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Ben Van der Velde

Ben has been dizzying himself on the stand-up merry-go-round for the past four years. In that time, this has been said about him:

“Whipsharp…with an air of mischievous mayhem…his hit-rate is impressive, while his in-the-moment style creates a buzz of excitement in the room…a life-giving compere.”  Steve Bennet, Chortle

“highly promising, an accomplished comic.”  Time Out

“left the audience beaming from ear to ear with satirical quips and hilariously sinister tales.”  BBC 3 Counties

“exquisite comic timing... wonderfully clownish physical comedy”  British Theatre Guide

"a stunningly quick wit."  Spoonfed

"Quick-witted and intelligent...a confident and entertaining performance."  Three Weeks

"Ben compered my 400 capacity Live at The Regal club in Oxford, to a fairly rowdy Saturday night crowd there to see Jim Jefferies. He did an excellent, professional job and considering the crowd control involved I was impressed that he managed to get jokes in and get big laughs out of a drunk audience. Despite being a relatively young act I'd say he's definitely at a point that the larger chain clubs should be trying him out as a compere." Paddy Luscombe, FBS Productions

“His compere work is beautiful.” Andy Kind, Just Fair Laughs

“Terrific rapport with the crowd.  Very good improvisation skills, quick witted and thoroughly pleasant.  I am surprised someone so small has so much bloomin energy.  I'd certainly recommend him.”  David Cornish, Sidesplitters Comedy

Stand-Up

Ben is currently resident MC for two of Really Lovely Comedy’s nights (Time Out Critics’ Choice) in London and has compered for top acts such as Reginal.D.Hunter, Sarah Millican, Paul Sinha, Idiots of Ants and Andrew Maxwell.

His other live work includes:
Off the Kerb
Christian Knowles Productions
BBC Club
Live at the Regal
Just Fair Laughs
Hilarity Bites
Rob Riley
Spiky Mike
Growling Clown
Free Beer Show
Sidesplitters
Lonestar Comedy
Mirth Control
Spiky Mike

Festivals
2010: Sex and Hugs and Forward Rolls (with James Acaster and Andrew Doyle) Edinburgh Festival - Five Pound Fringe
2009: The Holy Trinity (with Andrew Doyle and Joleed Farah), Edinburgh and Leicester Comedy Festivals
2008: Andrew Doyle and Ben Van der Velde, Camden Fringe

Improvisation
Ben has been performing improvisational comedy for six years, having begun as one of the founding member of The Oxford Imps (www.oxfordimps.com).   He has performed in over 100 shows with them, including four years at the Edinburgh Fringe (“the best improvised comedy that I have ever had the pleasure to witness" Three Weeks).

Since moving to London Ben has performed in Scenes From Communal Living directed by Stewart McCure at the Etc. Theatre (“very funny, fresh and endlessly creative.” Time Out) and with The Institute at the Canal Café Theatre.