BR151004-Best Of British.indd

iNsPiRe
Comedian Matt Kirshenn takes the
stage at The Bierkeller, Manchester,
as part of Manford’s Comedy Club
Comedy
BY F iO N a H i C Ks
66
Clubs
forget the pub—stand-up
comedians are an overlooked
option for a rollicking night out
BEST OF BRITISH
➸ Manford’s Comedy Club
NATIONWIDE
“I’ve been wondering for a while
now why local stand-up comedy
isn’t high up on the list of what
people think about doing when
looking for a great night out?” says
Jason Manford.
The comedian has set out to
change this, establishing a number
of clubs across the country. Jason,
of course, has connections, so the
big names do pop up. But he’s also
READER’S DIGEST
keen to showcase those a few rungs
down on the fame ladder.
“There’s a circuit of brilliant
comics who haven’t been on telly
for a number of reasons,” he says.
“I’m going to select some of my
favourite comedians from the circuit
and send them to a town near you.”
From Blackpool to the Isle of
Wight, the clubs endeavour to cater
to the community. This month,
for example, there’s a show at The
Lamproom Theatre in Barnsley, a
former Methodist chapel that’s been
redeveloped by volunteers.
Whichever comedians are on
the bill—big names or up-andcomers—tickets hover around
the £12 mark in all locations.
Founder Maff Brown still
performs at the Outside
the Box Comedy Club
■ For details, visit manfords
comedyclub.com
Outside The Box
Comedy Club
KINGSTON, SURREY
Top left: comedians Duncan Oakley,
Tanyalee Davis and Matt Kirshen;
(below) an audience at The Bierkeller
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Founded by comedian Maff Brown
in 2005, the first Kingston club has
gradually spread to the rest of the
south-west, with venues in Windsor,
Basildon and New Malden among
several others.
The draw of these clubs, other than
their self-professed “warm, friendly
and fun vibe”, is that star comedians
often use them to test out brandnew material. Even more excitingly,
they’re not always advertised on the
bill—partly because these comedians
are showcasing work-in-progress, but
also because, according to Maff, “It’s
nice to have a surprise to boast about
the next day in the office!”
Comedy nights run several times
a month across all the venues and if
you’re one of the first 60 to book in at
Kingston, you’ll even be awarded with
a seat. What’s more, Maff still pops in
to perform.
■ For details, visit outsidethebox
comedy.co.uk
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BEST OF BRITISH
Frog and Bucket
MANCHESTER
This great institution celebrated its
21st birthday this year. The venue
may have moved since its opening
(to a former bank on Oldham Street),
but the ethos has stayed the same.
“The club has always prided itself
of supporting northern acts,” says
founder David Perkin. “Comperes
are invariably northerners and the
club employs northern comedians
alongside guest acts.”
Both Peter Kay and Johnny Vegas
frequented the club in their early
years, and it’s also the site of John
Bishop’s first gig. “Without the Frog
and Bucket, I wouldn’t be a comedian
today,” he points out.
Mondays are the popular “Beat
the Frog” night, where newcomers
attempt to remain on stage for five
minutes without being “croaked off”.
READER’S DIGEST
Cotswold Comedy Club
Milton Jones is one of
many star performers
to have appeared at
Red Card
CHIPPING NORTON
The chocolate-box streets of the
Cotswolds aren’t the first thing you
associate with riotous comedy, but
friends Dave Arnold and Ken Normal
set out to change this in 2011.
The sporadic nights, which run
mainly at The Theatre in Chipping
Norton or The Rye Hill Golf Club in
Milcombe (with the odd cameo at
The Sun Inn in Hook Norton) feature
established and newer comics, with
an open mic at Chipping Norton for
amateurs. But beware: the cheeky
crowds have been known to “Baaaaa”
at comedians in place of heckling.
The founders also sportingly direct
punters to Creative Cows, which runs
regular nights in Chipping Campden.
“We don’t hold a monopoly on
Cotswolds comedy,” they say. All the
same, it’s a fantastic place to start.
■ For details, visit frogand
bucket.com
■ For details, visit cotswold
comedyclub.com
Red Card Comedy Club
Running for more than a decade, Red
Card puts on monthly events at the
Norwich City Football Club, Carrow
Road. Red Card’s core comedy belief,
says director Derek Roberston, is that
“traditions should be upheld…we run
our club in the proper way.”
This means that there are three
solid acts, plus a comic compere, with
the crucial break for a trip to the loo
and/or bar between each.
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© KEN N ORM AN
NORWICH
Red Card has developed enough
clout over the years to attract some
star performers, with Michael
McIntyre, Micky Flanagan and Terry
Alderton all having graced the stage.
And despite the impressive venue and
increasingly starry line-ups, tickets
for a night remain a paltry £12.
For this reason, it’s worth booking
well in advance—before the rest of
Norwich snaps them up.
■ For details, visit redcard
comedyclub.com
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BEST OF BRITISH
READER’S DIGEST
The Boat Show
Comedy Club
LONDON
There are lots of places to see comedy
in London, but only one place to
see it on a boat. The Tattershall Castle,
moored on the Embankment, is a
refurbished paddle steamer that now
sports theatre-style seating and four
well-stocked bars.
Shows run on the weekends and
Monday nights, and it’s possible to
buy a standing ticket for a mere £10.
Each night brings together four acts,
and if you don’t want the fun to stop,
the venue turns into a nightclub
after the show ends—all included in
your ticket price. If it’s your birthday,
they’ll even treat you to a drink on
the house.
■ For details, visit boatshow
comedy.co.uk
The Stand
EDINBURGH
There are three branches of this club
(Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle),
but our favourite is the one in the
Scottish capital. The unassuming
entrance on York Place leads to a
basement space that’s always buzzing
—the sound of belly laughs is often
detectable in the streets above.
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Comedy here runs seven nights
a week, and regularly plays host to
the stars of the circuit—Ross Noble,
Frankie Boyle and Sarah Millican
have all appeared. It’s worth investing
in membership (for a very reasonable
£15 per year), which enables you to
have first dibs on tickets.
The food is an unexpected bonus
too: a hearty burger, macaroni cheese
or sausage and mash can be enjoyed
for not much more than a tenner.
■ For details, visit thestand.co.uk
© CHRIS SCOTT
Do you know a venue with guaranteed
chortles? Email readersletters@readers
digest.co.uk and let us know
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