For Fox Sake Comedy

Update

2009-08-19T13:07:00.000-07:00

Well, the last month was a big improvement on laughs for me from the previous month, but that's not surprising as I wasn't present for the previous one, and almost didn't make this one.

However, to keep you going until I can remember the names of the artists here's a great website to amuse you:

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

The Birthday Party

2009-06-19T03:39:00.000-07:00

Last year's bash was a fantastic night, rounded off by a superb performance fron Ivan Brackenbury. For many there it was their first experience of the Brackenbury Roadshow so could Ivan pull it off again without the element of surprise? The answer was a resounding 'YES'!

A warm evening was made even hotter by a bumper crowd, and it was like the Black Hole of Calcutta at times but the atmosphere was as hot as the temperature, despite Malcolm's appearance without his wig this time.

Alan set the scene nicely and built on his winning performance at his Wigan night I attended, where Justin Moorhouse was headlining. Alan works on confidence and he had it at the birthday night, even given the continued absence of his foil, Street.

The evening began well with Alfie Moore, a policeman who does comedy. Yes you read correctly - obviously some of them do have a sense of humour. Alfie had some good stuff based on his experiences and managed to convince the audience that not all coppers are ... er ... the same. Some of his stuff was a bit samey but it was a very good start to the evening. Alfie was followed by Ben Lawes, looking like Louis Theroux's slightly beefed-up brother. Ben's material was pretty observational stuff and he had some good stuff about gyms and the ugliness of Man Utd players. Ben went down very well and raised the bar for the headline act.

I was a little concerned that having seen the show last year that I may be a bit blase about seeing the same again but I was wrong. Basically the same concept but with newer material, it worked again. The delivery is so important and it was spot on. The audience lapped it up and I thought a couple of people might have a seizure they were laughing so much (hello Rob).

Another great evening that lived up to the hype and at tleast matched the Ian Cognito night that preceded it. Ivan would like to return for our next birthday bash and I don't think, on this showing, that many would complain.

3rd Birthday Party

2009-05-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

Remember the third Birthday Bash on 2 June. The much anticipated return of the Ivan Brackenbury Hosbital Radio Show with the celebrated 'Disease Hour'. Support is from Ben Lawes and Alfie Moore.

Get there early - it's sure to be busy!

May Comedy Night

2009-05-21T12:31:00.000-07:00

May's night was long anticipated by the Fox Crew. MC Alan had been sweating on getting one particular comedian for a good while now and had actually booked him a couple of times only to have circumstances conspire against him. Well finally we were going to see the legend that Alan had built up for us - Ian Cognito. The danger with building someone up like this is that invariably you get a slight sense of disappointment when they actually appear and you wonder what the fuss was about. Did this happen at the May Comedy Night? Well, first things first.

We were treated first to the perfect warm-up act in the shape of Ray Kane who looks like Alexander Litvinyenko or Jade Goody at the end (as he gleefully informed us). Ray's quips were top notch and he had a great little song where he accompanied himself on guitar. He also had a novel piece involving losing his head and replacing it with a balloon. Really. Ray went down very well and if you get the chance to see him do so. His website contains details of upcoming gigs.

The moment of truth arrived - Alan's second set of the night. No, of course I mean Ian Cognito. He had been described as unpredictable and volatile amongst other things. Well, we got a bit of everything from Ian, all of which had one thing in common - belly-laugh funny. My sides were literally aching like they haven't done for a long time. He's been described as iconoclastic and that is an accurate epithet. He's never going to be a TV star with his approach and material (he asked us to look out for homeless people in winter - it's easy to trip over them in the snow) but as a stand-up he is peerless. Never politically correct but not sexist or racist either he is a true maverick. The time flew by without a pause it seemed and the audience lapped it all up. I would absolutely love to see him at The Fox again soon. For once I would agree with the Evening Standard, which said "After half an hour in his company all other comedians begin to seem like people in public relations."

Check Ian's website.

Alan - it's not said very often so it needs capitals:

"YOU WERE RIGHT!"

The Fox

(Photos will follow once Stu pulls his finger out!)

Missing Person

2009-05-21T12:19:00.000-07:00

MISSING PERSON

Missing from the last few Fox Comedy Nights has been the legend known, like Madonna, Britney and ... er ... Suggs, by just one name. Yes, I mean the one and only Street.

If you know the whereabouts of this lovely lady please persuade her to come down to the 3rd Birthday bash on 2 June with Ivan Brackenbury. Alan is really missing taking the piss, er, I mean missing her company and would love to see her back. Here's a picture to help you:

(Clue: Street is the one on the left)

Comedy Night 7 April

2009-04-20T12:46:00.000-07:00

Well it seemed to be Scouse Night at The Fox and Grapes this month, with two of the three acts hailing from the recent City of Culture. Tony Simpson and Graham Goring warmed the crowd up nicely with some well observed humour that went down well but left enough of a gap for the headliner Nige (Keith Carter) to come along and bring the house down. Acting the part of a Scally might not seem too original or particularly amusing but the way Nige interacted with the crowd and refused to be put off his stride by the intermittent interruptions of an inebriated interloper really struck a chord with the audience. He seemed to thrive on this adversity and the crowd went along with him. He never seemed lost for words, or a witty put-down and on this showing he would be welcome back any time.

