If you want to experience something entirely different then seek out Latitude’s quirky den of mischief and mayhem

Cabaret Arena

If you want to experience something entirely different then seek out Latitude’s quirky den of mischief and mayhem; the Cabaret Arena. Inside you will witness comedy sketch shows, burlesque, freak shows, drag queens, sing-a-longs, illusionists and much, much more to be announced. With Vaudeville fun, sharp, incisive wit, camp entertainment and a good ol’ fashioned knees up, the Cabaret Arena positively encourages you to leave your inhibitions at the door and be game for anything and everything. This surreal bordello of surprises and spectacular stage shows is visually rich, beautiful and bizarre and will tempt and titillate in equal measure.

“How To Get Almost Anyone To Want To Sleep With You – The Advanced Class” at Latitude follows Deborah Francis White’s sell out runs at the Edinburgh Festival, the Melbourne Comedy Festival and a UK tour. Deborah will take you on step by step guide of her hilarious and empowering principles including how a hat can make you sexy, finding your inner Clooney or Jolie and even getting the hardest person in the world to want to sleep with you – your spouse. Deborah writes and performs for BBC Radio 4 and Radio 5 Live. She is a Hollywood screenwriter having recently sold a screenplay she co-wrote to Fox Searchlight. She is a motivational speaker and is co-author of ‘The Improv Handbook’, a guide to improvised comedy.

“Gloriously talented...She is incapable of delivering a bad show.”
Time Out London

Jack Nicholson once said “You can’t handle the truth”. But that was in 1992 and it’s now 2009 and it's time for some answers. The I.O.U. is a renegade think tank designed to solve life's big questions. Finally we can prove, live on stage, the biggest mysteries known to man - “Is there a God?”, “Do aliens exist” and “How’s my driving?”. Our motto; 'I.O.U. An Explanation'. Starring Sophie Black (If.com Best Newcomer nominee) Jon Hunter (Delta Forever, BBC3) and Holly Walsh (Chortle Best Newcomer).

Jessica Delfino is an NYC based controversial musician comedian. She has had the distinct pleasure of being publicly denounced by the US Catholic League for her songs, jokes and videos. She played to sold out audiences at London’s Soho Theatre and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and has appeared on the Russell Brand Show. Jessica loves performing in England because the English love her dark sense of humour. The London METRO said “A stirring show of ribald folk songs. There’s more to this seriously talented comic songwriter than filthy jokes…”

In the ‘70s it was Star Wars, the ‘80s Die Hard, the ‘90s The Matrix. Now…Zimbani! The new buzzword in action, terror, and adventure. Zimbani - a totally demented new comedy starring Colin Hoult (Colin & Fergus), David McNeill (Laura Ben and Him, ITV2) and Clare Warde (Touch Me, I’m Karen Taylor, BBC Three).

Cardinal Burns from Fat Tongue (if.comedy/chortle nominees) bring you their brand new show for 2009. They've both started going to the gym regularly so it should be a good night.

Friends since their school days, Lorna and Ingrid always shared the same sense of humour. On graduating from Edinburgh and Oxford universities respectively, Ingrid trained at drama school whilst Lorna did her training on the stand-up and improv circuit. Despite treading separate paths, they would always come together and write sketches and scripts for their own amusement. In 2005, after several years of comedic onanism they eventually decided to do what they had always talked about and put on a show themselves. Their debut show the Edinburgh Pleasance Theatre in 2006 put them on the map as bright young things in the world of sketch comedy, with sell-out shows, and excellent reviews. They returned to the Fringe in 2007, with a Channel 4 ‘Funny Cut’ under their belts, and writing credits on ‘The Peter Serafinowicz Show’ and ‘Rush Hour’ to their names. 2008 saw another successful Edinburgh run, and further success on TV, with guest spots on ‘Tonightly’ and writing and performing credits on ‘The Wrong Door’.