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Will Mars
Mars performing in New York [circa 2022]
Birth nameWilliam Mars
Born1980-1982 (aged 41-43)
Warwickshire, England
MediumStand-Up, Television
NationalityBritish
Years active2009-present
Genresautobiographical . black humour . satire . one-liners
Partner(s)Sarah Lee (2018-present)
Children2
Websitewww.willmars.com

William Mars is a British comedian, writer, producer and director.[1]

Career

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Mars began performing stand-up comedy in the United Kingdom in early-2009.[2]

During these early years, Mars created and produced the critically acclaimed, Joke Thieves show.[3][4][5][6] This show has appeared regularly at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe since 2013[7] and has been produced for television in both the U.K.[8] and the U.S.[9] The show is now hosted by Mars and recorded regularly as a podcast on Spotify.[10]

Mars relocated to the United States in early 2014.[11] 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.[12]

In 2018, Mars made several appearances on Season 8 of NBC's Trial by Laughter becoming a series finalist.[13]

Mars won the only award given out at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2021, The Malcolm Hardee Cunning Stunt Award.[14]

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.[15][16][17][18]

Personal life

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Mars met his girlfriend Sarah Lee, a partner at Penningtons Manches Cooper law firm[19] 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.[20] The couple live in North London with their two children.

Television appearances

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  • Stand Up for Comic Relief BBC [2012]
  • Showtime at The Apollo FOX [2016]
  • Trial by Laughter NBC [2018]

Live shows

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[21]

Mars in London rehearsals for the 'Routines' show [2015]
  • 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

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  1. ^ Guide, British Comedy. "Will Mars". British Comedy Guide.
  2. ^ Mars, Will. "Will Mars". On The Mic (Interview). Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  3. ^ Donaldson, Brian (21 February 2014). "Comedy review: Joke Thieves, Edinburgh The Stand". The Scotsman. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  4. ^ Logan, Brian (2014-08-09). "Joke Thieves: cover-version comedy". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  5. ^ "Comics who are stealing the show - the week in comedy". The Independent. 2013-12-21. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  6. ^ "Joke Thieves". Fest Magazine. 2013-08-13. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  7. ^ Mars, Will (2014-12-10). "Joke Thieves - Interview with creator Will Mars". British Comedy Guide (Interview). Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  8. ^ "Hit live comedy format 'Joke Thieves' gets TV pilot". British Comedy Guide. 2014-08-05. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  9. ^ Bennett, Steve. "Joke Thieves heading to America?". Chortle. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  10. ^ "Joke Thieves". Spotify. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  11. ^ Mars, Will. "Will Mars at the Fringe - Comedy interview". The Skinny (Interview). Retrieved 2023-11-11.
  12. ^ "FOX's "Showtime at the Apollo" 2016 primetime special". The Comic's Comic. 2016-12-06. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  13. ^ "News: British Comedian Makes It Through To US TV Talent Final". Beyond The Joke. 2018-03-30. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  14. ^ "Will Mars wins Malcolm Hardee Award 2021". British Comedy Guide. 2021-09-27. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  15. ^ "Amused Moose Comedy Awards 2022 nominees". British Comedy Guide. 2022-08-21. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  16. ^ "Edinburgh Fringe Review: My Life In One Liners, Gilded Balloon, Patter Hoose". Beyond The Joke. 2022-08-11. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  17. ^ Copstick, Kate (12 August 2021). "Fringe comedy reviews: Peter Buckley Hill and Some Comedians | Alex Farrow | Will Mars | Sameer Katz". The Scotsman. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  18. ^ Lougher, Sharon (2022-08-21). "Edinburgh Fringe shows you need to see - Tom Ward and Vir Das to Jack Harris". Metro. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  19. ^ "Pennington Manches Cooper People". Penningtons Law. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  20. ^ "The MARS & LEE Show at The Free Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2023". grubbygibbon.com. Retrieved 2023-11-11.
  21. ^ "Will Mars". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
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