If Stuart manges to pass on the few photos he took to The Fox I will put them up asap.

Next month we have a real treat with an act Alan has been trying to get here for two years, the brilliant and unpredictable Ian Cognito. Ian will be supported by Ray Kane. Don't miss it.

The Fox

March Comedy Night (yet more)

2009-03-31T13:36:00.000-07:00

March Comedy Night (more)

2009-03-31T13:32:00.001-07:00

March Comedy Night

2009-03-31T13:26:00.001-07:00

Alan and Lee

2009-02-10T13:12:00.000-08:00

Lee haranguing Alan for having called him Jay when thanking the bar staff!

Sully O'Sullivan

2009-02-10T13:02:00.001-08:00

Apologies for the lack of photos this month. One of The Fox's young kits (look it up) must have been playing with the camera and I only managed to rectify this at the end of the evening.

Comedy Night 3 Feb 2008

2009-02-10T12:29:00.000-08:00

Well, The Fox returned from his brief enforced lay-off (no charges were brought but it was touch and go for a while) ready for an evening of top class entertainment. Was I disappointed or was it worth the wait? Read on ...

On arrival it looked like it was going to be one of the less well-supported evenings of recent times but fortunately the crowd picked up and there was a decent number in by the start. Good to see a few new faces in as well.

First up as usual was our MC Alan Donegan. I'm not sure if it was the new faces near the front, or the absence of his usual foil, Street, but Alan struggled to get going tonight. His usual banter wasn't working but every cloud has a silver lining and as Al noted, some of the regulars were happy to revel in his temporary discomfort. Fortunately for Alan and for us he pulled it round in his second slot (even if he needs to learn when to finish i.e. whilst on a high!)

Our first act of the night was a late replacement for two comics from Leeds who were unable to make it due to the bad weather. Chris Brooker is from Somerset and gained a few laughs for his accent, and some admiration for never having slept with a family member. His act never really took off at our little venue but to his credit he toiled on, picking up a few laughs along the way. His closing piece was based on replacing the word 'dance' in song titles with the word 'wank'. Whilst this conceit was amusing initially the idea was dragged out too far and would have benefitted from some judicious pruning.

Well, we needed picking up a bit after that. As I mentioned, Alan approached his usual standard (ahem) in his second stint which left Sully O'Sullivan to headline the evening. Hailing from New Zealand Sully looks a bit like an extreme sports enthusiast crossed with a militant student and he had the crowd eating out of his hand very quickly. Self-deprecating remarks about Kiwis, sheep and Aussies and a surprisingly thoughtful musing on racism were brilliantly executed and we left the evening satisfied that we had seen a talented comedian give his all. I would definitely like to see him again.

Here's to next month - Tuesday March 3 is the date for your diary.

MC Alan

2008-12-17T14:23:00.000-08:00

Dee and Sharon

2008-12-17T14:21:00.000-08:00

Dee, our gorgeous barmaid and Sharon, our beautiful landlady.

Audience

2008-12-17T14:19:00.001-08:00

Sharon, Seymour and Fella (Sharon's not Seymour's)

2008-12-17T14:17:00.001-08:00

Seymour Mace

2008-12-17T14:13:00.000-08:00

More Magic Sam

2008-12-17T14:10:00.000-08:00

Magic Sam

2008-12-17T14:07:00.000-08:00

Bethany Black

2008-12-17T14:02:00.000-08:00

December 8th 2008

2008-12-17T13:22:00.000-08:00

Well there it was - the last show of 2008. Can you believe that? The next time we meet we will all three stone heavier and taking a night off from our diets to enjoy the best free comedy night in the country.

Once again Alan had done us proud with three incredible acts - each one with something different to offer. I'm ashamed to say that when I arrived and saw the first two acts at the bar, one a long haired young lad with a daft hat on and the other a black haired goth looking lass in a leather coat and boots, my first thought was, "Oh dear. Two kids having a go at this comedy thing - they'll get eaten alive." How wrong I was.

First up was Bethany Black, probably the best goth, lesbian, post-op transexual comedian we have seen at the Fox and Grapes (MC Al notwithstanding). Bethany won the audience over with her opening remark, looking out on the gathered motley crew, of "You weren't what I was expecting either!". She described herself as looking like the product of "Marilyn Manson shagging Harry Potter" and went on to tell many funny tales about her life (sex life featuring prominently) and I think we would all welcome her back soon.

Next up was Magic Sam, a comedy magician. No, please, come back ... he's actually very good! I'm not sure how many of us were tempted to take a fag break or go to the bogs when we saw a magician but thank goodness we didn't. Sam's banter was good, his attitude was pretty laid back and his magic was slick. His centrepiece with Beast the mouse avoiding getting splattered was excellent. Another act to be welcomed back I feel. At this rate Alan should organise an all-dayer to showcase the successes we've had.

