Will Mars
{{Short description|British comedian}}
{{Infobox comedian|name=Will Mars|children=2|domestic_partner=Sarah Lee (2018-present)|website=www.willmars.com|image=Will Mars.jpg|birth_name=William Mars|birth_place=Warwickshire, England|birth_date=1980-1982 (aged 41-43)|nationality=British|medium=Stand-Up, Television|years_active=2009-present|caption=Mars performing in New York [circa 2022]|genre=autobiographical . black humour . satire . one-liners}}
William Mars is a British comedian, writer, producer and director.{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/will_mars/|title=Will Mars|first=British Comedy|last=Guide|website=British Comedy Guide}}
Career
Mars began performing stand-up comedy in the United Kingdom in early-2009.{{Cite interview|first=Will|last=Mars|title=Will Mars|website=On The Mic |url=https://www.onthemic.co.uk/interviews_list/will-mars/ |access-date=2023-11-09}}
During these early years, Mars created and produced the critically acclaimed, Joke Thieves show.{{Cite web |last=Donaldson |first=Brian |date=21 February 2014 |title=Comedy review: Joke Thieves, Edinburgh The Stand |url=https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/theatre-and-stage/comedy-review-joke-thieves-edinburgh-the-stand-1544347 |access-date=10 November 2023 |website=The Scotsman}}{{Cite news |last=Logan |first=Brian |date=2014-08-09 |title=Joke Thieves: cover-version comedy |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/aug/09/edinburgh-festival-comedy-joke-thieves |access-date=2023-11-10 |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |date=2013-12-21 |title=Comics who are stealing the show - the week in comedy |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/features/comics-who-are-stealing-the-show-the-week-in-comedy-9016569.html |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=The Independent}}{{Cite web |date=2013-08-13 |title=Joke Thieves |url=https://www.fest-mag.com/edinburgh/comedy/joke-thieves |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Fest Magazine}} This show has appeared regularly at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe since 2013{{Cite interview|first=Will|last=Mars|date=2014-12-10 |title=Joke Thieves - Interview with creator Will Mars |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/feature/joke_thieves_interview/ |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=British Comedy Guide}} and has been produced for television in both the U.K.{{Cite web |date=2014-08-05 |title=Hit live comedy format 'Joke Thieves' gets TV pilot |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/1557/joke_thieves_bbc_two_comedy_series/ |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=British Comedy Guide}} and the U.S.{{Cite web |last=Bennett |first=Steve |title=Joke Thieves heading to America?|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2021/08/05/48953/joke_thieves_heading_to_america |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=Chortle}} The show is now hosted by Mars and recorded regularly as a podcast on Spotify.{{Cite web |title=Joke Thieves |url=https://open.spotify.com/show/7F5InX04mv3PCIxInjZWcj |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=Spotify}}
Mars relocated to the United States in early 2014.{{Cite interview|first=Will|last=Mars|title=Will Mars at the Fringe - Comedy interview|url=https://www.theskinny.co.uk/festivals/edinburgh-fringe/comedy/routines-will-mars-interview |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=The Skinny}} In late 2016 he attended an open-call audition at the Apollo Theater, Harlem, as an amateur comedian, and became a finalist in the venue's talent hunt. This led to him making his U.S. network television debut on the 25th Anniversary Special of Fox's Showtime at the Apollo alongside comedians Steve Harvey, Tracy Morgan and Gabriel Iglesias.{{Cite web |date=2016-12-06 |title=FOX's "Showtime at the Apollo" 2016 primetime special|website=The Comic's Comic |url=https://thecomicscomic.com/2016/12/06/foxs-showtime-at-the-apollo-2016-primetime-special/ |access-date=2023-11-10 |language=en-US}}
In 2018, Mars made several appearances on Season 8 of NBC's Trial by Laughter becoming a series finalist.{{Cite web |date=2018-03-30 |title=News: British Comedian Makes It Through To US TV Talent Final |url=https://www.beyondthejoke.co.uk/content/5471/Will-Mars-tv |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=Beyond The Joke}}
