Comedians (M)
Mackenzie Taylor
Mae Martin
Maeve Higgins
Maff Brown
Magnus Betner
Malcolm Hardee
Mandy Knight
Mandy Muden
Marc Lucero
Marc Maron
Marc Wootton
Marcel Lucont
Marcus Brigstocke
Marcus Ryan
Marek Larwood
Margaret Cho
Maria Bamford
Marian Pashley
Marie Vagen
Mark Allen
Mark Cooper-Jones
Mark Cornell
Mark Dolan
Mark Felgate
Mark Gatiss
Mark Hurst
Mark Maier
Mark Nelson
Mark Olver
Mark Restuccia
Mark Simmons
Mark Steel
Mark Stephenson
Mark Thomas
Mark Walker
Mark Watson
Markus Birdman
Marlon Davis
Martha McBrier
Martin Beaumont
Martin Coyote
Martin Davis
Martin Hill
Martin Mor
Martin Tapley
Martine Pepper
Marty McLean
Marty Wilson
Mary Bourke
Masai Graham
Mat & Faron
Mat Ewins
Mathew Horne
Matt Blaize
Matt Dyktynski
Matt Grantham
Matt Green
Matt Hollins
Matt Kirshen
Matt Lucas
Matt Price
Matt Reed
Matt Rees
Matt Richardson
Matt Rudge
Matt Tiller
Matt Watts
Matt Welcome
Matthew Hardy
Matthew Highton
Matthew Holness
Matthew Osborn
Matthew Winning
Maureen Langan
Maureen Younger
Max Dickins
Max Dowler
Men In Coats
Men With Bananas
Meryl O'Rourke
Michael Ayers
Michael Fabbri
Michael J Dolan
Michael Legge
Michael McIntyre
Michael Mooney
Michael Redmond
Michael Smiley
Michael Tombs
Michael Winslow
Mick Ferry
Mick McGrath
Mick Miller
Mick Sergeant
Mickey Anderson
Mickey D
Mickey Hutton
Mickey Sharma
Micky Flanagan
Mike Belgrave
Mike Birbiglia
Mike Gunn
Mike McShane
Mike Milligan
Mike Newall
Mike Sheer
Mike Wilkinson
Mike Wilmot
Mike Wozniak
Miles Crawford
Miles Jupp
Milo McCabe
Milton Jones
Miranda Hart
Miriam Elia
Miss London
Mitch Benn
Mitch Fatel
Moonfish Rhumba
Moshe Kasher
Mowten
Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer
Mundo Jazz
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Comic Details

Mitch Benn

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Videos

Love Handles

At Latitude 2009


More Mitch Benn videos

Love Handles
African Baby
Mitch Benn improvised floods song
Mitch Benn Adoption Song

Other footage

Mitch Benn and The Distractions in The World Stands Up
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Biography

Mitch Benn started his career in Edinburgh in 1994, and was voted best new comic at the 1995 Glastonbury festival; scooping the Comedian Of The Year at The Leicester Comedy Festival three years later.

He's now an established face on the comedy circuit, a regular on both Radio 4's Now Show and Radio 2's It's Been A Bad Week, and star of his own Radio 4 series Mitch Benn's Crimes Against Music, which he performed with his regular backing band, The Distractions (Kirsty Newton on bass and keyboards and Tash Baylis on drums and percussion).

He has performed hour-long shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1997, 1998 and 1999, in the revue show The Bootleg Bootleg Beatles in 1998 and the showcase Carlton Comedy Warehouse in 1999, which the subject of a documentary series for Carlton TV.

He returned with the Distractions in 2003, and they released their debut single, Everything Sounds Like Coldplay Now in 2005.

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CV

CV

Radio: 2001-02:
Part of The Now Show team on Radio 4.
 
Stand Up: 2004:
Tour with The Distractions. Dates
Dates
Stand Up: 2003:
Edinburgh show: Mitch Benn And The Distractions
Mitch Benn And The Distractions
Stand Up: 1998:
Won Comedian of the Year competition at Leicester Comedy Festival
Leicester Comedy Festival
Stand Up: 1995:
Voted best new comic at Glastonbury Festival.
 
Audio / CD: 2005:
Everything Sounds Like Coldplay Now. Single. Buy
Buy
Audio / CD: 2004:
Too Late to Cancel CD with The Distractions. Buy.
Buy
Audio / CD: 2002:
Radio Face CD. Review.
Review
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Reviews

Gregg Jevin Memorial Concert
Live Review

Gregg Jevin Memorial Concert

Farewell Gregg Jevin, we hardly knew ye. ‘Legendary’ is a term used far too liberally in comedy, but never has that adjective been more apt than in his case.

