A COUPLE of finalists from Britain’s Got Talent aim to put a smile on people’s faces early in the new year, courtesy of the dale’s Funny Way To Be Comedy.
The 2022 comedy season kicks off with the visit of Daliso Chaponda, who is bringing his Apocalypse Not Now show to The Witham, Barnard Castle, on Saturday, January 22.
Seven days later, Ben Hart hits the stage at The Witham with his debut solo comedy show.
For Daliso Chaponda, it’s fair to say that neither 2020 nor 2021 have been going to plan, but he’s been performing online daily to millions of viewers.
Apocalypse Not Now finally gets him out of the house and on a stage.
He shot to fame on Britain’s Got Talent, making it to the final of the 2017 series and establishing himself a firm favourite with the judges and the British public.
He became a Facebook and YouTube star, amassing over 200 million views of his shows and performing around the world and at the Edinburgh, Melbourne, Singapore, and Cape Town comedy festivals. He has also toured the UK twice to sell-out audiences and rave reviews.
Daliso is also the writer, creator, and host of his Rose d’Or nominated BBC Radio 4 show Citizen of Nowhere that has aired for two series and has become a regular on TV and radio.
In addition to standup comedy, he is also a prolific fiction writer and is currently working on his new novel and a children’s book.
Ben Hart came to the nation’s attention in the 2019 series of Britain’s Got Talent.
Described by judge David Walliams as “the living embodiment of magic” , Ben Hart has played to royalty, heads of state and celebrities, in West End theatres, international arenas and on dozens of UK and international TV appearances.
He has established a reputation for creating alternative magic. At the age of 16 he received the prestigious Young Magician of the Year award by the Magic Circle and is one of the youngest ever members of The Inner Magic Circle (with gold star) – the highest level of the famous Magic Circle.
When not performing magic, Ben invents, writes and directs magic tricks and illusions for TV, theatre and film. His ideas have been performed by some of the top magicians working in the world and he has designed illusions for The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Old Vic, The Globe, The Hampstead Theatre and was the mind behind the acclaimed special effects in the west end production of The Exorcist.
Ben has also performed as part of Impossible, one of the world’s biggest magic shows and appeared in the West End for two consecutive years with the show.
Promoter Peter Dixon, of Funny Way To Be, said the shows offered a couple of entertaining evenings to kick-start comedy in the new year.
“Daliso is a high energy comedian who is both thought provoking and extremely funny at the same time.
“We are delighted he’s opening the 2022 leg of his tour in Barnard Castle.”
On Ben Hart, he added: “As well as stand-up comedy we love to bring the best variety acts to the stage at The Witham and there is no better example at the moment than this show.
“Ben gives magic shows a very modern twist. I’m certain he’ll be a great hit in Barnard Castle.
“Expect to see mind-blowing and exciting trickery in a show that shines a light on magic, life, the universe and the darkest corners of your imaginations. With the simplest of props, Ben Hart conjures an altogether new kind of magic.”
Tickets for both shows are on sale via funnywaytobe. com or the Witham Box Office on 01833 6331107.