Headliner for the evening was Seymour Mace. Seymour was scheduled to appear earlier in the year but had to postpone his appearance due to television work. He appears on Johnny Vegas's sitcom vehicle Ideal and also co-writes the Ivan Brackenbury Radio Show that we all remember fondly from our second anniversary party, and we were glad to finally see him in a stand up role. With a somewhat shabby appearance and Geordie accent we weren't quite sure what to expect but Seymour's act was manic and inventive. At times he reminded me of Ross Noble, not just the accent but the way he went off at tangents and riffed off various non sequiturs (and how often do you hear that these days?). Occasionally the level dipped slightly when the audience didn't react as expected but these were quickly followed by a swift recovery and more laughs. His sketch on being one of Gladys Knight's Pips was exceptional. Another very funny performance.

So there we have it. I would go so far as to say the evening was in the top two for sheer consistency of high quality comedy. Next month should be a cracker with the incomparable Ian Cognito making his first appearance. Unpredictable and controversial I believe!

Don't Outstay Your Welcome, Though ...

2008-11-25T14:02:00.000-08:00

Dee and Lee - Our Brilliant Bar Staff

2008-11-25T13:00:00.001-08:00

Audience

2008-11-25T12:45:00.001-08:00

Audience

2008-11-25T12:36:00.001-08:00

Audience Again

2008-11-25T12:26:00.001-08:00

More of You

2008-11-25T12:00:00.001-08:00

Our Beloved Audience

2008-11-25T11:52:00.000-08:00

Readers of a nervous disposition may wish to look away now ...

2008-11-25T11:36:00.001-08:00

And Yet More Chris ...

2008-11-25T11:17:00.001-08:00

And More Chris ...

2008-11-25T10:53:00.000-08:00

Chris Again

2008-11-25T10:31:00.001-08:00

Chris Lynam

2008-11-25T10:21:00.000-08:00

Andy Watson

2008-11-25T10:04:00.001-08:00

More Al

2008-11-25T09:54:00.001-08:00

MC Alan Struts His Funky Stuff (Sho' Nuff)

2008-11-25T09:39:00.001-08:00

At last!

2008-11-25T08:09:00.000-08:00

Well, only a week to go until the next Comedy Night and I've still not done the write up for the last one. How embarrassing. Following the crash of my PC i then had a bout of man flu so I'm dosed up to the eyeballs and shivering away just to bring you words (a few) and photos (many) from the 4 November. Hopefully the memories will flood back. And let's hope the stains came out of Sam's shirt.

Following MC Alan's introductions and his desire to embarrass every newcomer in sight (in a very inclusive sort of way) we started with Andy Watson. Andy has been supporting Paddy McGuinness on tour recently and having seen Mr McGuinness perform I would say that the order was upside down and Andy should be the headline on that bill. Andy's gags were just what were needed to get the evening off to a flier and his wry observations and mini rants went down well with the Fox regulars and newcomers alike. Perhaps a slight tendency to over-reliance on 'wanking' references but nevertheless a great start to the show.

Alan reappeared to unsettle the audience once again (only kidding, Al) and to prepare us for the headline act. To be fair to Alan, I'm not sure anything could have prepared us for Chris Lynam. To say his act is high energy is to do it a disservice. It's completely manic and off the wall. I can't stand comedians who trade on being 'zany' and 'wacky' but Chris went beyond this in a genuinely astonishing performance involving a number of props including flying plastic bags a banjo and a striptease routine. I had not been looking forward much to the act, having done a bit of research on the internet first but all my prejudices were blown away. It was unsettling at times, and definitely unhinged most of the time but the bottom line was - it was funny. Top marks to Alan for bringing Chris along. Regular stand up is great as we have seen constantly at The Fox, but occasionally something different is what is needed and Chris certainly provided this.

Roll on next week when Seymour Mace is headlining.

The Fox

Apologies

2008-11-20T10:44:00.000-08:00

Many apologies to the hundreds, nay thousands, of comedy night supporters who have been salivating for a couple of weeks at the prospect of reviews and pictures of this month's event. Unfortunately The Fox's PC was playing up and finally gave up the ghost. After being revived with a metaphorical kiss of life it appears to be behaving itself so I shall upload the pictures and jot down some thoughts (if I can remember what went on - old foxes do have an unfortunate propensity for forgetfulness).

Bear with me and I shall oblige in the next few days, I promise.

The Fox

Tonight's the Night ...

2008-11-04T03:10:00.000-08:00

... as Neil Young once said.

Ger yourself down to The Fox and Grapes for another evening of top class entertainment. Can we expect fireworks for Bonfire Night Eve? Let's see.

The Fox

Bill Wooland

2008-10-19T15:05:00.001-07:00

More Alan

2008-10-19T14:59:00.001-07:00

Taxi For Donegan!

2008-10-19T14:20:00.000-07:00

Ruth E Cockburn

2008-10-19T12:52:00.000-07:00

Michael J Dolan

2008-10-19T12:41:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 7th October

2008-10-19T12:09:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the delay in updating the blog - no excuses other than being a bit busy.

Well, another night of comedy at the Fox and Grapes and a mixed bag this time round. I got there about 8:30pm and was a bit concerned that we wouldn't get many in this time round. I needn't have been concerned as most of the regulars and a few of the irregulars showed up to make for a good atmosphere as MC Alan took the mic. Warming us up well as usual Alan went for something different this time with an extended piece on the humour to be found in French existentialist cinema and the atheistic pessimism of Schopenhauer. Only kidding, he actually mentioned sex a bit and swore a lot, thankfully.