He was a character of his time. Were it not for  Twitter, news of his death a fortnight ago, would never have spread so fast. After his passing was announced by comic Michael Legge, the news was picked up across the blogosphere, becoming a trending topic and being relayed by the likes of Charlie Brooker, BBC World Chris Addison, the Radio Times and Sarah Millican. Surely only a cynic would suggest these luminaries never really knew Jevin at all.

Then, through the spirit of community that binds comedians, this memorial gig was hastily arranged, attracting an impressive bill of comics all lining up to pay tribute to The Jevster. The man. The myth,

Legge had apparently been offered the Royal Albert Hall for the show – an ambitious potential booking considering it didn’t quite sell out the wonderfully intimate downstairs room of the Soho Theatre. But then in his all-too-brief time with us, Jevin was never of the mainstream.

Many of the comics tonight had personal memories of him that they put together especially for the show. A remarkably high number of them seemed to have been intimate with the man – a fact skilfully brought to attention by Shappi Khorasandi, when she frankly admitted her embarrassment that she had had the same idea for her witty eulogy as so many others on the bill.  Rachel Parris, for example, put her erotic memories to music, performing elegant comedy about inelegant topics, while her stand-up sections demonstrated perfect timing of wryly funny lines.

More memories came from Ian Rankin. Yes, that one. ‘He’s someone with better things to do,’ Legge stated in amazement before reading what the the bestselling novelist had written about his  memories of Jevin, and how he got on so famously with one Detective Inspector John Rebus.

Nick Doody shared some intelligent one-liners about the phenomenon tat was Jevin before his impressively sharp stand-up set; while Mitch Benn was the Elton John of the gig, literally singing Jevin’s praises in an emotional ballad. Elsewhere Al Murray’s desperate beer-fuelled grief added an appealing layer of pathos to his usually boorish Pub Landlord, though he was still as commandeering as ever.

It was not only memories of Jevin that took Murray back. He also reprised his largely forgotten role from the mid-Nineties as drummer with the world’s first Jewish heavy metal band, Guns N Moses, alongside Dave Cohen, aka Ax’l Rosenberg.

Not everyone shared personal memories, some just did their act by way of tribute. Simon Evans sneered at the Welsh in his archly supercilious way, while Tony Law was delightfully bonkers in the opening slot, making no bones about his lack of so-called ‘material’, hilarious through his honesty.

But if that seemed insane, it was nothing as to Bridget Christie in her new guise of Louise Mensch, the Tory MP for East Norhamptonshire, complete with ridiculous mask, vividly bright wig, wartime tin hat, Richard III stoop and coal-eating baby. ‘Underplayed’ clearly isn’t in her vocabulary. The destruction of the politician’s supposed feminist ideals was as complete as it was shambolic – though that, Christie is eager to assure us, is entirely planned.

The rasping pensioner Barry From Watford is a character in roughly the same mould, and though his ancient gags fell on stony ground, his take on the creepily rubbish ventriloquist act is a delight. Soon afterwards, in just two imaginative, brilliantly executed skits, The Trap reminded us why they are one of the funniest and most inventive sketch groups ever. Broadcasters should hang their head in shame not to have them on air.

Among all the veterans, Twitter wit Moose Allain made his stand-up debut – and although his nerves were obvious as he read his tribute, the writing, honed by the discipline of sticking to a 140-character limit, was impressive, full of unexpectedly twisting punchlines and sharp turns of phrase.

This is the sort of night – more normally found at the Edinburgh Fringe – that showcases the best stand-up can be – an inventive, playful one-off, taking a simple gag stupidly far, but with creative flair. The only misstep, really, was The Beatles – a booking that must have been made for the gag of having that name on the bill. But playing five or six cover versions, perfectly straight, meant this tribute act outstayed their welcome on a comedy bill, as the increasingly apathetic call-and-response sections attested.

But that was the only hiccup in a fantastic, never-to-be-repeated night. To paraphrase a joke of Doody’s, had Jevin been here, he would surely have been made up.

Date of live review: Thursday 8th Mar, '12
Review by Steve Bennett
Mitch Benn : Original Review
Mitch Benn : Original Review

Monday 11th Jun, '07-
Mitch Benn's Music Club
Mitch Benn's Music Club

Show - Edinburgh Fringe 2007 -
Ha Ha Hammersmith II
Ha Ha Hammersmith II

Show - Misc live shows -
Comedy HayDay
Comedy HayDay

Show - Misc live shows -
Leicester Comedy Festival Preview Show 2009
Leicester Comedy Festival Preview Show 2009

Show - Misc live shows -
Mitch Benn and The Distractions
Mitch Benn and The Distractions

Show - Edinburgh Fringe 2003 -
The World Stands Up Live
The World Stands Up Live

Show - Edinburgh Fringe 2006 -
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Comments

Skip to page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Sad to say he's just boring and old hat. His songs are not very funny.

not funny, July 2011


Not funny at all anymore, "punch lines" too few and far between for the 3 mins song to be worth listening too.

lolo, June 2011


His attempt to turn tTitter to his bank account's advantage smack of desperation, as do the jokes in his Twitter 'History' book - an entire lift, almost, of 'The Wastepaper Basket Diaries'. What a careerist, uninspiring comic he truly his.