Mars won the only award given out at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2021, The Malcolm Hardee Cunning Stunt Award.{{Cite web|date=2021-09-27 |title=Will Mars wins Malcolm Hardee Award 2021 |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/news/6565/will-mars-wins-malcolm-hardee-award/ |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=British Comedy Guide}}
At the Edinburgh Fringe in 2022, Mars debuted his 10th solo hour show, Will Mars: My Life in One-Liners. The show received favourable reviews from well-known fringe critics including Sharon Lougher of Metro, Kate Copstick from The Scotsman and Bruce Dessau of the Evening Standard and beyondthejoke.co.uk. Mars was also nominated for best show in the Amused Moose Comedy Awards.{{Cite web|date=2022-08-21 |title=Amused Moose Comedy Awards 2022 nominees |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/fringe/news/6981/amused-moose-2022-nominees/ |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=British Comedy Guide}}{{Cite web |date=2022-08-11 |title=Edinburgh Fringe Review: My Life In One Liners, Gilded Balloon, Patter Hoose |url=https://www.beyondthejoke.co.uk/content/12395/will-mars-review |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Beyond The Joke}}{{Cite web |last=Copstick |first=Kate|authorlink=Kate Copstick |date=12 August 2021 |title=Fringe comedy reviews: Peter Buckley Hill and Some Comedians {{!}} Alex Farrow {{!}} Will Mars {{!}} Sameer Katz |url=https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/edinburgh-festivals/fringe-comedy-reviews-peter-buckley-hill-and-some-comedians-alex-farrow-will-mars-sameer-katz-3344393 |access-date=10 November 2023 |website=The Scotsman}}{{Cite web |last=Lougher |first=Sharon |date=2022-08-21 |title=Edinburgh Fringe shows you need to see - Tom Ward and Vir Das to Jack Harris |url=https://metro.co.uk/2022/08/21/edinburgh-fringe-shows-you-need-to-see-tom-ward-and-vir-das-to-jack-harris-17219354/ |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Metro}}
Personal life
Mars met his girlfriend Sarah Lee, a partner at Penningtons Manches Cooper law firm{{Cite web |title=Pennington Manches Cooper People |url=https://www.penningtonslaw.com/people/k-o/sarah-lee |access-date=10 November 2023 |website=Penningtons Law}} on the London comedy circuit. In 2019 they created and performed a comedy chat show, The Mars & Lee show, together at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.{{Cite web|title=The MARS & LEE Show at The Free Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2023 |url=http://grubbygibbon.com/edinburghfest/Show.aspx?ShowID=6073 |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=grubbygibbon.com}} The couple live in North London with their two children.
Television appearances
- Stand Up for Comic Relief BBC [2012]
- Showtime at The Apollo FOX [2016]
- Trial by Laughter NBC [2018]
Live shows
{{Cite web|title=Will Mars |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/will_mars/ |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=British Comedy Guide}}
File:Stephen Carlin, Matt Roper and Will Mars II.png]
- 2012 Will Mars - Ruination (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
- 2013 Will Mars - Americana (Edinburgh Festival Fringe & UK Tour)
- 2013-19 & 2021 Joke Thieves (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
- 2014 Will Mars - As Good As My Audience (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
- 2015 Will Mars - Outspoken White Guy (Edinburgh Festival Fringe & World Tour)
- 2015-19 Sketch Thieves (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
- 2015 Routines (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
- 2016 Will Mars - Schtick Shift (Edinburgh Festival Fringe & Asia Tour)
- 2017 Will Mars - This (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
- 2018 Will Mars - Candid Cafe (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
- 2019 Will Mars - Phoenix (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
- 2019 The Mars & Lee Show (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
- 2021 Will Mars - My Life's A Joke (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
- 2022 Will Mars - My Life in One-Liners (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9041323/
- https://www.jokethieves.com
- {{Official website|https://www.willmars.com}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mars, Will}}