Our first proper act of the evening was Michael J Dolan. Michael started off slowly and unfortunately got sidetracked by a heckler who seemed to think that the only way anyone was going to succeed was with his intervention. Michael's act never really took off though and to his credit he recognised this and curtailed proceedings early. Hopefully he will have learned from this experience and I for one would like to see him come back for another shot (maybe as Dom Woodward did last month).

Next up was Ruth E Cockburn. What is it with female comedians with musical accompaniment? You wait years for one to come along and then two show up within the space of a month. Unlike Mel, Ruth accompanied herself on guitar. Her songs were very clever and amusing and entertained the crowd well. Her non-musical comedy still needs a bit of work but a successful performance overall.

Finally our headliner for this evening was Bill Wooland. Bill is a scouser and many gags were based around this. The laughs came thick and fast and the audience lapped his humour up. He played well off the crowd and wasn't at all distracted by our latest heckler. I thought we may have to call for medical assistance for a couple of hernias the way the audience were doubled up during his set. A fantastic end to the evening which sent us all away extremely happy. I understand that Bill really enjoyed his Fox Experience and would like to come back. I hope I read the signs accurately when I say we would love to see him back soon.

The Fox

Miscellaneous (including MC Alan)

2008-09-08T14:38:00.001-07:00

Ciamh McDonnell

2008-09-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

Dom Woodward

2008-09-08T14:01:00.001-07:00

Mel Moon

2008-09-08T13:23:00.000-07:00

Comedy Night 2 September 2008

2008-09-08T12:23:00.000-07:00

Setting off for The Fox and Grapes on Tuesday I was a bit doubtful about how this one would go down. Many people would be just back from holidays, the schools started back that week and the weather was, to put it politely, filthy. Would people turn out in these circumstances? Well friends, I underestimated your resilience and your need to be cheered up a bit. As it turned out there was an excellent showing, with to these eyes, a good representation of newcomers.

The next piece of good news was that we had three acts on rather than the two we had expected. Could the quality be up to standard? I should never have doubted MC Alan and his ability to come up with the goods.

First up was a female comedian from Burnley, Mel Moon. Mel started off well with some banter with the crowd and went for the sympathy vote with mention of her recent accident. The insurance payment helped her buy her keyboard which she used to help serenade us with some cracking musical comic pieces. I bet Mel is fed up with the Victoria Wood comparisons but it doesn't do either of them a disservice to make them. A great start to the evening.

Next up was our surprise act. Wanting to try out some new material in front of a critical audience Dom Woodward had asked Alan if he could fill the showcase slot. Some of you may remember that Dom was with us a few months ago and I don't think it's unfair to say his set was a little patchy that night. Well done to him for braving The Fox and Grapes again, and even better he was very, very good. He had learned lessons from the previous performance and had us in stitches from the start. Only one or two jokes failed to hit the mark and they were soon forgotten in the torrent of laughs that soon followed. Two down, one to go, could the headliner follow such a great undercard?

No problem. Ciamh McDonnell hit the ground running with a series of self-deprecating observations about his hair, his size, his accent, his age ... He already had the crowd eating out of his hand and despite the occasional heckle, which he handled masterfully, we were with him all the way. He has a look of Dermot Morgan (Father Ted) and sounds a bit like Dara O' Briain but he had a style of his own which proved hugely popular. I can highly recommend seeking him out if you missed the evening.

So there we have it. In my humble opinion the standard of entertainment was the most consistently high that I can remember at the Foxsake night. Believe me, you won't want to miss any night from now on. Get there early to get a good spot. Special thanks to the bar staff for their work in keeping us supplied with drinks and acting as unofficial security when the talking got too loud! Thanks once again to Sharon, the landlady, for supporting the evening.

See you all soon.

The Fox

The Audience

2008-08-12T14:21:00.000-07:00

Can you spot yourself? I can!

The Fox

MC Alan Donegan

2008-08-12T14:05:00.001-07:00

Mark Rough

2008-08-12T13:49:00.000-07:00

Sir Richard Swan

2008-08-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

Poxy - Urban Painter and Decorator

2008-08-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

5th August Comedy Night

2008-08-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

Another night of top entertainment at The Fox and Grapes. The conditions for the players of both sides were difficult, with a sweltering atmosphere draining some of the players early on, owing to the decision by the stadium management to leave the roof closed but the main men seemed to rally and delivered a great performance.

MC Alan had this time decided to pull a flanker with two definitely left field acts followed by a crowd pleasing mainstreamer to tap in the goals late on, ensuring a comfortable home win.

First up we had Poxy, Urban Painter and Decorator. Poxy turned out to be Salford's answer to Banksy and entertained us with sharp banter and well constructed visual aids. With a bit more exposure this guy could be attracting the attention of the big clubs before long.

Next up we had 'Sir' Richard Swan, someone who has graced the turf of The F & G earlier in his career before The Fox became involved. I had no idea what to expect, other than the word from a scout (not the Baden-Powell sort) who was present, and said "People either get Richard or they don't. There is no middle ground." Never a truer word ... I really enjoyed Mr Swan's act, which was far from the norm. I thought it was a well thought out, brave and provocative performance that had me laughing out loud. However, the alternative view from the terraces was, and I quote, "Self-indulgent crap." Anyone who can provoke such differing opinions is doing something right and whilst I may not have been in the majority on Tuesday I would like to see Richard again.

