Leics is more

Festival line-up announced

The full line-up has been announced for this year's Leicester Comedy Festival, boasting more than 140 events.

The ten-day event, now in its tenth year, is the biggest of festival dedicated purely to comedy in the UK.

This year's highlights include Ed Byrne, Richard Herring, Harry Hill, Jeremy Hardy and visiting US comic Doug Stanhope.

Outside stand-up, there are comedy plays, films and workshops, plus Carl Davis conducting The Philarmonia in front of Buster Keaton's classic film The General.

And Chortle is sponsoring a comedy conference on the final day of the festival, with guest speakers appraising the state of the industry, and how comedy relates to taboos, taste and stereotypes.

The festival was launched with a preview at the city's De Montfort Hall on Friday. Click here for a review.

Full listings are below, and more details are available on the official website.

Friday February 7

Coach & Horses, Lubenham: Brendhan Lovegrove, Matt Ford, Darrell Martin. 8pm

De Montfort Hall: The Best of the Leicester Mercury New Act Of The Year with Mitch Benn, Jo Enright, Jimmy Carr. 7.30pm

Half Time Orange: Jarred Christmas, Clare Campbell, Willy Knight, Duncan Loga, Roland Gent. 9pm

Haymarket Theatre: Festival Club with Jimmy Carr. 11pm

Huncote Community Centre: John Otway and Gary O'Donnell. 8pm

International Arts Centre: Tina C. 8pm

Jongleurs: Sean Percival, Chris Wainhouse, Steve Gribbin, Mark Walker 8.15pm

Loughborough Town Hall: Tim Vine, Patrick Monahan, Chris Cairns, Dom Carroll. 9pm

Phoenix Arts: Howard Read. 8pm

PLUS: School Days. (New College, 7.30pm); Comedy Murder Mystery (The Regency Hotel, 7.45pm); Talent Night (Haymarket Studios, 8pm)

Saturday February 8

Douglas Bader Centre: The Funjabi's. 7pm

Harborough Theatre: Ha Ha Harborough with Tim Vine, Matthew Osborne,Darrell Martin. 9pm

Haymarket Studio: Sausage & Samosa. 7.45pm

Haymarket Theatre: Festival Club with Glenn Wool, Al Pitcher, Matthew Osborne, Susan Murray. 11pm

Huncote Community Centre: John Otway and Gary O'Donnell. 8pm

International Arts Centre: Count Arthur Strong's Forgotten Egypt. 8pm

Jongleurs: Sean Percival, Chris Wainhouse, Steve Gribbin, Mark Walker 8.15pm

Loughborough Town Hall: Comedy 4 Kids. 2.30pm

Loughborough Town Hall: Dave Spikey. 8pm

Phoenix Arts: Dominic Holland. 8pm

The Stamford Arms, Groby: Brendhan Lovegrove, Matt Ford, Gary Delaney. 8pm

The Y: Comedy 4 Kids. 10.30am

PLUS: Jokers R Us (kids' improv classes, Trinity Methodist Church, 11am);Last Scene of All (Clarence House, 2.30pm); Talent Night (Harborough Theatre, 8pm); Comedy Murder Mystery (The Regency Hotel, 7.45pm)

Sunday February 9

De Montfort Hall: Ed Byrne. 8pm

The Horse & Trumpet, Wigston: Noel James, Matt Ford, Al Pitcher 7.30pm

International Arts Centre: Robert Newman. 8pm

Little Theatre: The Funjabis. 7.30pm

The Y: Brightside poetry cabaret 7.30pm

PLUS: Jokers R Us (kids' improv classes, Braunstone Oak Centre, 11am); Family comedy movie (Regal Cinema, noon) Comedy Murder Mystery (The Regency Hotel, 7.45pm); Talent Night (Huncite Community Centre, 8.30pm)

Monday February 10

Little Theatre Daniel Kitson. 7.30pm

De Montfort Hall: The Comedy Store Players. 7.30pm

International Arts Centre: Mirth Control with Angie McEvoy, Electric Forecast, Hils Barker and Zeron Gibson as Valentine Flyguy 8pm.

The Y: Adam Hills: Happy Feet. 9pm

The Looking Glass: Late 'n' Live. 9.30pm

PLUS: Billy Ivory plus comedy movie (Regal Cinema, 7.30pm); Absolutely Lacquered (The Looking Glass, 7.30pm); Talent Night (Molly O'Grady's, 7.30pm)

Tuesday February 11

Haymarket Studio: Kevin Hayes: The History of Ireland. 7.45pm

Haymarket Studio: Kevin Hayes: The History of Alcohol. 9.45pm

International Arts Centre: An Evening of Mirth Control with Inder Manocha, Christian Reilly, Nina Conti, Dougie Dunlop. 8pm

Little Theatre: Richard Herring's Talking Cock. 7.30pm.

