Saturday night was the first time I have ever attended a Comedy Store at Warrington Pyramid Arts Centre , so I had no idea what to expect.
The Comedy Store
There was no seating plan so people filed in and sat wherever they wanted. Many were carrying not pints- but pitchers- of beer- at this point we knew we were in for an interesting time.
The atmosphere at 8pm on a Saturday night was as you would expect. Everyone was in the mood to sit back, drink, relax and laugh before hitting the town- and a good time was had by all.
Sitting in the front row was a bride to be and her hens, so she was the victim for all of the acts as she was an easy target- but took it all in good humour.
MC Paul Thorne warmed the audience up and introduced the acts but not before showcasing his talents as a comedian first. He expertly carried jokes through from the introduction, between the acts to the wrap up at the end and made fun of several of the audience members all of whom were up for a good heckle after a few drinks.
One review said that he 'makes working an audience look effortless' and I am in total agreement. The links and leads were seamless and I looked forward to listening to him again between the other acts.
Andrew Ryan had the attention of every woman in the room as he introduced himself and revealed his irresistible Irish accent. Aside from his obvious sex appeal- he was very entertaining- dressed in a suit- people might have been expecting a Jimmy Carr- but he couldn't have been more different.
As the venue was quite intimate it felt just like a mate telling you stories down the pub as he delivered them with cheek and perfect timing.
He had some wonderful tales to tell of universal topics like growing old, being single and dating that had everyone rolling around in the aisles.
John Fothergill is perfect for fans of Sarah Millican as he is a fellow Geordie in a long term relationship who is not afraid to tell you stories of his very own 'Angel of the North' and all that goes with married life.
He has a guy next door, approachable quality that will remind you of nights out with your friends and all the silliness and crude topics that go along with them.
Charlie Baker brought a fresh twist to the evening and treated the audience to some of his Jazz singing- but he had altered some of the iconic songs to get a few giggles along the way. He has officially ruined Adele's 'Hello' for me!
To sum up the night- the premise was like the makings of a really bad joke, an Irishman, a Geordie and a man from Devon walk into a Comedy Store- but the result was far from bad. All three acts were strong and brought their own unique brands of comedy to the stage.
I have to admit, I had never heard of any of the acts before Saturday night, which is why The Comedy Store is the ideal place to introduce you to people you might have never come across before.
They were all- in my opinion are just as talented as the big players. I would happily watch any of them again and look forward to the next Comedy Store offerings.
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