Claudia Trentino has won 2024's West End New (old) Act of the Year Comedy Competition. The final took place at the Carpenter's Arms near Goodge Street on Monday 25th of November.
The West End New (old) Act of the Year is a competition set up for the over-35s with the aim of smashing the age glass ceiling in comedy. The finalists had competed through several heats to be in with a shout of winning. Around one hundred acts applied to enter the show.
Steve Holmes and Matt Withers were named runners up and David Ingram scooped the Audience Vote award.
The finalists were decided by a combination of judges and audience votes. Judging the contest were Matt Arnold of Dulwich Hamlet Comedy Club and Ali Warwood of Commoners Comedy in Cambridge. The evening was headlined by Matt Hutchinson who entertained the crowd while the votes were counted.
MC Steve McLean said of the show 'I say this every year but the standard of the acts was staggering. To get to the final of this show you have to be a really good act'
The winner receives a small amount of cash and some spots on pro-bills with
Dulwich Hamlet Comedy in London, Rural Roars Comedy in Surrey and AComedy in Essex. Plus they'll be invited to take part in an Edinburgh Fringe Showcase show.
Other new acts appearing on the night were:
Kat Dellar, Chris Ford, Daniel Cohen, Claire Cox, Jimmy Tam, Sophie Sconcia, Paul Steer, Joanna Phaure, Marc Salmon, Prakash Mistry and Chris Smith.
The West End New Act of the Year's regular show which is open to all acts who has been going under four years will start it's run in January with applications opening on Friday 29th of November.
Pictured: David Ingram, Steve Holmes, Claudia Trentino and Matt Withers.
