The Pin (comedy act) explained

The Pin
Medium:Theatre; Radio; Television
Nationality:British
Active:2013 – present
Genre: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

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

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

See 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,'[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]

Notes and References

  1. News: The Pin introduce their Edinburgh fringe show. 12 August 2014. The Guardian. en-GB. 0261-3077. 2016-09-10.
  2. Web site: The Pin – Radio 4 Sketch Show. British Comedy Guide. en-GB. 2016-09-10.
  3. Web site: Good Clean Men. 2020-06-16.
  4. News: Good. Clean. Men.. Reynolds. George. 6 November 2009. Varsity. en-GB. 2020-06-16.
  5. Web site: Edinburgh Review: Footlights in Good For You. 16 August 2010. en-GB. 2016-09-10.
  6. Web site: Theatre: Pretty Little Panic. 2016-09-10.
  7. Web site: Comedy: The Pin. Varsity Online.
  8. Web site: The Invisible Dot: How has one of the country's smallest comedy venues. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/features/the-invisible-dot-how-has-one-of-the-countrys-smallest-comedy-venues-become-an-industry-powerhouse-8652766.html . 18 June 2022 . subscription . live. . 11 June 2013. en-GB. 2016-09-10.
  9. Web site: The Invisible Dot Ltd – Archive Events – id:151 The Pin. Developpando. www.theinvisibledot.com. 2016-09-10.
  10. News: The Invisible Dot: a hand up for standup. Logan. Brian. 27 May 2013. The Guardian. en-GB. 0261-3077. 2016-09-10.
  11. Web site: The Pin. 11 August 2012. Edinburgh Festival.
  12. Web site: Mark Fiddaman | University of Oxford - Academia.edu. oxford.academia.edu.
  13. News: The Pin at Edinburgh festival review – clever-clever sketch-bending. Logan. Brian. 24 August 2015. The Guardian. en-GB. 0261-3077. 2016-09-10.
  14. News: Edinburgh comedy awards 2014 shortlist: why Liam Williams should win. Logan. Brian. 20 August 2014. The Guardian. en-GB. 0261-3077. 2016-09-10.
  15. Web site: Edinburgh: This woman works The Sunday Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20150529160736/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/culture/article1443311.ece. dead. 29 May 2015. www.thesundaytimes.co.uk. 2016-09-10.
  16. Web site: Crowning glories The Sunday Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304100314/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/culture/arts/article1595393.ece. dead. 4 March 2016. www.thesundaytimes.co.uk. 2016-09-10.
  17. Web site: Edinburgh comedy 2014: what to see. 2016-09-10.
  18. News: Edinburgh comedy 2015: what to see. The Telegraph. 12 August 2015. 2016-09-10.
  19. Web site: Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2014: 'quirky and unpredictable'. 2016-09-10.
  20. Web site: The Pin – Edinburgh Fringe review. 18 August 2013. en-US. 2016-09-10.
  21. Web site: The Pin. 11 August 2013. 2016-09-10.
  22. Web site: The Pin at Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh The Times. . en-GB. 2016-09-10.
  23. Web site: The Pin. 5 August 2014. 2016-09-10.
  24. Web site: The Pin: Ten Seconds with The Pin's description : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide. Solutions. Powder Blue Internet Business. www.chortle.co.uk. 2016-09-10.
  25. Web site: The Pin: Ten Seconds With The Pin. 24 August 2015. 2016-09-10.
  26. JimHowick. 1424639413846528004. in tonight’s opener we’re joined by the excellent @thepincomedy @chloedelanney and Sujaya Dasgupta.
  27. Web site: London Sketchfest, Victorian Vaults, review. 2016-09-10.
  28. Web site: London Sketchfest Archive. www.londonsketchfest.com. 2016-09-10.
  29. Web site: "Everyone" wins Gold at the BBC Radio Awards. 10 May 2016. en-US. 2016-09-10.
  30. Web site: The Pin nominated for Southbank Award : News 2021 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide. Steve. Bennett. www.chortle.co.uk.

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