Monday, 3 December 2012
Thursday, 22 November 2012
THE STORY PROJECT 4!
What a whirlwind week rehearsing and performing for Ugly Sister Production's 'The Story Project 4'. Ten writers were given the theme of 'Tears, Terror and Twenty Twelve' and have written a fantastic selection of plays, each one unique, relevant, thought provoking, but most importantly - as in keeping with the Ugly Sisters' mantra - a good story.
Friday, 12 October 2012
One fever brained woman, two idiot captives... Huffington Post Interview.
Edinburgh Fringe Comedy: 10 Questions With Hennessy & Friends
The Huffington Post UK | Posted: 06/08/2012 16:18 Updated: 06/08/2012 16:53
Miranda Hennessy's debut character show - which she performs with her eponymous friends, David Seymour and Steven Shapland - has already been named by The List as one of the top five sketch shows to see at this year's Edinburgh Fringe. And here are the talented trio to answer our 10 Quick Questions...
Pitch your Edinburgh show in 25 words or less.
Miranda: A violent whirlwind of sketches and characters...
Steven: ...from one woman’s fevered brain...
David: ...performed with two idiot captives against their will.
Sunday, 9 September 2012
Edinburgh in the Square
Thursday, 4 October 2012 - 9pm
Hennessy & Friends bring their Edinburgh Festival hit show; 'A History of Violence' to the Leicester Square Theatre for ONE NIGHT ONLY!
Tickets available here - http://leicestersquaretheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/126522944/events
THERE WILL BE BLOOD...
Hennessy & Friends bring their Edinburgh Festival hit show; 'A History of Violence' to the Leicester Square Theatre for ONE NIGHT ONLY!
Tickets available here - http://leicestersquaretheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/126522944/events
THERE WILL BE BLOOD...
Edinburgh Aftermath
Well, we're back and fully recovered from our first ever Edinburgh! Dave's rope burn has healed, Steve's seeing someone about his newly developed claustrophobia and I've been planning our next torture fest/ gig...
We're very grateful to everyone who came and enjoyed the show and are really thrilled at the reviews we've had. Always one to show off - here are some of the highlights!
**** CHORTLE : ‘Flawlessly funny... Fantastic original ideas...watch before TV execs start editing out the best bits.’
**** THE SCOTSMAN : ‘An IMPRESSIVE calling card for comic actress Miranda Hennessy, this blackly funny three way sketch romp suggests the emergence of a future star.’
**** THE LIST : ‘Top 5 comedy sketch shows to see at the fringe.’
**** BROADWAY BABY : ‘full of classic comic moments and the trio have created a set that feels ready to be a hit television series.’
**** THREE WEEKS : ‘Miranda Hennessy is a force to be reckoned with, a diminutive blonde packing a powerful punch both physically and comedically...an excellent fringe debut for this talented trio.’
***** WEST END FRAME : ‘Probably three of the best comedy actors I have ever seen.’
**** INFORMED EDINBURGH : ‘Destined for some screen time’
**** FESTIVAL JOURNAL : ‘an absolute pleasure to watch...a well-tuned trio of performers who are capable of greatness.
x
We're very grateful to everyone who came and enjoyed the show and are really thrilled at the reviews we've had. Always one to show off - here are some of the highlights!
**** CHORTLE : ‘Flawlessly funny... Fantastic original ideas...watch before TV execs start editing out the best bits.’
**** THE SCOTSMAN : ‘An IMPRESSIVE calling card for comic actress Miranda Hennessy, this blackly funny three way sketch romp suggests the emergence of a future star.’
**** THE LIST : ‘Top 5 comedy sketch shows to see at the fringe.’
**** BROADWAY BABY : ‘full of classic comic moments and the trio have created a set that feels ready to be a hit television series.’
**** THREE WEEKS : ‘Miranda Hennessy is a force to be reckoned with, a diminutive blonde packing a powerful punch both physically and comedically...an excellent fringe debut for this talented trio.’
***** WEST END FRAME : ‘Probably three of the best comedy actors I have ever seen.’
**** INFORMED EDINBURGH : ‘Destined for some screen time’
**** FESTIVAL JOURNAL : ‘an absolute pleasure to watch...a well-tuned trio of performers who are capable of greatness.
x
Thursday, 16 August 2012
Here come the girls. Feature in Easyjet Traveller Mag
WHO SAYS WOMEN aren't funny? Certainly not
audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, who last year voted with bums on
seats, selling out shows by female comedians like Sarah Millican, while critics
added politically minded comic Josie Long to the festival-award shortlist.
