Dan Nightingale, the popular host of the Severn Jesters comedy night has been confirmed as the MC for this year’s Shrewsbury International Comedy Festival (SICF) Gala Show. 

Described by Edinburgh Festival’s Three Weeks magazine as ’magnetic, entertaining and wonderfully friendly,’ Dan Nightingale is widely regarded as one of the best performers working on the comedy circuit today. Mixing fiendishly accurate observation with energetic characterisations and killer punch lines, his comedy is original, playful, intelligent, poignant and exciting; sometimes ridiculous… but always hilarious. Named Best MC at the UK Comedy Awards 2015, he will be introducing headline acts Flo & Joan, Steve Royle, Gary Delaney, Seann Walsh and Paul Sinha. 

Festival director Kevin Bland said: “We thought that after over a decade of hiding him away in The Walker Theatre hosting the Severn Jesters comedy nights, we would finally unleash Dan Nightingale in the big room next door. We imagined this would be a big thrill for him too but as he, along with his podcast Have A Word, is poised to sell out the 10,000 seat Liverpool Arena, it's more of an honour for us to have him! Dan has been ripping gigs up and down the country for 20 years and now is his time, as more people than ever will be able to witness his brilliance. We're delighted for him and delighted to be part of his journey to becoming a household name.” 

Aside from the Gala Show, which will take place at Theatre Severn on the evening of Sunday 17 July, SICF has also released details of the other performers and venues which will make up festival’s three-day tenure in Shrewsbury’s town centre. They are: 

Thursday 14 - Josh Pugh, Lou Conran and Eddy Brimson in The Loft at The Old Post Office.

Friday 15 - Justin Moorhouse, Rob Rouse and Andrew Ryan at Henry Tudor House.

Saturday 16 - Mike Cappozola, Alistair Barrie, Danny McLoughlin at The Old Market Hall. 

Following the one-hour stand up performances, there will also be ‘late and lively‘ shows on Friday and Saturday evening at Havana Republic. 

Tickets for these performances, as well as the SICF Gala Show on 17 July, are available through the Theatre Severn box office 01743 281281 or online here: https://theatresevern.co.uk/shows/shrewsburyinternationalcomedyfestival/