Acclaimed duo Max and Ivan are to present a season of the past work. With added special guests.
Two men. Six shows. Zero chance Ivan will remember the lines for all of them without developing a stress-induced hernia.
Max & Ivan – Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominees, Fringe stalwarts and one of the UK’s finest comedy double- acts – roar out of enforced hibernation with encore performances of all six of their critically-acclaimed hour- long shows (in chronological order) featuring support from some of the best stand-ups in the country. Finally, in the new Covid-friendly cabaret space in the Pleasance Islington, you can witness THE MAX & IVANTHOLOGY:
Tue Nov 24 // HOLMES & WATSON
The world's greatest detective tackles Chicago's murky underworld in his final thrilling escapade; a prohibition- era tale of revenge, whiskey and javelins.
First performed in 2011, this was one of the best-reviewed shows at the Edinburgh Fringe that year – it was also the same year Max & Ivan first mounted The Wrestling, in which Max broke his ankle and had to carry on the rest of the run with crutches. (This will be a crutch-less performance.)
'A hugely ambitious and impressive first outing from a duo worth keeping tabs on' - The Guardian ★★★★★ ‘as good as sketch comedy gets’ - Broadway Baby
With: BRIDGET CHRISTIE (Edinburgh Comedy Award Winner and best-selling author)
Wed Nov 25 // CON ARTISTS
Six ex-cons, one final job. The Hacker. The Smooth Talker. The Mercenary. The Driver. The Architect. And Graham (he does HR, mainly). All are reunited by the Ringleader to conduct one final sting - taking down a sinister oligarch. If we told you any more, we'd have to kill you. Luckily, that's more or less the plot.
Con Artists took Max & Ivan to the 2013 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, where they were nominated for the Most Outstanding Show.
★★★★★ 'assured, outstanding, inventive and downright hilarious' - Herald Sun
★★★★★ 'too good for human words' - Londonist
With: AHIR SHAH (Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Show nominee and star of Live at the Apollo)
Thu Nov 26 // THE REUNION
Class of 2003, assemble! A bewitching narrative sketch comedy tale of love, loss and shatterproof rulers.
The Reunion was one of the best reviewed shows at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe and was nominated for Best Comedy at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards.
★★★★ 'it's impossible to stop beaming. A joyous hour' - Independent
★★★★ 'the show recalls the verbal invention and dark surrealism of The League of Gentlemen ... A potential- stuffed pleasure' - The Telegraph
With: NICK HELM (Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show nominee and star of Uncle)
Fri Nov 27 // THE END
Welcome to Sudley-on-Sea. Take a look around. You don't have long. Seriously. An epic narrative sketch comedy tale about the hopes, fears and dreams of a doomed town.
The End was one of the best reviewed shows at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe, gaining 5 STARS from The Times and Ivan’s leotarded dance was one of Alex Hardy’s ‘Magic Moments of the Fringe’.
★★★★★ 'Each character is brilliantly realised and the way they are woven together is astonishing: fast-paced and unflaggingly funny. I could watch it again tomorrow' - The Times
★★★★★ 'One of the funniest shows I've seen this year. So, so, so good!' - Adelaide Advertiser
With: JAYDE ADAMS (Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominee and star of Crazy Delicious)
Sat Nov 28 // OUR STORY
It's time to get personal. In an extraordinary true story, Max & Ivan introduce the world to two never-before- seen characters; themselves.
Although Our Story was not one of the best reviewed shows at the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe (gutted), it nonetheless gained glowing 4 STAR reviews from The Times, The Sunday Times and The Guardian and ran for two weeks at the Soho Theatre.
★★★★ 'Should be taught as a case study on future narrative sketch comedy degree courses' - Sunday Times ★★★★ 'A bustlingly inventive “true” tale of how the duo met' - The Times
With: OLGA KOCH (Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominee and star of Mock The Week)
Sun Nov 29 // COMMITMENT
The true story of the unreasonable lengths one best man (Max) will go to give one groom (Ivan) the greatest weekend of his life. It's a show about dreaming big, growing up, and trying - but ultimately very much failing - to make it in the band.
Commitment is Max & Ivan’s latest show – and guess what... it was one of the best reviewed shows at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe! Not only that, it embarked on a UK tour, was one of The Guardian’s best shows of the year, and was nominated for Chortle’s Best Comedy Show 2020.
★★★★ 'Spectacular .. you have to love the sheer quantity of jokes' – The Times ★★★★ 'a doozy of a comedy show .. terrific' - The Guardian
With: LOU SANDERS (Star of Taskmaster and 8 out of 10 Cats)
@maxandivan | www.maxandivan.com
LISTINGS INFORMATION
Venue: Main House Cabaret, Pleasance Islington
Dates: 24th to 29th November 2020
Time: 19:30 (18:00 on 29th)
Tickets: £15 each (15% reduction if booking two shows, 30% reduction if booking all six!)
Tickets here.
