The Pin (comedy act)

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The Pin
Pin with mics.jpg
Alex Owen (left) and Ben Ashenden (right)
MediumTheatre; Radio; Television
NationalityBritish
Years active2013 – present
GenresDouble-act; sketch comedy; surreal humour
Websitehttp://www.thepincomedy.com

The Pin is a comedy double-act composed of Ben Ashenden and Alex Owen.[1]

There were nominated for the South Bank Sky Arts Award 'Breakthrough Act' 2021. [2]

They write and star in their BBC Radio 4 show of the same name.[3]

Background[]

The double act met at the University of Cambridge, where they joined the Cambridge Footlights. Whilst members, they co-wrote and performed the sketch show ‘Good Clean Men’ with Joey Batey, Joe Bannister, Mark Fiddaman and Simon Haines,[4][5] and they co-wrote and performed in two international tour shows: 2010's 'Good For You,'[6] directed by Liam Williams and Daran Johnson, and 2011's 'Pretty Little Panic'[7] directed by Keith Akushie and James Moran.

'The Pin' was originally the title of a show written and performed by Ashenden, Owen, and original member Mark Fiddaman in their final year at Cambridge in 2011.[8] After graduating, the three moved to London and started developing shows at the Invisible Dot comedy club[9][10][11] to take to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[12] The Pin became a duo when Fiddaman left to pursue graduate studies at the University of Oxford.[13]

Works[]

Their shows at Edinburgh have garnered great critical acclaim from the likes of The Guardian,[14][15] The Sunday Times,[16][17] The Daily Telegraph,[18][19][20] and more.[21][22][23][24][25][26]

In 2015 the pair's debut BBC Radio 4 series aired, followed by a second series in 2016, and a third, this time in the 6.30 pm slot, with half-hour long episodes.

In 2021, they guest starred in an episode of BBC comedy Ghosts.[27]

The Comeback[]

Main article: The Comeback (play)

The pair wrote and starred in a new play The Comeback at the Noël Coward Theatre in London's West End which opened on 8 December 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic (with a socially distanced audience). The run was due to end on 3 January 2021, however due to the London Tier 3 restrictions announced by the government, the run was paused after 16 December 2020. It reopened on 7 July 2021 and ran until 25 July 2021.

Awards[]

The Pin was the 2013 winner of London Sketchfest's prize for 'Best Act,'[28][29] and the first series of their Radio 4 show won them the award for 'Best Comedy' at the 2016 BBC radio awards.[30]

Alex Owen and producer Sam Bryant at the BBC radio awards

References[]

  1. ^ "The Pin introduce their Edinburgh fringe show". The Guardian. 12 August 2014. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  2. ^ Bennett, Steve. "The Pin nominated for Southbank Award : News 2021 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk.
  3. ^ Guide, British Comedy. "The Pin – Radio 4 Sketch Show". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  4. ^ "Good Clean Men". Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  5. ^ Reynolds, George (6 November 2009). "Good. Clean. Men". Varsity. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Edinburgh Review: Footlights in Good For You". 16 August 2010. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  7. ^ "Theatre: Pretty Little Panic". Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  8. ^ "Comedy: The Pin". Varsity Online.
  9. ^ "The Invisible Dot: How has one of the country's smallest comedy venues". 11 June 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  10. ^ Developpando. "The Invisible Dot Ltd – Archive Events – id:151 The Pin". www.theinvisibledot.com. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  11. ^ Logan, Brian (27 May 2013). "The Invisible Dot: a hand up for standup". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  12. ^ "The Pin". Edinburgh Festival. 11 August 2012.
  13. ^ "Mark Fiddaman | University of Oxford - Academia.edu". oxford.academia.edu.
  14. ^ Logan, Brian (24 August 2015). "The Pin at Edinburgh festival review – clever-clever sketch-bending". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  15. ^ Logan, Brian (20 August 2014). "Edinburgh comedy awards 2014 shortlist: why Liam Williams should win". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  16. ^ "Edinburgh: This woman works | The Sunday Times". www.thesundaytimes.co.uk. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  17. ^ "Crowning glories | The Sunday Times". www.thesundaytimes.co.uk. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  18. ^ "Edinburgh comedy 2014: what to see". Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  19. ^ "Edinburgh comedy 2015: what to see". The Telegraph. 12 August 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  20. ^ "Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2014: 'quirky and unpredictable'". Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  21. ^ "The Pin – Edinburgh Fringe review". 18 August 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  22. ^ "The Pin". 11 August 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  23. ^ "The Pin at Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh | The Times". Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  24. ^ "The Pin". 5 August 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  25. ^ Solutions, Powder Blue Internet Business. "The Pin: Ten Seconds with The Pin's description : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  26. ^ "The Pin: Ten Seconds With The Pin". 24 August 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  27. ^ @JimHowick (9 August 2021). "in tonight's opener we're joined by the excellent @thepincomedy @chloedelanney and Sujaya Dasgupta" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  28. ^ "London Sketchfest, Victorian Vaults, review". Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  29. ^ "London Sketchfest Archive". www.londonsketchfest.com. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  30. ^ ""Everyone" wins Gold at the BBC Radio Awards". 10 May 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
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