Andrew Stanley for Backroom Laughs

Backroom Laughs returns to the Lantern Bar in Navan on Saturday 28th August headlined by Andrew Stanley, resident MC of the legendary Comedy Cellar in Dublin's International Bar. The Comedy Cellar was established in the 1980s by Ardal O'Hanlon, Kevin Gildea and Apres Match's Barry Murphy and is widely regarded as the home of Irish comedy. Having performed worldwide at the Montreal, Australian and Edinburgh comedy festivals and becoming a regular fixture on the Kilkenny Cat Laughs calendar, Stanley is one of the top comics working on the worldwide comedy circuit today. He shot to fame in 2006 when he teamed up with Australian comedian Damian Clark on the highly successful RTE show 'I Dare Ya', and is now a regular on Irish TV screens. He also hosts 'Andrew Stanley's Comedy Mish Mash' weekly and at various comedy festivals and has brought a number of solo shows to the Edinburgh Comedy Festival. Support acts include Simon O'Keefe who is resident MC of Capital Comedy Club. He has played some of the biggest festivals in Ireland including the Carlsberg Comedy Festival and Oxegen and this year supported Neil Delamere on tour around Ireland. The line-up is completed by 'Des Bishop's Joy in the Hood' star Kevin Goldsmith and Drogheda up-and-comer Tomie James. There will also be a special guest spot from Jim-Jim Nugent. Resident Backroom MC Alan Gernon recently made his tv debut on RTE2's 'Monday Night Soccer' where he writes and performs sketches for 'Mortimer Crawley, Dundalk Manager'. Tickets are available for €10 (€8 with concessions) from The Lantern and E-Two Music. Gernon advises that pre-purchasing tickets is advisable as the last two gigs have been full and they don't want to have to turn anyone away. Gig sponsors Copper & Spices are also offering a recession-busting four-course meal and gig ticket for just €25. Call (046) 906 0648 to reserve a table. The gig kicks off at 9.30pm.