A Double Bill of work in progress shows from two great comics – catch their Edinburgh show before the festival-goers do. / £14.50 concessions. , starts 8pm. Fiona Allen: Work In Progress Sellout 2023 and Smack The Pony Star runs out of time to find the perfect excuse to avoid social engagement must confront their worst fear.other people! Twice Emmy winning actor and comedian Fiona Allen has been a mainstay of our TV screens over the past two decades. She has starred in various sketch shows, including "Goodness Gracious Me" and "The All Star Comedy Show", but most famously "Smack the Pony". Fiona has also appeared in television dramas such as "Dalziel and Pascoe", "Coronation Street", in "Happiness" alongside Paul Whitehouse, and on film as Sandra in the film version of the famous Viz comic strip "Fat Slags", and Smirgut the Fierce in "Gladiatress". Most recently she has been in that little-known soap "Eastenders". Fiona won a whole new generation of fans in the second series of the hit E4 teenage drama "Skins", playing Maxxie's mum, Jackie Oliver (her on-screen hubby was Bill Bailey). She has also played the role of Georgia Stevenson in the BBC drama "Waterloo Road", while often appearing as herself on comedy shows like "Mock the Week" and "8 Out Of 10 Cats". "Punchlines delivered with cutting execution" Scotsman "Appealingly barbed company" Guardian Eli Matthewson: Work In Progress Eli Matthewson is the first ever New Zealander to move to London and he has done it right on time for the end of the world. Just as life was starting to feel safe and secure, he has thrown it all away and scraped into the UK on the last possible week he could qualify for the youth mobility visa. A show about doing everything you can to make something of yourself before society completely crumbles. "Punchlines that whip back around like a tossed ponytail" – Theatreview "That most generous of comedy things: a personal show that feels inclusive, offering a series of vignettes that invite introspection without ever getting preachy." ★★★★ – The Recs "Smart, silly, and thoroughly entertaining." ★★★★ – Ed Fest Mag ★★★★ – Three Weeks ★★★★ Scotsman ★★★★ Chortle ★★★★ Voice Mag

Venue: Colchester Arts Centre, Church Street, Colchester, Essex CO1 1NF.

Event type: Comedy.

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