To finish off the evening we had the 'Mackem Mouth', Mark Rough. Mark concentrated on the traditional comedian's approach of straight joke-telling and apart from one baffling foray where he appeared to be bearing down on his own goal by engaging in some inadvisable personal insults he had the audience with him all the way. A consummate professional Mark read the audience well and stuck to his strengths. A real crowd pleaser who sent everyone away chuckling. And is there any better way to come away from a comedy night?

Top marks again to Alan for his hosting of the event and what a pleasure it was to welcome back our old friend, "I don't come round to your place knocking ..."

Next month's headliner is Seymour Mace so don't miss 2nd September.

The Fox

Next Comedy Night - 5th August

2008-07-21T05:04:00.000-07:00

Well, we're into summer now as you can tell by the month if not the weather. Come along and shelter from the rain with us at our next comedy night on Tuesday 5th August. We have three quality acts on offer this time round. Our headliner is Mark Rough.

Mark Rough has been described as the most refreshing Comedian on the UK cabaret circuit. With his fast paced and gag filled set, Mark has been wowing audiences all over the world. Unusually for the mainstream comedy scene, Mark writes all of his own material and this, along with his chirpy manner has seen him perform over 2000 shows in his eight years as a professional Stand Up Comic.

Based in the North West of England, though hailing originally from Sunderland, he has seen his act work in everything from pubs and clubland and is now a big hit on the after dinner circuit. Mark's career has taken him to selling out small theatres throughout the UK and he is working on extending his fan base further south.

After his initial success on the comedy circuit Mark swiftly moved into more traditional venues, though modern and inventive, he is a joke teller.

In 2006 Mark, released his debut live DVD "Have You Ever Had It Blue" to critical acclaim. The show was filmed before a sold out crowd at Blackburn's King George's Hall.

Also appearing will be Richard Swan. Mr Richard Swan is an individual who writes and performs comedy.

Based in the North-West of England, Mr Swan has travelled the length and breadth of Britain playing such venues as The Stand Glasgow, The Frog & Bucket Manchester and numerous venues at the Edinburgh Fringe.

"Definitely a name to look out for." - BBC Lancashire

"Bizarre but very funny" - DerbyComedy.Wordpress.Com

Finally, a treat for those of you who, like me, enjoyed Rod Shepherd, Conspiracy Theorist, we have the latest character from the stable of Jeff Downs - Poxy, Urban Painter and Decorator. Poxy will be filling our special Showcase slot.

I look forward to seeing you all there.

The Fox

Slide Show 1st July

2008-07-09T14:12:00.001-07:00

There are a few photos on the slideshow to the right that don't relate to the Comedy Night and I have no idea where they come from! If any one has any idea how to get rid of them let me know. They don't appear in the Picasa album.

The Audience - Let Us Know If You Are On Any!

2008-07-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

Gary Delaney pt 2

2008-07-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

MC Alan Donegan

2008-07-09T13:31:00.000-07:00

Gary Delaney pt 1

2008-07-09T13:25:00.000-07:00

Jay Ryan

2008-07-09T13:20:00.000-07:00

1st July

2008-07-09T11:53:00.001-07:00

Well, after the highs of last month's birthday celebrations there was a danger of it being a case of 'After Lord Ivan's show ...' but fortunately we were treated to another top class evening of entertainment (or should that be 'an evening of top class entertainment'?).

The unfortunate news greeting us last week was that Dave Twentyman had pulled out at short notice but our fixer, Mr Alan Donegan, had pulled out all the stops and managed to secure the services of a very capable deputy - Jay Ryan.

I'm not being unkind to Jay when I say he is on the large side and the fact has not escaped Jay himself whose act on the night relied heavily (pun intended) on the funny side of his weight. This went down well, although personally I would have liked a little more variety. Having said that there were many laughs to be had, which after all is what a comedy night is about isn't it?

Before I forget I think I should mention our MC, Alan. Alan has really got back to form recently and his pre-guest spots are a vital part of the evening's entertainment.

Headliner this month was Gary Delaney and he really hit the spot from the off. His act is basically a series of one-liners but delivered with such precision and impact that you have little time to think about it. If you don't like one then don't worry, there'll be another one along shortly. Listen, there it goes. Gary was excellent and handled the bloke who decided he was funnier than the comedian exceptionally well. Heckling is one thing but you need to know when to stop digging. Can I make a righteous plea for the acts to be shown the respect they deserve? I know heckling is supposedly a tradition at such events but I can't remember one occasion where it has added to the evening. The good thing is that it's only 1% of the audience but they can spoil it for the other 99%.

Anyway, rant over - I thought it was another fantastic evening and I can't wait for the next one, which will be on August 5th.