A record number of female comedians and all-women companies showed at last year's event - more than 100 in total - and this year there are set to be even more. Funny females, finally, seem to be stepping into the limelight.
"I'm looking forward to deep-fried everything and performing every day," says Miranda Hennessy, one energetic performer making her Edinburgh debut. Fans of UK sitcoms The Pro Show and PhoneShop will be familiar with Hennessy's comic stylings, which will be put to good use in sketch show A History of Violence.
But while Hennessy is pleased to be heading north for a month-long comedy extravaganza, she's not keen to be labelled as a female comedian. "I'm a comedian," she stresses. "The toughest hurdle that female performers have to overcome is thinking that people don't think women are funny."
Many comedians agree that the "are women funny?" debate is a tired one - but it's still the boys who are taking home the majority of the awards. Only two women have won at Edinburgh in the festival's history, most recently in 2005.
Whatever your opinion, with a record-breaking 530 acts set to perform at this year's festival, it seems that comedy itself is set to have the last laugh.
Catch Hennessy & Friends at Underbelly, Bristo Square, 1-27 August, 2.50pm; www.mirandahennessy.com
2. Make the most of being the only female on the bill
3.Don't get violent if people don't laugh
4. Don't drink too much
5. BE FUNNY!
A record number of female comedians and all-women companies showed at last year's event - more than 100 in total - and this year there are set to be even more. Funny females, finally, seem to be stepping into the limelight.
"I'm looking forward to deep-fried everything and performing every day," says Miranda Hennessy, one energetic performer making her Edinburgh debut. Fans of UK sitcoms The Pro Show and PhoneShop will be familiar with Hennessy's comic stylings, which will be put to good use in sketch show A History of Violence.
But while Hennessy is pleased to be heading north for a month-long comedy extravaganza, she's not keen to be labelled as a female comedian. "I'm a comedian," she stresses. "The toughest hurdle that female performers have to overcome is thinking that people don't think women are funny."
Many comedians agree that the "are women funny?" debate is a tired one - but it's still the boys who are taking home the majority of the awards. Only two women have won at Edinburgh in the festival's history, most recently in 2005.
Whatever your opinion, with a record-breaking 530 acts set to perform at this year's festival, it seems that comedy itself is set to have the last laugh.
Catch Hennessy & Friends at Underbelly, Bristo Square, 1-27 August, 2.50pm; www.mirandahennessy.com
Miranda Hennessy's top tips for aspiring female comedians
1. Don't concentrate on the fact you're a woman doing comedy and maybe no one will notice2. Make the most of being the only female on the bill
3.Don't get violent if people don't laugh
4. Don't drink too much
5. BE FUNNY!
Saturday, 11 August 2012
4 STAR REVIEW IN CHORTLE!
Show type: Edinburgh Fringe 2012
Hennessy & Friends: A History of Violence
Live Review
Underbelly Bristo Square
It’s a little disconcerting when an mid-afternoon show starts with an anal rape sketch … even if the rapist is a finger puppet mouse. The reveal takes some of the edge off but it is clear this show is going to have some dark edges.
It rapidly becomes clear that there are no topics off-limits for the diminutive and sparkly Miranda Hennessy as she ploughs through sketch after sketch featuring suicides, abductions and bodies in bags – but my word she does it well. Hennessy has an irresistible charm matched by her costars David Seymour and Steven Shapland. The majority of writing is flawlessly funny and it is very easy to envisage a BBC Three pilot being commissioned off the back of this.
In fact some of the sketches seem to have been written for TV, the terrifying well -behaved child tormenting his mother with bunches of flowers and good grammar could have only been improved with the props and lighting a professional studio could provide. The James Bond sketch would have been complete if some TV bigwigs had secured the rights for the music, if for no other reason than to disguise Steve Shaplands miserable impression of Sean Connery’s accent.
Rough edges aside these are strong sketches and Hennessy has some fantastic original ideas. Even more recognisable themes have been updated, Victoria (with a V) is a perfect pastiche of the vacuous characters in Made In Chelsea. It’s not an original idea or character but Hennessy has a pitch -perfect performance and brings fresh life to a tired idea.
There are some set techniques, with Shapland and Seymour playing the unappreciated sidekicks but even this is approached with a fresh bite when the two decide to fight back.
There are some sluggish, questionable sketches, the weakest being a pastiche of Desperate Housewives as played by the Disney Princesses. Snow White overplaying the ‘Mexican’ card à la Eva Longoria wasn’t well executed enough to pass my PC meter. But this was one of the very few flabby deviations from quality, perhaps highlighted as it directly followed a much more entertaining parody of Glee featuring another non-PC take on the ‘Asian Kid’ done with such awareness and stupidity there was no doubt it was the cast who were the brunt of the joke.