The Looking Glass Gary O'Donnell. 7.30pm

The Looking Glass: Late 'n' Live. 9.30pm

Original Four: You're 'Avin A Giraffe' Comedy. 9pm

Phoenix Arts: Ennio Marchetto. 7pm and 9.45pm

PLUS: Ian McMillan's Big Family Show (Melton Mowbray Library, 7.15pm);Last Scene of All (New College, 7.30pm); Talent Night (Hogan's Narborough Road, 8pm)

Wednesday February 12

Dover Castle: Kandi Kane. 9.30pm

Haymarket Studio: Alan Francis: Clobbered. 7.45pm

Haymarket Theatre: Otis Lee Crenshaw. 8pm

Haymarket Theatre: Festival Club. 11pm

Little Theatre: Richard Herring's Talking Cock. 7.30pm.

The Looking Glass: Simon Bligh: My Trade 7.45pm

The Looking Glass: Late 'n' Live. 9.30pm

Molly O'Gradys: Irish Night with Martin Bigpig, Caimh McDonnell, MC Johnny Candon. 8.30pm

Stamford Hall Dining Hall: Steve Best, Marcus Birdman, Phil Nichol. 8pm

The Y: Mark Thomas. 8pm

PLUS: Gender and Sitcoms. (Phoenix Arts, 10.30am); Ealing Comedy film (Regal Cinema, 2.30pm); Absolutely Lacquered (The Looking Glass, 7.30pm); Stepping Out (Queens Hall, 7.30pm); If I Don't Know with Wendy Cope (Melton Theatre, 8pm); Talent Night (The Attik, 8pm)

Thursday February 13

Haymarket Theatre: Omid Djalili: Behind Enemy Lines. 8pm

Haymarket Studio: Festival Club. 11pm

International Arts Centre: Jimmy Carr. 8pm

Jongleurs: Keith Dover, Mallory and Mr Flute, Tony Woods, Colin Cole. 8.15pm

Little Theatre: Jeff Green. 8pm

The Looking Glass: Kev F's Rude Health. 7.30pm

The Looking Glass: Late 'n' Live. 9.30pm

O'Neills: Mark Maier, Markus Birdman, Caimh McDonald, Alfie Joey. 9pm

Original Four: Brendan Riley's Comedy SushiOriginal Four

Stamford Hall Dining Room: Noel James, Johnny Candon, George Egg. 9pm

The Y: Launching Our Y Fronts with Mrs Barbara Nice, Mandy Muden, Jarred Christmas and Zenjiro. 8pm

PLUS: Tuup (Highfields Library, 2.15pm); The Million Miles an Hour Workshop (Melton Mowbray Library, 4.30pm); The Hump (New College, 7.30pm); Stepping Out (Queens Hall, 7.30pm); Tuup (Leicester Guildhall, 8pm); Talent Night (Hogan's Queens Road, 7.30pm); Les Barker (The Musician, 8.30pm)

Friday February 14

De Montfort Hall: The Philarmonia play Buston Keaton's The General. 7.30pm

Little Theatre: Talent Night final. 7.30pm

Haymarket Theatre: Jeremy Hardy. 8pm

The Y: Gay Comedy Night with Julia Morris. 8pm

International Arts Centre: Andre Vincent is Unwell. 8pm

Jongleurs: Keith Dover, Nick Wilty, Sandy Netson, Colin Cole. 8.15pm

Original Four: Charlie Chuck. 9pm

The Half Time Orange: Dave Parton, Steve Day, Ruth Hine. 9pm

Leicester City Centre: Runga Rung processiona and fireworks. 10pm

PLUS: Shirley Valentine (Loughborough Town Hall, 7.30pm); The Hump (New College, 7.30pm); Stepping Out (Queens Hall, 7.30pm); Sausage and Samosa. (Countesthorpe Village Hall, 8pm); Stand-up comedy with Tony John (Braunstone Victoria Working Men's Club, 8.15pm)

Saturday February 15

Haymarket Theatre: Festival Club. 11pm

International Arts Centre: Don't Be Needy, Be Succeedy. 8pm

Jongleurs: Keith Dover, Nick Wilty, Sandy Netson, Colin Cole. 8.15pm

Phoenix Arts: Doug Stanhope. 8pm

The Y: Jason Wood. 8pm

PLUS: So You Want To Do A Show On The Edinburgh Fringe (Arts Training Central, 11am) Stepping Out (Queens Hall, 7.30pm); Sausage and Samosa. (Winstanley Community College, 8pm);