The Fox

July 1st Comedy Night

2008-06-30T01:59:00.000-07:00

Don't forget that tomorrow night is Comedy Night at the Fox and Grapes. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, Dave Twentyman will be unable to perform but never fear; MC Alan has managed to secure the services of a superb substitute in the shape of Jay Ryan.
Jay Ryan stepped into the ring during 2005 and has already proved himself to be a knockout hit with audiences, promoters and fellow comedians alike. Never pulling a punch, Jay's rock solid brand of observational, self-depreciating and no nonsence comedy will hit you square between the eyes, leaving you swooning and ready for another beating as soon as possible. A unique addition to the circuit, Jay is a comic who can float like a bee and sting like a butterfly.

"If you get a chance to see Jay take it now! Great material delivered in a easygoing manner that is just fantastic. He never fails to impress. He has such a great way about him on stage, a joy to watch. Going all the way to the top for sure!" - Paula Harrington, Tongue in cheek comedy.
Three time slimmer of the week award, Slimming World, Sefton park Conservative club 2005.

We also still have headliner Gary Delaney, who is fantastic.

Gary Delaney is a razor sharp one-liner comedian, who is widely regarded as being the most quotable comic on the circuit. But the high quantity of stand out gags leaves the audience struggling to remember them all.

Gary regularly plays all the big clubs including The Comedy Store, Jongleurs, Komedia, Glee, Rawhide, The Frog and Bucket, Hyena, Baby Blue, The Stand, Comedy Café, Lee Hurst's Backyard, Banana Cabaret and at clubs throughout the UK.

Gary co-writes Ivan Brackenbury's Hospital Radio Roadshow which was nominated for the If.Comedy award in 2007, and will be familiar to those of you who attended last month's triumphant birthday party. Gary will soon be appearing on Paramount's 'Comedy Blue'.

"Razor sharp one-liners" - Daily Telegraph

"Verges on the genius" - Chortle

"The man Jimmy Carr tries to be" - BBC Online

It will be great to see as many of you there as possible. Let's carry on the brilliant atmosphere from last month's show.

The Fox

Wigan

2008-06-25T15:17:00.000-07:00

Don't forget the Wigan Comedy Night at Swinley Labour Club on Thursday. A great lineup and it would be fantastic if we could get another regular night running.

See you soon.

The Fox

Next Comedy Night - 1st July

2008-06-14T05:56:00.000-07:00

The acts for 1st July have been confirmed as Dave Twentyman and Gary Delaney.

Regulars will remember that Dave was due to be with us in May and had to cry off at the last minute due to his wife being ill, so we look forward to seeing him this time. Dave is one of the most affable and naturally gifted comedians you'll see this year, with his strengths being his improvisation and interaction, delivered with genuine warmth and charm.

Gary Delaney is a razor sharp one-liner comedian, who is widely regarded as being the most quotable comic on the circuit. Gary also co-writes Ivan Brackenbury's Hospital Radio Roadshow, so those of you who were with us in June for the birthday party will no doubt be looking forward to more comedy of that standard.

Top line up, see you there.

The Fox

A Great Success

2008-06-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

Well, I have to say that last night's 2nd birthday celebrations did the place proud. A good crowd were in, and everyone was receptive and appreciative from what I could see. Alan had played a blinder with the acts he brought and the pub absolutely rocked. The format was slightly different to normal with a support act, followed by two showcase acts then the headliner. Alan himself was back on form and started us off well before bring on Ben Schofield who had us hooked right from the word go. He played well off the audience and treated us to a great theory about galvanising dustbins.

Next up was Jimmy O'Neill who is finding his feet but has bags of potential. Unfortunately Jimmy had hurt his neck earlier and taken some of his mum's medication, which made him feel a bit woozy. In the circumstances he did well to remember any of his material and despite losing his way on a couple of occasions he left the audience laughing. Let's hope he is in top health next time we see him.

The second showcase act was Rod Shepherd, conspiracy theorist. His all-action style and paranoid persona struck a chord with the crowd (some of whom may not have realised it was an act!) and his stream of rants and warnings about the lies before our eyes worked extremely well. His props were well thought out even though I had to crane my neck to see them (note to self - don't stand behind the pillar next month). This character could really do things I believe.

Finally we had The Ivan Brackenbury Hospital Radio Roadshow - an act that had been nominated for the Perrier (or whatever it is called now) award at the Edinburgh Festival last year. We were privileged to have him perform for us and after the build up we had given him he had a lot to live up to. Fortunately he really brought the place down. The idea of a live broadcast back to the hospital from a pub in Preston worked a treat and his jingles and dedications had us all guffawing and on occasions doubled up with laughter. Ivan (or Tom to be more accurate) had a great time too and wants to come back for our 3rd birthday celebrations. That would be fantastic so let's hope it comes off.

Finally thanks to everyone who attended. Some new faces were in attendance, which was very pleasing, along with many familiar characters. Special thanks must go to Sharon the landlady for backing the event, to Alan for organising a top notch bill and to Stuart, Caroline and Mike for the publicity that seems to have helped attract a healthy intake of new (and hopefully future regular) punters.

See you all next month.

The Fox

P.S. Please leave comments and let us know what you thought of the evening. The blog has been altered to allow anyone to leave comments without the need to register or log-in. Just click on the 'Comments' link under each post and tell us what you liked, disliked or would like to see changed. It means a lot to know that people appreciate what we are doing.

