The Sitcom Trials

The Sitcom Trials
Created by	Kev F Sutherland
Presented by	Kev F Sutherland
Starring	Wanda Opalinska, Dan March, Victoria Jeffrey, Louisa Gummer, Gerard Foster, Simon Wright, Neil Mullarkey, Richard Vranch, James Holmes +
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of series	1
No. of episodes	8
Production
Production location	HTV Studios, Bath Road, Bristol
Running time	24-25 mins
Production company	Carlton Productions
Original release
Network	ITV 1 / HTV West
Release

The Sitcom Trials is a stage and TV show devised, produced, and presented by Kev F. Sutherland. Beginning in Bristol in 1999, it showcases new sitcoms and comedy items in a head-to-head format. The audience then vote for the one they like best and only see the ending of the winner.

The Sitcom Trials takes place regularly in London, originally at The Comedy Pub (main venue 99-06), also Canal Cafe Theatre, Finborough Theatre, Soho Theatre, Ealing Studios, The Green Room Club, Hen and Chickens Theatre, The Hob Forest Hill, and most recently the Leicester Square Theatre (main venue since 2008). The show began at The Comedy Box in Bristol where it also ran at The Richmond Spring. The Autumn 2007 and Spring 2009 seasons were produced by Simon Wright and Declan Hill, the Autumn 2009 season by James Parker.

In 2008 the Sitcom Trials won the Fringe Report Award for Best Encourager of New Talent.

The Sitcom Trials appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2001, 2002, and 2004. The first TV series was a Carlton production for ITV1/HTV, broadcast live from Bristol over eight weeks in 2003. The first Hollywood Sitcom Trials took place in 2005.

Performers who have appeared in The Sitcom Trials over the years include Miranda Hart, Neil Mullarkey, Richard Vranch, Suki Webster, Tony Robinson (Baldrick), Wanda Opalinska, Gerard Foster, Charity Trimm, Dominic Frisby, Waen Shepherd, Laura Solon, James Holmes, Justin Lee Collins, Russell Howard, Mark Olver, Aaron Barschak, Emily Lloyd, Danny Robins, Dan Tetsell, The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre, Lucy Porter, Nick Ewans, Louisa Gummer, Anne-Marie Draycott, Dan March, Rich Johnston, Andy Pandini, Charlotte-Elizabeth Talbot, Ashley Bloom, David McCusker, Matthew Clancy, Laura Evelyn and Angela Bleasdale.

At the 2004 Edinburgh Fringe The Sitcom Trials auctioned on eBay the chance to have your script in the show. This was won by Liam Mullone who starred in his own sitcom, along with Isy Suttie, Duncan Edwards, Ed Petrie and Andy Bone.

Reviews for the show have ranged from the Leicester Mercurys "We were screaming with laughter... move over Friends", through the London Evening Standards "We're not watching stand-up, we're watching comedy history", to Metro's notorious review of the 2002 Edinburgh Fringe show: "I would happily have voted to have my own eyes gouged out with hot spoons rather than endure another moment."

Episode guide TV series 1

• Episode 1 - "Policevets In Casualty vs Do You Think They'll Cotton On?"

Police comedy by Stephen Dinsdale, vs Brian Meenagh's behind the scenes TV producers. All episodes hosted by Kev F Sutherland.

• Episode 2 - "Go Wild In The Country vs The Client"

Divorcee returns to school reunion, by Jane Simon, vs office romance & ructions by Harris, Blakewill & Wainwright

• Episode 3 - "Cardinal Sin vs Nemesis"

Two historical costume comedies by Andrew Barclay and Sam Elsden

• Episode 4 - "Improv Special"

The Comedy Store Players Neil Mullarkey, Suki Webster, Niall Ashdown & Richard Vranch present two contrasting sitcoms from audience suggestions.

• Episode 5 - "What An Anchor vs A Producers Tale"

Behind the scenes with an anchorman, by Adrian Peck & John Kelly, and a dysfunctional producer, by Roland Moore

• Episode 6 - "Jimmy James vs On The Job"

A solo writer-performed sitcom with multiple characters by James Holmes, vs HTV's Television Workshop's group creation

• Episode 7 - "Perfect 10 vs Football R For Revenge"

Political shenanigans at No 10 by Rich Johnston, vs terror on the terrace by Matt Bowdler & Ben Manning

• Episode 8 - "The public vs the public"

Two scripts selected from entries sent in by the viewers, head to head

References

• "Sitcom Trials Final 09 Review". Chortle.co.uk. Retrieved May 09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
• "Sitcom Trials Final 07 Review". Fringe Report. Retrieved Dec. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
• "Winner Best Encourager Of Talent". Fringe Report Awards. Retrieved Feb. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
• "More from Sitcom Trials". bbc.co.uk - Bristol. Retrieved May 05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
• "Sitcom Trials TV episode guide". locatetv.com. Retrieved Sept. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
• "7 Mins Away From Something You Might Prefer". travel.ciao.co.uk. Retrieved May. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
• "Writers are you game for a laugh?". bbc.co.uk - Gloucestershire. Retrieved April 02. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
• "Edinburgh Fringe 2004". incredible.org. Retrieved August 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
• "I would've happily voted to have my eyes gouged out with hot spoons rather than endure another moment". Metro. Retrieved August 02. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
• "Edinburgh Review". nowt2do.co.uk. Retrieved August. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
• "Edinburgh Review". Chortle. Retrieved August. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

External links

• Sitcom Trials
• [1]
• [2]