the chances are you're tuned into Jimmy Carr. The man seems to be everywhere at the moment and, on 15 October, he appears at WAC in a brand new show, Off The Telly. The sharp-suited word play specialist sold out at WAC in 2003 and 2004 - can he do it again? You can be sure he will so squeeze in quickly if you want to catch him when he comes to Coventry on 15 October. Ardal O'Hanlon may have shrugged off the Father Dougal typecasting but his boyish innoncence has lost none of its charm and comes to Coventry on 3 November during his fourth UK tour. Turning 40 this year and with ants in his pants, he laments his lost youth and searches for meaning in his life. With wide-eyed wonder, surreal flights of fancy, and robust observations on the follies of man, this is Ardal's giddiest and most personal show to date.
 | | The boyish charm of Ardal O'Hanlon |
Stewart Lee has come a long way since his double act days with Richard Herring, veterans of Fist of Fun and This Morning with Richard, Not Judy. His career spans 15 years and alongside terrible/fantastic appearances at the Edinburgh Festival, he has written for Steve Coogan and Michael Barrymore, interviewed Neil Diamond, written a confusing novel about native American clowns, had two TV series cancelled by Jane Root at the BBC, dressed Johnny Vegas as a yeti, and recently been nominated for an Olivier Award for directing Jerry Springer: The Opera! His new show, 90s Comedian, rolls into Coventry on 20 November. Unmissable!
 | | Al Murray as Pub Landlord |
On 1 December, Paddy McGuinness makes a long awaited solo appearance after appearing in Coventry in the Phoenix Nights Bandwagoners tour last year. After playing Paddy in two series of the amazing Phoenix Nights (bring it back, Peter!) and one series of the patchier Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere, Paddy is carving out his own niche and should be good value. Al Murray, it seems, can't do anything without turning up in Coventry and Warwickshire and he's back again on 10 December in a much-anticipated new show And Another Thing. His brilliant quick-fire delivery as the Pub Landlord has to be seen to be believed. So go see! More faces will be unveiled over the summer so come back for updates on who else is coming. More details on all dates, including booking information, can be found on Warwick Arts Centre website. | 
