battleoftheaxe.com
then & now
THEN…
So where did The Battle of the Axe begin? Its roots are firmly in the
Notting Hill Gate, area of London. Specifically in The Hoop Bar.
It was here in the early 1980s that Producer/Director Tony Ferns
organised open mic shows for musicians. The shows ran for over ten
years.
When Tony came back to Ireland in 1996, he established the Battle of
the Axe. At the beginning, it was mainly for actors, trying out
monologues.
But as fate would have it a new star was about to be born – The Lucky
Duck – who every Tuesday night became a prized win for the luckiest
comedian. With The Lucky Duck Award and Certificate up for grabs, it
didn’t take long for comedians and singer/songwriters to fall in love
with the open mic theme.
NOW…
To win a coveted Lucky Duck, the audience voted for the number one act on Tuesday night. Whichever act got the loudest cheer, wins the Lucky Duck! And that was how – the Battle of the Axe was born, and lives on to this day. Previous winners of The Lucky Duck Award include Neil Delamere, David McSavage, Damien Clarke, and Paddy Casey – just to mention a few.
The open mic acts have gone on to perform at the highest levels of entertainment – at Vicar Street, The O2, Conan O’Brien, The Comedy Channel, BBC, RTE, Channel 4, The Electric Picnic, The Montreal Festival, Edinburgh Fringe, New York, Sydney, London and even The Grand Ole Opery – Nashville, USA.
REVIEWS
Great Comedy Gig – “Went to this night with some friends. There were a variety of different acts, both Irish and from overseas. The MC was very lively and got the crowd going. There was a wonderful atmosphere and it was a great night.
Would highly recommend it if you are in Dublin.” Meadhbhd Treviso – Italy Good Fun – “Had a good time at this gig, it’s mostly new acts and some were better than the others but the show moves along at afast pace, bar staff are great craic too.” John, Ireland.
Good Value – Very Funny – We pre-booked tickets online for the Thursday night show after seeing some good reviews & we’re very glad we did! The host was great, and we saw about 5 comedians I think, all were really funny with different tastes in comedy so something to suit everyone. They interacted with the crowd and gave out a bit of banter but were never rude. Would definitely recommend it. Katie Louise – Nottingham, UK
LEAVE A REVIEW – WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
OUTSIDE PERFORMANCES
Adding to its wide-ranging portfolio, the Battle of the Axe has
performed and presented shows at the following established venues:
Players Theatre Trinity College, Dublin. The Crypt – Dublin Castle, The Irish Film Institute, Dublin City University. Also at the following Festivals – Cashel Arts, Durrow Arts, Liberties. Liberty Belle, the Bayno Bar, Rosey O’Grady’s, KRC Kimmage, Fringe Kilkenny, Key Largos, Shipwright Bar.