Mandy Allan, January 2010


I just don't think he's very funny. His songs are the lowlights of the (already pretty smug and unfunny) Now Show on Radio 4. His parodies of different styles are clever. His jokes are not.

Matt M, January 2008


Seen him several times now and his songs are funny and clever and after introducing him to several friends I am smug in the fact that they loved him too! keep rocking the house!

Sp, February 2007


Saw him at our Student Union in Aberystwyth after listening to many, many hours of his material on Radio4. And after delighting the crowd with a song about our very town, he proceeded to absolutely rock the joint. We were still grinning with mirth afterwards. A class act, to say the least. Go and see this man. Gold!

Benita, December 2006


Have been a dedicated Mitch fan for years now. Finally got to see him live last year at the Comedy Club in Bristol. He's a complete genius & his songs are so cleverly written and sung. Rock on, mate

Em, July 2006


If he hates James Blunt and boy bands why give them publicity by singing about them? An absolutely awful act with contrived material

Rich Dudley, June 2006


Skip to page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5



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News
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Where can I see Mitch Benn next?

Where can I see Mitch Benn next?

Recommended
19:30 - Thursday 24th May, '12
Venue: Bloomsbury Theatre
Prices: £15
Comics: Abandoman, Deborah Frances White, Jason Cook, Joe Wilkinson, Josh Widdicombe, Mitch Benn, Matthew Crosby (MC)
Info: Fundraiser for the John Hartson foundation
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
19:30 - Friday 25th May, '12
Venue: Stafford Gatehouse Theatre
Prices: £13.50 (£12.50 concs)
Comics: Mitch Benn
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
20:00 - Monday 4th Jun, '12
Venue: The Miller
Prices: £6 (£4 concs)
Comics: Henning Wehn, Mitch Benn
Info: Plus: Rob Thomas
Show starts: 20:00 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
19:30 - Friday 15th Jun, '12
Venue: Comedy Store
Prices: £20
Comics: Addy Van Der Borgh, Gordon Southern, Mitch Benn, Pete Johansson, Rob Rouse (MC)
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
23:00 - Friday 15th Jun, '12
Venue: Comedy Store
Prices: £15 (£10 concs)
Comics: Addy Van Der Borgh, Gordon Southern, Mitch Benn, Pete Johansson, Rob Rouse (MC)
Show starts: 23:00 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
19:30 - Saturday 16th Jun, '12
Venue: Comedy Store
Prices: £22.50
Comics: Addy Van Der Borgh, Gordon Southern, Mitch Benn, Pete Johansson, Rob Rouse (MC)
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
23:00 - Saturday 16th Jun, '12
Venue: Comedy Store
Prices: £18 (13 concs)
Comics: Addy Van Der Borgh, Gordon Southern, Mitch Benn, Pete Johansson, Rob Rouse (MC)
Show starts: 23:00 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
20:00 - Friday 29th Jun, '12
Venue: Liverpool Slaughterhouse
Prices: £15
Comics: Mitch Benn, Steve Shanyaski, Tiffany Stevenson
Info: Plus: Neil Fitzmaurice
Show starts: 20:00 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
20:00 - Friday 29th Jun, '12
Venue: Manchester Comedy Store
Prices: £18 (£9 concs)
Comics: Ben Norris, Jo Caulfield, Josh Howie, Mitch Benn, Justin Moorhouse (MC)
Show starts: 20:00 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
20:00 - Saturday 30th Jun, '12
Venue: Liverpool Slaughterhouse
Prices: £17.50
Comics: Mitch Benn, Steve Shanyaski, Tiffany Stevenson
Info: Plus: Neil Fitzmaurice
Show starts: 20:00 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Recommended
19:00 - Saturday 30th Jun, '12
Venue: Manchester Comedy Store
Prices: £20 (£10 concs)
Comics: Ben Norris, Jo Caulfield, Josh Howie, Mitch Benn, Justin Moorhouse (MC)
Info: Two shows: 7pm and 9.30pm
Show starts: 19:00 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Mitch Benn
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