NEWS: Matt Reed @ The Stand

August: the month comedy relentlessly occupies Edinburgh. Comics across the Scottish capital grapple for audience members and awards during the gruelling Fringe Festival. Or, if you’re Sunderland-born comedian Matt Reed, it’s the month you ignore the stressful event 100 miles further north and instead put on your own performance at The Stand in Newcastle. In his show Local TV Celeb (Once, Twelve Years Ago) on Sunday 5th August you can expect comedy without the expense of gimmicks or gruelling backstories. In the words of the comic himself: “My life is completely baseless as is my comedy. I hate that there’s gotta be a thing when you do a show. I just wanna make people laugh.”

You can also expect comedy at very little expense: this evening of chuckles only comes to a very reasonable £7. Matt Reed is in this business to make people laugh and have fun doing it, far away from the worries of five star reviews and comedy awards. So if you’re tired of relentless comedy festival flyers, check out this local comic performing just down the street. If you can’t make it to the live show, there’s plenty of belly laughs on offer in his Mother’s Ruin podcast in which he joins journalist Sarah in an ode to gin.