For the fourth year running, the team behind Sunday for Sammy will launch a competition to find a talented new comedy sketch writer but this year, the contest will be endorsed by two of the biggest names in comedy script writing.
A Sketch for Sammy – The Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais Comedy Award 2018 will be launched at a free event on Sunday 30th September at 11am at the Stand Comedy Club in Newcastle. It is open to anyone aged over 16 years old who would like to enter the competition. Hosted by writer and stand-up comic Jason Cook, Jason will explain the mysteries of comedy writing with examples of his own work and that of previous Sketch for Sammy winners.
Following the launch, budding new comedy writers from the region will have until the closing date of Sunday 14th October to submit their sketches. Short listed entrants will be contacted and Jason will help polish the scripts to performance level.
The final will take place on Sunday 11th November 3pm at The Exchange in North Shields in front of a capacity audience and will be hosted by Billy Mitchell. The six shortlisted sketches will be performed by a company of professional actors from the Laffalang Gang, the writer of the winning sketch will receive the Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais Comedy Award.
In addition to the finalists work, there will be stand-up comedy, music, sketches from the Laffalang Gang and viewings of previous winning sketches on video.
A panel of celebrity judges including actress and comedy script writer Kim Tserkezie, (Balamory) comedy writer Elliott Kerrigan (Boy Meets Girl) and Chairman of the Sunday for Sammy Trust, Tim Healy will choose the winning sketch. The sketch may be considered for inclusion in a future Sunday for Sammy show. Tickets for the final at the Exchange in North Shields are free and can be obtained by contacting julie@tyneidols.com
Ian La Frenais is delighted to be able to encourage up and coming talent by being associated with the award.
“Dick Clement and I have been involved with Sunday for Sammy for twenty years. The charity has given invaluable support to young performers in the North East of England and we’re very happy to endorse the Sketch for Sammy competition for new comedy writers. Good luck to all of the contestants,’ he said.
Producer of the Sunday for Sammy shows Ray Laidlaw said,
“We’re very honoured that this year, Ian La Frenais and Dick Clement have put their names to this award. They are top of the comedy Premier League with Porridge, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads and Auf Wiedersehen Pet. They even write sketches for Sunday for Sammy in their spare time. Having them on board is inspiring for the new writers, the audience and us too.”
Sunday for Sammy Trustee Jason Cook said, “This is an amazing opportunity for any budding writers get their work seen and potentially performed by the best in the business. Chances like this don’t come along very often so if you’re thinking of becoming a writer you’d be daft to miss out on this.”
Chairman of the Trustees, Tim Healy said:
““All good comedy starts with the script. The Sketch for Sammy competition gives aspiring North East comedy writers the opportunity to see their work performed by professional actors and a chance to win the Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais Comedy Award. You’d be mad not to give it a go.”
Ends
To enter the competition send your sketch to info@sundayforsammy.org by Sunday 14th Oct.