Comedy star joins Fringe line-up

Imran Yusuf, described by Time Out as a “comedy star” has joined the line-up for the Fringe’s Wednesday comedy night. A veteran of the Edinburgh Fringe and much TV, including Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, he will be bringing his act which is described as “captivating, energetic, and animated” to the gig at the Wanstead Cricket Club.

He will be joining Milo McCabe, singer-songwriter Kate Lucas (Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2014) with her hilariously crafted songs, and Mark Silcox, fresh from his recent appearance on BBC Two’s The Big Asian Stand Up. You can get tickets here.

One of the Fringe’s comedy nights has already sold out, but there is also still chance to see Marcel Lucont (who has been on the John Bishop Show and Russell Howard’s Good News) on Sunday evening. Tickets here.

And tickets are still available to see Johnny Awsum, one of the stars of Britain’s Got Talent in 2017 – and the man whose act was David Walliams’ “favourite moment of the series”. He is headlining the Fringe’s first children’s comedy afternoon. Details and tickets are available here.

Sharp eyes for Wanstead

Keen followers of Wanstead on screen will be watching ITV on Sunday for the start of its production of Vanity Fair, part of which was filmed at St Mary’s Church in Overton Drive (as Wansteadium reader Melanie Hartt memorably captured in the above photo).

The church has been the site of regular weekly worship for 800 years but is currently under threat from a proposal to shut its doors save for a handful of occasions. It is Redbridge’s only Grade 1 listed building and is an architectural and cultural gem, as anyone who has ever been inside knows. Supporters are campaigning to keep the church open.

One opportunity people will have to see the setting comes next week with the Wanstead Fringe. Amateur astronomer Ricardo Cerezo will be pointing out some of the heavenly bodies visible to those who know what they should be looking for in the night sky. It promises to be a fascinating event, and appropriate too since one of history’s great astronomers, James Bradley, is one of the residents of the church yard. The event is free, and details are available here on the Wanstead Fringe website.

Breakery

Gail’s has suffered its third serious break-in in just a few weeks, with – according to reports – its safe being stolen once again. Our sympathies and support to the staff.