Good Ship Comedy presents Jonny and the Baptists

JONNY AND THE BAPTISTS

One of the UK’s hottest live musical comedy acts with ever-increasing live audiences from several hit tours and festivals, Jonny & the Baptists have been regulars on BBC Radio 4’s The Now Show and once topped the iTunes Comedy Chart with single ‘Farage’. They have also supported Mark Thomas on tour, appeared on the BBC’s Live at Television Centre and received death threats from unsurprisingly humourless UKIP supporters.  They write gloriously heartfelt, furiously angry songs about politics, love, creepy children's authors and how to make the world a better place.

Lead singer, Jonny Donahoe has the voice of a lovelorn old bluesman and makes audiences fall immediately in love with him.  As well as been a tremendous front man, he has been nominated for a New York Drama Desk Award for his hit one-man show Every Brilliant Thing on international tour, while Paddy Gervers has a cult following for acclaimed podcast ‘Podshambles’.

“Spirited comedy…broad, daft and punchy…politically energised… raucously silly.” Guardian

“The political edge of 80s alternative comedy… a pop soul voice to win X Factor.” Stewart Lee, The Observer

“Musical comedy’s rising stars.” Sunday Times

“Fieriness and heart… The enthusiasm, avidity and passion of the band radiate well after the gig has finished.” The List

AARON SIMMONDS

A BBC New Comedy Award finalist, Aaron is a bold, original and fearless new voice in stand-up, sharing all sorts of barely believable but completely believable stories from his life as a man of strong opinions and muscle-power in control of a wheelchair.

He performed his critically-acclaimed debut show, Disabled Coconut, at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2019, reaching the final of the Amused Moose Comedy Award competition for best show and gaining a nomination for Best Comedy Show in the Broadway World UK Edinburgh Fringe Awards.

Aaron has cerebral palsy and is a professionally-trained personal trainer, as well as a former international basketball player and world champion powerlifter.

"Belts along on wheels of laughter." The Scotsman

"Amiable, likeable, and a commanding presence on stage, Aaron Simmonds is an exciting talent."  Broadway Baby

SAM FLETCHER

Sam Fletcher is an actor, writer and comedian. His charming, quirky brand of comedy landed him a nomination for the Edinburgh Comedy Award, and he continues to perform regularly on the comedy circuit.

“Put simply no other show has made me smile so much this year.” The Independent

WILL MARS

Will is the sort of hard-working comic and innovator that has pulled himself up by his bootlaces with a gritty mixture of graft, originality and a dark, dark sense of humour.  As the creator of the Joke Thieves and Sketch Thieves formats he has travelled the world, pitting fellow comics against each other at international comedy festivals.  In the past few years he has followed his dream, moving from the UK on a mission to make it big in the USA.  He's succeeding too, having appeared on Fox's Showtime at the Apollo and being a finalist in NBC's Trial By Laughter.  Mark our words, you're gonna hear about Will being a British success story in America before too long. 

"Punctures an expectation and implies a whole bizarre reality in only twelve words." Guardian

HATTY PRESTON

Hatty Preston is a London-born but Chicago-ruined comedian who recently returned to her home town.

Whilst in Chicago she was a regular at all major comedy venues: Laugh Factory, Zanies, Comedy Bar and Second City.  She also headlined the 2018 3rd Annual International Lady Laughs Festival in Madison, Wisconsin with her set filmed for upcoming Glowstix Studios feature 'I Heart Funny Women’.

As an actress, Hatty is best known for playing Princess Maribel in Lionsgate’s ‘The Royals’ on E! Entertainment and for originating the role of Minty in Jennifer Saunders’s ‘Viva Forever!’ in London’s West End.  She is brilliantly crude, blunt and hilarious.

AND YOUR RESIDENT HOST:

BEN VAN DER VELDE

One of the quickest wits around and a much-loved compere, he always brings a jam-packed back of nonsense, silliness and wisecracks to every gig he hosts.

"Sharp and crafty gagsmith, a life-giving compere." Chortle

"Wonderfully improvised riffs showcasing his impressive spontaneity and sharp tongue." Edinburgh Festivals Magazine

“The perfect comedy club host – he is a master of audience interaction. The audience weren’t just warmed up, but pretty hysterical even before the first act of the night hit the stage.”  Huffington Post