Hennessy seems to have no strict style, which can sometimes lead to the loss of identity or recognisable voice for lesser sketch writers. She can swing from an observational piece about relationships to a surreal dance number featuring foxes without ever losing pace or direction.
Genuinely funny and well worth a watch before the TV execs start editing out the best bits…. or Shapland and Seymour finish her off.
Date of live review: Tuesday 7th Aug, '12
Review by Corry Shaw
14:50~15:50
Venue: Underbelly Bristo Square
Prices: £6 to £10
Show: Hennessy & Friends: A History of Violence
Show starts: 14:50
Thursday, 2 August 2012
HENNESSY AND FRIEND'S: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE named in THE LIST'S
TOP 5 SKETCH COMEDY SHOWS AT THE FRINGE 2012 !!
TOP 5 SKETCH COMEDY SHOWS AT THE FRINGE 2012 !!
Monday, 30 July 2012
Thursday, 28 June 2012
Review for 'Hennessy and Friends: A History of Violence' in The Guardian!
Hennessy & Friends: A History Of Violence, London
Go to Review
Featuring a number of cartoonish fights, plenty of silly voices and more ideas per minute than most sketch groups manage in the space of an hour, A History Of Violence marks the arrival of a talent to keep tabs on in the diminutive shape of writer-performer Miranda Hennessy. A bubbly, irrepressible performer with a penchant for big, broad, vastly larger-than-life characters, it's easy to imagine her going on to great things. This debut sketch show (which sees her ably accompanied by David Seymour and Steven Shapland) allows her to display her talents to the max, and it's a delightfully screwy affair, where sketches bleed into each other (while characters bleed over each other), ideas veer off in wildly unpredictable directions, and the fourth wall takes a terrible battering. Not everything works, but there are many inspired moments; watch out for the couple trying unsuccessfully to watch an action film, and be on your guard for the chocolate cheesecake sketch.
James Kettle. The Guardian, Saturday 16 June 2012
Go to Review
Featuring a number of cartoonish fights, plenty of silly voices and more ideas per minute than most sketch groups manage in the space of an hour, A History Of Violence marks the arrival of a talent to keep tabs on in the diminutive shape of writer-performer Miranda Hennessy. A bubbly, irrepressible performer with a penchant for big, broad, vastly larger-than-life characters, it's easy to imagine her going on to great things. This debut sketch show (which sees her ably accompanied by David Seymour and Steven Shapland) allows her to display her talents to the max, and it's a delightfully screwy affair, where sketches bleed into each other (while characters bleed over each other), ideas veer off in wildly unpredictable directions, and the fourth wall takes a terrible battering. Not everything works, but there are many inspired moments; watch out for the couple trying unsuccessfully to watch an action film, and be on your guard for the chocolate cheesecake sketch.
James Kettle. The Guardian, Saturday 16 June 2012
Saturday, 19 May 2012
The Sitcom Mission
Just got some photos back from the grand final of The Sitcom Mission -
Me as Essex WAG 'Chelsea' in the sitcom 'The Staff' alongside Hennessy & Friends member David Seymour who played my adorably dumb premiership footballer 'Danny'. SO much fun! Photographer - Richard Davenport
Ad design
Ooh! Check out our delicious ad design for Ed fest - complete with squiggly box thing for your mobile phone! Designed by the fabulous Luke Todd of Todd Creative Services
Tuesday, 1 May 2012
LATITUDE!!!
Hennessy and Friends will be playing Latitude festival this summer! So excited! We'll be in the Cabaret Tent at 7.30pm on Friday 13th July. Straight after the amazing Colin Hoult. Check out the fantastic line-up here - http://www.latitudefestival.co.uk/line-up/
Monday, 16 April 2012
Edinburgh Previews!
Here's where you can catch previews of our debut Edinburgh show 'Hennessy and Friends: A History of Violence' in the run up to our run at Underbelly 2012...
