COMEDY NIGHT
From left, Toby Hadoke at XS Malarkey; Gorilla, which hosts Group Therapy; Harriet Dyer, who hosts Barking Tales; Comedy Store; and Frog And Bucket
MAKING people laugh is no mean feat. So the people and events that are able to do so deserve high praise indeed.
From the stalwart venues to up-and-coming nights, Manchester has a rich comedy scene that caters to all kinds of humour. XS MALARKEY COMEDIAN Peter Kay once played there for the princely sum of £1 on the door - and he was in good company.
John Bishop, Sarah Millican, Alan Carr, Johnny Vegas and anyone who’s anyone in comedy has played at XS Malarkey over the years.
The Manchester comedy night turned 21 this year and in that time it has been a springboard for countless comics to launch their careers.
A not for profit comedy club, it is promoted and compered by the comedian and actor Toby Hadoke, and runs every Tuesday night at The Bread Shed. GROUP THERAPY LAUNCHED in September 2012, Group Therapy, hosted at Gorilla, is run by the experienced hands and leftfield brains of Ros Bell and Michael Clapham.
Group Therapy has a loyal and solid audience, but its staggering ability to attract massive names and the extraordinary ability of the club’s organisers to spot the hottest new talent - has made it a place that people are desperate to go to and artists are excited to play. BARKING TALES TUCKED away on New Wakefield Street, Barking Tales is a monthly comedy night at tiki bar Zombie Shack.
The free-to-enter stand up evening is hosted by comedian Harriet Dyer and is the UK’s only mental health comedy night.
Dyer set up the night to give comedians who have mental health difficulties a safe and supportive environment to talk about their mental health issues and try out their routines. COMEDY STORE COMEDY Store has been bringing some of the best, biggest, and freshest names to Manchester since 2000, with shows every Thursday to Sunday.
Set in the arches of Deansgate Locks, the programme includes a mix of regular shows such as Best in Stand Up, New Comedians and King Gong nights, where the public can try to show off their comedy talents by trying their luck with the Comedy Store audience, at the mercy of the gong. You name them, they’ve played here. Peter Kay, Caroline Aherne, John Bishop, Sarah Millican, Stephen Merchant, Jason Manford, even Mike Myers and Jerry Seinfeld have trodden the Store’s boards. FROG AND BUCKET As the venue prepares to celebrate its 25th birthday in 2019, Frog and Bucket has played a part in launching the careers of many household names of comedy, including Peter Kay, Jason Manford and John Bishop.
The club is open four days a week. Friday and Saturday nights are the fun packed end of the week shows, then there’s Thursdays for a connoisseur led show. On Mondays, newcomers attempt to beat the frog by staying on stage for five minutes without getting ‘croaked off.’ Brutal. See page 7 for the details of how to vote.