Abandoman

Fronted by Rob Broderick and James Hancox, Abandoman are one of the latest in a number of breakthrough acts which have managed  to push the usual boundaries of the mainstream comedy genre. Broderick has an ability to form a rhyming phrase faster than almost anyone else we know, and does this with the more charm than an Edwardian pickpocket. 

Though SSP had known Abandoman since 2008, they first came to prominence when they scooped the Hackney Empire New Act award and the Musical Comedy Award in the spring of 2010. Since then it has been no looking back, with a string of festival dates including a debut at Altitude Festival, Glastonbury, Latitude, Rockness and a full hour at the Edinburgh Fringe.

In 2011 Abandoman's stock had risen high enough to see them entertain crowds at The Underbelly's purple cow, and in 2012 they've had a successful number of shows at the Southbank. Abandoman haven't been limited to live performances however, their talents have made it to BBC Radio 1, 6 Music and even Dic and Dom.

What makes Abandoman particularly good is their ability to handle the usually long set-up for any improv sketch by keeping the tempo high and never letting the audience stop wondering for a second. This again comes from Broderick, who has had extensive training in improv comedy, and is also an excellent compere in his own right. Now eastablished firmly on the comedy circuit Abandoman are an act to watch.