NATYS: New Acts of the Year Show

The NATYS (New ActS of The Year), previously known as The Hackney Empire New Act of the Year is a long-running annual national competition for comedy and variety acts (not just stand-up comedy) that ran at the Hackney Empire theatre in London until 2010. Its aim is to discover and promote new stand-up comedy and variety talent. It left the Hackney Empire in 2010, with the first post-empire show at the Barbican in 2011, Stratford Circus in 2012, and since 2013 has found a new home at The Bloomsbury Theatre.[1] Unfortunately due to major refurbishment at The Bloomsbury the 2016 Show was relocated to The Leicester Square Theatre.

History

Roland and Claire Muldoon, of underground theatre group CAST, pioneered "new variety", auditioning many of the acts that became the new wave of comedy and performance in the UK. The process evolved into the New Act of the Year Show produced by Claire and compered by Roland from 1982. In 1986 they took over the Hackney Empire and ran the NATY from 1987, with Linda Smith winning that year's award. It is currently produced by New Variety Lives, Which is managed by Roland and Claire Muldoon, alongside Frank Sweeney and Tony Goodrick. The 2011 final was held at the Barbican Theatre, the 2012 final at Stratford Circus and both 2013 and 2014 finals were held at The Bloomsbury Theatre and returning there for the 2015 NATYS Showcase final. The 2016 Showcase Final was held at The Leicester Square Theatre.

Previous winners include Stewart Lee, Ardal O'Hanlon and Linda Smith. Eddie Izzard only came third. Harry Hill was a finalist. The final has been compered for many years by alternative comedian Arthur Smith.

In 2004, William Cook of The Guardian wrote that it "may not be the best known comedy award, but it might well be our most important".[2]

The 2006 final was considered to be "the best since 1994" according to Cook. After the 2011 final, held at the Barbican Centre, Bruce Dessau of the London Evening Standard said the line-up confirmed ‘that there is more to the current comedy boom than Michael McIntyre wannabes exploring their man-drawers’,[3] Arthur Smith said of the night ‘I cannot recall another line up with a more eclectic range of styles and delivery’Arthur Smith (comedian).

In 2012, The Stage described it as a "display of endurance, sweat, and probable performance enhancing drugs", and "the most important show of the year for new comedy and variety talent"[4]

Rules and eligibility

Entrants are acts seeking to become established on the live comedy circuit that are not as yet full-time paid professional acts, must have performed for at least one year and have recommendations from two established promoters/agents/venues. Previous finalists do not qualify.

Winners & finalists

2016 - Leicester Square Theatre[5]
2015 - The Bloomsbury Theatre [6]
2014 - The Bloomsbury Theatre [7]
2013 - The Bloomsbury Theatre
2012 - Stratford Circus [4]
2011 - The Barbican
2010 - The Hackney Empire (final show at this venue)[8]
2009[9]
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1991
1990
1989
1987

References

  1. ↑ Goodrick; Tony. www.newvarietylives.com. Missing or empty |title= (help);
  2. ↑ William Cook (3 March 2004) "Stand and deliver", The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-08-30.
  3. ↑ Bruce Dessau (21 March 2011) "David Mills crowned New Comedy Act of the Year ", London Evening Standard. Retrieved 2013-08-30.
  4. 1 2 Tony Cooke (1 February 2012) "New Act of the Year Final 2012", The Stage
  5. ↑ Bennett, Steve (1 February 2016). "Naty New Act Of The Year final 2016". Chortle (website). Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  6. ↑ Bruce Dessau (26 January 2015) "Review: NATYS, Bloomsbury Theatre", Beyond the Joke
  7. ↑ Steve Bennett (27 January 2014) "NATYS 2014 Final", Chortle
  8. ↑ Tony Cooke (1 February 2010) "Hackney Empire New Act of the Year Final 2010", The Stage
  9. ↑ Tony Cooke (19 January 2009) "Hackney Empire New Act of the Year Grand Final 2009", The Stage

7. http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/39515/new-act-of-the-year-final-2014 8. http://www.beyondthejoke.co.uk/content/review-new-acts-year-final-bloomsbury-theatre#sthash.t7BU5aMy.uxfs 9. http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/jan/27/new-act-of-the-year-show-review 10. http://www.chortle.co.uk/gigreview/2014/01/27/19472/natys_2014_final

External links

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