The Pin (comedy act)
| The Pin | |
|---|---|
 Alex Owen (left) and Ben Ashenden (right) | |
| Medium | Theatre; Radio; Television |
| Nationality | British |
| Years active | 2013 – present |
| Genres | Double-act; sketch comedy; surreal humour |
| Website | http://www.thepincomedy.com |
The Pin is a comedy double-act composed of Ben Ashenden and Alex Owen.[1] They wrote and starred in a BBC Radio 4 show of the same name from 2015 to 2019.[2]
Background[edit]
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,[3][4] and they co-wrote and performed in two international tour shows: 2010's 'Good For You,'[5] directed by Liam Williams and Daran Johnson, and 2011's 'Pretty Little Panic'[6] 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.[7] After graduating, the three moved to London and started developing shows at the Invisible Dot comedy club[8][9][10] to take to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[11] The Pin became a duo when Fiddaman left to pursue graduate studies at the University of Oxford.[12]
Works[edit]
Their shows at Edinburgh have garnered great critical acclaim from the likes of The Guardian,[13][14] The Sunday Times,[15][16] The Daily Telegraph,[17][18][19] and more.[20][21][22][23][24][25]
In 2015 the pair's debut BBC Radio 4 series aired, called "The Pin", with four 15-minute episodes. It is characterised by self-referential humour and breaking the fourth wall, with each sketch followed by brief commentary. It was followed by a second series in 2016, and a third series in 2017, this time in the 6.30 pm slot, with half-hour long episodes. A fourth series was broadcast in 2019.
In 2021, they guest starred in an episode of BBC comedy Ghosts.[26]
The Comeback[edit]
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[edit]
The Pin was the 2013 winner of London Sketchfest's prize for 'Best Act,'[27][28] and the first series of their Radio 4 show won them the award for 'Best Comedy' at the 2016 BBC radio awards.[29]
There were nominated for the South Bank Sky Arts Award 'Breakthrough Act' 2021.[30]
References[edit]
- ^ "The Pin introduce their Edinburgh fringe show". The Guardian. 12 August 2014. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "The Pin – Radio 4 Sketch Show". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "Good Clean Men". Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ Reynolds, George (6 November 2009). "Good. Clean. Men". Varsity. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ "Edinburgh Review: Footlights in Good For You". 16 August 2010. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "Theatre: Pretty Little Panic". Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "Comedy: The Pin". Varsity Online.
- ^ "The Invisible Dot: How has one of the country's smallest comedy venues". Independent.co.uk. 11 June 2013. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ Developpando. "The Invisible Dot Ltd – Archive Events – id:151 The Pin". www.theinvisibledot.com. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ Logan, Brian (27 May 2013). "The Invisible Dot: a hand up for standup". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "The Pin". Edinburgh Festival. 11 August 2012.
- ^ "Mark Fiddaman | University of Oxford - Academia.edu". oxford.academia.edu.
- ^ Logan, Brian (24 August 2015). "The Pin at Edinburgh festival review – clever-clever sketch-bending". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ Logan, Brian (20 August 2014). "Edinburgh comedy awards 2014 shortlist: why Liam Williams should win". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "Edinburgh: This woman works | The Sunday Times". www.thesundaytimes.co.uk. Archived from the original on 29 May 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "Crowning glories | The Sunday Times". www.thesundaytimes.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "Edinburgh comedy 2014: what to see". Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "Edinburgh comedy 2015: what to see". The Telegraph. 12 August 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2014: 'quirky and unpredictable'". Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "The Pin – Edinburgh Fringe review". 18 August 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "The Pin". 11 August 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "The Pin at Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh | The Times". The Times. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "The Pin". 5 August 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ 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.
{{cite web}}:|first=has generic name (help) - ^ "The Pin: Ten Seconds With The Pin". 24 August 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ @JimHowick (9 August 2021). "in tonight's opener we're joined by the excellent @thepincomedy @chloedelanney and Sujaya Dasgupta" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "London Sketchfest, Victorian Vaults, review". Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "London Sketchfest Archive". www.londonsketchfest.com. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ ""Everyone" wins Gold at the BBC Radio Awards". 10 May 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ Bennett, Steve. "The Pin nominated for Southbank Award : News 2021 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk.