Franken has a bionic ear for hot air. He'll undercut right-wing jingoism and left-wing piety alike... Simply hilarious.
— The Times of London
You can’t take your eyes off these inspired outpourings
— UK Guardian
Will Franken is an astounding character comedian who makes almost everyone else in his field look like lazy chancers.
— Chortle UK
What elevates Mr. Franken above your garden-variety comedian is an erudite wit and a highly developed sense of the absurd.
— The New York Times
Simply hilarious.
— The Times of London
I cannot remember one moment of this show that wasn't funny. I am still laughing.
— The Scotsman
You can't take your eyes off these inspired outpourings.
— UK Guardian
Best Alternative to Psychedelic Drugs.
— San Francisco Bay Guardian
Will Franken is an astounding character comedian who makes almost everyone else in his field look like lazy chancers.
— Chortle UK
Quite simply, he does the smartest comedy I’ve ever seen. I laughed so hard when I discovered his act that my ribs couldn’t contain it all.
— The Oakland Tribune
Franken wanders through a parallel-universe city populated by hipsters who challenge John Milton to poetry slams and crass marketers of women’s empowerment symposia, among other fun-house imaginings.
— The Onion
This is a supremely talented comedy actor, and each of his characters lives and breathes, however absurdly they do it.
— The Scotsman
It’s more acting than stand-up, and no race, minority, nor pet cause is safe. It belongs in some London theater and it’s way too good for cable TV.
— David Downs, Gelf Magazine
Every Will Franken show is like watching a cast of thousands, with a potpourri of voices and characters.
— San Francisco Chronicle
Instead of delivering one-liners, Franken simply becomes these diverse characters, something that a generic stand-up comic would be hard-pressed to replicate.
— San Francisco Herald
A hilarious, dryly intelligent comedian.
— The Reno News and Review
Support Will Franken's work by becoming a patron at patreon.com/willfranken
On the 26th of January, Will Franken will be in Eastbourne (see shows below), doing an entire, uninterrupted hour of scathing satire, madcap surrealism, and musical interludes. Pop on down to Bar Blue in East Sussex and let's have a proper knees-up!
Also, Will Franken is the proud recipient of the 2017 Blake Society Tithe Grant Award for his letter written in the voice of the visionary contrarian, William Blake. See the happy Will Franken next to a life masque of his hero by clicking HERE and see the letter written from judge Tracy Chevalier to the winner (as well as a link to Will's own award-winning letter) by clicking HERE
WINNER: Blake Society Tithe Grant Award 2017
WINNER: ThreeWeeks Editors' Award 2014
WINNER: Barry Award: Best Performer 2014
Win With Will Franken!
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Creating satire in the juvenalian tradition
Thursday, 9 January
Big Comedy at the White Hart
The White Hart; 22 Great Suffolk Street; SE1 0UG
7:30pm
Tuesday, 14 January
Comedy Unleashed / Back Yard Comedy Club
231 Cambridge Heath Rd, Bethnal Green, E2 0EL
7:30pm
Sunday, 26 January
Oi Oi Comedy,
Bar Blue; 2d Pevensey Road; Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 3HJ
7:30pm
Friday, 7 February
Leicester Comedy Festival
Peter Pizzeria; 9 Welford Place; Leicester, LE1 6ZH
8:00pm
Tuesday, 11 February
Comedy Unleashed/Backyard Comedy Club
231 Cambridge Heath Road; Bethnal Green; E2 0EL
7:30pm
Tuesday, 3 March
Raw Guffaw
The Troqueer Arms; 152 Troqueer Road; Dumfries, DG2 7DF
7:30pm
Tuesday, 10 March
Comedy Unleashed/Backyard Comedy Club
231 Cambridge Heath Road; Bethnal Green; E2 0EL
7:30pm
Thursday, 12 March
Oi Oi Comedy, Printer's Playhouse
49a Grove Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 4TX
8:00pm
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William Franken is creating satire in the juvenalian tradition. Become a patron and you’ll immediately get access to patron-only posts.
Podcasts
Listen to Will's old podcast series, Strollers as well as the original Things We Did Before Reality.
Television
Watch Will's performance on England's The World Stands Up Programme!
“Dear NBC, I would like to audition for Last Comic Standing, but where should I go? What should I do? What does it mean to audition for Last Comic Standing? Will there be water there at the place I audition? What if I get sick the day of the audition? I have been divorced, is that okay? Signed Josh–I mean, Will Franken.”
After I sent the e-mail back, I waited and waited and waited. I looked at the computer screen for minutes, then hours, until the very next day when, right in front of my eyes–A NEW E-MAIL APPEARED!!!!
Radio
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That’s Not The Reason I’m Doing This
$20.00 (includes domestic shipping)
Ever the nomadic and oftentimes undefinable entertainer — a comedy club here, a rock club there — Will Franken the wanderer found a home for the fullest expression of his talents to date in the theatre. More...
Concert To Benefit The Victims Of My Father
$20.00 (includes domestic shipping)
This live CD contains some of Will's best-known pieces. Laugh along with audiences as Will frolics and cavorts from character to character like a caged animal finally released into his natural habitat: the stage. More...
Putting Smiles On The Faces Of Dead People
$18.00 (includes domestic shipping)
In the summer of 1997, a close friend convinced Will Franken to take some student loan money and purchase a small home recording studio. The result, over the course of two years — between Missouri and New York and North Carolina--was a 19 hour, 17 CD box set — of which Putting Smiles On The Faces Of Dead People is but one in a series of best-of volumes from that period. This 72 minute compilation contains some of Will's personal favorites, many of which — owing to the level of studio complexity inherent in purely audio comedy — he has never performed live. The studio Will is different from the live Will — even more cerebral, even more surreal — but still hilarious.More...
