The NATYS: New Acts of The Year Showcase, previously known as The Hackney Empire New Act of the Year, is an annual industry showcase that promotes new waves of emerging Comedy and Variety acts. It ran at the Hackney Empire Theatre from 1988 until 2010. Since then it has toured round London theatres and performance spaces, playing the Barbican Theatre, Stratford Circus, Bloomsbury Theatre, Leicester Square Theatre and The Bernie Grant Arts Centre.
History Roland and Claire Muldoon, of underground theatre group CAST, pioneered "new variety", auditioning many of the acts that became the new wave of comedy and performance in the UK. The process evolved into the New Act of the Year Show produced by Claire and compered by Roland from 1982. In 1986 they took over the Hackney Empire and ran the NATY from 1987, with Linda Smith winning that year's award. It is currently produced by New Variety Lives, Which is managed by Roland and Claire Muldoon, alongside Frank Sweeney and Tony Goodrick. The 2011 final was held at the Barbican Theatre, the 2012 final at Stratford Circus and both 2013 and 2014 finals were held at The Bloomsbury Theatre and returning there for the 2015 NATYS Showcase final. The 2016 Showcase Final was held at The Leicester Square Theatre.
Previous winners include Stewart Lee, Ardal O'Hanlon and Linda Smith. Harry Hill, Russell Brand and Simon Amstell were finalists. The final has been compered for many years by alternative comedian Arthur Smith.
In 2004, William Cook of The Guardian wrote that it "may not be the best-known comedy award, but it might well be our most important".William Cook (3 March 2004) "Stand and deliver", The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-08-30.
The 2006 final was considered to be "the best since 1994" according to Cook. After the 2011 final, held at the Barbican Centre, Bruce Dessau of the London Evening Standard said the line-up confirmed ‘that there is more to the current comedy boom than Michael McIntyre wannabes exploring their man-drawers’,Bruce Dessau (21 March 2011) "David Mills crowned New Comedy Act of the Year ", Evening Standard. Retrieved 2013-08-30. Arthur Smith said of the night, "I cannot recall another line up with a more eclectic range of styles and delivery"..
In 2012, The Stage described it as a "display of endurance, sweat, and probable performance enhancing drugs", and "the most important show of the year for new comedy and variety talent"Tony Cooke (1 February 2012) "New Act of the Year Final 2012", The Stage
The 2022 installment was co produced by Soho Theatre's New comedy Promoter team and took place at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre in Tottenham. It was hosted by Curtis Walker. As of February 2025, no NATYs has been held since.
Rules and eligibility Entrants are acts seeking to become established on the live comedy circuit that are not as yet full-time paid professional acts, must have performed for at least one year and have recommendations from two established promoters/agents/venues. Previous finalists do not qualify.
Winners and finalists
2022 - The Bernie Grant Arts Centre (Co-Produced by Soho Theatre)
Viggo Venn - Top of the Bill Roman Harris - First Runner Up Dan Wye - Second Runner Up Lorna Rose Treen Flat & the Curves Caroline Madds Dee Allum Kathryn Higgins Adam Flood Luke Chilton Mark Flynn Joshua Bethania Andy Watts Eugene Dusauzay
