Eddie is force to be reckoned with
[gallery] The UK's biggest comedy names will descend on the region to headline venues in Birmingham and Wolverhampton during the coming week.
Eddie Izzard, Andy Parsons, Sean Lock, Josh Widdecombe and the Chuckle Brothers will play to local fans.
Eddie Izzard will bring his Force Majeure show to Birmingham's NIA on Wednesday and Thursday (May 15-16).
After stellar demand for the initial night, the venue announced a second date to give more fans the chance to see him live.
The tour, which means 'superior force' or 'chance occurrence' in French, is set to be the most extensive comedy tour, ever visiting 25 countries in total. 'Force Majeure' will showcase Eddie Izzard's unique comedic style, with a whole set of new material.
Comeback king Andy Parsons will bring his I've Got A Shed Tour to Wolverhampton's Wulfrun Hall on Thursday. The tour will be his fourth,following three successful shows that played to packed houses around the UK. The star started in TV on Spitting Image and became one of the main writers before embarking on a stand-up career which led to regular appearances on such shows as Mock The Week and Live at the Apollo.
TV funnyman Sean Lock will bring his latest show, Purple Van Man, to Birmingham's Hippodrome tonight and tomorrow. The show is filled with gags, opinions, deft observations and some silly voices. Lock is one of the UK's most highly acclaimed and original comedians.
Family entertainers The Chuckle Brothers will bring their latest show to Birmingham's New Alexandra Theatre on Sunday. In their new adventure, The Chuckle Brothers Meet The Phantom!, a theatre manager is in trouble because a ghostly presence is scaring all the people away. Things have got so bad that he has to sell everything off in order to pay the rent – even though he knows an empty stage is never any good for attracting shows.
Meanwhile, Josh Widdecombe will headline Birmingham's Glee Club on Thursday. The Guardian sports reporter-turned ace observationalist has the ability to find the sparkle in the mundane.
He was a nominee at the 2011 Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards and has starred on Channel 4's Stand Up for the Week and BBC1's Live at the Apollo.
His eagerly awaited brand new show deals with his inability to embrace adventure in his life and his continued frustration with everything he comes into contact with.