Ivan Brackenbury

2008-06-04T09:43:00.001-07:00

2008-06-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

The Audience

2008-06-04T09:42:00.001-07:00

2008-06-04T09:42:00.000-07:00

Rod Shepherd and Jimmy O'Neill (in flat cap)

2008-06-04T09:41:00.000-07:00

MC Alan and Rod Shepherd (in camo jacket)

2008-06-04T09:40:00.000-07:00

Ben Schofield Performing

2008-06-04T09:22:00.000-07:00

The 'After' Shot of Steve and Ian

Some More of Our Beautiful People

2008-06-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

The 'Before' shot of Steve and Ian. Just look at the other post to see how the acts cheered up the miserable gits.

Tomorrow's the Night!!

2008-06-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

Don't forget the 2nd Birthday celebrations tomorrow night. Four top class acts so it really will be advisable to get there early this time. Hopefully there will be real ale back on tomorrow after the disappointment of last month's hand-pump desert!

The Fox

More Information on Ivan Brackenbury

2008-05-27T11:09:00.000-07:00

We really are very lucky to get Ivan Brackenbury for the next show. Tom Binns was nominated for a Perrier Award at Edinburgh last year and has a wealth of experience in performing, writing and acting.

More information can be read here and here.

The Ivan Brackenbury website is here.

Rod Shepherd - Conspiracy Theorist

2008-05-20T12:05:00.000-07:00

Rod Shepherd, Croydon’s second best conspiracy theorist and ex-cult leader is here to talk to you about the murky world of ‘conspiracies theories’ and to feed you the truth!

You’ve probably heard of the JFK assassination, Roswell & alien autopsies, crop circles, 9:11, the Diana ‘accident’ and global warming.

Are you being brainwashed by your government? Of course you are, wake up, you’re all slaves, being slowly starved by the system.

Don't be Frightened.

Don't be Scared.

Be petrified!

He’s described as David Icke with a splash of Koresh, that’s not an aftershave, that was a mass murderer from Waco, so the FBI said!

“He’s a f**king nuisance” Croydon Metropolitan Police

“He’s stolen my act” David Icke

“Not to be taken seriously” Sutton and Carshalton Times

Jeff Downs is a writer and comedian. He has created several comedy characters such as self-help life-coach Larry Black and appeared in the long running Edinburgh Festival hit sketch show ‘The Bootleg, Bootlegs’. Jeff was a regular contributor as writer and performer to Bob Sinfield's Laughter Zone on 'One Word Radio'. Currently he is collaborating with Alfie Joey on a number of projects which include Spinners, a sketch show for Channel 4 Radio.

"...had some truly great observations, a very likeable character that makes it easy for an audience to follow him on his ever more bizzare course..." CHORTLE.CO.UK

"Seen him twice ... and he's ripped the roof off the building both times." CHORTLE.CO.UK

Jimmy O'Neill

2008-05-20T12:00:00.001-07:00

The 35-year-old stand-up from Wigan once supported Bernard Manning and last year appeared on TVs Living with Kimberly Stewart.
Jimmy became disillusioned with stand-up but has now stepped back up to the mic after a series of bizarre video rants on internet site YouTube.

Delivered with a dead pan expression he has an extremely distinct style that is sure to go down well with the Fox and Grapes audience.

Praise For Ivan Brackenbury and Ben Schofield

2008-05-20T11:48:00.000-07:00

Ivan Brackenbury:

"Comedy Genius" - CHRIS EVANS

"The funniest thing I've seen in my life." - SIMON BATES

"The precision of the comedy timing was unbelievable it was amazing." - CAPITAL RADIO

"Barrage of cracking jokes” - DAILY TELEGRAPH

“Audience of the verge of being hospitalised with laughter” INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

“Deliciously enjoyable” - THE GUARDIAN

“Funniest Thing I’ve seen on the Fringe” - THE TIMES

“Audiences are laughing their heads off” - METRO

Ben Schofield:

“He is going to be big…he had the audience laughing out loud from the start. Very impressed”. - WWW.CHEEKYCOMEDY.CO.UK

“Ben's loud and remarkably confident personality was a sure winner with the crowd… had the masses rolling out of their seats… a set of brilliant stand up comedy” WWW.BBC.CO.UK

2Impressive…quality material delivered in an animated fashion…took the atmosphere in the place up a gear with a well-paced high energy set with some great punchlines…best act of the night…Ben Schofield rocks!"
WWW.XSMALARKEY.COM

"Noise-merchant…" - WWW.ENTS24.COM

"Never fails to delight…had the crowd in stitches!" WWW.THEHIFICLUB.CO.UK

The Ivan Brackenbury Hospital Radio Roadshow

2008-05-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

Ivan Brackenbury is Hospital Radio's Flagship Presenter. He presents his "Disease Hour" every week on Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Hospital Radio. He's also been heard on "Lee and Herring Fist of Fun" on BBC Radio 1, then BBC GLR [now London], XFM and Talksport. Ivan Brackenbury also did a stint as a continuity man on Channel 4's 4Music.

Ben Schofield

2008-05-20T11:39:00.000-07:00

Ben Schofield first performed as a comedian in 2001. Hailing from Bradford, he was, from an early age, to foster a keen sense of humour as a simple defence mechanism. His predilection for mirth-making thrives to this day, which, considering he still lives in Bradford, is just as well.

