“Very, very funny” – The Guardian
Brief Description
Toby Hadoke is the resident compere of the highly regarded XS Malarkey Comedy Club. He started the club from scratch in 1997 and it has gone on to win a number of major awards as Best Comedy Club, whilst Toby himself won the inaugural Les Dawson Award at the Northwest Comedy Awards and Best Offstage Contribution at the 2008 Chortle Awards. He’s no slouch onstage either; his first one-man show, Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf, enjoyed a West End stint and continues to tour internationally (a multi-date UK run spawned appearances at the New Zealand Comedy Festival, Canada, Florida, LA and Chicago). His BBC radio adaptation of it was nominated for a Sony Award. His follow up show, Now I Know My BBC, was very well received at Edinburgh 2010.
His quick wit and charming audience banter make him a disarming compere who can liven up a lacklustre crowd or tame a feisty one, without him ever losing his unique comedy styling as a self-deprecatory and amusingly vexed curmudgeon it’s impossible to dislike. Quick witted and a verbal craftsman, he’s also politically informed and a great improviser. He’s been hired as resident MC for a number of successful nights, and currently fulfils that role at New Stuff, every second at last Sunday of the month at The Comedy Store, Manchester and at The 99 Club in Leicester Square every Wednesday.
He has headlined gigs up and down the country for many years, and his gifts as an actor have generated cult followings as a regular writer/performer for The Unbroadcastable Radio Show (at The Comedy Store) and The Asylum (The Frog And Bucket). He has acted on stage, TV and radio, written for national newspapers, and presented the 7th Dimension on BBC Radio 7. His first book was published in 2010 and he is an in-demand voice over artist.
He’s not a terribly good swimmer though, but you can’t have everything.
Biography
2011 – regular compere, The 99 Club, Leicester Square (Wednesdays)
2010 – Now I Know My BBC (Edinburgh Fringe, more dates to come in 2011)
2009 – Totally Looped – touring improv show (numerous appearances as special guest alongside Marcus Brigstocke, Phill Jupitus, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Hattie Hayridge)
2008 – Winner, Chortle Award
2008 – Nominee, Sony Award
2006 – present – Robin Ince’s Book Club (occasional guest)
2006 – Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf (Edinburgh Fringe, continues to tour into 2011)
2006-2009 – regular compere, Limelight Comedy Club, Crewe
2005 – present – regular compere, New Stuff, Comedy Store (Manchester)
2003 – 2009 – writer/performer/deviser The Unbroadcastable Radio Show, Comedy Store (Manchester)
2003 – Winner, Les Dawson Award
2001-2004 – semi-regular comedian, MEN At Work, Comedy Store (Manchester)
1997 – present – regular compere, XS Malarkey Comedy Club
TV Warm Up
- Warm-up for University Challenge 2007 (BBC TV at Granada Studios)
- Jeremy Lion (sitcom pilot)
TV Acting
(selected)
- Holby City (guest lead)
- Casualty 1907 (guest lead)
- A & E
- The Forsyte Saga
- Phoenix Nights
- Coronation Street
Writing
- Running Through Corridors – (Mad Norwegian Press, co-written with Robert Shearman, 4 volumes)
- The Comedy Sketch Book (writing links for Angus Deayton – Objective Productions for BBC 1)
- The Comedy Christmas (Objective Productions for BBC 2)
- Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf (BBC 7 – Sony Nomination : Best Drama)
- The Unbroadcastable Radio Show (pilot – BBC Radio 4)
- Numerous articles in The Guardian, The Independent, SFX, and a regular column in Doctor Who Magazine.
Fringe Reviews – “Moths ate My Doctor Who Scarf”:
100% 5 Star Reviews Edinburgh 2007
“Witty, charming, eloquent, forthright, passionate – one of the most entertaining hours this side of Gallifrey”
Chortle
“PICK OF THE WEEK: a confident performer with an effective one man show that wrongfoots you with its emotional kick”
The Times
“Very, very funny, rich and wonderful – likely to do for Daleks and Cybermen what Fever Pitch did for football”
The Guardian
“Hadoke has you charmed from the moment he sets foot on stage – this is a fantastic show”
Hairline
“Warm, gentle, and utterly hysterical.”
British Theatre Guide
“Hadoke has an incredible ability with language and a natural charm. Even if you’ve never heard of Cybermen, this show is still f***ing funny.”
Three Weeks
“It would be sad if this show was relegated to attendances solely from fans of Dr Who as it deserves to be seen by all fans of well realised comedy.”
One4review.com
“Armed with a likeable self-deprecating style and impeccable timing, Hadoke’s show is a masterpiece”
The Dubliner
Fringe Reviews – “Now I Know My BBC”
Fringe 2010
“Pick Of The Fringe – a warm, witty, passionate and personal paean to the BBC”
Kate Fox, The Telegraph
“A thoughtful stream of observations that lets us laugh and revel in the past without sinking into cloying nostalgia.”
The Stage
A very strong and satisfying show in Reithian terms; entertaining and informative. Hadoke has successfully turned yet another of his loves into lots and lots of laughter.”
The National Student
“Now I Know My BBC is a delightful piece of work, as engaging and funny as it is thought provoking. It is informative and educational, but never preachy. It is nostalgic and romantic – but never sentimental. Above all, it is very, very funny. Miss it at your peril.” Elton Townend-Jones, kasterberous.com
“The polemical side of the show is driven by passion that’s often entertaining in itself, but with smart observations to back it up – this is a pretty damn enjoyable.”
Steve Bennett, Chortle
“Toby Hadoke is a lovely man who says lovely things about a fine British institution. He shamelessly defends the BBC, packing in a generous helping of giggles.”
Three Weeks
Show Reviews
“Hadoke is charming and very likable with the ability to invoke emotion and laughter throughout the show.”
The Public Reviews
“Standing Canute like against a rising tide of reality TV, the show is fast paced as he channel hops to make his points in a style which is Griff Rhys Jones meets Boris Johnson – more amusing than anything you will see on the telly.”
Kenneth Scott, Edinburghreview.com
“Tickling stuff and draws to an unexpectedly heart-warming and profound conclusion.” – The List
