Pleased to announce the line-up for our next Laugh Local night at Chorlton Irish Club for the 3rd May

Last month our surprise opening act was Mr Roy Walker – this month’s guest headliner isn’t in any way like him, except very funny. You won’t want to miss out. We also had Lucy Simons on who was great, and a masterclass in comedy from Mr John Moloney. He loved the gig and everyone loved him as you can see in the picture at the top.

Headlining will be a VERY special guest who can’t be named. You’ll be surprised and pleased. One of them ‘if we named him (or her) the gig would sell out and we’d rather people came for the right reason though we are fully aware by doing this the gig will probably sell out any way’ things.

Our other main act is my good mate Rob Rouse. If you’ve never seen Rob you are in for a treat, he is up there in my top ten comedians to watch. He’s done lots of telly and stuff and tours and that. You’ll love him.

Our support act is Kiri Pritchard McClean who is by far the funniest & quick witted, one to look out for in the future not my words, but the words of the Leicester Mercury.

Tickets here - 3 acts – pasty supper (different types incl. veggie) and DISCO DANCING AFTER.

It’s going to be great.

Justin

Greetings readers and welcome to my Easter message

Loser

Well yesterday I didn’t win the Best Actor award at the Manchester Theatre Awards. I was nominated which is lovely gutted. Though the very talented Christopher Ravenscroft won. Good for him,I’m not bitter. Just disappointed It was great to catch up with Vicky who I did Two with and a few good mates like Dave Spikey and John Henshaw. A few pints in the Ox isn’t a bad way to lose that taste of defeat.

Winner

After that I nipped over to the Comedy Store to see Alun Cochrane’s recording of his Radio 4 show. It’s really good, I think it’s on in April. It’s just Alun doing what he does best, talking and being funny, all about the different room is your house, I’d highly recommend it to you. Plus his mate Gavin Osborn chips in too, and he’s very talented indeed.

The (near) Future

This weekend my tour takes in Birmingham Glee on Thursday night, Stevenage Gordon Craig on Friday and Hull Truck on Saturday – tickets are available for all three and remember, it’s Easter – it’s NO WORK TOMORROW* so be great to see you.

Speak soon

Justin

*for most people, obviously Priests and other clergy and nurses and that will be very busy.

It’s Sunday night. I used to quite like Sunday nights when I was a kid. I think it was the night Last of the Summer Wine was on. I loved that show when I was little, to be honest I still would watch it now. Why did they cancel it? Typical television bosses, they never give anything a chance.

Anyhow I was just popping up to say thanks to everyone who has been to the gigs this week, they’ve all been very special in their own way. Chorley on Saturday was immense – I’ve never had the chance to do that theatre before and every comedian who’d played it had told me I’d enjoy it.  Special thanks to Glasgow, Wolverhampton, Stockton and Lancaster audiences as well. It’s been a very busy week – two days filming on a thing for CBBC too that I don’t think I’m allowed to mention details of, but when I can I will. It has the potential to be very very good indeed.

Ive had a few people ask me if we are doing a third series of Everyone Quite Likes Justin for Radio 4 and the answer is no, not for now. We have been working on a television version of it for the BBC and we’ve handed that in now – fingers crossed and that you know..I think it’s very good and they should give us a series post haste but I would say that wouldn’t I? Lets hope if  they do they give it more of chance to grow than  Last of the Summer Wine hey.

Birmingham, Stevenage and Hull on tour this week, dates are up there where it says tour dates.

Spare me and Vicky Elliot a thought on Tuesday too – we are up for Best Actor and Actress in the Manchester Theatre Awards for our dressing up and pretending in Two last year at the Royal Exchange.

Speak soon chums

Justin

Good Morning chums

Hope today is a bright and fun filled Saturday for you. It’s Saturday morning, I’m full of a cold but looking forward to Chorley tonight, it’s sold out. Then I’ve got Glasgow tomorrow, it’s not sold out. There are some special offers on if you fancy it – click here

Just a little note – I’ve turned the comments section onto a ‘you must be logged in’ setting. No other reason than I’ve been receiving some horrible comments from someone who isn’t brave enough to say anything face-to-face or indeed use a real email address. Example above, it’s just tiring. I’m guessing Mr Fatw will be happy he’s had his moment now anyhow.

If you don’t want to register (I wouldn’t be bothered either) you can always email me info@justinmoorhouse.com – I get to see them all.

Take care

Justin

Hello friends

The above was taken yesterday from my hotel room in Edinburgh. Glamour.

A quick update from my tireless struggle across the United Kingdom, spreading joy and lifting spirits. It’s ok you don’t have to thank me, seeing your little faces brighten up in the audience is all the reward I need. That and my (smaller than you’d think) cut from the ticket sales.

I’m halfway through, seventeen down and seventeen left. I may, (I’d like to) do more dates in the Autumn – places I haven’t been able to get to this time around.

Tickets are available for most dates, though Sowerby Bridge, Saddleworth, Chorley and Lancaster are all sold out I’m afraid.