2020 - The Hackney Empire
Ali Woods - Top of the Bill Adam Coumas - Runner Up Blake AJ - Runner Up Sheba Montserrat Angelica Charlie Partridge Iona Fortune (Anna Dominey) Jerry Bakewell Katherine Kenway Rob Copland Sue Gives a F**k (Chris Nelson) Trevor Bickles
2019 - The Hackney Empire Njambi McGrath - Top of The Bill Eamon Goodfellow - Second Place Mad Ron (Steve Lee) - Third place Nicole Harris JennyBSide Chris Allen Nicholas De Santo Audrey Heartburn (Tracey Collins) Trev Tokabi Kuan-Wen Huang Matt Hutchinson El Baldiniho Josh Jones Patrick Healy Susie Steed
2018 - Rich Mix Ada Campe (Naomi Paxton)- Top of The Bill Maggie Kowalski - Second Place Huge Davies - Joint third place Bunny Hopkyns (Bruce Williams) - Joint third place Mary O'Connell Paul Cox Ellis & Rose Jake Howie Kevin O'Connell Amy Hooplovin' Wisebowm (Steve Whiteley) Dannie Grufferty Will Mars John Meagher Jon Udry
2017 - Leicester Square Theatre Raul Kohli- Top of The Bill Roland SaundersTV-TV - Second Place Sindhu Vee - Joint third place Phil Lucas - Joint third place Arielle Souma Claire Lenahan EiLeAnn Harris Enda Muldoon Joshua Robertson (Yeah Man) Lauren Pattison Michael Clarke Rasputin's Lunchbox The Establishment (Dan Lees & Neil Frost) The Monks (Yazz Fetto & Kevin Moore)
2016 - Leicester Square Theatre Bilal Zafar - Top of the Bill Jimmy Bird - second place Emma Sidi - joint third place Josh Pugh - joint third place Revan and Fennel - Fourth place Thomas Rackham President Obonjo Mr Spooky (Joseph Murphy) Luca Cupani Svetlana the Oligarch's Wife Patrick Brusnahan Bucket Dave Green
2015 - The Bloomsbury Theatre Bruce Dessau (26 January 2015) "Review: NATYS, Bloomsbury Theatre", Beyond the Joke Daniel Duffy (Michael Stranney) - Top of the Bill Jenny Collier - joint second place The Herbert (Spencer Jones) - joint second place Francis Foster - third place Ashley Haden Cheekykita Chris Betts Don Biswas The Jest Joe Sutherland Josh R. Cherry Mikey Bharj Nick Elleray Rachel Fairburn Sean Patrick
2014 - The Bloomsbury Theatre Steve Bennett (27 January 2014) "NATYS 2014 Final", Chortle Alasdair Beckett-King - Top of the Bill Garrett Millerick - second place Twayna Mayne - joint third place Kelly Kingham - joint third place Archie Maddocks Candy Gigi Markham Jo Coffey Nick Hodder Pete Dobbing Thomas Ward Thünderbards Tina T'urner Tea Lady (Tracey Collins) Vinegar Wilson
2013 - The Bloomsbury Theatre Paul F Taylor - Top of the Bill Sam Savage - runner up Darren Walsh - runner up Alex Perry Anna Devitt Quint Fontana (Andy Davies) Fern Brady Four Screws Loose Jay Cowle Jonny & The Baptists Lindsay Sharman Mark Niel Nabil Abdulrahid Nicky Wilkinson Stuart Hossack Tony Marrese
2012 - Stratford Circus Patrick Cahill - winner Mark Stephenson - second place Adams and Rea - third place Bobby Mair Mark Simmons Electro Future Beard Club Luke Meredith Under Dogs Mae Martin Russella Tony Cowards George Rowe Stuart Mitchell Myra Dubois
2011 - The Barbican David Mills - winner Prince Abdi - joint second place Julian Deane - joint second place Darius Davies - third place Jav Jarquin - fourth place Nat Tapley Steve Aruni & Henry The Hoover Asian Provocateurs Joe Wells Rachel Parris David Trent Tania Edwards McNeil & Pamphilon How do I get up there?
