Press Release – 9 June

Sketch and improv from an international ensemble created at the Second City Training Center, Chicago

“The Cleek” at the Edinburgh Fringe

Just the Tonic, 6-24 August 2014

You’re either in or out. Or you’re part of the Cleek.

Do you have what it takes to join the Cleek? Do you even want to? Of course you do! And we’ll accept you even if you don’t. Neither sketch nor improv. And also both. Silly and serious. Yet also neither. The most exclusive all-inclusive open-access members-only group in the world. Whether you feel like you belong nowhere else, or everywhere else, this Fringe you won’t want to be anywhere else.

“Impressively, their performance has a unique quality of finding instant friendship with everyone in the audience. They open up to their spectators the same laughs and genuine affection they have with each other.”

**** The Australia Times (for Mace & Burton’s Rom Com Con, 2014
– featuring Cleek member Lizzy Mace)

Big on imagination and high on laughs, who knows where the Cleek will take you next? Will you be lucky enough to witness a straight teen’s awkward “going-in” as he tells his liberal parents that he’s not gay? Maybe you’ll see the US government sell off all its assets in a final everything-must-go closing-down sale?

This is a show that never stands still: sketches constantly evolve; half of every show is fully improvised from audience suggestions; meanwhile, the core group of four performers rotates with other ‘satellite’ members and special guest improvisers from across the Fringe.

“Much of the time it’s big, dumb fun, but occasionally there’s some very smart stuff.”

**** Age Online (for The Shambles, 2009
– featuring Cleek member Sean Lynch)

The Cleek formed during July 2013 at the Second City Training Center, Chicago, where its members were attending intensive summer courses on improvisation and sketch comedy writing. Drawing together talent from four continents, The Cleek is an ambitious experiment in distance collaboration. The group write together online and rehearse via Skype. They won’t meet in person again until the Fringe, where, in their debut show, they’ll hit the ground running!

“Insightful writing, affable delivery and some beautifully judged moments that are hilarious.”

InDaily (for Mace & Burton’s Rom Com Con, 2014
– featuring Cleek member Lizzy Mace)

Some of The Cleek’s present members have been performing comedy for years, while others are new talents:

• Sean Lynch (Melbourne, Australia) has performed at four Melbourne International Comedy Festivals as a member of acclaimed sketch group The Shambles. Their “Best of” DVD was nominated for an ARIA award, and he was also nominated as the director of 5-star show Nath Valvo: Almost 30. On screen, he was a regular roving reporter on Channel 10’s The Circle, and appeared in feature film Any Questions For Ben with Anchorman 2‘s Josh Lawson.
• Lizzy Mace (London, England) has written and performed shows at three previous Edinburgh Fringes, three Brighton Fringes and one Adelaide Fringe, with accolades including winning the Argus Angel Award for Excellence with comedy partner Juliette Burton for their real-life comedy Rom Com Con. Lizzy can also be seen in her solo character show “Overlooked” at 6pm, August 1-25 (not Tuesdays) at Cowgatehead.
• Eva Victor (Chicago, USA) trained in improvisation at iO, Chicago, and currently performs with the Titanic Players.
• Max Hoover (New York, USA) regularly performs stand-up and improv comedy and is an advanced study student at the legendary UCB theatre.
• Blad Moreno (Caracas, Venezuela) is a highly respected improvisation teacher and performer in his home city. He has been involved in every improv show in Venezuela as director, performer, host or producer and is now pioneering the art form, inspiring the creation of several improv troupes across the country.
• Other Cleek contributors and performers currently belong to improvisation and sketch comedy groups all over the USA, including David Kaufman, currently performing with Three Letter Acronym, Harvard’s long-form improv group, Nina Howard and Liz McCreight members of Oklahoma City University improv troupe, Corinne Ullrich and Emily Sheehan, both continuing training at the Second City Training Center, and Shaina Wagner, training at iO Chicago.

NB. This is not a complete list of all the collective’s members!

The Cleek at the Edinburgh Fringe:
2.20pm (60 minutes) | 6-10, 13-17, 20-24 August | FREE [Donations]
Just the Tonic at The Mash House – Just The Attic
37 Guthrie Street, EH1 1JG (venue #288)
www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/cleek

Links:

The Cleek on Facebook – www.facebook.com/wearethecleek
The Cleek on Twitter – www.twitter.com/wearethecleek
The Cleek’s crowdfunding page – www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-cleek-at-edinburgh-festival-fringe
The Second City – www.secondcity.com

Images:

High resolution press images will be available to download soon from www.lizzymace.co.uk/press

Press Contact:

Julian Hall – julian@textualhealing.co.uk | 07810 486658 | @TextualHealing2

Click here to download this press release in Word format.