Comedy at Manchester International Festival: where's the local talent?

Stopping by every couple of years like an absentee father, the Manchester International Festival turns up with hundreds of great stories of friends old and new, then whisks you away on myriad adventures before leaving you broken and exhausted on your mum’s doorstep. This year’s instalment is no different, with perhaps more old friends than new (we’re looking at you Björk and Albarn!) and always from further afield geographically than where you really want your (definitely metaphorical) dad to be. MIF does wonders for tourism and seems to aim to inspire rather than induct the local talent. Though they have dipped their toe in the comedy waters in the past, with 2013’s Smokey’s Barbers and the odd time they’ve given Johnny Vegas free rein to create something ridiculous, this year they have gone in two-footed with a full comedy programme.

To oversee this, they have asked London’s The Invisible Dot to curate a three-pronged attack on your funny bone with a mix of live theatre, multimedia and standup.

First up is The Crocodile: a new play written by Tom Basden, based on the short story of the same name by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Basden has priors working with some of the best comedy names around (and James Corden). He’s a frequent collaborator with fellow Invisible Dot favourite Tim Key and has been BAFTA nominated for his work on Channel 4’s Fresh Meat. The play is described by the writer as a "daft and deft satire on art, animals and selling out," and should be a nice transition from the heavier subjects the festival tackles with its dramatic pieces to the lighter side of the comedy section.

Adam Buxton will also be on hand to introduce some of his friends and his own new material in the elaborately titled Adam Buxton & Friends, running from 3-5 July. It will no doubt ape his usual BUG show stylings where he picks apart the very nature of the Internet and what it is that makes it so very hilarious. The third prong of this comedy trident, though, is perhaps the most exciting, with a host of The Invisible Dot’s favourite acts heading to their late night cabaret lineup. James Acaster, Tom Basden, Natasia Demetriou & Ellie White, Mae Martin, Nick Mohammed, Sheeps and Liam Williams will all be here in the Pavilion Theatre that transforms Albert Square into Festival Square over the course of the festival.

There is no doubt that this is an outstanding lineup, and that The Invisible Dot is a good choice to put together such a high calibre of acts, but there is still the strange feeling that the city in which the festival takes place has been criminally overlooked. The Invisible Dot is based in London, as are all the acts, and the only international amongst the lineup is the Canadian Mae Martin. Martin spent a short time with The Second City in Toronto, which would have made an interesting addition to the comedy section of a supposed international festival.

If they are to ignore the ‘International’ part of MIF so brazenly, then it might have been nice to put some emphasis on the ‘Manchester’ part of the festival. Many of the people on the cabaret lineup have appeared at some time or another on the XS Malarkey stage (James Acaster headlines on Tues 16 Jun. Meanwhile, Group Therapy were the first weekend club to rather bravely put on Sheeps to headline at Gorilla back in November of last year, and have hosted Adam Buxton’s shows too. Though it is the festival’s first time dealing with a comedy section, it might be better if they looked closer to home to source both promoters and comics to breathe more life into what is a very exciting time for Manchester’s comedy scene. Instead, they have taken the easy option and completely ignored the hardworking folk that put on comedy week in, week out here in the city. See you in a couple of years, Dad. Hopefully you’ll have more interest in your own kids by then.