People seem to be liking the show, except one person, who has let me know a number of times he (or she but I reckon it’s a he) didn’t enjoy it. What is more interesting is that he seems to be surprised (again on a number of occasions) that I haven’t ‘approved’ his comments, so in the spirit of fairness, here is his nicest!

See you on the road

Justin

Hello Monday readers

Tour is going well so far, had some great audiences and I’m enjoying doing the shows.

I’ve received a couple of charmingly positive reviews and I feel that I’d like to show them to people. I am after all an ego driven show off comedian.

I’m not sure how I feel about doing it, on one hand I cringe when comedians retweet praise they’ve received after gigs, on the other hand lots of them that do have bigger audiences then me. I’m pretty much responsible for generating my own publicity and I suppose if I were a ‘bigger name’ then I’d have no problems with my ‘marketing machine’ spewing out all the nice things people say and hiding the bad ones of course. Blockbuster films and West End theatrical smashes certainly have no problem banging out the good reviews and star filled quotes adorn their posters.

On reflection, sod it – if it persuades one person who maybe have been umming an ahhing about coming to see me, then that’s a ticket sold, and it buys a Cheese and Onion slice on the way home (if you’ve seen the show – you know, you know….)

Here we go then first one is from Mancunian Matters and the second one is from Public Reviews

Jack of all trades but master of one, Justin Moorhouse shows the Salford crowd why comedy is his true calling with a laugh-a-minute journey through life’s peculiarities.

The Manchester-based comedian juggles work as an actor, a writer, a radio presenter as well as performing his stand up.

He was recently nominated as Best Actor in the Manchester Theatre Awards for his role inTwo at the Royal Exchange, a tale of a strained relationship through the prism of the landlord/landlady, where all parts were performed by him and co star Victoria Elliott.

This author saw the play, and can confirm it fully deserves the plaudits.

Moorhouse is better known as having played Young Kenny in Phoenix Nights, and also having starred in the wonderful Ken Loach-directed Looking for Eric.

The funnyman admits that outside of the Greater Manchester area his star fades a little, but in these parts he is a household name who can fill the Lowry’s perfect-for comedy Quays theatre.

The Justin Time Tour has no overarching narrative, and Moorhouse takes the Lowry on a heart-warming trip through his life into middle age and parenthood.

Deftly moving between improvisation and his written act, it is often hard to decipher whether he is keeping to the script, which is impressive in itself.

After a few risqué jokes about a certain Paralympian who has fallen from grace, he recalls an occasion where after taking his son to see his favourite band, after which the teenager opens up to his father and tells him he loves him, and that the night was the best of his life.

Moving as it may be, the revelation was tempered by the fact that it may have been chemically influenced.

Above all, his act is an engaging, belly laughs laden two hours of straightforward fun, which is never bad for the soul.

Sometimes overshadowed by Phoenix Nights contemporaries Dave Spikey and Peter Kay, Moorhouse rivals any comedian in the live arena, and, the woman snorting sat behind me wouldn’t disagree.

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Justin Moorhouse obviously relishes being in front of a home crowd at The Lowry in Salford, which provides a fantastic reception throughout. He says more than once how much he loves The Quays theatre as a venue, and hopefully he will return with his next tour, because this one is effortlessly brilliant.

Taken at face value, his interaction with audience members could sound very personal and insulting – picking out a ‘chunky’ (his word!) gentleman, and an ‘Oompah Loompah’ orange-faced woman, for just two examples – but incredibly all seems to be taken in very good humour. It’s a surprisingly risky strategy and very few comedians could get away with it, but Moorhouse’s nice-guy, matey personality sees him through impressively, with no real tricky moments.

Moorhouse is a well-known face on TV and voice on radio, with a Radio 4 show, Everyone Quite Likes Justin, a recently-finished daily show on Manchester’s Key 103 and regular TV appearances following his appearance in Phoenix Nights such as Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow (not to mention starring in Ken Loach’s film Looking for Eric).

There are stories from his schooldays (his former teacher is in the audience, giving the story a great twist), as well as stories about his 16 year old son – wherein the realities of growing up are painstakingly and excruciatingly detailed. May he never find out!

The highlight of an already excellent show is Justin’s encore, where he talks about school holidays and how to fill the almost constant run of holidays. This is a section which takes the audience from memories of playing out, to – yes, he went there – ‘stranger danger’ and the recent and ongoing arrests of 1970s celebrities, which is painfully funny. It ends with a tale of a visit to an owl sanctuary on a wet windy day, which will be recognisable to any parent or child who has had to fill a half-term with ‘fun’ activities.

The tour is called ‘Justin Time’ which is a nicely loose title, allowing Moorhouse free reign to basically have a chat with the audience about anything and everything and nothing. It shows a different side to a performer you might normally see on a comedy panel show or in a five minute showcase (or remember from Phoenix Nights). It’s a great vehicle for Moorhouse, and one of the funniest nights out you’re likely to come across.