Listen to this article:The Dabbers Bingo Comedy Caller Contest 2024 took place earlier this month and was won by Dru Cripps, a Gaulier-trained clown based in London.
The competition was held at Dabbers Bingo City in Houndsditch, London, and it required competitors to perform comedy routines while drawing balls from a bingo machine. Cripps entered the heats but he failed to attract enough votes to reach the final. However, comedian Lil Wenker was forced to withdraw from the final due to a medical emergency, which resulted in Cripps going through as a wild card.
Just to remind you, the comedian Amy Webber Wins Dabbers’ Bingo Calling Competition last year.
Cripps appeared on stage dressed as an “old skool 90’s raver” and began his act in silence, using mime to play games with the audience. He then began bingo calling and made use of a loop station together with beatboxing and dance moves while selecting balls from the bingo machine.
Cripps went on to secure the most audience votes and his prize package includes a contract with Dabbers Social Bingo that will see him host bingo games at a number of London venues over the coming year. He also won £1,000, which he offered to share with Lil Wenker.
Speaking about his win, Cripps said:
“My favourite thing about hosting the bingo was being informed the night before I was back in the competition. Clowns were used in the circus when the Lion tamer has been eaten and they needed someone to do something to distract the audience – so it felt a bit like that. In this case, Lilian Wenker’s appendix was the lion.”
This year’s winner of Dabbers Bingo Comedy Caller, Cripps, who is just 24 years old, only recently arrived in London from Oswestry, Shropshire. In addition to performing at various London venues this year, he will also be heading to Scotland this summer to perform his new show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Named “Druniversal Credit”, the show is about his experiences trying to make it in the world of performing arts.
Those who make the trip to the Edinburgh show should be prepared for Cripps’ unique brand of spontaneous comedy, which he describes as “showing up and seeing what happens”. He doesn’t script his gigs; rather, he believes that the “magic lies within the room with the audience”.
Siska, a BBC New Comedy Award finalist and Live at the Apollo comedian, hosted the final and she was joined by a panel of entertainment industry professionals, including Kirsty Taylor, a Latitude Festival curator, Jerome Bernard, an events producer at Agency Unknown, Verity Lewis, a cabaret producer, and Roland Saunders, a theatre producer.
While Cripps won the audience vote, the judging panel went for Freddie Main, a drag act who performed as Tory MP Babs Romance, complete with musical numbers that referenced the recent general election. He was awarded a year’s supply of Malibu and said:
“The competition was so unhinged, in the best way, a totally bonkers baptism of fire for someone who had never played bingo before. It was so fun to see that bingo is not just for grannies but for PARTIES and I loved watching the other acts so much, as well as developing my own act through the need to structure my jokes around bingo calls.”
Also competing were Australian stand-up comedian Kat Dellar and James Watkins, who performed as Dick Speed, an 80s game show host complete with video graphics and interactive games. Following the final, Jonny Unknown, the founder of Dabbers, said:
“What a finale show! So much energy from the audience and four brilliant contestants competing! The best act won on the day, but gosh it wouldn’t be Dabbers without some last minute drama.”
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