The Wit Parade: Liverpool Comedy Festival

Back for its 13th year, the Liverpool Comedy Festival is a gleeful parade of established names rubbing shoulders with unsung heroes and hopeful fools in equal measure. There is a plethora of acts from which to choose, running from the sublime to the ridiculous and back again, via Whimsy-Me-Not Avenue. “In my first year as festival manager, I am absolutely thrilled with the line-up,” says, well, festival manager Sam Avery. “It's going to be more diverse than the Speke night bus, with a huge cross-section of comedians performing.”

With every effort taken to provide a breadth of choice under the festival's massive umbrella, some of the biggest names touring the country will shelter merrily next to comedians who struggle to convince friends and family to come to their gigs – but who might just be precisely your cup of tea. So while you may already be eagerly awaiting the arrival of Michael Palin (Echo Arena), Sean Hughes and Robin Ince (Royal Court Theatre), it's worth checking out what else is available.



The bigger comedy clubs of the city, which march to the drum of humour all year round, have punctured a hole in their snare with some typically excellent lineups. You can see acts from all over the country mixing with regulars on the Liverpool circuit, from local treasure Nige – aka Keith Carter – at Hot Water Comedy, to Phil Nichol's carefully sculpted flights of fancy (Laughterhouse), and the nigh-on perfect Ray Peacock (Liverpool Comedy Central).



Most of the regular comedy nights have made an extra effort to promote the festival by arranging for some local acts to do their first solo shows. Bless 'em. One suspects that Tony Carroll: Just Wants to be Loved (from Hot Water) isn't all it might appear, as he opens up about his love life while sharing his mad passion for 'the spit game.' Still, his enthusiasm for proceedings is genuine enough, as he tells us, “I'm excited. Ever since starting standup four years ago, I've wanted to do a show in my hometown, for my friends and family to enjoy.”

Meanwhile, in the festival's only show based on a quantum mechanics proof, Mike Osborne will be attempting to hold both the best and worst gig ever to take place (simultaneously) in Schrödinger's T**t (courtesy of Live at the Pilgrim) – an exploration of multiverse theory and suchlike, or why science isn't just for people who need glasses. Although Mike does wear glasses, it's worth pointing out.



Hordes of comics limp behind, flagging from extensive weeks gigging in Edinburgh, and will perform their Fringe shows again, no doubt while experiencing vivid flashbacks. Some of the finest young talents in the Northwest – Steve Bugeja, Pete Otway, Kiri Pritchard-McLean and Hayley Ellis, to name but a few – are showing up. (We're also very excited that, in partnership with the festival's organisers The Comedy Trust, The Skinny – yes, that's us! – is hosting a showcase of Northwest acts at The Kazimier on 30 September featuring ten comics who've been featured in our regular Comedy Spotlight column.)

In the fairly niche Scouse musical act contingent, there are two. The criminally unsung Steve Gribbin, with his blisteringly clever songs and random asides, comes swaggering down the road, waving his razor sharp wit like a massive flag. Hometown boy Silky (if you count Crosby) scuttles behind, trying to peddle his tawdry 4*-reviewed wares for bare coinage, like a la-di-da fop. Now to be found around Leeds, he'll presumably be travelling via canal to impress the patrons of his place of birth: "I've used the past three Edinburgh Festivals just so I'm at match fitness for this show,” he says. “I know how exacting a home crowd can be, and want to be sure I'm bringing my A game."

The last float of the comedy parade is always the oddest. It jangles into view, with delights and unexpected oddments flailing free, such as a screening of American: The Bill Hicks Story, including a Q&A with the director, Matt Harlock, and the BBC Writersroom Seminar teaching budding comics to fully develop ideas. Lastly, Tee Hee in the Park and the Comedy Coach Tour hove into view dragging wheelie bins, to sweep away the confused mixture of confetti and litter left behind it all.

Plenty to marvel at, then. And all dancing joyfully past your window. It'd be almost rude not to go out to gawk at it for a while.