Simon Amstell Announces Toronto Performance
Award-winning British comedian, Simon Amstell, announces a one-night-only performance of his critically acclaimed new show, What Is This?, on June 25 at The Berkeley Street Downstairs Theatre. Simon will also run the show June 1-30 at Theatre 80 in New York City. These are Simon’s only North American dates for 2018.
A deeply personal, funny exploration of beauty, intimacy, freedom, sex and love, What Is This? is Simon’s fifth show and received rave reviews on his sold-out U.K. tour last fall. Simon toured two of his previous shows throughout the U.S.: Numb (2012 – 2013) and To Be Free (2015). He has appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Conan, The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
In 2017, Simon published his first book, Help, and directed the feature-length documentary, Carnage – Swallowing The Past, for the BBC, receiving rave reviews. Set in a utopian 2067, Carnage is a provocative comedy looking back at a time when human beings ate other animals. The film stars Martin Freeman, Joanna Lumley and Lindsay Duncan. His first feature film, Benjamin, written and directed by Simon, is currently in post-production.
Simon starred in two, hour long stand-up specials for the BBC and his award-winning sitcom, Grandma’s House, ran for two seasons on BBC2, in which Simon plays a version of himself, the host of a massively popular entertainment show who has given it up only to find himself living at home in the suburbs with his dysfunctional Jewish family.
Simon himself made a similar career move when he gave up his role as host of the BBC’s enduring popular comedy panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks after three seasons, during which time he graduated from cult hero to mainstream success.
Simon began performing stand-up in his teens, going on to become the youngest ever finalist of the BBC New Comedy Awards. He started his TV career on Nickelodeon in 1998, until he was fired for making pop stars uncomfortable. He soon found his niche as the co-host of the Channel 4 show, Popworld, where, ironically, he gained a huge following for his groundbreaking work in making pop stars uncomfortable.
Simon has won two British Comedy Awards, an RTS Award, a Broadcast Award, a Chortle Award and has been nominated for a BAFTA.