The Big Value Comedy Showcase

The Big Value Comedy Shows

Big Value Comedy Shows are an established showcase of the best of the new comedic talent. They are presented every year at The Edinburgh Festival and are selected and produced by Just the Tonic, Darrell Martin and Martin England

Who’s Done Big Value Over The Years

Between 4 and 16 comedians have gone to Edinburgh each year with Big Value since it’s launch in 1995. As a reader you will be interested in the famous ones that were first spotted by Big Value. Here’s some of them (there are others, but the list would just be too long and we know everyone loves a celebrity) Micky Flanaghan, Sarah Millican, Stephen K Amos, Jason Manford, Milton Jones, Charlie Baker, Adam Bloom, Will Smith, Howard Read, Jim Jeffries, Steve Hughes, Glenn Wool, Jon Richardson, Seann Walsh, Romesh Ranganathan, Josie Long, Wil Hodgson.

Seann Walsh Sarah Millican Stephen K Amos Jason Manford

A Brief History of Big Value Time

The Big Value Comedy Show was first produced by Pete Harris, of Screaming Blue Murder. It came about when an unknown Adam Bloom said to Pete ‘I’d like to go to the Edinburgh Festival.’ And Pete made it happen by conceiving of a show paid for by Screaming Blue Murder and done as a profit share. It was at The Café Royal (now the Voodoo Lounge). That was in 1995 and featured Milton Jones, Adam Bloom, David Haddingham and Andrew Pipe. From that initial success it went on to showcase 8 new acts per year as it went from 1 show to an Early and a Late show. Between 1995 and 2001 Pete Harris discovered and took to Edinburgh a rather impressive bunch of comedians including Lee Mack, Stephen K Amos, Robin Ince, Glenn Wool and Micky Flanagan.

Just the Tonic and The Big Value Comedy Show

In 1999 a budding young comedian and promoter named Darrell Martin badgered Pete Harris loads to get onto the Big Value Comedy Show. Being resident in Nottingham, with a very small national circuit, it was difficult to get spotted as an act. After many free compere duties at Screaming Blue Murder in Kingston, Pete finally capitulated and offered Darrell a compere slot in The Early Show in 1999. He was with Johnny Candon, Susan Murray and Marty Wilson. The late show featured Mickey Flanaghan, Glenn Wool, Sally Holloway, and Greg Burns.

Two years later Pete Harris decided to move to Thailand. Ed Smith, (then of Karushi, now with Phil McIntyre) suggested to the new tenants of The Café Royal that Darrell Martin of Just the Tonic might be a good person to produce a show in the void left behind. Pete agreed to let Darrell use the name and The Big Value changed hands. After two years, in 2004, the tenants of Café Royal did a runner, but not before Darrell had bought all the gear for the Edinburgh Shows. He then negotiated with the new tenants to produce Big Value in the venue. Realising that they did not have a clue what they were doing (not even knowing what the Edfringe programme was) he said that he would only bring the show to them if he could produce the whole venue as he had absolutely no confidence in their ability to do anything. They agreed and his fears were proved correct when on arriving on the 2nd year the tenanats were waiting for his rent so that they could pay off the brewery and actually buy some beer. That was the final year in The Café Royal. It had a year in The Caves under The Underbelly (but the high rent proved very prohibitive). The following year a failed venue attempt meant it was produced in tents in the former C Venues Urban Garden. It is now resident at Just the Tonic at The Caves. It still selects the best of the new acts. Darrell values the show, and wants it to continue helping newer acts have a go at Edinburgh with none of the financial pressures usually associated. The festival has changed, and the Big Value has adapted. Joe Dickens now helps with the selection process, and auditions are held weekly in Leicester throughout the year.