16th April - Double bill with 'Max and Ivan' - Leicester Square Theatre. 7pm
17th May - Double bill with Edward Eales-White - Leicester Square Theatre. 8.30pm
29th May - Double bill with 'The Silky Pair' - Wilmington Arms - CANCELLED
5th June - Double bill with 'The Silky Pair' - Wimington Arms
19th June - Leicester Square Theatre. 7pm
13th July - LATITUDE FESTIVAL. The Cabaret Tent. 7.30pm
More dates to follow. See you there! x
16th April - Double bill with 'Max and Ivan' - Leicester Square Theatre. 7pm
17th May - Double bill with Edward Eales-White - Leicester Square Theatre. 8.30pm
29th May - Double bill with 'The Silky Pair' - Wilmington Arms - CANCELLED
5th June - Double bill with 'The Silky Pair' - Wimington Arms
19th June - Leicester Square Theatre. 7pm
13th July - LATITUDE FESTIVAL. The Cabaret Tent. 7.30pm
More dates to follow. See you there! x
Monday, 6 February 2012
Hennessy & Friends: A Valentine's Day Massacre!
Dave's Leicester Comedy FestivalTuesday February 14th. 7.45pm.
The Belmont Hotel
Lonely hearts and smug couples. Spurned lovers and badgers. All will have their moment at this sketchtacular love in! – Just don’t expect roses and love hearts. Meet a host of brand new comedy characters as they fight their way through this Valentine’s Day. Hilarious, surreal and often violent sketch show from Miranda Hennessy (C4’s PhoneShop). Also starring David Seymour (Love Bite) and Steven Shapland (Harry and Paul). There will be blood.
Lonely hearts and smug couples. Spurned lovers and badgers. All will have their moment at this sketchtacular love in! – Just don’t expect roses and love hearts. Meet a host of brand new comedy characters as they fight their way through this Valentine’s Day. Hilarious, surreal and often violent sketch show from Miranda Hennessy (C4’s PhoneShop). Also starring David Seymour (Love Bite) and Steven Shapland (Harry and Paul). There will be blood.
Book tickets here - £6/ £5 concessions - Bottle Rocket Comedy
Sunday, 5 February 2012
Bit of a crazy week,
Our gig at Kings Place went brilliantly, awesome venue - no dingy pub toilet dressing rooms here! Our last minute new technician, Dan Saggars acted as a calming shaft of light through a whinge of panicked actors. I was competing in the costume and prop Olympics, oh and Steve's back from his selfish tour of Asia...the less said about that the better.
I also did a gig this week at a Millionaire's birthday bash where the entertainment included a baby Alligator, a Wolf, a dancing harem and me as Margaret Thatcher. I hope one day I have a birthday party as horrifically extravagant.
As if Aligators weren't enough excitement, I've also spotted this little series of comedy webisodes starring Miles Jupp, Tony Gardener, Jason Lewis and Me as the new Kit Kat PR Gurus. Here's an episode where I rap with THE Vanilla Ice. Or Rob, as we friends call him. Career highlight. For Him.
Amazeballs - I'm off now to write the script for our Valentine's Day Massacre show at Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival. It's on the 14th Feb. Unlucky for some.
Love, love, love. And blood and guts...
brcomedy.com/blmont-hotel/hennessy-friends-a-valentines-day-massacre
X
Our gig at Kings Place went brilliantly, awesome venue - no dingy pub toilet dressing rooms here! Our last minute new technician, Dan Saggars acted as a calming shaft of light through a whinge of panicked actors. I was competing in the costume and prop Olympics, oh and Steve's back from his selfish tour of Asia...the less said about that the better.
I also did a gig this week at a Millionaire's birthday bash where the entertainment included a baby Alligator, a Wolf, a dancing harem and me as Margaret Thatcher. I hope one day I have a birthday party as horrifically extravagant.
As if Aligators weren't enough excitement, I've also spotted this little series of comedy webisodes starring Miles Jupp, Tony Gardener, Jason Lewis and Me as the new Kit Kat PR Gurus. Here's an episode where I rap with THE Vanilla Ice. Or Rob, as we friends call him. Career highlight. For Him.
Amazeballs - I'm off now to write the script for our Valentine's Day Massacre show at Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival. It's on the 14th Feb. Unlucky for some.
Love, love, love. And blood and guts...
brcomedy.com/blmont-hotel/hennessy-friends-a-valentines-day-massacre
X
Monday, 16 January 2012
Hennessy & Friends plus Dregs! @ Kings Place
Get your tickets for this quick!!
Sketch comedy at Kings Place - Hennessy and Friends plus Dregs!
Feb 2nd 2012, 8pm. Book online for a special discount! - Follow link.
Sketch comedy at Kings Place - Hennessy and Friends plus Dregs!
Feb 2nd 2012, 8pm. Book online for a special discount! - Follow link.
Thursday, 5 January 2012
Off With Their Heads!!
Hey, check out the flyer below for the new season of comedy at Kings Place! Recognise any familiar faces?! Eh?! (It's us by the way.) 2nd Feb 2012. 8pm. Book here - Kings Place Website
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