Ever since his first tentative steps into comedy before a home crowd in Bradford he has performed to audience and critical acclaim in venues across the north of England. A dyed-in-the-wool rocker, he has imbued his performances with his rock and roll spirit, producing a dynamic, colourful (and really quite loud) act that is guaranteed to entertain.

In 2002 he reached the televised semi-final of the BBC New Comedy Awards, only for his progress to be hampered by the London audience inexplicably taking objection to having a hairy Northerner shouting at them. Undeterred, he continued to preach his gospel to all who would listen, building a deserved reputation as an exciting and engaging comic performer, whilst vowing never to enter a competition again. Such was the piety with which he upheld this vow that in 2004 he reached the regional finals of the J2O/Jongleurs competition.

A scatologically cerebral comic thinker with a keen eye for the absurd, he boastfully maintains the unique record of being the only comedian in the world (to his knowledge) to have written a joke about galvanising dustbins. This surely stands as a testament to his ability to mine comedy gold from even the most unlikely of seams.

With countless performances in top northern venues, residencies at several established and respected comedy nights (including the Hyena Lounge at The Original Oak, Headingley and the Saturday Session at The HiFi Club, Leeds) and several television appearances (including Stand Up Britain for ITV) already under the considerable girth of his belt, he is all set to ignite a comedy venue near you soon. Come and join him for the ride.

Incredible Line Up For 3 June

2008-05-20T11:31:00.000-07:00

For the 3 June gig Alan has brought together 4 (count 'em) amazing acts for our entertainment. Brief CVs where we have them will appear shortly. The acts are:

Headliner;

The Ivan Brackenbury Hospital Radio Roadshow.

Support from:

Ben Schofield

Jimmy O'Neill

Rod Shepherd - Conspiracy Theorist.

6th May - The Audience

2008-05-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

Dom Woodward gives his 'psycho' stare.

Jamie Sutherland - Again

2008-05-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

6th May - Jamie Sutherland

2008-05-20T11:21:00.000-07:00

MC Alan Donegan

2008-05-20T11:19:00.000-07:00

6th May - Dom Woodward

2008-05-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

6th May - Dom Woodward - Again

2008-05-20T10:56:00.000-07:00

6th May Comedy Night

2008-05-20T10:49:00.000-07:00

The last comedy night was a rather hit and miss affair compared to previous evenings. Unfortunately the headliner, Dave Twentyman, had to cry off at very short notice as his wife was taken ill (hopefully she is ok now). Alan managed to get a friend to replace him with only a couple of hours notice. Alan, however, seemed to be off song - probably due to the stress of having to frantically make calls to save the evening and also the larger crowd - and the two comedians had mixed fortunes. One did quite well but the other was trying out new material and appeared to misjudge the audience, even veering rather close to racism at one point. There was also a young lad in the audience whose girlfriend made the mistake of letting it slip he was a copper and he provided an easy get-out for the performers when things weren't going well - just get an easy laugh by pointing at the poor lad and making a comment about the police. Too cheap in my opinion.

Despite this the audience seemed generally to have a good time and for those of you that didn't I apologise. I would like to reassure you that the evening is usually of a higher standard and please do yourselves a favour and give it another try.

Next month is the second anniversary of the start of the Fox and Grapes Comedy Night and Alan has organised what promises to be a cracking evening with no fewer than four performers. Details to follow.

Tonight's The Night!

2008-05-06T03:40:00.000-07:00

A quick reminder - tonight is comedy night at the Fox and Grapes. As always there is top class entertainment - this time provided by Dom Woodward and Dave Twentyman. A bigger crowd is expected tonight so make sure you get there early and partake of the fine ales (or whatever floats your boat).

See you all later.

The Fox

Dave Twentyman

2008-04-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

Currently riding high on the UK comedy scene, Dave is one of the most affable and naturally gifted comedians you'll see this year. Dave's strengths are his improvisation and interaction delivered with genuine warmth and charm. Enjoyed by audiences young and old, he is one of the best things to come out of St Helens from a long list that already includes Rugby League, Johnny Vegas, Glass, The Transport Museum and Margaret off the Weakest Link.

Dom Woodward

2008-04-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

Dom has quickly risen to become a regular performer on the stand-up circuit. His confident and cheeky (sometimes grumpy) persona charms audiences as he paints images of the quirky people he meets. His set is a fast paced ride through his life and the things that annoy him most. He explains in side splitting detail why he hates driving, gives an invaluable lesson on how to steal from the Post Office and reveals all about his days behind the McDonalds counter.

Line Up Confirmed for 6th May

2008-04-06T09:07:00.000-07:00

The next FREE comedy night at the Fox and Grapes will feature two rising stars of the comedy circuit, Dom Woodward and Dave Twentyman.

The Audience Takes A Break

2008-04-04T09:29:00.001-07:00

Liam (One For The Ladies)

2008-04-04T09:28:00.001-07:00

John on Surname Origins and Cigarettes

2008-04-04T09:10:00.000-07:00

John on the Brum Accent being like a Lazy Eye

2008-04-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

The picture quality is not great, but fortunately the sound is fine

John In All His Glory

2008-04-04T08:58:00.001-07:00