2010 - The Hackney Empire (final show at this venue)Tony Cooke (1 February 2010) , The Stage Abandoman - winner Inel Tomlinson - second place Frisky & Mannish - third place Andrew Ryan - fourth place Luke Benson Jo Selby as Tatiana Ostrakova Luke Graves Giacinto Palmieri Val Lee Nathaniel Metcalfe Alan Hudson Dave Gibson Alyssa Kyria as Ariadne the Greek WAG Richard Rycroft Sir Harold Hackney, Alternative Mayor of London
2009Tony Cooke (19 January 2009) "Hackney Empire New Act of the Year Grand Final 2009", The Stage Fergus Craig - winner Seann Walsh - second place David James - third place Ross Ashcroft Ro Campbell Gary Colman Jon Kudlick Lady Garden Grainne Maguire Moonfish Rhumba Craig Murray Colin Owens Jim Park Jason Patterson Piff the Magic Dragon Ahir Shah
2008 Steve Weiner - winner Pippa Evans as Loretta Maine - second place Andi Osho - third place Rachel Boxall Dylan Bray Pat Burtscher Brothers Gribble The Heresy Project Gerry Howell Emannual Kenallos as Manos the Greek Frank Sanazi Kate Smurthwaite Christian Steel Vikki Stone Jack Whitehall Imran Yusuf
2007 Luke Toulson - winner Liz Carr - second place Gareth Richards - third place Crispin Flintoff - runner-up Christian Lee - runner-up Isma Almas Evie Anderson Tamika Campbell Matt Grantham Dan Hoy Joe Kay Teak Show Holly Walsh David Whitney Maureen Younger
2006 Joe Wilkinson - winner Diane Morgan - second place Stuart Goldsmith - third place Paul H Allen Matt Devereux Duncan Edwards Michael Fabbri Helen Keen Sarah-Louise Young Martine Pepper Ray Presto Stanley Silver Al Stick Tomi Walamies Robert White
2005 Henning Wehn - winner Matt Green - second place Papa CJ - third place Gareth Berliner Simon Brodkin as Lee 'Nelsy' Nelson Stephen Carlin Janice Phayre Griff Griffiths Simon Green & James Connelly
2004 Peter Aterman – winner Kerry Godliman - second Ava Vidal – third equal Jaik Campbell – finalist Roisin Conaty – finalist Nelson David – finalist James Goldbury – finalist Pablo – finalist Del Strain – finalist Reverend Dick Tate – finalist Vinell, Camel, Kiernan – finalist
2003 Matt Kirshen – winner Rhod Gilbert – second Simon Amstell – finalist Del Strain – finalist Ross Wagman - finalist
2002 Graham Anthony – winner Nina Conti – second Steve Day – finalist Henrik Elmer - finalist Vicky Frango – finalist Patrick Monahan – finalist Dave Palmer aka Dave Dynamite – finalist Verity Welch - finalist Graeme Casey - finalist
2001 Men in Coats – winner Rob Deering – second Les Hommes Sans Noms (Andy Sinclair and Jim Woodcock- finalist James Holmes – finalist Inder Manocha - finalist Adrian Poynton - finalist
2000 Paul Hickman – winner Shaparak Khorsandi - second Mark Felgate – finalist Russell Brand – finalist Francesca Martinez – finalist The Funjabis – finalists John Ryan – finalist Cole Parker – finalist
1999 Anton - winner Daniel Kitson - runner-up Paul Sinha – third Mary Bourke – finalist Shirley Goorwich - finalist Sally Smith - finalist
1998 Hitchcock's Half Hour (Neil Cole and Tom Hillenbrand) - winner Jocelyn Jee Esien - third Catherine Tate - finalist Susan Vale - finalist Micky Flanagan - finalist Lee Canterbury - finalist
1997 Jon Reed – winner The Fluffy Brothers Natalie Haynes R David
1996 Noel Britten – winner Gina Yashere - 2nd Dan Evans - 3rd Will Smith - 4th Dean Kelly - finalist Mike Gunn - finalist Veronica McKenzie - finalist Hovis Presley - finalist Cornish Patsy - finalist Alex Marion - finalist Mal Kay - finalist Seanie Conran - finalist Arthur Smith - compere
1995 Lee Mack - finalist
1994 - The Hackney Empire Ardal O'Hanlon/Wara - joint winners Ricky Grover - third Kevin Gildea - fourth Junior Simpson - finalist Simon Lipson - finalist Simon Pegg - finalist
1993 Ronni Ancona - winner Tim Vine – runner-up Mel Barnes (Wilson) - finalist Sally Holloway - finalist Pommy Johnson - finalist Simon Lipson - finalist Ben Miller - finalist Jack Russell - finalist
1991 Paul Tonkinson - winner Nick Wilty - finalist Neville Raven - finalist Martin Davies - finalist Oliver Turnbull - finalist
1990 Stewart Lee - winner
1989 Keith Dover – winner Niall MacAnna - second
1987 Linda Smith – winner
References
External links Hackney Empire official site Details for 2007 New Variety Lives website