Press Release: Extra Topping 3rd Birthday

Introducing Extra Topping: A Brighton home for all comedy outside of traditional stand up.  A hidden gem in the city's bustling comedy community which has its third anniversary in April 2025.  “It's Award winning comedy, but it’s not stand-up!”

Already himself a comedy oddball and seeing an under-catered for gap in the Brighton comedy infrastructure, Extra Topping was founded in April 2022 by character comedian, comedy writer and improviser, Simon Topping, as a place to see for the UK's finest up and coming sketch, improv, character, physical and musical comedy, or anything that is just that little bit different.   

The Ethos of the night is to celebrate the weird and silly above all and provide a funny, warm and nurturing space for both acts and audience alike. 

Stage time is important for new acts to help them grow.  There are plenty of five and ten minute try out nights in Brighton but where do the off-beat acts go after that?  How do they progress?  Extra Topping gives them that space.  The night has been, and continues to be, a place to support alternative comedians who are ready to take the step from open mic to paid professional gigs. We provide a professional theatre space as set up by Sweet Venues and we pay all the acts a small fee for their performance. For many acts this is the first time they have been paid for what they do. 

Extra Topping is run on a not for profit basis.  All the ticket money earned is paid to the acts or put toward running costs of the club.

Since its inception in April 2022 we have had a wonderful array of performers from the sublime to the ridiculous. There's nowhere else in Brighton where you can get such a wide variety of the gloriously funny and the side splittingly strange.  From Pig Elvis to a Viking Warrior.  From a ventriloquist and his Witch to musical improv.  All are welcome.  Each night is guaranteed to be varied and entertaining and full of laughter. 

From the moment you enter the venue you are treated like royalty (one of the good ones, not Prince Andrew) and by the time you leave you'll have laughed the night away and have a story or two to tell your friends. 

Guiding you throughout the night and into her loving arms (if you're not careful) is Extra Topping's fabulous host; the incredible, insatiable, and incorrigible Leslie Bloom. Leslie is everyone's friend. Whether you have attended one of her fitness classes, or have been to one of her tarot reading sessions, her infectious and flirtatious good nature always delights and intrigues the audience.  She is a sharer and generous to a fault. Her unassuming nature makes her a perfect MC, though truth be told she doesn't actually know what MC stands for... but does anyone?

Our acts over the past three years have included a bevy of award winners, award finalists and future stars including:  Julia Masli, Jonathan Oldfield, Lorna Rose Treen, Sugar Coated Sisters, Lachlan Werner, Christian Jegard, Elf Lyons, Kathy Maniura, Joz Norris, JoJo Mably, Carl Carzana,  Frankie Thompson, Michael Brunstrom, Holly and Brook are Hooked, Mikey Bligh-Smith, Selina Mersey, The Mayor and his Daughter, Al Nash, Lil Wenker, Natalie Durkin and Nikola McMurtrie. To name but a fraction. 

Between them the Extra Topping acts so far have: 

4x BBC New Comedy Award TV participants

3x Edinburgh Fringe Comedian’s Choice Award for Best Show

2x Funny Women Award 

2x Malcom Hardee Award for comedy originality

2x Musical Comedy Award Best Newcomer  

1x Malcom Hardee Act Most Likely to Make a Million Quid 

1x Musical Comedy Award Audience Choice

1x Amused Moose Comedy Award for Best Debut Sketch Show 

1x Sketch Off Award Winner 

1x BBC New Comedy Award Finalist 

1x BritishComedy.co.uk Award 

1x Tik Tok Breakthrough Star 

Plus: 2x Radio 4 commissioned comedies series.

In total we have seen: 

150+ Acts 

Almost 50 shows 

100s of happy audience members 

A 5 star show Review

The 3rd Anniversary show includes four more rising stars from the alternative scene and takes place on Saturday 19th April  at Sweet Venues; upstairs at The Yellow Book, 3a York Place, Brighton. Tickets from Sweet Venues. Tickets £8.  The acts start at 7.30pm.

Links:

The Website: www.ExtraTopping.co.uk

Sweet Venues: www.SweetVenue.com

The Yellow Book Bar: https://www.yellowbook.bar

Reviews Hub 5 Star Review: BRIGHTON FRINGE: Extra Topping Comedy Showcase: Sweet@The Poets - The Reviews Hub

Press Photos: Press Photos | Extra Topping